1837.] Survey of the Satlaj river. 169 



II. — Journal of Captain C. M. Wade's voyage from Lodiana to Mithan- 

 kot by the river Satlaj, on his Mission to Lahdr and Bahawulpur in 

 1832-33. By Lieut. F. Mackeson, \4th Regt. N. I. 



On the 8th December, after some days spent in constructing 

 temporary locks on the nala, and here and there widening and deep- 

 ening its channel, the boats arrived at its mouth and entered the 

 river Satlaj about a mile above the village of Wallipura. 



Our fleet consisted of eight boats, three built by Captain Wade at 

 Lodiana for the accommodation of the mission, after the model of 

 those used on the river Ravi ; one of a similar construction, the property 

 of Lodiana merchants, also built at Lodiana ; two common Satlaj ferry 

 boats, belonging to Lodiana baniahs ; and two small boats with oars, 

 for the convenience of communicating with the shore and taking the 

 bearings of the reaches of the river. 



The Ravi boats are flat-bottomed, and nearly square fore and aft, 

 with the prow and stern slightly raised : those built at Lodiana varied 

 in length from fifty to fifty-five feet, and in breadth from eleven to 

 twelve feet, having a depth of two and a half to two and three quar- 

 ters feet. They drew, when not laden, from ten to fifteen inches water, 

 and going down the stream in the actual state of the river were capa- 

 ble of carrying from two hundred and fifty to three hundred maunds. 



The ferry boats in use in this part of the Satlaj are not much better 

 than rafts, from which they differ little in appearance. They are very 

 broad at the stern, and terminate in a point at the prow, which is carried 

 up high into the air. Although calculated for no other purpose, they are 

 well adapted to the transport of hackeries and cattle across the river ; 

 the side planks being low, laden hackeries are easily lifted over them 

 into the boats ; or the ground at the ghat is raised to a level with 

 them, and the time lost in embarkation and disembarkation is com- 

 paratively trifling. Accidents to cattle can seldom occur, as they are 

 able to step into the boats without difficulty, and no space being 

 lost in cross beams or partitions, a great number can be accommodated 

 at a time. 



Wallipura is a small village, containing from thirty to forty mud 

 hovels : it belongs to Sirdar Fatteh Singh Alawalla. We remained 

 there on the 9th in expectation of the arrival of a party of Maha-raja 

 Ranji't Singh's irregular horse, which was to escort the boats along 

 the left bank of the river. 



The breadth of the river at this point, where not intersected by 

 sand banks, measured two hundred and fifty yards. The deep channel 



