'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎130] (297/524)

130 RECENT TOUR ROUND THE NORTHERN
tents of the wandering Madan. We dismounted at a few of tliese tents.
Tht shepherd told us that they belonged to the Elbockhesh ; that the
grass on the plain would grow much higher and thicker and last for
two or three months more ; and that, after that they would take their
animals on fursack to the South, where there is marsh ground with '
abundant pasturage all through the hot weather ; and there they said
they cultivate wheat and barley.
Here we found a sick little Arab maid anxious for medicine, yet
afraid to ask, as she had no money to pay for it. What was her sur
prise then when she not only got the medicine free, but a little pocket |
money besides. She was really grateful. j
Our direction was now E. by S. By 9 o’clock the grass became less
abundant, and at 9-15 we entered a bare plain only slightly tinged with
green, and it thus continued till 11-45, when we reached Bunder
Mashoor.
Bunder Mashoor is a miserable place, half in ruins, built on a mound
o
apparently artificial. The number of permanent inhabitants does not
exceed three hundred ; besides those, there is a small floating population (
of merchants from the Gulf towns and their agents. Only few of the
natives speak Arabic, and they dress like the Persians, but seem to he
of a mixed breed.
From 40 to 50 bugalows of about 60 tons each arrive here yearly,
bearing coarse cloth, corn, and dates from Bushire, Koweit, and Bus- |
sorah, and carrying away wool. p
At present there is abundance of rain-water South-east of the town,
but in the hot season the inhabitants depend on wells which furnish j
only brackis h water.
The vessels in the creek are about three miles off and bear S. by W. (
Ophthalmia is the prevailing disease here. I treated thirty-five per
sons suffering from it, nearly one-eighth of the whole population. ^
There is little or no intermittent fever at any time. ' a
Here I met an Arab who had been sent by Sheikh Farass all the P
way fiom Dorak for medicine. I gave it with my compliments that
Bushire was not far off from Dorak by sea, and any time the Sheikh tl
required more, he had only to write and I should be most happy to "
send it. d