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39
the mountains of Isfahan, enters into al-Yahudiyyah and irrigates
the district. The rivers of Faris on the other hand fall into five
lakes which are in that province. The river Tab comes forth 24.
from al-Burj, 1 above Sumairam, flows on the confines of Faris
and falls into the sea of China near Siniz. Lastly, the river of
Arrajan flows from the mountains of Faris ; receives a quantity
of salt water below al-'Aqabah [mountain-road] and irrigates the
district by the division of its waters into many artificial channels.
NAMES AND THEIR VARIATIONS.
Know that there exists in the kingdom of Islam a number of
towns, districts and villages, which have similar names but quite
different situations. As most people are in a state of uncertainty
with respect to these places and the persons connected with them
by birth, we have thought fit to give prominence in this chapter
to their particular mention. We shall also give the names of
things that are differently called in different countries, as a
knowledge of this will doubtless be serviceable to these who visit
these countries.
As-Sus, a district at the furthest extremity of al-Maghrib, a
town at the beginning of it,² another in Haital and a district in
Khuzistan; there is also a Susah in al-Maghrib. Atrabulus
[Tripoli], a town on the littoral of the district of Dimashq and
another on the coast of Barqah. Bairict, a town in the district
of Dimashq and another in Khuzistan. 'Asqalan [Ascalon], a
town on the coast of Filastin [Palestine] and a mimbar* in
Balkh. Ramadah, a town in al-Maghrib, a village in Balkli,
another in Naisabur and another in ar-Ramlah. Tabaran, a town
on the borders of Qumis, and the rustdq or district of the town
of Sarakhs; Tabaran, the capital of Tus; Tabaristan, a district;
Tubariyyah [Tiberias], the capital of al-Urdunn; Tuwaran, a
district in as-Sind ; and Tabarak,* a place in ar-Raiy. Quhistan,
a district in Khurasan and a town in Kirman. Tabasu-t-Tamr
1 This place is wrongly called al-Marj in Abu-l Fida' I, 74.
2 A town of Barqah [Barca]; the Marsa Susa of Keith Johnston, plate
37 Lb,
3 Mimbar properly means 'a pulpit' and by consequence 'a mosque.'
With reference to the latter meaning it came also to mean ' a small town
or village where there is a mosque.' See Gloss. Edrisi.
4 See Barbier de Meynard's Dictionnane de la Perse, p. 387.