'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎21] (154/458)

ON THE PROVINCE OP PESHAWUR. 21
the Joins ", after wliicli, the victim, aching in every limb, retires to the
dressing room. The ladies have to undergo a similar operation, but
the operator is, of course, of the same sex. The price for all this plea
sure and enjoyment is a quarter of a rupee, but varies according
to the rank of the party who undergoes the operation.
The city of Peshawur is bountifully supplied with water, and the
greater number of houses have wells attached to them. Several wells
are celebrated for the coldness and purity of the water, the coolness of
which continues throughout the hot weather. Several accounts of these
cold wells have been written, and published too, I believe; but I fear
some of these writers have been bamboozled by the Peshawurees, who
are fond of playing off such tricks on persons who do not understand
their language. In the first month of the winter season, the wells, after
being cleaned out, are filled to the brink with water from the Bara river,
which flows into the plain from the Khaiber range of Teerah ; after
which they are roofed in with brick, and remain closed until the com
mencement of the hot season,—a period of six months,—after which they
are opened. For the first three or four days the water remains untouched,
to allow the bad smell, occasioned by being closed for so long a time,
to pass oft. For the next ten or fifteen days the water has a putrid
taste and unpleasant sme 11 , but after that period continues tb improve
daily, both in purity and brilliancy; and the water moreover continues
so cold throughout the hot season that it is almost impossible to quaff a
tumbler full of it at a draught. The Chah (well)-i-Shaik Iwuz (a
celebrated devotee mentioned by Mr. Elphinstone,) which is situated
in the suburb of Sir Assea, is the most celebrated.
Another sunk by Yar Mahomed Khan, brother of Sultan Mahomed,
and called the Chah-i- Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , is situated near the Kohaut Gate. A
third is situated in the Bagh-i-Wazeer ; and a fourth has been lately
sunk, but is not so famous.
One or two authors have written concerning the “ numerous mos
ques and other public buildings of Peshawur, many built in a splendid
style of oriental architecture, now going to ruin.” At the present time
no trace remains of these, I fancy, imaginary buildings, and the mosques
(six in number) that are at all worthy of even the slightest notice, are
small and meanly built,—in short much meaner in appearance than
the Musjids of many villages in Sindh and the Punjaub. The largest
^ the Jama Musjid, the minarets of which are conspicuous objects in