202 Account of the Lower Derdjdt. [No. 3, 



As we proceed further south from Mittunkot, the breadth of the 

 belt of cultivation gradually decreases, until at the village of Rojau 

 it does not extend more than two or three miles from the western 

 bank of the Indus. 



The valley of Chak and those valleys which follow, are parallel to 

 the lands cultivated by the Mazari tribe in the Derajat, and to the 

 Murri and Bughti country to the west, but, as already remarked, for 

 several miles in breadth the country at the foot of the lower 

 range of hills, and for a considerable distance inside, is totally 

 uninhabited and generally without water; and these obstacles 

 alone tend as much, if not more, to restrain the Murris and 

 Bughtis from making raids in large bands on our frontier in this 

 direction, than the few troops scattered along it at great distances 

 from each other, as the latter have, on more than one occasion, found 

 to their cost. It is impossible for a large body of men, particularly 

 horsemen, which form the principal strength of the Beluchis on such 

 occasions, to subsist within these hills or even in the valleys at 

 the skirt of them, which they would naturally do in all probability 

 to wait for a favourable opportunity to pounce upon their prey. Small 

 parties, however, do make their appearance occasionally in the 

 Mittunkot district, and I recollect that in the hot season of 1853, 

 they passed the line of frontier posts without being discovered 

 for some time, and although subsequently pursued, they succeed- 

 ed in carrying off some cattle and cutting up some of the pursuers. 



Mazaris. 



The Mazaris who occupy this part of the Derajat are a numerous 

 tribe containing about 4000 adult males, of whom Dost Ali, and 

 Mahabat Khan are the chiefs. There are about eight hundred 

 (Soolais) located at Kusmore, the most northern village of Upper 

 Sindh. The remainder of the tribe is distributed from the village 

 of Bhagrti downwards, and are all in the plains. They receive half 

 the revenue inaam or rent free. They are bounded on the west 

 by the Bughtis, south by the Brahuis, and north by the Drishaks. 



The next valley south of Chak is that of Gandrusi from which 

 it is distant about three miles. Like the others south of Cha- 

 chur, it is without inhabitants, but it contains several warm 



