The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1912-02-10

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I Indus on the hapiess town Of
Dera Ghaxi Khan. q place Of
$1,000 Inhabitants in the Western
Punjaub. Founded 400 years ago by
= great Baluch chief. Ghasi Khan.
It has seen dynasty after dynasty Of
rulers pass away-Baluchis Kalhoras.
Duranis and sikhs-until the district.
mainly in the possession Of i've
Baiuch tribes. settled down to peace
under the British. nag. Dera 0haxi
Khan became the headquarters OF the
civil administration. and under the
shadow Of . strong cantonment the
flourishing trade mart for riyer-borne
trafic prospered exceedingly. and in
its buildings and places Of religious
worship showed the existence Of con-
siderable wealth.
But, At last, the Indus, which knows
no fixed bounds between tho gorge
1t Kalabash and the low rocks Of Suk-
kur In far-o6 Sind. and wanders about
Il its own swsst will, made up its
mind that Ghasi Khan's capital had
stood In it, memory too long. Slowly.
but persistently. It approached, some
times cutting to the north and some
times to the south of the doomed
town, but always eating its way near
Or and nearer. At last. violent
scoop. bitten out Of the valuable culti-
waited lands above the cantonment
reused all to q sense Of danger. The
troops were removed. and the garri-
sons in further Baluchistan were
strengthened. Then several protec-
live works Of different types were de-
vissd. and bit by bit very large sum
Of money was spent. Some year,
passed, during which the Indus made
various and gradually successful At
tsmpts to counterfeit the power Of
man. for It was not TO. be denied the
path that 1t had chosen.
The last phase commenced in the
summer Of 1908. year Of very high
fiood. Its power. increased BY the
pace Of the extra volume Of waters.
outhanked and cut through the stone
embankment, which. constructed In
1883, was the sole surviving relic Of all
the protective works. Once this do
Tense was gone. the river moved In
land with great rapidity. The whole
embankment. mile long. was swai-
lowed up in IS days. and the Indus.
advancing still further after destroy.
Ing the rich groves and garden lands
on the outskirts Of the town. fore
shadowed its real Intentions BY nib
bling OF one angle and sending food
round the low-lyinE. poorer quarters
At an abnormally late period Of the
season. This much effected, 1t sank
quickly down into its more sluggish
winter channel, and did but little harm
until the next flood season Of 1908.
The Indus. however, does not work its
wicked will by advancing In straight
lines. but both in Its larger and In Its
smaller movements 1t travels first by
cutting bay inwards, and then by
Topping of the projection that has
been thrown out Thus in 1909. hav-
ing brought its channel directly
against the Inflated town, 1t remained
practically quiescent there. while de-
vouring voraciousIy all the gardens
and hamlets to the south.
when It had quite finished this In
ward Journey below the town. in the
course Of which 1t travelled full two
miles At one place, 1t again turned its
attention to Dera Ghaxi Khan. The
houses 1t destroyed there were among
the Oldest and most costly. but the
greatest width eroded was only $50
yards. Then September came. and
With It the winter respite. The south
end, which had suffered the most In
the previous year. hardly lost house
In 1910. but the destruction ranged
from q short piece there to large
area in the north. The Indus. however.
spent most Of its time STRENGTHENING
its course high above the town. and
thus the catastrophe was not COM
pleted that year. Nevertheless. the bit
eroded was congested with humanity.
~ only very old Indian towns can