Burnes, Alexander: Travels into Bokhara: containing the narrative of a voyage on the Indus from the sea to Lahore, ... and an account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary and Persia ; performed by order of the supreme government of India, in the years 1831, 32, and 33 (Band 1) (London, 1835)

chap. xiii. bhawul khan's country. 279

is the residence of the chief, as it lies closer to
Durawul, an ancient fort in the desert (without a
town), and the only place of strength in the country.
Durawul is mentioned in the histories of Sinde as
a fortress worthy of Alexander: it was taken by
Mirza Shah Hoosein, in the year of the Hejira 931 ;
but an account of the siege proves its position to
have been more formidable than its strength : it is
built of brick.

The influence of the chief of Bhawulpoor is as
limited as his territory, his power having been
crushed by the Seiks, and only saved from entire
overthrow by a treaty, which prevents Runjeet
Sing from crossing the Sutlege. The revenues
do not exceed ten lacs annually (excluding Dera
Ghazee Khan, which, properly, belongs to the Seik),
three of which are demanded in tribute by the
Lahore chief, for his lands north of the Sutlege;
yet Bhawul Khan maintains some state, and has
about two thousand regular troops (such as they
are), with a train of artillery, to second the efforts
of his feudatories in the field; and his forces col-
lected would exceed twenty thousand men. The
present chief inherited a large patrimony in trea-
sure.

The Daoodpootras are a tribe of Mahommedans
from the district of Shikarpoor, on the right bank
of the Indus,' which they held in the earlier part of
Aurungzebe's reign. They crossed the river, and
achieved, by daring acts of bravery, the conquest
of the lands now held by them, from the Duhrs,
Muhrs, and other Sindee tribes, and have been

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