1839.] Memoir on the Province of Lus. 201 



Kurachee for a supply for the vessels. The harbour, which has been 

 formed by the Poorally river, is a large irregular inlet spreading out 

 like that at Kurachee in extensive swamps, and choked with shoals ; 

 the channel leading into it is extremely narrow, and has a depth of 

 sixteen or seventeen feet at high water in the shallowest part, but it 

 shifts its position every year, and vessels of any size could not navigate 

 it without great difficulty, until it had been buoyed off inside. There is 

 six or seven and even ten fathoms in some places, but towards the town 

 the channels become shallow, and the trading boats cannot approach 

 it nearer than a mile ; at the spot where they anchor they are always 

 aground at low water. During the south-west monsoon the harbour 

 cannot be entered, for the bar at the entrance is exposed to the whole 

 force of the swell, and the breakers on it are heavy. There is another 

 small sea-port belonging to Lus, situated on the western side of the 

 Hinglaj mountains, at Ras Ambah, it is called Ournarah, and is the 

 place to which the productions of the western division of the province 

 are sent for exportation. 



The total value of the trade of Lus does not exceed five lacs of 

 rupees ; the imports are — from Bombay, cloths, silks, iron, tin, steel, 

 copper, pepper, sugar, and spices; the Persian Gulf, dates and slaves; and 

 from Sinde, a small quantity of coarse cotton cloth. The greater part 

 of the articles brought from Bombay are sent to Kelat, for although 

 highly prized in Lus the people are too poor to purchase them, and 

 they receive in return wool, of which 800 candys arrived in the 

 course of last year, and different kinds of dried fruits. The exports, 

 are — grain (principally wheat and jowaree) ghee, wool, oil seed, and a 

 quantity of gum ; a duty of three per cent, is levied on all imports 

 and exports, which may be paid either at Soonmemy or Beylah, and 

 a bazar toll of one per cent, at Layaree and Ootul, two towns on the 

 road. 



Most of the articles imported from Bombay are sent to Kelat, and 

 from that city distributed throughout Beloochistan ; the quantity is 

 very small for the supply of such an extensive kingdom, and is not 

 likely to become greater until the Kelat prince takes measures 

 to prevent the caravans from being plundered in their route from 

 Beylah to his capital. The intermediate districts are inhabited by 

 various Brahooey tribes, such as the Mingulls, Bezinyas, &c. and to 

 each of the chiefs, the merchant has to pay from one to four rupees 

 for the camel load, as may be determined at the time ; their followers 

 also frequently pillage the caravans. Meerab Khan, the Kelat prince, 

 has no doubt the power to repress these outrages, and he would certainly 

 interfere to prevent them, if the advantages that would accrue to 



