'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1865 to December 1867. (Edited by the Honorary Secretary.) Volume XVIII.' [‎93] (120/268)

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BOMBAY GEOGRAPHICAL
SOCIETY
XCHi
‘ No. 40 of 1867.
From Captain H. T. Hebbert,
Political Assistant, Western Division, Kattyawar,
To Colonel R. H. Keatinge, V.C., C.S.L,
Political Agent A mid-ranking political representative (equivalent to a Consul) from the diplomatic corps of the Government of India or one of its subordinate provincial governments, in charge of a Political Agency. , Kattyawar.
Rajkote, 8th April 1867.
Sir,—I Pave the honour to reply to your Circular Memorandum, No. 15 of 1866,
dated lltli September 1866, referring to an extract from the Bombay Saturday
Review of the 18th August 1866, on the Geological Action on the south coast
of Kattyawar and in the Runn, with Resolution No. 1692 of 1866 by the
Government of Bombay From c. 1668-1858, the East India Company’s administration in the city of Bombay [Mumbai] and western India. From 1858-1947, a subdivision of the British Raj. It was responsible for British relations with the Gulf and Red Sea regions. .
2 . Much has been written on the general subject of the oscillations in the
level of the Runn by Captain Grant of the Engineers, Euljames, Le Grand and
John Jacob, and many papers referring to it will be found in the Transactions
of the Bombay Geographical Society, and in the Journal of the Royal Asiatic
Society Bengal, chiefly from 1839 to 1840, and in Burn’s Travels, Dr. Burn’s
Mission to Scinde, and Lyell’s Principles of Geology.
3. The only point however, for my present consideration, as relating to the
District under my charge is, whether the Runn is being yearly depressed and
the rate of such depression, if it exists.
4. Before referring to the volcanic agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. supposed to be still influencing
the Runn, I will mention the facts which I have been able to ascertain, for the
depression or elevation of the Runn is clearly a question of fact, and to be de
termined only by observation.
5. H. H. the Jam of Nowanuggur, and the Thalkoors of Morvee and Mallia,
placed at my disposal Methas to make observations. These officers, particularly
the one sent by H. H. the Jam, have visited the coast and islands on the
Kattyawar side of the Gulf of Cutch, as far north as Teekur, and have supplied
me with such information, as in six months they have been able to collect.
6 . The Runn, as often before described, is an extensive sandy flat with well
defined boundaries, lying on a lower level than the surrounding country, and
reiy little above the level of the sea. It is devoid of vegetation except on the
elevated ridges alluded to in Captain McMurdo’s report on the Province of
Kattyawar, dated 2 nd October 1815.
7. This tract of country is annually covered by the sea, which is simply
down up upon it by the force of the South-west winds.
8 . In March the sea commences to flood the Runn on the Kutch side to an
extent of about 2 miles and to a depth of from 2 to 2 -| feet. In April the Runn
covered as far as Teekur to a depth of 1 , 2 , and in some places 4 feet, and
mrin & the violence of the Monsoon, when the Loonee, Bunnass, and other
untless sti earns pour in their floods, the depth increases in some parts to 10 and