The most varied vegetation occurs along the nullah, but consists entirely of aquatic or sub-aquatic plants; among these the most common are two or three Scirpi, particularly a large rush-like one, a large Sparganium, a very narrow leaved Typha, Hydrocharis! a pointed leaved Villarsia, Potomogetons three or four, one only natant; Chara, Naias, Ceratophyllum, Ulva, Valisneria, Marsilea, Herpestes, Jussieua repens, Fumaria common in fields.
The town is a large bustling place: the houses low and regular, and of a somewhat picturesque style, built of brick, the streets are wide and regular, having been laid out by our officers. There is a good deal of trade, and the place is filled with Cashmereans, who may be seen working their peculiar shawls, and producing very beautiful dyes.
January 22nd and 23rd.—Violent south-east winds during the day; abating at night.
February 4th.—Arrived at Hurreekee, having halted on the previous day at Mokhoo, a small village, with the usual style of mud fort. The marches were as follows: from Loodianah to Ghosepoora is eight miles; to Boondree, eight miles; Tiraia, ten miles; to Durrumkote, ten miles; to Futtygurh, ten miles; to Hurreekee, ten miles. Thus Hurreekee is at least eighteen miles from Durrumkote, although we had been told it was only five. The country near Loodianah, and, perhaps as far as Durrumkote, is occasionally very sandy, but beyond that it is easily traversed by hackeries. Being much less cultivated and overrun with grasses, among which Andropogons are the most numerous and conspicuous, these grasses are either coarse and stout or wiry and fine, should afford excellent cover for game, which however, does not seem to be very abundant. Very few trees are visible in any direction, and although neither very much cultivation nor many villages are visible, it would appear from charts that the country is very populous. The most interesting plant was a species of Fagonia.
Durrumkote is the largest of the villages we passed, and has a respectable looking mud and brick fort. Inside the village is filthy; the houses wretchedly small, and the streets very narrow. It is much the same sort of village as other Seikh ones. In the bazars cocoanuts were noticed. All the Seikhs eat opium, and very often in a particular way by infusing the poppy-heads, from which the seeds have been extracted by a hole in the side; great numbers of these are found in the bazars.
Hurreekee is on Runjeet’s side. I crossed the Sutledge, which is between 400 to 500 yards broad with a sufficiently rapid stream, by a bridge of boats built by the Seikhs, under the superintendence of Mr. Roobalee. It contained 65 boats, placed alternately up and down the river; the boats were moored to posts: over them were placed, both lengthwise and across, timbers, then grass, then soil; many elephants passed over, until it gave in, but was quickly repaired, and since many more hundreds of camels, horses, and thousands of people have passed. The right bank is thirty feet high, the left low and sandy. The country where uncultivated, is clothed with grasses, and the only trees visible are perhaps the Pipul; the Jhow occurs but not the Parhass; a few Bukeens are visible, Ricinus, Salvadora, which is occasionally a climber, especially at Tiraia. The river rose suddenly on the night of the 6th and carried away the bridge. The Himalayas had been seen very distinctly throughout the day, so that the rain must have been local: the height of the rise was three feet.
We left Hurreekee on the 8th at 10 A.M., the river up to this time (9th) presents the same monotonous appearance—sandy banks clothed with grasses, intermixed with Jhow here and there, and occasionally Æschynomene, and Typha. Very few villages have been passed, nor does the rare occurrence of topes indicate that there are many near it. The channel has been throughout much subdivided, and flats are of frequent occurrence. Yesterday we passed two busy ferries, at which two or three boats were unceasingly employed, and there was an obvious demand for more. Black partridges were heard frequently, black-bellied tern, herons, cormorants, etc. The stream averages three miles an hour. Parkinsonia was seen near Hurreekee. Reached Ferozepore at 12½ on the 9th; it is a very busy ghat, more so than that of Hurreekee: two large godowns were passed on the Company’s side. The river is wider by 100 yards than at Hurreekee.
10th.—Reached Mamdot at 9½ A.M. The fort appears of good size, with high walls: it is about half a mile from the river. The country continues the same. Some wheat cultivation, in which Fumaria, Anagallis, Medicago are abundant; Calotropis Hamiltonii common; some grapes; doob grass wherever there is or has been cultivation. The only trees I see are Babooloid, but not the true Babool, which has very odorous flowers, and is always an arbuscula, a shrubby Bheir, spina una erecta, altera recurvo also occurs; among the fields, Lathyrus, Aphaca, and a Compositæ which has the leaves of a thistle, are common.
Halted at Buggeekee, which is, I imagine, the Pajarkee of Tassin’s Map.
11th.—Continued passing down, breakfasting at Attaree: few signs of villages, but a good deal of cultivation. Persian wheels not unfrequently employed in raising water from the river: a short channel having first been cut in the bank, and the banks, when loose, propped up. Wheat, radishes, etc. Grasses appear to be much less common, while the Jhow is increasing much. The river is much subdivided, and the actual banks are scarcely discernible owing to the want of trees. The soil and current remain the same: no impediments have been met with by our boats, nor have I yet observed any to tracking, the grass jungle being easily overcome, and very unlike that of the Brahmapootra, and the Jhow not reaching that height necessary to make it troublesome. The Nawab of Mamdot visited the Envoy today, accompanied by a small party of horsemen. Only two alligators have been seen thus far: no game even to be heard, and but few living creatures visible.