764 Lieut Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. [Sept. 



beyond it the Rajpoot states. The country of Kuchh extends from the 

 most southern part of Sindh, in an eastern direction, towards Goojrat. 

 It lies along the Indian ocean, and the name seems originally to have 

 implied ( border or edge', but as the lands bordering rivers are usually 

 low, Kuchh, Kuchhee, and other words from that root seem now in nu- 

 merous cases to mean low and moist lands near rivers. To the 

 north, Sindh has Mukulwad, the Daman, and the Punjab. 



26. West of Sindh lies Bulochistan, there is here however a tract 

 of country which is to be distinguished from both; if included in Bu- 

 lochistan, it would form its north-east corner, and it lies west of the 

 middle and of part of the upper Sindh; Aboolfuzl seems to have 

 called it Seeweestan — a general term now little in use, but very con- 

 venient for us to retain. It contains Seewee, Gunduwah, Dhadur, 

 Laree Bhag, Naree, perhaps Hurnd and Dhajul, and some other towns 

 and districts. It is itself a plain, but has in most quarters low hills for 

 boundaries. A hilly but by no means mountainous tract intervenes 

 between it and Candahar, and in that tract live the Tureens and some 

 other Afghan tribes, while to the traveller's right hand are the 

 Hakurs. At Gunduwah begin hills, and the country is hilly to Kelat, 

 a distance of 120 miles in a direction about north-west. Kelat must be 

 considered as the capital of Bulochistan, though not the greatest city. 

 The surrounding country is but poor. In the western part of Bulo- 

 chistan are the cities, towns, or districts, of Keech Mikran, Punjgoor, 

 Dezuk, Bempoor, and others ; this last is nearly SSW. of Jellalabad, 

 the capital of Seestan, from which it is distant 13 days journey. Of 

 these the three only nearest to Jellalabad are inhabited when the 

 direct road is chosen, but it is said there is a road more to the east 

 which conducts through a country generally inhabited. From Bem- 

 poor to the sea it is said to be ten days, and to the first town in 

 Kirman five days. In both cases the country is reported to be in- 

 habited. On the coast of Bulochistan are some harbours of which the 

 most noted is Kirachee, the longitude of which is not very different* 

 from that of Kelat. Nearly intermediate between them is Belo. 

 The information is very scanty which is to be gained concerning 

 Bulochistan, a circumstance which perhaps evinces it to be a country 

 little productive or practicable. The chief population of Seeweestan is 

 Indian, but the Beeloches are generally speaking the masters of the 

 country. They are themselves divided into two nations, which were 

 probably distinct in early times. The Koorgal nation is the superior, 

 and its residence is chiefly in the west, and in the hilly tract wherein 

 is situated Kelat. The Rind tribes dwell in the eastern quarters. 



