1892.] H. G. Raverty —The Mihrdn of Sind and its Tributaries. 503 
found their way into tlie old channel, which still remains in the form 
of a great depression ; 68i and this overflow, uniting with such water as 
continued to run in the old diverted channel east of Aror, subsequently 
united with the main channel of the Hakra near Sayjidah. This 
second or minor branch is what appears in our maps as the “ River 
Nara,” and “Western ISTarra,” locally called Narah—Snake or Snake¬ 
like—from its tortuous course. 
Such was the general state of the rivers from near the period of 
Amir Timur’s invasion of Hindustan, until about the period of Babar 
Badshah’s invasion of the country of the Panj Ab in 925 H. (1519 A.D.). 
The fifth great change or transition occurred when the Sutlaj, the 
681 By this depression the “ Khoonnn Leht ” of the Collector of Shikar-pur 
referred to in note 563, page 482, finds its way into the old channel. In his 
“ Report on the Indus,” Wood says, respecting that portion of its course between 
Mithan Kot and Bakhar—Ghaus-pur, mentioned above, lies nearly due east from 
the first-named place — that, “neither on the east or west banks of this division 
is there an outer bank, and the consequence is, that the country here is largely 
inundated. In the Mizarry districts [he refers to the tracts west of Mithan Kot, 
inhabited by the Mazari Baluchis], the floods of 1837 fell twenty miles back from 
the river [this overflow was towards the old channel I have before alluded to 
between Rujan and Kashmur] ; but, in ordinary seasons, twelve is the more usual 
measure of the width. On the opposite bank [the Ghaus-pur side], the inundation 
about Subzakote reaches to the edge of the desert [that is to the channel of the 
Hakya.] 
A little above Mithan Kot, he says, that “ in the month of May, the breadth 
of the Indus was 608 yards, while the Chenab or Panjab was 1776 yards, and almost 
twice as deep — all canals cut from the Sind [Indus], and surplus w r aters pour into 
the Chenab.” 
If we draw a line from Multan westwards towards the Derah of Ghszi Khan, 
and then from those places down to Ghaus-pur, 107 miles south of the former and 
86 of the latter, and near which is said to be the site of an ancient city, which 
I believe to have been Basmxd, we shall find what a great depression exists in the 
part where the Sindhu or Ab-i-Sind and the Rud-i-Sind wo Hind or Panch Nad had 
formerly flowed. Multan is 402 feet above the sea, Basirah 409, and the Derah of 
Ghazi Kh an 440 feet; while Bahawal-pur is 375 feet, ’Ali-pur 337, and Ghaus-pur 
but 295. In this depression the Sindhu or A'b-i-Sind, and the Sind Rud or Rud-i- 
Sind wo Hind, flowed w'hen they were tributaries of the Hakra or Wahindah, 
and the country all along the east side of the present course of the Indus as far 
down as Bakhar and Aror, with the exception of around Kashmur on the opposite 
side, where another depression turns westwards towards the Sind Hollow — indeed 
it constitutes a portion of it— is higher than on the west side, hut slopes towards 
Bakhar; but, on the other hand, there is another depression westwards, which 
begins about forty-two miles north-north-west of Bakhar, which runs away 
towards Shikar-pur which it passes on the north and west, runs down towards Mehar, 
and meets the depression from the direction of Shadad-pur and Khairo Garhx where 
the “ Sind-Hollow ” depression turns southwards. See note 575, page 499. 
