Title:  Chambers’ Edinburgh Journal Volume XVII., No 423, New Series.  February 7th, 1852

Author:  Various

Editor:  William Chambers and Robert Chambers

Release Date:  March 27, 2005 [EBook #15481]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

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Chambers’Edinburgh journal

Conducted by William and Robert Chambers, editors of ’CHAMBERS’S
information for the people,’ ‘CHAMBERS’S educational course,’ &c.

No. 423.  New series.  Saturday, February 7, 1852.  Price 1-1/2 d.

UP THE INDUS.

Three years ago, I received orders to proceed from Kurachee to Roree by the river route, for the purpose of joining the siege-train then assembling for the reduction of Mooltan.  Subsequent events caused my final destination to be changed to Sukkur.  Although my journey was thus not so long as I had both expected and wished, yet I had an opportunity of seeing some three or four hundred miles of a river that the records of the past, and the anticipations of the future, alike combine to render interesting, and which in itself differs in many respects from the other rivers of India.  My position in life—­that of a non-commissioned officer of the ordnance department—­has prevented me from gleaning information on the subject, either from books or official sources; but it may be that a narration of what I merely saw, will not prove altogether without interest for those who must run while they read—­who have neither time, nor perhaps inclination, to acquire any more than a superficial knowledge of distant countries.

Having been provided with a passage in one of the steamers of the Indus flotilla, and informed that the vessel was to start at daybreak on the following morning, I hastened to procure the necessary documents to authorise my obtaining ten days’ sea-rations from the commissariat department.  The following was the proportion of food for each day, and I may remark, that I received it from government gratis, with the exception of the spirits, as I was proceeding on field-service:—­1 lb. of biscuits, 1 lb. of salt beef or pork, 1-4th of 1 lb. of rice, 1 oz. and 2-7ths of sugar, 5-7ths of 1 oz. of tea, and 2 drams, or about 1-4th of a bottle of arrack, 24 degrees under proof.  Having secured the provant, my mind was now perfectly at ease, and I leisurely set about completing my arrangements for the voyage.  These consisted mainly in locking my only box, and tying up in a cotton quilt a blanket and the thick sheet of goat’s-hair-felt that served me for a bed.  It was dark before I left camp; and as I was detained a considerable time at the bunder or landing-place, waiting for a boat to take me off to the steamer, it was late in the night when I got on board.