301 
1892.] H. G. Raverty —The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries. 
present junction of the two rivers thirty miles farther south, the whole 
space between is subject to inundation, that from the Indus extending 
farthest. When the two rivers rise, they begin to draw near each other, 
but, at last, the Indus water manages to force its way across towards 
Jatu-i, 296 and reaches its old channel of the last century, passing by 
’Ali-pur, and meeting the Chin-ab near the village of Pakkah Na’ichh, 
four miles and a quarter farther southwards. This state of things con¬ 
tinues from June to September, during which period, all the district to 
the southwards of those places and beyond, is under water, and the only 
means of communication is by boats. During this time the inhabitants, 
washed out of their dwellings, live on small platforms raised on poles, 
with one or more of which each homestead is provided, called machdn 
in Hindi, and also man chan , both words being from Sanskrit ffa, and are 
often not able to leave them for weeks together. 
At this time, however, the modern town of Khair-pur, a little over 
five miles west of Pakkah Na’iohh, just midway between the two cold 
season channels of the rivers, and which is protected all round by a 
strong band or embankment, becomes an island and a port; for cargoes 
of grain and other commodities are sent off from thence in large boats 
down to Sind. Should this band give way at any time the place would 
probably be washed away. 296 
There is no doubt but that the Indus, in former times, flowed 
through the middle of the present Muzaffar Garh district, in a direction 
almost due north and south, but inclining a little eastwards towards 
Multan and U'chchh; and history confirms the tradition respecting it, 
as I shall presently show. The tradition extant among the people is, 
that the river once flowed through the middle of this Thai, but rather 
nearer towards the Multan side, 297 after which it began to alter its 
296 This was the chief place of the rnahall of Jatu-i, one of the twelve constitu¬ 
ting the Bakhar SarJcar of the Multan Sub ah, and was so called after a Baluch tribe 
of that name, once very powerful. In the time of Akbar Badshah they paid 
revenue to the amount of 2,346,873 dams; held free grants to the amount of 
156,841 dams ; and had to furnish 500 horsemen and 800 foot as militia when called 
upon. In computing the amount of revenue, forty dams were equivalent to a rupi. 
296 The sand hills of the Thai, and several bands or embankments, alone pre¬ 
vent the surplus waters from the Indus sweeping over the whole district, and hence 
there is a constant danger of such happening, should any of the bands give way. 
297 Elliot (“ Historians,” Yol. II, page 28), in his extracts from the Tarikh-i- 
Yamim, where Sultan Mahmud is said to cross the Indus [Sihun in the original, but 
often applied to a great river] “ in the neighbourhood of Multan, and march towards 
the city of Bhatia,” he adds in a foot-note—“ Literally, ‘ behind ’ or ‘ beyond ’—[and 
Ibn A sir uses the same expression], but the position of Multan is such as to render 
the author’s meaning very doubtful.” Here the meaning is made quite clear : the 
river did not flow then as now, as Elliot supposed. See note 349, page 347. 
