"الجغرافيا الشرقية لابن حوقل، رحّالة عربي من القرن العاشر" [‎٢‎٢‎٦] (٣٨٨/٢٧٩)

( 220 )
of all the towns in the districts of Balkh, none is more wealthy
or commercial, being the pass or frontier of Hindoostan.
Kahul is a town with a very strong castle, accessible
only by one road: this is in the hands of the Mussulmans; but
the town belongs to the infidel Indians. They say that a king is
not properly qualified to govern^ until he has been inaugurated
at Kabul, however distant he may have been from it. Kabul is
also (like Ghizni) a pass into Hindoostan. The fruits of a
warm climate, which abound at Balkh, are bi ought to Kabul,,
except dates, which do not grow at Balkh, where snow falls.
Kabul is situated in a warm climate, but does not produce date
trees.
jjt Ghawr is a mountainous country. In the places about it
there are Mussulmans; but Ghawr is mostly inhabited by In
fidels. Here are great mountains. The dialect of Ghawr is like
that of Khorasan. It is populous, containing many running
streams ; and I have described it as belonging to Khorasan, be
cause it borders on that province; in like manner including
Bamian, and Penjhir, and Maweralnaher, as far as Turkestan-
The mountains of these places all abound with mines.
But the Jihoon (or river Oxus) and Kliarezeiriy
and Amoly and Zam, we reckon as belonging to
Maweralnahar (Transoxania); and shall speak of them accord-