19th.—Weather finer but still cloudy, north-east wind still prevalent, and impeding our progress in some of the reaches very much. Salvadora, Capparis aphylla, Phulahi, Bheir, large Babool, Furas, Ranunculus sceleratus: Jhow and grass jungle are the prevailing features. Current much the same, only occasionally sluggish. Pelicans, black-headed adjutants, (Ardea capita,) wild geese, ducks very numerous in the jheels formed by alteration in the course of the river; the country is more cultivated, but as dreary looking as imaginable. Phœnix becoming more frequent and finer, P. acaulis? likewise occurs occasionally, rather young Khujoors. We passed Khyrpore about 3 P.M., it seems a straggling place, stretching along the bank of the Sutledge; there are a great many Khujoor trees about it, and indeed about all the villages near it. A little below this large tract, the banks were covered with a thick Sofaida shrubby jungle, which looked at a distance like dwarf Sissoo. The country is much improved, and there is a great deal of cultivation, especially on the left bank.
20th.—Continued—the river is very winding, and its banks present the same features: the immediate ones being covered with short Jhow or grass, or both intermixed, the extreme ones well wooded, and well peopled. Khujoor very common. Yesterday near Khanpore, caught a glimpse of the descent, and to-day again the ground appears uneven, and almost entirely barren. It must be within a mile of the Sutledge. The left bank continues well cultivated. In some of the fields I noticed Medicago vera, Anagallis, Fumaria, Chenopodium cnicoideus, Prenanthoid, the Furas, larger Babool, and Calotropis Hamiltonii continue. Radishes very common, as also Teera Meera.
21st.—Halted about 8 coss from Bahawulpore. The Khan’s son, a boy of 8 years, came to see Mr. Macnaghten, and saluted him with “good night,” he was attended by about twelve indifferent pony suwars, or horsemen. The river is very tortuous, both banks a good deal cultivated; there appear to be a good many canals, which have high banks owing to the excavated soil being piled up: they are 8 or 10 feet deep, and about 20 feet wide, at this season they are nearly dry, becoming filled during the rains. The same plants continue—Furas, Jhow, Chenopodia 2, Reseda, Linaria, Malva, Boraginea, Lactucoidea. The wheat throughout these countries is sown broadcast. Irrigation is effected by means of small ditches, and squares formed in the fields—each partition being banked in, so as to prevent communication; when one is filled, the water is allowed to pass off into its neighbour, and so on. Irrigation is entirely effected by Persian wheels; the cattle are hoodwinked in order to keep them quiet: besides from not seeing, they are led to imagine that the driver is always at his post, which is immediately behind the oxen and on the curved flat timber which puts the whole apparatus in motion. Saw a man cross the river by means of a mushuk or inflated skin. The very common bushy plant with thorns and ligulate leaves which commences to appear about Hazaribagh and continues in abundance throughout the sandy north-west, is, judging from its fruit, which is a moniliform legume—a Papilionacea; the fruit are borne by the short spine-terminated branches: the stalk of the pod is surrounded for the most part by a cupuliform membranous calyx. I have only seen however withered specimens. Reached Bahawul ghat at 1 P.M. The Khan visited Mr. Macnaghten in the afternoon, his visit was preceded by one from his Hindoo minister, and another man, Imaam Shah, who is a very fat ruffianly-looking fellow. The Khan was attended by numerous suwarries; he is a portly looking, middle-aged man.
22nd.—We returned the visit to-day, the Khan having provided us with one horse and two bullock rhuts: we traversed the sandy bank of the river for about a mile before we reached the town, the suburbs of which are extensive, but very straggling, and thinly peopled. The inner town seemed to be of some extent, the streets narrow, the houses very poor, and almost entirely of mud; there were a number of shops, and the streets were lined with men and a few old women. There is very little distinction in appearance between the Khan’s residence and any other portion of the town, and I did not see a defence of any kind. The Khan received us on some irregular terraces; near his house, the street leading to the private entrance was lined with his troops, as well as that leading to the terrace, and this was surrounded with his adherents, variously and well-dressed. The troops, for such appeared, were decent, and those forming one side were dressed in white, in imitation of our Sepoys, and the other side were in red and blue, more proprio I imagine: they were armed with muskets; the red ones for the most part having muskets of native workmanship. A royal salute was fired when the meeting took place, which was on the terrace, and as we proceeded up the street, a band made a rude and noisy attempt at ‘God save the King.’ Having had a private consultation, Mr. Macnaghten withdrew with similar honours, presenting arms, etc. The presents were a handsome native rifle, with a flint lock, and the fabrics of the city, some of which called Kharse, were very creditable.
There are a good many trees about the place, indeed these form the chief mark when seen from the ghat: the principal are mangoes, Khujoors, Moringas, oranges. The natives are rather a fine race, but dirty: some of the women wore the Patani veils, or hoods, with network over the eyes.
Continued down the river; though much delayed by strong south-east winds. The vegetation, etc. continue the same, Potentilla sp. in flower, Phascum very common.
23rd.—Nothing new has occurred: the current is stronger than above Bahawulpore: the channel continues very winding, and sandbanks very frequent. Furas, Salvadora, Phulahi very common. The boats accidentally separated, and we went without dinner in consequence: came into the Pungnud. The mouths of the Chenab seem to be two, both apparently of no great size, yet the Pungnud is a noble river, and although much subdivided by sand banks, is a striking stream, the waters are very muddy, and when agitated by a strong wind become almost reddish. The jungle continues much the same: the Sissoid jungle again occurred to-day, the natives call it Sofaida; it has a very curious habit, and is gemmiferous, the gemmæ abounding in gum. Quail, black-grey partridge, hares, continue; a goat-sucker (Caprimulgus,) was seen.
24th.—The boats joined early this morning: we were delayed the whole day by strong north-east winds; the whole country was obscured by the dust.
26th.—The wind abated towards evening, and occurred again in gusts during the night. This morning we came in sight of the southerly portion of the Soliman range, by which name however, these mountains do not appear to be known hereabouts; their distance must be forty miles at least, yet they appear to be of considerable height: the range runs north and south nearly. Wheat is here sown in rows. Khujoor, large Babool, Fagonia, continue, Jhow very common. Towards evening we came to a subdivision of the stream following the smaller one in which the current was very strong; in some places, apparently six knots an hour. We came to for the evening at a village on the limits of the Bahawul territory.
27th.—We came on the Indus early in the morning and stopped opposite Mittunkote until 2 P.M., awaiting the arrival of Mr. Mackeson. The mouths of the Attock river are scarcely more striking than those of the Chenab; neither is the combined river immediately opposite Mittunkote of any great size: certainly the stream we followed was not more than 800 or 900 yards wide, the extreme banks are at a considerable distance; and half a mile below Mittunkote the surface of the water must be one and a half to two miles in breadth; the river is much subdivided by banks, and shallows are frequent, yet some of the reaches are of great extent.