Brackish
water.
Kajuri.
Pir.
Khundilani.
Khirta.
The Bolan pass.
Dasht-ki
-Daulat.
RAWAL PINDI DIVISION.
137
over boulders, and finding our ground on the bed of the Soon nullah entirely surrounded by steep
cliffs. water was obtained from pools in the n u l l a h .T
h e s e a p p e a r e d a t f i r s t a s i t t h e y w e r e
stagnant, but lower down we came across running water coming out of the sand. The water
in all these nullahs have a peculiar way of disappearing and turning up again some distance
off. Water at tins camp very brackish, The march to Kajuri was through the Soori nullah
the whole way ; steep cliffs on each side, and pools of undrinkable water were found here and
there. The camp was on the side of a hill over the Kajuri nullah and at the junction of the
five valleys ; water brackish. Our next march was a very short one; the first half was a
gradual ascent over a range, on the top of which we found the ground covered with fossils.
Several perfect specimens of crabs, starfish, seaweed, wood, and a great variety of sea shells were
picked up. A descent of about two miles brought us to our camp, Soti, on the banks of the
Soori nullah again ; water a little better. The first five miles of our next march was through
the Sihaf nullah to a narrow, steep rocky pass about a mile long, almost impassable for camels.
The regiment had to mend it before the camels could get along; the remainder of the road to
Bugti Dun was sandy. Bugti Dun is a largish village, surrounded by a wall. Water was
obtained from a nullah , and was good. There were several acres of ground under cultivation.
Very little can be obtained here in the way of supplies. The road for the next three marches
was fair, over stony ground intersected by numerous nullahs. Water fair and plentiful none
to be obtained except at camps. Just before entering the camp at Dingan (Sulani-ki-khoond)
we came across a small pool, 10 feet wide of yellow-looking water. The dogs had a drink
and a swim; the horses had a walk through, and so did the camels. On arriving in camp we were
informed that the only water to be obtained within five miles was in that pool. We had
brought water with us from the last camp in pakals, but the men in charge had carefully filled
them up with this coloured fluid on passing. It was perfectly undrinkable, and the day being
hot, and there being no trees anywhere near, we were not sorry to leave this place. Our next
march saw us out of the hills after about five miles of the Murwar nullah, the remaining fourteen
m i l e s b e i n g a c r o s s t h e K u t c h i , a n i m m e n s e p l a i n c o v e r e d w i t h l o w s h r u b s a n d w i l d c a b b a g e , a n d
extending about 48 miles. We saw Lehri, seven miles off, looking as if it had been built on a
mound and surrounded by a large mass of water. On arriving, the water had gone further
on, and we found a large village surrounded as usual by a wall. This place is the great tannery
of the district, and supplies of all kinds can be obtained here (mustard seeds and arrack), also
vegetables, We had had no green food since leaving Rajhan, and our cook had forgotten
potatoes. There is a squadron of the Sind Horse stationed here. We continued along the
Kutchi next day to Mutch, though why it should be called Mutch or any other name we could
not understand; for if we had not come across a ditch containing water, we might easily have
passed it, there not being a tree, nor even a mud wall, to be seen ; water good and plentiful.
C o n t i n u i n g a l o n g t h e p l a i n w e c a m e t o an
u l l a h(
N a r i ) , c r o s s e d i t , a n d f o u n d t h e v i l l a g e o f
Mittri on the other side surrounded by a wall. Supplies of all kinds can be obtained, but
dearer than at the next camp, Dadur. The 2nd Beluchis, Jacob's Rifles and a battery of artil
-
lery, with the 2nd Sind Horse were stationed here; they were in tents and complained very
much of the cold winds which frequently blew. A mile beyond this place we passed through
some low hills and over some swampy ground. Dadur is situated on a piece of high ground
and is the cold weather residence of the Pass people. All the sheep, &c, are driven out of
the pass to Dadur during the cold weather, returning to the Dust near Quetta in the hot.
All the country roundabout this was cultivated and intersected by deep cuttings filled with
water. The old cantonments are still standing in a wonderful state of preservation,
water was plentiful and good, but there is a large sheet of very dirty-looking water just below
the city, which, in the hot weather, must make the place very unhealthy. Three miles from
this is Pir, the entrance to the Bolan Pass. At first it is between low hills, which gradually get
higher and steeper. The Bolan River flows swiftly, now at one side and now at another side
of the Pass ; consequently in about three miles we crossed it seven times. The camp Khunch
-
lani is at the junction of the rivers Pushtal and Bolan. A moderate quantity of wood is to be
found here. Camp ground rocky and limited ; water very good. The first three miles of the
next march was along the bouldery bed of the Bolan. The river had to be crossed nine times.
About half a mile after the last crossing, we left the river, turning to our left, and slightly
ascending, came into a plain, which we crossed again corning to a stream, on the side of which
was Khirta, a small village. Here Government is building a serai and digging a wel
l.
Continuing along the pouldery river-bed, we encamped next day at the entrance
of a narrow gorge, having the river to our right. The next day we bad to cross two
branches of a river close to camp, and continued along a narrow path as usual; we came to
Ab-i-gam, the last water. Here the river is very small; at the camp, and a little below it,
it suddenly disappears in the sandy ground. Between Ab-i-gam and Sir-i-Bolan is a village
to the right on a small cliff called Mutch. Government has a depôt of stores here. A little
further on to the right a jet of water comes out of a rock At Sir-i-Bolan, the source of the
river, the water comes out of a rock in numerous jets; it is warm and tastes good. The rock
itself is covered with beautiful moss and maiden-hair ferns. The first ten miles of the next
march was through the Bolan Pass ; the clans on each side were very nign and steep, and the
Pass was very narrow and winding. We turned to our right over a citadel and descended a
little, coming on the famous Dasht-ki-Daulat, a large plain surrounded by high hills.
Soti.
Bugti Dun.
Dingan.
Mutch.
Mittri.
Dadur.
Continuing for about three miles over this, we came to our camp, Durwagao, a narrow place
between the Great and Little Dasht. A well is being dug here, and a semi is to be commenced
next month. The water was obtained from a pond of melted snow. This place is held in
Durwagao.
K 1