322 



THE INDUS. 



29M. — We remain in sight of, and generally continuing in the 

 same direction as the hills, which run out very gradually indeed. 

 Scarcely a tree is to be seen, and very few villages. The country 

 continues to have some vegetation. The Sofaida is now found 

 in flower, it is the Ban of the natives of these parts ; the former name 

 indicates in Persian, a tree, said to be wild Poplar, with which this 

 has on obvious affinity. Saccharum Seerkee very common, growing in 

 tufts and covering extensive tracts. Scarcely any cultivation is to be 

 seen along the river, and altogether a very small proportion is rendered 

 available. River very much subdivided : towards evening the sky is 

 obscured to leeward by the smoke arising from burning jungle. Water- 

 fowl are very common along the Indus ; especially wild geese, which 

 frequent open streams, whereas ducks, etc. haunt places which only 

 communicate with the main streams during floods : myriads of Bogulas, 

 (the general name for herons,) were seen yesterday in a compact body. 

 The Soliman mountains are by no means rugged, and this only in one 

 or two places, where they become peaked. In Mr. Elphinstone's 

 account of a Journey to Cabul, the limestone said to be found in 

 the desert contains shells ; it would be most interesting to compare 

 this with the limestone of Churra more especially. Mr. E. also 

 mentions a wild rue as forming part of the very scanty vegetation of 

 the desert ; the chief plants being Kureel, which is a Capparis ; 



Phoke and Bheir. Mr. E. also says that the material of 



which the tope of Manikyalah is built, resembles petrified vegetable 

 matter, an observation to be kept in view. The mottled king- 

 fisher occurs throughout, but is commoner in southern latitudes of 

 India. 



Alligators abounded to-day, and it was curious to see them basking 

 in the sun with flocks of herons so close, that at a little distance 

 they appeared to be perching on the backs of the alligators, or rather 

 crocodiles. Again saw a man swim the Indus by means of a mus- 

 huk or inflated skin : he swam very rapidly, and with great ease ; 

 half his body nearly being out of the water ; he reclined on the skin 

 and kept the aperture by which it is inflated in his mouth, carrying 

 his clothes on his head. Passed Chuck about 4£ p. m. The country 

 appears populous hereabouts. 



30th. — We have seen a good many boats to-day employed in 

 carrying grain to the camp ; the smaller ones are not unlike Bengal 

 boats, having a high stern : all on the Indus however have square 

 bows and flat bottoms. 



