Note 123 — ARAB REFERENCES.1

Capitals. Kachh.Kachh. Al Bírúni (a.d. 970–1031) is the only Arab writer who refers to Kachh. He calls Kachh123 with Somnáth the head-quarters of the country of the Bawárij or Medh pirates. Speaking of the Indus he notices124 that one of its branches which reaches the borders of Kachh is known as Sind Ságar. In a third passage he refers125 to Kachh as the land of the mukl or balsamodendron and of bádrúd or bezoar. It was twenty-four miles (6 farsangs) from Debal (Karáchi). According to the Táríkh-i-Maâsúmi126 when (a.d. 1069) the sovereignty of Sindh passed from the descendants of Mahmúd of Ghazni to the Sumras, Singhar, the grandson of Sumra (a.d. 1069)127 extended his sway from Kachh to Nasarpúr128 near Sindh Haidarábád and Khafíf the son of Singhar consolidated his power and made Kachh a Sumra dependency.129 Dúda the grandson of Khafíf quelled a threatened Sumra rising by proceeding to Kachh and chastising the Sammas.130 On the fall of the Sumras the Chauras became masters of Kachh from whose hands the country passed to those of the Sammas. Ground down under the iron sway of the Sumras a number of Sammas fled from Sindh and entered Kachh where they were kindly received by the Chauras who gave them land to cultivate. After acquainting themselves with the country and the resources of its rulers the Samma immigrants who seem to have increased in numbers and strengthened themselves by union, obtained possession by stratagem but not without heroism of the chief fortress of Kachh.131 This fort now in ruins Appendix V. Arab References, a.d. 851–1350. Capitals. Kachh. was the fort of Gúntrí.132 The Tárikh-i-Táhiri states that up to the time the history was written (a.d. 1621)133 the country was in the possession of the Sammas, both the Ráis Bhára and Jám Sihta of great and little Kachh in his time being of Samma descent.