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Ferozepore, and Moga lie above it. Moga lies entirely away from the river ; Zira occupies the angle
opposite the Biás confluence, followed by Ferozepur, which extends down to the point where the district
is narrowest ; while Mukatsar and Fálzilka have limited river frontages but great depths towards the
interior.
The surface of the district slopes very gently from the north-east towards the south-west at the
rate of about 1½ feet in the mile. It is all of an alluvial formation, and contains no hills, and indeed not
a rock or stone. On closer acquaintance it is found to be divided into three broad plateaux raised
slightly one above the other, the edges of which, in the form of two broken and shelving banks, run
nearly parallel to the course of the river. The highest of these three tracts contains nearly all the
Moga Tahsil, a few villages in the south of Zira, the extreme south-east corner of Ferozepur and about
half of the Mukatsar and Fazilka tahsils.
It might be conveniently distinguished as the Kot¬
Kapura plateau, the pargana so named (now in Faridkot territory) being near its centre and forming a
link between the Moga and Mukatsar portions. Its surface is extremely smooth. The soil is rather
sandy loam of reddish-brown colour, broken only by the lines of old water-courses, along which sand-
drifts are always to be found. The plain comprising the southern half of the Zira Tahsil (excepting a
few villages above mentioned), the eastern half of the Ferozepur Tahsil, and all the north-west of
Mukatsar and Fazilka, except a strip along the present course of the river, might be called the Mudki
plain, from the name of the well-known town and battle-field, which is situated midway in its length.
A leading characteristic of this tract is the brackishness of the wells, which increases towards the south-
west until the water is undrinkable.
Below the Mudki plain is the river side tract, sometimes called the Bet. Between Zira and the
confluence of the Sutlej and Biás the Bet has a width of 12 miles, elsewhere it is not generally more
than about 6 miles wide. Its soil is a dark-grey clay intermixed with strata of sand.
The rainfall is very uncertain, the rainy season sometimes beginning in the end of June and some-
times being delayed until the end of July, and the period of its termination is equally uncertain. Feroze-
pur is proverbial for dust-storms. The average rainfall at Tahsil stations from 1873-74 to 1888-89,
was : Ferozepur 22.3, Zira 25.1, Moga 20.9, Mukatsar 13.7, Fazilka 12.3 inches.
No systematic thermometrical record has ever been maintained in the district. Private observa-
tions, however, show that in December and January the temperature ranges in houses between 40° and
70°, whilst during June and July (with closed doors) its range in houses not artificially cooled is from
92° to 97°.
There are two distinct varieties of horses bred in the district—the one small but very wiry, bred
principally by the Dogars of the Bet; the latter, bred inland, of considerable size, mares being occa-
sionally found of 15-2 in height. The breed of cattle along the river bank and in the Bet generally is
inferior ; but that in the highlands of the district is very fine.
Owing to dryness of its climate, Ferozepur has acquired the name of being exceptionally healthy,
and this reputation is still deserved as regards the City and Cantonment, and also as regards all the
upland plains. But in the irrigated lands of the Bet, and also in the towns of the Zira Tahsil standing
on the lower bank between the Bet and the sandy country, fever is terribly prevalent in the months of
September, October and November. In Zira, current business is often stopped, neither, suitors being
able to attend the offices, nor the officials able to hear them.
Twenty villages are recorded as having been the seats of Surra outbreaks during the years 1890
to 1896. The loss sustained was 155 horses, 113 asses and 1 mule, which were distributed amongst
the three tahsils as follows :—
Fazilka Tahsil.—Two low-lying villages affected with Surra, during May 1890, lost a few animals.
" Surra is recognised in camels by the name of ' Tebersa' or ' three years.' The idea is that the
camel may suffer from ' Surra' for years, and that, if an infected animal survives three years, he will
be out of danger; hence the name of Tebersa".
" The Ziládár is acquainted with this disease, and a few years ago his village lost several horses ;
but recently the owners of horses have taken the precaution not to allow their horses to graze in the
fields, which are usually rendered swampy by the overflow of the river. Since having adopted this
course, there have been no losses from Surra".—(Veterinary-Captain Gunn).
Ferozepur Tahsil.—During1892,
1893 and 1894 three villages of this tahsil are reported to have
suffered from Surra. Out of 27 horses and 57 asses, 8 horses and 4 asses succumbed to the disease.
Surra occurred in 'seventeen villages of this tahsil during the years 1893—1896; most of the
affected part was low-lying.
" Surra seems to be well known, and is reported to have been present in the villages of Naipur,
Daryapur, Mokewala, and the villages on the banks of the river to the north of Ferozepur".—(Veterinary-
Captain Gunn).
Mukatsar Tahsil.—One outbreak at ' Mokamarain' continued, according to the report submitted,
during the months May to August 1895. Eight horses succumbed to the disease " Phenta."
Vernacular names being—'Andartáp', 'Táp', 'Sokra', 'Phenta', 'Marri', 'Soka,' 'Tápedik.'