EARLY ARAB GEOGRAPHERS.
six miles between the mouth of the great Mihrán and Debal. From Debal to Nírún, on the west of the Mihrán, three days’ journey. Nírún is half way between Debal and Mansúra, and people going from one town to the other here cross the river.
Nírún is a town of little importance, but it is fortified, and its inhabitants are rich. Trees are rare. From hence to Mansúra rather more than three days.
Mansúra, the city last mentioned, is surrounded by a branch of the Mihrán, although it is at a distance fromthe river. It is on the west of the principal branch of the river which flows from its source to Kálarí, a town situated one days’ journey from Mansúra. At Kálarí it divides—the principal branch runs towards Mansúra, the other flows northward as far as Sharúsán [Sadusán], it then turns westwards and rejoins the chief stream, forming henceforward only one river. The junction takes place twelve miles below Mansura. The Mihrán passes on to Nírún, and then flows into the sea. Mansúra occupies a space of a mile square. The climate is hot. The country produces dates and sugar-canes in abundance. There are hardly any other fruits, if we except one, a sort of fruit called laimún, as big as an apple and of a very sour taste, and another which resembles the peach both in shape and taste. Mansúra was built at the beginning of the reign of Al Mansúr, of the ’Abbáside
family, This prince gave his name (“the victorious”) to four different cities, as a good augury that they might stand for ever. The first was Baghdad in ’Irak; the second, Mansúra in Sind; the third, Al Masísa, on the Mediterranean; the fourth, that of
Mesopotamia. That of which we are now speaking is great, populous, rich, and commercial. Its environs are fertile. The buildings are constructed of bricks, tiles, and plaster. It is a place of recreation and of pleasure. Trade flourishes. The bazars are filled with people, and well stocked with goods. The lower classes wear the Persian costume, but the princes wear tunics, and allow their hair to grow long like the princes of India. The money is silver and copper. The weight of the drachma (dínár) is five times that of the (ordinary) drachma. The Tátariya coins also are current here. Fish is plentiful, meat is cheap, and foreign and native fruits abound. The name of this city in Indian is Mírmán,
