1844.] Route from Seersa to Bahawulpore. 307 



return with the first, and will dispose of their goods at Deera Ismael 

 Khan, at Multan and at Bahawulpore, as has been observed, to the merr 

 chants of those places, rather than undertake a long march into Hin- 

 doostan. Others again, whose wants are supplied at Jang Miani, Mul- 

 tan, Shujabad and Bahawulpore, never come beyond those marts. At 

 Jang Miani, after disposing of their own goods, they purchase large 

 quantities of a particularly strong coarse cloth, resembling dosooti, 

 which, dyed in indigo, is the common wear of the Affghan peasantry. 

 At Shujabad, they purchase indigo, and at Multan and Bahawulpore 

 indigo and coarse chintz, which are exported to Bokhara. It is there- 

 fore obvious, that were a mart once established in a convenient locality 

 on the frontier, where no duties should be levied, the number of Lohanis 

 who would dispose of their goods there instead of coming on to India, 

 would be much increased, indeed that the number might be expected 

 to increase in proportion to the ability of our merchants to supply their 

 wants. 



17. Should the foregoing remarks dispose you to view the establish- 

 Proposes Bahawul- ment °^ a mart as a practical object deserving of en- 

 pore as the best couragement, it will not be difficult to determine its 

 position tor the ° 



mart. position. The town of Bahawulpore, or a site in its 



immediate neighbourhood, would unite advantages that could not be 

 found in any other place. It is situated both on the high road of 

 the trade from Affghanistan to India, and on what promises at no distant 

 period, and with due encouragement, to become the high road of trade 

 from Bombay to Delhi, or from Europe to the marts in Upper India. It 

 is moreover easily accessible from the capitals of Raj pootana, from Delhi, 

 and from Amritsir, and is near to Multan, itself a great mart. 



18. In conclusion, as connected with the subjects adverted to in this 

 Submits a short letter, I beg to draw your attention to the annexed 



tabular statement, tabular statement obtained from the Government 



Native Agent at Bahawulpore, shewing the increase of trade in the 



Of increase o rivers Sutlej and Indus, since the opening of those 

 traffic on the rivers ° r o 



Sutlej and Indus rivers early in 1833. It will be seen, that in the first 



above Sukkur.from , , _ , . , . . , 



1833 to 1843. year the number of boats that descended the river 



was four, laden with 2700 maunds of merchandize, which, I may ob- 

 serve by the way, was sold at a dead loss, owing to the obstacles op- 

 posed to our merchants by the jealous fears of the Ameers of Scindh. In 



