98 AREIVAL AT KOTREE. 



'' Sir John Lawrence has declared steamers 

 on the Indus to be one of the crying wants of 

 the Punjaub, and that they and the railway 

 would do more for the country than any num- 

 ber of public works that could be devised." 



Coal has been discovered within a moderate 

 distance of Kotree, but not, I should say, of 

 superior quality ; at least so I judge, from a trial 

 of it on board the Conqueror on coming down 

 the river, as it threw out but little heat, and the 

 smell and smoke were offensive, — indeed our 

 commander declared that wood was far prefer- 

 able. As, however, the latter description of 

 fuel is, I understand, beginning to run short, 

 the newly -found coal will be of value, at any 

 rate, either for the railway or the steamers. 



We reached Kotree on Christmas-day, and 

 an express having arrived directing the im- 

 mediate embarkation of the 7th Royal Fusiliers 

 in the Frere, and its attendant flat, we were 

 obliged to turn out, but Captain Daniell very 

 obligingly accommodated us in the iV^mroc?, which 

 is I believe the fastest vessel on the river. It 

 will be remembered that the Nimrod was one 

 of Colonel Chesney's vessels on the Euplirates 

 and Tigris expedition, and so small was she 



