'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from September 1850 to June 1852. Edited by the Secretary. Volume X.' [‎283] (416/458)

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'ttii
’HanJi,
S’ ^
^ tills g
town
aved a
ia ntity
around
not laii
re carried a?^|
lee and Baroclii!!)
?e in tliel,!
ier nortli,tkii
a distance o(«
mstained more oils
all destroyed, I
)]y little, and iii
have I heard oil]
owns of
troyed, as
ed by the
in
airs to them
a periO'
erienced ia
in
linavi
,dn
y benfi'
!mnl,
UAIN IN SCINDE—JULY AND AUGUST, 1851.
283
tiuio, but its subsequent evnportition hiis necesscinly evented mucli fever ?
and though it is not nearly so bad as I expected yet there is some
reason to apprehend that the most of it is to come.
7 . —As I was absent myself from my duties through sickness at tin’s
period^ I am unable to speak so fully as I would have wished regarding
the interruption to communication which occurred through the rain.
The post was conveyed with much difficulty, and I understand chiefly
by a route at the foot of the hills, and boats were employed for its
transmission at two or three of the swamped localities. The com
munication in the district near Tatta seems to have been impeded more
particularly. So much of the new road which has been made is at the
time of my writing this still for a great part under water, so that I
cannot yet say what damage it has suffered. A portion of the line near
Gnana is now being proceeded with as there is none other accessible.
8 . On the north of Tatta, there is a portion of road between Chatta
and Chillya-ke-Graum, which passes through a very low country, where
even in oidinary seasons considerable difficulty is experienced, and I
wouiu beg to recommend, if it were practicable, that a raised road
should be constructed over it. The entire length is about four miles,
part of which was traversed after the late rain in a boat. There is
another very awkward place half way between Jurruck and Kotree,
where the Barun (a hill-stream) falls into the Indus. The road traverses
the mouth of it, which is about half a mile broad and very sandy; at the
period oi the inundation this is always more or less submerged, where
by the post is obliged to go a round of two or three miles. An embank
ment across it would not be feasible, as it would always be liable to be
swept away by a fresh stream from the hills; a boat worked upon a rope,
extended from bank to bank (such as I have seen in the Deccan), appears
to me the cheapest expedient, that could be adopted, for the strength
of the stream would render any common ferry boat, worked in the
usual manner, of no use. I would not recommend the construction of
any tanks because with the exception of Tatta, all the important
towns and villages are within the reach of the Indus. The above town,
is at a distance of five miles, which is too far for the natives to supply
themselves, and they have hitherto contented themselves with drinking
foetid water procured from pits sunk in the mud, to which circumstance
I attribute much of the sickness which is always to be found there# I