The soil at first is very fine, finely pulverized, brownish as we proceeded onwards, becoming more and more sandy. Hills of some height, apparently very distant, are seen ahead due north, and to the west. We passed one village to the left, two canals of small size, and some Bagree cultivation. A small ridge with a hillock occurred after passing the village, otherwise all was flat. And about this the jungle was thin, entirely of patches Kureel, Rairoo, and Furas, Peepul.
We had a violent north wind yesterday evening with some rain.
23rd.—To Rogan, distance 11 to 12 miles: country generally flat, presenting here and there sandy undulations, generally bare of vegetation. Salvadora, Jhow, Furas, Kureel, Rairoo, continue; Furas and Rairoo most common; a new Chenopodium and a Salsola, or a plant of the same genus as that met with yesterday, swarming in some places, both species were common in some parts, in others one of the two only occurred. Road generally excellent, level and unbroken. Two small ghurrees or forts occurred, with a large patch of cotton, and still larger of Bagree: a small Sedoid-looking plant with yellow flowers, and one or two other (to me) novelties occurred: Heliotropium, Fagonia, Joussa, Bheir. In those parts in which loose sand had become accumulated, it not only formed banks, but every bush was submerged in it. The fresh sand must be derived from decomposition of the hard level plain by the action of the air: yet there should be a regular gradation in size of the waves; those nearest the windward side of the desert ought to be the smallest. Rock pigeon of Loodianah seen.
There are two ghurrees or forts at the halting place, both small; the water is tolerable. The chief trees are Salvadora and Rairoo.
24th and 25th.—Left in the evening and marched all night through the desert, which commences within two miles of Rogan, and towards which place vegetation gradually becomes more scarce until it disappears entirely. This sandy waste is upwards of twenty miles in extent: in the direction we traversed it, NW. or NNW., it is almost totally deprived of vegetation; one or two plants, such as Salsoloid, being alone observable near its borders. The surface is generally quite flat, in some places cut up by beds of small streams: the surface is firm, and bears marks of inundation: tracks of camels, etc. being indented. We reached Bushore at 5½ A.M.; the camels performed twenty-six miles in ten hours. We halted for four hours in the centre of the desert and tried to sleep but the cold was too great, striking up as it were from the ground. The camels marched through without halting, and we suffered only one loss amongst them next day. The occurrence of this peculiar desert is unaccountable, especially its almost absolute privation of vegetation; for many other places, equally dry, have their peculiar plants, such as Salsola, Chenopodium, Furas, Rairo, Ukkoo, Kureel.
25th.—Bushore is a miserable place, consisting of the usual mud houses and defences: the adjacent nullah does not invite attention; it is however the only seat of wells, which, as in all this country since leaving Rogan, are of small diameter, from thirty to forty feet deep, and contain very little water, which also is rather brackish and well impregnated with sand. The surrounding country is so barren that it may be called a desert, while the desert itself may be called the desert of deserts. I should mention that this ceases first to the west, in which direction shrubs encroach on it. Phulahi, Evolvulus acanthoides, Tribulus, Kureel, etc. are found about Bushore, but the prevailing plant is Chenopodium cymbifolium.
26th.—Leaving Bushore, we proceeded to Joke, which we reached late, it being nineteen miles: we lost the road however, which is in a direct line only sixteen miles. We soon came on a nullah, or canal, which we followed to Meerpore, a rather large double village, with a nice grove of Furas, situated on the dry river Naree, which is as contemptible in size as deficient in water, this is only procurable by digging wells of thirty feet deep, and even then in small quantity. Before reaching it, we passed several villages, mostly deserted and ruined.
The country is frightfully bare of wood; the chief plant is Chenopodium cymbifolium, and along the canal lemon grass, Kureel, Rairoo, Joussa, Ukko, Bheir, etc.; near Meerpore a Centaurea, and Evolvulus acanthaceus. But along the nullah some wood may be found, stunted though it be, it is chiefly Rairoo. We left Meerpore and proceeded about one and a half mile from Joke, following the nullah until we came on a canal in which, from a bund having been thrown across, there was a puddle or two of water. Here we halted. Much remains of cultivation is presented about this, chiefly Bagree, which is perennial. Durand tells me that the sprouts of the second year are poisonous to cattle, i.e. horses; but this report may have been given out purposely by the natives. Along the river, Jhow and Furas occur, in the naked plains, Chenopodium cymbifolium, Rairoo, and a few Kureel, but they are so naked as to afford little fodder for the camels: there is a little cultivation of mustard, and Taira meera. The hills are about twenty miles off, and appear about 4,000 feet high, they are precipitous, but the outline is not rugged: they appear perfectly barren. Those to the north which run nearly east and west are more distant. No new birds were seen; rock pigeons occur. The soil would be rich if water were abundant: in the Bagree fields it is of a cloddy kind.
Reseda, Euphorbia, Salsola lanata, Chenopodium cymbifolium, Evolvulus, Panicum, and Andropogon occur here. Jowaree sells at twelve seers a rupee, and Khurbee is very dear. A large plain occurs here covered with Gramen Panicum, which is in tufts, and has the appearance of being cultivated.
27th.—Halted at our camp near Joke. The Naree runs one and a half mile to the westward: its bed is fifty yards wide and about ten feet deep; the banks are well clothed with Furas. There is a good deal of Bagree cultivation.