CHAPTER I. Extent of Sindh. Title Whence derived. Two principal Divisions. -Delta and Southern Division. - Sehwun.-Narrah River. Lake Munchur. - Hot Winds. Upper or Northern Division. - Climate and Seasons. Great Heat. Diseases. Rain unusual. Climate Cold of Upper Sindh. of Karrachi.-Advantageous Situation of Sindh relatively to the Sea. - Changeable Character of River. --Peculiar Geographical Features of Sindh.. Absence of Roads. - - Natives journeying by River. THE territory of Sindh, lately possessed by the Bilúch chiefs of Talpúr, lies between the 23d and 29th degrees of north latitude, and 67th to 70th degrees of east longitude, having the river Indus nearly in its centre, and comprising all the portion of its valley between the Bhawulpúr territories to the north, the ocean to the south, east and west to the desert tracts which intervene between it and the province of Cutch, and the mountains separating it from the higher country of Bilúchistan. The extent of this lower division of the country fertilised by the Indus, may be about 500 miles in greatest length, allowing for the windings of the stream: it would be difficult to determine its aver age breadth measured by the soil coming within the influence of the river or its branches, as the extent is very variable: to the eastward, particularly above the Delta, as far north as Khyrpúr, the sandy desert which separates Sindh from Cutch and Guzírat, contends with the fertile soil for the predominance, and thus it is generally narrow and limited, whilst on the western side the river occasionally fertilises to the utmost verge of the mountains, at a great distance from its main stream. Sindh Proper, however, may be understood as the whole of that portion of territory included between the limits before given, and within the influence of the river: those parts which lie beyond the reach of the Indus being sandy wastes or desert tracts, scarcely merit any place in describing a country so peculiar in its features as that of Sindh, which, like Egypt, is the gift of the river permeating its whole extent and fertilising its valley. There are various opinions as to the origin of the title given to this tract. By the Greeks, the whole, or a portion, appears to have been known as Sindomana. The Hindús trace it fabulously to "Sindh, the brother of Hind, the son of Noah," and in their sacred books it is called Sindhú. Both Hindús and Mahommedans style this portion of the river Indus as Sindh, by which it is generally known in the East, and it is thus probable, that the river gives the name to that lower portion of country fructified by its waters. however derived, is very ancient. The name, Sindh has always been divided, geographically and politically, into two principal portions, Upper and Lower, or rather Northern and Southern, distinguished by the natives as Lar and Sirra, the etymology of which terms is not very clear. Each of these divisions has its particular climate, soil, and productions, and is otherwise distinctly marked by physical peculiarities. Northern, or Upper Sindh, comprises all that tract from Sehwun upwards to the Bhawulpúr territories; and Southern or Lower Sindh, that from Sehwun, including the delta of the river to the sea. Each has its capital, and is again subdivided into certain districts, or pergunnahs; the government of the upper also being shared by a branch of the same family as that ruling in the lower country. Commencing with the southern portion and Delta of the Indus, we find that in many cases the Delta of a great river is the division of soil most cultivated; but although this rule obtains on the Nile, that of the Indus may be considered as forming an exception, for, though it yields so abundantly in rice, it is almost of spontaneous growth, and there is otherwise little cultivated produce commensurate with the means for fertility so abundantly provided. On the Nile, the strip of productive soil, afforded by the alluvial deposit, is very narrow, yet every |