The Geography of Herodotus; Illustrated from Modern Researches and Discoveries (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 Excerpt: ...of this sea into a desert of sand, under which are numerous springs, generally salt and bitter, whose waters either lose themselves in the sand or are carried off by evaporation. In very remote ages, therefore, the Aral may have formed only an inland lake of the Oxus river, and that branch of the river towards the Caspian which is now dried up, was probably the outflow of the Aral. As the Aral became more shallow the mass of water no longer required this outflow, and the branch towards the Caspian gradually dried up. Water however is a precious element in a sandy region, and when the old outflow became too shallow to irrigate the land, the inhabitants threw a dam or embankment across it to prevent the Oxus from merely losing itself in the sands, and probably to turn its waters into canals of greater utility. This dam was probably the one seen by Beckewitz, and was not recently constructed, but may have existed prior to the time of Ebu Haukal. For a further account see Memoir communicated by Humboldt to Captain Moria, and ascribed to the Graf von Cancrin, printed in Morier's Memoir of the Countries about the Caspian and Aral. 1 iii. 92. 3 Balkh is probably only the name of the principal city of this region, but is generally applied by geographers to the entire tract. Elphinstone also uses it in this general sense, though he acknowledges that it is inaccurate. 3 Elphinstone, Account of Caubul, vol. ii. ASIA. CHAP. IV. Hcrodotus's account. Bactria a penal settlement. Costume of the Buctrians. Acglae, probably theGhiljies. VII. GanIi.viia, comprising the Sattagydnc, Gandarii, Dadicue, and Aptirytac. Merely named by Herodotus. Probal.ly answered to Bactria, according to Herodotus, was the usual place of banishment for enslaved nations. Thus the Persian generals ...