Note 111 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

Al Istakhri (a.d. 951) mentions Saimúr as one of the cities of Hind, makes it the southern end of the Balhára kingdom with Kambáya as the northern,111 and places it at a distance of five days from Sindán (the Thána Sanján) and fifteen days from Sarandíb or Ceylon.112 Ibni Haukal (a.d. 968) notices Saimúr as one of the cities of Hind known to him and mentions the sea of Fárs (or the Indian Ocean) as stretching from Saimúr on the east to Tíz or Makrán.113 He states114 that the country between Saimúr and Támhal (Anhilawára) belongs to Hind. He makes115 the distance between Subára (probably Surabára or Swát), Sindán, and Saimúr five days each and between Saimúr and Sarandib (Ceylon) fifteen days. Al Bírúni (a.d. 1020) says:116 “Then you enter the land of Lárán in which is Saimúr also called Jaimúr or Chaimúr.” Al Idrísi (end of the eleventh century) mentions Saimúr as one of the towns of the second climate.117 He describes it as large and well-built, five days from Sindán and among its products notes cocoanut trees in abundance, henna (Lawsonia inermis), and on its mountains many aromatic plants.118 His remark that Saimúr formed a part of the vast, fertile, well-peopled and commercial kingdom of the Balháras must be taken from the work of Al-Jauhari (a.d. 950).