WATER OF THE INDUS. 161 



a delicacy with tlie Meeanees. The water of 

 the Indus, like that of the Nile, is con- 

 sidered peculiarly wholesome, and was always 

 by the Ameers preferred to any well water ; 

 but as it is of the colour and consistency of 

 thin pea-soup, it is always necessary for 

 Europeans to clear it with alum before 

 drinking. The Sindhians, however, consider 

 this quite needless, and, indeed, prefer the 

 water of their river in its natural state. On 

 the first appearance of the inundation, by 

 the filling of the Meerwah, the Hindoos of 

 Kh^Tpoor have public rejoicing and festivity, 

 as they consider it a great blessing ; and 

 so indeed it is, a great blessing to the po- 

 pulation in many ways. I too found the 

 Meerwah a convenience when full, as boats 

 were passing daily from Sukkur to Dejee ; 

 indeed. His Highness generally travelled by 

 that route, having an English-built boat, 

 which his people row very respectably. 



Immediately after the Meerwah was full, 

 the Kulloree, a lake to the eastward of the 

 city which I have before noticed, began to 

 fill so rapidly that the Bund, or dam, threat- 

 ened to give way from the pressure of so 



VOL. n. 11 



