26 Report on Upper Sindh, [No. 133. 



ings are entirely of the latter, the excessive dryness of the climate 

 rendering them sufficient for the protection of the inhabitants ; a small 

 mud tower is generally to be seen in the centre of the village, forming 

 a sort of stronghold, and few patches of cultivation are without the 

 same refuge for the husbandman. There is little in the appearance 

 of the towns or villages of Upper Sindh, to impress the observer with 

 a favorable opinion of the condition of its inhabitants, and the whole 

 forms a striking contrast to the air of comfort and security, to be met 

 with in other provinces and countries, far less favoured with natural 

 advantages than Upper Sindh. 



No. 2. 



1st. There are no rivers in the division of Upper Sindh, to which 

 this memorandum is limited ; the two great canals 



Rivers and Lakes. t ■ _ _ 



which form outlets to the waters of the Indus, are 

 first the * Sindh," which has its mouth a few miles above Sukkur, 

 and passes within a mile of Shikarpoor, proceeding towards Larkhana. 

 This canal is the great means of irrigation to a large extent of country 

 between Shikarpoor and the river, and of immediate value to that 

 town in providing inland navigation for much of its trade during 

 seven months of the year ; it has been neglected, however, though a 

 small outlay would increase its value and importance to the revenue; 

 as well as add to the resources of trade and cultivation. 



2nd. The " Bijaree" nullah, has its mouth in the Beloochee per- 

 gunnah of the Khyrpoor territories westward of the Indus, known as 

 " Boordekur," about twenty miles higher up than the Sindh, and 

 waters a great extent of country passing through the above pergunnah, 

 and that of Koopore as far as Kajhan on the edge of the desert. In- 

 numerable smaller canals are led from the two above mentioned, such 

 as the " Noorwah," " Murwah," " Ruswar," &c. 



3rd. There are no tanks in Upper Sindh, though it is unnecessary 

 to observe, that they might easily be constructed, and to the great ad- 

 vantage of the country during the dry season, i. e. from October to 

 March. The inhabitants of the districts obtain a scanty supply of 

 water from temporary wells dug in the beds of nullahs, a well of 

 masonry and natural springs being seen but rarely, except in the 

 larger towns. 



