国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

mistake had been made in antiquity, by Ptolemy, regarding the Oechardes and
Bautisus. And it has been made by geographers, who died only a few years ago,
in connection with the Tsangpo and Brahmaputra.

As regards Edrisi's sources, DOWSON says: »Idrísí gives a full compilation
from the works of his predecessors, with some additional matter from sources now
lost to us, but he does not appear to have used the writings of Bírúní (Alberuni),
and his work is blemished by many false spellings.» ¹ As quoted above Reinaud
supposes he did not know Suleiman's account either. So far as I can see, and
whatever he has taken from others, his description of Tibet is not like anything
else written by Arabian geographers. In those places where he talks of the lakes
which cannot possibly be anything but the Manasarovar, he must necessarily give
the impression that he has derived his knowledge from travellers who have heard
of the lake and, quite naturally, in many details misunderstood what they heard.
So far as our region, the Manasarovar and the sources of the great Indian rivers,
is concerned, Edrisi is by far the most interesting of all Arabian writers.

JAKUT, who died in 1229, has a good deal to tell about Tibet, but nearly
all of it is copied from Masudi, except a few passages without geographical interest.

Concerning MUHAMAD BAKHTIYÁR it is told that in 1243 A. D. he marched
towards the hills of Tibet. »Their roads pass through the ravines of the mountains,
as is quite common in that part of the country. Between Kámrúp and Tibet there
are thirtyfive mountain passes through which horses are brought to Lakhnauti». ²

In his Jámíu-t Tawa'ríkh. which was completed in 1310, RASHIDEDDIN has a
chapter about India, most of which is taken from Alberuni.³

Opposite to Mount Meru, he places another mountain which is said to be
composed of gold and silver.

The Hima mountains lie on the north of Kanauj, and on account of snow and cold form
the extreme point of the habitation of man. This range has Kashmir in its centre . . . The
rivers of the entire country of Hind, which flow from the northern mountains, amount to
eleven . . . Some other mountains are called Harmakút (Hemakúta), in which the Ganges has
its source. These are impassable from the side of the cold regions, and beyond them lies
Machin. To these mountains most of the rivers which lave the cities of India owe their origin.
Besides these mountains there are others called Kalârchal. They resemble crystal domes, and
are always covered with snow, like those of Damâwand. They can be seen from Takas and