Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 13.djvu/725

J H E J I D 691 clothed with green brushwood and traversed by trickling streams, at first pure and fresh, but soon impregnated with the saline matter over which they pass. Between the line of hills lies a picturesque table-land, in which the beautiful little lake of Kallar Kahar nestles amongst the minor ridges. North of the Salt Range, the country extends upwards in an elevated plateau, diversified by countless ravines and fissures, until it loses itself in the tangled masses of the Rawal Pindi mountains. In this rugged tract cultivation is rare and difficult, the soil being choked with saline matter. At the foot of the Salt Hills, however, lies a small strip of level soil, lying along the banks of the Jhelum, and thickly dotted with prosperous villages. The drainage of the district is determined by a low central watershed running north and south at right angles to the Salt Range. The waters of the western portion find their way into the Sohan, and finally into the Indus ; those of the opposite slope collect themselves into small torrents, and empty themselves into the Jhelum. The census of 1863 returned tlie population of Jhelum district at 500,988, inhabiting 113,010 houses, and spread over an area of 3910 square miles. The Mahometans numbered 434,157; Hindus, 49,111; Sikhs, 13,865 ; and "others," 3855. Five towns contained in 1868 a population exceeding 5000 : Find Dadan Khan, 15,740 ; Chakwal, 5767 ; Talagang, 5767 ; Lawa, 5256 ; and Jhelum, 5148. Of a total area of 2,502,290 acres, but 763,845 acres are under culti vation, and only 258,825 acres more are returned as capable of tillage. The staple crops are wheat and bdjra. Trade is chieily concentrated in the town of Find Dadan Khan. The exports are salt, silk and cotton goods, brass and copper wares ; the imports, English piece goods and metals, and woollen fabrics from Kashmir and from Central Asia via Peshawar. Salt is procured in immense quantities from the central hills of the Salt Kange ; the net revenue from this source in 1871-72 amounted to 362,193. The total revenue in JS72-73, excluding salt, was 70,299, of which 59,766 was derived from the land tax. The police force consisted in 1873 of 527 men. For fiscal and administrative purposes the district is subdivided into 4 taJisils and 10 pargands, containing 939 estates, and owned by 49,866 proprietors. The history of the district dates back from the semi-mythical period of the MaJidbhtirata. Hindu tradition represents the Salt Range as the refuge of the five Panda va brethren during the period of their exile, and every salient point in its scenery is connected with some legend of the national heroes. Modern research has fixed the site of the conflict between Alexander and Porus as within Jhelum district, although the exact point at which the Mace donian king effected the passage of the Jhelum (or Hydaspes) is disputed. After this event, we have little information with regard to the condition of the district until the Mahometan conquest brought back literature and history to Upper India. The Janjuahs and Jats, who now hold the Salt Kange and its northern plateau respectively, appear to have been the earliest inhabitants. The Ghakkars seem to represent an early w r ave of conquest from the east, and they still inhabit the whole eastern slope of the district ; while the A wans, who now cluster in the western plain, are apparently later invaders from the opposite quarter. The Ghakkars were the dominant race at the period of the first Mahometan incursions, and long continued to retain their independence. During the flourish ing period of the Mughal dynasty, the Ghakkar chieftains were among the most prosperous and loyal vassals of the house of Babar; but after the collapse of the Delhi empire Jhelum fell, like its neighbours, under the sway of the Sikhs. In 1765 Gujar Sinh defeated the last independent Ghakkar prince, and reduced the wild mountaineers to subjection. His son succeeded to his dominions, until 1810, when he fell before the irresistible power of Eanjit Sinh. In 1849 the district passed, with the rest of the Sikh territories, into the hands of the British. Eanjit Sinh, how ever, had so thoroughly subjugated the wild mountain tribes that little difficulty was experienced in reducing it to working order, and the subsequent history of Jhelum has been purely fiscal and administrative. JHELUM, the headquarters of the above district, situ ated on the north bank of the Jhelum river, in 32 55 26" N. lat. and 73 46 36" E. long. The town is quite of modern origin, and in 1868 contained a population of 5148, viz., Mahometans, 2831; Hindus, 1858; Sikhs, 442; Christians, 3; and "others," 14. The civil lines and cantonments for a regiment of native infantry lie about a mile north of the town, which is noted for boat building. JHIND, or JIND, a native state in the Punjab, India, consisting of three or four isolated tracts to the east of the Sutlej. The area is 1236 square miles, and the estimated population 311,000. The principality was founded in 1763 by a Sikh of the Sidhu Jat tribe, and the chief was recognized as raj A by the Mughal emperor in 1768. The family have always been loyal supporters of the British Government. On the overthrow of the MarhattA power in northern India in 1804-5, the Jhind rajd was among the foremost to tender his allegiance to Lord Lake, who confirmed him in the possession of the estates he had held under the Mughal emperors and the Marhattds. After the Sutlej campaign a further grant of land was awarded the chief in recognition of his services. In 1857 Raja Swarup Sinh of Jhind was the first to march against the mutineers at Delhi. His troops acted as the vanguard of the army, and he himself remained in the British camp until the reoccupation of the city, a portion of his soldiers aiding in the assault. For these services he received a grant of additional territory, yielding 11,GS1 per annum. The raja- enjoys an estimated revenue of between 60,000 and 70,000, and maintains a force of 10 guns, 79 artil lerymen, 200 cavalry, and 1600 infantry. No tribute is paid by the state, but a contingent of twenty-five horsemen is furnished to the British Government. JIDDAH, or JuDDAH, 1 also written Jeddah, Djiddah, or Djeddah, a town of Arabia, on the eastern coast of the Red Sea, in 21 28 N. lat. and 39 17 E. long., is of import ance mainly as the principal landing-place of the pilgrims to Mecca. Its distance from that city is estimated at 44 or 46 miles. Built on a slight eminence, with a purple background of distant hills, Jiddah as seen from the sea presents an attractive aspect. The white tower-like houses, fancifully enriched with balconies, cornices, and lattices of rich-toned woodwork, shine oat from an environment of grey sand and blue-green sea with startling effect. The town extends along the beach for about a mile, and is sur rounded by a high wall of modern date and in bad repair, with towers at intervals. At the northern end of the sea- face stand the prison and other public buildings, and at the southern end a small fort no longer available for the defence of the harbour. There are three landward gates, the Mecca gate to the east, through which all caravans pass, and where toll is levied on the transit of camels, the Medina gate to the north, and the Yemen gate to the south. In front of the Mecca gate is a rambling suburb, with shops, coffeehouses, and an open market-place. Before the Medina gate are the Turkish barracks, and beyond them the great holy place of Jiddah, the singular tomb of " our mother Eve," surrounded by the principal cemetery. The tomb is a walled enclosure said to represent the dimensions of the body, about two hundred paces long and 15 feet broad. At the head is a small erection where gifts are deposited, and rather more than half-way down a whitewashed dome encloses a small dark chapel within which is the black stone known as El-surrah, the navel. The grave of Eve is mentioned by Edrisi, but except the black stone nothing bears any aspect of antiquity. Further details in Burton s Pilcjrimage, vol. ii. p. 298, and a view in Mrs Burton s A. E. I. Beyond the immediate suburbs the country as far as the foot of the hill is desert, with scanty pasturage and a few villages of Arab huts. The inhabitants (Harb, Huteym, Zobeid) are engaged in camel transport, slave running, and mother of pearl fishery. The town itself, which consists of four quarters, is well built, with a good bazaar and many lofty and spacious houses, built of the madrepore rock of the district. The best dwellings are near the Medina gate ; the mosques are not remarkable, and the streets are narrow and in part very filthy.. The wretched huts which formerly occupied part 1 The form Juddahhas the authority of Yakut, but is net now used.