522 Wood's Report on the River Indus. [No. 115. 



be found in a single bed, is more often divided into two or more 

 parallel branches, from 400 yards to four miles apart. Where the 

 former is the case, (at Mittun-kote and for some distance below it, 

 for example,) the channels are more mazy and intricate than where 

 its volume, as in the latter instance, is apportioned among a number 

 of branches. These changes in the configuration of the river are met 

 by a corresponding alteration in the build of the boats. A new de- 

 scription of vessel, called a tohruk, of a less draft than the doondahy is 

 now the common cargo boat. Where the other is retained, its size is 

 reduced. Doondahs, it will be afterwards shewn, requiring five feet 

 and half an inch to float them, are in use upon the river below Buk- 

 kur; but above that fort, I have not met a single boat of a draft ex- 

 ceeding three feet nine inches. 



Mittun to Kalabagh. — The Indus in this section, as high as Dera 

 Ismail Khan, is equally well suited to navigation, though not better 

 than that last described. It also in some degree resembles that sec- 

 tion in its parallel branches and broad bed. Between Dera Ismail 

 Khan and Kalabagh, the difficulties of the navigation increase. 



Kalabagh to Attock The downward voyage may be made through- 

 out the year ; but from April to October the passage is hazardous, and 

 rarely attempted. Boats at all seasons may ascend as high as Sharkee, 

 a village on the right bank of the river, a few miles above Mukkud, 

 but between that and Attock the upward navigation is restricted to 

 the winter months, and even then a boat must have a double crew, 

 and be of a build that does not obtain below Kalabagh, called a dug- 

 gah. For a description of this vessel see the 7th article in this Report. 



III. — Of the Soundings in Indian Rivers. 



After having sketched the greatest capabilities of the Indus from 

 the draft of its boats, it will not be necessary to enlarge in this place 

 on the nature of its soundings. South of Mittun-kote I have inserted, 

 under sectioned heads, specimens enough to shew the characters of the 

 Channels,* referred to. A table marked maximum, minimum, ka. 

 is quite the thing for a thermometrical register ; but such a formula 

 for soundings, when applied to an Indian river, mars its own object, 



* See Appendix, Table V. 



