Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition/Derá Ismáil Khán

DERÁ ISMÁIL KHÁN, a district of British India in the Derajat division of the lieutenant-governorship of the Punjab, is situated between 30 35 30" and 32 33 0" N. lat., and 70 15 0" and 72 3 20" E. long. It is bounded on the N. by the district of Bannu, on the E. by Shahpur and Jhang, on the S. by Muzaffargarh and Dera Ghdzi Khan, and on the W. by the Sulaiman hills, which mark the frontier. The district is divided into two almost equal portions by the Indus, which intersects it from north to south, and is the only river of any importance. To the west of the Indus, the characteristics of the country resemble those of Derd Ghazi Khan. To the east of the present bed of the river there is a wide tract known as the Kachiy exposed to river action. Beyond this, the country rises abruptly, and a barren, almost desert plain stretches eastwards, sparsely cultivated, and inhabited only by nomadic tribes of herdsmen. The area of the district is 7096*56 square miles, or 4,541,800 acres; the cultivated area amounts to 541,913 acres, of which 428,604 acres are under irrigation, and 113,309 unirrigated. The uncultivated area, which is returned at 3,999,887 acres, is sub divided as follows : grazing lands, 364,864 acres ; cultivable, but not actually under cultivation., 1,329,796 acres; uncultivable, 3,999,887 acres. The district has recently been granted a regular laud settlement for the first time. The period of the latest summary settlement expired in 1868 in part of the district, and in 1871 in the remainder, The principal agricultural products are wheat, barley, grain, pease, tobacco, and oil-seeds for the spring or rabi harvest; and rice, millets, and cotton for the autumn or kharif crop. There are no manufactures of importance. The principal municipalities and trading towns, with their populations (1863), are as follows: Dera Ismail Khan, the civil station and chief town, population 24,906 ; Leid, 17,033 ; Kolachi, 9921; Takhwara, 6800; Karor, 5720; Bhakkar, 5554 ; Panmala, 5502. Other minor towns, which are also municipalities, are Kot Sultan, Mankhera, and Tank. The income of the district in 1872-73 (exclusive of municipal taxation) amounted to 50,918, of which 39,784 was derived from the land. The police force consisted of 617 men. There were 18 Government or aided and 87 indigenous village schools in 1872-73, attended by 2190 pupils. The census of 1868 returned the population as follows : Mahometans, 338,387 ; Hindus, 48,756 ; Sikhs, 1587 ; others 6134 ; total 394,864. Of the Mahometan population, the principal classes are the Beluchis, 34,703 in number ; Pathans, 51,823 ; and Sayyids, 8669. The Hindus consist almost entirely of Aroras, 42,087, principally traders and money lenders. Of the total population, 187,096, or 48 per cent., are returned as agriculturists.