Eastern Branch of the River Indus and Runn. 555 
Runn, but this I hope to determine at no distant period; I can however 
“ conceive no improbability in such an occurrence. 
Before quitting this part of my subject I must mention, that about two 
miles higher up than Sando there is a celebrated saint’s place called Ibrahim 
Shah Pir, which is held in much veneration by the sailors. It consists 
merely of a few bricks and bamboos with flags, but is particularly useful, as 
it serves to point out the entrance to another branch of the Indus, called 
Mitra ndér, which is as deep as the one I have described, and which leads 
to a landing-place called Dingro, about twelve miles up, from whence 
goods are conveyed to Palla, ten miles farther, and thence to Hydrabad. 
I met five flat-bottomed boats sailing up this branch in one morning,—a 
convincing proof of its utility. Below Jbrahim Shéh Pir is that part of the 
river called Sando, which extends up and down for a distance of two miles, 
commencing at two nallds called Changdsir, of which notice will be here- 
after taken. Previous to the earthquake, it is said that the channel at 
Sando was as deep and narrow as any part of the river, but, whether through 
the vast quantity of sand which that influx of water brought with it I am 
not prepared to state, still it is certain that there is now only a depth of 
two or three feet of water on it, though it has a breadth of a couple of 
miles. 
Having thus described the appearance of the river above Lacpat, we shall 
now turn to the part lower down, between it and the sea. At Lacpat, in its 
course downwards, it runs for six miles north-west to a place called Cé¢ri, 
where, although there is no water for drinking, there is a halting place, and it 
is from hence that all merchandize from Sinde is shipped for Cutch. Eight 
miles westward of this lies the small fort of Basta-band, now in ruins, but 
previous to the establishment of Cotri, a place of some consequence. It 
had become, however, a subject of dispute between Cutch and Sinde, and 
even of open warfare, which led to its being entirely abandoned. It is 
badly supplied with water, and was more inconvenient than Cééri, being 
at a greater distance from Cutch. At about fifteen miles south of Basta- 
band, on the Cutch side, lies the harbour of Cofasir, which can be 
approached by boats of four and five hundred candies, or upwards of a 
hundred tons, and which is the most westerly point of Cutch.* The 
* See note D. 
Vor. III. 4C 
