1554.—"Nous vinmes à la ville de Pourschewer ([Peshawur]), et ayant heureusement passe le Koutel ([Kotul]), nous gagnâmes la ville de Djouschayeh. Sur le Koutel nous apercûmes des rhinoceros, dont la grosseur approchait celle d'un elephant...."—Sidi 'Ali, in J. As., 1st ser. tom. ix. 201-202.
RHOTASS, n.p. This (Rohtās) is the name of two famous fortresses in India, viz. a. a very ancient rock-fort in the Shāhābād district of Behar, occupying part of a tabular hill which rises on the north bank of the Sōn river to a height of 1490 feet. It was an important stronghold of Sher Shāh, the successful rival of the Mogul Humāyūn: b. A fort at the north end of the Salt-range in the Jhelum District, Punjab, which was built by the same king, named by him after the ancient Rohtās. The ruins are very picturesque.
a.—
c. 1560.—"Sher Sháh was occupied night and day with the business of his kingdom, and never allowed himself to be idle.... He kept money (khazána) and revenue kharáj) in all parts of his territories, so that, if necessity required, soldiers and money were ready. The chief treasury was in Rohtás under the care of Ikhtiyár Khán."—Waki'at-i-Mushtaki, in Elliot, iv. 551.
[c. 1590.—"Rohtas is a stronghold on the summit of a lofty mountain, difficult of access. It has a circumference of 14 kos and the land is cultivated. It contains many springs, and whenever the soil is excavated to the depth of 3 or 4 yards, water is visible. In the rainy season many lakes are formed, and more than 200 waterfalls gladden the eye and ear."—Āīn, ed. Jarrett, ii. 152 seq.]
1665.—"... You must leave the great road to Patna, and bend to the South through Exberbourgh (?) [Akbarpur] and the famous Fortress of Rhodes."—Tavernier, E.T. ii. 53; [ed. Ball, i. 121].
[1764.—"From Shaw Mull, Kelladar of Rotus to Major Munro."—In Long, 359.]
b.—
c. 1540.—"Sher Sháh ... marched with all his forces and retinue through all the hills of Padmán and Garjhák, in order that he might choose a fitting site, and build a fort there to keep down the Ghakkars.... Having selected Rohtás, he built there the fort which now exists."—Táríkh-i-Sher Sháhí, in Elliot, iv. 390.
1809.—"Before we reached the Hydaspes we had a view of the famous fortress of Rotas; but it was at a great distance.... Rotas we understood to be an extensive but strong fort on a low hill."—Elphinstone, Caubul, ed. 1839, i. 108.