ARRIVAL AT KOTREE. 265 



she has since been lost, but she was a very fast 

 and comfortable steamer. We reached Kotree 

 after a rapid run of 17 J hours from Sukkur, and 

 there learned that the steamer had arrived at 

 Kurrachee, and was to start for Bombay so 

 immediately that it would be impossible to ar- 

 rive in time for her, even by riding on camels 

 across country, which I thought of doing, but 

 was dissuaded from making the attempt, as it 

 would have been a dangerous exposure in my 

 very weak state. After all, however, I was 

 obliged to leave the Latvrence, and go on in the 

 little Conqueror^ just about to start, which is, I 

 believe, about the most uncomfortable vessel on 

 the river. She was, moreover, crowded to ex- 

 cess, and crammed with freight and baggage, so 

 much so, indeed, that there was barely room to 

 lay one's bed at night, and thus being exposed to 

 the heavy dew of Lower Sindh, I was laid pros- 

 trate with severe fever. At sunset we anchored 

 in the narrow passage, as it is called, and there 

 found the Planet aground. In the night we 

 dragged our anchor, and got so close to the 

 shore that when we were starting in the morn- 

 ing one of our paddle-wheels began to revolve 

 on the bank, and was smashed in a moment. 



