Eastern Branch of the River Indus and Runn, 573 
than probable that the tract which did intervene was low, and not unlike 
the Tharr itself. Pdrcar too, I learn. is peninsulated, which may be 
accounted for by the force of the waters that overflowed the Runn at 
some period being checked in their progress by its hills. I am inclined, 
therefore, to believe that the Runn of Cutch was formed by an influx 
of water which disunited the hills of BPhaild and Parcar, consequent on 
an earthquake. 
But to complete the proof on this head, I take it for granted, that Cutch 
has been at one time or other united to Sinde. Such being the case, the 
Indus would flow, as it now does, on the western side between it and Sinde 
proper, and the river Banndss between it and Guzerat, and which would 
leave no doubt that the waters of the latter river escaped to the head of the 
gulf of Cutch in a prolongation of their present course. But besides these 
two rivers, we have the Luni river flowing from the mountains of Ajmtr into 
the north-eastern corner of the Runn at Pércar, and it is doubtful what 
course its waters would pursue, after reaching so low as the island in the 
Runa, called Narra bate. 1 am inclined to believe that their more probable 
course would be towards the Indus, across the present Runn, in a direction 
nearly parallel to that great river, and with which the Pércar hills may 
have prevented it from effecting a junction higher up, so that they would 
enter the sea by Lacpat, and not along with the waters of the lanndss, 
by the head of the Gulph of Cutch. Some of our maps have given a 
dotted line, representing the course of the Luni river, as I have now stated, 
but it must be purely supposition, as there is no channel now discoverable 
any where throughout it, and I speak from personal observation. That 
distinguished geographer, Major Rennetx, was greatly puzzled in his 
memoir to assign a proper course to this river, which he calls the Paddar 
and Caggar, names now unknown, and after saying that it is possible 
these rivers may discharge themselves into the sea by one or more openings 
through Cutch, he surmises that they may be lost in the sand. This coun- 
try was quite unknown when Reyneti wrote, and I believe I am the first 
European who ever crossed the grand Runn to Ballyart. In this journey, 
which was performed in February 1827, | had ocular demonstration of the 
humidity of a part of the intervening Runn, which the natives informed 
me was caused bya quantity of water that had been blown from the vicinity 
of Pdércar,—a corroborative fact that the course of the Lun’ river was, in 
all probability, as I have assigned it. 
4E2 
