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from this tank, because the 1st Punjab Cavalry only arrived from Kabul on the 30th ultimo,
with the war complement of water-carriers, and they say they cannot bring enough water from
the other tank, which is a little farther off on the west side of the tahsil, and from which I am
told the 4th Punjab Cavalry always got water for the horses. I visited the tahsil tank and
found it covered, 21 feet square with about 3 feet of water in ; it is supplied by an exactly
similar irrigation-channel as the other, but is kept cleaner, and the water is more often renewed ;
it is dirty enough, but I am told it is considered the cleanest in the neighbourhood. I found
the water in it contained a great many infusoria visible to the naked eye by means of sunlight
passing through a clear glass bottle. There is no well in the whole country about. The grass
at present is good, gram good, barley inferior.
14. The tahsildar of Tank informs me that a great number of horses (he does not know
how many) belonging to the zamindars died of surra last year ; but the disease was not com-
mon for twenty years previously, when the whole of the Nawab's horses (about 300) died of surra.
Cattle do not get any disease like surra. Horses are most subject to it in the beginning of the
cold weather, and most of them live until the time when green wheat is given to them (about the
new year), then they all die; no case has ever been known to recover, he says, and therefore no
medicine is given.
15. Last year fourty-four horses of the 4th Punjab Cavalry were admitted on the sick list
for surra at this post, and they all died. This year up to the close of last month thirty horses
were reported sick of the disease here. I do not know how many of them died; I saw fifteen
besides five ponies and two mules at Dera Ismail Khan, not likely to survive. At the present
time there are no cases. The post was not occupied by the Punjab Cavalry before last year.
16. Kot Nusaran, 12th October 1880.—Militia post, seventeen sabres. Horses stand in the
open, standings clean. The water is obtained from a clean but slow-running river close by which
swells in the rains into a rapid stream ; the bed of the river is of sand and pebbles, no vegetation
in it; water good. In 1878, thirteen horses (out of seventeen) were attacked with surra, and all
died in the months of October and November. One horse died here lately, supposed to be surra.
The horses often go on patrol duty, and then they drink water from irrigation-channels, which
are the same here as at Tank. Grass and gram good, barley inferior. Surra is not known by
the zamindars to affect horned cattle.
17. Zam Post, 12th October 1880.—Sixteen sabres, 1st Punjab Cavalry. There are covered
stalls for sixty horses. Floor of the stalls very uneven, some of them soaked with urine nearly a
foot deep. Grass good, gram good, barley husky and with a green mould. Water obtained
from a small tank 6½ by 3½ paces and 2½ feet deep covered by a matting, and supplied by a
shallow irrigation channel, about a foot wide, full of sedgy growth, same as at Tank. The water
swarms with frogs and infusoria. Nine horses, 4th Punjab Cavalry, were admitted on the sick
list with surra here in 1878, and one last year. All died. No cases yet this year.
18. Kot Khirgi Post, 13th October 1880. —Seven sabres only, 1st Punjab Cavalry, relieved
weekly from Tank, covered stalls for twenty-two horses. Floor uneven and rather lower than
outside but the soil is not impregnated with urine. Grass good, gram good, barley very light and
husky. Water good from the Zam river close under the fort. There is no record of any horse
having had surra here.
19. Girni Post, 13th October 1880.—Fourteen sabres, 1st Punjab Cavalry. There are
covered stalls for sixty horses, The floor very stony and uneven, but not impregnated with urine.
I found, however, several recent deposits of human ordure in the spare stalls, which made the whole
vicinity stink. This was at 10 A.M. The excuse given by the native officer in command was
that he thought there was no harm for the men to make use of the spare stalls for a latrine at
night, and that the sweeper was at fault for not having removed the nuisance before my arrival.
So much for native sanitation ! This post ought to be very healthy : it has good water, good
grass, and good drainage on a high porous ground ; but if the men deposit their own excreta in
the stable, no wonder if the horses become ill. The water is obtained from a good clean pucka
tank 30 by 40 paces, supplied by a fast-flowing stream over a clean gravelly bed coming from a
spring on the side of the hill about half a mile distant. The men bathe in another tank below.
There were seven cases of surra admitted on the sick list at this post in 1878 and four in 1879.
They all died. No case this year. I am told that the horses were often exchanged from Tánk,
and as the men seldom reported their horses to be ill of surra in the early stage, it is not possible
to say now at which post the horses first got the disease. As every horse which got surra died, the
men were unwilling to admit that a horse had the disease so long as they could avoid it : they
persuaded themselves the contrary from fear.
20. Jutta Post, 13th October 1880.—Thirty-one sabres, 1st Punjab Cavalry. The horses are
in low sheds with a matting cover. The enclosure of the fort is small, and it is far too much
crowded, especially for the hot season. This year was excessively trying. I am informed that
not a drop of rain fell in the district between the 1st April and 21st August. The proximity
of the hills and the high walls of the fort itself combine to keep the air within as nearly stagnant
as possible, and when the summer sun pours its heat down, it must be, as an officer said, a
" veritable furnace." The stable floor is uneven and a little lower than the surrounding ground,
but the earth is not much soiled. Grass good, gram good. The drinking water is obtained from
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