The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1878-10-30
A Visit to Muggur Peer, in the
Scinde Frontier Province
of India.

1t may probably interest our read
ers to hear of one of the most extra
ordinary assemblages of the many
wonderful creatures which inhabit
this our sphere. At a distance of
nine miles from Kurrachee-a town
rapidly growing in reputation and
wealth as an important seaport town
on the northwest frontier Of India
is a place called Muggur Peer, " mug
CUR" signifying alligator or croco-
ollie, "peer," holy. as the muggers are
held sacred by Hindoos and Moham-
medans. The drive to Muggur Peer
from Kurrachee, is across fiat ex-
panse of desert, the only sign Of veg
citation being cactus in huge tangled
bushes, but without leaves or flowers,
though we were told that they flower
in the months of May and June,
when it is almost too hot to drive
across this desert. AS we approach
nearer Muggur Peer, which is ada
cent to the river Hub-whence these
animals come-there arise from the
sandy desert steep hills Of barren
rock, destitute Of vegetation. Part
of the road traversed is very rough
and very heavy, so that it is necessa-
ry to be accompanied by third horse
which, when requisite, is attached
with ropes to the carriage in front of
the pair, and ridden postillion. Once
FL T Ha dar a@t .hs d ases oM saw t
tie mat huts, inhabited by rather
Withholding people. Cows, goats,
chickens, ETC., were scattered about
around the huts, apparently trying to
discover food amongst the sand.
The first permanent building we saw
after passing through narrow gorge
in the rocks, is the Oak, or travellers
bungalow. Passing this, we soon
arrived at pretty grove of palm and
banyan trees, affording grateful shade
whence we saw the peer or temple
on the summit Of a high mound
The temple is white, and of dom
shape, surrounded by an irregular
castellated wall. Strewn thickly al
over the surrounding ground, ar
countless tombs, curious little ston
erections about foot high, some FEY
of them being carved in relief, an
here and there are few colored tile
These are the graves of the peopl
who are brought to this part of tt
world, as the ground is considere
particularly holy. At the foot of tt
wall surrounding the temple, is a he
spring of water, which is a specif
for diseases Of the skin; hard by III
is high mud wall, inclosing fe
bushes. and a very muddy piece (
water, the whole not more than fort
or fifty feet across. This small mu'
dy pool contains no less than eight
OF the muggers, varying in size trol
four to fourteen feet long. The
mouths, when open, are not unliE
those ofthe hippopotamuses, and the
roar is fierce and loud they are an
phibious. Their eyes glance lazil
through little Sits from which the
look out quite unconscious of the sci
sations they create, in devouring ra
the carcasses of goats, camels, etc
which are given them by Mussulma
and Hindoo pilgrims, who come t
the shrine Of the purifying spring
The sightseer can have his curiosit
gratifed by paying for the slaughte
of a goat, value four shillings, whic
is Immediately skinned; and it
very marvellous to see the facility wit
which one of these muggers ca
swallow the entire head of the goa
or the leg with its hoof; truly the d
gestion OF muggur is mighty. A
ter the head and legs of the goat hav
been fought for and devoured,s the
comes the finale. The carcass Of tn
goat is thrown in, and wonderful
the commotion, and also horrid
VI