1859.] The Flooding of the Indus. 203 



ifc appears more likely that this date was subsequently inserted in 

 the copy, because it would not allow time for the paper to have 

 travelled down, it having been handed to the Assistant Commis- 

 sioner Lieut. Shortt, at Shumsabad near Attok, in the middle of the 

 month. 



The paper stated that the river had been closed for three months, 

 which would make the beginning of April, and, as the outburst took 

 place apparently on the 8th August, would give for the whole dura- 

 tion a little over four months. But I do not think it likely that so 

 long an interval elapsed — 



1st. — Because the period is almost certain to have been exaggerated. 



2nd. — Because the thawing powers of the May sun which make 

 that month so peculiarly dangerous from the frequency of avalan- 

 ches, is likely to have caused the slip. 



3rd. — Because from the latter end of May to August those snow- 

 streams are so large that a four months' supply, including that pe- 

 riod in the four months, could hardly be supposed to remain stored. 



4th. — Because a rather shorter period is assigned, and at a less 

 favorable time of the year, from February to May, for the storage of 

 1841, which contained apparently about twice the quantity of water, 

 while it is from previous considerations unlikely that any material 

 difference existed between the sites of the two obstructions. 



I am inclined to think that the stoppage took place about the 

 middle of May, that it existed for a month before information was 

 sent down below, as till that interval it would hardly be considered 

 a really serious matter ; the paper must then have taken about a 

 month to reach Attok, which it did in the middle of July, and after 

 that a delay of nearly another month occurred before the water 

 appeared. The time could not be much shorter than that, though 

 it may have been longer. 



The fourth point referred to is the length of time during 

 which a diminution of the stream was perceived below. On this 

 point, I can state that though after the warning rumour came to be 

 pretty generally discussed, people fancied that the stream was pecu- 

 liarly low, and that it lent corroboration to the report, nothing oc- 

 curred which would have excited much attention but for the alarm 

 in the country around, and Major Becher assigned as a reason for 



2 f 2 



