582 Journal of a Tour through parts QNo. 139. 



19th Ramzan. — Travelled six kos to Karachee, a place inhabited by 



Barakhels, amounting to six thousand fighting men. The place 



' contains one thousand and five hundred houses and two hundred 



shops. There is a large grain exchange on Mandye here. There is a 



wall one and a half guz and high, round Karachee, through which there 



are numerous thoroughfares. There is a large tower in the town. The 



cultivation depends on the rain. The inhabitants are at enmity with 



the Suryanees, and reciprocal forays are constantly carried on. To 



the south toward the hills, are the Shekhans and Zarganees, and two 



hundred houses of fakeers, where the cultivation is carried on 



with running water. The headmen of Karachee are Alee Khan and 



Gul Mahammad Khan. To the east is Dera Ismail Khan, to the south 



the Myankhels, to the north Usturana, and to the west the hills. The 



revenue under the Sikhs is thirty thousand rupees. During my 



stay, the Sikhs wanted to increase it to 50,000 

 Increase of Revenue. 



rupees. The above two headmen proceeded to 



Lahore, to lay a protest before the Maharajah. Two rupees a load is 

 levied here from each merchant's camel. I had a letter of intro- 

 duction to Alee Khan, from his younger brother Jahan Khan of 

 Mandye. On my arrival at Karachee, Alee Khan came to see me, 

 and treated me with great, respect. After my interview with him 

 was over, I took up my quarters in the mosque, where I tried to settle 

 myself to sleep, not feeling inclined to eat from excessive fatigue. 

 While my companions were satisfying their hunger, and I was 

 yet awake, a man and woman presented themselves at the mosque 

 door, wishing to see the fakeer that had arrived. On enquiring the 

 Untimely visit. cause of this untimely visit, the man inform- 



ed me he had a young wife at home, possessed of a devil, which he 

 entreated me to cast out. I promised to do all I could in the 

 morning; they went home, and returned with an entertainment of 

 bread, ghee and curoot. In the morning, the " Pesh Nimaz," or clerk 

 and the people came to the mosque to prayers ; I was kicked up out of my 

 sleep, to join them. I arose, and made my ablutions ; but not knowing 



the proper positions for the Sunnee ritual, I was very nervous. 

 Prayers. 



I however got through the ceremony, by copying faithfully 



the man who stood next me. After prayers, I was taken by my friend 



of the preceding night to his house, to cast out the devil. By this 



