1840.] Account of a Journey from Kurrachee to Ringlaj. 137 



always afforded to strangers. He said that the Yam wished 

 by his attention to me to shew the consideration that every 

 British officer would meet with while in his territory, and a Noom- 

 reea sepoy was ordered to attend me as long as I remained in 

 the country. In the afternoon the people crowded out of the 

 town to look at me, but I experienced no rudeness or incivility 

 whatever from any one. 



The port of Soumeanee has been long known to Europeans 

 soumeanee^ Town owing to its being on the direct route to 

 Khorasan and Afghanistan. The town is built at the head of 

 a large but shallow bay, in shape not unlike a horse-shoe, into 

 which vessels of heavy burden cannot enter, except at spring- 

 tides . The entrance is narrow, and the low sand banks which 

 border the harbour afford little or no protection from the wind. 

 All boats but coasting craft, anchor outside the bar, at a distance 

 of nearly two miles from the town, in the open roadstead, where 

 they are much exposed. Their cargoes are discharged into the 

 smaller dungees and then landed. On inquiring how the horses 

 exported from Khorasan were embarked, I was told that the 

 vessels were brought in at spring tides, and the animals swam 

 off to them. As we halted here a day to lay in a stock of pro- 

 visions, I had an opportunity of making a few inquiries regard- 

 ing the state of the district under the Yanr's rule, from the 

 Hindoo agents of Kurrachee and other merchants residing 

 there, the result of which I now beg to communicate. 



The ancestors of the Yam of Beila are said to be descended 

 from one of the numerous Hindoo Rajas who were converted to 

 the faith oh the advent of the followers of the Prophet. At a later 

 period they connected themselves in marriage with the kings of 

 Beeloochistan, better known of late as the " Khans of Kelat," 

 to whom they paid no tribute (although liable to be called 

 on for military service), but on occasions of festivity or visits 

 presented nuzurs as an acknowledgment of their paramount 

 authority. The district over which they rule, extends from the 

 port of Soumeanee northward to Khoydar, and from the Pub 

 mountains beyond the greater range of the Horas. This tract 

 of country is inhabited by the Noomreea tribe who pay alle- 

 giance to the Yam. 



