Eastern Branch of the River Indus and Runn: 561 
quantity, whether salt or fresh, is hostile to the purposes of agriculture, 
and there is no reason to believe that as the present tract continues flooded 
with salt, it should become dry with fresh water. Further, the banks of the 
Pharran, although from the nature of the country they never could have 
been very high, have once been overflowed, and the winds which blow up 
with violence against the stream when the floods take place (which is during 
the rains), would always blend a quantity of salt water with it; and much 
more velocity would be required to force a passage through such a sheet of salt 
water, than can, I fear, be expected with such a narrow outlet as the flood 
of 1826 has cut through Allah-band. The velocity with which it runs 
is greatly diminished, immediately it passes that point, for its waters are 
mixed with those of the salt lake, and it requires little to impede the pro- 
gress of a stream, the banks of which are for nearly twenty miles under 
water. The Rhone, which passes through the lake of Geneva, affords 
an instance similar to the eastern branch of the Indus running through the 
Sindri sheet of water, and I have been informed that the waters of the 
European river pursue a steady course through the Leman lake, with which 
they hardly mix, as is to be discovered by looking down upon the water, 
the colour of that of the river and the lake being different. 
While we discuss the chances against Cutch regaining its former wealth, 
it must be allowed that a ray of hope has now broken ont where none before 
existed, and the present state of things may terminate greatly to its advan- 
tage. In process of time, should the channel continue deepening, the 
country about Sindri might be drained and turned to its former purpose, 
there being reason to believe that the present saline soil, which it has put on 
from being covered with salt water, would disappear when well saturated 
with fresh water as the fat and productive soil of Sairad has disappeared 
from the influx of salt water. The Amirs of Sinde, too, acknowledge the 
right of the Cutch government to a small nalla, called Caira, which is now 
on Allah-band, and this, if they choose, can give them a footing at a very 
important point, and put them in full possession of the grand natural band, 
by far the most formidable on the river.* 
But if the country in the neighbourhood of Sindrt has been lowered, I 
Ear ae pe es oy 6 lo wood gy oy Eee) ot) 
* It isa singular fact, that the boat belonging to Sindri was lying in the Caira-nallé when the 
earthquake happened, and threw up between it and the river “ the band of Gov."—The Cutch 
government were in the habit of collecting their revenue either at Sindré or at this nalla, 
