Government Records Punjab--Political Diaries of Lieut H.B. Edwardes Assistant to Resident at Lahore 1847-1849

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138 DIARIES OF LIEUTENANT H. B. EDWARDES, 1847.

2flows through Bunnoo, and, after irrigating Murwut and Esau Kheyl,

3pours itself into the Indus near our last encamping ground. This

4march is intersected with dams and dikes, and was most fatiguing

5to the cattle. Our magazine carts had not come up when I went to

6bed. Sher Alee Khan having ridden his horse to death in his journey to

7Bunnoo, I gave him this morning in its stead the prancing Punjabee beast

8that Futteh Khan Towanah's son presented me at Mittah Towanah.

9He is delighted to get it and all the syces to get rid of it. As a proof

10to the people of Bunnoo that we have no intention of devastating their

11country, I have advised Sirdar Shumshere Sing to leave our Ghor-

12churras behind here, and the Churunjeet Cavalry at Lukkee, which is

13about 15 miles from here and the same distance from Bunnoo, only

14taking on with us about 500 sowars. This will prevent any altercation

15about green corn, at least In Bunnoo.

16roth March 1847.—Marched six miles to Dera Futteh Jung, so called

17after a victory gained here by Nawab Shere Mohummud Khan of Dera

18Ismael Khan over a large force of Murwut insurgents. A tree or two

19mark the spot; there is no house within miles. It is on the right bank

20of the Koorrum river, on one side of whose stream stretches the valley

21of Murwut, and on the other that of Khuttuk. Hills close in the

22horizon on every side, and the atmosphere is oppressive. The

23traveller who has referred to Thornton's Gazetteer for a description of

24Murwut will expect to find a paradise, overrun with happy peasants,

25who have nothing to do but reap spontaneous harvests. [Ve find it

26at this moment a desert; sand, sand, sand, on every side, scantily

27sprinkled with herbs which seem sick of the attempt to live. Nota

28human being to be seen. Such a desolate scene I never saw. The

29explanation is this : Murwut is entirely dependent on rain for cultivation.

30Although a plain, it is full of undulations, and its level is in general

31highest on the banks of the two rivers which flow through it, and

32even if the water could be drawn up on the fields, canals would be of no

33use in the sandy soil which covers the whole valley. With the excep-

34tion therefore of a low patch here and there on the banks of the

35Koorrum or Goombeelah, Murwut produces nothing without rain. Should

36rain fall, however, the soil makes up for lost time, and puts forth the

37most luxuriant harvests. Hence this valley is always either a desert or

38a garden. The last season has been one of drought, from the Salt Range

39to Sungurh, and consequently not a green thing is to be seen.