722 Sketch of the Physical Geography of Seistan. [No. 103. 



the mule and ass, — the latter of which is very common and useful, is the cow, 

 which is much valued in the neighbouring countries. People 

 send their cows from a distance to pasture on the reeds of the 

 Hamoon, which soon bring them into condition, but a cow thus fattened, 

 though looking sleek and plump, does not yield the same quantity of milk as 

 the Candahar cow, which revels on artificial grasses ; for the first, six seers 

 of milk is considered a fair supply ; at Candahar twelve seers are commonly 

 drawn. The Seistan cows are exported, three or four hundred every year, 

 to Candahar, Persia, &c. I heard a well attested story of one wliich had re- 

 turned by itself from Teheran. 



Cows are put to a singular use in this country (14) ; they are taught to 



^ ., . hunt. In the spring, when the lake is covered with water- 



Stalkmg. ^ . ° 



birds, the cow quietly crops the reeds, and the birds used 



to its presence, do not rise at its approach. Behind it skulks the hunts- 

 man, his matchlock resting on its back. The cow moves along very quietly, 

 first lifting one leg and then after a pause another, every now and then stop- 

 ping and feeding, till it comes to within a few feet of a dense mass of fowls. 

 The hunter then fires, picks up his prey, and continues his sport as before. 



Many cows are said to die from a disease called "Murk," (a corruption 

 perhaps of " Murg," death) when you are told, a maggot is always found 

 in the liver. 



The water-birds of Seistan I did not see, but I could well credit the 



reports of their extraordinary numbers by the appearance of many parts 



of the grounds which had been lately deserted by water; in some places 



„. , the marks of feet were so numerous as to remind us of an 



Bn-ds. 



etching. Geese, ducks, and teal, are tamed. A very fine 



species of tame duck is brought from Bunpore, and is commonly offered as 



a present in Seistan. 



A famous shot, a cousin of the principal chief in Seistan, Mahomed Reza 

 Khan, wrote out for me a long list of all the birds with which he was ac- 

 quainted, with remarks on their habits, &c, but his notes are more amusing 

 than instructive. (15) 



There are probably few fish in the lakes, or rather few varieties of fish. 



In all the rivers we crossed from Girishke to Herat, though 



we frequently threw in poison, and caught fish in hundreds, 



we only found two species, a carp and a silurees. The Heri-rood has 



14. The same custom is known in Afghanistan ; see Elphinstone. 



15. Thus he speaks of the Kohtan, or pelican, the water-carrier of the birds, which fills its bag with 

 water, and flies far away into the thirsty desert, where the little birds exchange the food which they 

 have collected, for a drink of his water. Or of the " Furdeh begirum," or " I'll catch him to-morrow," 

 a kind of bastard hawk. Every morning it resolves to go a hunting, but scarcely has it made two 

 circles in the air, when a piece of cow-dung attracts its eye, " Well never mind," it exclaims, settling 

 down on the cow-dung, " I'll catch to-morrow." 



