'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎178] (220/476)

178
BASMAN.
18^ April. I travelled upwards of forty miles to-day, over a de
solate flat country, in which distance we only found water at one well
in the bed of a dry river called the Kaskeen, six miles from where we
had slept, nor was it either good or plentiful: this well is about
twenty-two miles from Bunpoor, and lies nearly due north. An in
flammation that had begun in one of my eyes at Puhra, from con
tinual exposure to the sun and glare, extended to them both to-day,
and they were so weak that I could barely see five yards before me.
I was therefore obliged to keep them muffled up from the excessive
light and heat, and rode with an old black silk handkerchief tied
over my turband, so as to cover my face, which prevented me from
making any further observations.
\9th April. After a north-westerly march of four miles, at seven
o'clock I arrived at Basman, a small hamlet situated in a clump of
palms close under mountains. I halted in the shade of some very
fine spreading walnut trees, about one hundred yards from the vil
lage, whilst my guide rode on to advertise the Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division. , Moorad Khan,
of my approach; he accompanied him out to me, and I delivered
the letters from Shah Mihrab Khan of Puhra, and Mihrab Khan of
Bunpoor, at the same time verbally intimating my anxiety to be pro
vided with a guide to Nurmansheer, as speedily as possible. While
he was perusing the letters, his slaves brought out carpets, which
they spread; and when we had sat down, he recapitulated, in a mild
and persuasive accent, the substance of the warning I had had from
the Bunpoor chief, respecting the risks I should run on the road,
adding, that he was not aware of any person having attempted to
cross the Dusht or desert, into Nurmansheer, for many months, and
therefore, if I had an option, he strongly advised me to abandon my
intention of proceeding any farther. I explained to him that I could
not do so, and after a little further conversation, he started up, say
ing, " I will make y&ur arrangements, you must be hungry, and I
" have been sitting here without attending to your wants." In the
course of half an hour I received a sheep alive, and a large bowl of
hodge-podge, made of green barley, (husked by heating it over a