12th.—­The river becomes even less interesting than before; the channel is occasionally much narrowed by sands, over one of which we found yesterday evening some difficulty in passing; it is much more spread out and subdivided, and from this circumstance, will occasion difficulty in tracking up.  The banks are low and generally within reach of inundation:  scarcely a village is to be seen; and Jhow is the most uniform feature.  Yesterday evening saltpetre was visible in abundance on some of the higher banks, and on these Phulahi, Jhow, a Composita, and Salsola? or Chenopodium were observed.  Since the 10th, the few boats seen are of different structure from those to which we had been accustomed; they are flat, less wide, and much better fastened together, elevated at both ends; they are propelled as well as guided by the rudder, which is curved, so as to bring it within reach of the helmsman, who is on a level with the bottom of the boat.  Very little cultivation:  Tassin’s Map of but little use, as few of the names are recognised by the boatmen or villagers.

Paukputtea was passed to-day; it is the shrine of a fakeer, and one in great repute, as passing through a particular gate is supposed to authorize one to claim admittance into Paradise.  The Moulavee consequently has proceeded there in full faith and extravagant joy:  with natives of the east such absurdities are to the full as much believed by the educated as by the uneducated; indeed the former are much the more bigoted of the two.  The fakeer alluded to, not only lived for years on a block of wood carved into the likeness of a loaf, but subsequently suspended himself for several years in a well, without even the wooden loaf.  He is then said to have disappeared, and is no doubt now enjoying all the pleasures of a Mohammedan paradise.  We were detained by strong winds at a small village opposite Paukputtea, which is situated on rather high ground, as far as could be judged from the distance.

13th.—­The cultivation round this village consists of wheat, radishes, a sort of mustard cultivated for its oily seeds, and the Mehta of Hindoostan.  Among the fields I picked up a Melilotus, a Melilotoid, and a genuine Medicago, which is also found at Loodianah, both these last are wild, and their occurrence is as curious as it is interesting; the latter being a decidedly boreal form.  In connection with these annuals I have to observe, that most flower about January or February, at which time the mornings and nights are the coldest:  also observed Lathyrus cultivated, a Chenopodium was also found, Calotropis, a large Saccharoid, Amaranthaceae, were the most common plants, Gnaphalium, Lippia; Purwas, occurs scantily.