142 SACRED PLACES. 



throughout the month of January, nearly as 

 cold after sunset as it is in the south of Europe 

 at the same season ; but our time would have 

 passed heavily had it not been for the constant 

 occupations that inquiries into all relating to 

 Sindh, its people, customs, &c., afforded. I 

 also visited everything worth seeing in the place 

 and its neighbourhood. 



During my stay at Sukkur, a Seyud, who 

 resided at Old Sukkur, made our acquaintance, 

 and a very intelligent man he appeared, though 

 some of his tales rather bordered on the mar- 

 vellous, and he never tired of talking of the 

 by-gone glories of his native place. Sukkur, 

 Bukkur, and Roree, are all considered sacred 

 places by the Mahomedans, who had formerly 

 colleges and establishments of Seyuds and holy 

 men there, whose tombs, some of which are 

 very handsome, contribute to the picturesque 

 appearance of the hills on either side of the 

 river. The islands in the Indus are some of 

 them held peculiarly sacred too ; one of these, 

 called Khoajah Khizr^ contains a mosque of very 

 ancient appearance, dedicated to Khizr or Elias, 

 "the Saint of Waters;" which from an in- 

 scription that formerly existed, though I was 



