DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.15172#0054
CHAP. I. THIRD VOYAGE TO THE INDUS. 21
noticed; the more particularly, since it concerned
the passage of gifts, which had been sent by his
most gracious Majesty the King of Great Britain.
On the 10th of March we once more set sail
for the Indus ; and reached the Hujamree, one
of the central mouths of the river, after a pros-
perous voyage of seven days. We could hire no
pilot to conduct us across the bar, and took the
wrong and shallow mouth of the river, ploughing
up the mud as we tacked in its narrow channel.
The foremost vessel loosened her red ensign
when she had fairly reached the deep water; and,
with the others, we soon and joyfully anchored
near her. We were now met by an officer of the
Sinde Government, one of the favoured descendants
of the Prophet, whose enormous corpulence bespoke
his condition. This personage came to the mouth
of the river; for we were vet refused all admittance
to the fresh water. He produced a letter from the
Ameer, and repeated the same refuted arguments
of his master, which he seemed to think should re-
ceive credit from his high rank. It would be tire-
some to follow the Sindians through the course of
chicanery which they adopted, even in this stage of
the proceedings. An embargo was laid on all the
vessels in the Indus; and we ourselves were con-
fined to our boats, on a dangerous shore, and even
denied fresh water. The officer urged the pro-
priety of our taking a route by land; and, as a last
resource, I offered to accompany him to the capital,
by way of Tatta, and*converse with the Ameer in
person, having previously landed the horses. I made
c 3
noticed; the more particularly, since it concerned
the passage of gifts, which had been sent by his
most gracious Majesty the King of Great Britain.
On the 10th of March we once more set sail
for the Indus ; and reached the Hujamree, one
of the central mouths of the river, after a pros-
perous voyage of seven days. We could hire no
pilot to conduct us across the bar, and took the
wrong and shallow mouth of the river, ploughing
up the mud as we tacked in its narrow channel.
The foremost vessel loosened her red ensign
when she had fairly reached the deep water; and,
with the others, we soon and joyfully anchored
near her. We were now met by an officer of the
Sinde Government, one of the favoured descendants
of the Prophet, whose enormous corpulence bespoke
his condition. This personage came to the mouth
of the river; for we were vet refused all admittance
to the fresh water. He produced a letter from the
Ameer, and repeated the same refuted arguments
of his master, which he seemed to think should re-
ceive credit from his high rank. It would be tire-
some to follow the Sindians through the course of
chicanery which they adopted, even in this stage of
the proceedings. An embargo was laid on all the
vessels in the Indus; and we ourselves were con-
fined to our boats, on a dangerous shore, and even
denied fresh water. The officer urged the pro-
priety of our taking a route by land; and, as a last
resource, I offered to accompany him to the capital,
by way of Tatta, and*converse with the Ameer in
person, having previously landed the horses. I made
c 3