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Art. XXIII.—Reports on the Manchur Lake, and Aral and Narra Rivers
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 March 2011
Extract
At a period when every geographical feature of the river Indus and its outlets or tributaries may be considered of interest, the following reports on that peculiar branch called the Narra, which, leaving the main stream on the western bank, a little below Sukkur, debouches at Sehwan, are offered for consideration. The first of these reports was drawn up by the author, in consequence of his being one of the first Europeans who had pursued this route; and the second by the assistant-surgeon attached to the steamer, which was sent experimentally to test its value in avoiding the delays and strong currents of the main stream during certain portions of the year; the result was so far satisfactory, that with a well adapted boat it is evident the voyage over this distance might be made in about sixty hours, or one-third of the time consumed on the river itself. The great feature and natural curiosity of this portion of the Indus, however, is the great lake Manchur, an expanse of waste water of the mighty Indus, which is formed by the main streams rushing into it from north and east, and which is probably 200 square miles in extent. The greater portion of the surface of this lake is covered with the lotus plant, in all its beauty and luxuriance, and it is perhaps impossible to imagine a more delightful voyage than across this magnificent expanse of water, the scene being much enlivened by the great number of fishing boats; a considerable portion of the poorer Sindhian population finding their homes and subsistence in this locality.
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- Copyright © The Royal Asiatic Society 1846
References
page 382 note 1 All distances merely conjectured.
page 383 note 1 I am not quite sure if this term is correct, but the natives to whom I applied so designated it; many other tortuous streams in Sindh bear the same appellation.
page 385 note 1 This is not from actual measurement, but merely on estimation.
page 386 note 1 Here we met nine small cargo boats laden with grain.
page 386 note 2 So obscured was it, that we took on board a fisherman, whom we found at hand, to act as pilot. By his direction we came to the mouth of the river, about 200 yards only above the place where we took him on board.
page 387 note 1 One mile and a half above Mír Mahomed Shírah, a branch, called the “Giddur,” debouches into the main stream from the north-north-east. It averages from 18 to 26 feet broad for about 3 miles above its mouth, and then, according to the native account, expands into a broad stream of about 100 feet; some segments of the paddles were taken off, and angles of the banks cut away, for the purpose of tracking the vessel up to the broad part of the stream; but after proceeding up about 200 yards, we were obliged to abandon the attempt, after three days' hard labour. The “Giddur ” would seem to be the branch taken by the native boats to get into the main stream above, when the bunds in the “Kutár” are up and entire; and I am inclined to believe this, because, though comparatively narrow at its mouth, it is of considerable depth, about 9 feet mid-channel, with a current running at the rate of 2½ miles per hour.
page 387 note 2 By actual admeasurement.
page 387 note 3 The first day, in the course of our passage up from the bund of “Gaha,” the vessel's head was five times on every point of the compass, so winding is the course of the stream.