PERSIAN WHEEL. 29 



tion in Sindli from the river is either by open- 

 ing drains leading to low lands or by the use of 

 the Persian wheel. These wheels are usually 

 jDlaced in cuts made from the river, where the land 

 for cultivation is at hand ; but where such lands 

 are at a distance, large canals lead to them from 

 the river. It must be evident that in such a 

 country as SIndh, dependent as it is entii^ely 

 on artificial means of iiTigation, any neglect 

 of the canals must be productive of ruin to the 

 cultivation ; and, indeed, it is a well-known fact 

 that vast tracts of fertile land have been re- 

 duced to wastes, consequent on the want of 

 water, owing to the neglected state of the 

 canals. But since the country has been under 

 British rule much has been done to improve the 

 irrigation of the province. New canals have 

 been cut, and others are projected, some of them 

 at a very heavy cost, but promising to produce 

 an enormous return of revenue when brought 

 to completion. 



Much too has been done in the construction 

 of bridges within the last few years, for in 

 1856 the superintending engineer set to work 

 in earnest and furthered the progress of the 

 Grand Trunk Road, leading from Kurrachee 



