1098 Account of Khyrpoor and the Fortress of Bukur. [No. 107. 



in a small dark chamber behind their shops, but had latterly carried on 

 their transactions openly, and were disappointed and alarmed when they 

 found our civil and military officers were not authorised to protect them. 

 Espionage is carried to an extraordinary length. The officers of the 

 prince inform him when a merchant makes a successful speculation, and 

 a mechanic a superior article, and he demands a share of their profits, 

 which is regulated by no law, but by his own absolute will. The manufac- 

 turer is careless about improving his fabrics, from the little benefit he 

 derives from his ingenuity. There are persons in every community who 

 basely earn a livelihood by informing against their fellow citizens, and 

 to this class the sovereign looks for information. Neighbour is against 

 neighbour, and social intercourse destroyed, and each fears his associate 

 will employ the knowledge he obtains of his affairs for some bad purpose. 

 Under such a system it is not surprising that Sind exhibits the 

 shadow of its former prosperity — that the revenues are decreasing, 

 and yield a tithe of what an enlightened government would obtain 

 from them. The advantage conferred by the Indus as a medium 

 of communication with the ocean and Northern India and Central Asia 

 is sacrificed. The skilful artificer departs to regions under a milder admi- 

 nistration, where he reaps the profits of his industry. Useful arts are lost, 

 and I witnessed the departure of weavers, dyers, and other industrious 

 classes from their native towns, to escape the exactions of the governors. 

 Many have relinquished trade, and prefer to live quietly on a little, than to 

 amass a fortune which might tempt the cupidity of the government. The 

 people are not inferior to their neighbours in talent, but it cannot develop 

 itself under a withering despotism. Even the upper ranks are sunk in 

 ignorance, and possess neither the mental acquirements, nor the polished 

 manners of the Moosulman of India. 



The laws are founded on the Koran, but corruptly administered, and an 

 offender escapes punishment by bribing the judge. The poor have little 

 chance of redress when their oppressor is a Suyud, or nobleman of the 

 military class. Fines are levied on trifling pretexts, and whenever it is 

 possible, the Hindoos settle their quarrels without an appeal to the 

 governor, who, if a rigid Moosulman sometimes condemns one or both to 

 circumcision. In general the punishments are not severe; life is seldom 

 forfeited, and the principal Ameers alone exercise the power of life and death. 



The revenue of the territory under the Ameers of Khyrpoor, including 

 the purgunnah of Moghulee, Boordgah, and Keen, is computed at twelve 

 lacks of rupees, of Avhich Khyrpoor yields perhaps eight lacks. The 

 Ameers obtain part of their land revenue from the farmer in grain, and 

 part in money, regulated by the nature of the soil, and its proximity to 



