186 Account of a Journey to Beglah. [March, 



mats and carpets under the shade of a large tree, he came attended 

 by a few armed followers, and delivered a complimentary message from 

 the Jam, expressing his satisfaction at my visit. The chief was a 

 little old man, with a strongly marked Arab countenance. 



In the course of the conversation that ensued, I found they wanted 

 me to remain at Layaree until they received further instructions from 

 Beylah respecting my journey; but as this would have delayed me 

 many days, I told them decidedly I should take it ill, if any objec- 

 tions were made to my proceeding immediately, and that on the fol- 

 lowing morning I should either continue my journey, or return to the 

 ship. This seemed to puzzle them extremely, and they at last begged 

 I would stop only one day, when they would be ready to accompany 

 me, to which I agreed. In the course of the evening one of their atten- 

 dants brought a quantity of rice flour, ghee, &c. for the use of the party. 



13th. On sending to the chief to tell him I was ready to proceed, he 

 said he should be detained a short time at Layaree to settle a dispute 

 that had occurred there, and would join me at the next stage. At 10 

 started. For about three miles passed through cultivated grounds in 

 which nothing but the oil seed plant was apparent, and then turning to 

 the N. E. pursued a track leading along the bank of a deep dry nullah, 

 running through thick tamarisk jungle: it extended several miles, and 

 the trees were every where leafless and withered, with the exception of 

 the small patches of undergrowth springing from their roots. As soon 

 as we had got clear of the jungle we came upon an extensive tract of 

 cultivated ground, watered by canals from the river, and dotted here 

 and there with huts ; at this place, where we halted for half an hour, 

 the soil being good yields abundant crops of oil seed and cotton, and 

 game is plentiful. 



On resuming our journey, crossed a level plain thinly overspread 

 with withered saline bushes, and extending as far as the eye could 

 reach, apparently to the foot of the mountains on either side, We tra- 

 versed it for a distance of eight miles, and after passing through an 

 open jungle of tamarisk and mimosa trees, about five miles beyond it 

 reached the Poorally river, and halted for the night. The distance 

 from Layaree to this place is about eighteen miles. Here the Poorally 

 is about 400 yards broad, and flows from east to west, which is a 

 proof that we must have crossed its course before we arrived at Layaree, 

 as our attendants asserted ; the banks on both sides rise perpendicular- 

 ly to a height of fourteen or fifteen feet, and a stream of water twenty 

 yards broad and two feet deep pursues a winding course through the 

 centre of its bed. 



The morning of the fourteenth was extremely cold, the thermo- 

 meter having fallen to 35° at day light. During the night the camels 



