'Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde; accompanied by a geographical and historical account of those countries, with a map.' [‎344] (386/476)

344
TATTAH.
creased to thirteen thousand souls, which is more than one-half
greater than when the mission was there in 1809. The majority of
the inhabitants are Hindoos, who prosecute a most extensive com
merce, in despite of the heavy customs and duties that are levied by
one of their own tribe, who farms the revenues of Kurachee, a
species of destructive policy that obtains throughout this country.
The sum received into the public treasury in 1809, on account of
Kurachee, was ninety-nine thousand rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. * annually, and the
Ijarudar, or renter, was said to clear about twelve for his trouble.
The former has since been advanced to one lac One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees twenty-three thou
sand f, and the present farmer is estimated to pocket nearly twenty ;
from which it would appear, that this place is in a progressive state
of improvement, a fact solely attributable to the advantages of situ
ation it possesses, lying, as it does, nearly central between India
and the whole of the dominions of the King of Kabool, together
with Persian Khorasan, Bulkh, Bokhara, &c. The unsettled and
decreasing authority of Muhmood Khan of Kelat, also tends to aug
ment the revenues of his enemies, the Sindians; for the northern
merchants seeing his power unable to protect their property
within his territories, have no other alternative, than to take the
route through Sinde, notwithstanding the exactions imposed upon
them.
The exports of Sinde are chiefly made from Kurachee, and there
fore this seems the most eligible opportunity to enumerate them.
Those of home produce consist of saltpetre, salt, rice, cotton, ghee,
oil, oil-seed, sharks' fins, bark for tanning, alkali, calico, and felts ;
and from the kingdoms and provinces to the northward, they bring
chiefly for exportation, assafoetida, saffron, horses, leather, hides,
madder, musk, alum, drugs of various kinds, Kashmeer shawls, dried
fruit, diamonds, lapis lazuli, turquoises, and other precious stones,
bdellium, and gums. The imports from India are, iron, tin, steel.
* 12,3751. sterling.
f 15,3751. sterling.