Page:The Indian Antiquary, Vol. 4-1875.djvu/63

 50 THE INDIAN ANTIQTJAET. [Febrttabt, 1875, dize of every kind, and it became a large and majestic city." Account of the conquest of KalMt hj the Khwaresmians : — "When KhwajaRaziuldinKowamul Mulk Abubekr el Zozeni became governor of the countries of Karnian, Mekr&D, and Fars on behalf of the Saltan Ala ul din Mohammad b i n N a k s, he possessed himself of K a I h A. t by the sword, and it is said that M a 1 i k b i n F a h m died in the time of Razi nl din Kowam nl Mnlk. Now about that time Eazi ul din Kowam ul Mulk found an opportunity to despatch ships to gain possession of Kalh a t with all the depend- encies of Oman, and he established therein his officers and lieutenants, and they used to collect the revenue and transit dnes. He used to send silk there from Karman for sale, and after collect- ing the revenue of the town, to purchase with it Arab horses and have them brought over in batches of about five hundred. Of these horses tho inferior ones were kept for his own stables, but the best were sent to Khwarezrn as pre- sents to the Sultan. When Razi ul din died in Karman, he left in Kalh fit 64,000 mannas, or, as some say, 80,000 maunds of silk, besides about 500 horses, and with his death the country fell from the grasp of the Khwarezmians, with its horses and silk, in the year AM. 615. After the death of the Sheik M a 1 i k b i n F a hm bin Malik, fortifications of stone and mortar were built at Kalha t in the year 614" [ad. 1217], Description of Kalh at, " Kalha t is a town situated on the shore of the sea and is surrounded by hills, and it is said that its appearance is similar to Aden, Its water is good and is brought from M e i d a, and there is a stream named S u k h e r a t flowing from the hills between palms and gardens, the wider of which is light and digestible, and sweet as the Euphrates. The tribe to wlueh Kalha t belongs is a very small one." The glory of K a I h at was on the wane, though it was still a. considerable town, when visited by D'Albuqaerque in A.D. 1507 on his way to Horiuuz, and he gives the following description of the place at that time : " C a I ay e t is a town as large as Santarem, not very populous, and with many old buildings almost in ruins, and, according to the information D'Albuquerque received from some Moors, KM destroyed by Alexander, who conquered all the country, Tho sea strikes it, and the haven is very good, situated at the foot of high hills. On the inland side, somewhat apart from the town, there is a wall, descending from the top of the hill to the sea, erected by the inhabitants to keep out the Moors of the interior from coming to plunder, It belongs to a king called Benjabar, who has good cavalry. There are no trees around the city except a few palm trees near some wells, from which they- get drinking-water. From the interior comes an abundance of wheat, barley, millet, and dates. The port is a great rendezvous for ships, which come thither to load horses and dates for India. The king of Ormuz despatched every year a suitable per- son as Goazil, who governed the country, administered justice, made war, &c. As regards the revenue, there was a eunuch or Cojeator whose duty was to collect taxes and Temit them to the king. In all parts of the kingdom of Ormuz were placed these eunuchs, who govern the treasury of the state, and who receive great respect and obedience." On his return from Hormuz, D' Albuquerque picked a quarrel with the Governor of K a 1 h a t, notwithstanding his having offered submission to Portugal on tho former visit, and having at- tacked the place, destroyed and burnt it. This was the last historical event connected with the town, which never rose again from the ashes. After a few years more it sank into utter insig- nificance, and its very name now has almost passed into oblivion. The site of theso interesting ruins is on the littoral declivity at the foot of the high and precipitous range of hills called Jebel Kalha t, and at the eastern termination of the mountainous district which lies between Mas- kiitandEl Sharkiyoh. The town covered a wide space, and the ground, which is very un- even, is everywhere strewn with the debris of honses and buildings, showing that the popu- lation must at one time have been very con- Blderable. The foundations in many places are still observable, but there iB not a dwelling of any description left standing, nor are there any signs of architectural grandeur anywhere to be seen. Issuing from the lulls and divid- ing the town is a deep ravine called tin- Wt d ■ I a s i r, the mouth of which is very broad, and being entered by the sea, doubtless proved an excellent haven for bagalas and native cr.>