'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎165] (207/476)

PUHRA. 165
\
After this arrangement I returned to my lodging in the Mihman
Khanu, and passed the remainder of the day in the midst of a con
course of idle obstreperous Belooches, who harrassed me with pre
posterous queries and remarks. A Goosayen * came in from Surhud
in the afternoon, and relieved me from the task of entertaining the
whole village, for half my auditors flocked round him, and insisted
on being treated with the latest intelligence from that quarter, which
he retailed, particularly the plunder of the village of Surhud by
Khan Julian Khan, with great pomposity and effect. When I got
leisure, I inquired who my fellow-lodger was, and ascertained that
he had commenced his peregrinations from the city of Mooltan,
whence he had strayed through Kashmeer, Kabool, Kandahar, and
Seistan, and had left the latter kingdom, with the intention of pay
ing his devotions at the pagoda of Hinglatz, near Sonmeany in Lus,
but held since altered his plan, and was then going through .Persia
to \ i.sit the celebrated Joala iVIookhee, or flaming mouth, on the
borders of the Caspian seaf. As he appeared a chatty companion,
with much less bigotry or nonsense than devotees of his description
have in common, I offered to give him a seat on one of my camels
to Kirman, which he willingly accepted ; however the animal fell
sick, and the disappointed Goosayen only got as far as Bunpoor.
The Khan held his customary levee after evening prayers, on the
mound near the Mihman Khanu, at which the majority of the in
habitants attended; and I availed myself of so very favourable an
opportunity of attaining local information, at which I was very suc
cessful. The shades of night first gave warning that it was time
to disperse; and even then we were all so well pleased with each
other's company, that a proposition made by one of the Moollahs,
* 1 he Goosayens are a class of Hindoo Fakeers, or pilgrims.
f The Joala Mookhee is at Badkoo or Baku, a sea-port of the Caspian. It seems to
be caused by the vast quantities of Naptha found there.
See Kianeir's Geographical Memoir on the Persian Empire.