KHYEPOOR ARTIFICERS. 83 



is merely oral, and most barbarous in soundj 

 — indeed few keep it up. In Upper Sindb, 

 Punjalee is much used by traders and others 

 having intercourse Yvdth Mooltan. 



The artificers of Khyrpoor are generally of 

 the most indifferent description, though you 

 are told that in the time of Meer Roostum 

 the finest workmen in Sindh w^ere to be found 

 at Khyrpoor, which was then famous for its 

 armourers, saddlers, embroiderers, goldsmiths, 

 &c. But then it was the residence of the 

 Talpoor Ameers of Upper Sindh, His Highness 

 Meer Ali Moorad alone excepted, with all their 

 retainers, and the revenues of the family, about 

 nine lakhs of rupees per annum, were entirely 

 spent within its walls ; whilst now one fiftieth 

 part of that sum is not expended there by 

 its present sovereign. No wonder, then, that 

 all the best workmen have emigrated to 

 Bombay, or other places where they could 

 find a more profitable field for their skill. 

 The goldsmiths of Khyrpoor, with one ex- 

 ception, are very coarse workmen at present. 

 This man makes rings of a peculiar kind, 

 which arc certainly very delicate and bcauti- 

 fid ; they are called chcllcij and arc worn three 



6* 



