'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1865 to December 1867. (Edited by the Honorary Secretary.) Volume XVIII.' [‎88] (115/268)

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PROCEEDINGS OF THE
the River Kalobhar, on the road between Sanglee and Chnmardee, where it,
has never before been known to have reached m the memory of man. Further,
it is well known to the residents of the villages situated near any considerable
creek, that the creeks are enlarging, and that the influx of sea-water is increasing
yearly. The inhabitants of the village of Maitta on the south coast, not far from
Jhanjmeer, showed me the devastation caused by the Buggur Cieek which during
the Aka Treege tides overflowed and washed away several fields. The Talooka
of Wulleh is anxious to open a Bunder at Ghelree on the Bhownuggur Creek, a
distance of at least six miles from Bhownuggur as the crow flies, and following the
windings of the creek probably not less than 10 miles. There is a legend pre
valent throughout the Gogabarrah District that Perim, where Mokhera Gohel
had a Fort, was formerly connected with the mainland. This does not appear
to have been impossible. There is also a legend that vessels used to be able
ages ago to ascend the Bownuggur Creek as far as Chumardee.
3 . I forward herewith a tabular statement showing the height attained by
the tides of the full moon and new moon, at Bhownuggur Mhowa and Kuthee-
wuddur, on posts specially fixed for the purpose, but I need hardly say that
observations taken for so limited a period of time are useless in themselves,
though if taken at new moon and full moon every month for a series of ten or
twenty years they would be extremely valuable.
4. When I visited the Runn in 1865-66 I observed that although there can
be little doubt that the extent of water in the Runn was formerly at some re
mote period of time very much greater than it now is, yet that this water
appears to have gradually receded owing to oscillations in the level of the Runn,
and it seems to have reached its lowest point about the middle of the last
century. At all events since that time the Runn appears to have again com
menced to sink, and the sea water consequently to penetrate further and further
eastward, and to cover a larger extent of Runn during the hot season and the
rains, vide McMurdo’s report to Government dated October 2 nd 1815. Since then
the level of the Runn has continued to be gradually depressed, and the sea-water
each year covers a larger extent of territory. In proof of this, when I was at
Balumba, in the end of 1865, the villagers told me that formerly, even within
the memory of man, there was a footpath across the Runn from Balumba to
Toona in Kutch, but that the gradual advance of the sea had closed this pass.
Close to Balumba is the village of Bheemkutta under Amrully. The frontier of
this village was defined by Colonel Rigby a few years ago; since that time
several acres belonging to Bheemkutta have been over flowed by salt-water and
become Runn. The whole of the inhabitants of the southern shore of the
Runn state that the sea is advancing rapidly. I believe the southern shore to
be the very best place for inyestigations to be made as to whether the level of
the Runn is being raised or depressed. Ten years 5 observations here would set
the question at rest.
5. My opinion is that at some remote period of time the level of Kattywar
was depressed considerably lower than it now is, and the present appearance of
the Runn and the Bhal confirm my supposition. Any unprejudiced observer