50 CRITICAL NOTICES OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. 



forced to abandon their original intention, and, accordingly, on the 12th 

 of April (two months from the day of their departure from Cutch) they 

 embarked in six doondees, or flat-bottomed vessels of Sinde, on the 

 Wanyanee, another branch of the same river. Here our travellers 

 witnessed the fishing of the puUa, a species of carp. 



** The mode of catching this fish," says our author, '♦ is ingenious, and peculiar, 

 I believe, to the Indus. Each fisherman is provided with a large earthen jar, open 

 at the top, and somewhat flat. On this he places himself, and lying on it horizon- 

 tally, launches into the stream, swimming or pushing forward like a frog, and 

 guiding himself with his hands. When he has reached the middle of the river, 

 where the current is strongest, he darts his net directly under him, and sails down 

 with the stream. The net consists of a pouch attached to a pole, which he shuts 

 on meeting his game ; he then draws it up, spears it, and putting it into the vessel 

 on which he floats, prosecutes his occupation. There are some vessels of small 

 dimensions, without any orifice, and on these the fishermen sail down, in a sitting 

 posture." 



We confess we do not quite understand Mr. Burnes's description ; 

 perhaps some of our readers may be more successful. 



At Mittum, our travellers left the Indus, and entered the Chenaub 

 (the Acesines of the Greeks), and, shortly after, arrived in the territory 

 of Bhawul Khan — the capital of which is Ooch, a poor place, with a 

 population of about 20,000. At a short distance from Ooch they were met 

 by an envoy from the chief of the Seiks, who announced that a considerable 

 body of infantry and cavalry would be in constant readiness to attend 

 the mission to the end of their journey. They were welcomed with 

 presents, both in provisions and money, at every halting place upon the 

 road, and at Mooltan all these were doubled. At length, on the I7th of 

 July, they came in sight of the lofty Minarets of the King's Mosque at 

 Lahore. They were here met by the British resident at Lodiana, and 

 Dr. Murray, with a large escort of troops, and they were shortly after 

 joined by Mr. Allard, a Frenchman, who commanded the Royal cavalry, 

 and the whole party entered the " palace gate" of Lahore through two 

 lines of troops drawn up to honor their arrival. Nothing could exceed 

 the kindness of their reception by the Maharaja. *' A peal of artillery 

 from 60 guns announced to the citizens of Lahore the joy of their King." 

 He seemed greatly delighted with the horses which had been sent ; 

 he called them little elephants* (an unfortunate expression, by the bye, 

 when we recollect who was the President of the Board of Control at the 

 time.) His reply to the letter of the King is a fine specimen of Oriental 

 hyperbole : — 



" By the favour of Sri Akal Poorukh Jee, there are in my stables valuable and 

 high-bred horses from the different districts of Hindoostan, from Turkistan, and 

 Persia ; but none of them will bear comparison with those presented to me by the 

 King through your Excellency — for these animals, in beauty, stature, and dis- 

 position, surpass the horses of every city and every country in the world. On 

 beholding their shoes, the new moon turned pale with envy and nearly disappeared 

 from the sky. Such horses the eye of the sun has never before beheld in his course 

 through the universe. Unable to bestow upon them in writing the praises that 

 they merit, I am compelled to throw the reins on the neck of the steed of descrip- 

 tion and relinquish the pursuit." 



Mr. Burnes and his party remained at Lahore until the 16th of 

 August ; and after taking leave of the chieftain, by whom they had 

 been so hospitably entertained, proceeded towards Semla, where Lord 

 William Bentinck was then staying, to give an account of the success of 

 their mission. 



* Lord Ellenborougb, whose extraordinary application of the terms ** wild and 

 tame elephant" created so great a sensation a few years back. 



