1845.] a History of Sindh. 77 



tion*. Of the languages of the country the Sindee has been described by 

 Mr. Wathen, and an excellent grammar, written by that gentleman, publish- 

 ed by Governmentf. The Persian language is used by the higher classes, 

 and is that in which all the State correspondence and revenue accounts are 

 kept; most of the Hindoos of Upper Sindh speak it fluently, the result of 

 their intercourse with the natives of Affghanistan. A slight knowledge 

 of it will be found of very considerable service to individuals stationed in 

 the country. 



As connected with this translation, I would beg to refer all those desir- 

 ous of obtaining information on the inhabitants, cities (ancient and mo- 

 dern), and divisions of the country of Sindh, to the admirable papers pub- 

 lished in the Transactions of the Royal Geographical Society, and written 

 by the late Capt. Jas. McMurdo, " An account of the country of Sindh, with 

 remarks on the state of society, manners, and customs of the people, &c." 



J. Postans, 



Shikarpore, 5th July, 1841. Assistant Political Agent. 



Sindh is one of the sixty-one divisions of the world, situated in the 

 four first climates, belonging chiefly to the second, and is in the same 

 region as the holy cities of Mecca and Medina ; the river of Sindh 

 rises in the mountains of Cashmere, another joins it from the moun- 

 tains of Cabul, in Multan it is met by the river Sibine, and there 

 proceeds to the sea. Its water is very clear and cool : in the language 

 of the country it is called Hichrand; all the rivers of Sindh flow towards 

 the south, where they empty themselves into the sea, such as the waters 

 of Pitab, Chinab, Sehae, Suttanpur and Bajawareah. The climate of 

 Sindh is delightful, its morning and evening cool: the country to the 

 north, hotter than that to the south ; its inhabitants intelligent, and 

 of large stature. 



Let it not be concealed, that whilst the people of Sindh were formerly 

 Authors of Sindh ignorant of the Persian and Arabic languages, no 

 account as a compilation existed of those countries ; 

 but in the year 613 II., Alii Bin Ahmid, Bin Alii Bukur Kufi, an 

 inhabitant of Ooch, wandered to this valley, and arrived at the cities of 

 Bukur and Alor, where he saw the families of the great men and descen- 



* See Dr. and Sir A. Burnes, and Sir H. Pottinger. 



f A vocabulary by Capt. Eastwick, and a grammar and vocabulary of the Brahooi 

 and Beloochi languages, by Major Leech, have also been published in our Journal.— 



Eds. 



N 



