"أسفار في بلوشستان والسند؛ مع تقرير جغرافي وتاريخي لهذين البلدين، وخريطة." [‎٣‎١‎٦] (٤٧٦/٣٥٨)

316
HISTORY OF BELOOCHISTAN.
The river Helmind runs through Seistan, and about two days
journey for a horseman to the westward of Dooshak, forms a lake,
which, at some seasons overflows its banks, so as to extend eighty
or ninety miles in length, and thirty or forty in breadth, usually it is
not above thirty the former and twelve the latter way; there is an
island in the center of it, the water is bitter, and the banks over
grown with weeds and brushwood, which engender myriads of flies,
that infest the whole province from April till the beginning of Oc
tober, during which period, the horses, and even camels, belonging
to the natives, are obliged to be covered with quilted cotton cloths
down to their very hoofs. The people of Seistan dress like Persians,
and have the same colloquial dialect; they are all Sheea Moosulmans,
and on the very worst terms with the Uffghans.
Gurmsyl is a very narrow tract, lying on the southern bank of the
Helmind river, and five days journey north-westerly from Nooshky,
on the edge of the desert. It has all the appearance of being the
dry bed of a river, and is exceedingly productive in wheat, rice, and
other grains. The inhabitants of this district are notorious for their
robberies, and are composed of the outcasts from society, oi all the
neighbouring countries, who are said to be induced to settle here,
from the trifling labour with which they raise their crops, partly
owing to the yearly supply of water they derive from the overflowing
of the Helmind river, and partly to the amazing fertility of the earth
rendering vegetation remarkably quick. This district formerly paid
four thousand rupees annually to the king of Kabool, but of late
years it has been in a state of rebellion.
Khoonchee is a small district adjoining Gurmsyl, and, at present,
similarly situated. There is a village in it ol the same name, at
which a body of troops were, until very lately, maintained and com
manded by a partizan of the Kabool government. To the northward
of Kelat lie the districts of Shal and Mustoong, which were given to
Nusser Khan, by Ahmed Shah for his services when in Hindoostan;
they are both celebrated for the profusion and excellence of the fruit
that they produce, beside madder and scented rice: the population