National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
Digital Archive of Toyo Bunko Rare Books

has been the case, both in old and recent times, he reckons only as a part of Tartary.
For he simply says that India borders to the north upon Tartary, and that the best
known part of India, namely Indostan, is bordered to the east and west by the Ganges
and the Indus, »which have their sources in the mountains of Zagatay & Turquestan.
These two countries border Indostan to the north, as the Indian Sea serves as its
boundary on the south.» ¹

Kabulistan also borders upon Tartary to the north, only separated from it
by mount Caucasus. Two of the rivers which contribute to the Indus have their
sources in these mountains. The Kingdom of Kashmir has »to the east a part of
Tibet», and to the north, Tartary. It is, however, surrounded by mountains, and one
cannot enter the country except by passes and narrow gorges. The rivers coming down
from these mountains make this country one of the most fertile in India. They join and
form the Tchenas which, through a narrow valley in the mountains goes to the Indus
near Atoc. The capital of Kashmir, Syrenaquer, he places at 35° N, which is nearly
one degree too far north. He complains with some reason that modern writers have
given so many different names to the five rivers of Panjab, that it is hard to distinguish
them from each other, though Ptolemy had distinguished them sufficiently clearly.
So much is sure, that »all these rivers have their sources in the northern mountains.»

In Thomas Bowrey's account we only find a short reference to the Ganges,
which he calls one of the four principal rivers in the world, »supposed to runne up
Paradise or the garden of Eden». ² And he adds: »Formerly, yea not many years
agoe, the Inhabitants on the Northerne parts of Bengala trained up their Children
(from theire infancie) to Eat raw fish and flesh, and when growne Up Sent them
upon travaile to discover the great Ganges, to find out the garden of Eden (by
Order of theire Kings), but few or none Ever returne, ergo now quite left off as a
thinge Impossible to be accomplished.» ³

Bowrey knows that southern Tartary is mountainous, and that it rains there
»for a quarter of a yeare togeather, and rusheth downe the Ganges and arms thereof
with Such Violence that all this rivers afford not issue for it, unto the Sea, untill a
considerable time be spent and an abatement made». Sir Richard Temple is right
in seeing in this passage a vague reference to Central Asia, including the Himalayas
and their heavy rainfall.

Finally let us remember John Fryer, though he has even less to tell about
our regions, than any of his predecessors. He has the curious conception that the
Ghats run north and south »till they cross the Imaus». ⁴ He also uses the name