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.