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diff --git a/old/66386-0.txt b/old/66386-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index aa76a4b..0000000 --- a/old/66386-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,8452 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of Travels into Bokhara (Volume 3 of 3), by -Alexander Burnes - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: Travels into Bokhara (Volume 3 of 3) - Being the Account of A Journey from India to Cabool, Tartary, - and Persia; Also, Narrative of a Voyage on the Indus, From the Sea - to Lahore, With Presents From the King of Great Britain; Performed - Under the Orders of the Supreme Government of India, in the Years - 1831, 1832, and 1833 - -Author: Alexander Burnes - -Release Date: September 26, 2021 [eBook #66386] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -Produced by: Henry Flower and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at - https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images - generously made available by The Internet Archive/Canadian - Libraries) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRAVELS INTO BOKHARA (VOLUME 3 OF -3) *** - - - - -Transcriber's Note - -Italic text is indicated by _underscores_, bold text by =equals signs=, -sidenotes by ~swung dashes~ and superscript by caret signs, e.g. ALEX^R -BURNES. - - - - - TRAVELS - INTO - BOKHARA, - _&c. &c._ - - VOL. III. - - - - - LONDON: - Printed by A. SPOTTISWOODE, - New-Street-Square. - -[Illustration: - - Drawn by W. Purser. Engraved by E. Finden. - -_Hydrabad on the Indus_ - -_From a sketch taken on the spot by Capt. Grindlay, in 1808._ -] - - - - - TRAVELS - INTO - BOKHARA; - - BEING THE ACCOUNT OF - A JOURNEY FROM INDIA TO CABOOL, TARTARY, - AND PERSIA; - - ALSO, NARRATIVE OF - A VOYAGE ON THE INDUS, - FROM THE SEA TO LAHORE, - WITH PRESENTS FROM THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN; - - PERFORMED UNDER THE ORDERS OF THE SUPREME GOVERNMENT - OF INDIA, IN THE YEARS 1831, 1832, AND 1833. - - BY - LIEUT. ALEX^R BURNES, F.R.S. - OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY’S SERVICE; - AS^T POLITICAL RESIDENT IN CUTCH, AND LATE ON A MISSION TO - THE COURT OF LAHORE. - - - ----“Per syrtes iter æstuosas, - ... _per inhospitalem - Caucasum, vel quæ loca fabulosus - Lambit Hydaspes_.” HOR. - - - IN THREE VOLUMES. - - VOL. III. - - - LONDON: - JOHN MURRAY, ALBEMARLE STREET. - MDCCCXXXIV. - - - - - THIS - THIRD VOLUME - OF - TRAVELS INTO BOKHARA, - - CONTAINING - AN ACCOUNT OF THE RIVER INDUS, - - IS INSCRIBED TO - THE MEMORY OF THE LATE - MAJOR-GENERAL SIR JOHN MALCOLM, G.C.B. - &c. &c. &c. - - IN GRATEFUL REMEMBRANCE, - BY - THE AUTHOR. - - - - - NARRATIVE - OF A - VOYAGE BY THE RIVER INDUS, - - FROM THE SEA TO - THE COURT OF LAHORE IN THE PUNJAB, - WITH PRESENTS FROM THE KING OF GREAT BRITAIN; - - COMPRISING - AN ACCOUNT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE MISSION, - - AND A - =MEMOIR OF THE RIVER INDUS=, - - WITH CURSORY REMARKS ON THE REMAINS OF ANTIQUITY NEAR THAT - CLASSICAL AND CELEBRATED STREAM. - - - - -INTRODUCTION. - - -I was employed as an officer of the Quartermaster-general’s department, -for several years, in the province of Cutch. In the course of enquiries -into its geography and history, I visited the eastern mouth of the -Indus, to which the country adjoins, as well as that singular tract -called the “Run,” into which that river flows. The extension of our -knowledge in that quarter served only to excite further curiosity, -in which I was stimulated by Lieut-General Sir Thomas Bradford, then -Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay army. That officer directed his -views, in a most enlightened manner, to the acquisition of every -information regarding a frontier so important to Britain as that of -north-western India. Encouraged by such approbation, for which I -am deeply grateful, I volunteered my services, in the year 1829, -to traverse the deserts between India and the Indus, and finally, -endeavour to descend that river to the sea. Such a journey involved -matters of political moment; but the government of Bombay was then held -by an individual distinguished above all others, by zeal in the cause -of Asiatic geography and literature. Sir John Malcolm despatched me -at once, in prosecution of the design, and was pleased to remove me -to the political branch of the service, observing, that I should be -then invested “with influence with the rulers, through whose country -I travelled, that would tend greatly to allay that jealousy and -alarm, which might impede, if they did not arrest, the progress of my -enquiries.” - -In the year 1830, I entered the desert, accompanied by Lieut. James -Holland, of the Quartermaster-general’s department, an officer ably -qualified to assist me. After reaching Jaysulmeer, we were overtaken -by an express from the Supreme Government of India, desiring us to -return, since at that time “it was deemed inexpedient to incur the -hazard of exciting the alarm and jealousy of the rulers of Sinde, -and other foreign states, by the prosecution of the design.” This -disappointment, then most acutely felt, was dissipated in the following -year, by the arrival of presents from the King of Great Britain for the -ruler of Lahore, coupled, at the same time, with the desire that such -an opportunity for acquiring correct information of the Indus should -not be overlooked. The following work contains the narrative of that -mission, which I conducted by the Indus to Lahore. The information -which I collected, relative to Jaysulmeer and the countries on the N. -W. frontier of India, has just been published in the Transactions of -the Royal Geographical Society of London. - - London, June 7. 1834. - - - - -CONTENTS - -OF - -THE THIRD VOLUME. - - - Page - - INTRODUCTION ix - - - CHAPTER I. - - Arrival of presents from the King of England--Information on - the Indus desired--Suggestions for procuring it--Appointed to - conduct the Mission to Lahore--Departure from Cutch--Ability - of the Navigators--Arrival in the Indus--Phenomena--Scenes of - Alexander’s Campaigns--Ebb and flow of the Tides--Correctness - of Quintus Curtius--Visited by the Authorities--Forced out of - the Country--Correspondence--Return to the Indus--Imminent - Danger--Starved out of the Country--Third Voyage to the - Indus--Land in Sinde--Negotiations--Advance on Tatta--Sindian - Policy and Reasoning--Successful Negotiations 1 - - - CHAP. II. - - Tatta described--Hinglaj, a famous Pilgrimage--Return - to the Sea-coast--Notions of the People--Alexander’s - Journey--Embarkation on the River--Anecdote--Strictness of - Religious Observances--Pulla Fish--Arrival at Hydrabad--Welcome - of the Rulers--Presentation at Court--Sindian Meanness--Audience - of Leave--Scenery near the Capital 30 - - - CHAP. III. - - Departure from Hydrabad--Sehwun--Crew of the Boats--A - Sindian Song--Sehwun described--Reasons for supposing it - to be the Territory of the Sindomanni--Pilgrimage--High - Antiquity of the Castle of Sehwun--Congratulations from the - Ruler of Khyrpoor--Address that Personage--Character of the - People--The Indus--Visited by the Vizier of Sinde--Arrival at - Khyrpoor--Audience with the Chief--Character of the Sindian - Rulers--Arrival at Bukkur--Amusing Predictions--Anecdote of an - Afghan--Mihmandar--Alore described--Supposition of its being the - Kingdom of Musicanus 51 - - - CHAP. IV. - - Quit Bukkur--Curiosity of the People--Reach the Frontiers - of Sinde--Farewell Letters--Creditable Behaviour in our - Escort--Fish Diet--Costume--Enter Bhawul Khan’s Country--Quit - the Indus at Mittun--Effects of this River on the Climate--Enter - the Chenab or Acesines--Incident at Ooch--Arrival of Bhawul - Khan--Interview with him--Merchants of Bhawulpoor--History - of Ooch--Visited by Bhawul Khan--Mountains--Pass the - Sutlege--Peculiarity in the Water of two Rivers--Simplicity - of the Mihmandar--Enter Runjeet Sing’s Country--Honourable - Reception--Exhibition of the Dray-horses--Orders of the Court 81 - - - CHAP. V. - - Voyage in the Country of the Seiks--Shoojuabad--Mooltan; - its Antiquity--Probably the Capital of - the Malli--Public Buildings--Religious - Intolerance--Climate--Phenomena--Date-trees; Traditions of their - introduction--Quit Mooltan--Peloo Shrub--Arrangements for - our Advance to Lahore--Alexander the Great--Enter the Ravee, - or Hydräotes--Tolumba--Visit the Hydaspes--Description of its - confluence with the Chenab--Probable identity of a Modern Tribe - with the Cathæi--Ruins of Shorkote--Valuable Bactrian Coin found - at it--Birds and Reptiles--Heat--Ruins of Harappa--A Tiger - Hunt--Seik Courage--Intelligence of the Mihmandar--Letter and - Deputation from Lahore--Seik Females 108 - - - CHAP. VI. - - Enter Lahore--Presentation to Runjeet Sing--Delivery of the - Presents--Copy of a Letter from the King of England--Stud--Hall - of Audience--Military Spectacle--Conversations of Runjeet - Sing--Amazons--French Officers--City of Lahore--Tomb - of Juhangeer--Shalimar of Shah Jehan--Horse Artillery - Review--Character of Runjeet Sing--Audience of Leave--Superb - Jewels--Dresses of Honour--Runjeet Sing’s Letter to the - King--Quit Lahore--Umritsir; its Temples--Reach the - Beas, or Hyphasis--Fête of a Seik Chieftain--Reach the - Sutlege--Antiquities of the Punjab--Arrival at Lodiana--Exiled - Kings of Cabool--Visit them--Journey to the Himalaya - Mountains--Interview with the Governor-general--Acknowledgments - of his Lordship 148 - - - MEMOIR ON THE INDUS AND ITS TRIBUTARY RIVERS IN THE PUNJAB. - - Notice regarding the Map of the Indus 193 - - - CHAPTER I. - - A general view of the Indus 199 - - - CHAP. II. - - A comparison of the Indus and Ganges--Propriety of the - comparison--Size of the Ganges--Of the Indus--Compared--Slope of - the Indus--Conclusions from it--Tides in both Rivers 203 - - - CHAP. III. - - ON SINDE. - - Extent of the Country--Chiefs and Revenue--Power and - Conquests--Military Strength--Connection with Persia--External - Policy--Internal State--Hydrabad Family--Khyrpoor - Family--Meerpoor Family--Condition of the People--Population 212 - - - CHAP. IV. - - ON THE MOUTHS OF THE INDUS. - - Division of the Indus into two great branches below - Tatta--Sata--Buggar--Delta; its extent--Dangers in navigating - it--Eleven Mouths of the Indus--The Pittee--Pieteeanee, Jooa, - Reechel, Hujamree--Khedywaree, Gora, or Wanyanee--Khaeer, - Mull, Seer--Koree, or Eastern Mouth--Advantage of these - to Sinde--Coast of Sinde--Tides of the Indus--Curachee - Seaport--Boats of the Indus; Dingees and Doondees--Indus adapted - for Steam-vessels--Military remarks on the River 228 - - - CHAP. V. - - ON THE DELTA OF THE INDUS. - - Inundation of the Delta--Extent--Neglected - State--Towns--Population--Jokea - Tribe--Fisheries--Animals--Productions--Climate 249 - - - CHAP. VI. - - THE INDUS FROM TATTA TO HYDRABAD. - - Sand-banks--Course of the River--Towns--Country - Supplies--Trade--Means of improving it--Boats; their Deficiency - 255 - - - CHAP. VII. - - THE INDUS FROM HYDRABAD TO SEHWUN. - - Course and Depth--Fulailee River--Current--Importance of - this Part of the River--Crossing the Indus--Navigation of - it--Towns--Sehwun--Mountains of Lukkee 260 - - - CHAP. VIII. - - THE INDUS FROM SEHWUN TO BUKKUR. - - Position of Bukkur--Fertility of the Country--Current--Eastern - Bank of the Indus--Western Bank--Fortress of Bukkur--Roree and - Sukkur--Alore; its Antiquity--Khyrpoor and Larkhanu--Productions - of the Soil 267 - - - CHAP. IX. - - THE INDUS FROM BUKKUR, TILL JOINED BY THE PUNJAB RIVERS. - - Breadth and Depth--Boats--Country--Shikarpoor and Subzul--Swell - of the Indus--Tribes on the River 275 - - - CHAP. X. - - THE INDUS FROM MITTUN TO ATTOK. - - Description of the River--Dera Ghazee Khan--Line of - Commerce--Military Expeditions; why they avoided the - Indus--Bridging the Indus 281 - - - CHAP. XI. - - THE CHENAB, OR ACESINES, JOINED BY THE SUTLEGE, OR HESUDRUS. - - Chenab--Junction--Banks of the Chenab--Ooch; its Productions 286 - - - CHAP. XII. - - ON BHAWUL KHAN’S COUNTRY. - - Limits--Nature of the Country--Its Power and - Importance--Daoodpootras; their Descent--The reigning - Family--Trade of Bhawulpoor 290 - - - CHAP. XIII. - - THE PUNJAB. - - Extent of Runjeet Sing’s Country--Changes in the Seik - Government--Probable Consequences of the Ruler’s Death--His - Policy--Sirdars--Revenues of the Punjab--Military Resources and - Strength--Cities 295 - - - CHAP. XIV. - - THE CHENAB, OR ACESINES, JOINED BY THE RAVEE, OR HYDRAÖTES. - - Chenab Described--Boats on it--Crossing the River--Province of - Mooltan 300 - - - CHAP. XV. - - THE RAVEE, OR HYDRAÖTES, BELOW LAHORE. - - The Ravee--Its tortuous Course and difficult - Navigation--Towns--Lahore--Umritsir Toolumba 305 - - - CHAP. XVI. - - A MEMOIR ON THE EASTERN BRANCH OF THE INDUS, AND THE RUN OF - CUTCH. - - Cutch; its Position--Alterations in its Western Coast, from an - Earthquake--Damming of the Eastern Branch of the Indus--Injuries - thereby--Dreadful Earthquake of 1819--Effects of it--Raises a - natural Mound--Overflow of the Indus in 1826--its Effects on the - Eastern Branch described--Opinions--Subsequent Alterations of - the Indus--Run of Cutch described--Mirage--Traditions regarding - the Run--Corroboration of them--Effects of the Earthquake on the - Run--Flooding of the Run--Configuration of the Run Borders--Run, - supposed to have been an Inland Sea--Note in corroboration of - the Opinion--Note on Sindree 309 - - - - -NARRATIVE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - -~Arrival of presents from the King of England for Runjeet Sing at -Lahore.~ - -In the year 1830, a ship arrived at Bombay, with a present of five -horses from the King of Great Britain to Maharaja Runjeet Sing, the -Seik Chieftain at Lahore, accompanied by a letter of friendship from -his majesty’s minister[1] to that prince. At the recommendation of -Major-General Sir John Malcolm, then governor of Bombay, I had the -honour of being nominated by the Supreme Government of India to proceed -on a mission to the Seik capital, with these presents, by way of the -river Indus. I held at that time a political situation in Cutch, the -only portion of the British dominions in India which borders on the -Indus. - -~Information on the Indus desiderated.~ - -The authorities, both in England and India, contemplated that much -information of a political and geographical nature might be acquired -in such a journey. The knowledge which we possessed of the Indus was -vague and unsatisfactory, and the only accounts of a great portion of -its course were drawn from Arrian, Curtius, and the other historians of -Alexander’s expedition. Sir John Malcolm thus minuted in the records of -government, in August, 1830:-- - -“The navigation of the Indus is important in every point of view; yet -we have no information that can be depended upon on this subject, -except of about seventy miles from Tatta to Hyderabad. Of the present -state of the Delta we have native accounts, and the only facts which -can be deduced are, that the different streams of the river below -Tatta, often change their channels, and that the sands of all are -constantly shifting; but, notwithstanding these difficulties, boats of -a small draft of water can always go up the principal of them. With -regard to the Indus above Hyderabad, there can be no doubt of its -being, as it has been for more than two thousand years, navigable far -up.” - -~Arrangements.~ - -In addition therefore to the complimentary mission on which I was to be -employed, I had my attention most specially directed to the acquisition -of full and complete information regarding the Indus. This was a matter -of no easy accomplishment, as the Ameers, or rulers of Sinde, had ever -evinced the utmost jealousy of Europeans, and none of the missions -which visited the country had been permitted to proceed beyond their -capital of Hyderabad. The river Indus, likewise, in its course to -the ocean, traverses the territories of many lawless and barbarous -tribes, from whom both opposition and insult might be dreaded. On -these matters much valuable advice was derived from Lieutenant-Colonel -Henry Pottinger, political resident in Cutch, and well known to the -world for his adventurous travels in Beloochistan. He suggested that -it might allay the fears of the Sinde government, if a large carriage -were sent with the horses, since the size and bulk of it would render -it obvious that the mission could then only proceed by water. This -judicious proposal was immediately adopted by government; nor was it in -this case alone that the experience of Colonel Pottinger availed me, as -it will be seen that he evinced the most unwearied zeal throughout the -difficulties which presented themselves, and contributed, in a great -degree, to the ultimate success of the undertaking. - -~The escort.~ - -That a better colour might also be given to my deputation by a route -so unfrequented, I was made the bearer of presents to the Ameers of -Sinde, and at the same time charged with communications of a political -nature to them. These referred to some excesses committed by their -subjects on the British frontier; but I was informed that neither -that, nor any other negotiation, was to detain me in my way to Lahore. -The authorities in England had desired that a suitable escort might -accompany the party; but though the design was not free from some -degree of danger, it was evident that no party of any moderate detail -could afford the necessary protection. I preferred, therefore, the -absence of any of our troops, and resolved to trust to the people of -the country; believing that, through their means, I might form a link -of communication with the inhabitants. Sir John Malcolm observed, in -his letter to the Governor General, that “the guard will be people -of the country he visits, and those familiar with it. Lieut. Burnes -prefers such, on the justest grounds, to any others; finding they -facilitate his progress, while they disarm that jealousy which the -appearance of any of our troops excites.” Nor were my sentiments -erroneous; since a guard of wild Beloochees protected us in Sinde, and -allayed suspicion. - -~Appointed to conduct the mission to Lahore.~ - -When these preliminary arrangements had been completed, I received -my final instructions in a secret letter from the chief secretary -at Bombay. I was informed that “the depth of water in the Indus, -the direction and breadth of the stream, its facilities for steam -navigation, the supply of fuel on its banks, and the condition of the -princes and people who possess the country bordering on it, are all -points of the highest interest to government; but your own knowledge -and reflection will suggest to you various other particulars, in -which full information is highly desirable; and the slow progress of -the boats up the Indus will, it is hoped, give you every opportunity -to pursue your researches.” I was supplied with all the requisite -surveying instruments, and desired to draw bills on honour for my -expenses. In a spirit also purely characteristic of the distinguished -individual who then held the government, I received the thanks of Sir -John Malcolm for my previous services; had my attention drawn to the -confidence now reposed in me; and was informed that my knowledge of -the neighbouring countries and the character of their inhabitants, -with the local impressions by which I was certain to be aided, gave -me advantages which no other individual enjoyed, and had led to my -selection; nor could I but be stimulated by the manner in which Sir -John Malcolm addressed the Governor General of India:--“I shall be -very confident of any plan Lieut. Burnes undertakes in this quarter -of India; provided a latitude is given him to act as circumstances -may dictate, I dare pledge myself that the public interests will be -promoted. Having had my attention much directed, and not without -success, during more than thirty years, to the exploring and surveying -countries in Asia, I have gained some experience, not only in the -qualities and habits of the individuals by whom such enterprises can -be undertaken, but of the pretexts and appearances necessary to give -them success.” A young active and intelligent officer, Ensign J. D. -Leckie, of the 22d Regiment N.I., was also nominated to accompany me; a -surveyor, a native doctor, and suitable establishments of servants were -likewise entertained. - -~Departure from Cutch.~ - -We sailed from Mandivee in Cutch with a fleet of five native boats, on -the morning of the 21st of January, 1831. On the day succeeding our -departure, we had cleared the Gulf of Cutch. The danger in navigating -it has been exaggerated. The eddies and dirty appearance of the sea, -which boils up and bubbles like an effervescing draught, present a -frightful aspect to a stranger, but the natives traverse it at all -seasons. It is tolerably free from rocks, and the Cutch shore is sandy -with little surf, and presents inducements for vessels in distress to -run in upon the land. We passed a boat of fifty tons, which had escaped -shipwreck, with a very valuable cargo from Mozambique, the preceding -year, by this expedient. - -~Ability of the Cutch navigators.~ - -Among the timid navigators of the East, the mariner of Cutch is truly -adventurous; he voyages to Arabia, the Red Sea, and the coast of -Zanguebar in Africa, bravely stretching out on the ocean after quitting -his native shore. The “moallim” or pilot determines his position by -an altitude at noon or by the stars at night, with a rude quadrant. -Coarse charts depict to him the bearings of his destination, and, by -long-tried seamanship, he weathers, in an undecked boat with a huge -lateen sail, the dangers and tornadoes of the Indian Ocean. This use -of the quadrant was taught by a native of Cutch, who made a voyage to -Holland in the middle of last century, and returned, “in a green old -age,” to enlighten his country with the arts and sciences of Europe. -The most substantial advantages introduced by this improver of his -country were the arts of navigating and naval architecture, in which -the inhabitants of Cutch excel. For a trifling reward, a Cutch mariner -will put to sea in the rainy season, and the adventurous feeling is -encouraged by the Hindoo merchants of Mandivee, an enterprising and -speculating body of men. - -~Arrival in the Indus.~ - -On the evening of the 24th we had cleared the Gulf of Cutch, and -anchored in the mouth of the Koree, the eastern, though forsaken, -branch of the Indus, which separates Sinde from Cutch. The Koree leads -to Lueput, and is the largest of all the mouths of the river, having -become a branch of the sea as the fresh water has been turned from its -channel. There are many spots on its banks hallowed in the estimation -of the people. Cotasir and Narainseer are places of pilgrimage to -the Hindoo, and stand upon it and the western promontory of Cutch. -Opposite them lies the cupola of Rao Kanoje, beneath which there rests -a saint, revered by the Mahommedans. To defraud this personage of -frankincense, grain, oil, and money, in navigating the Koree, would -entail, it is superstitiously believed, certain shipwreck. In the -reverence we recognise the dangers and fear of the mariner. There is a -great contrast between the shores of Sinde and Cutch; the one is flat -and depressed, nearly to a level with the sea, while the hills of Cutch -rise in wild and volcanic cones, which meet the eye long after the -coast has faded from the view. We gladly exchanged this grandeur for -the dull monotony of the shores of Sinde, unvaried, as it is, by any -other signs of vegetation than stunted shrubs, whose domain is invaded -by each succeeding tide. - -[Illustration: NATIVES OF CUTCH. - -Lith.^d. for Burnes’ Travels into Bokhara,__by Day & Haghe Lith.^{rs} -to the King. - -John Murray Albemarle S^t. 1834. - -_On Stone by L. Haghe._ - -_Captn. R. M. Grindlay delt._] - -~Coast of Sinde.~ - -We followed the Sinde coast for four or five days, passing all -the mouths of the Indus, eleven in number, the principal of which -we entered and examined, without even the observation of the -inhabitants. There was little indication of our being near the estuary -of so great a river, for the water was only fresh a mile off shore from -the Gora, or largest mouth of the Indus; and the junction of the river -water with that of the sea was formed without violence, and might be -now and then discovered by a small streak of foam and a gentle ripple. -The number and subdivision of the branches diminish, no doubt, the -velocity as well as the volume of the Indus; but it would be supposed -that so vast a river would exercise an influence in the sea far from -its embouchure; and, I believe, this is really the case in the months -of July and August, during the inundation. The waters of the Indus are -so loaded with mud and clay, as to discolour the sea for about three -miles from the land. Opposite its different mouths numberless brown -specks are to be seen, called “pit” by the natives. I found them, on -examination, to be round globules, filled with water, and easily burst. -When placed on a plate, they were about the size of a shilling, and -covered by a brown skin. These specks are considered by the pilots to -denote the presence of fresh water among the salt; for they believe -them to be detached from the sand banks, by the meeting of the sea and -the river. They give a particularly dirty and oily appearance to the -water. - -~Anchor on the Indus.~ - -At night-fall on the 28th, we cast anchor in the western mouth of the -Indus, called the Pittee. The coast of Sinde is not distinguishable -a league from the shore. There is not a tree to be seen, though the -mirage sometimes magnifies the stunted shrubs of the Delta, and gives -them a tall and verdant appearance; a delusion that vanishes with a -nearer approach. From our anchorage, a white fortified tomb, in the Bay -of Curachee, was visible north-west of us; and beyond it lay a rocky -range of black mountains, called Hala, the Irus of Nearchus. I here -read from Arrian and Quintus Curtius the passages of this memorable -scene in Alexander’s expedition, the mouth from which his admiral, -Nearchus, took his departure from Sinde. The river did not exceed 500 -yards in width, instead of the 200 stadia (furlongs) of Arrian, and -the twelve miles, which more modern accounts had assigned to it, on -the authority of the natives. But there was still some resemblance -to the Greek author; for the hills over Curachee form with the -intervening country a semicircular bay, in which an island and some -sand-banks might lead a stranger to believe, that the ocean was yet -distant. “Alexander sent two long galleys before the fleet, towards -the ocean, to view a certain island, which they called Cillutas, where -his pilots told him he might go on shore before he entered the main -ocean; and when they assured him that it was a large island, and had -commodious harbours, besides plenty of fresh water, he commanded the -rest of the fleet to put in there, while he himself passed out to sea.” -The island, as it now exists, is scantily covered with herbage, and -destitute of fresh water. In vain I sought an identity of name in the -Indian dialect, for it was nameless; but it presented a safe place -of anchorage; and, as I looked upon it, I could not but think it was -that Cillutas where the hero of Macedon, “drawing up his fleet under -a promontory, sacrificed to the gods, as he had received orders from -Ammon.” Here it was, too, that Nearchus caused “a canal to be dug, of -about five stadia in length, where the earth was easiest to remove; as -soon as the tide began to rise they got their whole fleet safe through -that passage into the ocean.” The Greek admiral only availed himself of -the experience of the people; for it is yet customary among the natives -of Sinde to dig shallow canals, and leave the tides or river to deepen -them; and a distance of five stadia, or half a mile, would call for no -great labour. It is not to be supposed that sand-banks will continue -unaltered for centuries; but I may observe, that there was a large bank -contiguous to the island, between it and which a passage like that -of Nearchus might have been dug with the greatest advantage. “Having -sailed from the mouth of the Indus, Nearchus came to a sandy island, -called Crocola, and proceeded on his voyage, having the mountain Irus -on his right hand.” The topography is here more accurate: two sandy -islands, called Andry, lie off Curachee, at a distance of eighteen -miles from the Indus; and it is worthy of remark, that that portion of -the Delta through which the Pittee runs, is yet denominated “Crocola” -by the natives. - -~Ebb and flow of the tides.~ - -But the ebb and flow of the tides were an object of the greatest -surprise to Alexander’s fleet, and we could soon discover the cause -of their astonishment, for two of our boats stranded at a spot where, -half an hour previously, there had been abundance of water. The tides -inundate the country with great impetuosity, and recede as rapidly, -so that if a vessel be not in the channel, she will be left on shore. -Arrian observes, that “while they continued in that station, an -accident happened which astonished them; namely, the ebbing and flowing -of the waters, like as in the great ocean, inasmuch that the ships were -left upon dry ground, which Alexander and his friends never having -perceived before, were so much the more surprised. But what increased -their astonishment was, that the tide returning a short while after -began to heave the ships, so that * * * some of them were swept away by -the fury of the tide, and dashed to pieces, and others driven against -the bank, and destroyed.”[2] - -~Quintus Curtius’s description of Alexander’s disasters.~ - -A graphic and animated description of these disasters of the Greeks has -been likewise given by Quintus Curtius, and is nowhere more remarkable -than in the allusion to the “knolls” rising above the river like -“little islands,” for at full tide the mangrove shrubs present exactly -that appearance; but let the author speak in his own words:-- - -“About the third hour, the ocean, according to a regular alternation, -began to flow in furiously, driving back the river. The river, at -first, resisted; then impressed with a new force, rushed upwards with -more impetuosity than torrents descend a precipitous channel. The mass -on board, unacquainted with the nature of the tide, saw only prodigies -and symbols of the wrath of the gods. Ever and anon the sea swelled; -and on plains, recently dry, descended a diffused flood. The vessels -lifted from their stations, and the whole fleet dispersed; those who -had debarked, in terror and astonishment at the calamity, ran from -all quarters towards the ships. But tumultuous hurry is slow. * * * -Vessels dash together, and oars are by turns snatched away, to impel -other galleys. A spectator would not imagine a fleet carrying the same -army; but hostile navies commencing a battle. * * * * Now the tide had -inundated all the fields skirting the river, only _tops of knolls_ -rising above it like little islands; to these, from the evacuated -ships, the majority swam in consternation. The dispersed fleet was -partly riding in deep water, where the land was depressed into dells; -and partly resting on shoals, where the tide had covered elevated -ground; suddenly breaks on the Macedonians a new alarm more vivid than -the former. The sea began to ebb; the deluge, with a violent drain, to -retreat into the frith, disclosing tracts just before deeply buried. -Unbayed, the ships pitched some upon their prows, others upon their -sides. The fields were strewed with baggage, arms, loose planks, and -fragments of oars. The soldiers scarcely believed what they suffered -and witnessed. Shipwrecks on dry land, the sea in a river. Nor yet -ended their unhappiness; for ignorant that the speedy return of the -tide would set their ships afloat, they predicted to themselves famine -and death. Terrifying monsters, too, left by the waves, were gliding -about at random.” Our little fleet did not encounter such calamity and -alarm as that of Nearchus; for, in Q. Curtius’s words,--“by a gradual -diffusion, the inundation began to raise the ships, presently flooding -all the fields, set the fleet in motion.” - -~Reflections.~ - -I shall not now dwell on these subjects, though eminently interesting; -but, in the course of my narrative, I shall endeavour to identify the -modern Indus with the features of remoter times. If successful in -the enquiry, we shall add to our amusement, and the interest of the -chronicles themselves. It is difficult to describe the enthusiasm one -feels on first beholding the scenes which have exercised the genius -of Alexander. That hero has reaped the immortality which he so much -desired, and transmitted the history of his conquests, allied with his -name, to posterity. A town or a river, which lies on his route, has -acquired a celebrity that time serves only to increase; and, while we -gaze on the Indus, we connect ourselves, at least in association, with -the ages of distant glory. Nor can I pass over such feelings without -observing, that they are productive of the most solid advantages to -history and science. The Scamander has an immortality which the vast -Mississippi itself can never eclipse, and the descent of the Indus by -Alexander of Macedon is, perhaps, the most authentic and best attested -event of profane history. - -~Visited by the Sinde authorities.~ - -The jealousy of the Sinde government had been often experienced, and -it was therefore suggested that we should sail for the Indus, without -giving any previous information. Immediately on anchoring, I despatched -a communication to the agent of the Ameers at Darajee, signifying -my plans; and, in the meanwhile, ascended the river with caution, -anchoring in the fresh water on the second evening, thirty-five miles -from the sea. Near the mouth of the river we passed a rock stretching -across the stream, which is particularly mentioned by Nearchus, who -calls it a “dangerous rock,” and is the more remarkable, since there -is not even a stone below Tatta in any other part of the Indus. We -passed many villages, and had much to enliven and excite our attention, -had we not purposely avoided all intercourse with the people till -made acquainted with the fate of our intimation to the authorities -at Darajee. A day passed in anxious suspense; but, on the following -morning, a body of armed men crowded round our boats, and the whole -neighbourhood was in a state of the greatest excitement. The party -stated themselves to be the soldiers of the Ameer, sent to number -our party, and see the contents of all the boats, as well as every -box that they contained. I gave a ready and immediate assent; and we -were instantly boarded by about fifty armed men, who wrenched open -every thing, and prosecuted the most rigorous search for cannon and -gunpowder. Mr. Leckie and myself stood by in amazement, till it was at -length demanded that the box containing the large carriage should be -opened; for they pretended to view it as the Greeks had looked on the -wooden horse, and believed that it would carry destruction into Sinde. -A sight of it disappointed their hopes; and we must be conjurors, it -was asserted, to have come without arms and ammunition. - -~Retire to the mouth of the Indus.~ - -~Quit the country.~ - -When the search had been completed, I entered into conversation with -the head man of the party, and had hoped to establish, by his means, a -friendly connection with the authorities; but after a short pause, this -personage, who was a Reis of Lower Sinde, intimated, that a report of -the day’s transactions would be forthwith transmitted to Hydrabad; and -that, in the meanwhile, it was incumbent on us to await the decision of -the Ameer, at the mouth of the river. The request appeared reasonable; -and the more so, since the party agreed to furnish us with every supply -while so situated. We therefore weighed anchor, and dropped down the -river; but here our civilities ended. By the way we were met by several -“dingies” full of armed men, and at night were hailed by one of them, -to know how many troops we had on board. We replied, that we had not -even a musket. “The evil is done,” rejoined a rude Belooche soldier, -“you have seen our country; but we have four thousand men ready for -action!” To this vain-glorious observation succeeded torrents of abuse; -and when we reached the mouth of the river, the party fired their -matchlocks over us; but I dropped anchor, and resolved, if possible, -to repel these insults by personal remonstrance. It was useless; we -were surrounded by ignorant barbarians, who shouted out in reply to -all I said, that they had been ordered to turn us out of the country. -I protested against their conduct in the most forcible language; -reminded them that I was the representative, however humble, of a -great Government, charged with presents from Royalty; and added, that, -without a written document from their master, I should decline quitting -Sinde. An hour’s delay served to convince me that personal violence -would ensue, if I persisted in such a resolution; and as it was not -my object to risk the success of the enterprise by such collision, I -sailed for the most eastern mouth of the Indus, from which I addressed -the authorities in Sinde, as well as Colonel Pottinger, the Resident -in Cutch. - -~Communications with the Ameer.~ - -I was willing to believe that the soldiers had exceeded the authority -which had been granted them; and was speedily put in possession of -a letter from the Ameer, couched in friendly terms, but narrating, -at great length, the difficulty and impossibility of navigating the -Indus. “The boats are so small,” said his Highness, “that only four or -five men can embark in one of them; their progress is likewise slow; -they have neither masts not sails; and the depth of water in the Indus -is likewise so variable as not to reach, in some places, the knee or -waist of a man.” But this formidable enumeration of physical obstacles -was coupled with no refusal from the Ruler himself; and it seemed -expedient, therefore, to make a second attempt, after replying to his -Highness’s letter. - -~Return to Sinde.~ - -On the 10th of February we again set sail for Sinde; but at midnight, -on the 14th, were overtaken by a fearful tempest, which scattered our -little fleet. Two of the vessels were dismasted; we lost our small -boat, split our sails, sprung a leak; and, after being buffeted about -for some days by the fury of the winds and waves, succeeded in getting -an observation of the sun, which enabled us to steer our course, and -finally conducted us in safety to Sinde. One of the other four boats -alone followed us. We now anchored in the Pieteanee mouth of the Indus, -and I forthwith despatched the following document, by a trustworthy -messenger, to the agents at Darajee. - -~Fruitless negotiations.~ - -1. “Let it be known to the Government agent at Darajee, that this is -the memorandum of Mr. Burnes (sealed with his seal, and written in the -Persian language in his own handwriting), the representative (vakeel) -of the English to the Ameer of Sinde, and likewise the bearer of -presents to Maharaja Runjeet Sing from the King of England. - -2. “I came to the Indus a few days ago; and you searched my baggage, -that you might report the contents thereof to your master. I have now -returned, and await an answer. - -3. “You may send any number of armed men that you please; my life is in -your power; but remember that the Ameer will hold every one responsible -who molests me. Remember, too, that I am a British officer, and have -come without a musket or a soldier (as you well know); placing implicit -reliance on the protection of the ruler of Sinde, to whose care my -Government have committed me. - -4. “I send this memorandum by two of my own servants, and look to you -for their being protected.” - -This remonstrance drew no reply from the agent at Darajee; for the -individual who had held the situation on our first visit to Sinde, had -been dismissed for permitting us to ascend the river; and our servants -brought us notice that we should not be permitted to land, nor to -receive either food or water. We observed, therefore, the greatest -possible economy in the distribution of our provisions, and placed -padlocks on the tanks, in the hope of reason yet guiding the councils -of the Ameer. When our supply of water failed, I despatched a small -boat up the river to procure some; but it was seized, and the party -detained; which now rendered us hopeless of success, and only anxious -to quit the inhospitable shores of Sinde. - -~Imminent danger on the Indus. Quit Sinde.~ - -On the 22d of February we weighed our anchor, at daylight; and when in -the narrow mouth of the river, the wind suddenly changed. The tide, -which ran with terrific violence, cast us on the breakers of the bar; -the sea rolled over us, and we struck the ground at each succeeding -wave. In despair, the anchor was dropped; and when we thought only of -saving our lives, we found our vessel had rubbed over the breakers of -the bank, and floated. I admired the zeal and bravery of our crew; and -was much struck with their pious ejaculations to the tutelar saint -of Cutch, Shah Peer, when they found themselves beyond the reach of -danger. “Oh! holy and generous saint,” shouted the whole crew, “you are -truly good.” Frankincense was forthwith burned to his honour; and a sum -of money was collected, and hallowed by its fragrance, as the property -of the saint. The amount subscribed testified the sincerity of the poor -men’s gratitude; and if I believed not the efficacy of the offering, -I refused not, on that account, to join, by their request, in the -manifestations of their duty and gratitude. Our other vessel, not so -fortunate as ourselves, was cast on shore, though on a less dangerous -bank. We rendered her assistance, and sailed for Cutch, and anchored in -Mandivee roads after a surprising run of thirty-three hours. - -~Negotiations with the Ameer.~ - -It could not now be concealed that the conduct of the Ameer of Sinde -was most unfriendly; but he yet betrayed no such feeling in his -letters. He magnified the difficulties of navigating the Indus, and -arrayed its rocks, quicksands, whirlpools, and shallows, in every -communication; asserting that the voyage to Lahore had never been -performed in the memory of man. It was evident that he viewed the -expedition with the utmost distrust and alarm; and the native agent, -who resides at Hydrabad on the part of the British Government, -described, not without some degree of humour, the fear and dread of -this jealous potentate. In his estimation, we were the precursors of -an army; and did he now desire to grant us a passage through Sinde, -he was at a loss to escape from the falsehoods and contradictions -which he had already stated in his epistles. One letter went on to -say, that “the Ameer of Sinde avoids giving any reply, lest he should -be involved in perplexity; and he has stopped his ears with the -_cotton_ of _absurdity_, and taken some silly notions into his head, -that if Captain Burnes should now come, he will see thousands of -boats on the Indus, and report the same to his Government, who will -conclude that it is the custom of the Ameer of Sinde to deceive on all -subjects, and that he has no sort of friendship.” At length, after -a remonstrance from Colonel Pottinger, both he and myself received -letters from Hydrabad, offering a road through Sinde by land. As this -might be fairly deemed the first opening which had presented itself -during the whole negotiation, with the advice of Colonel Pottinger -I set out a third time for the Indus. That officer in the meanwhile -intimated my departure to the Ameer, and pointed out the impossibility -of my proceeding by land to Lahore. He also intimated, in no measured -language, that the vacillating and unfriendly conduct of the Ameer -of Sinde would not pass unnoticed; the more particularly, since -it concerned the passage of gifts, which had been sent by his most -gracious Majesty the King of Great Britain. - -~Third voyage to the Indus.~ - -~Land in Sinde.~ - -On the 10th of March we once more set sail for the Indus; and -reached the Hujamree, one of the central mouths of the river, after -a prosperous voyage of seven days. We could hire no pilot to conduct -us across the bar, and took the wrong and shallow mouth of the river, -ploughing up the mud as we tacked in its narrow channel. The foremost -vessel loosened her red ensign when she had fairly reached the deep -water; and, with the others, we soon and joyfully anchored near her. -We were now met by an officer of the Sinde Government, one of the -favoured descendants of the Prophet, whose enormous corpulence bespoke -his condition. This personage came to the mouth of the river; for we -were yet refused all admittance to the fresh water. He produced a -letter from the Ameer, and repeated the same refuted arguments of his -master, which he seemed to think should receive credit from his high -rank. It would be tiresome to follow the Sindians through the course of -chicanery which they adopted, even in this stage of the proceedings. -An embargo was laid on all the vessels in the Indus; and we ourselves -were confined to our boats, on a dangerous shore, and even denied fresh -water. The officer urged the propriety of our taking a route by land; -and, as a last resource, I offered to accompany him to the capital, and -converse with the Ameer in person, having previously landed the horses. -I made known this arrangement by a courier, which I despatched to the -Court; and on the following morning quitted the boats, along with Syud -Jeendul Shah, who had been appointed our Mihmandar.[3] No sooner had we -reached Tatta, than the required sanction for the boats to ascend by -the Indus was received, provided we ourselves took the land route; but -I immediately declined to advance another step without my charge; and -ultimately effected, by a week’s negotiation at Tatta, the desired end. -At the expense of being somewhat tedious, I will give an abstract of -these proceedings as a specimen of Sindian policy and reasoning. - -~Negotiations at Tatta.~ - -A few hours after reaching Tatta, Syud Zoolfkar Shah, a man of rank, -and engaging manners, waited on us on the part of the Ameer. He was -accompanied by our Mihmandar, and met us very politely. He said that -he had been sent by his Highness to escort us to Hydrabad; to which -I laconically replied, that nothing would now induce me to go, since -the Ameer had conceded the request which I had made of him. The Syud -here marshalled all his eloquence; asked me if I wished to ruin the -Mihmandar, by making him out a liar, after I had promised to accompany -him to the Court, and he had written so to the Ameer; if I had no -regard for a promise; that the capital was close at hand, and I could -reach it in two marches; that, if I did not now go, it could only be -inferred that I had been practising delusion, from a desire to see -Tatta; for I had even been allowed to choose the route by that city, -contrary to orders; and that I was not, perhaps, aware of the high -character of the Syud, who was a descendant of the holy Prophet, and -honourable in this land; whose dignity, the Christians, who preserved -even the relic of Jesus Christ’s nail, could well understand; and -that it was not the part of a wise man to cavil like a moollah, since -the Ameer had sanctioned the advance of the mission by water, if we -embarked at Hydrabad, and would be answerable for the safety of the -horses to that place; and, finally, that if I persisted in taking the -route by water, he was desired to say that it was a violation of the -treaty between the states. - -I heard with attention the arguments of Zoolfkar Shah; nor did I forget -that the praises and respect which he claimed for his friend, as a -descendant of the Prophet, likewise included himself. I replied, that -there had existed a long standing friendship between Sinde and the -British Government; that I had been despatched by a well frequented -route, to deliver the presents of our gracious Sovereign to Runjeet -Sing at Lahore; that, on reaching Sinde, I had been insulted, abused, -starved, and twice turned out of the country by low persons, whom I -named; that my Government, which was ever considerate, had attributed -this unheard-of insolence, not to their _friend_, the Ameer of Sinde, -but to the ignorance of mean individuals, and had despatched me a third -time to Sinde: when I reached it, I found Syud Jeendul Shah ready to -receive me; but although thoroughly satisfied that the presents of -which I was in charge could never be forwarded by land, he offered -me that route, and detained me on board ship for eleven days, till -necessity had driven me to make a proposal of repairing in person to -the presence of the Ameer, in hopes of persuading that personage. The -case was now altered; the water route had been granted, which rendered -my visit to Hydrabad unnecessary; and I could only view the present -procedure in the light of jealousy, which it was unbecoming in a -Government to entertain. I continued, that I had chosen the route by -Tatta, because my bills were payable at that city; and the sooner the -Syud got his master to meet my wishes, the better; for the floods of -the Indus were at hand, the hot season approached, and delay would -increase the hazard; while no arguments but force would now induce -me to visit the Court, or permit the horses to be moved without my -presence. In fine, if it were not the intention of the Ameer to act a -friendly part, he had only to say so, and I would forthwith quit the -country when I received a letter to that effect; and finally, that he -had formed a very erroneous opinion of the British character, if he -considered that I had been sent here in breach of a treaty, for I had -come to strengthen the bonds of union; and, what was further, that the -promise of an officer was sacred. - -~Address the Ameer.~ - -~Success.~ - -An interview in the following morning, brought a repetition of the -whole arguments; and as we could not convince each other, we both -agreed to address his Highness. After the style of Asiatic diplomacy, -I informed the Ameer, “that he had acted the part of a friend, in -first pointing out the difficulties of navigating the Indus, and now -assisting me through them by giving his sanction to the water route; -but since I was so thoroughly acquainted, through his Highness’s -kindness, with the dangers of the river, I dared not trust such royal -rarities, as the gifts of the King of Great Britain, to the care of any -servant.” In three days I received a full and unqualified sanction to -advance by water from the mouth of the Indus. I gladly quit the detail -of occurrences which have left few pleasing reflections behind, except -that success ultimately attended our endeavours, and that they elicited -the approbation of Government. The Ameer of Sinde had sought to keep -us in ignorance of the Indus; but his treatment had led to another and -opposite effect; since we had entered, in the course of out several -voyages, _all_ the mouths of the river, and a map of them, as well as -of the land route to Tatta, now lay before me. Our dangers on the banks -and shoals had been imminent; but we looked back upon them with the -pleasing thought, that our experience might guide others through them. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Lord Ellenborough, then President of the India Board. - -[2] Arrian, lib. vi. c. 19. - -[3] An officer who receives a guest. - - - - -CHAP. II. - -TATTA TO HYDRABAD. - - -~Tatta.~ - -A week’s stay was agreeably spent in examining Tatta and the objects -of curiosity which surround it. The city stands at a distance of three -miles from the Indus. It is celebrated in the history of the East. -Its commercial prosperity passed away with the empire of Delhi, and -its ruin has been completed since it fell under the iron despotism -of the present rulers of Sinde. It does not contain a population of -15,000 souls; and of the houses scattered about its ruins, one half -are destitute of inhabitants. It is said, that the dissentions between -the last and present dynasties, which led to Sinde being overrun by -the Afghans, terrified the merchants of the city, who fled the country -at that time, and have had no encouragement to return. Of the weavers -of “loongees” (a kind of silk and cotton manufacture), for which this -place was once so famous, but 125 families remain. There are not forty -merchants[4] in the city. Twenty money-changers transact all the -business of Tatta; and its limited population is now supplied with -animal food by five butchers. Such has been the gradual decay of that -mighty city, so populous in the early part of last century, in the days -of Nadir Shah. The country in its vicinity lies neglected, and but a -small portion of it is brought under tillage. - -~Its antiquity.~ - -The antiquity of Tatta is unquestioned. The Pattala of the Greeks has -been sought for in its position, and, I believe, with good reason; -for the Indus here divides into two great branches; and these are the -words of the historian:--“Near Pattala, the river Indus divides itself -into two vast branches.”[5] Both Robertson and Vincent appear to have -entertained the opinion of its identity with Tatta. The Hindoo Rajas -named it Sameenuggur, before the Mahommedan invasion; which I believe -to be the Minagur of the Periplus. There is a ruined city, called -Kullancote, to be yet seen, four miles S.W. of Tatta. It was also named -Brahminabad, and ruled by one brother, while another held Hydrabad, -then called Nerancote; the Arabs called it Dewul Sindy. Nuggur Tatta -(by which it is now familiarly known) is a more modern name. Till the -Talpoors secured their present footing in Sinde, it was always the -capital of the country. It is an open town, built on a rising ground -in a low valley. In several wells I found bricks imbedded in earth, -at a depth of twenty feet from the surface; but there are no remains -of a prior date to the tombs, on a remarkable ridge westward of the -town, which are about 200 years old. The houses are formed of wood -and wicker-work, plastered over with earth; they are lofty, with flat -roofs, but very confined, and resemble square towers; their colour, -which is of a greyish murky hue, gives an appearance of solidity to -the frail materials of which they are constructed. Some of the better -sort have a base of brickwork; but stone has only been used in the -foundations of one or two mosques, though it may be had in abundance. -There is little in modern Tatta to remind one of its former greatness. -A spacious brick mosque, built by Shah Jehan, still remains, but is -crumbling to decay. - -~Hinglaj, a famous pilgrimage.~ - -Tatta stands on the high road from India to Hinglaj, in Mekran, a place -of pilgrimage and great celebrity, situated under the barren mountains -of Hala (the Irus of the ancients), and marked only by a spring of -fresh water, without house or temple. The spot is believed to have been -visited by Ramchunder, the Hindoo demi-god, himself; an event which -is chronicled on the rock, with figures of the sun and moon engraven -as further testimony! The distance from Tatta exceeds 200 miles; and -the road passes by Curachee, Soumeeanee, and the province of Lus, the -country of the Noomrees, a portion of the route of Alexander the Great. -A journey to Hinglaj purifies the pilgrim from his sins; a cocoa-nut, -cast into a cistern, exhibits the nature of his career: if the water -bubbles up, his life has been, and will continue, pure; but if still -and silent, the Hindoo must undergo further penance, to appease the -deity. The tribe of Goseins, who are a kind of religious mendicants, -though frequently merchants and most wealthy, frequent this sequestered -place, and often extend their journey to an island called Seetadeep, -not far from Bunder Abbass, in Persia. They travel in caravans of an -hundred, or even more, under an “agwa,” or spiritual guide. At Tatta -they are furnished by the high-priest with a rod, which is supposed -to partake of his own virtues, and to conduct the _cortège_ to its -destination. In exchange for its talismanic powers, each pilgrim pays -three rupees and a half, and faithfully promises to restore the rod on -his return; for no one dares to reside in so holy and solitary a spot. -The “agwa” receives with it his reward; and many a Hindoo expends in -this pilgrimage the hard-earned wealth of a whole life. On his arrival -at Tatta from Hinglaj, he is invested with a string of white beads, -peculiar to that city, and only found on the rocky ridge near it. -They resemble the grains of pulse or juwaree; and the pilgrim has the -satisfaction of believing that they are the petrified grain of the -Creator, left on earth to remind him of his creation. They now form a -monopoly and source of profit to the priests of Tatta. - -~Climate. Return to the mouth of the Indus.~ - -We quitted Tatta on the morning of the 10th of April, and retraced our -steps to Meerpoor; a distance of twenty-four miles, over roads nearly -impassable from rain. I observe, in Hamilton’s “India,” that there is -frequently a dearth of it here for three years at a time; but we had -very heavy showers and a severe fall of hail, though the thermometer -stood at 86°. The dews and mists about Tatta make it a disagreeable -residence at this season; and the dust is described as intolerable in -June and July. - -Our road lay through a desert country along the “Buggaur;” one of the -two large branches of the Indus, which separate below Tatta. It has -its name from the destructive velocity with which it runs, tearing up -trees in its course. It has been forsaken for a few years past, and -had only a width of 200 yards where we crossed it, below Meerpoor. The -Indus itself, before this division takes place, is a noble river; and -we beheld it at Tatta with high gratification. The water is foul and -muddy; but it is 2000 feet wide, two fathoms and a half deep, from -shore to shore. When I first saw it, the surface was agitated by a -violent wind, which had raised up waves, that raged with great fury; -and I no longer felt wonder at the natives designating so vast a river -by the name of “durya,” or the Sea of Sinde. - -~Notions of the people.~ - -On our return, we saw much of the people, who were disposed from the -first to treat us more kindly than the government. Their notions -regarding us were strange: some asked us why we allowed dogs to clean -our hands after a meal, and if we indiscriminately ate cats and mice, -as well as pigs. They complained much of their rulers, and the ruinous -and oppressive system of taxation to which they were subjected, as -it deterred them from cultivating any considerable portion of land. -Immense tracts of the richest soil lie in a state of nature, between -Tatta and the sea, overgrown with tamarisk shrubs, which attain, -in some places, the height of twenty feet, and, threading into one -another, form impervious thickets. At other places, we passed extensive -plains of hard-caked clay, with remains of ditches and aqueducts, now -neglected. We reached the sea in two days. - -~Alexander’s journey.~ - -Arrian informs us, that, after Alexander returned from viewing the -right branch of the Indus, he again set out from Pattala, and descended -the other branch of the river, which conducted him to a “certain lake, -joined either by the river spreading wide over a flat country, or -by additional streams flowing into it from the adjacent parts, and -making it appear like a bay in the sea.” There, too, he commanded -another haven to be built, named Xylenopolis. The professed object of -this second voyage to the sea was to seek for bays and creeks on the -sea-coast, and to explore which of the two branches would afford the -greatest facilities for the passage of his fleet; for Arrian says, -“he had a vast ambition of sailing all through the sea, from India to -Persia, to prove that the Indian Gulf had a communication with the -Persian.” In this bay Alexander landed, with a party of horse, and -travelled along the coast, to try if he could find bays and creeks to -secure his fleets from storms; “_causing wells to be dug, to supply -his navy with water_.” I look upon it, therefore, as conclusive that -Alexander the Great descended by the Buggaur and Sata, the two great -branches below Tatta, and never entered Cutch, as has been surmised, -but that his three days’ journey, after descending the eastern branch, -was westward, and between the two mouths, in the direction his fleet -was to sail. - -~Embark on the Indus. Boats.~ - -On the 12th of April, we embarked in the flat-bottomed boats, or -“doondees,” of Sinde, and commenced our voyage on the Indus, with no -small degree of satisfaction. Our fleet consisted of six of these -flat-bottomed vessels, and a small English-built pinnace, which we -had brought from Cutch. The boats of the Indus are not unlike China -junks, very capacious, but most unwieldy. They are floating houses; and -with ourselves we transported the boatmen, their wives and families, -kids and fowls. When there is no wind, they are pulled up against the -stream, by ropes attached to the mast-head, at the rate of a mile and -a half an hour; but with a breeze, they set a large square-sail, and -advance double the distance. We halted at Vikkur, which is the first -port; a place of considerable export for grain, that had then fifty -“doondees,” besides sea-vessels, lying near it. - -~Wanyanee branch.~ - -On the 13th, we threaded many small creeks for a distance of eight -miles, and then entered the Wanyanee, or principal branch of the Indus, -which is a fine river, 500 yards broad and 24 feet deep. Its banks were -alternately steep and flat, the course very crooked, and the different -turnings were often marked by branches running from this trunk to other -arms of the delta. We had nothing but tamarisk on either bank, and the -reed huts of a few fishermen, alone indicated that we were in a peopled -country. - -~A holy man.~ - -As we ascended the river, the inhabitants came for miles around to see -us. A Syud stood on the water’s edge, and gazed with astonishment. He -turned to his companion as we passed, and, in the hearing of one of our -party, said, “Alas! Sinde is now gone, since the English have seen the -river, which is the road to its conquest.” If such an event do happen, -I am certain that the body of the people will hail the happy day; but -it will be an evil one for the Syuds, the descendants of Mahommed, who -are the only people, besides the rulers, that derive precedence and -profit from the existing order of things. - -~Strictness of religious observances.~ - -Nothing more arrests the notice of a stranger, on entering Sinde, -than the severe attention of the people to the forms of religion, as -enjoined by the Prophet of Arabia. In all places, the meanest and -poorest of mankind may be seen, at the appointed hours, turned towards -Mecca, offering up their prayers. I have observed a boatman quit the -laborious duty of dragging the vessel against the stream, and retire to -the shore, wet and covered with mud, to perform his genuflexions. In -the smallest villages, the sound of the “mowuzzun,” or crier, summoning -true believers to prayers, may be heard, and the Mahommedans within -reach of the sonorous sound suspend, for the moment, their employment, -that they may add their “Amen” to the solemn sentence when concluded. -The effect is pleasing and impressive; but, as has often happened in -other countries at a like stage of civilisation, the moral qualities of -the people do not keep pace with this fervency of devotion. - -~Navigation of the Indus.~ - -On the evening of the 15th, we anchored at Tatta, after a prosperous -voyage, that afforded a good insight into the navigation of the Indus; -which, in the Delta, is both dangerous and difficult. The water runs -with impetuosity from one bank to another, and undermines them so, that -they often fall in masses which would crush a vessel. During night -they may be heard tumbling with a terrific crash and a noise as loud -as artillery. In one place, the sweep of the river was so sudden that -it had formed a kind of whirlpool, and all our vessels heeled round, -on passing it, from the rapidity of the current. We had every where -six fathoms of water, and in these eddies the depth was sometimes -threefold; but our vessels avoided the strength of the current, and -shifted from side to side, to choose the shallows. - -~Pulla fish.~ - -We ascended the Indus in the season of the “pulla,” a fish of the carp -species, as large as the mackerel, and fully equalling the flavour -of salmon. It is only found in the four months that precede the -swell of the river from January to April, and never higher than the -fortress of Bukkur. The natives superstitiously believe the fish to -proceed there on account of Khaju Khizr, a saint of celebrity, who -is interred there, from whence they are said to return without ever -turning their tails on the sanctified spot,--an assertion which the -muddy colour of the Indus will prevent being contradicted. The mode -of catching this fish is ingenious, and peculiar, I believe, to the -Indus. Each fisherman is provided with a large earthen jar, open at -the top, and somewhat flat. On this he places himself, and, lying on -it horizontally, launches into the stream, swimming or pushing forward -like a frog, and guiding himself with his hands. When he has reached -the middle of the river, where the current is strongest, he darts -his net directly under him, and sails down with the stream. The net -consists of a pouch attached to a pole, which he shuts on meeting his -game; he then draws it up, spears it, and, putting it into the vessel -on which he floats, prosecutes his occupation. There are some vessels -of small dimensions, without any orifice, and on these the fishermen -sail down, in a sitting posture. Hundreds of people, old and young, may -be seen engaged in catching pulla, and the season is hailed with joy -by the people, as furnishing a wholesome food while it lasts, and an -abundant supply of dry fish for the remaining part of the year, as well -as for exportation to the neighbouring countries. - -~Reach the capital.~ - -On the morning of the 18th, we moored opposite Hydrabad, which is five -miles inland, having had a strong and favourable breeze from Tatta, -that brought us against the stream, at the rate of three miles an hour. -The dust was intolerable every where, and a village might always be -discovered by the dense clouds which hovered over it. This part of -Sinde is well known: the country is devoted to sterility by the Ameers, -to feed their passion for the chase. The banks are enclosed to the -water’s edge, and the interior of these hunting-thickets is overgrown -with furze, brushwood, and stunted babool trees, which always retain a -verdant hue, from the richness of the soil. One or two solitary camels -were to be seen raising water to fill the pools of these preserves, -as the Ameer and his relatives had announced a hunting excursion, and -the deer[6] would be drawn by thirst to drink at the only fountain, -and shot by an Ameer from a place of concealment. It is thus that the -chiefs sport with their game and their subjects. - -~Deputation from the Ameer.~ - -Immediately on our arrival, four different deputations waited on us, -to convey the congratulations of Meer Moorad Ali Khan, and his family, -at our having reached the capital of Sinde, and at the same time to -tender the strongest professions of friendship and respect for the -British government; to all of which I returned suitable answers. In -the evening we were conducted to Hydrabad, and alighted at the house, -or “tanda,” of Nawab Wulee Mahommed Khan, the Vizier of Sinde, whose -son, in the father’s absence, was appointed our mihmandar. Tents were -pitched, and provisions of every description sent to us; and it would, -indeed, have been difficult to discover that we were the individuals -who had so long lingered about the shores of Sinde, now the honoured -guests of its jealous master. Great and small were in attendance on us: -khans and Syuds, servants and chobdars brought messages and enquiries, -till the night was far spent; and it may not be amiss to mention, -as a specimen of conducting business in Sinde, that the barber, the -water-cooler, and the prime minister were sent indiscriminately with -errands on the same subject. - -~Preparations for reception at court.~ - -The ceremonial of our reception was soon adjusted, but not without -some exhibition of Sindian character. After the time had been mutually -fixed for the following afternoon, our mihmandar made his appearance at -_daybreak_, to request that we would then accompany him to the palace. -I spoke of the arrangements that had been made; but he treated all -explanation with indifference, and eulogised, in extravagant language, -the great condescension of his master in giving us an interview so -early, while the Vakeels, or representatives of other states, often -waited for weeks. I informed the Khan that I entertained very different -sentiments regarding his master’s giving us so early a reception, and -assured him that I viewed it as no sort of favour, and was satisfied -that the Ameer himself was proud in receiving, at any time, any agent -of the British Government. The reply silenced him, and he shortly -afterwards withdrew, and sent an apology for this importunity, which, -he stated, had originated in a mistake. The pride of the Sindian must -be met by the same weapons; and, however disagreeable the line of -conduct, it will be found, in all matters of negotiation, to carry -along with it its own reward: altercations that have passed will be -succeeded by civility and politeness, and a shade of oblivion will be -cast over all that is unpleasant. - -~Presentation.~ - -In the evening we were presented to the Ameer of Sinde by his son, -Nusseer Khan, who had previously received us in his own apartments, to -inform us of his attachment to the British Government, and the state -secret of his having been the means of procuring for us a passage -through Sinde. We found the Ameer seated in the middle of a room, -attended by his various relatives: they all rose on our entrance, and -were studiously polite. His Highness addressed me by name; said I was -his friend, both on public and private grounds; for my brother (Dr. -Burnes) had cured him of a dangerous disease. At the same time he -caused me to be seated along with him on the cushion which he occupied: -he begged that I would forget the difficulties and dangers encountered, -and consider him as the ally of the British Government, and my own -friend. The long detention which had occurred in our advance, he -continued, had arisen from his ignorance of political concerns, as he -considered it involved a breach of the treaty between the states; for -he was a soldier, and knew little of such matters, and was employed in -commanding _the three hundred thousand Beloochees_, over whom God had -appointed him to rule! We had now, however, arrived at his capital, and -he assured us that we were welcome: his own state barge should convey -us to his frontier; his subjects should drag our vessels against the -stream. Elephants and palanqueens were at our disposal, if we would -accept them; and he would vie in exertion with ourselves, to forward, -in safety, the presents of his Most Gracious Majesty the King of Great -Britain, and had nominated the son of his Vizier to accompany us to -the limits of his territories. I did not deem it necessary to enter -into any explanation with his Highness, nor to give him in return -the muster-roll of our mighty army. I thanked him for his marks of -attention to the Government and ourselves, and said, that I was glad -to find that the friendship between the states, which had led to my -taking the route through his dominions, had not been underrated; for -it would be worse than folly in an unprotected individual to attempt -a passage by the Indus without his cordial concurrence. With regard -to the dangers and difficulties which had been already encountered, I -assured his Highness, that the prevailing good fortune of the British -Government had predominated; and though it was not in the power of man -to avert calamities by sea, we had by the favour of God happily escaped -them all, and I doubted not that the authorities I served would derive -as much satisfaction from the manner in which he had now received us as -I myself did. The interview here terminated; his Highness previously -fixing the following morning for a second meeting, when I would -communicate some matters of a political nature with which I had been -charged by the Government. - -~Court of Sinde.~ - -I shall not enter on a description of the Court of Sinde, as it may -be found in Lieut. Col. Pottinger’s work, and in a narrative lately -published by my brother.[7] Its splendour must have faded, for though -the Ameer and his family certainly wore some superb jewels, there was -not much to attract our notice in their palace or durbar: they met in -a dirty hall without a carpet; they sat in a room which was filled by -a rabble of greasy soldiery, and the noise and dust were hardly to be -endured. The orders of the Ameer himself to procure silence, though -repeated several times, were ineffectual, and some of the conversation -was inaudible on that account. We were, however, informed that the -crowd had been collected to display the legions of Sinde; and they -certainly contrived to fill the alleys and passages every where, not -could we pass out of the fort without some exertion on the part of the -nobles, who were our conductors. - -~Presents.~ - -~Sindian meanness.~ - -I followed up the interview by sending the government presents which -I had brought for his Highness: they consisted of various articles -of European manufacture,--a gun, a brace of pistols, a gold watch, -two telescopes, a clock, some English shawls and cloths, with two -pair of elegant cut glass candlesticks and shades. Some Persian works -beautifully lithographed in Bombay, and a map of the World and -Hindoostan, in Persian characters, completed the gift. The principal -Ameer had previously sent two messages, begging that I would not give -the articles to any person but himself; and the possessor of fifteen -millions sterling portioned, with a partial hand, among the members of -his family, the gifts that did not exceed the value of a few hundred -pounds. His meanness may be imagined, when he privately deputed his -Vizier to beg that I would exchange the clock and candlesticks for some -articles among the presents, which I doubtless had for other chiefs, -as they formed no part of the furniture of a Sindian palace. I told -the Vizier that the presents which I had brought were intended to -display the manufactures of Europe, and it was not customary to give -the property of one person to another. This denial produced a second -message; and, as a similar occurrence happened, in 1809, to a mission -at this court, we gather from the coincidence how little spirit and -feeling actuate the cabinet of Hydrabad. Some score of trays, loaded -with fruit and sweetmeats adorned with gold-leaf, and sent by the -different members of the family, closed the day. - -~Parting interview.~ - -Early in the morning, we were conducted to the durbar by Meer Ismaeel -Shah, one of the Viziers, and our mihmandar: on the road the -Vizier took occasion to assure me how much I would please the Ameer -by changing the clock! There was more order and regularity in our -second interview, which was altogether very satisfactory; for the -Ameer gave a ready assent to the wishes of Government when they were -communicated to him. The conversation which ensued was of the most -friendly description. His Highness asked particularly for my brother, -looked attentively at our dress, and was much amused with the shape -and feather of the cocked hat I wore. Before bidding him adieu, he -repeated, in even stronger language, all his yesterday’s professions; -and, however questionable his sincerity, I took my departure with -much satisfaction at what had passed, since it seemed he would no -longer interrupt our advance to Lahore. Meer Nusseer Khan, the son of -the Ameer, presented me with a handsome Damascus sword, which had a -scabbard of red velvet ornamented with gold; his father sent me a purse -of fifteen hundred rupees, with an apology, that he had not a blade -mounted as he desired, and begged I would accept the value of one. -After all the inconvenience to which we had been subjected, we hardly -expected such a reception at Hydrabad. Next morning we left the city, -and encamped on the banks of the Indus near our boats. - -~Scenery near Hydrabad.~ - -The scenery near the capital of Sinde is varied and beautiful: -the sides of the river are lined with lofty trees; and there is a -background of hill to relieve the eye from the monotony which presents -itself in the dusty arid plains of the Delta. The Indus is larger, too, -than in most places lower down, being about 830 yards wide; there is a -sand-bank in the middle, but it is hidden by the stream. The island on -which Hydrabad stands is barren, from the rocky and hilly nature of the -soil, but even the arable parts are poorly cultivated. - -~Hydrabad.~ - -On the capital itself, I can add little to the accounts which are -already on record. It does not contain a population of twenty thousand -souls, who live in houses, or rather huts, built of mud. The residence -of the chief himself is a comfortless miserable dwelling. The fort, -as well as the town, stands on a rocky hillock; and the former is a -mere shell, partly surrounded by a ditch, about ten feet wide and -eight deep, over which there is a wooden bridge. The walls are about -twenty-five feet high, built of brick, and fast going to decay. -Hydrabad is a place of no strength, and might readily be captured -by escalade. In the centre of the fort there is a massive tower, -unconnected with the works, which overlooks the surrounding country. -Here are deposited a great portion of the riches of Sinde. The -Fulailee river insulates the ground on which Hydrabad stands; but, -though a considerable stream during the swell, it was quite dry when -we visited this city in April. The view of Hydrabad, prefixed to this -volume, and for which I am indebted to Captain M. Grindlay, faithfully -represents that capital and the country which surrounds it. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[4] Banians. - -[5] Arrian, lib. 6. - -[6] The species hunted in Sinde is called “hotapuchu:” it is a kind of -hog deer. - -[7] Narrative of a Visit to the Court of Sinde. Edin. 1831. - - - - -CHAP. III. - -VOYAGE TO BUKKUR. - - -~Departure from Hydrabad.~ - -On the morning of the 23d of April, we embarked in the state barge of -the Ameer, which is called a “jumtee” by the natives of the country. -They are very commodious vessels, of the same build as the other -flat-bottomed boats of the Indus, and sadly gainsayed the beggarly -account which his Highness had, in his correspondence, so often given -of the craft in the river. It was about sixty feet long, and had three -masts, on which we hoisted as many sails, made of alternate stripes of -red and white cloth. There were two cabins, connected with each other -by a deck; but, contrary to the custom in other countries, the one at -the bows is the post of honour. It was of a pavilion shape, covered -with scarlet cloth, and the eyes of intruders were excluded on all -sides by silken screens. The jumtee was further decorated by variegated -flags and pendants, some of which were forty feet long. We hoisted the -British ensign at the stern of our pinnace, the first time, I suppose, -it had ever been unfurled on the Indus; and the little vessel which -bore it out-sailed all the fleet. I hope the omen was auspicious, and -that the commerce of Britain may soon follow her flag. We moved merrily -through the water, generally with a fair wind, anchoring always at -night, and pitching our camp on the shore, pleased to find ourselves -beyond the portals of Hydrabad. - -~Sehwun.~ - -We reached Sehwun on the 1st of May, a distance of 100 miles, in eight -days. There was little to interest us on the banks of the river, which -are thinly peopled, and destitute of trees or variety to diversify the -scene. The Lukkee mountains, a high range, came in sight on the third -day, running in upon the Indus at Sehwun. The stream itself, though -grand and magnificent, was often divided by sand-banks, and moved -sluggishly along at the rate of two miles and a half an hour. One of -our boats had nearly sunk from coming in contact with a protruding -stump; an accident of frequent occurrence on the Indus, as well as -on the American rivers, and sometimes attended with fatal results, -particularly to vessels descending the stream. Our escape from calamity -gave the Sindians a topic for congratulation, and we daily heard the -greatness of our fortune proclaimed. Every trivial incident, a slight -breeze or any such occurrence, they did not hesitate to ascribe to our -destiny. - -~Crew of the boat.~ - -Our crew consisted of sixteen men; and a happy set of beings they were: -they waded through the water all day, and swam and sported about, as -they passed along, with joyous hearts, returning occasionally to the -boat to indulge in the hooka, and the intoxicating “bang,” or hemp, to -which they are much addicted. They prepare this drug by straining the -juice from the seeds and stalks through a cloth: when ready for use, -it resembles green putrid water. It must be very pernicious. I do not -know if I can class their pipes among the movables of the ship; for -their stands were formed of a huge piece of earthenware, too heavy to -be lifted, which remains at the stern, where the individuals retire to -inhale the weed, made doubly noxious by its being mixed with opium. -The sailors of Sinde are Mahommedans. They are very superstitious, the -sight of a crocodile below Hydrabad is an evil omen which would never -be forgotten; and in that part of the Indus these monsters certainly -confined themselves to the deep. - -~A Sindian song.~ - -In the songs and chorus which the Sindians use in pulling their ropes -and sails, we discover their reverence for saints. Seafaring people -are, I believe, musical in all countries; and, though in a strange -dialect, there is simplicity and beauty in some of the following -rhymes:-- - - -_Original._ - - Hulam hulam hyl, Joomba lanee, - Leenlanee, Hewa qila, - Mudud peeran. Dawa fuqueeran - Dawa jee nalee. Beree chale: - Beree ranee, Surung sookhanee. - Oono panee, ------------ - Lumba kooa, Sulamut hooa, - Wujun dumana Acbar Shah ja. - - -_Translation._ - - Pull, oh! pull! Use your strength, - Raise your shoulders, By the favour of God, - Press your feet. By the Saint’s assistance - The boat will sail, She is a pretty boat: - The steersman’s a warrior. The water is deep, - The mast is tall. She will reach in safety. - Beat the drum Of King Acbar, - The port is attained By the favour of God. - -Another specimen runs thus:-- - - Peer Putta! Jug ditta, - Nuggur Tatta! Panee mitta. - Julla kejye, Tanee lejge, - Tan tumasha: Bunder khasa, - Bundur koochee. Murd Beloochee. - Bundur maryo, Rub dekkaryo. - Moolk Hubeebee. Rub a rubbee. - - -_Translation._ - - Hail, Peer Putta! Who has seen the world, - Hail, city of Tatta! The water is sweet. - Pull together, Pull at once, - Pull for joy. The port is good, - Tho’ the harbour is small. The men are Beloochees. - Behold the harbour tower, Which God has shown us. - The country is God’s, By God we came. - -As we discovered the mosques of Sehwun, the boatmen in their joy beat a -drum, and chanted many of these verses, which had a pleasing sound on -passing the base of the Lukkee mountains, that present a rocky buttress -to the Indus on approaching Sehwun. - -~Sehwun, its antiquity.~ - -The town of Sehwun stands on a rising ground, at the verge of a swamp, -two miles from the Indus, close to a branch of that river called -Arul, which flows from Larkhanu. It has a population of about 10,000 -souls, and is commanded on the north side by a singular castle or -mound of earth. Sehwun is sometimes called Sewistan, and is a place -of antiquity. There are many ruined mosques and tombs which surround -it, and proclaim its former wealth; but it has gradually gone to decay -since it ceased to be the residence of a governor, who here held his -court in the days of Moghul splendour. As it stands near the Lukkee -mountains, I believe it may be fixed on as the city of Sambus, Raja -of the Indian mountaineers, mentioned by Alexander. The Sindomanni -cannot refer to the inhabitants of Lower Sinde, which is always called -Pattala, and its ruler the “prince of the Pattalans.” Sindee is the -modern term for the aboriginal inhabitants. - -~Pilgrimage of Sehwun.~ - -Sehwun has considerable celebrity and sanctity from the tomb of a holy -saint of Khorasan, by name Lal Shah Baz, who was interred here about -600 years ago. The shrine stands in the centre of the town, and rests -under a lofty dome at one end of a quadrangular building, which is -handsomely ornamented by blue painted slabs, like Dutch tiles, that -give it a rich appearance. A cloth of gold, with two other successive -palls of red silk, are suspended over the sepulchre, and on the walls -which surround it are inscribed in large Arabic letters the praises -of the deceased, and extracts from the Koran. Ostrich eggs, peacocks’ -feathers, beads, flowers, &c. complete the furniture of this holy spot; -and pigeons, the emblems of peace, are encouraged to perch on the -cloths which shade the remains of departed virtue. The miracles of Lal -Shah Baz are endless, if you believe the people. The Indus is subject -to his commands, and no vessel dares to pass his shrine without making -a propitiatory offering at his tomb. Thousands of pilgrims flock to -the consecrated spot, and the monarchs of Cabool and India have often -visited the sanctuary. The drums which proclaim the majesty of the -saint are a gift from the renowned persecutor Alla-o-deen, who reigned -A.D. 1242; and the gate, which is of silver, attests the homage and -devotion of a deceased Ameer of Sinde. The needy are daily supplied -with food from the charity of the stranger; but the universal bounty -has corrupted the manners of the inhabitants, who are a worthless -and indolent set of men. The Hindoo joins with the Mahommedan in his -veneration of the saint, and artfully insinuates “Lal” to be a Hindoo -name, and that the Mahommedans have associated with the faith of their -prophet the god of an infidel creed. A tiger, once the tenant of the -neighbouring hills, partakes of the general bounty in a cage near the -tomb. - -~Castle of Sehwun, its antiquity.~ - -By far the most singular building at Sehwun, and perhaps on the -Indus, is the ruined castle which overlooks the town, and is in all -probability as old as the age of the Greeks. It consists of a mound of -earth sixty feet high, and surrounded from the very ground by a brick -wall. The shape of the castle is oval, about 1200 feet long by 750 in -diameter. The interior presents a heap of ruins, and is strewed with -broken pieces of pottery and brick. The gateway is on the town side, -and has been arched: a section through it proves the whole mound to be -artificial. At a distance this castle resembles the drawings of the -Mujilebe tower at Babylon, described by Mr. Rich in his interesting -Memoir. - -The natives afford no satisfactory account of this ruin, attributing -it to the age of Budur-ool-Jamal, a fairy, whose agency is referred -to in every thing ancient or wonderful in Sinde. It is to be observed, -that the Arul river passes close to this castle; and we are informed -by Quintus Curtius that, in the territories of Sabus Raja, (which I -imagine refers to Sehwun,) “Alexander took the strongest city by a -tunnel formed by his miners.” A ruin of such magnitude, standing, -as it therefore does, on such a site, would authorise our fixing on -it as the very city “where the barbarians, untaught in engineering, -were confounded when their enemies appeared, almost in the middle of -the city, rising from a subterraneous passage of which no trace was -previously seen.” So strong a position would not, in all probability, -be neglected in after-times; and in the reign of the Emperor Humaioon, -A.D. 1541, we find that monarch unable to capture Sehwun, from which -he fled on his disastrous journey to Omercote. His son Acbar also -invested Sehwun for seven months, and after its capture seems to have -dismantled it. There are many coins found in the castle of Sehwun; but -among thirty I could find no trace of the Greek alphabet. They were -Mahommedan coins of the sovereigns of Delhi. - -~Mound of Amree.~ - -About eighteen miles below Sehwun, and on the same side of the river, -is the village of Amree, believed to have been once a large city, and -the favourite residence of former kings. It is said to have been swept -into the Indus. Near the modern village, however, there is a mound of -earth, about forty feet high, which the traditions of the country point -out as the halting-place of a king, who ordered the dung of his cavalry -to be gathered together, and hence the mound of Amree! There are some -tombs near it, but they are evidently modern. - -We halted four days at Sehwun. The climate was most sultry and -oppressive: the thermometer stood at 112°, and did not fall below 100° -at midnight, owing to scorching winds from the west, where the country -is bleak and mountainous. The lofty range which runs parallel with the -Indus from the sea-coast to the centre of Asia, is joined by the Lukkee -mountains south of Sehwun, and thus excludes the refreshing breezes of -the ocean. - -We quitted Sehwun on the 4th with difficulty, for we could not procure -men to drag our boats. The mihmandar, though he was the vizier’s -son, and acted under the seal of the Ameer, could not prevail on the -Calendar, or priest of the tomb, who said that no such order had been -ever given, and he would not now obey it. Some persons were seized: -his people drew their swords, and said that, when no longer able to -wield them, they might go. We knew nothing of the matter till it was -over, as it was entirely a private arrangement of Syud Tukkee Shah, the -mihmandar. When the men heard they were to be remunerated for their -trouble, they came of their own accord before we sailed. Every thing in -Sinde being effected by force under despotism, the watermen of Sehwun -fled the town, or took up their abode in the sanctuary, when they saw -the “jumtee” approach, believing, as usual, that services would be -required of them gratuitously. - -~Congratulations from Khyrpoor.~ - -On the day after quitting Sehwun, we were met by Mahommed Gohur, a -Belooche chief, and a party, the confidential agents of Meer Roostum -Khan, the Ameer of Khyrpoor, who had been sent to the frontier, a -distance of eighty miles, to congratulate us on our arrival, and -declare their master’s devotion to the British Government. We hardly -expected such a mark of attention in Sinde, and were therefore -gratified. The deputation brought an abundant supply of sheep, flour, -fruit, spices, sugar, butter, ghee, tobacco, opium, &c. &c., on which -our people feasted. Sheep were slain and cooked; rice and ghee were -soon converted into savoury viands; and I believe all parties thanked -Meer Roostum Khan as heartily as we did, nor did I imagine that this -was but the commencement of a round of feasting which was daily -repeated so long as we were in his country, a period of three weeks. -Mahommed Gohur was a decrepit old man, with a red beard. He wore a very -handsome loongee round his waist. He did not recover from his surprise -throughout the interview, for he had never before seen an European. - -~Address the Ameer of Khyrpoor.~ - -In return for Meer Roostum Khan’s kindness, I addressed to him a -Persian letter in the following terms, which will serve as a specimen -of the epistolary style used by the people of this country, which I -imitated as closely as possible.:-- - -(After compliments:) “I hasten to inform your Highness that I have -reached the frontiers of your country in company with the respectable -Syud Tukkee Shah, who has accompanied me on the part of Meer Morad -Ali Khan from Hydrabad. As I have long since heard of your Highness -from those who pass between Cutch and Sinde, it forms a source of -congratulation to me that I have arrived in your dominions, and brought -along with me in safety the presents which have been graciously -bestowed on Maha Raja Runjeet Sing by His Majesty the King of England, -mighty in rank, terrible as the planet Mars, a monarch great and -magnificent, of the rank of Jemshid, of the dignity of Alexander, -unequalled by Darius, just as Nousherwan, great as Fureedoon, admired -as Cyrus, famed as the Sun, the destroyer of tyranny and oppression, -upright and generous, pious and devout, favoured from above, &c. &c.: -may his dominion endure for ever! - -“It is well known that when a friend comes to the country of a friend -it is a source of much happiness, and I have therefore written these -few lines; but when I have the pleasure of seeing you, my joy will be -increased. - -“I had written thus far, when the respectable Mahommed Gohur, one of -those enjoying your Highness’s confidence, arrived at this place, -to acquaint me with your professions of respect and friendship for -the British Government, bringing along with him many marks of your -hospitality. Need I say I am rejoiced? Such civilities mark the great.” - -~Character of the people.~ - -A voyage of ten days brought us to Bukkur; but we landed a few miles -from that fortress, to prepare for a visit to Khyrpoor and its chief, -who had made us so welcome in his country. We saw much of the Sindians -on our way up the river, and did every thing to encourage their -approach by granting free admission on board to the commonest villager -who wished to view the horses. The body of the people are little -better than savages, and extremely ignorant; their spiritual guides -and Syuds, or the followers of the prophet, however, showed knowledge -and independence. I happened to ask a party of Syuds to what Ameer -they were subject: they replied, “We acknowledge no master but God, -who gives us villages and all we desire.” I was struck with the family -likeness that prevails throughout this class in Sinde; for it is not -to be supposed that a tribe so numerous has lineally descended from -the prophet of Arabia. The beggars of Sinde are most importunate and -troublesome. They practise all manner of persuasion to succeed in their -suit for alms; tear up grass and bushes with their mouths, and chew -sand and mud to excite compassion. - -With the better orders of society we had frequent intercourse and -conversation. Some of them felt interested about the objects of our -mission to Lahore. They did not give us much credit for sincerity in -sending it by a route which they believed never to have been passed -since the time of Noah. They were full of enquiries regarding our -customs. Our Khyrpoor friend, Mahomed Gohur, was particularly horrified -at our arrangements for getting a wife, and begged me in future to let -my beard grow. The knowledge of this individual I may describe, when he -asked me if London were under Calcutta: he was, however, a pleasant -man; I delighted to hear him sing the praises of the soldiers of Sinde, -who, he said, differed from all the world in thinking it an honour to -fight on foot. The feelings of pity which some of the people displayed -for us were amusing: they were shocked to hear that we cleaned our -teeth with hogs’ bristles. I was frequently asked to lay aside the -English saddle, which they considered quite unworthy, and worse than a -seat on the bare back of the horse. - -~The Indus: names for it.~ - -The Indus in this part of its course is called Sira, in distinction -from Lar, which is its appellation below Sehwun. These are two Belooche -words for north and south; and of the name of Sirae, or Khosa, a -tribe inhabiting the desert on the east, we have thus a satisfactory -explanation; as these people originally spread from Sira, in the upper -course of the Indus. Mehran, a name of this river, familiar to the -Indians and foreigners, is not used by the natives of the country. The -water of the Indus is considered superior, for every purpose of life, -to that drawn from the wells of Sinde. When taken from the river it is -very foul; but the rich keep it till the mud with which it is loaded -subsides. There are few ferry-boats on the Indus; and it is a curious -sight to see the people crossing it on skins and bundles of reeds. -A native will often float down to a distance of fifteen or twenty -miles, accompanied by a whole herd of buffaloes, preferring this mode -of travelling to a journey on the banks. From Sehwun upwards they kill -the “pulla” fish by nets suspended from the bow of small boats, which -are, at the same time, the habitations of the fisherman and his family. -The wife, who is generally a sturdy dame, pulls the stern oar to keep -the vessel in the middle of the stream, often with a baby in her arms, -while the husband kills the fish. One would not have expected to find -porpoises so far from the sea; but they are to be observed sporting in -the river as high as Bukkur; they are more grey than those in the salt -water. - -~Visited by the Vizier of Sinde.~ - -I should have mentioned, that before reaching Bukkur, we were visited -by the Nawab Wulee Mahomed Khan Lugharee, one of the viziers of Sinde, -who had travelled from Shikarpoor to meet us. We found him a decrepit -old man of seventy-two, on the verge of the grave. He treated us with -particular kindness, and quite won our hearts by his attentions. He -gave me a horse and a rich loongee. He said in the plainest terms that -the Ameer had had evil counsel to detain us so long in Sinde, and -that he had written urgently to his Highness not to commit himself -by such a step. We had now a good opportunity of seeing a Belooche -chief on his native soil. He came with a splendid equipage of tents -and carpets, accompanied by three palankeens, and about 400 men. A -set of dancing girls were among his suite; and in the evening we were -compelled, against our inclination, to hear these ladies squall for -a couple of hours, and, what added to the disgust of the scene, they -drank at intervals of the strongest spirits, to _clear their voices_, -as they said, until nearly intoxicated. It was impossible to express -any displeasure at this exhibition, since the gala, however much out of -taste, was got up in the hope of adding to our amusement. The people -with us, who now amounted to 150, were sumptuously entertained by the -Nawab, who kept us with him for two days. - -~Vizier of Khyrpoor.~ - -On the morning of the 14th we disembarked near the small village of -Alipoor, and were met by the vizier of Meer Roostum Khan, who had come -from Khyrpoor to receive us. His name was Futteh Khan Ghoree, an aged -person of mild and affable manners, and of peculiar appearance from a -snow white beard and red hair. Our reception was cordial and kind; the -vizier assured us of the high satisfaction with which his master had -heard of our arrival, for he had long desired to draw closer to the -British government, and had never yet had the good fortune to meet any -of its agents. He said that Meer Roostum Khan did not presume to put -himself on an equality with so potent and great a nation, but hoped -that he might be classed among its wellwishers, and as one ready to -afford his services on all occasions. Futteh Khan added that Khyrpoor -formed a separate portion of Sinde from Hydrabad, a fact which he -begged I would remember. I was not altogether unprepared for this -communication, for I judged from his previous efforts to please that -the ruler had some object in view. I assured the vizier of my sense -of his master’s attentions, and promised to talk on these matters -after our interview. He brought a palankeen to convey me in state to -Khyrpoor, a distance of fourteen miles, to which city we marched on the -following day. - -~Ameer of Khyrpoor.~ - -After what I have already stated, our interview with Meer Roostum Khan -may be well imagined: he received us under a canopy of silk, seated -on a cushion of cloth of gold. He was surrounded by the members of -his family, forty of whom (males), descended in a right line from his -father, are yet alive. There was more state and show than at Hydrabad, -but as little attention to order or silence. We exchanged the usual -complimentary speeches of like occasions. I thanked his Highness for -the uniform attention and hospitality which we had received. Meer -Roostum Khan is about fifty; his beard and hair were quite white, -and the expression of his countenance, as well as his manners, were -peculiarly mild. He and his relatives were too much taken up with our -uniforms and faces to say much; and he begged us to return in the -evening, when there would be less bustle and confusion, to which we -readily assented. I gave him my watch before leaving, and sent him a -brace of pistols and a kaleidescope, with various articles of European -manufacture, with which he was highly delighted. The crowd was hardly -to be penetrated, but very orderly: they shouted as we approached; and -nothing seemed to amuse them so much as the feathers of our hats. “Such -cocks!” was literally the expression. For about 200 yards from the -palace (if I can use such a term for the mud buildings of Sinde) there -was a street of armed men, and among them stood thirty or forty persons -with halberds, the foresters or huntsmen of the household. - -~Audience of leave.~ - -In the evening we again visited the Ameer, and found him seated on a -terrace spread with Persian carpets, and surrounded, as before, by his -numerous relatives. He made a long address to me regarding his respect -for the British government, and said that I had of course learned his -sentiments from his vizier. He looked to our Mihmandar from Hydrabad, -who I found had been doing every thing in his power to prevent our -meeting at all, and then changed the conversation. The Ameer asked -innumerable questions about England and its power, remarking that we -were not formerly so military a nation; and he had heard that a few -hundred years ago we went naked and painted our bodies. On our religion -he was very inquisitive; and when I informed him that I had read the -Koran, he made me repeat the “Kuluma,” or creed, in Persian and Arabic, -to his inexpressible delight. He said that our greatness had risen -from a knowledge of mankind, and attending to other people’s concerns -as well as our own. He examined my sword, a small cavalry sabre, and -remarked that it would not do much harm; but I rejoined, that the age -of fighting with this weapon had passed, which drew a shout and a sigh -from many present. There was so much mildness in all that the Ameer -said that I could not believe we were in a Belooche court. He expressed -sorrow that we could not stay a month with him; but since we were -resolved to proceed, we must take his state barge, and the son of his -vizier, to the frontier, and accept the poor hospitality of a Belooche -soldier, meaning himself, so long as we were in the Khyrpoor territory. -I must mention that the hospitality, which he so modestly named, -consisted of eight or ten sheep, with all sorts of provisions for 150 -people daily, and that while at Khyrpoor he sent for our use, twice a -day, a meal of seventy-two dishes. They consisted of pillaos and other -native viands. The cookery was rich, and some of them delicious. They -were served up in silver. We quitted Khyrpoor with regret, after the -attentions which we had received. Before starting, the Ameer and his -family sent to us two daggers, and two beautiful swords with belts -ornamented by large masses of gold. The blade of one of them was valued -at 80_l._ To these were added many cloths and native silks; also a -purse of a thousand rupees, which I did not accept, excusing myself by -the remark that I required nothing to make me remember the kindness of -Meer Roostum Khan. - -~Sindian rule.~ - -Mr. Elphinstone has remarked, “that the chiefs of Sinde appear to be -barbarians of the rudest stamp, without any of the barbarous virtues,” -and I fear that there is too much truth in the character, though the -Khyrpoor family exhibited little to show themselves deserving of the -stigma; but the chiefs of this country live entirely for themselves. -They wallow in wealth, while their people are wretched. Professing an -enthusiastic attachment to the religion of Mahommed, they have not even -a substantial mosque in their territories; and at Hydrabad, where -the town stands on rock, and indeed every where, they pray in temples -of mud, and seem ignorant of elegance or comfort in all that concerns -domestic arrangement. The Beloochees are a particularly savage race of -people, but they are brave barbarians. From childhood they are brought -up in arms; and I have seen some of the sons of chiefs who had not -attained the age of four or five years strutting about with a shield -and a sword of small size, given by the parents to instil into them, -at that early period, the relish for war. This tribe composes but a -small portion of the Sindian population; and while they are execrated -by the peaceable classes of the community for their imperious conduct, -they, on the other hand, hate the princes by whom they are governed. -It would be difficult to conceive a more unpopular rule, with all -classes of their subjects, than that of the Ameers of Sinde: nor is -the feeling disguised; many a fervent hope did we hear expressed, in -every part of the country, that we were the forerunners of conquest, -the advance-guard of a conquering army. The persons of the Ameers are -secure from danger by the number of slaves which they entertain around -their persons. These people are called “Khaskelees,” and enjoy the -confidence of their masters, with a considerable share of power: they -are hereditary slaves, and a distinct class of the community, who marry -only among themselves. - -~Bukkur.~ - -We marched to Bukkur on the morning of the 19th, which is a fortress -fifteen miles from Khyrpoor, situated on an insulated rock of flint -on the Indus, with the town of Roree on one side and Sukkur on -the other. It was not to be supposed that the Ameer would give us -permission to visit this fancied bulwark of his frontier, and I did -not press a demand which I saw was far from agreeable; but we had -good opportunities of examining the place while passing it, both on -shore and on the river. The island is about 800 yards long, of an oval -shape, almost entirely occupied by the fortification, which looks -more European than most Indian works: it is a beautiful object from -the banks of the Indus; its towers are mostly shaded by large full -grown trees, and the tall date drops its weeping leaves on the mosques -and walls. There are several other islets near it, on one of which -stands the shrine of Khaju Khizr, a holy Mahommedan, under a dome that -contributes to the beauty of the scene. The Indus rolls past Bukkur -in two streams, each of 400 yards wide, and the waters lash the rocks -which confine them with noise and violence. During the swell, the -navigation of this part of the river is dangerous, though the boatmen -of Bukkur are both expert and daring. The town of Roree, which faces -Bukkur, stands on a precipice of flint forty feet high, and some of -its houses, which are lofty, overhang the Indus. The inhabitants of -these can draw up water from their windows; but a cut road in the rock -supplies the citizens with this necessary of life without risking -their lives. The opposite bank of Sukkur is not precipitous like that -of Roree. A precious relic, the lock of Mahommed’s hair, enclosed in -a golden box, attracts the Mahommedan pilgrim to Bukkur, though the -inhabitants are chiefly Hindoos. - -~Grave predictions.~ - -On the banks of the Indus we had a curious interview in the evening -after our arrival with the Vizier from Khyrpoor, who had been sent by -Meer Roostum Khan to escort us thus far, and see that we were furnished -with boats. After requesting to be received privately, he renewed -the subject of our first conversation, and said that he had been -instructed by his master to propose a solemn treaty of friendship with -the British government on any terms that might be named: he then ran -over the list of neighbouring states which owed their existence to an -alliance,--the Chief of the Daodpootras, the Rawul of Jaysulmeer, and -the Rajah of Beecaneer, &c. &c. and then concluded with a peroration -full of gravity, that it was foretold by astronomers, and recorded -in his books, that the English would in time possess all India, a -prediction which both Meer Roostum and himself felt satisfied would -come to pass, when the British would ask why the chiefs of Khyrpoor had -not come forward with an offer of allegiance. I tried to remove, but -without effect, the sad prognostications of the minister, and declared -my incompetency to enter on such weighty matters as a treaty between -the states, without authority and before receiving a written statement -under the Ameer’s seal. I said that I would make known the wishes -that had been expressed to my government, which would be gratified to -hear they had such friends, which seemed to please the diplomatist; -he begged that I would bear in mind what had passed, and exacted a -promise that I would write to him when gone, and so water the tree of -friendship, that the object might be ultimately effected,--“for the -stars and heaven proclaimed the fortune of the English!” - -~Amusing incident.~ - -This was not the only incident of interest that occurred at Bukkur: -we had a visit from an Afghan nobleman of rank, who had been on a -mission to the Governor-General from the late Shah Mahmood of Herat, -and was now on his return to his native country, by the way of Sinde -and Mekran, the dissensions of dismembered Cabool preventing his -passing by the usual route. He was one of the finest natives I ever -saw, and had a flowing beard reaching to his waist: he was full of -Calcutta and its wonders, and had adopted many of our customs. He rode -on an English saddle; but said he had just found out that it was partly -made of hog’s skin, and brought it to beg my acceptance of it, for he -dared not take such a thing to his country, and would not again use -it. I civilly declined the offer, and regretted that the information -regarding the materials of the saddle had been traced to me; for, as he -liked our fashions, it was a pity he could not carry them to his own -country. Previous to the envoy’s leaving us, he begged I would give him -an English brush, which I did with pleasure; but I did not consider it -necessary to add that, in addition to the skin of the unclean beast, he -would now have the bristles. He went away in great good humour with his -gift, for which he offered me his palankeen. - -~Mihmandar.~ - -I was sorry that I should have been the means of giving uneasiness to -the Afghan; for it seems that he acquired his knowledge regarding the -construction of his saddle from our Sindian Mihmandar, Tukkee Shah, -who had taunted him with uncleanness. This person was a Syud, one of -the strictest Mahommedans I ever met. He was a son of Meer Ismael -Shah, and of Persian descent. We found him intelligent and learned, -and his polished manners made us regret the loss of so agreeable a -companion. He left us at Bukkur, to take temporary charge of the -Shikarpoor district during the absence of his brother, the Nawab. -The character of this person was singularly disfigured by Mahommedan -bigotry and superstition; while sceptical and dispassionate on all -other topics, there was no miracle too absurd for his credence in -religion. Among other fables, he assured me that when the Imam Hoosein -had been beheaded by the Yezeedees, and a Christian reproached them -for murdering their Prophet, one of them fell on him; the man, -instantly seizing the head of the Imam, placed it on his breast, and -it pronounced the well-known words, “There is no God but one God, and -Mahommed is his prophet;” which immediately silenced this Mahommedan -Judas! - -~Alore, or Arore, the ancient capital.~ - -While at Bukkur, I visited the ruins of Alore, which is said to have -been once the capital of a mighty kingdom, ruled by the Dulora Rae, -and on which Roree, Bukkur, and Sukkur, have risen. It extended from -the ocean to Cashmeer, from Candahar to Kanoje, and was divided into -four vast viceroyalties: the harbour of Diu, in Kattywar, is expressly -mentioned as one of its sea-ports. It sunk under the Mahommedan arms -so early as the seventh century of the Christian era, when subdued -by the lieutenant of the Caliph of Bagdad, Mahommed bin Cassim, -who invaded India, according to a Persian manuscript, in search of -ornaments for the seraglio of the Caliph. - -The particulars of its history are to be found at great length in the -Chuchnama, a history of Sinde in Persian believed to be authentic, and -so called from the ruler of Alore, a Brahmin, by name Duhr bin Chuch. -The ruins of Alore are yet to be discovered in a rocky ridge four miles -south-east of Bukkur, and are now marked by an humble hamlet, with some -ruined tombs. A low bridge with three arches, named the “Bund of Alore -or Arore,” constructed of brick and stone, alone remains of all its -greatness. It is thrown across a valley, which in by-gone years formed -the bed of a branch of the Indus, from which the waters fertilised the -desert, and reached the sea by Omercote and Lucput,--a channel through -which they still find egress in a great inundation. - -The description of the battle which overwhelmed the city of Alore, and -terminated the life and reign of the Dulora Rae, affords some clue to -the manners of the age. The Brahmin appeared with a train of elephants, -on one of which he was seated, with two females of exquisite beauty -to supply him with wine and the betel nut. The Mahommedans, unable to -oppose these animals, retired from the field to provide themselves with -combustibles: they filled their pipes, and returned with them to dart -fire at the elephants, which fled in dismay and disorder[8]. The Raja -fell in the action, and his two virgin daughters, “more beautiful than -the morn,” were despatched to Bagdad as fit ornaments for the seraglio -of the vicegerent of the Prophet. The story of these ladies deserves -mention. On their arrival at the holy city, they averred that the -General had dishonoured them in the fever of victory, and the mandate -for his death was forthwith despatched by the Caliph. The innocent -Moslem, sewed up in a raw hide, was transported from the East to -Arabia; and when his bones were produced in the seraglio, the daughters -of Duhr bin Chuch freely confessed the falsehood of their accusation, -and expressed their readiness to die, having avenged their father’s -murder. They were dragged to death in the streets of Bagdad. - -~Alore the kingdom of Musicanus.~ - -~Larkhanu, of Oxycanus. Minagur as Tatta, not Bukkur.~ - -We have recorded the splendour of Alore, ruled by Brahmins so late as -the seventh century of our era; and history, I think, identifies it -with the kingdom of Musicanus, which Alexander found to be governed -by Brahmins, and the richest and most populous in India. Here it was -that that conqueror built a fort, as “the place was commodiously -situated for bridling the neighbouring nations,” and where Mahommed bin -Cassim a thousand years afterwards subdued the Brahmins who revolted -from the Macedonians. Its prosperity at this late period confirms the -probability of its former wealth. Bukkur is the ancient Munsoora[9], -and has likewise been supposed to be Minagur, which I believe is -erroneous. The second Arrian, in his Periplus, speaks of that city as -the metropolis of Sinde, to which the cargo of the ships was carried -up by the river “from Barbarike, a port in the middle branch of the -Indus.” It has apparently escaped notice, that Minagur is to be -identified with Tatta, as proved by a singular but convincing fact. -The Jhareja Rajpoots of Cutch, who trace their lineage from Tatta, -invariably designate it in these days by the name of Sa-Minagur, of -which Minagur is evidently an abbreviation. I look upon the identity -of Tatta and Minagur as conclusive, though the author of the Periplus -never mentions Pattala. In Reechel we may also have the harbour of -Barbarike. The historians of Alexander do not inform us of the name -of the country of Musicanus, but only of its ruler. The position of -Larkhanu, on the opposite side of the Indus, is well marked as the -country of Oxycanus, which was famed for its fertility, since Alexander -despatched from hence his superannuated soldiers, by the country of the -Archoti and Drangi, to Carmania, or Kerman. The great road westward -branches from Larkhanu, and crosses the mountains to Kelat by the pass -of Bolan, which is the route to Kerman. The modern inhabitants of the -Indus have no traditions of the conquest of the Macedonians to assist -the enquirer in a subject that excites among civilised nations such -intense curiosity. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[8] It would appear from this, that they smoked in that age: it must -have been _bang_, or hemp, since tobacco was unknown till the discovery -of America. - -[9] Ayeen Acbaree. - - - - -CHAP. IV. - -THE COUNTRY OF BHAWUL KHAN. - - -~Quit Bukkur.~ - -On the 21st of May we set sail from Bukkur, having exchanged our boats -for another description of vessel, called “zohruk,” not in use in -Lower Sinde. They are of an oblong square shape, rounded fore and aft, -and built of the _talee_ tree, clamped with pieces of iron instead of -nails, an operation which is performed with great neatness. Some of the -vessels exceed eighty feet in length, and twenty in breadth. They are -flat-bottomed, and pass quicker through the water than the _doondee_, -though they have but one mast. By the description of boats in which -Alexander transported his cavalry, I understand the “zohruk,” which is -well suited for the transport of troops. Arrian describes it “as of -a round form,” and says that they received no injury on leaving the -Hydaspes, when the long vessels were wrecked. Their peculiar build has -doubtless arisen from the occurrence of such rapids as the Macedonians -experienced at the junction of the Acesines and Hydaspes. - -~Curiosity of the people.~ - -The curiosity of the people on the banks of the Indus was intense. One -man in the crowd demanded that we should stop and show ourselves, -since there had never been a _white-face_ in this country before, and -we were bound to exhibit, from the welcome which we had received: he -had seen Shah Shooja, he said (the ex-king of Cabool), but never an -Englishman. Need I say we gratified him and the crowd, of which he -was the spokesman? “Bismilla,” “in the name of God,” was their usual -exclamation when we appeared, and we daily heard ourselves styled -kings and princes. The ladies were more curious than their husbands. -They wear ear-rings of large dimensions, with turquoises suspended or -fixed to them; for these stones are of little value in the vicinity of -Khorasan. Among the women, I should note the Syudanees, or Bebees, the -female descendants of Mahommed: they go about veiled, or rather with a -long white robe thrown over their entire body, having netted orifices -before the eyes and mouth. They are all beggars, and very vociferous -in their demands for alms: one set of them, (for they go about in -troops,) when they found I did not readily meet their demands, produced -a written paper from the shrine of Lal Shah Baz, at Sehwun, to hasten -my charity! Father Manrique, in his journey by the Indus some centuries -ago, complains “of the frail fair ones” who molested him by the way. -In the present age, the dress of the courtezans, who are to be met in -every place of size in the country, would give a favourable idea of the -wealth of Sinde; and it is one of the few, if not the only, amusements -of the inhabitants to listen to the lascivious songs of these people. -They are a remarkably handsome race, and carry along with them a spirit -of enthusiasm in their performance unknown to the ladies of Hindoostan. - -~Beloochees of Sinde.~ - -Three days after quitting Bukkur, we came in sight of the mountains of -Cutch Gundava, distant about a hundred miles from the right bank of the -Indus; the most remarkable peak was named Gendaree. We here entered a -country inhabited by various Beloochee tribes, long addicted to piracy -and plunder; but their spirit has been destroyed by the growing power -of the Khyrpoor chiefs. They offered no opposition or insult; and many -came to pay us a friendly visit. Their manner of saluting each other, -which indeed prevails among all the Beloochees, is somewhat peculiar. -On approaching, they seize the stranger’s hand, and touch the right -breast with the right shoulder, and the left with the left, and follow -up the words “welcome” with half a dozen such sentences as, “Are you -happy? Is every thing right? Are all well, great and small, children -and horses? You are welcome.” - -~Sinde frontier, farewell letters.~ - -A very few days brought us beyond the reach of these Beloochees, -and the dominions of Sinde; for we anchored thirty miles north of -Subzulcote, the frontier town, on the evening of the 26th, on the -line of boundary between the Khan of the Daoodpootras and the Ameers -of Sinde. Our progress had been exceedingly rapid; for we had a -favourable breeze, and often followed the lesser branches of the Indus -to escape the violence of the stream. The boats sailed with celerity; -for we came one hundred and twenty miles by the course of the river -in six days against the stream. We here had a farewell feast from -the Khyrpoor Ameer and Meer Nusseer Khan, the son of the principal -Ameer, who had shown us marked civility throughout the journey. -After the people had fared sumptuously, our boats were crowded like -sheepfolds. I addressed valedictory letters to both the Ameers and -their chief ministers, besides several replies to other persons; -for the “_cacoethes scribendi_” seemed to have beset the nobles of -the land; and I had received, in one day, no less than six letters. -These productions were full of metaphor and over-strained expressions -of anxiety for our health and safety, with trite sayings about the -advantages of friendship, and a letter being half an interview. There -is no difference between the manners of Europe and Asia so striking -as in correspondence. The natives of the East commit the writing and -diction of their compositions to a native secretary, simply telling him -to write a letter of friendship, congratulation, or whatever may be the -subject, to which he affixes his seal, sometimes without a perusal. -If the signet is not legible, one may often try in vain to find out -his correspondent; for he never names himself in his letter. In my -epistles, I told the Khyrpoor chief that his friendship and kindness -had brought us without an accident, and with unprecedented speed, -against the mighty stream of the Indus; and I thought it as well, for -the edification of the Hydrabad Ameer, to add, that _the Indus was -a navigable river_ from the ocean, and had abundance of water every -where! I did not quit Sinde favourably impressed, either with his -character or policy; but we should not try such a man by an European -standard, and he doubtless opposed our choice of the route by the Indus -on sufficiently good grounds. I parted from our Khyrpoor friends really -with reluctance; for their hospitality and kindness had been great, -and it was with difficulty that I was permitted to reward the boatmen. -The Mihmandar said that he had been ordered to prohibit it; and his -master only desired to please the British Government. This person was -very inferior to our former companion the Syud; but, if less learned -and intelligent, he had the more sterling qualities of sincerity and -honesty: his name was Inayut Khan Ghoree. - -~Sindian escort.~ - -We here dismissed, and with regret, our Sindian escort, which had -followed us from the mouths of the Indus. They seemed to have become -attached to us, and followed us in our walks and rides with unusual -alacrity; as we were leaving, they accompanied us to the water’s -edge, with loud cries of thanks for our kindness and prayers for -our welfare. They consisted of twenty-four men; twelve of whom were -Beloochees and the rest Jokeeas, a tribe of mountaineers near Curachee. -We had not, I am sure, done much to deserve such gratitude; for they -had only received an additional month’s pay (eight rupees each) to -take them back to their country, a distance of three hundred and -fifty miles. Some of them begged to accompany us to Lahore; but, on -the same principle that they had been hired in Sinde, it would be -proper to enlist natives of the new country we were entering, and I -civilly declined their request. These men used to kill game for us; -and were ever ready to anticipate our wishes. Their honesty we found -unimpeachable; and we never lost any thing in our progress through a -strange country, protected by strangers on whom we had no tie, and who -had been brought from the fields to enter our service. - -[Illustration: NATIVES OF SINDE. - -Lith^d. for Burnes’ Travels into Bokhara,--by Day & Haghe Lith^{rs}. to -the King. - -John Murray Albemarle S^t. 1834. - - _On Stone by L. Haghe._ - - _Capt^n. R. M. Grindlay del^t._ -] - -~Fish diet.~ - -~Manners, &c. Costume.~ - -The natives of the neighbouring countries, and the higher class of -people in Sinde, have a singular notion regarding the fish diet of -the inhabitants. They believe it prostrates the understanding; and, -in palliation of ignorance in any one, often plead that “he is but a -fish-eater.” The lower order of the Sindians live entirely on fish and -rice; and the prevailing belief must be of an old date, as they tell -an anecdote of one of the Emperors of Delhi who addressed a stranger -in his court with the question from whence he came; he replied, from -Tatta, and the king turned away his head. The stranger, recollecting -the prejudice against his country, immediately rejoined, that he was -not a “fish-eater.” I am not prepared to state how far a fish diet -may affect the intellect of the Sindian, but I certainly remarked the -prolific nature of the food in the number of children on the banks of -the Indus. The greatest fault which an European would find with the -people of Sinde is their filthy habits. They always wear dark-coloured -garments from religious motives; but the ablutions of the Prophet are -little attended to. People must be in easy circumstances, I believe, or -cease to feel want before they adopt habits of cleanliness. The change -of costume in the people, announced already a change of country. Since -leaving Bukkur, we had met many Afghans and natives of the kingdom -of Cabool. The boots of some of these strangers, made of variegated -leather, ribbed, in some instances, not unlike the skin of the tiger, -formed an extraordinary dress for a long-bearded old man. - -~Quit Sinde. Bhawul Khan’s country~. - -In the evening of the 27th we quitted Sinde, and ascended the river for -a few miles, where we were met by Gholam Kadir Khan, a Nuwab and person -of high rank, who had been sent to welcome us by Bhawul Khan, the chief -of the Daoodpootras, in whose country we had now arrived. He was a -little, pot-bellied old man, with a happy expression of countenance; -and he said that he was sent to communicate the delight with which his -master hailed our approach. He brought a most kind message--that a -fleet of fifteen boats had been collected, and was now in readiness to -convey us through the Daoodpootra country, while the Khan had fitted up -a boat expressly for our accommodation. He brought likewise a purse of -a hundred rupees, which he said he had been desired to send me daily: -this I declined, saying, that money was useless where every necessary -and luxury of life was furnished by his master’s hospitality. We soon -got on easy terms with our new hosts, and weighed anchor next evening -for the frontier village, where we halted. Many Daoodpootras came to -see us; they differ in appearance from the Sindians, and wear turbans -formed of tight and round folds of cloths. - -~Quit the Indus.~ - -On the 30th of May our fleet, now swelled to eighteen boats, quitted -the Indus at Mittuncote, where it receives the united waters of the -Punjab rivers; and, as if to remind us of its magnitude, the stream -was here wider than in any other part of its course, and exceeded 2000 -yards. We took a last farewell of its waters, and entered the Chenab or -Acesines of the Greeks. Alexander sailed down this river to the Indus; -but no tradition of that event is preserved on its banks. The Sindians -point to Cabool as the theatre of his exploits, where Sikunder the -Persian achieved many memorable deeds. In the East, as in the West, -there have not been wanting ages of darkness to draw a mist over truth, -and substitute, in poetical language, the fables of an Eastern country -for one of the most authentic facts in ancient history--the voyage of -Alexander on the Indus. Mittun is a small town, about a mile distant -from the Indus, and occupies, I imagine, the site of one of the Grecian -cities, since the advantage of its position for commerce attracted the -attention of Alexander. - -~Elevated houses of Sinde.~ - -~Effects of the Indus on the climate.~ - -In Lower Sinde the pastoral tribes live in reed houses, and rove from -one place to another. In these parts of the Indus they dwell in -habitations elevated eight or ten feet from the ground, to avoid the -damp and the insects occasioned by it. These are also built of reeds, -and entered by a ladder. They are small neat cottages, and occupied by -wandering tribes, who frequent the banks of the river till the season -of inundation. Herodotus mentions that the Egyptians slept in turrets -during the rise of the Nile. The inhabitants have strange notions -regarding the influence of the Indus on the climate. They believe that -it gives out a perpetual breeze; and they, therefore, seek a habitation -near it, for the heat of Sinde is most oppressive. The father of -history expressed his belief that such also was the case with the Nile; -and it is curious that a similar opinion should be entertained by the -people of Sinde. I can readily understand that a vast volume of running -water would cool the banks of a river: the heat is said to increase on -receding from the Indus. - -~Chenab or Acesines.~ - -We reached Ooch, where the joint streams of the Sutlege and Beas, here -called the Garra, fall into the Chenab. The name of Punjnud, or Five -Rivers, is unknown to the natives; and we now navigated the Chenab -or Acesines of the Greeks, the name of the five rivers being lost in -that of the greater stream. It is curious to observe that this fact -is expressly mentioned by Arrian:--“The Acesines retains its name till -it falls at last into the Indus, after it has received three other -rivers.” The Sutlege, or Hesudrus, is not mentioned by Alexander’s -historians. These united rivers form a noble stream; and the banks of -the Chenab are free from the thick tamarisk jungles of the Indus. They -were studded with innumerable hamlets, particularly towards the Indus; -for the rich pasture attracts the shepherd. - -~Incident.~ - -Our arrival at Ooch had been so much earlier than was anticipated as to -give rise to an incident which might have proved serious. The troops -of Bhawul Khan were encamped on the banks of the river, and in a dusky -day our numerous fleet was mistaken for the Seik army, which had been -threatening to invade his territories. A discharge of a cannon and some -musquetry arrested the progress of our advanced boat. The mistake was -readily discovered, and the chagrin and vexation that followed afforded -us some amusement. I thought that apologies and regrets would never -have ceased. - -~Ooch.~ - -~Arrival of Bhawul Khan.~ - -The town of Ooch stands on a fertile plain at a distance of four miles -from the Acesines, beautifully shaded by trees. It is formed of three -distinct towns, a few hundred yards apart from each other, and each -has been encompassed by a wall of brick, now in ruins. The population -amounts to 20,000. The streets are narrow, and covered with mats as a -protection from the sun; but it is a mean place. We were accommodated -in a garden well stocked with fruit trees and flowers, which was an -agreeable change from our confined boats. When preparing for a journey -to visit the Khan,--who was absent at Dirawul, in the desert,--we were -surprised by the arrival of a messenger, with the information that he -had reached Ooch from a distance of sixty miles, that he might save us -the trouble of coming to him, and evince his respect for the British -Government. The messenger brought us a deer, which the Khan had shot, -and of which he begged our acceptance, with forty vessels of sherbet, -and as many of sweetmeats and preserves; also a bag containing 200 -rupees, which he requested I would distribute in charity, to mark the -joyful event of our arrival. - -~Interview with him.~ - -On the morning of the 3d of June we visited Bhawul Khan, who had -alighted at a large house outside the town, a mile distant: he sent -an escort of his regular troops, with horses, palankeens, and various -other conveyances,--one of which deserves description. It was a sort -of chair, covered with a red canopy of cloth, supported by two horses, -one in front and the other behind, and the most awkward vehicle that -can be imagined; for it could be turned with difficulty, and the -horses did not incline to such a burden. We passed a line of soldiers, -about 600 in number, dressed in uniforms of red, blue, white, and -yellow; and then entered the court yard, under a salute of eighty -guns. The passages were lined with officers and chiefs; and we found -the Khan seated in an area spread with carpets, attended only by about -ten persons: he rose and embraced us. He made particular enquiries -regarding Mr. Elphinstone, who, he said, had been the means of raising -up a sincere and lasting friendship between his family and the British -Government. - -Bhawul Khan is a handsome man, about thirty years of age, somewhat -grave in his demeanour, though most affable and gentlemanlike; during -the interview he held a rosary in his hand, but the telling of the -beads did not interrupt his conversation. He dilated at length on the -honour which Runjeet Sing had had conferred upon him in receiving -presents from the King of Great Britain; nor did he, in any way, -betray his feelings towards the Lahore chief, though they are far from -friendly. The Khan, unlike most natives, seemed to avoid all political -subjects. He produced his matchlock, and explained to us his manner -of hunting deer, his favourite sport; and expressed a strong wish -that we should accompany him to his residence in the desert. We left -him quite charmed with his kindness, and the sincere manner in which -he had shown it. In the evening the Khan sent for our perusal the -testimonials that had been given to his grandfather by Mr. Elphinstone, -which are preserved with great pride and care in the archives of his -government. For my own part, I felt equal satisfaction to find the -English character stand so high in this remote corner of India, and the -just appreciation of the high-minded individual who had been the means -of fixing it. - -~Merchants at Bhawulpoor.~ - -During our stay at Ooch, we were visited by some of the principal -merchants of Bhawulpoor, who had followed the Khan. The intelligence -of these people, and extent of their travels, surprised me. Most -of them had traversed the kingdom of Cabool, and visited Balkh and -Bokhara: some had been as far as Astracan; and they used the names -of these towns with a familiarity as if they had been in India. They -had met Russian merchants at Bokhara, but assured me that they never -came to the eastward of that city. The intervening countries they -represented as perfectly safe, and bestowed the highest commendations -on Dost Mahommed, of Cabool, and the Uzbeks, who encouraged commercial -communication. These merchants are chiefly Hindoos, whose disposition -peculiarly adapts them for the patient and painstaking vocation of a -foreign merchant. Some of them are Jews, who retain the marks of their -nation in all countries and places.[10] - -~History of Ooch.~ - -We continued at Ooch for a week. The place is ancient, and highly -celebrated in the surrounding countries from the tombs of two saints -of Bokhara and Bagdad. The Ghorian emperors expelled the Hindoo Rajas -of Ooch, and consigned the surrounding lands to pious Mahommedans. -The tombs of the two worthies I have named are handsome, and held in -much reverence by the people; they are about five hundred years old, -and tradition is silent regarding the history of the place beyond that -period. The posterity of these saints enjoy both spiritual and temporal -power to the present day; but, instead of ministering to the wants of -the inhabitants, who are needy and poor, they waste their fortunes -in the chase, and retain hounds and horses for their amusement. An -inundation of the Acesines, some years back, swept away one half of the -principal tomb, with a part of the town; and, though the return of the -river to its original bed is attributed to the miraculous interference -of the deceased saint, the people have, as yet, failed to testify their -gratitude by repairing his tomb. The town of Ooch stands on a mound -of earth or clay, like the city of Tatta, which I judge to have been -formed by the ruins of houses. The Chenab has swept away a portion of -the mound; and the section of it which has been thus exposed seems to -support the conjecture which I have stated. - -~Visit from Bhawul Khan.~ - -On the 5th of June we had a visit from Bhawul Khan. He insisted on -coming in person to see us; and sent a large tent to be pitched by our -garden, in which we received him. He sat for about an hour; and put -numerous questions regarding the manufactures of Europe. The chief is -of a mechanical turn of mind; he produced a detonating gun, which had -been made under his directions from an European pattern, and certainly -did credit to the artificer; he had also manufactured the necessary -caps and fulminating powder. He expressed, at this interview, much -satisfaction with the presents which we had sent him; they consisted -of a brace of pistols, a watch, and some other articles. The Khan came -in an open sort of chair, to which we conducted him on his departure. -He was attended by about a thousand persons; and I observed that he -distributed money as he passed along. After the visit, our Mihmandar -brought us presents from the Khan; they consisted of two horses richly -caparisoned with silver and enamel trappings, a hawk, with shawls and -trays of the fabrics made at Bhawulpoor, some of which were very rich; -to these were added a purse of 2000 rupees, and a sum of 200 for the -servants; and, last of all, a beautiful matchlock, which had its value -doubled by the manner in which it was presented. “The Khan,” said the -messenger, “has killed many a deer with this gun; and he begs you will -accept it from him, and, when you use it, remember that Bhawul Khan is -your friend.” - -~Audience of leave.~ - -In the evening we had a parting interview with Bhawul Khan. I gave him -a handsome percussion gun; and assured him, what I felt most sincerely, -that we should long remember his kindness and hospitality. He embraced -us on our leaving him; and intreated us to write to him and command his -services. The courtiers and people were as polite as their chief. - -We left Ooch on the following morning, and pitched our camp at the -junction of the Chenab with the Garra, or united streams of the Beas -and Sutlege. - -~Mountains of Sooliman.~ - -The country about Ooch is flat and exceedingly rich; there are many -signs of inundation between the town and the river. The dust was -most intolerable; but it always cleared up towards evening, and we -saw the sun set in splendour behind the mountains of Sooliman across -the Indus, eighty miles distant. They did not appear high, and were -not distinguished by any remarkable peaks. It is a little below the -latitude of Ooch that they assume a direction parallel to the Indus, -which they afterwards preserve. We lost sight of the range on our -voyage to Mooltan the day after leaving Ooch. - -~Embouchure of the Sutlege.~ - -On the morning of the 7th we passed the mouth of the Sutlege, and -continued our voyage on the Chenab to the frontiers of Bhawul Khan, -which we reached on the evening of the 8th. The Chenab receives the -Sutlege without turmoil, and appears quite as large above as below the -conflux. The waters of either river are to be distinguished some miles -below the junction by their colour: that of the Chenab is reddish; and, -when joined by the Sutlege, the waters of which are pale, the contrast -is remarkable. For some distance the one river keeps the right, and the -other the left, bank; the line of demarcation between the two being -most decided. The nature of the soil through which the Chenab flows, -no doubt, tinges its waters. This peculiarity is well known to the -natives, who speak of the “red water,” but none of the ancient authors -allude to the circumstance. The nature of the country between Ooch and -the Indus has been mistaken, as it is never flooded. Several decayed -canals, if cleared, would yet lead the water of the Chenab to the -Indus, and may account for Major Rennell’s conducting that river into -the great stream, so many miles above the true point of union, until -the geographical error was rectified by the mission to Cabool. - -~The Mihmandar.~ - -We parted with our Mihmandar, Gholam Cadir Khan, before passing into -the Seik territory. We had seen a great deal of him, and found him -well informed on all such subjects as he could be supposed to know. -He carried four or five historical works with him, among which was -the Chuchnamu, or History of Sinde, to which I have alluded, one or -two books on medicine, and some volumes of poetry: yet he made a most -particular request, at our last interview, that I would tell him the -secret of magic, which he was certain we possessed. I assured him of -the error under which he laboured: “But,” said he, “how is it that -you have had a favourable wind ever since I met you, and performed a -twenty days’ voyage in five, when a breath of air does not sometimes -stir in this country for months?” I told him that such was the good -fortune of the English. When the Nawaub found me wanting in the black -art, he whispered that he himself was a dealer in spells and magic; -but very sensibly added, that he had no faith in his own incantations, -high as they stood in the opinion of others; though it was not his -part to say so. He begged I would give him some medicine to prevent -him growing fatter; but neither regular exercise, nor vinegar, which -I prescribed, seemed to suit his taste. What a whimsical creature man -is. In Sinde, every person of rank seeks for rotundity to support his -dignity; and but a few miles from that country, the “martyr to obesity” -is considered unfortunate. - -There is little cordiality subsisting between the Seiks and Bhawul -Khan; and it was with the utmost difficulty that I prevailed on the -Nawaub to let us proceed to the Seik camp, a distance of six miles, -in the boats belonging to his master. “The Seiks,” he said, “are my -master’s enemies, and no boat of ours shall cross their frontier.” -He at last assented, on my becoming answerable for the return of the -vessels. - -~Runjeet Sing’s country.~ - -A few hours’ sail brought us to the place of rendezvous late at night, -and the fires of the soldiers blazing in the darkness only increased -our anxiety to meet our new friends. It was the camp of the party which -had been sent from Lahore to await our arrival, and had long expected -us. Immediately on landing, we were received by Sirdar Lenu Sing, who -came with considerable state on an elephant, and was attended by a -large retinue. The Sirdar was richly dressed, and had a necklace of -emeralds, and armlets studded with diamonds. In one hand he held a bow, -and in the other two Persian letters in silken bags. He congratulated -us, in the name of Maharajah Runjeet Sing, on our arrival, and had been -desired by his Highness to communicate that he was deeply sensible of -the honour conferred upon him by the King of England, and that his army -had been for some time in readiness on the frontier, to chastise the -barbarians of Sinde, who had so long arrested our progress. He then -delivered to me the letters which appointed himself as our Mihmandar, -in conjunction with two other persons; presenting at the same time -a bow, according to the custom of the Seiks. On the ceremony being -terminated, the Sirdar and several others placed bags of money at my -feet, amounting to about 1400 rupees, and then withdrew. - -The first intercourse with a new people can never be destitute of -interest, and the present was far from being so. - -These Seiks are tall and bony men, with a very martial carriage: the -most peculiar part of their dress is a small flat turban, which -becomes them well; they wear long hair, and from the knee downwards -do not cover the leg. When the deputation had withdrawn, an escort of -regular troops attended to receive orders, and sentries were planted -round our camp. It was novel to hear the words of command given in the -French language. - -~Exhibition of the dray horses.~ - -No sooner had the day broke, than the Maharajah’s people evinced much -anxiety to view the dray horses, and we had them landed for exhibition. -Their surprize was extreme; for they were little elephants, said -they, and not horses. Their manes and tails seemed to please, from -their resemblance to the hair of the cow of Thibet; and their colour, -a dappled grey, was considered a great beauty. It was not without -difficulty that I replied to the numerous questions regarding them; -for they believed that the presents of the King of England must be -extraordinary in every way; and for the first time, a dray horse was -expected to gallop, canter, and perform all the evolutions of the -most agile animal. Their astonishment reached its height when the -feet of the horses were examined; and a particular request was made -of me to permit the despatch of one of the shoes to Lahore, as it was -found to weigh 100 rupees, or as much as the four shoes of a horse in -this country. The curiosity was forthwith despatched by express, and -accompanied by the most minute measurement of each of the animals, for -Runjeet Sing’s special information. The manner in which this rarity was -prized, will be afterwards seen, when it is gravely recorded, that the -new moon turned pale with envy on seeing it! - -~Civilities.~ - -Our own comforts were not forgotten among their wonder and admiration, -for the attentions of the people were of the most marked description. -Our Mihmandar said that he had the strictest injunctions regarding -our reception; and he rigidly acted up to the spirit of the following -document, which will best show the distinguished and kind manner we -were treated in the territories of Maharajah Runjeet Sing. - - -~Purwanu of Runjeet Sing.~ - -COPY OF THE MAHARAJAH’S “PURWANU,” OR COMMAND TO HIS OFFICERS. - - “Be it known to Dewan Adjoodia Pursad, Monsieur Chevalier Ventura, and - the great and wise Sirdar Lenu Sing, and Lalla Sawun Mull, Soobadar - of Mooltan, that when Mr. Burnes reaches the frontier, you are - immediately to attend to all his wants, and previously despatch 200 - infantry and the lancers, under Tajee Sing, to Julalpoor, that they - may be ready on his arrival as an honorary escort; and you are at the - same time to make known your own arrival in the neighbourhood. When - Mr. Burnes approaches, you are immediately to despatch an elephant, - with a silver houda, in charge of the Dewan, who is to state that the - animal has been sent for his own express use, and then ask him to be - seated thereon, which will be gratifying, as the friendship between - the states is great. - - “When Mr. Burnes has mounted the elephant, then shall the Sirdar Lenu - Sing, and Sawun Mull, seated on other elephants, approach, and have - an interview with that gentleman, paying him every manner of respect - and attention in their power, and congratulating him in a hundred ways - on his safe arrival from a long and distant journey, distributing at - the same time 225 rupees among the poor. You are then to present a - handsome bow, and each of you eleven gold Venetians, and conduct the - gentleman to the halting-place, and there set before him 1100 rupees, - and fifty jars of sweetmeats. You are then to supply the following - articles: grass, grain, bran, milk, eggs, fowls, sheep (doombus), - curds, vegetables, fruit, roses, spices, water-vessels, beds, and - every other thing that may be necessary, in quantities without bounds, - and be neglectful and dilatory in nothing. When you visit, you are - to parade the two companies and the horse, and salute, and then place - guards according to Mr. Burnes’ pleasure. - - “When you reach Shoojuabad, you are to fire a salute of eleven - guns, and furnish every thing as before directed, and present 1100 - rupees, with sweetmeats and fruits, and attend to every wish that is - expressed. If Mr. Burnes desires to look at the fort of Shoojuabad, - you are to attend on him and show it, and see there is no obstruction, - and that no one even raises his voice. - - “On reaching Mooltan, you are to conduct Mr. Burnes with great - respect, and pitch his camp in whatever garden he shall select; the - Huzooree, the Begee, the Shush Muhl, or the Khass wu Am, or any other. - You are then to present him with a purse of 2500 rupees, and 100 jars - of sweetmeats, and fire a salute of eleven guns from the ramparts of - the fortress. When you have complimented him on his arrival, you are - to suggest for his consideration, whether he would not like to halt at - Mooltan for five or six days after his long journey, and act entirely - as he desires; if he wishes to view the fort, you three persons are - to attend him, and allow no one to make a noise, and take most - particular care that the Nihungs, and such other wrong-headed people, - are kept at a distance. - - “In quitting Mooltan, you are to load 100 camels with provisions for - the supply of Mr. Burnes to Lahore, and Soobadar Sawan Mull is to - attend him in person for the first stage, and after taking leave, - repair to the camp of Monsieur Chevalier Ventura. Sirdar Lenu Sing and - Dewan Adjoodia Pursad, together with Futih Sing Ramgurree, accompanied - by an escort of two companies and the lancers, shall attend Mr. - Burnes, and proceed by easy stages to Lahore, despatching daily - notice of his approach. At Dehra, Syudwulla the Kardar is to present - 1100 rupees, with the usual sweetmeats; and you are all directed to - remember, in every instance, and at all times, the great friendship - which subsists between the two states.” - -There is at all times much display and hyperbole in affairs of this -description throughout the East; but in the present instance it will -be observed, that the Maharajah not only evinced his liberality in -other matters, but in throwing open to our inspection the strong holds -of his country, which can be duly appreciated by those only who have -experienced the extreme jealousy of most Indian governments. The Seik -Sirdars in attendance on us were likewise most communicative; and this -is the more remarkable, as it could not have escaped the Maharajah, -that in taking the unfrequented tract we had followed on the Indus we -were seeking for new information, after the spirit of our country. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[10] It was my conversation with these men which made me decide on -undertaking the journey to Central Asia, which I afterwards performed. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - -~Voyage in the Seik country.~ - -By the 12th of June, our preparations for the voyage were completed, -and we again embarked on the Chenab. The boats here were of a very -inferior description, still called “zohruq;” they had no sails, and -hoist a mat on a low mast instead; their waists are scarcely a foot -above water, and those which they could collect for us, were but the -different ferry boats of the river. There is no trade carried on by -water in this country, and there are in consequence no boats. A sail -of a few hours brought us to the ferry opposite Shoojuabad, where we -halted. The country is of the richest and most fertile description, and -its agricultural resources are much increased, by conducting water to -the remoter parts, in large canals and aqueducts. - -~Shoojuabad.~ - -In the evening of the 13th we visited the town of Shoojuabad, which -stands four miles eastward of the river. It is a thriving place, -surrounded by a fine wall of brick, about thirty feet high. The figure -of the place is that of an oblong square, and the wall is strengthened -by octagonal towers, at equal distances. The interior is filled -up with houses, which are built in streets, at right angles to one -another; and a suburb of huts surrounds the walls. Shoojuabad fort -was built by the Nuwab of Mooltan in the year 1808, and the public -spirit of that person raised it, in the course of ten years, to great -opulence. It is situated in a most beautiful country, and is watered -by two spacious canals for many miles, both above and below the town. -It was captured by the Seiks, along with Mooltan, and now forms -the frontier fortress of the Lahore chief. We were accompanied to -Shoojuabad by our Mihmandar, who appeared in state for the occasion; he -sat on an elephant in a chair of silver,--two horses were led before -him, with saddles of red and yellow velvet,--his bow and quiver were -borne by one menial, and his sword by another; while he himself was -decorated with precious jewels. At the palace of the town, we were met -by many of the respectable inhabitants, before whom the “zyafut,” or -money gift, and sweetmeats of the Maharajah, were presented to us. We -afterwards were conducted through the principal street, and welcomed -in a gratifying manner, wherever we went. On quitting the fortress the -garrison fired a salute. - -~Mooltan.~ - -On the 15th we came in sight of the domes of Mooltan, which look well -at a distance; and alighted in the evening at the Hoozooree Bagh, a -spacious garden enclosed by a thin wall of mud, a mile distant from the -city. The ground is laid out in the usual native style; two spacious -walks crossed each other at right angles, and are shaded by large -fruit trees, of the richest foliage. In a bungalow, at the end of one -of these walks, we took up our quarters, and were received by the -authorities of the city in the same hospitable manner as at Shoojuabad. -They brought a purse of 2500 rupees, with 100 vessels of sweetmeats, -and an abundant supply of fruit: we felt happy and gratified at the -change of scene, and civilities of the people. - -The city of Mooltan, is described in Mr. Elphinstone’s work on Cabool, -and it may appear foreign to my purpose to mention it; but his mission -was received here with great jealousy, and not permitted to view the -interior of the town, or the fort. I do not hesitate, therefore, to -add the following particulars, drawn up after a week’s residence. The -city of Mooltan is upwards of three miles in circumference, surrounded -by a dilapidated wall, and overlooked on the north by a fortress of -strength. It contains a population of about 60,000 souls, one third -of whom may be Hindoos; the rest of the population is Mahommedan, for -though it is subject to the Seiks, their number is confined to the -garrison, which does not exceed 500 men. The Afghans have left the -country, since they ceased to govern. Many of the houses evidently -stand on the ruins of others: they are built of burnt brick, and -have flat roofs: they sometimes rise to the height of six stories, -and their loftiness gives a gloomy appearance to the narrow streets. -The inhabitants are chiefly weavers and dyers of cloth. The silk -manufacture of Mooltan is called “kais,” and may be had of all colours, -and from the value of 20 to 120 rupees: it is less delicate in texture -than the “loongees” of Bhawulpoor. Runjeet Sing has with much propriety -encouraged their manufacture, since he captured the city; and by giving -no other cloths at his court, has greatly increased their consumption, -and they are worn as sashes and scarfs by all the Seik Sirdars. They -are also exported to Khorasan and India, and the duties levied are -moderate. To the latter country, the route by Jaysulmeer and Beecaneer -is chosen in preference to that by Sinde, from the trade being on a -more equitable footing. The trade of Mooltan is much the same as at -Bhawulpoor, but is on a larger scale, for it has forty Shroffs, (money -changers) chiefly natives of Shikarpoor. The tombs of Mooltan are -celebrated: one of them, that of Bawulhuq, who flourished upwards of -500 years ago, and was a contemporary of Sadee the Persian poet, is -considered very holy; but its architecture is surpassed by that of his -grandson, Rookn-i-Allum, who reposes under a massy dome sixty feet in -height, which was erected in the year 1323, by the Emperor Tooghluck, -as his own tomb. Its foundation stands on higher ground than the summit -of the fort wall; there is also a Hindoo temple of high antiquity, -called Pyladpooree; mentioned by Thevenot in 1665. - -~Fort of Mooltan.~ - -The fortress of Mooltan merits a more particular description; it stands -on a mound of earth, and is an irregular figure of six sides, the -longest of which (towards the north-west) extends for about 400 yards. -The wall has upwards of thirty towers, and is substantially built of -burnt brick, to the height of forty feet outside; but in the interior, -the space between the ground and its summit does not exceed four or -five feet, and the foundations of some of the buildings overtop the -wall, and are to be seen from the plain below. The interior is filled -with houses, and till its capture by the Seiks in 1818, was peopled, -but the inhabitants are not now permitted to enter, and a few mosques -and cupolas, more substantially built than the other houses, alone -remain among the ruins. The fortress of Mooltan has no ditch; the -nature of the country will not admit of one being constructed; and -Runjeet Sing has hitherto expended great sums without effect. The -inundation of the Chenab, and its canals, together with rain, render -the vicinity of Mooltan a marsh, even in the hot weather, and before -the swell of the river has properly set in, the waters of last year -remain. The walls of the fortress are protected in two places by dams -of earth; the modern fort of Mooltan was built on the site of the old -city, by Moorad Bukhsh, the son of Shah Jehan, about the year 1640, -and it subsequently formed the Jagheer of that prince’s brothers, the -unfortunate Daro Shikoh, and the renowned Aurungzebe. The Afghans -seized it in the time of Ahmed Shah, and the Seiks wrested it from the -Afghans, after many struggles, in 1818. The conduct of its governor -during the siege, deserves mention; when called on to surrender the -keys, and offered considerate treatment, he sent for reply, that they -would be found in his heart, but he would never yield to an infidel; -he perished bravely in the breach. His name, Moozuffur Khan, is now -revered as a saint, and his tomb is placed in one of the holiest -sanctuaries of Mooltan. The Seiks threw down the walls of the fort in -many places, but they have since been thoroughly renewed or repaired; -they are about six feet thick, and could be easily breached from the -mounds that have been left in baking the bricks, which are within -cannon range of the walls. - -~Antiquity of Mooltan supposed Capital of the Malli.~ - -Mooltan is one of the most ancient cities in India. We read of its -capture by Mahommed-bin-Cassim, in the first century of the Hejira, -and its wealth afterwards attracted the Ghiznian, Ghorian, and Moghul -emperors of Hindoostan. But we have little reason to doubt its being -the capital of the Malli of Alexander: Major Rennell has supposed -that metropolis to have been higher up, and nearer the banks of the -Ravee, because Arrian states, that the inhabitants fled across that -river. This is high authority, but Mooltan is styled “Malli than,” or -“Malitharun” the place of the Malli, to this day, and we have no ruins -near Tolumba, the site pointed at by Rennell to fix on as the supposed -capital. It is expressly stated that Alexander crossed the Ravee, -and after capturing two towns, led his forces to the capital city of -the Malli. As the distance from the river is but thirty miles, and -Mooltan is considered a place of high antiquity, I do not see why we -should forsake the modern capital when in search of the ancient: had -we not the earliest assurances of the age of Mooltan, its appearance -would alone indicate it. The houses are piled upon ruins, and the town -stands on a mound of clay, the materials of former habitations which -have gradually crumbled, an infallible proof of antiquity, as I have -remarked of Tatta and Ooch. The late Nawab of Mooltan, in sinking a -well in the city, found a war drum, at a depth of sixty feet from -the surface; and several other articles have been from time to time -collected, but no coins have been hitherto seen. Mooltan may, in some -degree, be considered to answer the description of the Brahmin city -and its castle, which Alexander captured, before attacking the capital -of the Malli; but in that case, we should have no site to fix on as -the capital. The manufactures of Mooltan and Bhawulpoor, the “kais” -and “loungee,” seem to assist in fixing the country of the Malli, -for Quintus Curtius informs us that the ambassadors of the Malli and -Oxydracæ (Mooltan and Ooch) “wore garments of cotton, lawn or muslin -(lineæ vestes), interwoven with gold, and adorned with purple,” and we -may safely translate “lineæ vestes,” into the stuffs of Mooltan and -Bhawulpoor, which are interwoven with gold, and most frequently of a -purple colour. - -~Buildings of Mooltan. Superstitions.~ - -During our stay at Mooltan, we were freely conducted to view the lions -of this decayed Viceroyalty of the Mogul empire. In the interior of the -fort there is the Hindoo temple, before alluded to, which its votaries -believe to be of boundless antiquity, and with it couple the following -tradition. One Hurnakus, a giant, despised God, and worshipped himself; -he desired his son Pylad to follow his steps, and was about to murder -him for his contumacy, when the youth was miraculously saved by an -incarnation of the Deity, who appeared in a shape of half lion and man. -Hurnakus had given out that his death could never be effected in earth -or air, in fire or water, by sword or bow, by night or day; and it -happened without an infringement of these conditions, for Nursingavater -(the name of the incarnation) seized him at dusk, and placing him on -his knee, tore Hurnakus to pieces, and took his son under protection. -This Hindoo temple, which goes by the name of Pyladpooree, is a low -building, supported by wooden pillars, with the idols Hooneeman and -Guneesa as guardians to its portal. It is the only place of Hindoo -worship in Mooltan; we were denied entrance to it. - -There is a shrine of some celebrity, near the walls of Mooltan, -where rest the remains of Shumsi-Tabreezee, a saint from Bagdad, who -is believed to have performed many miracles, and even raised the -dead. This worthy, as the story is told, was flayed alive for his -pretensions. He had long begged his bread in the city, and in his -hunger caught a fish, which he held up to the sun, and brought that -luminary near enough to roast it; this established his memory and -equivocal fame on a firmer basis. The natives to this day attribute the -heat of Mooltan, which is proverbial, to this incident. - -~Reflections.~ - -In the ready belief which the inhabitants of Mooltan grant to such -absurdities, we see little to exalt them in the scale of reasonable -beings; but it seems inherent in the people to propagate and uphold -such delusions, for there are tales equally improbable regarding every -tomb in the city. Rookn-i-alum, the son of Bhawul Huq, removed to his -present sepulchre when dead. - -~Religion of the Seiks.~ - -At Mooltan we first saw the practice of religion amongst the Seiks. -In a veranda of the tomb of Shumsi-Tabreezee, a “Gooroo,” or priest -of that persuasion, had taken up his abode since the conquest of the -city. We found him seated on the ground, with a huge volume in front of -him; and a place covered with cloth, like an altar, at one end of the -apartment: he opened the book at my request, and repeating the words -“wa gooroojee ka futteh,”[11] touched the volume with his forehead, -and all the Seiks in attendance immediately bowed to the ground: he -then read and explained the first passage that he turned up, which was -as follows--“All of you have sinned; endeavour therefore to purify -yourselves: if you neglect the caution, evil will at last overtake -you.” I need hardly mention that the volume was the “Grinth,” or holy -book of the Seiks: their reverence for it amounts to veneration, and -the priest waves a “_choury_,” or a Tibet cow’s tail, over it, as if he -were fanning an emperor. The Gooroo was free from pomp and pride, and -gave a willing explanation to our enquiries: he opened his holy book -to acknowledge the gift of a few rupees, that I made in due form, and -requested my acceptance of some confections in return. - -~Intolerance.~ - -The presence of a Seik priest, and the paraphernalia of his order, -under the roof of a Mahommedan tomb, will furnish a good commentary on -the state of that religion in this country; it is barely tolerated. In -this city, which held for upwards of 800 years, so high a Mahommedan -supremacy, there is now no public “_numaz_;” the true believer dare not -lift his voice in public. The “_Eeds_” and the Mohurum pass without the -usual observances; the “_Ullaho Acbar_” of the priest is never heard; -the mosques are yet frequented, but the pious are reduced to offering -up their orisons in silence. Such has been the state of things since -Mooltan fell, in 1818, and yet the number of Seiks is confined to that -of the garrison, from four to five hundred men. The Mahommedans, -who amount to about 40,000 souls, suffer no other inconvenience from -their new masters, who afford every protection to their trade. The -Seiks excuse themselves, by alleging, that they have not inflicted, -in retribution, one fourth of their own sufferings at the hands of -the Mahommedans. They are, I believe, correct in the averment, but -religious persecution, is always revolting, and exercises a baneful -influence in every age and country. - -~Climate.~ - -The climate of Mooltan differs from that of the countries lower down -the Indus; showers of rain are common at all seasons, and yet the dust -is intolerable. For nine successive evenings, we had a tornado of it -from the westward, with lightning, and distant thunder. Such storms are -said to be frequent; they appear to set in from the Sooliman mountains, -between which and the Indus the sand or dust is raised. The heat and -dust of Mooltan have grown into a proverb, to which have been added, -not unmeritedly, the prevalence of beggars, and the number of the -tombs, in the following Persian couplet:-- - - “Chuhar cheez hust, toohfujat-i-Mooltan. - Gird, guda, gurma wu goristan.” - -As far as I could judge, the satire is just: the dust darkened the sun: -the thermometer rose in June to 100° of Fahrenheit, in a bungalow -artificially cooled: the beggars hunted us every where; and we trod on -the cemeteries of the dead, in whatever direction we rode. - -The country around Mooltan is highly cultivated; the Acesines sends -the water of its inundation to the very walls of the city, and there -is a large canal, that extends it, at other seasons, through Mooltan -itself. The plain that intervenes between the river and city has the -appearance of a rich meadow, and is overgrown with date trees, which -form here a productive source of revenue. It is a popular belief in -the country, that this tree was introduced from Arabia by the army -of Mahommed-bin-Cassim, who brought the fruit as a provision for his -army. It is a curious fact that they are principally found in the track -of that invader, who marched from Alore to Mooltan. If the tradition -be true, the destroying Moslem compensated in some degree for the -evils and scourge of his inroad. There are many ruined hamlets around -Mooltan, the remains of Jagheers, held by the Afghans, but though these -are deserted their inhabitants have only changed their residence, and -occupy houses in the city. - -We removed our camp on the 20th to the banks of the Acesines, which -is four miles distant. The river is about 650 yards wide, but at the -ferry itself, it is expanded to 1000 at this season. We here found ten -boats, laden with mineral salt, from Pind Dadun Khan; they exceeded -eighty feet in length. These boats drop down to Mooltan in twelve days, -from the mines, when fully laden. - -~Quit Mooltan.~ - -~Desert.~ - -We embarked on the 21st of June, on a boat which the Maharajah had -fitted up for our reception with two wooden bungalows; and, along with -the rest of our fleet, prosecuted our voyage. We did not again exchange -our boats, in the way to Lahore. On quitting the ferry at Mooltan, -we came in sight of the desert that lies between the Chenab and the -Indus. It does not commence so low as Ooch, as has been represented in -our maps, but near the latitude of Mooltan, and runs parallel with the -river, at a distance of about two miles, leaving a stripe of cultivated -land. The sand-hills resemble those of the sea shore, and have a scanty -covering of bushes, I cannot call it verdure: they do not exceed twenty -feet in elevation, but from refraction often appeared much higher. -There is a great contrast between the sterile tract, and the champaign -plains of the eastern bank, which we found every where irrigated. The -villages lie at a distance of about two miles from the river, and have -their fields fertilised from canals, by the Persian wheel. On the banks -of the Indus, wells are common, but on the Chenab they are only to be -seen on the verge of canals that branch from it. - -~Peeloo.~ - -There is a shrub called “peeloo[12],” which is to be found in this -neighbourhood, and in all tracts of saline soil that border on the -Indus and Punjab Rivers. It produces a red and white berry, which has -but a poor flavour; the taste of its seeds resembles watercresses: this -is the season of the fruit, and it was exposed for sale in the bazars -of Mooltan. I observed this shrub in greatest abundance in the delta, -and lower parts of Sinde; and, as I am satisfied that it is only to be -found in the particular soil described, I believe we recognise it in -Arrian’s Indian History. “The leaves resemble those of the laurel; they -grow _chiefly_ in places where the tide flows among them, and where -they are again left dry at low water. Their flower is white, and in -shape like a violet, but much excelling it in sweetness.” - -~Seik government.~ - -The arrangements made for our progress through the Seik territories -were very complete. We sailed from sunrise to sunset; and found -thirty or forty villagers alongside by day-break to drag each boat. -The fatigue and exertion which these people underwent in a hot sun -was excessive. When they passed a field of melons, but few were -left to the owner; and many an old lady scolded loudly as they -invaded her property. The people of this country are treated with -little consideration by the government; they are not oppressed, yet -considered its servants since the conquest. But for our interference, -these villagers, who had waded through the water and quicksands, -would have been dismissed empty-handed at night. The bounty of the -Maharajah enabled us daily to entertain sumptuously, with flour and -ghee, 300 hungry villagers; and the Mihmandar further assured me that -due remission would be made for the destruction of the fields in -our progress. While we ourselves advanced by water, the elephants, -camels, and escort seconded our motions on shore; and we always found -them drawn up in parade array on the ground fixed for our night’s -encampment; we always slept on shore. Before dusk we rode out on -elephants to the neighbouring villages, and conversed with the people. -They are lamentably ignorant; and consisted chiefly of Juts, a tribe of -Mahommedans engaged in agriculture. They are not allowed to pray aloud; -but they stimulated each other when pressed in our service by loud -shouts and invocations to Bhawul Huq, the revered saint of Mooltan. - -~Alexander.~ - -As the sun set on the 23d, we moored below the village of Fazil Shah, -in the mouth of the Ravee or Hydraotes, still called Iräotee by the -natives. This was the spot where Alexander of Macedon met his anxious -army after his severe wound, and showed to his troops that his precious -life was yet preserved: but these are events which live only in the -historical works of Europe; they are unknown to the natives of Asia. -I must mention, however, a circumstance corroborative of the Greek -historians,--the fields of beans that I observed on the banks of this -river. They led Alexander, for some time, to mistake the heads of the -Indus for the Nile; and now remain, in a distant age, as proofs of his -journey, and accuracy in the historians of his expedition. - -~Gifts from Lahore.~ - -The intelligence of our arrival in the country of the Seiks soon -reached Lahore; and a pair of gold armlets, set with diamonds and -emeralds, arrived in due course as a gift from the Maharajah to our -Mihmandar. The Lahore chief is munificent in his distribution of -presents among his nobles, though less so than in former years. Grants -of land, and gifts of jewels and money, are yet made. They attest the -wealth of the country, and the sound policy of the prince. - -~Enter the Ravee.~ - -On the 24th we quitted the Acesines, and entered on the navigation of -the Ravee. At the point of union, the former river has a breadth of -three quarters of a mile, though the deep part does not extend for 500 -yards. - -Lieut. Macartney makes mention of a report which he had heard of the -Chenab being fordable in the cold season below this point; but the -natives assured me, that such an occurrence had never happened in the -memory of man, and I found the soundings to exceed twelve feet. The -Chenab, indeed, is only inferior to the Indus; its current is more -rapid than that river, and, with its depressed banks, it yet preserves -every where a depth of two fathoms. The Ravee throws itself into -the Chenab by three mouths, close to each other. This river is very -small, and resembles a canal, rarely exceeding 150 yards in breadth -in any part of its course. Its banks are precipitous, so that it -deepens before it expands. Nothing can exceed the crookedness of its -course, which is a great impediment to navigation, for we often found -ourselves, after half a day’s sail, within two miles of the spot from -which we started. The water of the Ravee is redder than that of the -Chenab. It is fordable in most places for eight months of the year. Its -banks are overgrown with reeds and tamarisk, and for half the distance, -from its estuary to the capital, there is no cultivation. There are no -canals or cuts from this river below Lahore. There is a very extensive -one above that city, which I shall have occasion to mention hereafter. - -~Tolumba.~ - -On the 27th of June we reached the small town of Tolumba, which is -situated in a grove of date trees, nearly three miles south of the -Ravee. Sheriffo Deen, the historian of Timour, informs us that that -conqueror crossed the Ravee at Tolumba on his route to Delhi, so that -we now found ourselves on the track of another invader. - -The Tartar is yet remembered by his offerings at the shrines in this -neighbourhood. Below the town, the Ravee assumes a straight course for -twelve miles, and presents a vista of beautiful scenery, as the banks -are fringed with lofty trees, that overhang the river. The natives -attribute this peculiarity in the Ravee to divine influence. The -clothes of a saint, when bathing, were washed into the stream, and the -eyes of the holy man, when turned in search of them, straightened the -river! - -~Visit to the Hydaspes.~ - -The Hydaspes was now at hand, the spot where it unites with the -Acesines was only forty-five miles distant: here the fleet of Alexander -encountered its disasters in the rapids, and the hordes of Timour were -terrified by the noise of the waters. Much to the surprise of our Seik -friends, who could not comprehend the motives of our curiosity, we set -out on a galloping expedition for the scene of these memorable events, -and found ourselves on the second evening on the banks of the Hydaspes. -Our anxiety to behold the “fabulous Hydaspes” was heightened by the -belief, that this spot, so famous in its ancient history, had never -been visited by an European since the days of the Greeks. The river -joins the Acesines with a murmuring noise, but the velocity of the -current is inconsiderable, and vessels pass it without danger, except -in July and August. There are no eddies or rocks, nor is the channel -confined, but the ancient character is supported by the noise of the -confluence, which is greater than that of any of the other rivers. - -The boatmen at the ferry said, that, during the swell of the river, -they placed themselves under the protection of a saint, whose tomb -stands at the fork of the two rivers. The superstitious reliance -bespeaks danger. We stood on the verge of the river, talking with -the people, till the sun set in the desert westward of us; our Seik -companions in the mean time, bathing in the stream; for, if deprived of -the enjoyment which we derived, they had a compensation in the belief -of performing ablutions at a holy spot, the junction of one river with -another. - -~The Hydaspes.~ - -This river is named Behut or Bedusta, also Jelum, by the people on its -banks, and falls into the Acesines or Chenab in the latitude of 31° -11´ 30´´, forty-five miles north of the town of Tolumba, on the Ravee. -The banks of the Hydaspes coincide but faintly with the description -of Arrian: they do not confine the river in a narrow channel, nor are -there rocks anywhere near to mark the spot where the Greeks retired -with their dismantled fleet. The name of Hydaspes is yet discoverable -in the modern appellation of Bedusta. The Hydaspes is less rapid, and -altogether a smaller stream than the Acesines, being about 500 yards in -breadth at the point of conflux; when joined, these rivers roll on for -a short distance in a channel full a mile in breadth, and about twelve -feet deep. - -~Boats of the Greeks.~ - -The timber of which the boats of the Punjab are constructed is chiefly -floated down by the Hydaspes from the Indian Caucasus, which most -satisfactorily explains the selection of its banks as the site of a -naval arsenal by Alexander in preference to the other rivers, by any of -which he might have reached the Indus without a retrograde movement. -There are but few boats on this river: about fifty are used in the -salt trade at Pind Dadun Khan, some of which carry 500 maunds of salt, -and exceed 100 feet in length, being built like the “Zohruq,” rounded -at both ends. They do not hoist a sail, and often pass the conflux in -safety. We are informed that the war-ships of the Greeks encountered -the greatest difficulties in the navigation of this river, and are -naturally led to attribute the calamities of some of them to the build, -since the provision boats, which are described as of “a round form;” -and, I presume, like the “Zohruq,” escaped uninjured. That Alexander -built the greatest part of his own fleet, is certain, for he commenced -his voyage on the Hydaspes with 800 vessels; and when he first reached -that stream he was entirely destitute of them; so that he ordered the -boats by which he passed the Indus to be broken up and brought by land -across the Doab. We hear likewise of triremes and biremes, that in no -way correspond with the present description of boats on the Indus; from -which it is probable that the round boats which escaped uninjured were -country vessels. - -~Passage of the Hydaspes.~ - -The Hydaspes and Acesines have been forded in the cold season; but -when joined they have never been passed but by boats. Timour, in his -expedition to Delhi, threw a bridge across the conflux at Trimo ferry. -Runjeet Singh swam the Hydaspes at Sahewal with a large body of horse; -but that enterprising chief has crossed the Indus itself above Attok -in the same manner. The merchants from Khorasan travel to India at all -seasons, taking the route by Dera Ismael Khan, Mankere, and the Sandy -Desert, crossing at Trimo, on the road to Toolumba. The country between -these last two places differs from the right bank of the Hydaspes: -destitute of sand hills, it is almost as barren and desert. A sheet -of hard clay, with clumps of tamarisk, _khair_, _lan_, _kejra_, and -such other shrubs as are to be found in the Thurr, or Desert of India, -extends from the Chenab to the Ravee. There is not a blade of grass but -on the banks of the rivers. Water is procurable from wells about thirty -feet deep, but is scarce, and always fetid and noxious, though rarely -salt. - -~Cathæi of Arrian.~ - -The population chiefly consists of the pastoral tribe of Kattia, or -Jun, who are so called from their living an erratic life, “Jun” having -that signification: few of them are found at any distance from the -rivers but in the rainy season. They have immense herds of buffaloes -and camels, from the milk of which they derive sustenance; hardly -cultivating the soil, though some tolerable fields of tobacco, raised -by irrigation, may be seen near their habitations. They are a tall -and handsome race; which may be attributed to a rule among them, -prohibiting marriages before their females attain the age of twenty -years: they believe that the children of an early union, so common -among every other Indian tribe, are puny and unhealthy. These Kattia -are a predatory and warlike race: few of them are free from scars and -wounds. They extend from the banks of the Hydaspes across the deserts -to Delhi, and are the aborigines of this country, in whom, I think, we -recognise the Cathæi of Arrian; as he calls them “a stout people, well -skilled in military affairs.” I am aware that these people have been -supposed to be the Kuttrees or Rajpoots; but their country is further -to the south, and did not occupy this part of India on the Greek -invasion. - -~Ruins of Shorkote.~ - -In the space which intervenes between the Hydaspes and Ravee, and -about equidistant from either river, stand the ruins of Shorkote, near -a small town of that name. They occupy a considerable space, being -much larger than Sehwun, and of the same description; viz., a mound -of earth, surrounded by a brick wall, and so high as to be seen for a -circuit of six or eight miles. The traditions of the people state that -a Hindoo Rajah of the name of Shor ruled in this city, and was attacked -by a king from “Wulayut,” or the countries westward, about 1300 years -ago, and overcome through supernatural means. Shorkote is mentioned by -Timour’s historian; and its locality leads me to fix on it as the place -where Alexander received his wound, for he crossed to the west bank of -the Hydraotes in pursuit of the Malli, who had retired to “a fortified -city not far off,” the walls of which were of brick. The story of the -King of the West is, to say the least of it, a very probable tradition -of Alexander of Macedon. The construction of the place throws some -light on the fortresses which were captured by Alexander. Ancient -cities on the Indus appear to have been mounds of earth surrounded by -brick walls. At Shorcote I had the good fortune to procure a variety of -coins, which I long believed to be Hindoo; but my surmise regarding the -antiquity of the spot received a strong and satisfactory confirmation -through the intelligence of the able secretary to the Asiatic Society -of Bengal,--Mr. James Prinsep. That gentlemen discovered it to be a -Bactrian coin, resembling that of an Appolodotus, and shaped like a -Menander,--two coins of the Bactrian monarchs, found by Colonel J. Tod, -and engraved in the transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society. The -Greek word Bazileos may be read; and I had, therefore, to congratulate -myself on having, in my journey to the Hydaspes, found the first -Grecian relic in the Punjab. - -~Return to the Ravee.~ - -We retraced our steps from this famous river, and saw much of the -Kattia, or Jun tribe. They were greatly surprised by our visit, and -approached in crowds to see us. They live in scattered villages, and -move their houses from place to place. Both men and women were tall and -stout, with sun-burnt complexions. The men allow their hair to grow -in loose tresses over their shoulders: the women have ear-rings of an -enormous size; but the stout and sturdy dames appeared not the least -incumbered from their weight. - -~Birds and reptiles of the Ravee.~ - -We returned to Toolumba on the 1st of July, jaded from the excessive -heat, but highly gratified with our journey. We immediately embarked, -and prosecuted our voyage. During our absence the river had risen two -feet, from a fall of rain in the mountains; but it did not appear much -wider. We saw more aquatic birds in the Ravee than in our whole voyage; -they consisted of cranes, storks, pelicans, ducks, teal, &c. Among the -inhabitants of the river itself, a creature called “bolun” was the most -remarkable. We saw several of them in the mouth of the Ravee, which -were of a black colour, and rolled like the porpoise. The natives class -this fish with the alligator, and say it has four small paws, and a -long snout like a pig. Its habits do not lead it on shore, and it lives -on small fish. The large alligator is unknown here; but the long-nosed -reptile called “ghuryal” abounds. There is said to be a singular -creature, called “thundwa,” in this river, which is described as of -the turtle species, and to have a string in its mouth, by which it can -entangle a man, or even an elephant. It is mentioned in the Shasters as -having seized the elephant of a god. I have not seen the “thundwa,” nor -do I believe the story of it. - -~Table supplies.~ - -Though we had journeyed thus far in the country of the Seiks, we had -not passed a village inhabited by them, or seen any others of the tribe -than were attached to our suite. The country is very poorly peopled, -and without tillage for many miles. The means taken to supply our wants -in the voyage often excited a smile. Every villager in office had been -addressed, and a list of articles which are edible to the “Firingees” -ordered to be collected. Baskets of eggs, kept for weeks in expectation -of our arrival, were daily brought to us, sometimes to the number -of 400 or 500; but they were better adapted for the punishment of a -malefactor in the pillory than the table, and, in a few, chickens were -to be found in the shell! Butchers were brought from Mooltan to supply -our wants: loads of saltpetre were daily sent to cool the wine and -water, and the necessaries and luxuries of life were supplied without -bounds. - -~Heat.~ - -The heat now became oppressive, and gave indication of the monsoon, -according to the natives. In the afternoon of the 3d of July we had -the thermometer so high as 110° at 4 P. M.; and at sunset a storm set -in from the north-west, which was really sublime. Clouds appeared to -approach us for about half an hour, gradually rising from the horizon, -and looking more like mountains in motion. When it came upon us, we -found it to be one of those tornadoes that we experienced near Mooltan, -and unaccompanied by rain. The wind was hot and sultry, and bore -clouds of fine dust along with it. It passed over in an hour, and was -succeeded by vivid flashes of lightning from the same quarter. Six days -after the phenomenon the rain set in with great violence; and till then -we had a continuance of the dust every evening. - -~Arrival of an elephant.~ - -Our Mihmandar waited on us at the village of Cheechawutnee with an -enormous elephant, and said that he had been instructed by the Maharaja -to place it at our disposal, as he feared the native houda did not -suit our taste: he was right in his conjectures, and we appreciated -the civility. The animal was richly caparisoned, and bore a large -chair, ornamented with silver and enamel work, lined with red velvet. -He was accompanied by six of the Maharaja’s own Orderlies, in dresses -of scarlet faced with yellow, which had a good appearance. The Seiks, -in all the various military costumes that they have adopted, never lay -aside the small turban of their tribe; which, I must say, becomes them. - -It was a source of no small amusement to watch the love of gossip among -the natives of our suite. We had a reporter sent purposely from the -Court, who daily despatched an account of our employment and rides: -the news-writer of Mooltan followed us from that city, and every day -transmitted a Gazette; I had also letters from the news-writer at -Lahore, giving me a _précis_ of local news, and asking for a _morceau_ -in return. Our Dewan corresponded with the Chevaliers Ventura and -Allard; and I was somewhat surprized to receive answers to many of my -enquiries regarding the country from the former gentleman, to whom -their subject had been communicated without my knowledge. Nothing, -however, could exceed the politeness of all the people towards us; and -the ready and happy manner they acceded to our wishes made us careful -to wish for any thing. As may be supposed, there were no bounds to -their flattery; and we were daily informed that we were the “second -Alexander,” the “Sikunder sanee,” for having achieved so dangerous a -voyage as the Indus. The polite natives of this quarter view with dread -the barbarity and customs of Sindees and Beloochees. - -~Ruins of Harapa.~ - -About fifty miles eastward of Toolumba, I passed inland for four miles -to examine the ruins of an ancient city, called Harapa. The remains -are extensive, and the place, which has been built of brick, is about -three miles in circumference. There is a ruined citadel on the river -side of the town; but otherwise Harapa is a perfect chaos, and has -not an entire building: the bricks have been removed to build a small -place of the old name hard by. Tradition fixes the fall of Harapa at -the same period as Shorkote (1300 years ago), and the people ascribe -its ruin to the vengeance of God on Harapa, its governor, who claimed -certain privileges on the marriage of every couple in his city, and -in the course of his sensualities, was guilty of incest. At a later -period, Harapa became a Mahommedan town; and there is a tomb of a Saint -of the “faithful,” eighteen feet in length, the assigned, but fabulous, -stature of the deceased. A large stone of annular form, and a huge -black slab of an oval shape, which lie near the grave, are said to -represent the ring and its gem of this departed giant, and to have been -converted from more valuable to their present base materials. Where -such fables are believed, we must cease to hope for even reasonable -fiction. I found some coins in these ruins, both Persian and Hindoo, -but I cannot fix its era from any of them. - -~The inhabitants.~ - -As we ascended the Ravee, and cleared the country of the Kattias, the -population increased, and their hamlets, though small, were numerous. -Crowds of people flocked to the banks of the river as we approached, -and evinced the most intense curiosity to see us. One man would call -out that he was a Syud, another that he was a Zemindar, a third that -he was a Peer, or Saint, and a fourth, that he was a Seik; while the -ladies themselves were not backward in expressing their anxiety for a -sight of us. On such occasions we always moved out of our cabin, or -bungalow; but this ready exhibition only attracted another concourse -of spectators. The notions which they entertained of us were most -extravagant: we were believed to be under the guardian care of two -pigeons, who shaded us from the sun and rain. One individual asked us -seriously to impart to him the secret of converting shreds of onions -into gold ducats, which he had understood we had been practising! - -~A tiger hunt.~ - -The bravery of our Seik friends had been already exhibited to us by -their attacking the wild hog with a sword, on foot; but a nobler -specimen of their courage was displayed in the death of a tiger. We -disturbed the animal in a thicket of tamarisk close to our boats; and -the Mihmandar immediately invited us to see the sport. Mr. Leckie -accompanied the party; but our elephant was not at hand, and I did -not go. The party was entirely composed of horsemen. The monster was -speedily wounded by some one, and several riders were unhorsed from -the fright of their steeds. The Seiks then advanced on foot, sword in -hand, to attack the tiger: he sprang at one man most furiously; and, as -he fixed on his left shoulder, the poor fellow bravely struck his head -by a well-directed blow: the contest was unequal, and the man fell, -horribly lacerated. His comrades instantly ran up, and, with cuts and -wounds, the tiger soon fell. He was a huge animal, and measured ten -feet: his thigh was as large as that of a full-grown man. The coolness -and courage of the Seiks surpass belief; they have great encouragement -from their chiefs. To all my enquiries regarding the unfortunate -man that had been wounded, they replied, with an ostentation of -indifference, that he was but a Seik, would be well rewarded, and had -already received a horse, and his annual pay had been increased an -hundred rupees. The skin, head, and paws of the tiger were immediately -despatched to the Maharaja, whose bounty will be further extended to -the wounded. This encouragement makes these people the bravest of the -Indians. - -~Strange treatment.~ - -The faculty will be surprised at the Seik mode of curing a wound -received from a tiger, at variance as it is with European practices. -They entertain an opinion that, if a person who has been so wounded -be allowed to sleep, he will see the tiger in his dreams, and thus -lose his heart, and inevitably die. They therefore furnish the patient -with the strongest stimulants, and set people to prevent his falling -asleep for five or six days. By that time the wounds assume a certain -appearance; and they then permit the man to rest. In the instance which -I have mentioned, I can answer for the copious use of stimulants, as we -supplied the brandy. - -~Intelligence of a Seik.~ - -~A Cashmere boat.~ - -The intelligence of the Seik Sirdar Senu Sing, our Mihmandar, had, -more than once, arrested my attention. From a perusal of translations, -he had acquired some knowledge of our astronomical system, and of the -astrolabe, with several other such instruments. He expressed his doubts -on some parts of the theory; and asked me to explain the continuance -of the pole star in one place when the earth was said to move so many -miles daily in its orbit round the sun. Among other information that -I was enabled to impart to him, I showed him the thermometer, and -explained the nature of the instrument. He immediately had the whole -particulars committed to writing: and, where such avidity, and so -laudable a thirst for knowledge, were displayed, I could not withhold -making him a present of the instrument. This Sirdar was equally expert -in the martial exercises of his nation: he handled the bow with grace -and dexterity; he was an excellent horseman, and could hit a mark at -full speed; and I have seen him touch the ground with both feet at the -gallop, and regain his seat. I must mention that his curiosity did -not always take a scientific turn; for his wonder had been excited -by our art in preserving meat, fish, &c. A ham, which I showed him, -was calculated to satisfy his doubts; and he was only contented when -he had got a complete recipe for curing it. The Seiks are very fond -of hog; and ham bids fair to be a standing dish in the Punjab. By -the 11th of July we had left the country of the Kattias, and reached -Futtihpoor, where the land is cultivated. Our approach to Lahore seemed -to facilitate every arrangement: a detachment of fifty lancers had been -stationed in the intervening villages, to assemble the inhabitants, -to drag the boats the moment we approached. Our own suite was now -increased to about 500 people; and to a drum and fife, which had -always been with us, a bugle was added. Such dissonance as was now -produced was never heard “at tattoo or reveille o;” and they played at -both hours. We had also a Cashmere boat sent for our accommodation, -called the “purinda” or bird. It was a complete skiff, about sixty -feet long, and pointed at both ends, so that half of the boat did not -even touch the water. I am informed that this style of build, not -unlike the gondola of Venice, is general in the lake of Cashmere. The -crew were natives of that country; and they impelled their vessel by -small green-painted paddles, with which they struck the water in a -peculiar manner. They were very handsome and athletic men, dressed -in red jackets. The boat itself had a square bungalow in the centre, -with a flat roof; where we sat during the cool of the evening. She was -flat-bottomed; and had her planks clamped with iron. Her motion through -the water was tremulous, and by no means agreeable; but the celerity -with which vessels of this kind move is acknowledged. - -~Letter from Lahore.~ - -On the 13th of July, a deputation from the Kardar of Kot Kamalia waited -on us with presents of fruit, &c., and a sum of 1100 rupees. A letter -was brought, at the same time, from the Maharaja, expressive of his -great satisfaction at our approach. The epistle was flowery to a -degree seldom met with even in the Persian language; and filled with -similes about gardens, roses, zephyrs, and fountains. Every word of a -letter which I had addressed to his Highness was declared to be a bud -of everlasting friendship; and every letter of every word was a blown -rose! But the document would require a translation, and that, perhaps, -it does not deserve. - -~Religious wars of the Seiks.~ - -Neither the congratulations nor munificence of the Maharaja could keep -our people well: they were attacked with whitlow; and there were no -less than seven or eight of them laid up at once with that painful -complaint. They themselves ascribed it to the water; but I was rather -disposed to attribute it to a want of it and exercise; for they had had -a voyage of longer duration than a trip from India to England. We now -entered the country of the Seiks. All these people are either soldiers -or husbandmen, like the Romans of old. They were very communicative; -and described with much ardour the campaigns in which they have -fought, and their collision with the bigoted Euzoofzyes across the -Indus. I should hardly expect to be credited if I recorded many of -the circumstances that have been communicated to me, and the number -of people that have fallen in these religious wars. The Euzoofzyes -entertain such hatred for the infidel Seiks, that they often declare -themselves “ghazee,” and devote their lives to their extinction; -believing that the death of one of them is more meritorious than that -of any other unbeliever. As the Seik religion arose some hundred years -after Mahommed, they are not certainly supported by their prophet. To -use an expression of the Seiks, the Euzoofzyes “laugh at death.” It has -been justly remarked, that we know little and care less for the history -of such transactions, when we have no connection with the parties -concerned. - -~Deputation.~ - -In the evening of the 15th we reached Changa, about twenty-five miles -from Lahore, and were received by a deputation from the Maharaja, -consisting of two Seik Sirdars, and Noorodeen Fakeer, of a Mahommedan -family enjoying trust and influence at Court. The meeting, as was -requested, took place on elephants, five of which bore the magnates -and ourselves. Each individual delivered a purse of money in gold and -silver, and, by his Highness’ desire, asked for the health of the King -of England, and the period that had elapsed since we left London: for -the Maharaja, it seemed, believed us to have been deputed from the -royal footstool. I replied as circumstances required. The principal -Seik, by name Sham Sing, presented a bow. The party also produced a -letter from the Maharaja, mentioning that they had been instructed to -congratulate us on our arrival, and use every expression which could be -pleasing to the sense; and a tissue of flattery ensued, which I confess -my inability to describe. - -“The seasons,” said the Fakeer, “have been changed to aid your safe -arrival; and when it should have rained, the sun shines; but it is -the sun of England. You must now consider yourselves at home, and in -a garden, of which you are the roses; that such a friendship had now -grown up between the British and the Seiks, that the inhabitants of -Iran and Room would hear it proclaimed in their distant dominions; -that light had succeeded darkness when we merged from the barbarians -of Sinde, and that its genial influence had changed the bud into the -rose.” I should exhaust a vocabulary if I recorded all his expressions. -I replied as well as I could in the same style, asking after the -Maharaja’s health; and assured the deputation of our satisfaction at -the kindness and attention which we had received in the Seik dominions. -Before taking leave, I showed the party the horses, with which they -were delighted. - -~Escort.~ - -The Sirdars brought an escort of lancers and Seik cavalry: the latter -party were entirely dressed in yellow, and had just returned with Sham -Sing from the campaign against Syud Ahmed, who had long carried on a -fanatical war in this country, and had been lately killed. - -Among the party, a boy was pointed out, who had been nominated to the -command held by his fallen father,--a Seik rule admirably calculated to -feed the military spirit of their nation. We rode among them, evidently -much to their delight, and to our own amusement. The chiefs wore many -valuable jewels; but these ornaments did not become the wrists and -brows of such warriors. - -~Seik ladies.~ - -We had now an opportunity of seeing the Seik ladies, who are not less -peculiar in their appearance than their husbands. They knot the hair -at the crown, and throw a white robe over it, which entirely envelopes -the body, and gives a conical shape to the head. They pull up the hair -so tight to form this knot, that the skin of the forehead is drawn -with it, and the eyebrows are considerably removed from the visual -organ. As may be imagined, this fashion does not improve their personal -appearance, yet it is general among all classes of the females. The -Seik ladies are not so handsome as their husbands; their features are -sharp and regular. They are not confined to their houses as strictly as -the Mahommedan women; for the Seiks, in matrimony as well as religion, -differ widely from the followers of the Prophet. - -In the evening of the 16th, we had a second visit from the deputation -of yesterday, who brought us a sum of 700 rupees, with an announcement -from the Maharaja that that amount had been fixed on as our daily -allowance during our further stay in the Punjab. I accepted the sum, -but did not consider it proper to allow of such wasteful munificence -being in future continued. - -At noon, on the 17th of July, we came in sight of the lofty minarets -of the King’s mosque at Lahore, and might have reached the ancient -capital of the Moghul empire, and the termination of our protracted -voyage; but the ceremonial of our _entrée_ required arrangement, and -we halted three or four miles from the city, at the earnest request of -our conductors. As the sun set, I saw, for the first time, the massy -mountains which encircle Cashmere, clothed in a mantle of white snow. I -felt a nervous sensation of joy as I first gazed on the Himalaya, and -almost forgot the duties I owed to our conductors, in contemplating -these mighty works of nature. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[11] “May the Gooroo be victorious,” the national war-cry of the Seiks. - -[12] Salvadora Persica. - - - - -CHAP. VI. - -LAHORE. - - -~Enter Lahore.~ - -On the morning of the 18th of June we made our public entrance into -Lahore. The Maharaja’s minister, Uzeez-o-Deen, and Raja Ghoolab Sing, -with the principal men of the state, met us at a distance of three -miles from the city, escorted by a guard of cavalry and a regiment -of infantry. We were introduced to these personages by Captain Wade, -the political agent of government at Lodiana, who had been deputed -to Lahore on the occasion, and was accompanied by Dr. A. Murray. -The sight of these gentlemen, after our long absence from European -society, excited the most pleasurable feelings. Our reception was -also most gratifying, heightened, as it was, by the reflection that -our undertaking had been this day brought to a safe and successful -issue. We alighted at a garden about a mile from Lahore, the residence -of M. Chevalier Allard, whose manners and address were engaging and -gentlemanlike. We here parted with the deputation, after receiving a -large sum of money and a profusion of sweetmeats in the name of the -Maharaja. - -The Chevalier then conducted us to an upper room, where we sat down to -a _déjeûné à la fourchette_ of the richest cookery. - -Another French gentleman, M. Court, was of our party. The scene was -novel to us: the walls and roof of the apartment were entirely inlaid -with small pieces of mirror. Champagne usurped the place of tea and -coffee. M. Allard is the Maharaja’s General of cavalry; and we had -the trumpets of his division in attendance during breakfast. We -continued with our worthy host during the following day, which passed -in preparations for our introduction at Court, which had been fixed for -the 20th instant. - -~Presentation at Court.~ - -About 9 A. M., when the Maharaja had reached the ancient palace that -stands within the walls of Lahore, he sent a deputation of his nobles -to conduct us to Court. All the Sirdars and officers who had been -from time to time sent to us were previously in attendance, besides a -numerous escort; and the pageant was further swelled by a detachment of -Bengal sepoys which Captain Wade had brought from Lodiana. The coach, -which was a handsome vehicle, headed the procession; and in rear of the -dray-horses we ourselves followed on elephants, with the officers of -the Maharaja. We passed close under the walls of the city, between them -and the ditch, and entered Lahore by the palace gate. The streets were -lined with cavalry, artillery, and infantry, all of which saluted as -we passed. The concourse of people was immense; they had principally -seated themselves on the balconies of the houses, and preserved a most -respectful silence. On entering the first court of the palace, we were -received by Raja Dihan Sing, a fine soldierlike looking person, dressed -in armour, by whom we were conducted to the door of the palace. While -stooping to remove my shoes at the threshold, I suddenly found myself -in the arms and tight embrace of a diminutive old-looking man,--the -great Maharaja Runjeet Sing. He was accompanied by two of his sons, who -likewise embraced Mr. Leckie and myself; when the Maharaja conducted -me by the hand to the interior of his court; our reception was of the -most distinguished nature, and he had advanced that distance to do us -honour. We found Captain Wade and Dr. Murray in the Durbar, and all of -us were seated on silver chairs, in front of his Highness. The Maharaja -made various complimentary remarks; asked particularly after the health -of his Majesty the King of Great Britain; and, as we had come from -Bombay, enquired for Sir John Malcolm. When we had been seated a short -time, I informed his Highness that I had brought along with me in -safety to Lahore five horses, which his most gracious Majesty the King -of England had conferred upon him, in consideration of the relations -of amity and concord subsisting between the states; as also a carriage -from the Right Honourable the Governor-general of India, in token of -his Lordship’s esteem. I then added, that the horses were accompanied -by a most friendly letter from his Majesty’s minister for the affairs -of India, which I held in my hand in a bag of cloth of gold, sealed -with the arms of England. On this the Maharaja and his Court, as well -as ourselves, rose up, and his Highness received the letter, and -touched his forehead with the seal. The letter was then handed to his -minister, Uzeez-o-Deen, who read a Persian translation of it in the -presence of the whole Court. The envoys from the surrounding states -were present. The following is a copy of the communication with which -his Majesty had honoured the ruler of Lahore:-- - -~Letter from the King.~ - - COPY OF A LETTER FROM HIS MAJESTY’S MINISTER FOR THE AFFAIRS OF INDIA - TO MAHARAJA RUNJEET SING, DELIVERED TO HIS HIGHNESS AT LAHORE, ON THE - 20TH OF JULY, 1831. - - _To His Highness Maharaja Runjeet Sing, Chief of the Seik Nation, and - Lord of Cashmere._ - - MAHARAJA, - - The King, my most gracious master, has commanded me to express to your - Highness his Majesty’s acknowledgments of your Highness’s attention - in transmitting to his Majesty, by the esteemed and excellent Lord, - Earl, Amherst, the splendid manufacture of your Highness’s subjects of - Cashmere. - - The King, knowing that your Highness is in possession of the most - beautiful horses of the most celebrated breeds of Asia, has thought - that it might be agreeable to your Highness to possess some horses of - the most remarkable breed of Europe; and, in the wish to gratify your - Highness in this matter, has commanded me to select for your Highness - some horses of the gigantic breed which is peculiar to England. - - These horses, selected with care requiring much time, I now send to - your Highness; and as their great weight makes it inexpedient that - they should undergo the fatigue of a long march in a hot climate, I - have directed that they shall be conveyed to your Highness by the - Indus, and such river of the Punjab as may be most easy of navigation. - - The King has given me his most special commands to intimate to your - Highness the sincere satisfaction with which his Majesty has witnessed - the good understanding which has for so many years subsisted, and - which may God ever preserve, between the British Government and your - Highness. - - His Majesty relies with confidence on the continuance of a state - of peace, so beneficial to the subjects of both powers; and his - Majesty earnestly desires that your Highness may live long in health - and honour, extending the blessings of beneficent government to the - nations under your Highness’s rule. - - By the King’s command. - - (Signed) ELLENBOROUGH. - -~Runjeet Sing’s stud.~ - -As the contents of the document were unfolded, the Maharaja gave -evident symptoms of his satisfaction; and when the letter was half -read, he said that he would greet its arrival by a salute; and a peal -of artillery from sixty guns, each firing twenty-one times, announced -to the citizens of Lahore the joy of their King. His Highness then -expressed his intention of viewing the presents; and we accompanied -him. The sight of the horses excited his utmost surprise and wonder, -their size and colour pleased him: he said they were little elephants; -and, as they passed singly before him, he called out to his different -Sirdars and officers, who joined in his admiration. Nothing could -exceed the affability of the Maharaja: he kept up an uninterrupted -conversation for the hour and a half which the interview lasted: he -enquired particularly about the depth of water in the Indus, and the -possibility of navigating it; and put various questions regarding -the people who occupy its banks, and their political and military -importance. I alluded to the riches of Sinde, which seemed to excite -his utmost cupidity. He introduced us to all the representatives of the -neighbouring states, and concluded by asking if we should like to see -his own stud. About thirty horses were immediately brought, and passed -in review order before us. They were caparisoned in the richest and -most superb manner; and some of them were adorned with very valuable -jewels: he named each horse, and described his pedigree and points, as -he was brought up. They were of all countries; and from their necks -being tightly reined up, certainly looked well; but they were not the -stud which one would have expected at Lahore--all the horses appeared -to be under-limbed. The exertion which his Highness underwent seemed to -exhaust him, and we withdrew. Nature has, indeed, been sparing in her -gifts to this personage; and there must be a mighty contrast between -his mind and body. He has lost an eye, is pitted by the small pox, -and his stature does not certainly exceed five feet three inches. He -is entirely free from pomp and show, yet the studied respect of his -Court is remarkable; not an individual spoke without a sign, though the -throng was more like a bazar than the Court of the first native Prince -in these times. - -~Hall of audience.~ - -The hall of audience, in which the interview took place, was built -entirely of marble, and is the work of the Moghul Emperors; part -of the roof was gorgeously decorated by a pavilion of silken cloth -studded with jewels. The Maharaja himself wore a necklace, armlets, and -bracelets of emeralds, some of which were very large. His sword was -mounted with the most precious stones. The nobles were likewise dressed -for the occasion with jewels; and all the Court appeared in yellow, the -favourite colour of the nation, which has a gaudy but striking effect. - -~Military spectacle.~ - -On the following morning, the Maharaja intimated his wish for our -presence at a military review in honour of passing events. We found his -Highness on the parade ground, seated on a terrace, a short distance -from the walls of Lahore. Five regiments of regular infantry were -drawn up in line, three deep. Runjeet requested we would pass down the -line and inspect them. They were dressed in white, with black cross -belts, and bore muskets, the manufacture of Cashmere or Lahore: there -was a mixture of Hindoostanees and Seiks in every corps. After the -inspection, the brigade manœuvred under a native general officer, and -went through its evolutions with an exactness and precision fully -equal to our Indian troops: the words of command were given in French. - -~Conversations.~ - -During the spectacle, his Highness conversed with great fluency, and -asked our opinions on his army and their equipments. His muskets, he -said, cost him seventeen rupees each. He was particularly desirous to -know if a column of British troops could advance against artillery. -From these subjects he passed to that of the revenue of Cashmere; he -had just got thirty-six lacs of rupees, he said, from it this year, -which was an increase of six lacs. “All the people I send to Cashmere,” -continued he, “turn out rascals (haramzada); there is too much pleasure -and enjoyment in that country;” and when he considered the importance -of the place, he believed he must send one of his sons, or go himself. -This is the style of Runjeet Sing’s conversation; but his inquisitive -disposition, and pertinent questions, mark the strength of his -character. He found out, among our establishment, a native of India, -who had been in England, whom he first interrogated in our presence, -and afterwards sent for privately, to know if the wealth and power of -the British nation were as great as had been represented. We left his -Highness, on observing preparations for breakfast,--a meal which he -usually takes in the open air, and in presence of his troops, and even -sometimes on horseback. His passion for riding and performing distant -journeys is great; and, on such occasions, he will take his meal on the -saddle rather than dismount. - -~French officers.~ - -We took up our abode in the garden-house of M. Chevalier Ventura, -another French General, who was absent on the Indus with his legion. -The building had been constructed in the European style; but the -Chevalier has added a terrace, with ninety fountains, to cool the -surrounding atmosphere. Our intercourse with the French officers was -on the most friendly footing; and it continued so during our residence -at Lahore. Among these gentlemen, M. Court struck me as an acute and -well informed person; he is both a geographer and an antiquarian. M. -Court, as well as his brother officers, was formerly in the service of -one of the Persian Princes, and travelled to India as a native, which -gave him an opportunity of acquiring the best information regarding -the intervening countries. He showed me the route from Kermenshah, -by Herat, Candahar, Ghuzni, and Cabool, to Attok, constructed -topographically with great care; and he informed me, at the same time, -that he had been less anxious to obtain a complete map of that part -of Asia, than to ascertain one good route, with its détours, and the -military and statistical resources of the country. The French have much -better information of these countries than ourselves; and M. Court, -in explaining his map to me, pointed out the best routes for infantry -and cavalry. This gentleman has likewise employed a residence of four -years in the Punjab to illustrate its geography; he has encountered -jealousy from Runjeet Sing, but still managed to complete a broad -belt of survey from Attok to the neighbourhood of our own frontier. I -doubt not but the antiquities as well as the geography of the Punjab -will be illustrated by this intelligent gentleman; who, to his honour -be it said, adds to a zeal in the pursuit, the strongest desire to -disseminate his own knowledge and stimulate others. The fruit of M. -Court’s labours, I believe, will, ere long, be given to the public by -the Geographical Society of Paris, or some other of the learned bodies -in that capital. - -~City of Lahore.~ - -In our evening rambles at Lahore, we had many opportunities of viewing -this city. The ancient capital extended from east to west for a -distance of five miles; and had an average breadth of three, as may -be yet traced by the ruins. The mosques and tombs, which have been -more stably built than the houses, remain in the midst of fields -and cultivation as caravansaries for the traveller. The modern city -occupies the western angle of the ancient capital, and is encircled -by a strong wall. The houses are very lofty; and the streets, which -are narrow, offensively filthy, from a gutter that passes through the -centre. The bazars of Lahore do not exhibit much appearance of wealth; -but the commercial influence of the Punjab is to be found at Umritsir, -the modern capital. There are some public buildings within the city -that deserve mention. The King’s mosque is a capacious building of -red sandstone, which had been brought by Aurungzebe from near Delhi. -Its four lofty minarets still stand, but the temple itself has been -converted into a powder magazine. There are two other mosques, with -minarets, to proclaim the falling greatness of the Mahommedan empire; -where the “faithful,” as every where else in the Punjab, must offer up -their prayers in silence. - -~Tomb of Juhangeer.~ - -But the stranger must cross the Ravee to behold the finest ornament of -Lahore--the “Shah Dura,” or tomb of the Emperor Juhangeer, which is a -monument of great beauty. It is a quadrangular building, with a minaret -at each corner, rising to the height of seventy feet. It is built -chiefly of marble and red stone, which are alternately interlaid in all -parts of the building. The sepulchre is of most chaste workmanship, -with its inscriptions and ornaments arranged in beautiful mosaic; -the shading of some roses and other flowers is even preserved by the -different colours of the stone. Two lines of black letters, on a ground -of white marble, announce the name and title of the “Conqueror of -the World,” Juhangeer; and about a hundred different words in Arabic -and Persian, with the single signification of God, are distributed -on different parts of the sepulchre. The floor of the building is -also mosaic. The tomb was formerly covered by a dome; but Bahadoor -Shah threw it down, that the dew and rain of heaven might fall on the -tomb of his grandfather Juhangeer. It is probable that this beautiful -monument will soon be washed into the river Ravee, which is capricious -in its course near Lahore, and has lately overwhelmed a portion of the -garden wall that environs the tomb. - -~Shalimar.~ - -The next, though by no means the least, object of interest at Lahore -is the garden of Shah Jehan; the Shalimar or “house of joy.” It is a -magnificent remnant of Moghul grandeur, about half a mile in length, -with three successive terraces, each above the level of the other. -A canal, which is brought from a great distance, intersects this -beautiful garden, and throws up its water in 450 fountains to cool -the atmosphere. The marble couch of the Emperor yet remains; but the -garden suffered much injury before Runjeet Sing obtained his present -ascendancy. The Maharaja himself has removed some of the marble houses; -but he has had the good taste to replace them, though it be by more -ignoble stone. - -~Conversations of Runjeet Sing.~ - -~Dancing girls.~ - -As we were proceeding one morning to examine the tomb of Juhangeer, -we found Runjeet Sing seated on the plain, and surrounded by his -troops. He sent one of his officers to call us; and we passed about -half an hour with him. He gave us an account of the inroads of the -Afghans into the Punjab, and told us that we now sat on their ground of -encampment. Zuman Shah, the blind king at Lodiana, he said, had thrice -sacked the city of Lahore; he also talked of his designs on India, -and the vicissitudes to which kings are subject. The Maharaja was the -plainest dressed man at his Durbar; his clothes were shabby and worn. -On the evening of the 25th, his Highness gave us a private audience, -in which we saw him to great advantage; for he directed his Court to -withdraw. On our arrival, we found him seated on a chair, with a party -of thirty or forty dancing girls, dressed uniformly in boys’ clothes. -They were mostly natives of Cashmere or the adjacent mountains, on whom -grace and beauty had not been sparingly bestowed. Their figures and -features were small; and their Don Giovanni costume of flowing silk -most becoming, improved as it was by a small bow and quiver in the -hand of each. The “eyes of Cashmere” are celebrated in the poetry of -the East, of which these Dianas now furnished brilliant specimens, in -gems black and bright; disfigured, however, by a kind of sparkling gold -dust glued round each organ. “This,” said Runjeet Sing, “is one of my -regiments (pultuns), but they tell me it is one I cannot discipline;” -a remark which amused us, and mightily pleased the fair. He pointed -out two of the ladies, whom he called the “Commandants” of this arm of -his service, to whom he had given villages, and an allowance of five -and ten rupees a day. He shortly afterwards called for four or five -elephants to take these, his _undisciplined_ troops, home. Runjeet then -commenced on more important subjects; and ran over, among other things, -the whole history of his connexion with the British Government. It had -at first, he said, excited great suspicion and discontent among the -Seik Sirdars; but he himself was satisfied of its advantage from the -outset. Sir John Malcolm, he continued, had first stood his friend in -1805; and Sir Charles Metcalfe had completed his happiness. Sir David -Ochterlony had further cemented the bonds of friendship; and the letter -which I had now delivered to him from the minister of the King of -England partook more of the nature of a treaty than a common epistle, -and had gratified him beyond his powers of expression. He here recurred -to the riches of Sinde, expressing an earnest desire to appropriate -them to his own use; and put the most pointed questions to me regarding -the feelings of Government on such a subject. Runjeet is very fond of -comparing the relative strength of the European nations; and, on this -occasion, he asked whether France or England were the greater power. I -assured him they were both great; but he had only to remember our power -in India to be satisfied of the military character of Britain. “Well, -then,” added he, “what do you think of my French officers?” After -this, he wished to know if I had heard of his campaigns across the -Indus against the “Ghazees,” or fanatics of the Mahommedan religion; -and said that he owed all his successes to the bravery of his nation, -who were very free from prejudice, would carry eight days’ provision -on their backs, dig a well if water were scarce, and build a fort if -circumstances required it; a kind of service which he could not prevail -on the natives of Hindostan to perform. “The bravery of my troops, as -you are aware, conquered Cashmere for me; and how do you think,” said -he, “I dispose of the shawls and productions of that country in the -present glut of trade? I pay my officers and troops with them; and as -I give a Chief, who may be entitled to a balance of 300 rupees, shawls -to the value of 500, he is well pleased, and the state is benefited.” -From the shawls of Cashmere, Runjeet passed to the praises of wine and -strong drinks, of which he is immoderately fond: he begged to know if I -had drank the supply which he had sent me, which, as a recommendation, -he assured us was mixed with pearls and precious gems. This, I should -mention, is a common beverage in the East; a fashion which probably -had its origin in the giver desiring to make the grounds as well -as the contents of the bottle acceptable: pearls would form a good -glass for the butler. We continued, till it was late, conversing with -Runjeet in this desultory manner; when he produced a splendid bow and -quiver, as also a horse richly caparisoned, with a shawl cloth thrown -over his body, a necklace of agate, and a heron’s plume stuck on his -head, saying, “This is one of my riding horses, which I beg you will -accept.” He also gave a similar present to Mr. Leckie; and while -we were looking at the animals, one of the dray horses was brought -forward, dressed out in cloth of gold, and bearing an elephant’s saddle -on his back! I could not suppress a smile at the exhibition. Runjeet -then sprinkled sandal oil and rose water over us with his own hands, -which completed the ceremony. As we were moving, he called us back to -beg that we would attend him early next morning, and he would order a -review of his horse artillery for our amusement. - -~Horse artillery.~ - -We met his Highness at an appointed hour on the parade ground, with -a train of fifty-one pieces of artillery which he had assembled on -the occasion. They were brass 6-pounders, each drawn by six horses. -The command was taken by a native officer, who put them through the -movements of horse artillery, and formed line and column in every -direction. The evolutions were not rapidly performed; but the celerity -was considerable; and no accident in overturning or firing occurred -throughout the morning. There were no waggons in the field, and the -horses and equipments were inferior. The guns, however, were well cast, -and the carriages in good repair: they had been made at Lahore, and -had cost him 1000 rupees each. As the troops were passing in review -order, he asked for our candid opinion regarding the display. “Every -gun which you now see costs me 5000 rupees annually, in the pay of the -officers and men, and in keeping up the horses. I have 100 pieces of -field artillery, exclusive of battering guns and mortars, and my French -officers tell me I have too many. I can reduce their number,” added -he, “but it is a difficult matter to increase it.” We had not sat much -longer with him, when he said, “You must breakfast with me;” an honour -with which we would have rather dispensed, but there was no retreating. -The chairs were removed, and a velvet cushion was placed for each of -us in front of the Maharaja, and the simple fare of this potentate -produced. It consisted of various kinds of rice, with milk, sugar, and -some preserved mangoes; all of which were served up in leaves sewed -together. Runjeet selected the choicest parts, and handed them to us -himself; politeness compelled us to keep him company. The thumb and -fingers are certainly a poor substitute for the knife and fork. When -breakfast was finished, Runjeet asked if we would accept a dinner from -him; and immediately gave instructions for its preparation, and we had -it sent to us in the evening. It was much the same as the breakfast, -and served up in a similar manner. - -Runjeet Sing is, in every respect, an extraordinary character. I -have heard his French officers observe that he has no equal from -Constantinople to India; and all of them have seen the intermediate -powers. - -~Character of Runjeet Sing.~ - -We continued at Lahore as the guests of the Maharaja till the 16th of -August, and had many opportunities of meeting him; but I do not think -I can add any thing to the history of his rise, drawn up by the late -Captain William Murray, Political agent at Ambala. The most creditable -trait in Runjeet’s character is his humanity; he has never been known -to punish a criminal with death since his accession to power; he does -not hesitate to mutilate a malefactor, but usually banishes him to -the hills. Cunning and conciliation have been the two great weapons -of his diplomacy. It is too probable, that the career of this chief -is nearly at an end; his chest is contracted, his back is bent, his -limbs withered, and it is not likely that he can long bear up against a -nightly dose of spirits more ardent than the strongest brandy. - -~Audience of leave. Precious stones.~ - -On the 16th of August we had our audience of leave with Runjeet Sing, -but my fellow traveller was unable to attend from indisposition. -Captain Wade accompanied me. He received us in an eccentric manner, -under an open gateway leading to the palace. A piece of white cloth -was spread under our chairs instead of a carpet, and there were but -few of his Court in attendance. In compliance with a wish that I had -expressed, he produced the “Koh-i-noor” or mountain of light, one of -the largest diamonds in the world, which he had extorted from Shah -Shooja, the ex-King of Cabool. Nothing can be imagined more superb than -this stone; it is of the finest water, and about half the size of an -egg. Its weight amounts to 3-1/2 rupees, and if such a jewel is to be -valued, I am informed it is worth 3-1/2 millions of money, but this -is a gross exaggeration. The “Koh-i-noor” is set as an armlet, with a -diamond on each side about the size of a sparrow’s egg. - -Runjeet seemed anxious to display his jewels before we left him; and -with the diamond was brought a large ruby, weighing 14 rupees. It had -the names of several kings engraven on it, among which were those -of Aurungzebe and Ahmed Shah. There was also a topaz of great size, -weighing 11 rupees, and as large as half a billiard ball: Runjeet had -purchased it for 20,000 rupees. - -~Presents.~ - -His Highness, after assuring us of his satisfaction at a communication -having been opened with so remote a quarter of India as Bombay, as it -cemented his friendship with the British Government, then invested me -with a string of pearls: he placed a diamond ring on one hand, and an -emerald one on the other, and handed me four other jewels of emeralds -and pearls. He then girt round my waist a superb sword, adorned with a -knot of pearls. A horse was next brought, richly dressed out with cloth -of gold, and golden ornaments on the bridle and saddle. A “khilut,” or -robe of honour, composed of a shawl dress, and many other manufactures -of Cashmere were then delivered to me, as well as presents of a similar -nature for Mr. Leckie. Three of our attendants were likewise favoured -by his Highness; and in his munificence, he sent a sum of 2000 rupees -for distribution among the remainder of the suite. Maharaja Runjeet -then produced a letter in reply to the one which I had brought from his -Majesty’s minister, which he requested I would deliver. It was put up -in a silken bag, and two small pearls were suspended from the strings -that fastened it. It occupied a roll from four to five feet long. The -following is a verbal translation of the letter; nor will it escape -observation, that, with much which is flowery and in bad taste to a -European, there is some display of sterling sense and judgment. The -titles which I had the honour to receive from his Highness will not -pass without a smile. - - _Copy of a Letter from Maharaja Runjeet Sing, to the address of his - Majesty’s Minister for the Affairs of India. Delivered on the audience - of Leave._ - -~Runjeet Sing’s reply.~ - -“At a happy moment, when the balmy zephyrs of spring were blowing from -the garden of friendship, and wafting to my senses the grateful perfume -of its flowers, your Excellency’s epistle, every letter of which is a -new-blown rose on the branch of regard, and every word a blooming fruit -on the tree of esteem, was delivered to me by Mr. Burnes and Mr. John -Leckie, who were appointed to convey to me some horses of superior -quality, of singular beauty, of alpine form, and elephantine stature, -admirable even in their own country, which had been sent as a present -to me by his Majesty the King of Great Britain, together with a large -and elegant carriage. These presents, owing to the care of the above -gentlemen, have arrived by way of the river Sinde in perfect safety, -and have been delivered to me, together with your Excellency’s letter, -which breathes the spirit of friendship, by that _nightingale of the -garden of eloquence, that bird of the winged words of sweet discourse, -Mr. Burnes_; and the receipt of them has caused a thousand emotions of -pleasure and delight to arise in my breast. - -“The information communicated in your Excellency’s letter, that his -gracious Majesty the King of England had been much pleased with the -shawl tent of Cashmere manufacture, which I had the honour to forward -as a present, has given me the highest satisfaction; but my heart is so -overflowing with feelings of pleasure and gratitude for all these marks -of kindness and attention on the part of his Majesty, that I find it -impossible to give them vent in adequate expressions. - -“By the favour of Sri Akal Poorukh Jee[13], there are in my stables -valuable and high-bred horses from the different districts of -Hindoostan, from Turkistan, and Persia; but none of them will bear -comparison with those presented to me by the King through your -Excellency; for these animals, in beauty, stature, and disposition, -surpass the horses of every city and every country in the world. On -beholding their shoes, _the new moon turned pale with envy, and nearly -disappeared from the sky_. Such horses, the eye of the sun has never -before beheld in his course through the universe. Unable to bestow -upon them in writing the praises that they merit, I am compelled to -throw the reins on the neck of the steed of description, and relinquish -the pursuit. - -“Your Excellency has stated, that you were directed by his Majesty -to communicate to me his earnest desire for the permanence of the -friendship which has so long existed between the two states, and which -has been so conducive to the comfort and happiness of the subjects of -both. Your Excellency has further observed, that his Majesty hopes that -I may live long in health and honour to rule and protect the people -of this country. I beg that you will assure his Majesty, that such -sentiments correspond entirely with those which I entertain, both with -respect to our existing relations, and to the happiness and prosperity -of his Majesty and his subjects. - -“The foundations of friendship were first established between the two -states through the instrumentality of Sir C. T. Metcalfe, a gentleman -endowed with every excellence of character; and after that period, in -consequence of the long residence of Sir C. T. Metcalfe in Hindostan, -the edifice of mutual amity and good understanding was strengthened and -completed by his attention and exertions. - -“When the Right Honourable the Earl of Amherst came on a visit to -Hindoostan and the Simla Hills, the ceremonials and practices of -reciprocal friendship were so well observed, that the fame of it was -diffused throughout the whole country. - -“Captain Wade, since his appointment at Lodiana, has ever been -solicitous to omit nothing which was calculated to augment and -strengthen the feeling of unanimity between the two powers. - -“The Right Honourable Lord William Bentinck, the present -Governor-general, having arrived some time since at Simla, I took the -opportunity of deputing respectable and confidential officers, in -company with Captain Wade, on a complimentary mission to his Lordship, -with a letter enquiring after his health. These officers, after having -had the honour of an interview, were dismissed by his Lordship with -marks of great distinction and honour. On their return, they related -to me the particulars of the gracious reception they had met with, -the excellent qualities of his Lordship, and also the sentiments of -friendship and regard which he had expressed towards this state. These -circumstances were very gratifying to my feelings. Through the favour -of the Almighty, the present Governor-general is, in every respect, -disposed, like the Earl of Amherst, to elevate and maintain the -standard of harmony and concord subsisting between the two Governments; -nay, from his excellent qualities, I am disposed to cherish the -hope that he will be even more attentive to this subject than his -predecessor. Mr. Burnes and Mr. John Leckie, before mentioned as the -bearers of the presents from his Majesty, have extremely gratified me -with their friendly and agreeable conversation. The mark of kindness -and attention on the part of the British Government, evinced by the -deputation of these officers, has increased my friendship and regard -for it a hundredfold; a circumstance which, having become known -throughout the country, has occasioned great satisfaction and pleasure -to the friends and wellwishers of both states, and a proportionate -regret in the hearts of their enemies. All these particulars I hope you -will bring to the notice of his gracious Majesty. - -“I am confident, that, through the favour of God, our friendship and -attachment, which are evident as the noonday sun, will always continue -firm, and be daily increased under the auspices of his Majesty. - -“I have dismissed Mr. Burnes and Mr. John Leckie with this friendly -letter in reply to your Excellency’s, and hope that these officers -will, after their safe arrival at their destination, fully communicate -to you the sentiments of regard and esteem which I entertain for your -Excellency. In conclusion, I trust that, knowing me always to be -anxious to receive the happy intelligence of the health and prosperity -of his Majesty, and also of your own, your Excellency will continue to -gratify me by the transmission of letters, both from the King and from -yourself.” - - (_True translation._) - - (Signed) E. RAVENSHAW, - - Depy. Pol. Secretary. - - -~Departure from Lahore.~ - -On presenting this letter his Highness embraced me; and begged I would -convey his high sentiments of regard to the Governor-general of India, -I then took leave of Maharaja Runjeet Sing, and quitted his capital of -Lahore the same evening in prosecution of my journey to Simla, on the -Himalaya Mountains, where I had been summoned to give an account of my -mission to Lord William Bentinck, then residing in that part of India. - -~Umritsir; its temple.~ - -We reached Umritsir, the holy city of the Seiks, on the following -morning,--a distance of thirty miles. The intervening country, called -Manja, is richly cultivated. The great canal, or “nuhr,” which was -cut from the Ravee by one of the Emperors of Hindostan, and brings the -water for a distance of eighty miles, passes by Umritsir, and runs -parallel with the Lahore road. It is very shallow, and sometimes does -not exceed a width of eight feet: small boats still navigate it. We -halted a day at Umritsir, to view the rites of Seik holiness; and our -curiosity was amply gratified. In the evening we were conducted by the -chief men of the city to the national temple. It stands in the centre -of a lake, and is a handsome building covered with burnished gold. -After making the circuit of it, we entered, and made an offering to -the “Grinth Sahib,” or holy book, which lay open before a priest, who -fanned it with the tail of a Tibet cow, to keep away impurity, and to -add to its consequence. When we were seated, a Seik arose and addressed -the assembled multitude; he invoked Gooroo Govind Sing, and every one -joined hands;--he went on to say, that all which the Seiks enjoyed on -earth was from the Gooroo’s bounty; and that the strangers now present -had come from a great distance, and brought presents from the King of -England, to cement friendship, and now appeared in this temple with an -offering of 250 rupees. The money was then placed on the Grinth, and -a universal shout of “Wagroojee ka futtih!” closed the oration. We -were then clad in Cashmere shawls; and, before departing, I begged the -orator to declare our desire for a continuance of friendship with the -Seik nation, which brought a second shout of “Wagroojee ka futtih!” -“Khalsajee ka futtih!” May the Seik religion prosper! From the great -temple, we were taken to the Acali boonga, or house of the Immortals, -and made a similar offering. We were not allowed to enter this spot, -for the Acalis or Nihungs are a wrong-headed set of fanatics, not to -be trusted. In reply to the offering, the priest sent us some sugar. -The Acalis are clothed in turbans of blue cloth, which run into a peak: -on this they carry several round pieces of iron, weapons of defence, -which are used like the quoit. These bigots are constantly molesting -the community by abuse and insult, or even violence; a week does not -pass in the Punjab without a life being lost: but Runjeet suppresses -their excesses with a firm and determined hand, though they form a -portion of the establishment in a religion of which he himself is a -strict observer. He has attached some of the greatest offenders to his -battalions, and banished others. Our conductor, Desa Sing Majeetia, -father of our Mihmandar, a Seik of the confederacy, and a kind old man, -was very solicitous about our safety, and led us by the hand, which he -grasped firmly, through the assembled crowd. From the temple we made -the tour of Umritsir, which is a larger city than Lahore. This place is -the great emporium of commerce between India and Cabool. The traders -are chiefly Hindoos, before whose door one wonders at the utility of -large blocks of red rock salt being placed, till informed that they -are for the use of the sacred city cows, who lick and relish them. In -our way home we visited the Rambagh, the favourite residence of the -Maharaja when at Umritsir. His passion for military works also shows -itself here, and he has surrounded a pleasure garden by a massy mound -of mud, which he is now strengthening by a ditch. - -~Beas or Hyphasis.~ - -At a distance of twenty-three miles from Umritsir, we came on the -Beas or Hyphasis of Alexander. The country is varied by trees, but -not rich, and the soil is gravelly. On the 21st we crossed the Beas, -at Julalabad, where it was swollen to a mile in width from rain. Its -current exceeded in rapidity five miles an hour; we were nearly two -hours in crossing, and landed about two miles below the point from -which we started. The greatest depth was eighteen feet. The boats used -in this river are mere rafts with a prow; they bend frightfully, and -are very unsafe; yet elephants, horses, cattle, and guns are conveyed -across on them. We passed in safety, but an accident, which might have -proved serious, befel us in one of the small channels of this river. It -was about thirty yards wide, and eighteen feet deep, and we attempted -the passage on an elephant. No sooner had the animal got out of his -depth, than he rolled over, and precipitated Mr. Leckie and myself -head-foremost into the water, wheeling round at the same time to gain -the bank he had quitted; Dr. Murray alone retained his seat: but we -were not long in regaining terra firma, without any other inconvenience -than a ducking. We did not again attempt the passage on an elephant, -but crossed on inflated buffalo skins supporting a framework. - -~Kuppertulla. Seik Chief.~ - -~Fête.~ - -Our halting place was at Kuppertulla, ten miles from the Beas, the -estate of Futtih Sing Aloowala, one of the Seik chiefs, who was present -with Lord Lake’s army in 1805, when encamped in this vicinity. He is -yet a young man. He received us with great respect and kindness, and -sent his two sons to meet us as we approached. He came himself in the -evening on a visit, and on the following day, when we returned it, he -gave us a grand fête in his garden house, which was illuminated. The -display of fireworks was varied, and we viewed it with advantage from a -terrace. Futtih Sing is the person whom Sir John Malcolm describes in -his “Sketch of the Seiks” as requiring his dram, and years have not -diminished his taste for liquor. Immediately we were seated he produced -his bottle, drank freely himself, and pressed it much upon us; it was -too potent for an Englishman, but he assured us, that whatever quantity -we drank, it would never occasion thirst. We filled a bumper to the -health of the Sirdar and his family, and were about to withdraw, when -he produced most expensive presents, which could not in any way be -refused; he gave me a string of pearls, and some other jewels, with a -sword, a horse, and several shawls. Futtih Sing is an uncouth looking -person, but he has the manners of a soldier. His income amounts to -about four lacs of rupees annually, and he lives up to it, having a -strong passion for house building. Besides a board of works in two of -his gardens, he was now constructing a house in the English style, but -has sensibly added a suite of rooms under ground for the hot season. -When we left Futtih Sing, he urgently requested that we would deliver -his sincere sentiments of regard to his old friend Sir John Malcolm. - -~Doab of the Sutlege.~ - -We made three marches from Kuppertulla to Fulour, on the banks of the -Sutlege, a distance of thirty-six miles, passing the towns of Jullinder -and Jumsheer. The former place is large, and was at one time inhabited -by Afghans. It is surrounded by a brick wall, and the streets are -paved with the same material. Jullinder gives its name to the “Doab,” -or country between the Beas and Sutlege, while the other Doabs are -named by compound words, formed by contracting the names of the rivers. -Between the Chenab and Behut, we have the Chenut; between the Ravee and -Chenab, the Reechna; and between the Beas and Ravee, the Barree. From -Jullinder to the banks of the Sutlege, the country is highly cultivated -and well peopled. All the villages are surrounded by mud walls, and -many of them have ditches to bespeak the once unsettled state of this -land. The houses are constructed of wood, with flat roofs covered over -by mud, and have a hovel-like appearance. - -~Fulour.~ - -The town of Fulour, on the banks of the Sutlege, is the frontier post -of the Lahore Chief, and here we left our escort and Seik friends, -who had accompanied us from Mooltan. We distributed cloths to the -commissioned and non-commissioned officers, and a sum of 1000 rupees -among the men, which gratified all parties. The Maharaja continued -his munificence to the last, and, before crossing the Sutlege, he had -sent us no less than 24,000 rupees in cash, though we had declined -to receive the sum of 700 rupees, which had been fixed for our daily -allowance after reaching Lahore. - -~Antiquities.~ - -Before I finally quit the Punjab, I must not omit a few particulars -regarding its antiquities, which must ever attract attention. It seems -certain, that Alexander the Great visited Lahore, and to this day the -remains of a city answering to Singala, with a lake in the vicinity, -are to be seen S.E. of the capital. The tope of Manikyala, first -described by Mr. Elphinstone, and lately examined by M. Ventura, has -excited considerable interest in the East. The French gentlemen were of -opinion, that these remains are of an older date than the expedition of -Alexander, for the coins have a figure not unlike Neptune’s trident, -which is to be seen on the stones at Persepolis. In my progress through -the Punjab, I was not successful in procuring a coin of Alexander, -nor any other than the Bactrian one which I have described; nor have -any of the French gentlemen, with all their opportunities, been so -fortunate. I am happy, however, in being able to state the existence -of two other buildings like the “Tope” of Manikyala, which have been -lately discovered among the mountains, westward of the Indus, in the -country of the Eusoofzyes. The opening of these may throw light on the -interesting subject of Punjab antiquities.[14] By the natives of this -country, the most ancient place is considered to be Seealcote, which -lies upwards of forty miles north of Lahore. It is said to be mentioned -in the Persian Sikunder Namu. - -~Cross the Sutlege.~ - -At noon, on the 26th of August, we left Fulour and marched to Lodiana, -crossing the river Sutlege, or Hesudrus of antiquity. It is yet called -Shittoodur or the Hundred Rivers by the natives, from the number of -channels in which it divides itself. Where we passed, its breadth did -not exceed 700 yards, though it had been swollen two days before our -arrival. The greatest depth of soundings was eighteen feet, but the -average was twelve. It is a less rapid river than the Beas. The waters -of the Sutlege are colder than those of any of the Punjab rivers, -probably from its great length of course, and running so far among -snowy mountains. This river is variable in its channel, and often -deserts one bank for the other. The country between it and the British -Cantonment of Lodiana, is intersected by nullas, one of which, that -runs past the camp, formed the bed of the Sutlege fifty years ago. -This river is generally fordable after November. Lord Lake’s army -crossed it in 1805, two miles above Lodiana; but the fords vary, and -the watermen look for them annually before people attempt to cross, as -there are many quicksands. When the Beas falls into the Sutlege, the -united stream, called Garra, is no longer fordable. The boats of the -Sutlege are of the same description as those on the Beas: there are -seventeen of them at the Fulour ferry. The country between the Sutlege -and Lodiana is very low, which I observed to be a characteristic of the -left bank of this river, till it meets the mountains. One would expect -to find this depressed tract of ground alluvial, but it is sandy. - -~Exiled Kings of Cabool.~ - -At Lodiana, we met two individuals, who have exercised an influence -on the Eastern world, now pensioners of the British, the ex-Kings of -Cabool, Shah Zuman, and Shah Shooja-ool-Moolk. The ceremonial of our -introduction to Shah Shooja corresponded nearly with that described -by Mr. Elphinstone; for, in his exile, this fallen monarch has not -relinquished the forms of royalty. The officers of his court still -appear in the same fanciful caps, and on a signal given in Turkish, -(_ghachan_, begone,) the guards run out of the presence, making a noise -with their high-heeled boots. The person of the Shah himself has been -so correctly described, that I have little to say on that subject. -In his misfortunes, he retains the same dignity and prepossessing -demeanour as when king. We found him seated on a chair in a shady part -of his garden, and stood during the interview. He has become somewhat -corpulent, and his expression is melancholy; but he talked much, and -with great affability. He made many enquiries regarding Sinde, and the -countries on the Indus, and said, that “he had rebuked the Ameers for -their suspicion and jealousy of our intentions in coming to Lahore. -Had I but my kingdom,” continued he, “how glad should I be to see an -Englishman at Cabool, and to open the road between Europe and India.” -The Shah then touched upon his own affairs, and spoke with ardent -expectations of being soon able to retrieve his fortunes. In reply to -one of his questions, I informed him that he had many well-wishers in -Sinde. “Ah!” said he, “these sort of people are as bad as enemies; -they profess strong friendship and allegiance, but they render me no -assistance. They forget that I have a claim on them for two crores of -rupees, the arrears of tribute.” - -~Reflections.~ - -Shah Shooja was plainly dressed in a tunic of pink gauze, with a green -velvet cap, something like a coronet, from which a few emeralds were -suspended. There is much room for reflection on the vicissitudes of -human life while visiting such a person. From what I learn, I do not -believe the Shah possesses sufficient energy to seat himself on the -throne of Cabool; and that if he did regain it, he has not the tact to -discharge the duties of so difficult a situation. - -~Shah Zuman.~ - -The brother of Shah Shooja, Shah Zuman, is an object of great -compassion, from his age, appearance, and want of sight. We also -visited him, and found him seated in a hall with but one attendant, -who announced our being present, when the Shah looked up and bade us -“Welcome.” He is stone blind, and cannot distinguish day from night; he -was as talkative as his brother, and lamented that he could not pass -the remainder of his days in his native land, where the heat was less -oppressive. - -Shah Zuman has lately sunk into a zealot: he passes the greater part -of his time in listening to the Koran and its commentaries. Poor man, -he is fortunate in deriving consolation from any source. When taking -leave, Shah Zuman begged I would visit him before quitting Lodiana, as -he was pleased at meeting a stranger. I did not fail to comply with his -wishes, and saw him alone. I had thought that his age and misfortunes -made him indifferent to all objects of political interest; but he -asked me, in a most piteous manner, if I could not intercede with the -Governor-general in behalf of his brother, and rescue him from his -present exile. I assured him of the sympathy of our government, and -said, that his brother should look to Sinde and the other provinces -of the Dooranee empire for support; but he shook his head, and said -the case was hopeless. After a short silence, the Shah told me that -he had inflammation in the eyes, and begged I would look at them. He -has suffered from this ever since his brother caused him to be blinded -with a lancet. As he has advanced in years, the organ seems to have -undergone a great change, and the black part of the eye has almost -disappeared. It is impossible to look upon Shah Zuman without feelings -of the purest pity; and, while in his presence, it is difficult to -believe we behold that king, whose name, in the end of last century, -shook Central Asia, and carried dread and terror along with it -throughout our Indian possessions. Infirm, blind, and exiled, he now -lives on the bounty of the British Government. - -~Journey to the Himalaya.~ - -After a ten days’ recreation at Lodiana, where we mingled once more -with our countrymen, we prosecuted our journey to Simla, on the -Himalaya mountains, a distance of about 100 miles, which we reached in -the course of a few days. We here beheld a scene of natural sublimity -and beauty, that far surpassed the glittering court which we had -lately left:--but my narrative must here terminate. At Simla we had -the honour of meeting the Right Honourable Lord William Bentinck, the -Governor-general of India; and his Lordship evinced his satisfaction -at the result of our mission, by entering at once into negotiations -for laying open the navigation of the Indus to the commerce of Britain, -a measure of enlightened policy, considered both commercially and -politically. I had the honour of receiving the following acknowledgment -of my endeavours to elucidate the geography of that river, and the -condition of the princes and people who occupy its banks. - -~Conclusion.~ - - “Delhi, 6 December, 1831. - - “Political Department. - - “TO LIEUT. ALEXANDER BURNES, &c. &c. &c. - - “Sir, - - “I am directed by the Right Honourable the Governor-general to - acknowledge the receipt of your several letters, forwarding a memoir - on the Indus, and a narrative of your journey to Lahore. - - “2. The first copy of your map of the Indus has also just reached - his Lordship, which completes the information collected during your - mission to Lahore, in charge of the presents from the late King of - England to Maharaja Runjeet Sing. - - “3. The Governor-general, having perused and attentively considered - all these documents, desires me to convey to you his high approbation - of the manner in which you have acquitted yourself of the important - duty assigned to you, and his acknowledgments for the full and - satisfactory details furnished on all the points in which it was the - desire of government to obtain information. - - “4. Your intercourse with the chiefs of Sinde, and the other Sirdars - and persons with whom you were brought into contact in the course of - the voyage up the Indus, appears to the Governor-general to have been - conducted with extreme prudence and discretion, so as to have left - a favourable impression on all classes, and to have advanced every - possible object, immediate, as connected with your mission, as well as - prospective; for, while your communications with them were calculated - to elicit full information as to their hopes and wishes, you most - judiciously avoided the assumption of any political character that - might lead to the encouragement of false and extravagant expectations, - or involve you in any of the passing intrigues. The whole of your - conduct and correspondence with the chiefs of the countries you - passed through in your journey, has the Governor-general’s entire and - unqualified approbation. - - “5. In like manner, his Lordship considers you to be entitled to - commendation for the extent of geographical and general information - collected in the voyage, and for the caution used in procuring it, no - less than for the perspicuous and complete form in which the results - have been submitted for record and consideration. The map prepared by - you forms an addition to the geography of India of the first utility - and importance, and cannot fail to procure for your labours a high - place in this department of science. - - “6. The result of your voyage in the different reports, memoirs, and - maps above acknowledged, will be brought without delay to the notice - of the authorities in England, under whose orders the mission was, - as you are aware, undertaken. His Lordship doubts not that they will - unite with him in commending the zeal, diligence, and intelligence - displayed by you in the execution of this service, and will express - their satisfaction at the manner in which their views have been - accomplished, and the objects contemplated in the mission to Lahore - fully and completely attained. - - “I have the honour to be, &c. - - (Signed) “H. T. PRINSEP, - - “Secretary to the Governor-general.” - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[13] God. - -[14] My journey to Bokhara made me better acquainted with these topes, -as has already appeared in Vol. I. - - - - - A - MEMOIR ON THE INDUS, - AND - ITS TRIBUTARY RIVERS - IN - THE PUNJAB. - - - - - NOTICE - REGARDING - THE MAP OF THE INDUS. - - -A new map of the Indus and Punjab Rivers from the sea to Lahore seems -to require some notice explanatory of its construction, and I have to -offer the following observations on that subject:-- - -The River Indus, from the southern direction in which it flows in its -progress to the ocean, presents few difficulties to the surveyor, -since an observation of latitude serves to fix the daily progress -in the voyage, and its comparatively straight course admits of easy -delineation. The map rests on a series of observations by the stars. -I should have preferred altitudes of the sun; but, with a people so -suspicious as we encountered, it was impossible to use an instrument in -daylight, and I should have required to halt the fleet twice to procure -equal altitudes, since the sun was south of the equator during the -voyage. Many of the large places, such as Tatta, Sehwun, Ooch, Mooltan, -&c., where we necessarily halted, have been laid down from a mean of -eight or ten stellar observations. - -The longitude and general delineations in the curvature of the river -rest on a minute protraction of its turnings, observed with care -every half hour, and sometimes oftener, with the approved compass by -Schmalcalder. The attention given to this important portion of the -undertaking may be imagined, when I state that my field books exhibit, -on an average, twenty bearings each day from sunrise to sunset. I was -early enabled to rate the progress of the boats through the water, by -timing them on a measured line along the bank, and apportioned the -distance to the hours and minutes accordingly. We could advance, I -found, by tracking, or being pulled by men, at one mile and a half an -hour; by gentle and favourable breezes at two miles, and by violent -winds at three miles an hour; while any great excess or deficiency was -pointed out by the latitude of the halting place. - -The base on which the work rests, is the towns of Mandivee and -Curachee: the one a seaport in Cutch, and the point from which the -mission started; the other a harbour in sight of the western mouth of -the Indus, which we saw before entering the river. Mandivee stands in -the latitude of 22° 50´, and Curachee in 24° 56´ north; while their -longitudes are respectively in 69° 34´, and 67° 19´ east, as fixed, in -1809, from the chronometers of the Sinde mission by Captain Maxfield. - -Assuming these points as correct, the line of coast intermediate to -them has been laid down from my own surveys in Cutch; while that of -Sinde rests on observations of the sun’s altitude at noon and the -boats’ daily progress, determined by heaving the log hourly. We sailed -only during the day, and at all times along shore, often in a small -boat, and were attended by six or eight pilots, who had passed their -lives in the navigation of those parts. - -The great difference in the topography of the mouths of the Indus, from -what is shown in all other maps, will no doubt arrest attention; but -it is to be remarked, that I call in question no former survey, since -the river has been hitherto laid down in this part of its course from -_native information_; and I can bear testimony to the correctness of -such portions of the Indus as were actually traversed by the mission -of 1809. From the jealousy of the Government of Sinde, we had to -pass up and down the coast no less than five times, which gave ample -opportunities to observe it; and I have a strong fact to adduce in -verification of the chart as it now exists. On the third voyage we -ran down so low as the latitude of 20° 30´ N., and were out of sight -of land for six days. At noon, on the last day (17th of March), while -standing on a due northerly course, I found our latitude to be 23° -50´, or a few miles below that mouth of the river which I had resolved -to enter. I immediately desired the pilots to steer a north-easterly -course for the land. We closed with it at sunset, a couple of miles -above Hujamree, the very mouth of the Indus I wished to make. At -daylight we had had no soundings in fifty fathoms, at seven A.M. we had -bottom at forty-two fathoms, and at eleven in thirty-four. By two in -the afternoon we were in twenty-one fathoms, and at dusk anchored in -twelve feet of water, off Reechel, having sighted the land at half past -four. - -In delineating the Delta of the Indus below Tatta, I have not only -had the advantage of sailing by a branch to that city, but approached -it on land by one route, and returned by another. I also ascended the -Pittee, or western mouth of the Indus, for thirty miles. The opposition -experienced from the Sinde Government gave rise to these variations -of route: they long tried to impede our progress; but the result of -their vacillation has happily added to our knowledge of their country, -in a degree which the most sanguine could not have anticipated. In -addition to my own track, I have added that of the Sinde mission, from -Curachee to Hydrabad, and thence to Lueput in Cutch. My own surveys in -Cutch, which extend high up the Koree, or eastern branch of the Indus, -together with every information, compel me to place the Goonee or -Phurraun River (which is the name for the Koree above Ali bunder), in -a more westerly longitude than in the maps hitherto published. Sindree -and Ali bunder lie north of Nurra in Cutch, so that the river cannot -extend so far into the desert as has been represented. - -From Hydrabad upwards, and, I may add, in all parts of the map, the -different towns rest on the latitudes as determined by the sextant. -Most of them are in a higher parallel than in the maps, but it was -satisfactory to find, on reaching Ooch, that the longitude of that -place, as taken from my own protraction, coincides pretty well with -that which has been assigned to it by Mr. Elphinstone’s surveyors, who -must have fixed it from Bhawulpoor. This was not the case with Bukkur; -but, as the latitude of that place was twenty-two minutes below the -true parallel, I have reason to be satisfied with the result above -stated. I likewise found that the Indus receives the Punjab rivers at -Mittun, in the latitude of 28° 55´, instead of 28° 20´ north, as given -in the map of the Cabool mission: but no one can examine that document -without acknowledging the unwearied zeal of its constructor, and -wondering that he erred so little when he visited few of the places, -and had his information from such sources. - -The Punjab rivers have been laid down on the same principle as the -Indus. The Chenab (Acesines), which has been erroneously styled -Punjnud, after it has gathered the other rivers, is very direct in its -course; but the Ravee (Hydräotes), on the other hand, is most tortuous, -and appears in its present shape after incredible labour for twenty -days spent in its navigation. The latitude of its junction with the -Chenab, and that of the city of Lahore, which stands in 31° 35´ 30´´ -north, and in 70° 20´ east longitude, have materially assisted me in -the task. I have also placed the confluence of the Jelum, or Behut -(Hydaspes), with the Chenab, twelve miles above the latitude in which -it has hitherto stood. The survey eastward terminates on the left bank -of the Sutledge (Hesudrus), with the British cantonment of Lodiana, -which I find stands in 30° 55´ 30´´ north latitude. I have used the -longitude of the latest and best map, and placed it in 75° 54´ east. - -With the Indus and Punjab Rivers, I have embodied a survey of the -Jaysulmeer country, which was finished in the year 1830, when I visited -Southern Rajpootana with Lieut. James Holland. The province of Cutch, -with the configuration of the Run, rests on my own surveys made in the -years 1825, 1826, 1827, and 1828.[15] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[15] Instead of giving separate maps of the Indus and Central Asia, I -have now combined the whole of the geographical matter in one map, as -has already been explained. - - - - -MEMOIR OF THE INDUS. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -A GENERAL VIEW OF THE INDUS. - - -~Inland navigation to Lahore.~ - -There is an uninterrupted navigation from the sea to Lahore. The -distance, by the course of the river, amounts to about a thousand -British miles: the following papers detail its practicability with -minuteness, but not more so, I trust, than the great importance of the -subject deserves. They also describe the state of the countries and -people. - -~Depth of water.~ - -The Indus, when joined by the Punjab rivers, never shallows, in the -dry season, to less than fifteen feet, and seldom preserves so great -a breadth as half a mile. The Chenab, or Acesines, has a medium depth -of twelve feet, and the Ravee, or Hydräotes, is about half the size -of that river. These are the minima of soundings on the voyage; but -the usual depth of the three rivers cannot be rated at less than four, -three, and two fathoms. The soundings of each day’s voyage are shown by -the figures on the map.[16] -~Boats.~ - -This extensive inland navigation, open as I have stated it to be, can -_only_ be considered traversable to the boats of the country, which -are flat bottomed, and do not draw more than four feet of water, when -heavily laden. The largest of these carry about seventy-five tons -English: science and capital might improve the build of these vessels; -but in extending our commerce, or in setting on foot a flotilla, the -present model would ever be found most convenient. Vessels of a sharp -build are liable to upset when they run aground on the sand-banks. -Steam-boats could ply, if constructed after the manner of the country, -but no vessel with a keel could be safely navigated. - -~Period of a voyage to Lahore.~ - -The voyage from the sea to Lahore occupied exactly sixty days; but -the season was most favourable, as the south-westerly winds had set -in, while the stronger inundations of the periodical swell had not -commenced. We reached Mooltan on the fortieth day, and the remaining -time was expended in navigating the Ravee, which is a most crooked -river. The boats sailed from sunrise to sunset, and, when the wind was -unfavourable, were dragged by ropes through the water. - -~Steam most available for the Indus.~ - -There are no rocks or rapids to obstruct the ascent, and the current -does not exceed two miles and a half an hour. Our daily progress -sometimes averaged twenty miles, by the course of the river; for a -vessel can be haled against the current at the rate of one mile and a -half an hour. With light breezes we advanced two miles an hour, and in -strong gales we could stem the river at the rate of three miles. Steam -would obviate the inconveniences of this slow and tedious navigation; -and I do not doubt but Mooltan might be reached in ten, instead of -forty days. From that city a commercial communication could best be -opened with the neighbouring countries. - -~Return voyage.~ - -A boat may drop down from Lahore to the sea in fifteen days, as -follows:--to Mooltan in six, to Bukkur in four, to Hydrabad in three, -and to the seaports in two. This is, of course, the very quickest -period of descent; and I may add, that it has never been of late tried, -for there is no trade between Sinde and the Punjab by water. - -~Political obstacles to trading on the Indus.~ - -There are political obstacles to using the Indus as a channel of -commerce. The people and princes are ignorant and barbarous: the former -plunder the trader, and the latter over-tax the merchant, so that goods -are sent by land, and by circuitous routes: this absence of trade -arises from no physical obstacles, and is to be chiefly traced to the -erroneous policy of the Sinde government. There are about 700 boats -between the sea and Lahore; and this number suffices for ferrying, and -all other purposes. - -~Military importance of the Indus.~ - -The defence of the Indus, the grand boundary of British India on -the West, is nowise affected by these trifling impediments, and we -can command its navigation without obstruction from both Cutch and -the Sutledge. The military advantages of the Indus are great: it is -navigable for a fleet from Attok to the sea. The insulated fortress of -Bukkur is a most important position. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[16] These have been necessarily omitted in the reduced map. - - - - -CHAP. II. - -A COMPARISON OF THE INDUS AND GANGES. - - -I have recorded with care and attention the information which I have -collected regarding the Indus and its tributaries; yet the magnitude -of that river must be decided by a comparison with the other great -rivers of the world. An European, in the East, may appropriately narrow -his field, and confine such a comparison to its great twin river, the -Ganges, which, with the Indus, folds, as it were, in the embrace our -mighty empire of British India. At this time, too, in a publication -which has appeared at Calcutta, by Mr. G. A. Prinsep, regarding the -introduction of steam navigation into India, we have late and valuable -matter, both of an interesting and scientific nature, regarding the -peculiarities of the Ganges; which, with the previous papers of Rennell -and Colebrooke, afford very precise information regarding that river. -I have ventured, therefore, however incompetent, to lay down the -observations that have occurred to me regarding the Indus, that the -requisite comparison might be instituted. - -The Ganges and Indus, rising in the same mountains, traverse, with -an unequal length of course, the same latitudes: both rivers, though -nearly excluded from the tropics, are yet subject to be annually -flooded at a stated and the same period. The quantity of water, -therefore, which these rivers respectively discharge, will determine -their relative size; and we shall afterwards consider the slope or -fall by which they descend to the ocean. Sicriguli, on the Ganges, -and Tatta, on the Indus, seem to be the preferable sites for drawing -a comparison, since both places are situated at a point _before_ the -rivers have subdivided to form a delta, and _after_ they have each -received the whole of their tributary streams. The Indus certainly -throws off two branches above Tatta, the Fulailee and Pinyaree; but -they are only considerable rivers in the rainy season. - -It appears, then, from Mr. G. A. Prinsep’s essay, that in the month of -April the Ganges discharges, at Sicriguli, about 21,500 cubic feet of -water in a second. The average breadth of the river at that place is -given at 5000 feet, which is also the velocity in a second of time; -while its average depth does not exceed three feet. That in this result -we form a pretty correct estimate of the magnitude of the Ganges, is -further proved by the state of the river at Benares in the same month -(April), where, though contracted to a breadth of 1400 feet, the depth -exceeds thirty-four feet, and the discharge amounts to 20,000 cubic -feet per second, which differs in but a trifling degree from that at -Sicriguli. - -In the middle of April, I found the Indus at Tatta to have a breadth -of 670 yards, and to be running with a velocity of two miles and a -half an hour. It happens that the banks are steep on both sides of the -river in this part of its course; so that the soundings, which amount -to fifteen feet, are regular from shore to shore, if we except a few -yards on either side, where the water is still. This data would give -a discharge of 110,500 cubic feet per second; but by Buat’s equations -for the diminished velocity of the stream near the bed, compared with -that of the surface, it would be decreased to 93,465 cubic feet. Some -further deduction should be made for the diminished depth towards the -shores; and 80,000 cubic feet per second may be taken as a fair rate -of discharge of the Indus in the month of April.[17] It is a source of -regret to me that I am unable to extend my observations to the river -during the rainy season; but I had not an opportunity of seeing it -at that period, and do not desire to place opinion in opposition to -fact. I may mention, however, that at Sehwun, where the Indus is 500 -yards wide, and thirty-six feet deep, and sweeping with great velocity -the base of a rocky buttress that juts in upon the stream, there is a -mark on the precipice which indicates a rise of twelve feet during the -inundation. This gives a depth of eight fathoms to this part of the -Indus in the rainy season. If I could add the increase of width on as -sound data as I have given the perpendicular rise or depth of water, -we should be able to determine the ratio between its discharge at the -opposite seasons; but I have only the vague testimony of the natives to -guide me, and dismiss the subject. - -From what has been above stated, it will be seen that the Indus, in -discharging the enormous volume, of 80,000 cubic feet of water in a -second, exceeds by _four times_ the size of the Ganges in the dry -season, and nearly equals the great American river, the Mississippi. -The much greater length of course in the Indus and its tributaries, -among towering and snowy mountains near its source, that must always -contribute vast quantities of water, might have prepared us for the -result; and it is not extraordinary, when we reflect on the wide area -embraced by some of these minor rivers, and the lofty and elevated -position from which they take their rise: the Sutledge, in particular, -flows from the sacred Lake of Mansurour, in Tibet, 17,000 feet above -the sea. The Indus traverses, too, a comparatively barren and deserted -country, thinly peopled and poorly cultivated; while the Ganges expends -its waters in irrigation, and blesses the inhabitants of its banks with -rich and exuberant crops. The Indus, even in the season of inundation, -is confined to its bed by steeper and more consistent banks than the -other river; and, as I have stated, seldom exceeds half a mile in -width: the Ganges, on the other hand, is described as an inland sea in -some parts of its course; so that, at times, the one bank is scarcely -visible from the other,--a circumstance which must greatly increase -the evaporation. The arid and sandy nature of the countries that -border the Indus soon swallow up the overflowing waters, and make the -river more speedily retire to its bed. Moreover, the Ganges and its -subsidiary rivers derive their supply from the southern face of the -great Himalaya; while the Indus receives the torrents of either side -of that massy chain, and is further swollen by the showers of Cabool -and the rains and snow of Chinese Tartary. Its waters are augmented -long before the rainy season has arrived; and, when we look at the -distant source of the river, to what cause can we attribute this early -inundation but to melting snow and ice? - -The slope on which the Indus descends to the ocean would appear to be -gentle, like that of most great rivers. The average rate of its current -does not exceed two miles and a half an hour; while the whole of the -Punjab rivers, which we navigated on the voyage at Lahore, were found -to be one full mile in excess of the Indus. We readily account for -this increased velocity by their proximity to the mountains; and it -will serve as a guide in estimating the fall of the river. The city of -Lahore stands at a distance of about 1000 British miles from the sea, -by the course of the river; and I am indebted to Dr. J. G. Gerard, for -a series of barometrical observations, made some years ago at Umritsir, -a city about thirty miles eastward of Lahore. - - The mean of eighteen of these observations - gives us the height of the - barometer at 28,861·3 - - The corresponding observations at Calcutta - give 29,711·5 - -------- - Making a difference of 850·2 - -------- - -I am informed that the height of the instrument registered in Calcutta -may be twenty-five feet above the level of the sea; and as the city of -Umritsir is about the same level as Lahore (since both stand on the -plains of the Punjab), it must have an elevation of about 900 feet from -the sea. - -Having now stated the sum of our knowledge regarding this subject, -it remains to be considered in what, and how great a proportion, the -slope is to be distributed among the rivers from Lahore downwards. By -a comparison with the Ganges in Rennell’s work, and the late treatise -to which I have alluded, and assisted by the same scientific gentleman, -to whom I have before expressed my obligations, we cannot give a -greater fall downwards from Mittun, where the Indus receives the Punjab -rivers, than six, or perhaps five, inches per mile: nor can we allow -more than one fourth of 900 feet as the height of that place above the -level of the sea; for the river has not increased here in velocity of -current, though we have neared the mountains. Mittun is half way to -Lahore, about 500 miles from the sea, and nearly 220 feet above it. -The remaining 680 feet we may fairly apportion to the Punjab rivers, -from their greater rapidity of course; which would give them a fall of -twelve inches per mile. - -In these facts, we have additional proof of the greater bulk of the -Indus, as compared with the Ganges; when at the lowest, it retains a -velocity of two and a half miles, with a medial depth of fifteen feet, -and though running on as great, if not a greater slope than that river, -never empties itself in an equal degree, though much more straight in -its course. The Indus has none of those ledges, which have been lately -discovered as a peculiarity of the Ganges, and which are described -in Mr. Prinsep’s work as “making the bed of that river consist of a -series of pools, separated by shallows or sand-bars, at the crossing -of every reach.” Were the Indus as scantily supplied with water as the -Ganges, we should, doubtless, find a similar state of things; and, -though the bed of the one river would appear to far exceed in magnitude -that of the other, we find the Ganges partaking much of the nature of -a hill-torrent, overflowing at one season, insignificant at another; -while the Indus rolls on throughout the year, in one majestic body, to -the Ocean. - -Before bringing these remarks on the Indus to a close, I wish to add -a few words regarding the effect of the tide on the two rivers. In -the Ganges it runs considerably above Calcutta, while no impression -of it is perceptible in the Indus twenty-five miles below Tatta, or -about seventy-five miles from the sea. We are either to attribute -this occurrence to the greater column of water resisting the approach -of the sea, “whose vanquished tide, recoiling from the shock, yields -to the liquid weight;” or to the descent of the delta of the one river -being greater than that of the other. The tide in the Indus certainly -runs off with incredible velocity, which increases as we near the sea. -It would appear that the greatest mean rise of tide in the Ganges is -twelve feet: I found that of the Indus to be only nine feet at full -moon; but I had, of course, no opportunity of determining the _mean_ -rise of the tide as in the Ganges. The tides of Western India are known -to exceed those in the Bay of Bengal, as the construction of docks in -Bombay testifies; and I should be disposed to consider the rise at the -mouths of the Indus and Ganges to be much the same. Both rivers, from -the direction they fall into the ocean, must be alike subject to an -extraordinary rise of tide from gales and winds; and, with respect to -the whole coast of Sinde, the south-west monsoon blows so violently, -even in March, as to break the water at a depth of three or four -fathoms from the land, and long before its depressed shore is visible -to the navigator. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[17] In this part of my subject, I have to express my fullest -acknowledgments to Mr. James Prinsep, Secretary to the Asiatic Society -of Calcutta, who has kindly afforded me his valuable assistance. - - - - -CHAP. III. - -ON SINDE. - - -~Sinde; its extent.~ - -The first territory which we meet in ascending the Indus is Sinde. The -subversion of the Cabool monarchy has greatly raised the political -importance of this country; and, while it has freed the rulers of it -from the payment of a yearly tribute, has enabled them to extend widely -the limits of their once circumscribed dominion. The principality is at -present in the zenith of its power, and comprises no less than 100,000 -square miles, extending from the longitude of 69° to 71° east, and from -the latitude of 23° to 29° north. The Indian Ocean washes it on the -south, and a diagonal line of 400 miles is terminated a short distance -below the junction of the waters of the Punjab with the Indus. The -eastern portion of this fine territory is sterile and unproductive; but -the Indus fertilises its banks by the periodical swell, and the waters -are conducted by canals far beyond the limits of inundation. - -~Its chiefs and revenue.~ - -The territory is divided among three different branches of the Belooche -tribe of Talpoor, who are nearly independent of one another. The -principal family resides at Hydrabad, at the head of which is Meer -Moorad Ali Khan, and, since the death of his three elder brothers, its -sole representative.[18] The next family of importance consists of the -descendants of Meer Sohrab Khan of Khyrpoor, whose son, Meer Roostum -Khan, is the reigning Ameer, and holds the fortress of Bukkur, with -the northern portion of Sinde. The third family, descended of Meer -Thara Khan, at the head of which is Ali Morad, resides at Meerpoor, and -possesses the country south-east of the capital. These three chiefs -are, properly speaking, the “Ameers of Sinde,” a name which has been -sometimes applied to the members of the Hydrabad family. The relative -importance of the Ameers is pointed out in their revenues: fifteen, -ten, and five lacs of rupees are the receipts of the different chiefs; -and their aggregate amount, thirty lacs of rupees, shows the annual -revenue of Sinde. The treasure, it is said, amounts to about twenty -millions sterling, thirteen of which are in money, and the remainder in -jewels. The greater portion of this cash lies deposited in the fort of -Hydrabad, and is divided between Moorad Ali and the wives of his late -brother, Kurm Ali. -~Its power and conquests.~ - -If we except the Seiks, the Ameers are more powerful than any of the -native princes to whose dominions the territories of Sinde adjoin; for -on every side they have seized and maintained by force the lands of -their neighbours. To the westward they hold Curachee as a conquest from -the chief of Lus, and are at present meditating an extension of their -boundary towards Sonmeeanee, that they may keep the trade to Candahar -entirely within their own dominions. To the north-west they seized -the fort of Bukkur, and the fertile territory of Shikarpoor, from -the Afghans; and, though it latterly belonged to the powerful family -of Barakzye (who now hold Cabool, Candahar, and Peshawur), they have -hitherto engaged in annual but fruitless attempts to retake it. A force -of 6000 men were encamped at Sewee, in the plains of Cutch Gundava, -when we passed Shikarpoor; but they were unable to meet the Sindians -in the field. On the north-east the Ameers hold Subzulcote and a large -portion of the Daoodpootra country. To the eastward, they captured the -fortress of Omercote, in 1813, from the Joodpoor Raja, and have since -pushed their troops far into that Prince’s territories. If we exclude a -portion of that country which belongs to Jaysulmeer, they now possess -the whole country south of that capital to the Runn of Cutch, Parkur -included. On the side of Cutch alone their progress has been arrested -by the British Government. - -~Its military strength.~ - -The value of these conquests is greatly enhanced by the trifling -increase of expense which they have entailed on the government; for, -except in the forts of the Desert, neither garrisons nor troops are -kept in pay to protect them, while every attack endangering their -security has been hitherto successfully resisted. The conduct of the -Sindian in the field is brave; and if we are to judge by results, -he is superior to his neighbours. They parried off an inroad of one -formidable army from Cabool by a retreat to the Desert; and they -defeated a second with great slaughter in the vicinity of Shikarpoor. -Destitute as they are of discipline, and unable, assuredly, to cope -with regular troops, we must admit that they excel in the art of war -as practised by themselves and the adjacent nations. The Sindians, -unlike other Asiatics, pride themselves on being foot soldiers, and -they prefer the sword to the matchlock: their artillery, formidable in -number, is contemptible in strength; their cavalry does not deserve -the name: horses are scarce, and of a very diminutive breed. Various -surmises have been made regarding the strength of their army, but they -seem to me vague and indefinite; for every native who has attained the -years of manhood, the mercantile classes alone excepted, becomes a -soldier by the constitution of the government; and he derives his food -and support in time of peace from being pledged to give his services -in war. The host to be encountered is therefore a rabble, and, as -infantry, their swords would avail them but little in modern warfare -with an European nation. On an attack from the British Government, it -is probable that the rulers of Sinde, after a feeble resistance, would -betake themselves, with their riches, as of yore, to the Desert, a -retreat which would cost them, in this instance, their country. They -might foment for a while conspiracy and rebellion, but the misfortunes -of the house of Talpoor would excite compassion nowhere; for their -government is unpopular with their subjects, and dreaded, if not hated, -by the neighbouring nations. - -In the decline of other Mahommedan states, the prosperity of Sinde has -exalted it in the eyes of foreigners. - -~Its external policy.~ - -Of the princes bordering on Sinde, the Ameers have most intercourse -with Mehrab Khan, the Brahooee chief of Kelat and Gundava, who, like -themselves, was formerly a tributary of Cabool. By this alliance they -have skilfully interposed a courageous people together, with a strong -country between their territories and that kingdom. The Afghans have -endeavoured by bribes and promises to bring over the Kelat chief to -their interests, but he has not been hitherto persuaded, and professes -himself, on all occasions, ready to assist the Ameers in the protection -of that part of their frontier adjoining his dominions. He is related -by marriage to the Hydrabad Ameer; and the Brahooees and Beloochees, -considering themselves to be originally descended from one stock, may -be therefore supposed to have one common interest. With the Seiks at -Lahore there is no cordiality, and but little intercourse: they dread, -and with reason, Runjeet Sing’s power, and they are likewise anxious -to avoid giving offence to any of the Cabool family by a show of -friendship. They owe the Maharaja no allegiance, nor has he hitherto -exacted any; but it has not escaped their observation, that, of all the -countries which adjoin the Sindian dominions, there are none from which -an invasion can be so easily made as from the Punjab, and it is very -doubtful if they could withstand an attack conducted by the Seiks from -that quarter. With the Rajpoot chiefs on their eastern frontier their -intercourse is confined to the exchange of presents. - -~Its internal state.~ - -The internal resources of Sinde are considerable; nor must we look to -the confined revenues of her rulers for an index to that wealth, as in -their struggle for supremacy, the Ameers received many favours from -their Belooch brethren, which have been repaid by large and numerous -grants of land. By deteriorating the value of what remained as their -own share, they hope to allay the cupidity of their neighbours. Trade -and agriculture languish in this land. The duties exacted on goods -forwarded by the Indus are so exorbitant that there is no merchandise -transported by that river, and yet some of the manufactures of Europe -were to be purchased as cheap at Shikarpoor as in Bombay. We are -informed in the Periplus of the Erythrean sea, that the traffic of -Sinde, when ruled by a powerful prince in the second century of the -Christian era, was most extensive, and it is even said to have been -considerable so late as the reign of Aurungzebe. The present rulers, -possessing as they do such unlimited authority over so wide a space, -might raise up a wealthy and commercial kingdom; but the river Indus -is badly situated for the trader, and has no mouth like the Ganges -accessible to large ships: it is separated, too, from India by an -inhospitable tract; and a very vigorous and energetic government could -alone protect commerce from being plundered by the Boordees, Moozarees, -and other hill tribes to the westward. The Indus can only become a -channel for commerce when the chiefs possessing it shall entertain more -enlightened notions. At present much of the fertile banks of this -river, so admirably adapted for agriculture, are only used for pasture. -Flocks and herds may be driven from the invader; but the productions of -the soil can only be reaped in due season, after care and attention. -I now proceed to describe the state of parties at present existing in -Sinde. - -~The Hydrabad family.~ - -The Hydrabad family, from having been visited by several British -missions, is better known than any of the others. It includes the -southern portion, or what is called “Lower Sinde.” Since its first -establishment, in 1786, it has undergone great change; and the reins -of government, from being wielded by four brothers, have been left -without bloodshed in the hands of the last survivor. But the struggle -for dominion, so long warded off, has been bequeathed to a numerous -progeny; and on the death of Moorad Ali Khan, who has attained his -sixtieth year, the evil consequences of the founder of the family, -raising his brothers to an equality with himself, will be felt in a -disputed succession, and perhaps in civil war.[19] One Ameer died -without issue; two of them left sons who have now attained to manhood, -and the remaining Ameer has a family of five children, two of whom, -Noor Mahommed and Nusseer Khan, have for years past sat in durbar on an -equality with their cousins, Sobdar and Mahommed. The different parties -of these four young princes form so many separate factions in the court -of Sinde, and each uses that influence and policy which seems best -suited to advance its ends. Three of them, as the eldest descendants of -Ameers, might claim a right of sharing as their fathers; but the second -son of Moorad Ali Khan has greater weight than any of them, and the -government of the Ameers of Sinde could never, as it first stood, be -considered an hereditary one. - -~Meer Nusseer Khan, and Meer Mahommed.~ - -Meer Nusseer Khan, to whose influence I have just alluded, has been -brought forward by his father in the intercourse with the British, and -though fourth in rank below the Ameer himself: he is the only person -who, with his father, addresses, on all occasions, and is addressed -by, the British Government. He openly professes his attachment to the -English, and informed me by letters, and in two public durbars, that -he had been the means of procuring a passage for the mission by the -Indus to Lahore. Strange as it may appear, it is said that his parent, -otherwise so jealous of the British, had strenuously advised this line -of procedure in his son; nor was it disguised from me by many who had -opportunities of knowing, that the Prince acted under the hope of -assistance from our Government when the hour of difficulty arrived. -Nusseer Khan maintains likewise a friendly intercourse with several -members of the fallen monarchy of Cabool; and while we were at Hydrabad -he was despatching presents to Kamran at Herat. This prince is a mild -and engaging man, much attached to the sports of the field. He has -more liberality than talent, and less prudence than becomes one in the -difficult part which he will shortly have to perform. His success will -depend on the possession of his father’s wealth, for money is the sinew -of war; and the good will of a venal people like the Sindians is not to -be retained by one who has spent his inheritance. Noor Mahommed, the -eldest brother of Nusseer Khan, cultivates a closer friendship with -the Seiks than any other of the Talpoor family, but he has neither -partisans nor ability to achieve an enterprise. He is, besides, -addicted to the grossest debauchery and the most odious vices; but it -is always to be remembered that he is the eldest son of the reigning -chief. - -~Mahommed and Sobdar.~ - -Meer Mahommed seems to hope, and not without cause, that the services -of his father, Gholam Ali, will secure to him his rights. He sent a -messenger to me privately with an offer to enter into a secret treaty -with the British Government, which I declined for obvious reasons. -Sobdar is the rightful heir of Moorad Ali, being the eldest son of the -founder of the house. He is no favourite with the Ameers; but, besides -a treasure of three millions sterling, and lands which yield him three -lacs of rupees annually, he has many chiefs and partisans, who cling -to him from a remembrance of his father’s virtues. He is, too, the -ablest “scion of the stock,” and by one rebellion has already asserted -his rights. The contest will probably lie between Sobdar and Nusseer -Khan; and if these two choose to govern as those who preceded them, -they may revive the title and retain the power of the Ameers of Sinde. -At present, Meer Sobdar conceals his plans and intentions from dread -of his uncle; and I may mention, as a specimen of Sindian jealousy, -that because I asked several times after his health (according to the -formality of this court), seeing him seated on the right hand of the -Ameer, he was displaced at our second interview to make room for Meer -Nusseer Khan. Should Moorad Ali attain “a good old age” these opinions -may prove fallacious, as the stage will then be occupied by other -competitors, who are at present in their childhood, and from among whom -some one, more daring than his relations, may meet with success and -power. - -~The Khyrpoor family.~ - -The Khyrpoor chief, Meer Roostum Khan, succeeded to his father, who -was killed in 1830 by a fall from a balcony. He is about fifty years -of age, and has five sons and two brothers. This family is so numerous -that there are at present forty male members of it alive, descended in -a right line from Meer Sohrab Khan. The chief maintains greater state -than the Hydrabad family. The territory is extensive and productive, -extending on the east bank from a short distance above Sehwun to the -latitude of 28° 30´ north, and on the west bank from Shikarpoor to -within fifteen miles of Mittun, on the verge of the Punjab, skirting -to the westward the mountain of Gendaree and the plains of Cutch -Gundava. There is little cordiality existing between the Khyrpoor and -Hydrabad Ameers; and the breach has been lately increased by some -disputes relative to the duties on opium, of which the former have -hitherto, and in vain, claimed a share. The whole family expressed -themselves cordially attached to the British Government; and evinced, -by a continual succession of kindness, and even munificence towards -our party, that they were sincere in their sentiments: none of them -had ever before seen an European. The treasure, which amounts to three -millions of money, is held by Ali Moorad, the youngest brother of Meer -Roostum Khan, who having access to it, as the favourite son, seized -it on Sohrab’s death, and still retains it. With this exception, the -family are united, and have no subject of dissension. - -The influence of the chief of Khyrpoor in the affairs of Sinde is -considerable. No undertaking which has reference to the well-being -of the country is planned without his being consulted; and hitherto -no operations have been carried on without his sanction. The refusal -of Meer Sohrab to enter into a war to protect the Daoodpootras, and -prevent encroachment by the Seiks, defeated the plans of the Ameers; -for though the families are independent of one another, they will only -act when united. Meer Roostum Khan is on much better terms with his -neighbours than the Hydrabad family: he has agents from the Jaysulmeer -and Beecaneer Rajas, and from the Daoodpootras, resident at his court, -and has more intercourse with the Seiks at Lahore. Meer Roostum is -prepared, however, on all occasions with his troops to protect from -invasion the boundaries of Sinde as they at present exist; and has -readily furnished his quota of troops when the Afghans have endeavoured -to retake Shikarpoor from the Hydrabad chief. - -~Meerpoor family.~ - -The Meerpoor family, at the head of which is Ali Moorad, has the least -influence of the Sinde Ameers. His immediate vicinity to Hydrabad, and -his less fertile and more circumscribed boundary, have kept it more -under the subjection of the principal Ameer. The territory, however, is -exactly situated on the line of invasion for an army from Cutch; and -this Ameer might render material service to any expedition. The family -is allied to Sobdar; and will, in all probability, follow that prince’s -fortunes on a change of government. - -~Condition of the people.~ - -With reference to the condition of the people in these different -chiefships, much has been said by various writers; and I would have -willingly passed it unnoticed, did not the means of observation, which -I enjoyed for so many months, lead me to dissent from some of their -opinions. The Sindians are passionate and proud; and all of them would -be considered deceitful, in so far as they praise and promise without -sincerity. Their passion proceeds from their savage ignorance, and -their pride from jealousy: their deceit does not deceive each other, -and, consequently, ought not to deceive a stranger. I found those -in my employ most honest and faithful servants, and passed from one -extremity of Sinde to another without any other guard than the natives -of the country, and without losing a trifle, though our boats were -boarded by crowds daily. The Sindians are governed by their princes, -after the spirit of the country; and if they could discern how much -the advantages of civil life, and the encouragement of industry and -art, rise superior to despotic barbarism, we might look upon Sinde and -her people in a different light: but these rulers, who seized it by -the sword, must be excused for so maintaining it. Where the principles -of honour are not understood (as has ever been too much the case in -Asiatic governments), men must be ruled by fear; and it is only as -the subject gets liberal and civilised, that he can appreciate the -advantages of free institutions, and deserves such or any share in -the government of his country. The inhabitants of Sinde are miserably -poor, both in the towns and villages; for when we except a few Belooche -chiefs, and some religious families, who are attached to the court, -there is no distributed wealth in the land but among a few Hindoo -merchants. The people of that tribe share no greater evils than their -Mahommedan brethren, and enjoy as much toleration and happiness as in -other Moslem governments. If they were formerly treated with rigour, -the age of fanaticism has passed; and the Hindoo Dewans of Sinde now -transact the entire pecuniary concerns of the state, while the Shroffs -and Banians, who are also Hindoos, pursue their vocations without -interruption, marry off their children, when they attain the prescribed -age, to inherit, after their demise, the substance which had been -realised by commerce. - -~Its extent of population.~ - -It is difficult to fix the population of Sinde, and I bear in mind that -I have seen the fairest portion of the country in my progress through -it by the Indus. The large towns are neither numerous nor extensive: -Hydrabad, the capital, has about 20,000 people, but it is exceeded by -Shikarpoor: Tatta, Currachee, and Khyrpoor have 15,000 each; Meerpoor, -Hala, Sehwun, Larkhana, and Roree (with Sukkur), have each about -10,000; Muttaree, Ulyartando, and Subzul, with five or six others, have -5000 each; which gives a population of nearly 200,000 souls. The number -of people in the delta does not exceed 30,000; and the parts away from -the river, both to the east and west, are thinly peopled, for pastoral -countries are not populous. The villages within reach of the inundation -are, however, large and numerous; and, including the whole face of -the country, there cannot be less than a million of human beings. One -fourth of this number may be Hindoos; and the greater portion of the -Mahommedans are descended from converts to that religion. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[18] As this work is passing through the press, intelligence has -reached England of the death of this Ameer, which has been followed by -a civil war. - -[19] The death of the last Ameer has amply verified such a supposition. - - - - -CHAP. IV. - -ON THE MOUTHS OF THE INDUS. - - -~The Indus.~ - -The Indus, like the Nile and the Ganges, reaches the ocean by many -mouths, which, diverging from the parent stream, form a delta of rich -alluvium. At a distance of sixty miles from the sea, and about five -miles below the city of Tatta, this river divides into two branches. -The right arm is named Buggaur, and the left Sata. This separation is -as ancient as the days of the Greeks, and mentioned by the historians -of Alexander the Great. - -~Two great branches forming its delta.~ - -Of these two branches, the left one, or Sata, pursues nearly a southern -course to the ocean, following the direction of the great river from -which it is supplied; while the right, or Buggaur, deviates at once -from the general track of the Indus, and reaches the sea, by a westerly -course, almost at right angles to its twin river. - -~The Sata.~ - -The eastern branch, or Sata, is the larger of the two, and below the -point of division is one thousand yards wide: it now affords egress to -the principal body of the water; and though it divides and subdivides -itself into numerous channels, and precipitates its water into the sea -by no less than seven mouths within the space of thirty-five miles, -yet such is the violence of the stream, that it throws up sand banks or -bars, and only one of this many-mouthed arm is ever entered by vessels -of fifty tons. The water sent out to sea from them during the swell of -the river is fresh for four miles; and the Gora, or largest mouth, has -cast up a dangerous sand bank, which projects directly from the land -for fifteen miles. - -~The Buggaur.~ - -The western arm, which is called Buggaur, on the other hand, flows -into one stream past Peer Putta, Bohaur, and Darajee, to within five -or six miles of the sea, when it divides into two navigable branches, -the Pittee and Pieteanee, which fall into the ocean about twenty-five -miles apart from each other. These are considered the two great mouths -of the Indus, and were frequented till lately by the largest native -boats. They are yet accessible, but for three years past the channel of -the Buggaur has been deserted by the river; and though it contains two -fathoms of water as high as Darajee, it shallows above that town. In -the dry season it is in some places but knee-deep, and its bed, which -continues nearly half a mile broad, has at that time but a breadth -of 100 yards. The name of Buggaur signifies “destroy.” While this -alteration has diverted the trade from Darajee to the banks of the -Sata, the country near the Buggaur is as rich as it was previously; and -though the branch itself is not navigated, yet there are frequently -two fathoms in its bed, and every where a sufficiency of water for -flat-bottomed boats. During the swell it is a fine river, and will in -all probability shortly regain its former pre-eminence. - -~Delta; its size.~ - -The land embraced by both these arms of the delta extends, at the -junction of the rivers with the sea, to about seventy British miles; -and so much, correctly speaking, is the existing delta of this -river. The direction of the sea-coast along this line of rivers is -north-north-west. - -~Delta may be considered longer.~ - -But the Indus covers with its waters a wider space than that now -described, and has two other mouths still further to the eastward than -those thrown out by the Sata, the Seer, and Koree, the latter the -boundary line which divides Cutch from Sinde, though the rulers of that -country have diverted the waters of both these branches by canals for -irrigation, so that none of them reach the sea. With the addition of -these forsaken branches, the Indus presents a face of about 125 British -miles to the sea, which it may be said to enter by eleven mouths. The -latitude of the most western embouchure is about 24° 40´ N., that of -the eastern below 28° 30´, so that in actual latitude there is an -extent of about eighty statute miles.[20] - -~Dangers of navigating the delta.~ - -The inconstancy of the Indus through the delta is proverbial, and there -is here both difficulty and danger in its navigation. It has in these -days, among the people of Sinde, as bad a character as has been left -to it by the Greek historians. The water is cast with such impetuosity -from one bank to another, that the soil is constantly falling in upon -the river; and huge masses of clay hourly tumble into the stream, often -with a tremendous crash. In some places the water, when resisted by a -firm bank, forms eddies and gulfs of great depth, which contain a kind -of whirlpool, in which the vessels heel round, and require every care -to prevent accident. The current in such places is really terrific, and -in a high wind the waves dash as in the ocean. To avoid these eddies, -and the rotten parts of the bank, seemed the chief objects of care in -the boatmen. - -~Peculiarities of navigation.~ - -It is a fact worthy of record, that those mouths of the Indus, which -are least favoured by the fresh water, are most accessible to large -vessels from the sea; for they are more free from sand banks, which -the river water, rushing with violence, never fails to raise. Thus the -Buggaur, which I have just represented as full of shallows, has a deep -and clear stream below Darajee to the sea. The Hoogly branch of the -Ganges is, I believe, navigable from a similar cause. - -~Individual mouths.~ - -I shall now proceed to describe the several mouths with their harbours, -depth of water, together with such other facts as have fallen under -notice. - -~The Pittee.~ - -Beginning from the westward, we have the Pittee mouth, an embouchure of -the Buggaur, that falls into what may be called the bay of Curachee. -It has no bar; but a large sand bank, together with an island outside, -prevent a direct passage into it from the sea, and narrow the channel -to about half a mile at its mouth. At low water its width is even -less than 500 yards: proceeding upwards, it contracts to 160, but the -general width is 300. At the shallowest part of the Pittee there was a -depth of nine feet at low water, and the tide rose nine feet more at -full moon. At high water there is every where a depth of two fathoms to -Darajee, and more frequently five and six, sometimes seven and eight. -Where two branches meet, the water is invariably deep. At a distance of -six miles up the Pittee there is a rock stretching across the river: -it has nine feet of water on it at low tide. The general course of the -Pittee for the last thirty miles is W.N.W., but it enters the sea by a -channel due south. The Pittee is exceedingly crooked, and consists of -a succession of short turnings, in the most opposite directions; even -from south to north the water from one angle is thrust upon another, -which leaves this river alternately deep on both sides. Where the banks -are steep, there will the channel be found; and, again, where they -gradually meet the water, shallows invariably exist. This, however, may -be remarked of all rivers which flow over a flat country. There is no -fresh water in the Pittee nearer than thirty miles from the sea: the -brushwood on its banks is very dense, and for fifteen miles up presses -close in upon the river. We navigated this branch to that extent, and -crossed it in two places higher up, at Darajee and Bohaur, where it had -two fathoms’ water. - -~Pieteeanee.~ - -The Pieteeanee quits the Pittee about twenty miles from the sea, -which it enters below the latitude of 24° 20´. It is narrower than the -Pittee, and in every respect an inferior branch; for there are sand -banks in its mouth, which overlap each other, and render the navigation -intricate and dangerous. We found it to have a depth of six feet on its -bar at low tide, and fifteen at full; but when once in its channel, -there were three fathoms’ water. At its mouth it is but 300 yards -wide, and higher up it contracts even to fifty; but it has the same -depth of water every where till it joins the Pittee. The Pieteeanee -runs north-easterly into the land, and from its shorter course the -tide makes sooner than in the Pittee, which presented the singular -circumstance of one branch running up, and the other down, at the same -time. - -~Inferior creeks.~ - -Connected with these two mouths of the Indus, there are three inferior -creeks, called Koodee, Khow, and Dubboo. The two first join the Pittee; -and the Koodee was in former years one of the great entrances to -Darajee, but its place has been usurped by the Pieteeanee, and it is -now choked. Dubboo is only another entrance to the Pieteeanee. - -~Indus navigated by flat-bottomed boats.~ - -However accessible these two branches have been found, neither of them -are navigated by any other than flat-bottomed boats, which carry the -entire cargo to and from the mouth of the river, inside which the sea -vessels anchor. It was an unheard-of occurrence for boats like the four -that conveyed us (none of them twenty-five tons in burden) to ascend so -high up the Pittee as we did, a distance of thirty miles; but assuredly -we encountered no obstacles. - -~Jooa, Reechel, and Hujamree.~ - -Of the seven mouths that give egress to the waters of the Sata, or -eastern branch, below Tatta, the Jooa, Reechel, and Hujamree, lie -within ten miles of each other. One of these mouths has been at all -times more or less navigable; and while they are the estuaries of the -waters of the Sata, still a portion of those thrown off by the Buggaur, -or other grand arm, reach them by inferior creeks during the swell, -forming an admirable inland navigation through all parts of the delta. -The mouths of the Jooa and Reechel are choked; but the latter was at a -late period the most frequented of all the branches of the Indus. It -was formerly marked by a minaret, which has, I suppose, fallen down, -as this fact is particularly mentioned by our early navigators. There -is yet a village, near its mouth, called Moonara, or minaret. The -Hujamree is now accessible to boats of fifty tons. Its port is Vikkur, -twenty-five miles from the sea, which, with Shah-bunder (still further -eastward), seems alternately to share the trade of the delta. This -season Shah-bunder is scarcely to be approached, and the next season -Vikkur will perhaps be deserted. We entered the Indus by the Hujamree -mouth, and disembarked at Vikkur. At the bar we had fifteen feet of -water at high tide, and a depth of four fathoms all the way to Vikkur, -even when the tide was out. - -~Khedywaree.~ - -The Khedywaree is the next mouth eastward of Hujamree, with which it is -connected by small creeks; it is shallow, and not much frequented by -boats but to cut firewood. - -~Gora, or Wanyanee.~ - -Of the remaining mouths of the left arm, the next is Gora, the largest -of all the mouths. It derives its supply of water direct from the Sata, -which near the sea feeds numerous small creeks, and is named Wanyanee. -From the Hujamree we passed by a narrow creek into this mouth of the -Indus. The Gora (or, as it is also called towards the sea, Wanyanee,) -has every where a depth of four fathoms. It is not more than 500 yards -wide, and runs with great velocity. Its course is somewhat crooked, -but it pursues a southerly line to the sea, and passes by a fine -village on the left bank called Kelaun. Though the Gora possesses such -facilities for navigation, yet it is not to be entered from the sea -by the smallest boats, from a dangerous sand bank, to which I have -before alluded. It is clear that such sand banks are thrown up by the -impetuosity of the stream; for the Reechel, till it was deserted by the -great body of the Indus, had as large a bar as is now opposite Gora, -which has entirely disappeared with the absence of the fresh water. -This branch of the Indus in the last century was open to large boats; -and a square-rigged vessel of 70 tons now lies near it on dry land, -where it has been left by the caprice of the river. - -~Khaeer and Mull.~ - -Below the Gora we have the Khaeer and Mull, mouths communicating with -it. All three disembogue within twelve miles of each other. The Khaeer, -like the Gora, is unnavigable. The Mull is safe for boats of 25 tons; -and being the only entrance now open to Shah-bunder, is therefore -frequented. The boats anchor in an artificial creek four miles up it, -called Lipta, and await the flat-bottomed craft from the port, distant -about twenty miles north-east. - -~The Seer.~ - -About five-and-twenty miles below Mull we meet the Seer mouth of the -Indus, but have salt instead of fresh water. There are several minor -creeks that intervene, but they do not form any communication. The Seer -is one of the destroyed branches of the Indus. A dam has been thrown -across it below Mughribee, fifty miles from its mouth; and though it -ceases to be a running stream on that account, the superfluity of fresh -water from above forces for itself a passage by small creeks till it -regains the Seer, which thus contains fresh water twenty miles from its -mouth, though it is but a creek of the sea. The river immediately below -Mughribee is named Goongra; higher up it is called Pinyaree, and leaves -the parent stream between Hydrabad and Tatta. The Seer is accessible -to boats of 150 candies (38 tons) to a place called Gunda, where they -load from the flat-bottomed boats of Mughribee. With some extra labour, -these same boats could reach the dam of Mughribee; and from that town -the inland navigation for flat-bottomed boats is uninterrupted to the -main Indus, though it becomes more difficult in the dry season. The -dam of Mughribee is forty feet broad. The Seer at its mouth is about -two miles wide, but it gets very narrow in ascending; within, it has -a depth of four and six fathoms, but below Gunda there is a sand bank -with but one fathom water on it. There is a considerable trade carried -on from this branch of the Indus with the neighbouring countries of -Cutch and Kattywar; for rice, the staple of Sinde, is to be had in -abundance at Mughribee. - -~The Koree, or eastern mouth.~ - -The Koree, or eastern branch of the Indus, completes the eleven mouths -of the river. It once discharged a portion of the waters of the -Fulailee that passes Hydrabad, as also of a branch that quits the -Indus near Bukkur, and traverses the desert _during the swell_; but -it has been closed against both these since the year 1762, when the -Sindians threw up bunds, or dams, to inflict injury on their rivals, -the inhabitants of Cutch.[21] Of all the mouths of the Indus the Koree -gives the grandest notion of a mighty river. A little below Lucput -it opens like a funnel, and at Cotasir is about seven miles wide, -and continues to increase till the coasts of Cutch and Sinde are not -visible from one another. When the water here was fresh it must have -been a noble stream. The depth of this arm of the sea (for it can be -called by no other name) is considerable. We had twenty feet of water -as high as Cotasir, and it continues equally deep to Busta, which is -but eight miles from Lucput. A Company’s cruiser once ascended as high -as Cotasir; but it is considered dangerous, for there is an extensive -sand bank at the mouth called Adheearee, on which the water at low -tide is only knee deep. There are also several sand banks between it -and Cotasir, and a large one opposite that place. The Koree does not -communicate with the Seer or any other mouth of the Indus, but it sends -off a back water to Cutch, and affords a safe inland navigation to -small craft from Lucput to Juckow on the Indian Ocean, at the mouth of -the gulf of Cutch. - -~Advantages of these to Sinde.~ - -The Sindians, it will therefore appear, have choked both eastern -branches. There being no communication by the Indus and the Koree, the -trade of Sinde is not exported by it. It finds a vent by the Seer; but -this has not given rise to any new town being built on its banks. Such, -indeed, is the humidity, that this country is only tenable for a part -of the year. - -~The sea outside the Indus; its dangers.~ - -We here complete the enumeration and description of the mouths of the -Indus. Out from them the sea is shallow; but the soundings are regular, -and a vessel will have from twelve to fifteen feet of water a mile -and a half off shore. The Gora bank presents the only difficulty to -the navigation of these coasts, from Mandivee, in Cutch, to Curachee. -Breakers are to be traced along it for twelve miles. The sailors clear -it by stretching at once out of sight of land, and keeping in twelve -fathoms’ water till the danger is over: they even state that a vessel -of twenty-five tons would be wrecked on a course where the depth is -ten fathoms. This bank is much resorted to by fishermen; and it may -generally be distinguished by their boats and nets. - -~Coast of Sinde exposed.~ - -The coast of Sinde, from its entire exposure to the Indian ocean, is -so little protected against storms, that the navigation is much sooner -suspended than in the neighbouring countries. Few vessels approach -it after March; for the south-west monsoon, which then partially -commences, so raises the sea that the waves break in three and four -fathoms water, while the coast is not discernible from its lowness till -close upon it, and there is a great risk of missing the port, and no -shelter at hand, in such an event. - -~Tides of the Indus.~ - -The tides rise in the mouths of the Indus about nine feet at full moon: -they flow and ebb with great violence, particularly near the sea, where -they flood and abandon the banks with equal and incredible velocity. -It is dangerous to drop the anchor but at low water, as the channel is -frequently obscured, and the vessel may be left dry. The tides in the -Indus are only perceptible seventy-five miles from the sea, that is, -about twenty-five miles below Tatta. - -~Country at the mouths of the Indus.~ - -There is not a more miserable country in the world than the low tract -at the mouths of the Indus. The tide overflows their banks, and recedes -to leave a desert dreary waste, overgrown with shrubs, but without a -single tree. If a vessel be unfortunately cast on this coast, she -is buried in two tides; and the greatest despatch can hardly save a -cargo. We had proof of this in an unfortunate boat which stranded -near us; and, to add to the miseries of this land, the rulers of it, -by a barbarous law, demand every thing which is cast on shore, and -confiscate any vessel which, from stress of weather, may enter their -ports. - -~Curachee, why preferred to the Indus.~ - -The principal sea-port of Sinde is Curachee, which appears remarkable, -when its rulers are in possession of all the mouths of the Indus; -but it is easily explained. Curachee is only fourteen miles from the -Pittee, or western mouth of the Indus; and there is less labour in -shipping and unshipping goods at it, than to carry them by the river -from Darajee or Shahbunder in flat-bottomed boats. Curachee can also -throw its imports into the peopled part of Sinde without difficulty, by -following a frequented and good level road to Tatta. The unshipment, -too, at that port, supersedes the necessity of shifting the cargo into -flat-bottomed boats; and the actual distance between Curachee and Tatta -(about sixty miles) is half exceeded by following the windings of the -stream to any of the harbours in the Delta. As the ports in the river -and Curachee are both subject to Sinde, it is conclusive that that -sea-port has advantages over those of the river, which have led to -their being forsaken by the navigator. In former years, before Curachee -was seized by the Sindians, the exports from the Delta were more -considerable; since then all articles of value are brought to Curachee -by land, and there shipped. The opium from Marwar is never put into a -boat but to cross the Indus on its way to Curachee. - -~The sea boats of Sinde.~ - -The boats of the Indus claim attention. Including Curachee and all the -ports of the country, there are not, perhaps, a hundred dingees, or -sea vessels, belonging to the dominions of the Ameer. These boats are -of a peculiar construction--of a sharp build, with a very lofty poop; -the large ones never ascend the rivers, and are principally used at -the port of Curachee, and sail from thence to Muscat, Bombay, and the -Malabar coast: they carry no guns. A smaller dingee is used at the -mouths of the Indus, chiefly for fishing: they are good sea-boats, -and sail very quickly. The fisheries in the mouths of the Indus being -extensive, and forming a source of commerce, these craft abound. - -~Flat-bottomed boats.~ - -The traffic on the Indus, commencing from its very mouth, is carried on -in flat-bottomed boats, called doondees. They are large and unwieldy, -and never exceed 100 kurwars (fifty tons) in burthen, and, when laden, -draw only four feet of water. They have two masts, the larger in -front; they hoist their sails behind them, to prevent accident, by -giving less play to the canvass. The foresail is of a lateen shape; -that aft is square, and very large. With these set, they can stem the -current, in a good wind, at the rate of three miles an hour. We came -from the sea to Hydrabad in five days. When the wind fails, these boats -are dragged, or pushed up by spars against the stream. With ropes, they -can be pulled a mile and a half in the hour; and they attach these to -the mast-head, to have a better purchase. The helm is shaped like the -letter P, and in the larger vessels is managed by ropes from each side; -at a distance, it seems quite detached from the doondee. These vessels -are also furnished with a long supple oar astern, which they work -backwards and forwards, the steersman moving with it on an elevated -frame. It is possible to impel the doondee with this oar alone, and -nothing else is used in crossing the different ferries. When coming -down with the stream, this oar, too, is again in requisition, they work -it to and fro, to keep the broadside of the vessel to the current. In -descending the river, the masts are invariably struck, and the helm -even is stowed away. I can compare these boats to nothing so correctly -as the drawing of Chinese junks; the largest are about eighty feet -long and eighteen broad, shaped something like a ship high astern and -low in front, with the hull slanted off at both ends, so as to present -less resistance to the water. They are floating houses; for the people -who navigate them take their families, and even their herds and fowls, -along with them. All the boats on the river, large and small, are of -the above description. In navigating the doondees, the boatmen always -choose the shallow water, and avoid the rapids of the river. - -~Indus navigable for steam vessels.~ - -From the account of the River Indus at its mouths, which is above -given, it will appear that it would be accessible to steam-boats of -a certain size and build; but I am thoroughly satisfied that no boat -_with a keel_ could ever navigate this river with any hopes of safety. -The flat-bottomed boats are constantly grounding, but they sustain no -injury; while boats differently constructed would be at once upset by -the violence of the stream, and destroyed. It is not to be doubted, -however, that steam-vessels could be adapted to this navigation as well -as the existing boats on the river; and had not coal been found both at -the head and mouth of the Indus, fuel could be supplied from the great -abundance of wood which the banks of this river every where furnish. -The Americans use wood for this purpose; and the supply of brushwood on -the Lower Indus is abundant. - -~Military remarks on the Indus.~ - -I make allusion to the navigation of this river by steam, because I am -aware it is an object of interest; but, in conducting any expedition -against Sinde, I feel satisfied, from what I have seen, that there -would be little advantage, in a military point of view, derived from -the river Indus below Tatta. It would be impracticable to march a force -through the Delta, from the number of rivers; and it would be equally -impossible to embark it in flat-bottomed boats, for there are not 100 -of them below Hydrabad; few are of burthen, and the very largest would -not contain a company of infantry. The vulnerable point of Sinde is -Curachee, and a landing might be effected on either side of the town -without difficulty. The Creek of Gisry, to the south-east, has been -pointed out[22] as a favourable place, and I can add my concurrence -in the opinion; but a force would easily effect its disembarkation -anywhere in that neighbourhood. For a land expedition, the route from -Cutch to Ballyaree, by the Thurr, seems to me the most feasible. While -I represent the mouths of the Indus as unfavourable for conducting an -attack from India on Sinde, I do not wish to be understood as hazarding -at this time any opinion on like obstacles presenting themselves in an -attack from its banks on India. - -~Supplies of the Delta.~ - -With regard to the supplies which an army is to expect in the lower -parts of Sinde, my report will be more favourable. Grain, that is, rice -and bajree, will be found in great abundance. Horned cattle and sheep -are numerous. The pasturage is not good, but near the sea abundant. -Almost all the villages are mere hamlets; for Darajee, Lahory, and -Shahbunder, which figure on the map as places of importance, have -none of them a population of 2000 souls. The two first, indeed, have -not that between them; and there are not ten other places that have a -hundred souls below Tatta. Camels would be found in great abundance, -as also horses: these are of a small and diminutive breed, but the -camels are very superior. From the number of buffaloes, milk and ghee -are to be had in great abundance, and all the rivers abound in fish. -The country is peopled to the sea-shore; but the inhabitants are -thinly scattered over its surface in temporary villages; and near many -of the mouths experience great inconvenience from the want of fresh -water, which they bring from a distance for themselves and cattle: the -banks of the Gora form the only exception. The people consist chiefly -of erratic and pastoral tribes; for though the Indus presents such -facilities to the cultivator, there is not a fourth of the cultivable -land below Tatta brought under tillage; it lies neglected and overgrown -with tamarisk. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[20] This limited extent of the delta of the Indus is quite -inconsistent with the dimensions assigned to it by the Greeks. Arrian -informs us that the two great branches below Pattala are about 1800 -stadia distant from each other, “and so much is the extent of the -island Pattala along the sea coast.” The distance of 125 British miles, -the face of the modern delta, does not amount to 1125 stadia, or little -more than one half the assigned distance of Arrian. On this point the -Greeks had not personal observation to guide them, since Nearchus -sailed out of the western branch of the Indus, and Alexander made but -a three days’ journey between the two branches of the river, and could -not have entered Cutch, as has been surmised by Dr. Vincent. - -[21] See “A Memoir” regarding this mouth, at the end of the volume, -which contains an account of some singular alterations in physical -geography, as well as a notice of the Run of Cutch. - -[22] By Mr. Crow. - - - - -CHAP. V. - -ON THE DELTA OF THE INDUS. - - -~Delta of the Indus.~ - -Herodotus said of Egypt, that it was the “gift of the Nile;” the same -may be said of the country at the mouths of the Indus. A section of -the banks of the river shows a continued succession of earth, clay and -sand in layers, parallel to one another; and deposited, without doubt, -at different periods. It would be perhaps hazarding too much to state, -that the whole of the Delta has been gradually acquired from the sea; -but it is clear that the land must have greatly encroached on the -ocean. Nothing is more corroborative of this fact than the shallowness -of the sea out from the mouths of the Indus, and the clayey bottom and -tinge of the water. - -~Inundation.~ - -The country from Tatta, which stands at the head of the Delta, to the -sea downwards, is in most parts influenced by the periodical swell -of the Indus: the great branches of this river are of themselves so -numerous, and throw off such an incredible number of arms, that the -inundation is general; and in those places which are denied this -advantage by fortuitous circumstances, artificial drains, about four -feet wide and three deep, conduct the waters through the fields. The -swell commences in the latter end of April, and continues to increase -till July, disappearing altogether in September: a northerly wind is -supposed to accelerate it. It begins with the melting of the snow in -the Himalaya mountains, before the rainy season. At other times the -land is irrigated with the Persian wheel, which is turned by a camel or -bullock, and in general use every where. One eighth of the Delta may -be occupied by beds of rivers and inferior streams. Ten miles from the -sea, the country is so thickly covered with furze and bushes, that it -is incapable of being brought under tillage. Close upon the sea coast, -however, there is abundance of green forage, which furnishes pasture -to large herds of buffaloes. These animals reward the herdsmen with an -abundant supply of ghee; but his labour is incessant, for he must bring -fresh water from the interior for himself and his herd. - -~Towns.~ - -In a tract peopled by a pastoral race, there are few permanent towns or -villages. When we except Darajee, Vikkur, Shahbunder, Mughribee, and -one or two others, the inhabitants reside in temporary villages called -“raj,” which they remove at pleasure; their huts are constructed of -reeds and mats made from rice straw; each house is surrounded by a -grass “tatty” or fence, to exclude the cold wind and humid vapours -which prevail in this low country, and are considered noxious. These -are the houses of which Nearchus speaks, and are, I believe, peculiar -to the river Indus. They very much resemble the huts of tumblers in -India. - -~Population.~ - -It becomes a difficult matter to form any correct opinion as to the -number of inhabitants in such a country, where the body of the people -are wanderers, and not confined to narrow limits: huts are, however, to -be seen every where, and, excluding the city of Tatta, the population -of the Delta cannot be rated at less than 30,000 souls; of this -estimate, one third may be composed of those who reside in the fixed -towns. This census gives seven and a half to the square mile. - -~Tribes.~ - -The erratic tribe, in the Delta of the Indus, is called Jut; these -people are the aborigines of the country; they are a superstitious -race of Mahommedans, and exceedingly ignorant. The different banks of -the rivers are peopled by watermen of the tribe of Mooana; they are -emigrants from the Punjab, and are employed in navigating the boats, -or fishing in the sea or river. There is also another tribe from the -same country, called Seik Lobana, whose occupation it is to make -reeds and mats. They also kill wild animals and game, but are held -in no estimation by the rest of the people. Jookeas or Jukreeas, an -aboriginal race from the mountains over Curachee, are to be found, -but they are not numerous. Some of their chiefs have land assigned to -them. There are also a few Beloochees. On the fixed population there is -little to remark; it is chiefly composed of Hindoos, of the mercantile -caste, who carry on the foreign and internal commerce of Sinde. They do -not differ from their brethren in India. - -~Jokeea tribe.~ - -The only tribe which calls for further comment, is that of Jokeea. -These people are the descendants of the Suma Rajpoots, who governed -Sinde in former years. They became converts to the Mahommedan faith -when the Hindoo dynasty was subverted, and still retain the Hindoo name -of their tribe, and claim consanguinity with the Jhareja Rajpoots of -Cutch. They are mountaineers from the west bank of the Indus, not very -numerous, and little favoured by the government. They can bring 2000 -men into the field. - -~Fisheries.~ - -The fisheries in the river, and out from its different mouths, are -extensive. They are chiefly carried on by hooks, and some of the fish -caught are of enormous dimensions. One species called “Kujjooree” is -killed for its sound, which, with the fins of small sharks that abound -near the Indus, form an article of export to China. The river fish are -likewise abundant; of these, the most remarkable is the “Pulla,” a kind -of carp, delicious in flavour, and only found in the four months that -precede the swell of the river. Another species, called the “Singalee,” -and about the size of a small haddock, likewise abounds. On the -approach of the tide, they make a noise under the ship, louder than a -bull frog. They have a large head, and are very bony. They exist in all -the rivers of Western India, and are not peculiar to the Indus. - -~Animals.~ - -I am not aware that there are any animals peculiar to the Delta of the -Indus. Otters abound; camels are numerous, and superior; buffaloes are -reared in great numbers; horned cattle and sheep are plentiful. The -dog, too, is here elevated to his proper situation, and is an attendant -on man. They watch the flocks, and are of a ferocious description, and -will not allow a stranger to approach a “raj” or village; they swim the -rivers with great dexterity. - -~Productions.~ - -The staple production of the Delta of the Indus is rice: it is to be -had of many different kinds, but its value seems to depend chiefly on -its preparation for the market. Bajree and all other Indian grains are -raised. From extensive plantations of cane, “goor,” a coarse kind of -sugar, is produced; which, with wheat, barley, and moong, are reared by -irrigating the fields from cuts to the river, some months before the -periodical swell, and form what may be called a second crop. Saltpetre -is found in the Delta, but it is not exported, though formerly an -object of commerce to the East India Company. - -~Climate.~ - -The climate of Lower Sinde is sultry and disagreeable. The thermometer -ranges as high as 90° in March, and though the soil is a rich alluvium, -the dust blows incessantly. The dews are very heavy and dangerous. -It is in every respect a trying country to the human constitution, -and this was observable in the premature old age of the inhabitants. -I could not hear of their being subject to any marsh fever, or other -evil effect from the inundation; they confined their complaints to -the inconvenience and annoyance which they suffered from insects and -musquitoes generated in the mud. - - - - -CHAP. VI. - -THE INDUS FROM TATTA TO HYDRABAD. - - -~Indus from Tatta to Hydrabad.~ - -From the city of Tatta, which stands at a distance of three miles from -the river, we cease to have the Indus separated into many channels. -On the right bank it is confined by low rocky hillocks of limestone -formation; and on the left there is but one narrow branch, the -Pinyaree, which is accessible to boats from the town of Mughribee, when -the superfluous water of the floods follows its course to the sea. Yet -the general width of the channel is less than half a mile; at Hydrabad -it is but 830 yards, at Tatta less than 700, and below the village -Hilaya, fifteen miles from that town, it does not indeed exceed 600. -The greatest depth of water lies opposite the capital, and is five -fathoms; the least at Tatta, where it is but fifteen feet; generally, -there is a depth of twenty feet. - -~Its sand-banks.~ - -The Delta of the Indus is free from sand-banks; from Tatta to Hydrabad, -they occur every where, and, as the sides of the river are here more -frequently shelving than steep, it is difficult to discover the deep -channel, which perplexes the navigator. Many of these sand-banks -are but knee deep in the water, and are constantly shifting their -position; the current being less rapid than near the sea, they are -not easily swept away. In several places they have become islands, -and divide the stream into two channels, one of which will _always_ -be found navigable. This subdivision of the river has occasioned many -of these branches being given as separate rivers in our maps, but, as -I have before stated, none such exist, excepting the Pinyaree. In the -floods there is a narrow channel above Triccul, communicating with the -Fulailee branch, which insulates Hydrabad at that season. - -~Course and extent.~ - -The distance by land from Tatta to Hydrabad is less than fifty miles, -nor do the windings of the stream increase it, even by water, to -sixty-five. Its course is south-west by south, and rather direct, with -one decided turn, below Jurruk, where it throws off the river leading -to Mughribee. We made the voyage against the stream in two days. - -~Towns, &c.~ - -There are not a dozen places between Tatta and the capital; the only -one of note is Jurruk, situated near some low rocky hillocks, nor does -it boast a population of 1500 souls: none of them are fortified. - -~Country.~ - -This country, which might be one of the richest and most productive -in the world, is devoted to sterility. Hunting preserves, or, as they -are called, “shikargahs,” follow one another in such succession, -as to leave no land for tillage; and the fences which confine the -game approach within a few yards of the Indus. The interior of these -preserves forms a dense thicket, composed of tamarisk, saline shrubs, -and other underwood, with stunted trees of bramble, which are not -allowed to be pruned or cut; so that the banks of the Indus, if in the -hands of a formidable enemy, afford cover from which an expedition -conducted by water might be constantly and grievously harassed. The -roads through this tract are equally close and strong. - -Neglected as is this portion of Sinde, it is not destitute of supply; -grain is cheap and plentiful everywhere. Tatta and Hydrabad are the -ancient and modern capitals of the country. - -~Productions.~ - -The productions of the soil in the gardens of Tatta exhibit the -fertility of this land: the vine is successfully reared, as also the -fig and the pomegranate. There are apple-trees in abundance, and though -the fruit is small, it increases in size about Hydrabad. In the few -patches of cultivation may be seen indigo, tobacco, sugar-cane, with -wheat, barley, and all the other Indian grains; but it is the policy -of the rulers of Sinde to keep every thing in a state of nature, that -their territories may not excite the cupidity of surrounding states. -Agriculture and commerce are alike depressed. - -~Trade.~ - -With regard to the trade of this country, it may be said there is -little or none anywhere but at Curachee. The Indus is as if it existed -not; and, though grain is sent by it to the delta, no advantage is -taken of the river to convey goods to Hydrabad. The imports are landed -at Curachee, and the most valuable export, which is Malwa opium, is -shipped from the same port. The merchants, in prosecuting their journey -to Candahar, and the upper provinces of the Indus, quit the Sindian -territories with all dispatch. The only encouragement which the chiefs -give to trade is in opium, yet they levy the exorbitant duty of 250 -rupees for a camel-load. The revenue from this article alone amounted -last year it is said to seven lacs of rupees; a sum equal to the land -revenue of the Hydrabad Ameer. - -~Means of improving it.~ - -Nor do there exist any hopes of improving or increasing commercial -intercourse by this river, till the rulers of it have more just -notions of policy, and some one of them, more enlightened than the -rest, discovers that the true riches of a country are to be found -by encouraging the people in industry and art. At present there is -no wealth in Sinde but what is possessed by its rulers; and had the -people the inclination, they have not the means of purchasing the -manufactures of Europe. The case was otherwise in the beginning of this -century, when the East India Company traded at Tatta by a factory, and -the rulers, intimidated by their lord paramount in Cabool, did not -object to the transit of goods to that and other countries. Sinde must -follow the fate of that portion of Asia; and, if any of the Dooranee -tribes be yet able to seize the crown of Cabool, we may expect a change -for the better in the dependent provinces at the mouths of the Indus. - -~Boats, deficiency thereof.~ - -At present there are not vessels sufficient for any considerable trade: -between the capital and Tatta they do not exceed fifty, many of them -small and used for fishing, others old and worn out, that cross the -stream in certain places as ferry-boats. Encouragement would soon -remedy what may be considered a defect in a military, as well as a -commercial point of view. Sinde has no wood for ship building, that -which is used being imported from Malabar. - - - - -CHAP. VII. - -FROM HYDRABAD TO SEHWUN. - - -~Sehwun, its position.~ - -The town of Sehwun stands at a distance of two miles from the west bank -of the Indus, and is exactly 1° of latitude north of Hydrabad, for it -is crossed by the parallel of 26° 22´. The voyage is performed in eight -days, against the stream, and the distance is 105 miles. - -~Indus, its course and depth.~ - -The river, in this part of its course, is named “Lar,” which, in the -Belooch language, means south: it flows about S. S. E., being resisted -at Sehwun by rocky mountains, which change the direction of the stream. -Its banks are very low, and the country bordering on them frequently -overflowed, particularly on the eastern side: the western bank is more -firm, but seldom exceeds eight feet in height. This expansion of the -river diminishes its general depth to eighteen feet: during the swell -the increase is twelve feet additional; the width is frequently 1000 -yards and upwards. About six miles above Hydrabad, the Indus divides -into two channels, one of which is fordable, and the other but 400 -yards wide, which points to this as the place for crossing an army. -At Sehwun the rocky buttress of the Lukkee hills hems the waters into -a channel of 500 yards; but the depth is nearly forty feet, and the -current rapid. - -~Fulailee River.~ - -The river throws off no branches, in this part of its course, save -the Fulailee, which leaves the Indus twelve miles above Hydrabad, and -passes eastward of that city: it is only a stream during the swell. -It was dry at Hydrabad when we were at that city, and but a 100 yards -wide, and knee-deep where it separated from the Indus; yet it is a very -considerable river in the wet season, and fertilises a vast portion of -Sinde by its water, which it may be said to exhaust between Hydrabad -and Cutch. The maps give most erroneous ideas of the Indus, for the -numerous branches which appear to leave the river are only water -courses for the periodical swell, many of them artificial, dug for the -purposes of irrigation. The river for nine months runs in one trunk to -Tatta. - -~Current, and effects of it.~ - -The current never exceeds three miles an hour in this part of the -Indus, unless at some places where it is confined, when its rapidity -undermines its banks, and carries villages along with it. The towns of -Majindu and Amree, on the right bank, have both been swept away, the -former no less than eight or ten times within the last twelve years; -but the people retire a few hundred yards, and again erect their -habitations. Hala, on the eastern side, has shared a like fate; but -the channel of the river lies to the westward, where the banks are -more steep, and the left bank of the river, though consisting of a -flat field of sand, is only inundated in the swell. At that period, -for eight miles eastward of the Indus, it is not possible to travel -from the number of shoots the river casts off. The Indus itself is here -pretty constant in its course; and, though the country eastward would, -as I have observed, favour the escape of the water in that direction, -it clings for some time to the Lukkee mountains. - -~Its military importance.~ - -This section of the river is of great importance: about two miles below -Sehwun these mountains run in upon the Indus, leaving two practicable -passes over them. The one leads across a depressed part of the range, -called Buggotora, westward of the village of Lukkee (which signifies -a pass), and might be obstinately defended: it is not a gun-road. The -other passes between the river and the mountains, and is a cart-road, -running in a valley among the lower rocks, at the base of the Lukkee -mountains. The ground is very strong for about two miles. - -~Crossing the Indus.~ - -I have before mentioned that the river near Sehwun is confined to a -narrow bed. The right bank is very remarkable, consisting of a natural -buttress of solid rock, about fifty feet high, which extends for 400 -yards along the river, and, slanting upwards, is barely accessible to -a foot passenger. The Indus passes with such a sweep under the base of -this rampart, that, though but 500 yards wide, I question if a bridge -could be thrown across it. There is a more favourable place immediately -north of this precipice, where the breadth is but 100 yards greater, -and the water more still. Thirty or forty flat-bottomed boats would -always be found at Sehwun: they lie on the left bank, which is flat and -sandy. There are good roads from Sehwun to Hydrabad on both sides of -the Indus; and there is a footpath along the base of the mountains to -Curachee. - -~Navigation of the Indus.~ - -The river can only be navigated by dragging the boat against the -stream, for there is very little wind in the upper parts of Sinde: the -progress by this method is sure, and averages from fifteen to twenty -miles a day. It would be impossible, without steam, to conduct any -military expedition against the stream of the Indus, for the labour of -dragging the boats would be great, from constant accidents, by ropes -breaking, and the vessels being hurried into the stream. The case would -be very different in an army descending the Indus. Trading vessels, -however, would not be liable to any such impediments. We only counted -180 boats in our progress from Hydrabad to Sehwun. - -~Towns, country.~ - -Of the country and towns which intervene between Sehwun and the -capital, a few words will suffice. There are none of any size but -Sehwun itself: Muttaree, sixteen miles from Hydrabad, contains 4000 -people; and Hala, Beyan, Majindu, and Sen about 2000 each. The other -places are few, and thinly peopled: three or four of them have -frequently one name. The country is much neglected, the banks of the -river are, in most places, covered with tamarisk, towards the hills -it is open. Cotton, indigo, wheat, barley, sugar, tobacco, &c. are -produced by irrigation in the dry season; but the limited extent of the -cultivation may be discovered, by their being but 194 wells, or cuts, -from the river on one side of the Indus, between Hydrabad and Sehwun, a -distance of 100 miles, where the greater part of the soil is rich and -cultivable. In a few places the land is salt and sterile. Rice is only -produced during the swell, and yet provisions are dearer here than in -the neighbouring and less favoured country of Marwar. The people live -chiefly on fish and milk. - -~Sehwun.~ - -The town of Sehwun bears alone the marks of opulence in this portion of -Sinde; and it is indebted for its prosperity to the shrine of a holy -saint from Khorasan, by name Lal Shah baz, whose tomb is a place of -pilgrimage from afar to Hindoo and Mussulman. A branch of the Indus, -called Arrul, runs immediately past the town, in its course from -Larkhana; but this will be described in the next chapter. Four years -since, the Indus passed close under Sehwun; but it has retired, and -left a swamp on all sides of the town. About Sehwun the country is -rich and productive, and the bazar is well supplied. Looking north, -the eye rests on a verdant plain, highly cultivated, which extends to -the base of the mountains: mulberries, apples, melons, and cucumbers -grow here; the grain crops are luxuriant, and, for the first time, we -saw gram. The melons are tasteless, I presume from the richness of the -soil: cucumbers grow in Sinde only at Sehwun. The climate is sultry, -oppressive, and disagreeable. - -~Lukkee mountains. Runna.~ - -The Lukkee mountains run in upon the Indus at Sehwun, extending from -near the seaport of Curachee, and gradually encroaching upon the -river, till they meet in a bold buttress. The elevation of this range -does not, I think, exceed 2000 feet; their formation is limestone; -the summits are flat and rounded, never conical: they are bare of -vegetation, and much furrowed by watercourses, all of which present a -concave turn towards the Indus. There is a hot spring near Sehwun, -at the village of Lukkee, situated at the base of these mountains, -adjoining one of a cold description: the hot spring is a place of -Hindoo pilgrimage, and considered salutary in cutaneous disorders. -There is a spring of the same kind in the neighbourhood of Curachee, at -the other extremity of the same range, so that similar springs would -probably be found in the intervening parts. On this range, and about -sixteen miles westward of Majindu, on the Indus, stands the fortified -hill of Runna, a place of strength in by-gone years, but, till lately, -neglected. The Ameer of Sinde has repaired it at considerable expense; -but, from what I could learn, Runna owes its chief strength to the -absence of water from the bleak mountains which surround it, and the -copious supply within its walls. - - - - -CHAP. VIII. - -THE INDUS, FROM SEHWUN TO BUKKUR. - - -~Bukkur, its position.~ - -The insulated fortress of Bukkur is situated on a rock in the Indus, -between the towns of Roree and Sukkur. It is a degree and twenty -minutes north of Sehwun, being in latitude 27° 4´; and in longitude it -is 56 miles eastward of that town. The distance by the river amounts to -160 miles, and we voyaged it in nine days. - -~Indus.~ - -Between these points the Indus flows in a zigzag course, nearly -south-west, till it is impeded by the Lukkee mountains, below Sehwun. -The intervening country is richly watered by its meanderings, and, -from the lowness of the banks, the tract is disputed by the river and -its ramifications, and formed into numerous islets of the richest -pasture. On the least approach of the swell, both banks are inundated -and irrigated: the superfluous water often forces for itself a passage -into the desert by Omercote, and joins the eastern mouth of the Indus -or Koree, which passes Cutch. The channel of this watercourse commences -above Bukkur, and passes four miles eastward of that place, the -ancient city of Alore. - -~Fertility of the country.~ - -About twenty-five miles below Bukkur, the Indus sends to the westward -a branch called Nara, that washes the base of the Hala, or mountains -of Beloochistan, and, after pursuing a parallel course of many miles, -rejoins the river at Sehwun. Its waters are courted, and distributed -by canals, which add to the blessings bestowed by nature on this flat -and fertile land. The eastern bank, though less favoured than the -opposite one, is highly cultivated, and most of the towns and villages -stand on the verge of canals, which bounteously distribute the waters -of the periodical swell, and attest the industry and assiduity of the -inhabitants. - -~Current, depth, &c.~ - -The river but rarely flows here in one undivided stream; with a width -of three quarters of a mile, in some places, it preserves a depth of -fifteen feet in its shallowest bed. There is nothing approaching to a -ford in any part of its course: two hundred boats would be found at -the various villages in this part of the river. The declivity on which -the Indus runs to the ocean must be gentle, for above the delta it -glides sluggishly along at less than two miles and a half in the hour. -From Sehwun upwards, the Indus is called “Sira,” which means north, -in contradistinction to the southern portion, which is called “Lar.” -Mehran is a foreign term, with which the natives of the country are not -acquainted. - -~Eastern bank of the Indus.~ - -The immediate vicinity of the Indus is alike destitute of beauty and -inhabitants. It is overgrown with tamarisk shrubs, and the villages -are purposely raised at the distance of two or three miles, to avoid -the calamities of inundation; yet there were an hundred wheels at -work on the verge of the river. The eastern bank, from Sehwun to -Bukkur, is by far the best peopled portion of Sinde; but the inhabited -places which do occur are rather numerous and thriving than large and -wealthy: many of them have 500 houses. This territory is subject to -the chief of Khyrpoor, and is enriched by a canal forty feet broad, -called “Meerwah,” which conducts, by a southerly course, the waters -of the Indus from the neighbourhood of Bukkur to a distance of ninety -miles, where they are lost in sands, or deposited in the fields. There -are numerous other canals beside the one which I have now described; -and, while their banks are fringed with villages and agriculture, they -likewise afford the means of transporting, by boats, the produce of the -soil. In the fair season, when dry, they become the beaten footpaths -of the people, and are excellent cart-roads, preferred at all times to -the common pathway, which, from the exuberance of vegetation in this -country, is generally impeded by bushes. - -~Western bank of the Indus.~ - -The western bank of the Indus, which is intersected by the Nara, is -called Chandkoh, from a Belooche tribe of that name, and yields the -greater portion of the land revenue of the Hydrabad Ameers. This -branch, which leaves the Indus below Bukkur, in the latitude of -Larkhana, in its passage to the main stream, forms a small lake, called -Munchur, which abounds in fish. Further down, it changes the name of -Nara into that of Arrul, before falling into the Indus; it is a narrow -river, about 100 yards broad, and only navigable during the inundation. -Numerous cuts, the chief of which is the Larkhana canal, extend the -cultivation beyond its banks; and, in addition to the swell of the -Indus, this district is watered by rills from the lofty mountains to -the westward. The lake of Munchur is environed by fields of wheat in -the dry season: its waters then partially subside, and leave a rich -mould on which good crops are reared. - -~Fort of Bukkur.~ - -The fortress of Bukkur is constructed of brick, on a low rocky island -of flint, at a distance of 400 yards from the left bank of the Indus, -and about fifty less from the eastern side of the river. Its walls are -loop-holed, and flanked with towers, that slope to the water’s edge: -they do not exceed twenty feet in height. There is a gateway on each -side of the fortification facing Roree and Sukkur, and likewise two -wickets. The interior of the works is crowded with houses and mosques, -many of which, as well as parts of the rock itself, appear above -the wall. In shape it approaches to an oval, and is about 800 yards -long, and 300 in diameter. At some places the rock has been pared and -scraped; but Bukkur has no strength in its works, and is formidable -only from its position. The garrison consists of 100 men of the -Khyrpoor Ameer: there are fifteen pieces of artillery, few of which are -serviceable. The walls enclose the entire island, with the exception -of a small date grove on the northern side, where a landing might be -effected without difficulty, from the right bank, and the place would -fall by escalade; or it might be previously breached from the bank -of the river. There is a depth of four fathoms on both sides of the -island; but the eastern channel becomes shallow in the dry season, and -is said to have been once forded. The navigation of the Indus at Bukkur -is dangerous, from eddies formed under the fortress itself; and several -other rocky islets below it; but the watermen are considered the most -experienced in Sinde, and, as a boat never attempts to pass up or down -without a pilot, there are but few accidents. - -~Roree and Sukkur.~ - -The town of Roree, which faces Bukkur, stands close on the bank of -the Indus, on a flinty precipice forty feet in height, over which the -houses tower. A road cut in the rock, down to the edge of the river, -at a place where it does not approach the precipice, is the point -of embarkation for those passing to Bukkur; but a landing would be -difficult and dangerous when the river is high. The town of Roree has -about 8000 inhabitants, chiefly Hindoos. To the eastward of it, several -detached hillocks of flint present a most bleak and barren appearance, -but add to the strength of the country; beyond their limits a grove -of date trees extends for three or four miles to the southward of the -town, shading numerous orchards and gardens. Sukkur, which stands -opposite Roree, is about half the size of that town: both have been -considerable places in former years, and the ruins of minarets and -mosques remain. The bank of the river at Sukkur is not precipitous, and -the town runs in from it, instead of extending, like Roree, along its -banks. These two towns doubtless owe their position to Bukkur, which, -as a protection in troubled times, added to the courage and hopes of -the inhabitants. - -~Khyrpoor and Larkhana.~ - -The only modern towns of note which require remark, are Khyrpoor and -Larkhana, on the left and right banks of the river, nearly under the -same parallel of latitude, both distant from it about fourteen miles, -and watered by canals from the Indus. Khyrpoor is a modern town, built -by the Talpoor chief, Sohrab, who seized on the northern part of Sinde, -after the subversion of the Caloras. It contains a population of about -15,000 souls, but is merely a collection of mud hovels heaped together -in narrow lanes. It is destitute of fort or defence, unless a mud wall -about a foot thick, which surrounds the house of the Ameer and his -family, can be considered in that light. The country near it is flat -and bushy, and a low dyke has been drawn round the town, to keep the -inundations of the river at a distance. Larkhanu, which stands on the -western bank, is the capital of the Pergunna of Chandkoh: it has about -10,000 people, and is the head quarters and rallying point of the -Sinde Ameers on their N. W. frontier. It has a small mud fort; and an -inefficient train of artillery, about twenty in number, frightens the -refractory in the neighbouring mountains, and maintains the peace of -Sinde. It is governed by a Nuwab, the individual next in rank to the -rulers of the land. - -~Productions.~ - -The productions of Sinde are very similar in different parts of the -country, and the same kinds of grain are produced here as at Sehwun. -There is a shrub very like the wall-flower called “syar,” that -grows in this tract, and the juice of which is considered a valuable -medicine for the diseases of children. The wheat-fields are invariably -surrounded by a low dyke, like rice ground: tobacco grows very -luxuriantly near Roree. The greatest want in Sinde is grass, which is -choked by the tamarisk; to which the people set fire, and derive, by -such means, an abundant crop. There are but few trees in Sinde; the -babool[23], even, does not attain any considerable size; the neem[24] -and sirs, so abundant in India, are rarely seen, and the banian[25] -tree is a stranger. The shrubs of the thurr, the kejra, khair, bair, -akra (swallow-wort), and tamarisk, grow every where. I have already -alluded to the date grove of Roree. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[23] Mimosa Arabica. - -[24] Melia Azadarachta. - -[25] Ficus religiosa. - - - - -CHAP. IX. - -THE INDUS FROM BUKKUR, TILL JOINED BY THE PUNJAB RIVERS. - - -~The Indus.~ - -The waters of the Punjab, united in one stream, fall into the Indus at -Mittun, in the latitude of 28° 55´ north. From this point to Bukkur, -the river pursues a south-westerly course, is direct in its channel, -but frequently divided by sand banks. Various narrow, crooked branches -also diverge from the parent stream, retaining a depth from eight to -fifteen feet of water, which are navigated by boats ascending the -Indus, in preference to the great river itself. They extend throughout -the whole intervening space which I have now under review. - -~Its breadth and depth.~ - -The Indus is widely spread in many parts of its course above Bukkur. It -often exceeds a thousand yards in breadth, and at Mittun was found to -be even double that width. The depth was not proportionally diminished: -in some places it exceeded sixteen fathoms, and four fathoms were to be -found every where; which, it is to be recollected, was at a season when -the waters are lowest. There was no greater acceleration of current -than in the lower parts of the river, and the serpentine course of the -narrows just mentioned proves the great flatness of this country. - -~Boats of the Indus.~ - -From Bukkur the Indus is navigated by a different description of -boat from the Doondee, called “zohruk,” and admirably adapted to the -transport of troops, both horse and foot, from being as roomy before as -astern: they are not numerous, but we met ninety-five of them in our -voyage to Mittun. We made the passage in these boats from Bukkur to -Mittun in nine days, a distance of 170 miles by the river. - -~Country on its banks.~ - -The country which this portion of the Indus traverses is of the richest -nature, particularly on the eastern bank, where it is flooded from -innumerable channels, which are generally cut in those parts of the -river running east and west, that the water may be thrown south into -the interior. On the right bank, about twenty-six miles above Bukkur, a -navigable canal called the “Sinde,” the work of the emperors, conducts -a great body of water to Shikarpoor and Noushera, and joins that of -Larkhanu. On that side of the river the cultivation is limited, as the -districts of Boordgah, Ken, and Moozarka, which succeed each other, -are peopled by wandering and unsettled Belooche tribes, who lead a -pastoral and plundering life. The territory on both sides chiefly -belongs to Sinde, for the boundary line stretches, on the right bank, -to within fifteen miles of Mittun, and adjoining the dominions of the -Seik; but it overlaps that on the left, which terminates lower down in -the latitude of 28° 33´, twenty-five miles above Subzul. This stripe -of land on the left bank forms a portion of the territories of the -Daoodpootra chief, Bhawul Khan; and the district immediately below that -chief’s territory in Sinde is named Oobaro, and inhabited by the Duhrs -and Muhrs, who are the aborigines of the country, and known by the name -of Sindees. - -~Shikarpoor, Subzul, and other places.~ - -The town of Shikarpoor, which stands thirty-two miles from Bukkur, -is by far the largest in this tract, indeed in Sinde, for in size -it exceeds the capital, Hydrabad. The country around it is very -productive, but in the change of masters, from the Afghans to the -Sindians, its revenue has deteriorated to half a lac of rupees -annually: the government is oppressive. It still carries on an -extensive inland trade, for the greater portion of its merchants and -people are Hindoos, and have agents in the surrounding countries. -Shikarpoor is surrounded by a mud wall, and the governor of the place -holds an important post, and with it the title of Nuwab. This town and -district fell into the hands of the Sindians about eight years ago, and -is the only unsettled portion of their country, the Afghan family to -whom it belonged making frequent attempts to recover it. The frontier -town of Subzul on the left bank of the Indus, and twelve miles inland, -is about one fifth the size of Shikarpoor: it contains a population of -5000 souls, and like it is surrounded by a mud wall. There are no other -places of note but these which I have mentioned. Mittun, or, as it is -sometimes called, Mittun Kote, has not a population of 1500 people, and -its fort has been demolished. - -~Swell of the Indus.~ - -It will be observed in this part of its course, as well as elsewhere, -that there are no towns or places of size in the immediate vicinity of -the Indus; which is owing to the annual swell of the river rendering it -impossible to cultivate or raise a crop within its reach. This leads to -the waters being conducted inland by canals, the banks of which being -frequently overflowed render the country untenable. The neighbourhood -of Subzul Kote has been deserted on this account, and the great -quantity of water forces for itself a channel from this direction upon -the watercourse at Alore. The Indus is very variable in its rise in -different years, and for these two by-gone seasons has not attained its -usual height. - -~Cattle, animals, &c.~ - -The number of horned cattle to be seen in this part of the Indus is -exceedingly numerous. Buffaloes are so plentiful as to be only a -fourth the value of those lower down the river, and the very best may -be purchased for ten rupees each. Deer, hog, and partridge abound, and -the water-fowl above Bukkur are numerous, even in this season (May). - -~Tribes bordering on the Indus.~ - -I have mentioned the districts lying westward of the Indus, and the -predatory habits of the inhabitants. The Boordees occupy all the -plains north of Shikarpoor, to the borders of the Brahooee country, -or Cutch Gundava. They are emigrants from Kej and Mekran, and of the -Belooche family of Rind. They are a fair and handsome race of men, more -like Afghans than Beloochees: they do not wear the costume of Sinde, -but roll a cloth in folds loosely round their brows, and allow their -hair in long tresses to hang suspended, which gives them a savage -appearance. They took the name of Boordee, from a noted individual in -the tribe, according to the Belooche custom, for the various tribes -are nothing more than descendants of some person of note. The chief -place of the Boordees is Duree, but they have no large towns. The whole -“Oolooss,” or tribe, is rated at 10,000 fighting men, and till their -chiefs were taken into the service of the Ameers, they were constantly -marauding: petty robberies are yet committed. Their language is a -corrupted Persian: of the other tribes, the Juttooees, Moozarees, -Boogtees, and Kulphurs, with many more, they differ from the Boordees -only in name. The Juttooees are to be found in Boordgah: the Moozarees, -whose chief town is Rozan, extend as far as Dera Ghazee Khan, but their -power is now broken, though they plundered in former times the armies -of Cabool. The Kulphurs and Boogtees occupy the hills called Gendaree, -which commence below the latitude of Mittun, and run parallel with the -Indus. - - - - -CHAP. X. - -THE INDUS FROM MITTUN TO ATTOK. - - -~The Indus above Mittun.~ - -While on our progress to Mooltan, by the Chenab or Acesines, I made -various enquiries, and sent different people to acquire precise -information, regarding the Indus above Mittun. The Cabool mission in -1809 came upon that river, at Oodoo da Kote, about 100 miles north of -the point in question; and I was desirous of connecting my own surveys -with that place, and thus complete our knowledge of the Indus from the -sea to Attok. - -~Description of it.~ - -The river runs, in this part of its course, nearly due south, and is -free from danger and difficulty in navigation. It is here generally -known by the name of Sinde or Attok, and traverses a country much the -same as I have described near Mittun, being often widely spread from -the lowness of its banks. Its breadth is considerably diminished; for -at Kaheree, when Mr. Elphinstone crossed it in January, the soundings -did not exceed twelve feet, with a breadth of 1000 yards, while the -Indus, after it has received the Punjab rivers, rolls past Mittun with -a width exactly twofold. On the left bank, too, the soundings were -found to be four fathoms deep. - -~Province of Dera Ghazee Khan.~ - -On the right bank of the river the province of Dera Ghazee Khan -occupies the country as far as the mountains. It is a fertile -territory, and the capital which bears its name is one of the largest -towns on the Indus. It is surrounded by gardens and date groves, -and stands in a very rich country: it has been long numbered among -the conquests of the Seiks, who farmed it, till lately, to the Khan -of Bhawulpoor at an annual rent of six lacs of rupees; but as the -district originally produced but four, every species of extortion was -practised which led to its late resumption. The tract being remote from -Runjeet Sing’s dominions, he is anxious to hold it without requiring -the services of his troops; and the Maharajah has given Dajil and -some portion of the territory to the Brahooees, its former owners, on -condition of military service. - -~Commerce, in line of route.~ - -The productions of Demaun, and the countries westward of the Indus, are -sometimes brought by Dera Ghazee Khan, and crossed to Ooch; but the -more frequented route lies higher up, and passing the ferry at Kaheree -leads to Mooltan. The river is not used in the transport of any portion -of the trade, for the hire of boats is exorbitant, and it is sent on -camels or bullocks. Madder (called munjoot) is an article of export -from this part of the Indus, and used to dye the fabrics of Bhawulpoor. - -~Expeditions, why they avoided the Indus.~ - -It is a remarkable fact that the various expeditions that have been -conducted from the upper provinces of the Indus, to the countries -lower down, have taken the rivers of the Punjab, as far as they went, -in preference to the Indus itself; but we are certainly not to infer -therefrom that the greater river is shut against navigation. The -conquests of Alexander led him beyond the neighbourhood of the Indus, -and in the case of the emperors their capital was long fixed at Lahore, -and several of their fleets against lower Sinde were fitted out at -Mooltan, always a city of great importance in the empire, and on a -river as accessible to the boats of the country as the Indus itself. - -~Bridge of boats at Attok.~ - -The Indus has been crossed at Attok, and an account of it, and that -fortress, will be found in Mr. Elphinstone’s work; but the means which -the ruler of Lahore has used of late years to transport his army to -the right bank of the river, and which I heard from his officers, -and afterwards had confirmed on the spot, deserve mention. Runjeet -Sing retains a fleet of thirty-seven boats, for the construction of a -bridge at Attok, where the river is only 260 yards wide. The boats -are anchored in the stream, a short distance from one another, and the -communication is completed by planks, and covered with mud: immediately -below the fortress of Attok, twenty-four boats are only required, but -at other places in the neighbourhood, so many as thirty-seven are used. -Such a bridge can only be thrown across the Indus from November to -April, on account of the velocity of the stream being comparatively -diminished at that season, and even then the manner of fixing the boats -seems incredible. Skeleton frame-works of wood, filled with stones, to -the weight of 250 maunds (25,000 lbs.), and bound strongly by ropes, -are let down from each boat, to the number of four or six, though the -depth exceeds thirty fathoms, and these are constantly strengthened -by others to prevent accident. Such a bridge has been completed in -three days, but six is a more usual period. We are struck with the -singular coincidence between this manner of throwing up a bridge, and -that described by Arrian[26], when Alexander crossed the Indus. He -mentions his belief regarding Alexander’s bridge at Attok, and except -that the skeleton frame-works are described as “huge wicker-baskets,” -the modern and ancient manner of crossing the river appears to have -been the same. The Afghans farmed the construction of a bridge at Attok -for the sum of 14,000 rupees; but the Seik has put a stop to the ruin -of habitations and houses which it invariably caused, and keeps up -an efficient supply of materials. An army which does not exceed 5000 -men is crossed at Attok by the ferry boats with less labour than by a -bridge. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[26] Vide lib. v. c. 7. - - - - -CHAP. XI. - -THE CHENAB OR ACESINES JOINED BY THE SUTLEGE OR HESUDRUS. - - -~Chenab or Acesines.~ - -The Acesines of the Greeks, or the modern Chenab, is lost in the Indus -at Mittun, having previously gathered the waters of the Punjab rivers. -The junction is formed without noise or violence, for the banks are -depressed on both sides, and the river is expanded: an eddy is cast -to the eastern side, which sinks the water below the usual level, but -it does not occasion danger. The Euphrates and Tigris, when joined, -pass to the ocean under the name of the “river of the Arabs,” and the -appellation of Punjnud, or “the five rivers,” has been bestowed on -this portion of the Chenab; but it is a designation unknown to the -people living on its banks, and adopted, I conclude, for geographical -convenience. - -~Joined by the Sutlege.~ - -Under the parallel of 29° 20´ north latitude, and five miles above -Ooch, the Chenab receives the Garra, or joint stream of the Beas and -Sutlege (Hyphasis and Hesudrus of antiquity). This junction is also -formed without violence, and the low banks of both rivers lead to -constant alteration in the point of the union, which, but a year ago, -was two miles higher up. This circumstance renders it difficult to -decide on the relative size of these rivers at their junction; both are -about 500 yards wide, but the Chenab is more rapid. Immediately below -the confluence, the united stream exceeds 800 yards; but in its course -to the Indus, though it expands sometimes to a greater size, the Chenab -rarely widens to 600 yards. In this part of its course it is likewise -subject to change. The depth is greatest near its confluence with the -Indus, exceeding twenty feet, but it decreases in ascending the river -to about fifteen. The current is swifter than the Indus, running at -the rate of three and a half miles an hour. The Chenab has some sand -banks, but they do not interrupt its navigation by the “zohruks,” or -flat-bottomed boats, forty of which will be found between Ooch and -Mittun, a distance of forty miles, and a five days’ voyage. - -~Banks of the Chenab.~ - -The banks of the Chenab seldom rise three feet above the water’s edge, -and they are more open and free from thick tamarisk than the Indus. -Near the river there are green reeds, not unlike sugar-cane, and a -shrub called “wahun,” with leaves like the beech-tree, but the country -is highly cultivated, and intersected by various canals. The soil is -slimy, and most productive: the crops are rich, and the cattle large -and abundant; the villages are exceedingly numerous, and shaded by -lofty trees. Some of these are the temporary habitations of pastoral -tribes, who remove from one place to another, but there are many of a -permanent description on both banks. Their safety is nowise affected by -the inundations of the river or those of the Indus, for the expansion -of these has been exaggerated, and it rarely extends two miles from the -banks of either river. - -~Ooch, its productions, &c.~ - -The only place of note on the Chenab, below its junction by the Garra, -is Ooch. It stands four miles westward of the river, and no doubt owes -its site to the junction of two navigable streams in the vicinity. -The country around it is highly cultivated: the tobacco plant in -particular grows most luxuriantly; and after the season of inundation, -the tract is one sheet of green fields and verdure. The productions -of the gardens are various; the fig, vine, apple, and mulberry, with -the “falsa,” which produces an acid berry, may be seen, also the -“bedee mishk” (odoriferous willow). Roses, balsams, and the lily of -the valley, excite a pleasing remembrance, and there are many plants -foreign to India. A sensitive shrub, called “shurmoo,” or “the modest,” -particularly struck me: its leaves, when touched, close and fall down -upon the stalk, as if broken. The mango does not attain perfection in -this soil or climate, and seems to deteriorate as we advance north. -Indigo is reared successfully. Wheat and other grains are cultivated in -preference to rice, which does not form here, as in Sinde and the lower -provinces of the Indus, the food of the people, though it may be had in -great quantities. - - - - -CHAP. XII. - -ON BHAWUL KHAN’S COUNTRY. - - -~Its extent.~ - -The small territory eastward of the Indus, which lies between the -confines of the chief of Lahore and the Ameers of Sinde, belongs to -Bhawul Khan Daoodpootra. His frontier to the north may be loosely -said to be bounded by the Sutlege, or Garra, but at Bhawulpoor it -crosses that river, and, running westward to a place called Julalpoor, -comprises a portion of the country between the Sutlege and Acesines, -the Acesines and the Indus. The Rajpoot principality of Beecaneer -bounds it to the east. It has Jaysulmeer to the south, and, on that -part where it approaches Sinde, a tract of four miles in either country -is left without tillage, to prevent dispute on the marches. - -~Its nature.~ - -The greater part of this country is a barren waste of sand-hills. In -the vicinity of the rivers, the tract is rich and fertile, watered, -like the other banks of the Indus, by the annual swell. The towns are -few in number, and scantily distributed, but there are numerous hamlets -on the Acesines. Bhawulpoor, which stands on the left bank of the -Sutlege, has a population of about twenty thousand people, and is the -mercantile capital; the walled town of Ahmedpoor, further south, and -about half the size, is the residence of the chief, as it lies closer -to Durawul, an ancient fort in the desert (without a town), and the -only place of strength in the country. Durawul is mentioned in the -histories of Sinde as a fortress worthy of Alexander: it was taken by -Mirza Shah Hoosein, in the year of the Hejira 931; but an account of -the siege proves its position to have been more formidable than its -strength: it is built of brick. - -~Power and importance.~ - -The influence of the chief of Bhawulpoor is as limited as his -territory, his power having been crushed by the Seiks, and only saved -from entire overthrow by a treaty, which prevents Runjeet Sing from -crossing the Sutlege. The revenues do not exceed ten lacs annually -(excluding Dera Ghazee Khan; which, properly, belongs to the Seik), -three of which are demanded in tribute by the Lahore chief, for his -lands north of the Sutlege; yet Bhawul Khan maintains some state, and -has about two thousand regular troops (such as they are), with a train -of artillery, to second the efforts of his feudatories in the field; -and his forces collected would exceed twenty thousand men. The present -chief inherited a large patrimony in treasure. - -~Daoodpootras, their descent.~ - -The Daoodpootras are a tribe of Mahommedans from the district of -Shikarpoor, on the right bank of the Indus, which they held in the -earlier part of Aurungzebe’s reign. They crossed the river, and -achieved, by daring acts of bravery, the conquest of the lands now held -by them, from the Duhrs, Muhrs, and other Sindee tribes, and have been -settled in Bhawulpoor for five generations. As the name Daoodpootra -implies, they are descendants of one Daood or David; but the chiefs -claim a lineage from the holy line of Abbas, the uncle of Mahommed. The -chiefs of the tribe are named Peerjanee, and the common people Kihranee. -The community are not allowed to assert their right to the same holy -descent as their masters, which casts some doubt on the lustre of their -parentage. The whole tribe does not exceed fifty thousand souls. They -are a fair and handsome race of people, but disfigured by long bushy -tresses of hair, which they allow to hang over their shoulders. - -~The reigning family.~ - -Bhawulpoor was tributary to Cabool as long as that kingdom lasted; and -the chief had the title of Nawab, but was nearly independent. The three -last rulers have taken the name of Bhawul Khan, from a saint of great -repute in Mooltan; and the designation of Nawab has been changed to -that of Khan, by which title he is familiarly known to his subjects. -The present Bhawul Khan is about thirty years old, and much beloved by -his people: he has a turn for mechanics, and gives great encouragement -to trade and agriculture. He succeeded, about five years ago, to the -prejudice of his elder brother, who now holds an office under him; his -power is firmly fixed, and he has a family of three sons. The form of -government is despotic, and there is no chief of any great importance -in the country but the Khan himself; and the style and formality of his -court keep even these humble, and at a respectful distance. - -~Trade of Bhawulpoor.~ - -The manufactures of Bhawulpoor consist of loongees, which are -celebrated for the fineness of their texture. The weavers are Hindoos, -a numerous class in this country, and who enjoy more toleration in -their trade than their religion. The merchants of Bhawulpoor deal -extensively in goods of European manufacture, which they receive from -Pallee, in Marwar, by way of Beecaneer and the desert, and send into -the Dooranee country by the route of Mooltan and Leia, crossing the -Indus at Kaheree. The Hindoos of Bhawulpoor, and, indeed, of all this -country, are a most enterprising race of men: they often travel to -Balkh and Bokhara, and sometimes to Astracan, for purposes of commerce: -they take the route of Peshawur, Cabool, and Bamean, and, crossing the -Oxus, exchange at Bokhara the productions of India, for that quarter -of Asia and Russia, which are annually brought by the merchants of -that country. They spoke highly of the Uzbek King, and praised Dost -Mahommed, of Cabool, for the protection he afforded to trade. The -Sutlege, or, rather, the joint stream of it and the Beas, called Garra, -on which Bhawulpoor stands, is a navigable river, though not used in -the transport of its merchandise. It does not lie, however, on any -available line of route, except that of Sinde; from which country, as -I have before repeated, there is no trade with the upper provinces of -the Indus. Of the name of this river, the Beas, I may add, that it is -a contraction of Bypasa, in which we have nearly all the letters of -Hyphasis, the designation of it found in the ancient authors. - - - - -CHAP. XIII. - -THE PUNJAB. - - -~Extent of Runjeet Sing’s territory.~ - -The territories of Maha Rajah Runjeet Sing stretch from the Sutlege -to the Indus, from Cashmere to Mooltan, and comprise the whole of the -countries watered by the Punjab, or five tributary rivers, eastward -of the Indus. The power of the Maha Rajah over this tract of country -is consolidated: he commands the fastnesses of the mountains, and -its alluvial plains. So entirely has the Seik nation altered its -constitution, under this chief, that, within a period of twenty years, -it has passed from a pure republic to an absolute monarchy. The genius -of one man has effected this change, though contending with powerful -opposition, from a religion, that inculcates, above every other, -democracy and the equality of all. - -~Changes in the Seik government.~ - -This change of habits has been general, and the fortunate prince who -achieved it, is not more pre-eminent among his nobles, than they are -among their followers; from whom they receive a respect bordering -on veneration. We have now no convocations at Umritsir, the sacred -city of the Seiks, where the affairs of the state were discussed and -settled, and none of the liberty which the followers of Gooroo Govind -proudly claimed as the feature of distinction in their tribe. It is -evident that the change will affect the energies of the Seik nation, -for they sprang from a religion which was free from the worn-out dogmas -of Hindooism, and the deteriorated Mahommedanism of their neighbours, -the Euzoofzyees: their bravery was coeval with that religion, and based -upon it; their political greatness sprang from their change of faith, -and though that has been changed, the Seiks are yet left with peculiar -tenets, and continue to all intents and purposes a distinct people. - -~Policy of Runjeet Sing, and state of his army.~ - -The power which Runjeet Sing acquired has been preserved by his policy: -he has a disciplined army of infantry, with a due proportion of cavalry -and artillery. The system is unpopular in the country, and the Seik -Sirdars view with distrust the innovation, and the innovators. The -French officers, when deprived of their patron, would find it necessary -to stand aloof, from motives of personal safety; and, if they left -the country, the wreck of their labours would soon perish in the -general tumult. At present their battalions manœuvre with regularity -and precision: they are well accoutred and dressed, but destitute of -the most essential quality of a soldier,--discipline. Their payment -is irregular: they undergo cheerfully the mechanical duties of the -soldier, and have shown their gallantry on service; but there is no tie -between the army and the government, and the greater and more glorious -victories of the Maha Rajah were achieved before he had regular troops. - -~Seik Sirdars, or chiefs.~ - -The Sirdars of the Seik nation lose their power in their own feuds. -Runjeet has not failed to foment these, and turn them to advantage; -and, as a mediator of differences, he has always despoiled both parties -to aggrandise himself: he considers it justifiable to profit by the -vices and bad qualities of human nature, and cares not how much he -promises, and how little he fulfils. The Maha Rajah, however, has -portioned out, with a liberal hand, the lands and conquests among his -Sirdars, and conciliated them by this means; few of them place any -reliance on his character: they are aware of his power, and dread to -give him offence. - -~Revenues of the Punjab.~ - -The revenues of the Punjab and its dependencies amount to about two -and a half crores of rupees annually: the principal item in this sum -is derived from Cashmere, which furnishes thirty-six lacs of rupees. -I may add, that all the jagheers and revenues of religious persons -are included in the net sum I have named. The revenue is collected by -arbitrary exactions, at the will of the collector, as in other native -governments. They are presumed, at the outset, to be dishonest, and, -aware of the fact, rifle the peasant, and are prepared to be rifled in -return. The exactions, as regulated by Runjeet himself, are mild, and -his late acquisitions about Mooltan are in a most prosperous condition. -Cashmere, on the other hand, is described as the very essence of bad -government: the people are oppressed, and the Maha Rajah is afraid to -trust other but menial servants with that valuable ornament of his -crown. - -~Revenues might be increased.~ - -The revenues of the Punjab might be increased by annexing to it the -provinces _immediately_ westward of the Indus, some of which have been -subdued by Runjeet Sing; but he has shown, in this instance, his usual -foresight and discrimination. Across the Indus, he would encounter a -most fanatical people, the Euzoofzyees, who would occupy the time of -his army; he contents himself, therefore, with an annual tribute of -some horses and rice from Peshawur. Lower down the Indus, he farms the -province of Dera Ghazee Khan to the Khan of Bhawulpoor. - -~Military resources.~ - -The military resources of the Punjab are great: it yields more grain -than is sufficient for the consumption of its inhabitants; but the -scarcity of population prevents the full measure of its production. -Camels, mules, horses, and cattle abound, and all of them, except the -cattle, which are small, are of a superior description. The roads, from -one extremity of the country to the other, admit of wheeled carriages, -except among the mountains: the Indus, and all the other rivers are -navigable, though not navigated. They have ferry-boats in abundance, -and there are also materials for their further construction; these -rivers are frequently passed on skins, but these are more in use among -the mountains than the plains. - -The paucity of Seiks, in a country ruled and governed by them, is -remarkable. The mother earth of the tribe is the “doab,” between the -Ravee and Sutlege; but there are few of them to be found thirty miles -below Lahore. There are no Seiks westward of the Hydaspes; and to -the eastward of Lahore, where they are said to predominate, they do -not certainly compose a third of the population. The Punjab, indeed, -is a poorly peopled country, in proportion to its fertility, though -it is probable that it has increased in population under the present -ruler.[27] - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[27] A more full account of the Punjab has been given in Vol. II., -which was drawn up after my last visit to that country. - - - - -CHAP. XIV. - -THE CHENAB, OR ACESINES, JOINED BY THE RAVEE, OR HYDRAOTES. - - -~The Chenab described.~ - -The Acesines is the largest of the Punjab rivers, but its size has -been exaggerated. Ptolemy informs us that it is fifteen furlongs wide -in the upper part of its course; and Arrian states that it surpasses -the Nile when it has received the waters of the Punjab falling into -the Indus by a mouth of thirty stadia. Alexander warred in the rainy -reason, when these rivers are much swollen, and when the inundation -had set in for two months. We have already exposed the latter part of -this amplification, in confining the Chenab to a breadth of 600 yards, -and a depth of twenty feet. There is no perceptible diminution in the -size of this stream, from the Sutlege upwards, for that river increases -the depth without adding to the breadth; and the Chenab, south of the -Ravee, will be found, as I have before described it, only with the -shallow soundings of twelve feet. Its banks are so low, that it is -in some places spread as much as 1200 yards, and looks as large as -the Indus. At Mooltan ferry it was 1000 yards across, and below its -junction with the Ravee, above three quarters of a mile; but these are -exceptions to the general feature of the stream. - -~Its banks, &c.~ - -The Chenab receives the Ravee, or Hydraotes, below Fazilpoor, under -the parallel of 30° 40´ north latitude, nearly 180 miles from Ooch, by -the windings of the river, and upwards of 53 miles from Mooltan; in -the neighbourhood of which city it passes on its course to the Indus, -by a direction about south-west.[28] The redness of its water has -already been mentioned, and that of the Ravee has even a deeper tinge. -It runs quicker than the Indus, or any of the Punjab rivers, and its -banks on both sides are open and richly irrigated by larger canals of -running water, dug with great labour; on the right bank, from Mooltan -upwards, there is a desert of low sand-hills, which does not admit -of cultivation, and presses in upon the cultivated land at the short -distance of two miles from the river. It is a mistake to believe that -this desert commences so low as Ooch, and occupies the “doab” of the -Indus and Acesines; for that tract has many large villages, and is rich -and fertile across from one river bank to the other. The distance -between the two rivers is about twenty-five miles, nor does it become -desert till it widens beyond that space below Mooltan. - -~Boats of the Acesines.~ - -~Wood, &c.~ - -At Mooltan the Acesines is navigated by the “zohruk;” but the vessel -differs in some degree from that used in the Daoodpootra country: the -waist is little more than a foot above water; they are much smaller, -and hoist a mat-sail on a small mast. As there is no trade, ferry-boats -are only to be had, if we except the few which bring down salt from -the Jelum or Hydaspes. We embarked in a fleet of ten boats, while such -an additional number are not to be procured on this part of the river. -These vessels are built of the dyar, or cedar wood from the mountains -in which the Punjab rivers have their source: the supply which the -inundation roots up and floats down, is sufficient for all purposes, -without any one carrying on a professed trade in it. While the boats -here are constructed of this wood, they are repaired with the “talee” -tree, which may be found near every village; and, though this country -is not well wooded, an army might soon procure a supply by cutting -trees from the villages near the river, and floating them down to any -place of rendezvous. - -~Crossing the river.~ - -The natives of this country cross the rivers without boats, on skins -or bundles of reeds; and whole families may be seen passing in this -apparently insecure mode. I have observed a man, with his wife and -three children, in the middle of the stream, the father on a skin -dragging his wife and children, who were seated on reeds, and one of -them an infant at the breast: goods, clothes and chattels form a bundle -for the head; and though alligators do certainly exist, they are not -numerous, or such as to deter the people from repeating an experiment, -to say the least of it, not free from danger. - -~District of Mooltan.~ - -The greater part of the country bordering on this part of the Acesines -is included in the district of Mooltan, which, besides the city of that -name, contains the modern town of Shoojurabad. The government, when -tributary to Cabool, has been described in the worst terms; but Runjeet -Sing has recruited its population, repaired the canals, and added to -their number, raising it to a state of opulence and prosperity to which -it had been long a stranger. The soil amply repays the labour, for such -is its strength, that a crop of wheat, before yielding its grain, is -twice mowed down as fodder for cattle, and then ears, and produces an -abundant harvest. The indigo and sugar crops are likewise rich, and -one small strip of land five miles long, which we passed, afforded a -revenue of 75,000 rupees. The total revenue amounts to about ten lacs -of rupees a year, or double the sum it produced in 1809. The tobacco -of Mooltan is celebrated; but, for an Indian province, the date-tree -is its most singular production. It yields a great abundance of fruit, -which is hardly inferior to that of Arabia; for the trees are not -weakened by extracting a liquor from them, as in Lower India. I imagine -that they owe their maturity to the great heat of Mooltan; for dates -seldom ripen in India. The mangoes of Mooltan are the best of Upper -India, and their good qualities seem also to arise from the same cause, -as the mango is usually but an indifferent fruit beyond the tropics. - - -FOOTNOTE: - -[28] We performed the voyage from one junction to the other, in six -days, against the stream. - - - - -CHAP. XV. - -THE RAVEE, OR HYDRAOTES, BELOW LAHORE. - - -~The Ravee.~ - -The Ravee is the smallest of the five Punjab rivers, but, in connection -with them and the Indus, forms a navigable channel from the sea to -Lahore. It joins the Chenab in the latitude of 30° 40´ north, near the -small village of Fazil Shah, by three different mouths, all of which -have eight feet of water. From Lahore downwards, the Ravee preserves -a breadth of about 150 yards, and, as its banks are high and firm, -there are but few places where it is more expanded. This river is so -winding, that sails cannot be hoisted, and a day’s voyage often gives -but a direct progress of three or four miles, when the turnings of the -river have been sixfold. Lahore is only 175 miles from the mouth of the -Ravee, but, by the river, the distance exceeds 380 British miles. - -~Its navigation.~ - -The Ravee is fordable in many places during eight months in the year, -but its general depth is about twelve feet, and I am satisfied that a -vessel drawing four or five feet of water could navigate this river. -The boats of the country do not draw more than two or three, but they -are the common flat-bottomed craft already described. There is no -obstruction to these vessels in any season of the year, yet the Ravee -is not used by the merchants, and the boats are only built for purposes -of ferrying. Below Lahore there are fifty-two of them, we ascended -in these vessels, none others being procurable. The voyage occupied -twenty-one days, and was exceedingly tedious. I am disposed to think -that it is the extreme crookedness of the river which prevents its -being navigated. - -~Peculiarities of the Ravee.~ - -The Ravee is a foul river, much studded with sand banks, many of which -are dangerous quicksands. The zigzag course it pursues, bespeaks the -flat nature of the country it traverses; its banks are more firm and -decided than those of the Indus, or any other of the Punjab rivers. -Near Lahore, they rise sometimes to a perpendicular height of forty -feet; in many places they attain half that elevation, and give to the -river much the appearance of a canal. The country bordering on the -Ravee is little liable to be flooded; and it is worthy of remark, that -there are no cuts from this river, for the purposes of agriculture, -below Lahore. Its current is something less than three miles an hour. -The water is of a reddish colour, like the Chenab; but it is liable to -change, as we remarked in our voyage, from the fall of rain in the -mountains. This river is sometimes called Iräoty, in which we recognise -the Hydraotes of the Greeks. - -~Towns, and their inhabitants.~ - -The banks of the Ravee are open, and peopled from its mouth upwards; -but the villages, for half the distance to the capital, are of a -temporary description, the moveable hamlets of the pastoral tribe -before mentioned, called Jun or Kattia. From Futtipoor they are -numerous, and the country is cultivated; but the space below that town -is uncultivated. The tract between the Ravee and Sutlege is of the same -sterile and unproductive description as on the northern side of the -river towards the Hydaspes. Saltpetre is manufactured in considerable -quantities on both sides of the Ravee. - -~Lahore.~ - -Lahore is the only town of note on the banks of the Ravee, but the -river has lately forsaken its immediate vicinity, and this ancient -capital now stands on a small branch. The position of Lahore is good, -in a military and commercial point of view. It is equidistant from -Mooltan, Peshawur, Cashmeer, and I may also add Delhi. It stands in -a most fertile country; and an army of 80,000 men has been supported -on the resources of its neighbourhood, while the people assert that -provisions have not increased with the increased demand. The city now -contains about 80,000 inhabitants. It is surrounded by a strong brick -wall and ditch, that may be flooded from the river. There are twelve -gates, and as many semicircular outworks. It could not withstand a -siege, from the density of its population; but might afford security -against irregular troops. Umritsir is superior in size and strength to -Lahore: it is a mud fortification of great thickness, and about seven -miles in circumference, and also protected by the strong citadel of -Govindghur. It has a population of about 100,000 souls. Tolumba is a -small town near the estuary of the Ravee, with a population of about -1500 people. It has a weak brick fort of a circular shape, and stands -in a thick grove of date trees two miles south of the river. -[Illustration: - - Drawn by W. Purser. Engraved by E. Finden. - -_Sindree on the Eastern branch of the Indus._ - -SINCE SUBMERGED BY THE EARTHQUAKE OF 1819. - -_From a sketch taken on the spot by Capt. Grindlay in 1808._] - - - - -CHAP. XVI. - - A MEMOIR ON THE EASTERN BRANCH OF THE INDUS, AND THE RUN OF CUTCH, - CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF THE ALTERATIONS PRODUCED ON THEM BY AN - EARTHQUAKE IN 1819, ALSO A DESCRIPTION OF THE RUN. - - [I cannot introduce more appropriately than on the present occasion, - the following paper, which was drawn up some time since. It is - necessary to mention this circumstance, as a few of the facts - communicated are already before the public, and have been noticed by - Professor Lyell.[29] Of the Run of Cutch I am not aware of any other - account having been published, though it is a tract without parallel - on the globe.] - - -~Cutch, its position.~ - -In the north-western extremity of our Indian possessions, and under the -tropic, is situated the small and sterile territory of Cutch, important -to the British from its advanced position, but of more attraction -to the student of history, from its western shore being washed by -the waters of the classic Indus. Cutch is a country peculiarly -situated.--To the west, it has the inconstant and ever-varying Indus; -to the north and east, the tract called Run, which is alternately a dry -sandy desert and a muddy inland lake; to the south, it has the Gulf of -Cutch and the Indian Ocean, with waters receding yearly from its shores. - -~Alterations in its western coast by an earthquake.~ - -~Former fertility.~ - -The physical geography of such a province is full of interest; for, -besides the alteration in its fluctuating boundaries, it is subject -to earthquakes, one of which has lately produced some unlooked for -changes in the eastern branch of the Indus. To particularly detail and -explain these, is the object of the present memoir. Cutch at present -labours under disadvantages inflicted on it by the vindictive hatred of -a jealous and cruel neighbouring Government. Previous to the battle of -Jarra, in the year 1762[30], the eastern branch of the Indus, commonly -called the Phurraun, emptied itself into the sea by passing the western -shores of Cutch; and the country on its banks participated in the -advantages which this river bestows throughout its course. Its annual -inundations watered the soil, and afforded a plentiful supply of rice; -the country on its banks being then known by the name of “Sayra.” - -~Sindians destroy it, by damming the eastern branch of the Indus.~ - -These blessings, which nature had bestowed on this otherwise barren -region, perished with the battle of Jarra; for the Sindian chief, -irritated at the unsuccessful result of his expedition, returned to -his country full of vengeance, and inflicted the deepest injury on the -country which he had failed to humble. At the village of Mora he threw -up a mound of earth, or, as it is called, a “bund,” across that branch -of the Indus which fertilised Cutch, and by thus turning the stream, -which so much benefited its inhabitants, to flow into other branches of -the river, and by leading it through canals to desert portions of his -own dominions, he at once destroyed a large and rich tract of irrigated -land, and converted a productive rice country, which had belonged to -Cutch, into a sandy desert. - -~Injury of the “bund” or dam, on the tract near.~ - -The mound which had been raised, did not entirely exclude the water of -the Indus from Cutch; but so impeded the progress of the main stream, -that all agriculture depending on irrigation ceased. In process of -time this trivial remnant of prosperity disappeared, and the Talpoors, -who succeeded the Kaloras in the government of Sinde, threw up other -mounds; and about the year 1802, the erection of one at Ali Bunder -excluded the waters of the Indus, even at the period of inundation, -from the channel which had once conveyed them past Cutch to the sea. -Since then, the stripe of land which once formed the fertile district -of Sayra ceased to yield a blade of vegetation, and became a part of -the Run of Cutch, on which it had formerly bordered. The channel of the -river at the town of Lucput shallowed[31]; and, above Sindree, filled -with mud, and dried up. Lower down it changed into an arm of the sea, -and was flooded at every tide. - -The Raos, or Princes of Cutch, possessed at one time military -stations in three different places of Sinde,--Budeenu, Ballyaree, and -Raomaka-bazar,--yet they submissively bore these indignities, as well -to their own detriment as that of their subjects. They used no exertion -to recover that which nature had bestowed on their country, or to wipe -off those injuries which had been offered, at variance, as they no -doubt were, with the law of nations, which requires “that different -nations ought, in time of peace, to do one another all the good they -can, and in time of war, as little harm as possible, without prejudice -to their own real interests.”[32] - -~Earthquake of 1819 overwhelms Sindree: forms a lake.~ - -In this state of indifference, there occurred, in June, 1819, a severe -shock of an earthquake, by which some hundreds of the inhabitants of -Cutch perished, and every fortified stronghold in the country was -shaken to its foundations. Wells and rivulets without number changed -from fresh to salt water; but these were trifling alterations, compared -with those which took place in the eastern branch of the Indus, and -the adjacent country. At sunset, the shock was felt at Sindree, the -station at which the Cutch Government levied their customs, situated on -the high road from Cutch to Sinde, and on the banks of what had been -once the eastern branch of the Indus. The little brick fort of 150 feet -square, which had been built there for the protection of merchandise, -was overwhelmed by an inundating torrent of water from the ocean, which -spread on every side, and, in the course of a few hours, converted the -tract, which had before been hard and dry, into an inland lake, which -extended for sixteen miles on either side of Sindree. The houses within -the walls filled with water, and eight years afterwards I found fish -in the pools among them. The only dry spot was the place on which the -bricks had fallen upon one another. One of four towers only remained, -and the custom-house officers had saved their lives by ascending it, -and were eventually transported to dry land by boats on the following -day.[33] - -~Raises up a mound called “Ullah bund.”~ - -But it was soon discovered that this was not the only alteration in -this memorable convulsion of nature; as the inhabitants of Sindree -observed, at a distance of five miles northward, a mound of earth -or sand, in a place where the soil was previously low and level. -It extended east and west for a considerable distance, and passed -immediately across the channel of the Indus, separating as it were for -ever the Phurraun river from the sea. The natives called this mound -by the name of “Ullah bund,” or the mound of God, in allusion to its -not being, like the other dams of the Indus, a work of man, but a dam -thrown up by nature. - -These wonderful events passed unheeded by the inhabitants; for the deep -injury which had been inflicted on Cutch in 1762 had so thoroughly -ruined that part of the country, that it was a matter of indifference -whether it continued a desert, or became an inland lake. A feeble and -unsuccessful attempt was made by Cutch to establish a Custom-house -on the newly raised dam of “Ullah bund,” but to this the Ameers of -Sinde objected, and Sindree being no longer tenable, the officers were -withdrawn to the mainland of Cutch. - -~An overflow of the Indus destroys it in 1826.~ - -~Actual state of the river.~ - -Matters continued in this state till the month of November, 1826, when -information was received that the Indus had burst its banks in Upper -Sinde, and that an immense volume of water had spread over the desert -which bounds that country to the eastward, had likewise burst every -artificial dam in the river, as well as the “Ullah bund,” and forced -for itself a passage to the Run of Cutch. In March, 1827, I proceeded -to investigate the truth of what I have stated, to examine the natural -mound, and to endeavour to account for these constant alterations in -physical geography. I journeyed from Bhooj, the capital of Cutch, to -Lucput, a town on the north-western extremity of the province, situated -on the Koree, or eastern branch of the Indus. Here I embarked in a -small flat-bottomed boat, and sailed up the river. At Lucput, and for -twelve miles up, it was about 300 yards wide, and from two to three -fathoms deep, retaining all the appearance of a river. At Sundo, a sand -bank so called, which is about four leagues distant from that town, -the channel shallowed to four or five feet, for two miles; but then -regaining its depth, I entered on a vast inland lake that bounded the -horizon on all sides, amid which the remaining tower of Sindree stood, -like a rock in the ocean. At Sundo the water was brackish, at Sindree -it was quite fresh. Hence I proceeded to “Ullah bund,” which I found to -be composed of soft clay and shells, elevated about ten feet from the -surface of the water, and cut through like a canal, with perpendicular -banks on either side. The channel was about _thirty-five yards_ broad, -and _three fathoms_ deep; and a body of fresh water, a portion of the -real Indus, rolled down it into the lake which I had traversed, below -“Ullah bund.” Here the stream took on once more the appearance of a -river, and I found several boats laden with “ghee” (clarified butter), -which had descended it from Wunga, and thus corroborated all which I -had heard, that the bunds of the Indus had been burst, and that the -communication between the great river and its eastern and long-forsaken -branch was once more restored. I learned likewise that the far-famed -fortress of Omercote had been partially overwhelmed in this inundation; -for instead of _being an öasis in the desert_, as had long been -supposed, this birthplace of the great Acbar is a small brick fort only -three or four miles distant from the Indus, and between which and -Lucput, so late as May, 1829, there was a communication by water. - -~Ullah bund described.~ - -The “Ullah bund,” which I now examined with attention, was, however, -the most singular consequence of this great earthquake. To the eye -it did not appear more elevated in one place than another, and could -be traced both east and west as far as it could reach; the natives -assigned to it a total length of fifty miles. It must not, however, be -supposed to be a narrow stripe like an artificial dam, as it extends -inland to Raomaka-bazar, perhaps to a breadth of sixteen miles, and -appeared to be a great upheaving of nature. Its surface was covered -with saline soil, and I have already stated that it consisted of clay, -shells, and sand. The people universally attributed this bund to the -influence of the earthquake, and also assigned the shallowness of the -river at Sundo to the same cause. - -~Opinions regarding the effects of the earthquake.~ - -The inland lake which had been thus formed, extended for about 2000 -square miles, and its limits were well defined, since the roads from -Cutch to Sinde passed on either side of it. The one led from Nurra to -Loonee and Raomaka-bazar, and the other from Lucput to Kotree Garee -and the Jattee. I am disposed to believe that this sheet of water has -collected from a depression of the country round Sindree; for the -earthquake had an immediate influence on the channel of the river below -“Ullah bund,” which became deep enough to be navigable for boats of 100 -tons from the sea to Lucput, which had never been the case since 1762. -While the basin of Sindree, as I may call it, was depressed, it is -evident that the mound of “Ullah bund” was raised at the same time, as -the description already given will have satisfactorily shown. - -~Subsequent alterations in the Indus.~ - -In the month of August, in the year 1827, I proceeded a second time -to the eastern branch of the Indus, to make further investigations -regarding a subject on which many individuals, as well as myself, had -taken an interest. Great alterations had taken place in this changeable -country; the river and lake were deeper in all places by two feet, the -channel through “Ullah bund” was much widened, and the sheet of water -was now entirely and every where salt. The stream which passed “Ullah -bund” was fresh, but greatly diminished in size: in the time that had -intervened between my visits, the south-westerly winds had prevailed, -and blown the sea water in upon the fresh, which, appeared to account -for the change that had taken place. - -Besides the facts which have been recorded, it appears clear that a -portion of the waters of the Indus have a tendency to escape by Lucput -and Cutch. We find an inundation of the river seeking an old channel -which had been deserted by them for sixty-five years.[34] - - -THE RUN. - -~Run of Cutch.~ - -In the course of my observations on the Indus, I found myself drawn -into many inquiries regarding the Run of Cutch, to which that river -adjoins; for if the alterations in the river afforded room for remark, -there was also much to be said on the Run, which is a tract, I believe, -without a counterpart in the globe. In length, the Run extends from -the Indus to the western confines of Guzerat, a distance of about 200 -British miles. In breadth, it is about thirty-five miles; but there -are, besides, various belts and ramifications, which give it an extent -of about 7000 square miles. It is accurately delineated in the map. -The whole tract may truly be said to be a “terra hospitibus ferox;” -fresh water is never to be had any where but on islands, and there it -is scarce; it has no herbage, and vegetable life is only discernible -in the shape of a stunted tamarisk bush, which thrives by its suction -of the rain water that falls near it. It differs as widely from what -is termed the sandy desert, as it differs from the cultivated plain; -neither does it resemble the Steppes of Russia; but may be justly -considered of a nature peculiar to itself. It has been denominated -a marsh by geographers, which has given rise to many erroneous -impressions regarding it. It has none of the characteristics of one: it -is not covered or saturated with water, but at certain periods; it has -neither weeds nor grass in its bed, which, instead of being slimy, is -hard, dry, and sandy, of such a consistency as never to become clayey, -unless from a long continuance of water on an individual spot; nor is -it otherwise fenny or swampy. It is a vast expanse of flat, hardened, -sand, encrusted with salt sometimes an inch deep (the water having -been evaporated by the sun), and at others, beautifully crystallized -in large lumps. So much is the whole surrounding country corrupted -by this exuberance of salt, that all the wells dug on a level with -the Run become salt. The depression of the Run below the level of the -surrounding country at once suggests the probability of its being a -dried up lake or sea. - -~Mirage of the Run.~ - -Nowhere is that singular phenomenon, the _mirage or surab_ of the -desert, seen with greater advantage than in the Run. The natives -aptly term it smoke[35]; the smallest shrubs at a distance assume -the appearance of forests; and on a nearer approach, sometimes that -of ships in full sail, at others that of breakers on a rock. In one -instance I observed a cluster of bushes, which looked like a pier, -with tall-masted vessels lying close to it; and on approaching, not -a bank was near the shrubs to account for the deception. From the -Run, the hills of Cutch appear more lofty, and to have merged into -the clouds, their bases being obscured by vapour. The wild ass[36] -is the only inhabitant of this desolate region; they roam about in -flocks, “scorning the multitude of the city, and make the wilderness -and barren lands their dwelling.” Their size does not much exceed that -of the common ass, but, at a short distance, they sometimes appear as -large as elephants. While the sun shines, the whole surrounding space -of Run resembles a vast expanse of water--the appearance it commonly -assumes--and which is only to be distinguished from real water by those -who are long habituated to such visionary illusions. When the sun is -not shining, the Run appears higher at a distance; but this has been -remarked of the sea, and other extensive sheets of water, and is also -to be accounted for in the deception of vision. - -~Traditions regarding the Run.~ - -The natives of Cutch, Mahommedans as well as Hindoos, believe that -the Run was formerly a sea; and a tradition is in the mouth of every -one, that a Hindoo saint, by name Dhoorumnath, a Jogee[37], underwent -penance by standing on his head for twelve years on the summit of -Denodur, one of the highest hills in Cutch, which overlooks the Run. -When his penance terminated, God became visible to him, the hill on -which he stood split in two, and the adjacent sea (the present Run) -dried up; the ships and boats which then navigated it were overturned, -its harbours destroyed, and many wonderful events happened. There is -no race of people who have recourse to supernatural agency in their -chronicles, more than the natives of India; and, to those accustomed -to enquire into them, the circumstances just recorded will appear as -the graft of one of their tales on some real event which has actually -occurred, and is thus transmitted to posterity. Considering the -frequent occurrence of earthquakes in Cutch, the volcanic appearance -of’ its hills, and the lava which covers the face of the country, -it is to a convulsion of nature, in all probability, that we are to -attribute the foundation of such a tradition. - -~Concurring traditions.~ - -The natives, however, carry their traditions beyond the vague legends -of a saint, and point out at this day different positions, said to have -been harbours, in the Run of Cutch. At Nerona, which is a village about -twenty miles NNW. of Bhooj the capital, and close to the Run, there is -said to have been a sea-port, which is thus described in the poesy of -the country:-- - - “Nerona nuggartur - Judhee Goontree Chitrano.” - -In other words, that Nerona was a sea-port (tur), when Goontree (an -ancient city in Cutch) flourished in the neighbouring district of -Chitrano. At Charee, a village westward of Nerona, and on the Run, -there is also a like tradition. The people of the Puchum, the largest -island on the Run, have similar traditions, and speak of boats -having been wrecked on the hills of the island; also that there were -considerable harbours near them, called Dorut, Doh or Dohee, and -Phangwuro, which are yet pointed out to the westward of Puchum. Bitaro, -a small place on the high road to Sinde, between Cutch and “Ullah -Bund,” is also said to have been a sea-port, and I could point out -several others. Nor are the traditions less concurrent on the Sinde, -or northern side of the Run: Veego-gud, near “Ullah Bund,” is said to -have been the principal sea-port, and its brick ruins are yet visible. -Vingur and Ballyaree, which lie eastward, claim likewise the same -privileges. This sea had the name of “Kiln;” nor do I believe that -the testimony of so many people, regarding it, can be discredited, -informed as I was of these traditions by different persons, who had no -communication with one another. - -~Effects of a late earthquake on the Run.~ - -The effects of the earthquake of 1819 have been already mentioned, in -so far as relates to the country adjoining the Indus; but occurrences -of an equally singular nature happened farther eastward. It made -numerous cracks or fissures in the Run; and I state, on the authority -of eye-witnesses, that immense quantities of black, muddy water were -ejected from these openings for a period of three days, and that the -water bubbled out of the wells of the tract bordering on the Run, -called Bunnee, till it overwhelmed the country in some place with -six, and even ten feet of water. The shepherds with difficulty saved -themselves and their flocks. During this time numerous pieces of -iron and ship-nails were thrown up at Phangwuro, the sea-port before -mentioned; and similar things have been since found in the same -neighbourhood while digging tanks. I give this fact on the authority of -respectable men at Nurra, who also assured me that nothing of the kind -had ever been discovered before the earthquake of 1819. - -~Flooding of the Run.~ - -The grand Run of Cutch is that part which lies between Sinde and the -islands of Puchum and Khureer, the other parts being but ramifications -of it. It has a communication with the sea both on the east and west, -by means of the Gulf of Cutch and a branch of the Indus, and it is -flooded from both these openings as soon as the south-westerly winds -set in, about April each year. When local rain falls and moistens the -Run, the sea enters with great rapidity, and insulates the province of -Cutch for some months; but even without rain the greater portion of the -Run is annually flooded. The level of the Run is obviously higher than -the sea, since it requires strong winds to blow the waters of the ocean -over it. - -~Configuration of the Run borders.~ - -We must now attend to the configuration of the Run. In the -north-eastern extremity of Cutch, it will be observed that a chain of -hills overhangs the Run at Bheyla: they are about 300 feet high, and -terminate abruptly. The islands of Khureer and Puchum lie due west of -this range, and are not only composed of the same sort of ironstone -as the Bheyla hills, but have similar ranges running through their -northern extremities, which terminate, particularly at Khureer, in a -bluff and abrupt outline towards the Run. Khureer is six miles westward -of Cutch, and Puchum is about sixteen from Khureer; westward of Puchum -there are a few low and sandy islets on the Run, and south of it lies -the Bunnee, an extensive tract of grassland, of greater elevation than -the Run, but not sufficiently so to yield grain. It has many wells, -and is inhabited by a pastoral race. South of Khureer there are also -many islands, the largest of which is Gangta, and covered with rocky -hills. Between Guzerat and Cutch the Run is narrow; at Addysir it -is but a mile and a half wide to the island of Chorar. Here there -is a deposit of shells and marine matter, a carbonate of lime mixed -with other substances; it has a red and yellow petrified appearance, -takes on a tolerably good polish, and from which some members of the -faithful pretend to read Arabic words, or letters of the Koran. It was -used in the mosaic works of all the Moghul emperors, and is commonly -called Dookur-warra marble by Europeans. North of the Bheyla hills lies -Parkur, a district peninsulated by the Run, having the lofty hills of -Kalinjur, of a formation differing from Cutch, where they are almost -all sandstone. They are primitive rocks, rising in small cones one -upon another, as if they had dropped from the clouds; the summit is -composed of trap, which extends for about a third of the way down, -and the base is red granite, which rings when struck. These hills are -separated from Cutch by a low tract of the Run, upwards of thirty miles -broad, without an intervening bush. The whole northern face of Cutch, -from Bheyla on the east to Lucput on the west, presents, with a few -exceptions, either a rocky or an elevated bank. From Nurra to Lucput -the rocks terminate abruptly, and form what would be called capes, -cliffs, and promontories, if the water washed under them. When the -immediate vicinity of the Run is not of this description, it stretches -inland, exactly as water would do when not resisted. - -~Run supposed to have been an inland sea.~ - -The sea is receding from the southern shores of Cutch; and I believe it -is a generally received conclusion, that there is a depression of its -level throughout the globe, though in some places it has risen. We may, -therefore, suppose the ocean to have receded from the Run of Cutch, -and that that tract was at one time a navigable sea. That the natives -should attribute so great a change in a part of their country to the -influence of a Jogee, is not wonderful. A body of these persons has -been long settled in Cutch. They are a philanthropic and hospitable -body of men, who permit no one of any persuasion to leave their door -hungry, and they are blessed with plenty. Like the monks in Europe in -former days, these Jogees are the repository of history and traditions, -and it may be their careful preservation of them, which has given rise -to the belief that the alterations in the Run were accomplished in the -time of Dhoorumnath, the founder of their order. In proof of this, they -have a tradition that the ancestors of the present rulers of Cutch -were once a class of poor shepherds from Samee (Tatta), in Sinde, and -fed their flocks, till patronised by the Denodur Jogees, who raised -them to be Rajahs of the country. So far is this true, the Rajpoots -of Cutch did come from Tatta, and did tend herds of cattle in Cutch; -but they were certainly not raised to their present elevation by the -intercession of some Hindoo monks; yet such is the alteration which a -story undergoes, in the course of four hundred years.[38] - -NOTE ON SINDREE. - -I annex the following extract, describing a journey from Lucput in -Cutch, to Hydrabad in Sinde, by way of Sindree, from the MS. of Captain -R. M. Grindlay, written in the year 1808, when with a mission to the -Ameers of Sinde, and which has been kindly furnished to me. It will be -seen that the neighbourhood of Sindree, which I have described to be -under water, was then dry, and that the fort of Sindree existed at that -time, as an outpost of the Cutch Government. - - “We embarked on the creek at Lucput Bender, which is about three - quarters of a mile broad, and runs between east and north, for six or - eight miles, when it begins to narrow very much: the shore on each - side is a wet marsh, covered with short bushes. - - “In the evening we anchored at the turn of the tide, and at twelve - o’clock next day we passed Sindree, which is about thirty miles from - Lucput, and dependent on it, with a small garrison of sepoys: it is - a small fort, with a few huts outside, and one well: the creek here - is about a mile and a quarter broad, and has a ferry across. The - travellers who take this route to Sinde are not numerous, and leave no - vestige of a road in the light sand, of which the dry part of the Run - is composed. The heat of the meridian sun is said to be so intense, - that they generally travel in the night. From Sindree, by land, the - next stage is about twenty-four miles to Baura, after which the Run - ends, and water becomes tolerably plentiful. - - “We passed Sindree, and observed several inferior branches leading - through the Run, among which we saw a few straggling men and women; - about twenty miles beyond Sindree, we reached Aly Bunder, at eight - o’clock at night, and came to anchor close to the mound which - confines the fresh water: when the day appeared, we observed it - to be a poor mud village, of about fifty huts, and a tower of the - same unsubstantial materials. Here we encamped for the purpose of - collecting the boats from the freshwater side of the mound, and not - finding a sufficient number, several of those we brought with us were - dragged over: this, however, was a work of three days; and, during - that time, from the nature of the soil, we were annoyed by the dust - in such a manner as would scarcely be believed by those who had not - been in a similar situation: the sun was completely obscured by - it, an object at the distance of 100 yards was invisible; and the - natives moving about were so disguised, that their colour was not - distinguishable. The soil of the Run is a mixture of fine sand and the - salt deposited by the inundation. This, dried by several months’ sun, - becomes a most impalpable powder. The Run, which ceases about a line - with Aly Bunder, from north-east and north, is covered with aquatic - bushes and a few shells: the sand entangled amongst these bushes forms - hillocks of various heights, from five to fifteen feet, according to - the size of the bush. It does not appear that any of the side channels - lead beyond the Run, or that any of them are navigated by boats, - except those which again join the main stream: that by which we came - is certainly by far the most considerable. - - “On the 10th we embarked again on the freshwater river, which is there - about 400 yards broad, and soon after widens very much, with high - sand-hills on the banks, and a few huts with a little cultivation. The - river here takes the name of Goonee. - - “At the distance of about twelve miles from Aly Bunder, the river - divides, and soon after becomes so narrow, that our boats, though - not large, had difficulty in passing through the large bushes which - overhang the bank, and has great appearance of a cut canal, or at - least of a channel cleared out and deepened; the banks are irregular - in their height, and the land immediately beyond them low, and in - several places swampy. We passed the mouth of a creek on the west, - said to lead to Tatta, besides several other inferior streams which - run through the country, and are cut into a variety of channels, for - the purposes of cultivation. - - “About ten miles beyond Aly Bunder, on the west bank, is Chuttee Thur - (or ferry), opposite to which is the mouth of a considerable stream, - with a dam across, which we understood to be the Phoran. This was - formerly a very large branch of the Indus, and ran past Nusserpoor, - which I learn is to the south-east. Many of the inhabitants of that - place recollect a remarkable change in the river: the inundation - swallowed up a great part of the town, and altered the course of - the river, which since then has had much less water in it. The - whole of Sinde, from the nature of its soil, is subject to these - alterations by the annual floods, many striking instances of which the - inhabitants are well acquainted with, particularly that which I have - already mentioned, and the great alterations in the branches below - Tatta.”--_See Captain Grindley’s Journal in MS._ - - - THE END. - - - LONDON: - Printed by A. SPOTTISWOODE, - New-Street-Square. - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[29] See “Principles of Geology,” by Charles Lyell, Esq., F.R.S. -London, vol. ii. 1832. - -[30] This battle was fought near a small village of that name. The -inhabitants of Cutch made a brave stand for their independence against -a Sindian army led by Ghoolam Shah Kulora. - -[31] Captain (now Lieut.-Col.) D. Wilson, of the Bombay army, found a -ford here in 1820, in a part of the river 500 yards wide. In 1826, I -found a depth of fifteen feet in the same place. - -[32] Blackstone. - -[33] Since my return to England, I have been so fortunate as to procure -a view of Sindree, as it existed in the year 1808, from a sketch by -Captain Grindlay, who visited it at that time. It has been engraved -for this work, and faces Chap. XVI. Captain Grindlay’s observations on -Sindree follow in a note. - -[34] I have suppressed various opinions which I had formed on the -causes of these constant changes, deeming them of small value. The -paper has been also published at length by the Royal Asiatic Society of -London. - -[35] Dhooan. - -[36] Called “Khur-gudha” by the natives. - -[37] This class of people are yet numerous in Cutch: it is among -them that the horrid custom called “traga” prevails. It consists in -sacrificing one of their number when any injury or oppression is -offered to their community, under a belief that the blood so shed rests -on the head of those who oppress them. - -[38] I have since found, in some manuscript papers of the late lamented -Captain M‘Murdo, written as long since as 1815, that he formed similar -conclusions with myself regarding the Run of Cutch. He is treating of -that part of it near Kattywar, of which I have not spoken, and the -following extract is both curious and satisfactory:--- - -“The Runn has every appearance of the sea having shortly withdrawn -from it. This is supported by the semblance and production of the -neighbouring country, and large stones are found on the shore several -miles from the present Runn, of a description similar to those used as -anchors; they have holes bored through for the cable. On the shore, at -different places, are shown small ancient buildings, called Dan Derees, -or houses where the dan or customs were collected; and, in short, it -is a tradition in the country, that Khor, a village two miles east of -Teekir, was a sea-port town. About fifty years since, the wreck of a -vessel, of a size far beyond that of any of the craft now in use in the -Gulf of Cutch, was discovered at Wawania, sunk in the mud about fifteen -feet deep.”--_Captain M‘Murdo’s MS. Memoir on Kattywar, August, 1815._ - - - - -Transcriber's Note - - -The following apparent errors have been corrected: - -p. x "and, the Indus" changed to "and the Indus" - -p. xv "Advance so Lahore" changed to "Advance to Lahore" - -p. xix "Umritsirr" changed to "Umritsir" - -p. 22 "voyage to Labore" changed to "voyage to Lahore" - -p. 33 "ridge near it," changed to "ridge near it." - -p. 34 "India,” that" changed to ""India,” that" - -p. 83 "various Beloche" changed to "various Beloochee" - -p. 113 "been throughly" changed to "been thoroughly" - -p. 115 (sidenote) "of Mooltan" changed to "of Mooltan." - -pp. 117-8 "was as fol" changed to "was as follows" - -p. 122 "branch from it," changed to "branch from it." - -p. 144 "royal foostool" changed to "royal footstool" - -p. 201 "The are about 700" changed to "There are about 700" - -p. 267 "Bukkur, it" changed to "Bukkur, its" - -p. 308 "Umritoir is superior" changed to "Umritsir is superior" - -p. 316 "at Sundree it was" changed to "at Sindree it was" - - -Inconsistent or archaic spelling and punctuation have otherwise been -kept as printed. - - -*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TRAVELS INTO BOKHARA (VOLUME 3 OF -3) *** - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the -United States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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