THE INDUS AND SOLIM AN RANGE. 



321 



26th. — The wind abated towards evening, and occurred again in 

 gusts during the night. This morning we came in sight of the 

 southerly portion of the Soliman range, by which name however, 

 these mountains do not appear to be known hereabouts ; their dis- 

 tance must be forty miles at least, yet they appear to be of consider- 

 able height : the range runs north and south nearly. Wheat is here 

 sown in rows. Khujoor, large Babool, Fagonia, continue, Jhow very 

 common. Towards evening we came to a subdivision of the stream : 

 following the smaller one in which the current was very strong ; in 

 some places, apparently six knots an hour. We came to for the 

 evening at a village on the limits of the Bahawul territory. 



21th. — We came on the Indus early in the morning and stopped op- 

 posite Mittunkote until 2 p. m., awaiting the arrival of Mr. Mackeson. 

 The mouths of the Attock river are scarcely more striking than 

 those of the Chenab ; neither is the combined river immediately oppo- 

 site Mittunkote of any great size : certainly the stream we followed 

 was not more than 800 or 900 yards wide, the extreme banks are at 

 a considerable distance ; and half a mile below Mittunkote the surface 

 of the water must be one and a half to two miles in breadth ; the 

 river is much subdivided by banks, and shallows are frequent, yet 

 some of the reaches are of great extent. 



The banks are low and rather bluff, the vegetation continues the 

 same, but Jhow is far the most common plant. Bheir, Babool, and the 

 Seerkee Saccharum continue ; the cultivation is the same ; Calotropis 

 Hamiltonii. Mittunkote appears, from a distance of two coss, a place 

 of some size, with a somewhat conspicuous dome. Immediately behind 

 it are the Soliman Hills, of no great altitude ; and, except at the 

 bases, which are covered with black patches of forest, they appear 

 uniformly brown, otherwise there is nothing to vary the monotony of 

 the scene, scarcely any trees being visible. On stopping for breakfast, 

 a general scene of embracing among the dhandies or boatmen and their 

 friends occurred ; women were also embraced in the usual way, but with 

 apparently less tenderness or warmth than the men. The boats track- 

 ing up, have masts, but the goon or rope is seized with both hands, 

 a plan far less advantageous than that adopted on the Ganges and 

 Bramahpootra, where the principal tracking is exercised by a bamboo 

 placed over the shoulder, farthest from the goon. 



28th. — No change worth noticing. The current continues rapid. 

 The hills visible, running parallel to the river, and ending very gra- 

 dually. Typha is very common, and in some places Arundo. 



2 t 



