278 From Kurrachee to Mooltan. 



boom, making them set like a board — a " wrinkle" our yachts- 

 men took out from the li America's" canvas. 



We now begin to find blankets on deck acceptable at 

 night, but prefer the cold to facing the mosquitoes below. At 

 Seta I saw large quantities of cotton growing, and came 

 across, in my walk, a lot of green parrots, some wood-peckers, 

 and some enormous orange -coloured bees, having honeycombs 

 in a tree hard by. Persian wheels for irrigation are at work, 

 everywhere there is vegetation, on the river bank, and the 

 results show the marvellous effect even of these partial supplies 

 of water. 



As we approach Sukkur and the Sukkur Pass, the country 

 becomes more picturesque ; the usually fiat banks of the river 

 change to hill ; and getting a glimpse of the town as we 

 approach, one sees in the setting sun square buildings, with 

 deep pillared porticoes, looking like the pictures of ancient 

 Greece ; but the massive-looking structures prove to be mud 

 when one comes a little closer. Nevertheless, Sukkur is the 

 most remarkable place on the passage up. The river narrows 

 to a gorge formed by steep, rocky shores ; in the centre is a 

 fortified island, looking like a miniature Malta in its yellow 

 clay construction, which somewhat resembles the yellow- white 

 stone of that place in colour. This is called Sukkur Fort ; 

 and past this place the river, pent up in narrow limits, rashes 

 with great force. This is called the Sukkur Pass, and steamers 

 often find it hard work here to get through. 



. Sukkur is near Jacobabad, where the famous Sind Brigade 

 hold their head-quarters, and keeping a line of frontier 

 videttes, the looting Belooches are kept in check. Here our 

 whist party was broken up ; it had been composed of a Sind 

 horseman, a post-office inspector, about to commence his tour 

 on relays of camels and elephants, and other wild animals, 

 and an agreeable Italian gentleman. 



November 17. At evening reached Ehoda, the first wood 

 station, after leaving Sukkur. We get now out of the juris- 

 diction of the forest ranger of Sind in wood supplies, and 

 depend on our own arrangements, instead of those of Govern- 

 ment, for that necessary article. 



November 18. Keached Ghobla. Here wo wooded from 

 boats. 



November 19. Passing sandy islets, with armies of birds, 

 pelicans, storks, cranes, sandpipers, swarms of geese and ducks. 

 Here and there an alligator appears, and occasionally a white 

 porpoise. We have a bluff sandy mud cliff on ono side, a 

 shallow sand spit on the other, and a winding channel in and 

 out. Did not reach the station to-night, the current being very 

 strong — not that there is much difference here between the bank 



