Page 351 - Gulf Precis (VII)_Neat

3
February 26th —Marched towards Kusserkund at four miles, palms and water to six
ovor a plain ; at twelvo over steep hills; at eighteen over the plain of Dustydri; halted
on the banks of the Kaju nullah. This plain is about fifteon miles broad and twonty long,
and in favourable seasons is rcmarkablo for its fertility. The Kajujintersects it from north
to south, but only furnishes water for irrigation during the rains. The inland inhabitant*
aro scattered about in hamlets of eight or ten huts each. Water in plenty on the road, and
procured by digging two or three foot in the nullah.
February 26th.—The road to elevcn-and-a-half miles over a plain; here the cultivated
part of Dustydri ends ; to fificon, among hills; Pfr Dastgir, a small village with water ; at
nin»-tccn-aud-a-hnlf entered the Kaju nullah; halted at twonty-two ; water from a cleft in
the rocks. The road to-day good till entering the nullah; through it 6tony and difficult.
February 27th.—Marched twcnty-four-and-a-half miles ovor hills and through the Kaju
in which we halted; water as yesterday, but none on the road.
February 28th.--The road, to twelvo miles, through a nullah; to sixteen through a
stony . valloy ; to nineteen over a plain to Kusserkund ; there are no villages for the last three
days' journey. The road lies mostly in the bed of the Kaju, which is generally half-a-mile
broad; the country on both sides is covered with high hills of barren rocks ; these hills are
thinly inhabited by Beloochis, whoso flocks find a scanty subsistence in the beds of the
nullahs.
Kusserkund lies in a fertile valley, about twenty*one-and-a-half miles broad, having the
Kaju nullah running through it; tho cultivated partis about eight miles in circumference.
The town stands on the west side, and consists of about 600 huts and a large mud-fort;
water is plentifully supplied from twenty-five large springs on the north side of the valley.
Wheat, rice and date* are produced in tho greatest luxuriance; the wheat in Mekran i*
reaped in the end of March or beginning of April; dates in Juno, and rice in September.
The Chief of this place, Shaik Samandar, is independent, and besides the immediate
district of Kusserkund possesses some little territory to tho north; but his whole revenue
does not exceed 1,000 rupees a year; the inhabitants are about 3,000 men. At Kusserkund
I met Mahomed Khan, the Chief of Gaih ; he was the only person under whose protection I
could proceed further inland, but as ho was going to Nagor, I was obliged to await his return,
that I might be furnished with proper persons to accompany me.
March 17th.—Mahomed Khan having returned, I accompanied him, and marched
towards Gaih ; at four-and-a-half miles reached licit, a fine village with a fort, belonging
to the Chief of Bug ; at nino miles Bug, a short distance on tho loft; these two places are
well supplied with spring water, and abound in palms ; they lie on the banks of the Kaju ;
the chief is Mir Mohibbie, whose revenue is not above 600 rupees. The road to eleven
miles lies in the Kaju; tho remainder to Gaih, forty-one miles, i6 over hills and through
ravines; Gaih is situated between two nullahs coming from the east, and a third, larger from
the north, into which the two former fall. All these nullahs abound in springs, some of
them hot. The town consists of about 600 huts, and a large high mud-fort, situated close
on the banks of tho large nullah; it is reckoned the second city in Mekran, Keij being the
first; and its dependencies are of greater extent than those of any other State ; they stretch
from the Choubar 100 miles along the sea coast, and eighty miles inland. The revenue of
this Chief is not above 4,000 rupees a year, and he is able to collect about 3,600 armed men
from his own districts and those of the petty Chiefs with whom he is on a good footing.
This State was formerly much subject to be plundered by the tribes on the borders of
Mekran and Persia, but it has for a few years enjoyed peace from these depredations.
March 21st.—Marched towards Bunpoor. The road this day was fourteen miles, over
hills and through ravines, to Heohan, a fine village with a fort, situated on the banks of a
nullah; its lands aro well cultivated and watered; the inhabitants are about 2,000. The
dependencies of Gaih extend thus far.
At this place I met with a person who had assumed tho character of a Sved, and was
travelling over Mekran and the adjacent countries; he understood most of the oriental
languages, and 6ome of the European. I could discover nothing from him at this time; he
afterwards sent me a note, saying he was an Armenian, but I could not find out whether
ho was employed by any one.
March 22nd.—Marched to Sarin 21 miles; the road to-day is exceedingly Btecp and
difficult through the Hechan nullah ; it has a stream of water flowing the whole way.
This is one of tho passes into Mekran from the north; there aro eight of these passes
between Minab and Kelat-i-Sewir, and they are all so difficult that the passage might be
obstructed by a very small body of men. The greatest elevation of the Mekran mountains
is attained at this place; the streams to tho south flowing towards the Indian Ocean, and
those to the north towards tho Gulf of Persia.
March 23rd.—At six-and-a-half miles Oghin, a 6mall village with water and palms; at
thirteen miles Pcib, a fort, and a chief town of the valley of Lashar. This valloy is about
eight miles broad and twenty-fivo long, and had a number of fine villages ^ abounding with
palms, but from the tyranny of tho Bunpoor Chief, to whom it is tributary, it is now much
on the decline; it can furnish 500 good soldiers. At nineteen miles Gordor, a small village
and fort; at twenty-six halted; the road for eight miles through ravines, thence through
the nullah of Lasl ar, springs of water in most parts.