Nosala

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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Map of Gwadar and Pasni, Balochistan, Pakistan

Nosala was an island mentioned by Greek historian Arrian. It has been identified with Astola Island, a small uninhabited Pakistani island in the Arabian Sea approximately 25 km south of the nearest part of the coast and 39 km southeast of the fishing port of Pasni sub-district of Gwadar District in Balochistan province of Pakistan.

Variants

• Astola
• Astola Island
• Satadip
• Island of the Seven Hills

Jat clans

• Nosal - Need further research

History

Astola Island (Urdu: جزِیرہ اَستُولا) also known as Jezira Haft Talar (Balochi and Urdu: زروان ءِ هفت تلار) Satadip or 'Island of the Seven Hills', is a small uninhabited Pakistani island in the Arabian Sea approximately 25 km south of the nearest part of the coast and 39 km southeast of the fishing port of Pasni. Astola is Pakistan's largest offshore island at approximately 6.7 km long with a maximum width of 2.3 km and an area of approximately 6.7 km². The island is part of the Pasni subdistrict of Gwadar District in Balochistan province. The island can be accessed by motorized boats from Pasni, with a journey time of about 5 hours to reach the island.

History - The earliest mention of Astola is in Arrian's account of Admiral Nearchos, who was dispatched by Alexander the Great to explore the coast of the Arabian Sea and the Persian Gulf in 325 BC. The sailors in Nearchos's fleet were "frightened at the weird tales told about an uninhabited island, which Arrian calls Nosala". It was also called Carmina, Karmine, by Arrian.

Geography - The island consists of a large tilted plateau and a series of seven small hillocks (hence the local name "Haft Talar" or "Seven Hills"), with deep chasms and crevices, which are several feet wide. There are several natural caves and coves on the island. The south face of the island slopes off gradually whereas the north face is cliff-like with a sharp vertical drop.

Mention by Arrian

Arrian mentions....XXXI. While they were coasting along the territory of the Fish-eaters, they heard a rumour about an island, which lies some little distance from the mainland in this direction, about a hundred stades, but is uninhabited. The natives said that it was sacred to the Sun and was called Nosala, and that no human being ever of his own will put in there; but that anyone who ignorantly touched there at once disappeared. Nearchus, however, says that one of his galleys with an Egyptian crew was lost with all hands not far from this island, and that the pilots stoutly averred about it that they had touched ignorantly on the island and so had disappeared. But Nearchus sent a thirty-oar to sail round the island, with orders not to put in, but that the crew should shout loudly, while coasting round as near as they dared; and should call on the lost helmsman by name, or any of the crew whose name they knew. As no one answered, he tells us that he himself sailed up to the island, and compelled his unwilling crew to put in; then he went ashore and exploded this island fairy-tale. They heard also another current story about this island, that one of the Nereids dwelt there; but the name of this Nereid was not told. She showed much friendliness to any sailor who approached the island; but then turned him into a fish and threw him into the sea. The Sun then became irritated with the Nereid, and bade her leave the island; and she agreed to remove thence, but begged that the spell on her be removed; the Sun consented; and such human beings as she had turned into fishes he pitied, and turned them again from fishes into human beings, and hence arose the people called Fish-eaters, and so they descended to Alexander's day. Nearchus shows that all this is mere legend; but I have no commendation for his pains and his scholarship; the stories are easy enough to demolish; and I regard it as tedious to relate these old tales and then prove them all false.

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions .... But before we enter into any details respecting these countries, it will be as well to mention what Oncsicritus¹ has stated, who commanded the fleet of Alexander, and sailed from India² into the heart of Persia, and what has been more recently related by Juba; after which I shall speak of the route along these seas which has been discovered in later years, and is followed at the present day. The journal of the voyage of Onesicritus and Nearchus has neither the names of the stations, nor yet the distances set down in it; and first of all, it is not sufficiently explained where Xylenepolis was, and near what river, a place founded by Alexander, and from which, upon setting out, they took their departure. Still, however, the following places are mentioned by them, which are worthy of our notice. The town of Arbis, founded by Nearchus on the occasion of this voyage; the river Nabrus³, navigable for vessels, and opposite to it an island, at a distance of seventy stadia; Alexandria, built by Leonnatus⁴ by order of Alexander in the territories of this people; Argenus, with a very convenient harbour; the river Tonberos⁵, a navigable stream, around whose banks are the Pasiræ; then come the Ichthyophagi, who extend over so large a tract of coast that it took thirty days⁶ to sail past their territory; and an island known by the names of the "Island of the Sun"⁷ and the "Bed of the Nymphs," the earth of which is red, and in which every animal instantly dies; the cause of which, however, has not been ascertained.⁸

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1 See the Notes at the end of this Book.

2 By descending the Indus, and going up the Persian Gulf.

3 Near the mouth of the Indus, Hardouin says.

4 One of Alexander's most distinguished officers, and a native of Pella. He commanded the division of cavalry and light-armed troops which accompanied the fleet of Alexander down the Indus, along the right bank of the river. The Alexandria here mentioned does not appear to have been identified. It is not to be confounded with Alexandria in Arachosia, nor yet with a place of the same name in Carmania, the modern Kerman.

5 A river Tomerus is spoken of by Arrian as lying between the Indus and the river Arabis or Arbis.

6 They seem to have dwelt along the shores of the modern Mukran, south of Beloochistan, and probably part of Kerman.

7 Called Nosala by Arrian. Ansart suggests that it is the island now known by the name of Sengadip. It lay probably off the promontory or headland of the Sun, on the eastern coast of Arabia.

8 Mela suggests the reason, but gives to the island a different locality— "over against the mouth of the Indus." He says that the air of the island is of such a nature as to take away life instantaneously, and appears to imply that the heat is the cause.

References

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