HISTORIANS OF SIND.
him of it. ’Umar wrote in reply —“Obrother of Sakíf; thou has placed the worm in the wood, but I swear by God, that if our men had been killed I would have taken (slain) an equal number from your tribe.” Hakam despatched a force to Barauz [Broach]; he also sent to the bay of Debal his brother Mughíra, who met and defeated the enemy.
When ’Usmán, son of ’Akkán became Khalif, he appointed ’Abdu-llah son of ’A′mar, son of Kuraiz, to (the government of) ’Irák, and wrote to him an order to send a person to the confines of Hind in order to acquire knowledge and bring back information. He accordingly deputed Hakím, son of Jaballa al ’Abdi. When this man returned he was sent on to the Khalif, who questioned him about the state of those regions. He replied that he knew them because he had examined them. The Khalif then told him to describe them. He said “Water is scarce, the fruits are poor, and the robbers are bold; if few troops are sent there they will be slain, if many, they will starve.” ’Usman asked him whether he spoke accurately or hyperbolically [Lit. in rhyme]. He said that he spoke according to his knowlege. The Khalif abstained from sending any expedition there.
At the end of the year 38, or the beginning of the year 39 H.(659 A.D.) in the Khalifat of ’Alí son of Abú Sálib, Haras the son of Marra-l ’Abdí went with the sanction of the Khalif to the same frontier, as a volunteer. He was victorious, got plunder, made captives, and distributed in one day a thousand heads. He and those who were with him, saving a few, were slain in the land of Kíkán[1] in the year 42 H. (662 A.D.) Kíkán is in Sind near the frontiers of Khurásán.
In the year 44 H. (664 A.D.), and in the days of the Khalif Mu’áwiya, Muhallab son of Abú Safra made war upon the same frontier, and advanced as far as Banna and Alahwár,[2] which lie between Multán and Kábul. The enemy opposed him and killed him and his followers. In the land of Kíkán, Muhallab encountered eighteen Turkí horsemen, riding crop-tailed horses. They fought well but were all slain. Muhallab said, “How much more
