Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries

by William Griffith

CHAPTER XIV.

Journey with the Army of the Indus. From Loodianah to Candahar through the Bolan Pass.

I reached Loodianah on the 10th December 1838, after a dâwk journey of fourteen and a half days. After passing the Rajemahal Hills, the country presents an uniform aspect, but becoming more sandy as one proceeds to the northward. The hills alluded to, form a low range, the only one of any height being that called Pursunath. They are well wooded, the under-vegetation being grassy. Undulating ground bare of trees, but provided with shrubs, is passed before coming on the wooded tracts, the vegetation of these present much similarity with that of even 31° N. The Dhak, Pommereulla, Zizzyphus, occurring. The Mahooa occurs in abundance on the hills, but does not reach much beyond Cawnpore. The country from the hills upwards, is almost entirely cultivated; very few trees occurring, and those that do, are almost entirely mango. The Borassus does not extend in abundance much beyond Benares, but the Khujoor is found everywhere in sandy soil.

Loodianah is situated about five miles south of the Sutledge, in the midst of a sandy country, very bare of trees. The fort and Capt. Wade’s house are situated on a rising ground, at the base of which runs a nullah, a tributary of the Sutledge. There is much cultivation about the place, chiefly of grain, barley and wheat, bajerow, cotton, the latter bad, but there is much land uncultivated. The surface is often flat and somewhat broken; in such places there is much of a low prickly Bheir, much used for making fences. This and Dhak jungle, which occurs in strips, form two marked features, the Dhak occurs in patches. The grasses, which occasionally form patches, are Andropogoneous; Anathericum, Pommereulla, and Eleusine occur.

Sugar-cane occurs; it is cultivated in thick masses, it is poor, and always fenced with the Bheir.

The most common trees are the mango, Parkinsonia, Babool, Acacia altera babooloides, a Leguminous Mimosoid tree, Tamarisk, a middling sized tree and very pretty, Ficus.

The hedges about the cantonments, etc. are formed by prickly pear; much Ricinus occurs in waste places, and it appears to me to be different from that to the south.

The most varied vegetation occurs along the nullah, but consists entirely of aquatic or sub-aquatic plants; among these the most common are two or three Scirpi, particularly a large rush-like one, a large Sparganium, a very narrow leaved Typha, Hydrocharis! a pointed leaved Villarsia, Potomogetons three or four, one only natant; Chara, Naias, Ceratophyllum, Ulva, Valisneria, Marsilea, Herpestes, Jussieua repens, Fumaria common in fields.

The town is a large bustling place: the houses low and regular, and of a somewhat picturesque style, built of brick, the streets are wide and regular, having been laid out by our officers. There is a good deal of trade, and the place is filled with Cashmereans, who may be seen working their peculiar shawls, and producing very beautiful dyes.

January 22nd and 23rd.—Violent south-east winds during the day; abating at night.

February 4th.—Arrived at Hurreekee, having halted on the previous day at Mokhoo, a small village, with the usual style of mud fort. The marches were as follows: from Loodianah to Ghosepoora is eight miles; to Boondree, eight miles; Tiraia, ten miles; to Durrumkote, ten miles; to Futtygurh, ten miles; to Hurreekee, ten miles. Thus Hurreekee is at least eighteen miles from Durrumkote, although we had been told it was only five. The country near Loodianah, and, perhaps as far as Durrumkote, is occasionally very sandy, but beyond that it is easily traversed by hackeries. Being much less cultivated and overrun with grasses, among which Andropogons are the most numerous and conspicuous, these grasses are either coarse and stout or wiry and fine, should afford excellent cover for game, which however, does not seem to be very abundant. Very few trees are visible in any direction, and although neither very much cultivation nor many villages are visible, it would appear from charts that the country is very populous. The most interesting plant was a species of Fagonia.

Durrumkote is the largest of the villages we passed, and has a respectable looking mud and brick fort. Inside the village is filthy; the houses wretchedly small, and the streets very narrow. It is much the same sort of village as other Seikh ones. In the bazars cocoanuts were noticed. All the Seikhs eat opium, and very often in a particular way by infusing the poppy-heads, from which the seeds have been extracted by a hole in the side; great numbers of these are found in the bazars.

Hurreekee is on Runjeet’s side. I crossed the Sutledge, which is between 400 to 500 yards broad with a sufficiently rapid stream, by a bridge of boats built by the Seikhs, under the superintendence of Mr. Roobalee. It contained 65 boats, placed alternately up and down the river; the boats were moored to posts: over them were placed, both lengthwise and across, timbers, then grass, then soil; many elephants passed over, until it gave in, but was quickly repaired, and since many more hundreds of camels, horses, and thousands of people have passed. The right bank is thirty feet high, the left low and sandy. The country where uncultivated, is clothed with grasses, and the only trees visible are perhaps the Pipul; the Jhow occurs but not the Parhass; a few Bukeens are visible, Ricinus, Salvadora, which is occasionally a climber, especially at Tiraia. The river rose suddenly on the night of the 6th and carried away the bridge. The Himalayas had been seen very distinctly throughout the day, so that the rain must have been local: the height of the rise was three feet.

We left Hurreekee on the 8th at 10 A.M., the river up to this time (9th) presents the same monotonous appearance—sandy banks clothed with grasses, intermixed with Jhow here and there, and occasionally Æschynomene, and Typha. Very few villages have been passed, nor does the rare occurrence of topes indicate that there are many near it. The channel has been throughout much subdivided, and flats are of frequent occurrence. Yesterday we passed two busy ferries, at which two or three boats were unceasingly employed, and there was an obvious demand for more. Black partridges were heard frequently, black-bellied tern, herons, cormorants, etc. The stream averages three miles an hour. Parkinsonia was seen near Hurreekee. Reached Ferozepore at 12½ on the 9th; it is a very busy ghat, more so than that of Hurreekee: two large godowns were passed on the Company’s side. The river is wider by 100 yards than at Hurreekee.

10th.—Reached Mamdot at 9½ A.M. The fort appears of good size, with high walls: it is about half a mile from the river. The country continues the same. Some wheat cultivation, in which Fumaria, Anagallis, Medicago are abundant; Calotropis Hamiltonii common; some grapes; doob grass wherever there is or has been cultivation. The only trees I see are Babooloid, but not the true Babool, which has very odorous flowers, and is always an arbuscula, a shrubby Bheir, spina una erecta, altera recurvo also occurs; among the fields, Lathyrus, Aphaca, and a Compositæ which has the leaves of a thistle, are common.

Halted at Buggeekee, which is, I imagine, the Pajarkee of Tassin’s Map.

11th.—Continued passing down, breakfasting at Attaree: few signs of villages, but a good deal of cultivation. Persian wheels not unfrequently employed in raising water from the river: a short channel having first been cut in the bank, and the banks, when loose, propped up. Wheat, radishes, etc. Grasses appear to be much less common, while the Jhow is increasing much. The river is much subdivided, and the actual banks are scarcely discernible owing to the want of trees. The soil and current remain the same: no impediments have been met with by our boats, nor have I yet observed any to tracking, the grass jungle being easily overcome, and very unlike that of the Brahmapootra, and the Jhow not reaching that height necessary to make it troublesome. The Nawab of Mamdot visited the Envoy today, accompanied by a small party of horsemen. Only two alligators have been seen thus far: no game even to be heard, and but few living creatures visible.

12th.—The river becomes even less interesting than before; the channel is occasionally much narrowed by sands, over one of which we found yesterday evening some difficulty in passing; it is much more spread out and subdivided, and from this circumstance, will occasion difficulty in tracking up. The banks are low and generally within reach of inundation: scarcely a village is to be seen; and Jhow is the most uniform feature. Yesterday evening saltpetre was visible in abundance on some of the higher banks, and on these Phulahi, Jhow, a Composita, and Salsola? or Chenopodium were observed. Since the 10th, the few boats seen are of different structure from those to which we had been accustomed; they are flat, less wide, and much better fastened together, elevated at both ends; they are propelled as well as guided by the rudder, which is curved, so as to bring it within reach of the helmsman, who is on a level with the bottom of the boat. Very little cultivation: Tassin’s Map of but little use, as few of the names are recognised by the boatmen or villagers.

Paukputtea was passed to-day; it is the shrine of a fakeer, and one in great repute, as passing through a particular gate is supposed to authorize one to claim admittance into Paradise. The Moulavee consequently has proceeded there in full faith and extravagant joy: with natives of the east such absurdities are to the full as much believed by the educated as by the uneducated; indeed the former are much the more bigoted of the two. The fakeer alluded to, not only lived for years on a block of wood carved into the likeness of a loaf, but subsequently suspended himself for several years in a well, without even the wooden loaf. He is then said to have disappeared, and is no doubt now enjoying all the pleasures of a Mohammedan paradise. We were detained by strong winds at a small village opposite Paukputtea, which is situated on rather high ground, as far as could be judged from the distance.

13th.—The cultivation round this village consists of wheat, radishes, a sort of mustard cultivated for its oily seeds, and the Mehta of Hindoostan. Among the fields I picked up a Melilotus, a Melilotoid, and a genuine Medicago, which is also found at Loodianah, both these last are wild, and their occurrence is as curious as it is interesting; the latter being a decidedly boreal form. In connection with these annuals I have to observe, that most flower about January or February, at which time the mornings and nights are the coldest: also observed Lathyrus cultivated, a Chenopodium was also found, Calotropis, a large Saccharoid, Amaranthaceæ, were the most common plants, Gnaphalium, Lippia; Purwas, occurs scantily.

14th.—Detained till 12 P.M. by bad weather. Sissoo not uncommon but small, Babool, the true sweet scented sort. The Colocynth seen in fruit much like an apple, not ribbed; it has the usual structure of the order, viz. 3-carpellary with revolute placentæ, so much so, that they are placed near the circumference; seeds very numerous, surrounded with pulp, not arillate: no separation taking place; oval, brown, smooth. In fields here, a wild strong smelling Umbellifera occurs, called Dhunnea, used as a potherb, and esteemed very fragrant by the natives. Besides the absence of an arillus, there is another anomaly about the above Colycynth, which is, that between each placenta a broad partition projects from the wall of the fruit, usually provided with 3-septa, so as to be divided into two chambers, these contain seeds, the funiculi passing completely through them; seeds are also contained between the outermost septa and the placentæ themselves.

Passed two or three villages. The Persian wheels continue in vogue; their site is always on a sufficiently high and tenacious bank. I observed some wells, communicating with the river by an archway in the bank. Most of the cattle are blinded by the conical blinkers or hoods over the eyes.

15th.—Halted at a village partly washed away, surrounded by a good deal of wheat and radish cultivation. The mango tree and Moringa also occur here with the larger Babool, which invariably has long white thorns. The small Sissoo still occurs. Snake bird seen, black crowned tern.

The river remains most uninteresting; the banks are low and covered chiefly with Jhow. In many places recent shells are very abundant, but do not appear to be composed of more than three species. Reseda, Oligandra in fields.

16th.—No change in the country. Heavy fog yesterday morning; to-day strongish north-east winds. Grass and Jhow about equal.

17th.—Cloudy, drizzling, raw weather; river more sluggish; more villages and more cultivation: Phascum, and Gymnostomum common on tenacious sand banks.

18th.—Weather unsettled; windy and rainy. Jhow and grass jungle continue, Tamarisk, Furas fine specimens, Fumaria continues in fields, Capparis aphylla, which has something of a Cactoid habit, and whose branches abound with stomata, Reseda.

19th.—Weather finer but still cloudy, north-east wind still prevalent, and impeding our progress in some of the reaches very much. Salvadora, Capparis aphylla, Phulahi, Bheir, large Babool, Furas, Ranunculus sceleratus: Jhow and grass jungle are the prevailing features. Current much the same, only occasionally sluggish. Pelicans, black-headed adjutants, (Ardea capita,) wild geese, ducks very numerous in the jheels formed by alteration in the course of the river; the country is more cultivated, but as dreary looking as imaginable. Phœnix becoming more frequent and finer, P. acaulis? likewise occurs occasionally, rather young Khujoors. We passed Khyrpore about 3 P.M., it seems a straggling place, stretching along the bank of the Sutledge; there are a great many Khujoor trees about it, and indeed about all the villages near it. A little below this large tract, the banks were covered with a thick Sofaida shrubby jungle, which looked at a distance like dwarf Sissoo. The country is much improved, and there is a great deal of cultivation, especially on the left bank.

20th.—Continued—the river is very winding, and its banks present the same features: the immediate ones being covered with short Jhow or grass, or both intermixed, the extreme ones well wooded, and well peopled. Khujoor very common. Yesterday near Khanpore, caught a glimpse of the descent, and to-day again the ground appears uneven, and almost entirely barren. It must be within a mile of the Sutledge. The left bank continues well cultivated. In some of the fields I noticed Medicago vera, Anagallis, Fumaria, Chenopodium cnicoideus, Prenanthoid, the Furas, larger Babool, and Calotropis Hamiltonii continue. Radishes very common, as also Teera Meera.

21st.—Halted about 8 coss from Bahawulpore. The Khan’s son, a boy of 8 years, came to see Mr. Macnaghten, and saluted him with “good night,” he was attended by about twelve indifferent pony suwars, or horsemen. The river is very tortuous, both banks a good deal cultivated; there appear to be a good many canals, which have high banks owing to the excavated soil being piled up: they are 8 or 10 feet deep, and about 20 feet wide, at this season they are nearly dry, becoming filled during the rains. The same plants continue—Furas, Jhow, Chenopodia 2, Reseda, Linaria, Malva, Boraginea, Lactucoidea. The wheat throughout these countries is sown broadcast. Irrigation is effected by means of small ditches, and squares formed in the fields—each partition being banked in, so as to prevent communication; when one is filled, the water is allowed to pass off into its neighbour, and so on. Irrigation is entirely effected by Persian wheels; the cattle are hoodwinked in order to keep them quiet: besides from not seeing, they are led to imagine that the driver is always at his post, which is immediately behind the oxen and on the curved flat timber which puts the whole apparatus in motion. Saw a man cross the river by means of a mushuk or inflated skin. The very common bushy plant with thorns and ligulate leaves which commences to appear about Hazaribagh and continues in abundance throughout the sandy north-west, is, judging from its fruit, which is a moniliform legume—a Papilionacea; the fruit are borne by the short spine-terminated branches: the stalk of the pod is surrounded for the most part by a cupuliform membranous calyx. I have only seen however withered specimens. Reached Bahawul ghat at 1 P.M. The Khan visited Mr. Macnaghten in the afternoon, his visit was preceded by one from his Hindoo minister, and another man, Imaam Shah, who is a very fat ruffianly-looking fellow. The Khan was attended by numerous suwarries; he is a portly looking, middle-aged man.

22nd.—We returned the visit to-day, the Khan having provided us with one horse and two bullock rhuts: we traversed the sandy bank of the river for about a mile before we reached the town, the suburbs of which are extensive, but very straggling, and thinly peopled. The inner town seemed to be of some extent, the streets narrow, the houses very poor, and almost entirely of mud; there were a number of shops, and the streets were lined with men and a few old women. There is very little distinction in appearance between the Khan’s residence and any other portion of the town, and I did not see a defence of any kind. The Khan received us on some irregular terraces; near his house, the street leading to the private entrance was lined with his troops, as well as that leading to the terrace, and this was surrounded with his adherents, variously and well-dressed. The troops, for such appeared, were decent, and those forming one side were dressed in white, in imitation of our Sepoys, and the other side were in red and blue, more proprio I imagine: they were armed with muskets; the red ones for the most part having muskets of native workmanship. A royal salute was fired when the meeting took place, which was on the terrace, and as we proceeded up the street, a band made a rude and noisy attempt at ‘God save the King.’ Having had a private consultation, Mr. Macnaghten withdrew with similar honours, presenting arms, etc. The presents were a handsome native rifle, with a flint lock, and the fabrics of the city, some of which called Kharse, were very creditable.

There are a good many trees about the place, indeed these form the chief mark when seen from the ghat: the principal are mangoes, Khujoors, Moringas, oranges. The natives are rather a fine race, but dirty: some of the women wore the Patani veils, or hoods, with network over the eyes.

Continued down the river; though much delayed by strong south-east winds. The vegetation, etc. continue the same, Potentilla sp. in flower, Phascum very common.

23rd.—Nothing new has occurred: the current is stronger than above Bahawulpore: the channel continues very winding, and sandbanks very frequent. Furas, Salvadora, Phulahi very common. The boats accidentally separated, and we went without dinner in consequence: came into the Pungnud. The mouths of the Chenab seem to be two, both apparently of no great size, yet the Pungnud is a noble river, and although much subdivided by sand banks, is a striking stream, the waters are very muddy, and when agitated by a strong wind become almost reddish. The jungle continues much the same: the Sissoid jungle again occurred to-day, the natives call it Sofaida; it has a very curious habit, and is gemmiferous, the gemmæ abounding in gum. Quail, black-grey partridge, hares, continue; a goat-sucker (Caprimulgus,) was seen.

24th.—The boats joined early this morning: we were delayed the whole day by strong north-east winds; the whole country was obscured by the dust.

26th.—The wind abated towards evening, and occurred again in gusts during the night. This morning we came in sight of the southerly portion of the Soliman range, by which name however, these mountains do not appear to be known hereabouts; their distance must be forty miles at least, yet they appear to be of considerable height: the range runs north and south nearly. Wheat is here sown in rows. Khujoor, large Babool, Fagonia, continue, Jhow very common. Towards evening we came to a subdivision of the stream following the smaller one in which the current was very strong; in some places, apparently six knots an hour. We came to for the evening at a village on the limits of the Bahawul territory.

27th.—We came on the Indus early in the morning and stopped opposite Mittunkote until 2 P.M., awaiting the arrival of Mr. Mackeson. The mouths of the Attock river are scarcely more striking than those of the Chenab; neither is the combined river immediately opposite Mittunkote of any great size: certainly the stream we followed was not more than 800 or 900 yards wide, the extreme banks are at a considerable distance; and half a mile below Mittunkote the surface of the water must be one and a half to two miles in breadth; the river is much subdivided by banks, and shallows are frequent, yet some of the reaches are of great extent.

The banks are low and rather bluff, the vegetation continues the same, but Jhow is far the most common plant. Bheir, Babool, and the Seerkee Saccharum continue; the cultivation is the same; Calotropis Hamiltonii. Mittunkote appears, from a distance of two coss, a place of some size, with a somewhat conspicuous dome. Immediately behind it are the Soliman Hills, of no great altitude; and, except at the bases, which are covered with black patches of forest, they appear uniformly brown, otherwise there is nothing to vary the monotony of the scene, scarcely any trees being visible. On stopping for breakfast, a general scene of embracing among the dhandies or boatmen and their friends occurred; women were also embraced in the usual way, but with apparently less tenderness or warmth than the men. The boats tracking up, have masts, but the goon or rope is seized with both hands, a plan far less advantageous than that adopted on the Ganges and Bramahpootra, where the principal tracking is exercised by a bamboo placed over the shoulder, farthest from the goon.

28th.—No change worth noticing. The current continues rapid. The hills visible, running parallel to the river, and ending very gradually. Typha is very common, and in some places Arundo.

29th.—We remain in sight of, and generally continuing in the same direction as the hills, which run out very gradually indeed. Scarcely a tree is to be seen, and very few villages. The country continues to have some vegetation. The Sofaida is now found in flower, it is the Ban of the natives of these parts; the former name indicates in Persian, a tree, said to be wild Poplar, with which this has an obvious affinity. Saccharum Seerkee very common, growing in tufts and covering extensive tracts. Scarcely any cultivation is to be seen along the river, and altogether a very small proportion is rendered available. River very much subdivided: towards evening the sky is obscured to leeward by the smoke arising from burning jungle. Waterfowl are very common along the Indus; especially wild geese, which frequent open streams, whereas ducks, etc. haunt places which only communicate with the main streams during floods: myriads of Bogulas, (the general name for herons,) were seen yesterday in a compact body. The Soliman mountains are by no means rugged, and this only in one or two places, where they become peaked. In Mr. Elphinstone’s account of a Journey to Cabul, the limestone said to be found in the desert contains shells; it would be most interesting to compare this with the limestone of Churra more especially. Mr. E. also mentions a wild rue as forming part of the very scanty vegetation of the desert; the chief plants being Kureel, which is a Capparis; Phoke ---- and Bheir. Mr. E. also says that the material of which the tope of Manikyalah is built, resembles petrified vegetable matter, an observation to be kept in view. The mottled kingfisher occurs throughout, but is commoner in southern latitudes of India.

Alligators abounded to-day, and it was curious to see them basking in the sun with flocks of herons so close, that at a little distance they appeared to be perching on the backs of the alligators, or rather crocodiles. Again saw a man swim the Indus by means of a mushuk or inflated skin: he swam very rapidly, and with great ease; half his body nearly being out of the water; he reclined on the skin and kept the aperture by which it is inflated in his mouth, carrying his clothes on his head. Passed Chuck about 4½ P.M. The country appears populous hereabouts.

30th.—We have seen a good many boats today employed in carrying grain to the camp; the smaller ones are not unlike Bengal boats, having a high stern; all on the Indus however have square bows and flat bottoms.

The Jhow has increased in size in some places as has Sofaida, which is occasionally a moderate tree, and it is now more advanced in flowering: the temperature having visibly increased. The river puts on the same features and is much subdivided; the channels by which we have come, are not above 400 to 500 yards in breadth, yet there is often seen to be a waste of low sand banks stretching to a great extent, and the extreme banks are very remote, so as generally not to be visible.

31st.—Arrived at Uzeeypore about 9 A.M. Here we found horses and camels for our conveyance to Shikarpore. Uzeeypore appears to be a well frequented passage of the river, although we did not see any ferry boats. Bukkur is visible from it, apparently occupying a hill almost to the extreme right of a low range running south-west; it is seven or eight coss distant. We left for Shikarpore about 2½ P.M. and reached about 7 P.M.: the distance is said to be twenty-four miles; the road is generally very sandy, although the sand is not very deep; the substratum being solid. We passed some cultivation and a few villages, at one of which (Khye) there is a neat sort of fortification; here we changed horses. The jungle throughout consisted of Furas, Tamarisk, Salvadora, Phulahi parva, the prickly Leguminosa, with the habit of Fagonia, Calotropis Hamiltonii, Saccharum.

Shikarpore is not visible until one reaches the clearing around the town; in the twilight it appears to be a very large place.

February 2nd.—We do not proceed to Larkhanu, as daily news from Hyderabad is expected. I see nothing likely to interest me about this place; there is absolutely not a flower to be got any where. The jungles consist of Jhow, small Furas, Rairoo, a small arbusculoid Mimosa, Kureel, and Ukko, Calotropis Hamiltonii; Bheirs shrubby; one of the most abundant plants is the Joussa or prickly Leguminosa, with the habit of Fagonia; some of the saline loving Compositæ, No. 51, frutex 2-3 pedalis, foliis carnosis lanceolato-spathulatis, sessilibus. Corymbis et Cymi axillaribus et terminalibus pauci capitat. Floscules inconspicuis, also occurs. Near the Shah’s tents there is a grove of Phulahi, all more or less demolished, and a good many Khujoors. Hares and grey partridges appear common. The changes of temperature are very great; in the mornings and evenings it is cold; in the afternoon the thermometer reaches as high as 82°.

9th.—Shikarpore is getting hotter every day: thermometer ranges from 40° to 85°.

15th.—The heat continued to increase until the 12th; the range of thermometer being from 50° to 95°; the evenings gradually became hotter, and the night although cool, had the peculiar thrilling coolness of tropical nights.

On the 12th, the barometer commenced falling, and has since continued to do so. The visible signs of rain have been confined to cloudy mornings; the fall of the mercury is perhaps connected with the occasional strong northerly winds, which at times, as last night, blow nearly half gales. The range of thermometer is now from 55° to 85°. The change was sudden on the 9th or 10th; the nights were cold, thermometer at 5 A.M. 34° 36'; and the days were only moderately warm. The weather now is pleasant. Shikarpore is disagreeable inter alia from its dust, every thing becoming covered with it.

The suburbs of the city are well wooded, and all such portions are well provided with gardens. The Khujoor is the most common tree, the Moringa, mango, Jamun, Bheir, Neem, Cassia fistula, Sissoo, Peepul, Furas, Phulahi, another Mimosa and Agati, occur; oranges in gardens, and a Pomaceous tree from Cashmere, which appears to thrive very well. The cultivation consists chiefly of wheat, Mahta, mustard, radishes, Soonf, coriander, beet, Bagree.

In these fields Phascum, Plantago, Ispaghula, Singee, Chenopodiaceæ 1-2, Salsola lanata, and Bœhmeria, may be found; Composita salinaria, stocks and wall-flowers in the gardens.

The vegetation elsewhere is very scanty; consisting of Jhow, Bheir, Furas, Ukko, Joussa, Andropogon Seerkee, Rairoo, Kureel, a low bush called ----, and a Lycium? Bœhmeria albida.

The town is miserably defended: the streets are very irregular and very narrow: the houses all of mud, of the usual Scindian form, and completely irregular. The bazaars or arcades, are mere ordinary streets, covered in with timbers, over which tattered mats are placed: in these are situated the Hindoo shops, and in some places darkness is completely visible. These Hindoos have a peculiar elongated Jewish aspect, and are reported to be very wealthy. Grain and cloth are the principal articles in which they deal, and they say the streets are covered in order that the purchaser may buy with his eyes half shut. The city is a large rambling place, and each house deposits its own filth before it. The inhabitants, especially the Hindoo portion, have a peculiar complexion, and by no means a healthy one. No one seems to have deserted the town on account of our approach, neither has fear hitherto prevented them from bringing their merchandise into camp.

The weather has continued cool: yesterday we had a good deal of rain; to-day it is very cloudy. The range of the thermometers from 46° and 48° to 82° outside.

Artificers are not uncommon, as carpenters and blacksmiths, but their tools are miserable: and there is no such thing as a large saw to be seen. Wages are high, and from the slowness with which they work, it is ruinous to employ them.

Left Shikarpore on the 21st and marched to Jargon, 13½ miles, one of the usual fortified villages of kucha or unburnt brick. Houses surrounded also with Jhow fences. The jungle and country precisely the same as that round Shikarpore, road at first bad, but subsequently good enough: water is to be had very good: at no great depth.

22nd.—To Janidaira, 11½ miles: road excellent throughout. Country less covered with jungle: features mostly the same: a curious looking plant occurred plentifully, but to a limited extent near Jargon and subsequently, as the country became more sandy, we had abundance of Salicornia, of which camels are excessively fond, otherwise Jhow, Furas, very common, Rairoo, Kureel, Ukko throughout; near Jargon, Elrua very common, Chenopodium cymbifolium throughout.

The soil at first is very fine, finely pulverized, brownish as we proceeded onwards, becoming more and more sandy. Hills of some height, apparently very distant, are seen ahead due north, and to the west. We passed one village to the left, two canals of small size, and some Bagree cultivation. A small ridge with a hillock occurred after passing the village, otherwise all was flat. And about this the jungle was thin, entirely of patches Kureel, Rairoo, and Furas, Peepul.

We had a violent north wind yesterday evening with some rain.

23rd.—To Rogan, distance 11 to 12 miles: country generally flat, presenting here and there sandy undulations, generally bare of vegetation. Salvadora, Jhow, Furas, Kureel, Rairoo, continue; Furas and Rairoo most common; a new Chenopodium and a Salsola, or a plant of the same genus as that met with yesterday, swarming in some places, both species were common in some parts, in others one of the two only occurred. Road generally excellent, level and unbroken. Two small ghurrees or forts occurred, with a large patch of cotton, and still larger of Bagree: a small Sedoid-looking plant with yellow flowers, and one or two other (to me) novelties occurred: Heliotropium, Fagonia, Joussa, Bheir. In those parts in which loose sand had become accumulated, it not only formed banks, but every bush was submerged in it. The fresh sand must be derived from decomposition of the hard level plain by the action of the air: yet there should be a regular gradation in size of the waves; those nearest the windward side of the desert ought to be the smallest. Rock pigeon of Loodianah seen.

There are two ghurrees or forts at the halting place, both small; the water is tolerable. The chief trees are Salvadora and Rairoo.

24th and 25th.—Left in the evening and marched all night through the desert, which commences within two miles of Rogan, and towards which place vegetation gradually becomes more scarce until it disappears entirely. This sandy waste is upwards of twenty miles in extent: in the direction we traversed it, NW. or NNW., it is almost totally deprived of vegetation; one or two plants, such as Salsoloid, being alone observable near its borders. The surface is generally quite flat, in some places cut up by beds of small streams: the surface is firm, and bears marks of inundation: tracks of camels, etc. being indented. We reached Bushore at 5½ A.M.; the camels performed twenty-six miles in ten hours. We halted for four hours in the centre of the desert and tried to sleep but the cold was too great, striking up as it were from the ground. The camels marched through without halting, and we suffered only one loss amongst them next day. The occurrence of this peculiar desert is unaccountable, especially its almost absolute privation of vegetation; for many other places, equally dry, have their peculiar plants, such as Salsola, Chenopodium, Furas, Rairo, Ukkoo, Kureel.

25th.—Bushore is a miserable place, consisting of the usual mud houses and defences: the adjacent nullah does not invite attention; it is however the only seat of wells, which, as in all this country since leaving Rogan, are of small diameter, from thirty to forty feet deep, and contain very little water, which also is rather brackish and well impregnated with sand. The surrounding country is so barren that it may be called a desert, while the desert itself may be called the desert of deserts. I should mention that this ceases first to the west, in which direction shrubs encroach on it. Phulahi, Evolvulus acanthoides, Tribulus, Kureel, etc. are found about Bushore, but the prevailing plant is Chenopodium cymbifolium.

26th.—Leaving Bushore, we proceeded to Joke, which we reached late, it being nineteen miles: we lost the road however, which is in a direct line only sixteen miles. We soon came on a nullah, or canal, which we followed to Meerpore, a rather large double village, with a nice grove of Furas, situated on the dry river Naree, which is as contemptible in size as deficient in water, this is only procurable by digging wells of thirty feet deep, and even then in small quantity. Before reaching it, we passed several villages, mostly deserted and ruined.

The country is frightfully bare of wood; the chief plant is Chenopodium cymbifolium, and along the canal lemon grass, Kureel, Rairoo, Joussa, Ukko, Bheir, etc.; near Meerpore a Centaurea, and Evolvulus acanthaceus. But along the nullah some wood may be found, stunted though it be, it is chiefly Rairoo. We left Meerpore and proceeded about one and a half mile from Joke, following the nullah until we came on a canal in which, from a bund having been thrown across, there was a puddle or two of water. Here we halted. Much remains of cultivation is presented about this, chiefly Bagree, which is perennial. Durand tells me that the sprouts of the second year are poisonous to cattle, i.e. horses; but this report may have been given out purposely by the natives. Along the river, Jhow and Furas occur, in the naked plains, Chenopodium cymbifolium, Rairoo, and a few Kureel, but they are so naked as to afford little fodder for the camels: there is a little cultivation of mustard, and Taira meera. The hills are about twenty miles off, and appear about 4,000 feet high, they are precipitous, but the outline is not rugged: they appear perfectly barren. Those to the north which run nearly east and west are more distant. No new birds were seen; rock pigeons occur. The soil would be rich if water were abundant: in the Bagree fields it is of a cloddy kind.

Reseda, Euphorbia, Salsola lanata, Chenopodium cymbifolium, Evolvulus, Panicum, and Andropogon occur here. Jowaree sells at twelve seers a rupee, and Khurbee is very dear. A large plain occurs here covered with Gramen Panicum, which is in tufts, and has the appearance of being cultivated.

27th.—Halted at our camp near Joke. The Naree runs one and a half mile to the westward: its bed is fifty yards wide and about ten feet deep; the banks are well clothed with Furas. There is a good deal of Bagree cultivation.

28th.—To Oostadkote, nine and a half miles. The road is not a made one for the latter one-third. Crossed the Naree about two miles from our encampment: the country appeared the same. On arriving near our halting place, green wheat fields, intermixed with much fresh Chenopodium, Gramen Panicum, Reseda were most abundant, Chloroideum, Sinapis, Raphanus cultivated with Taira meera, two Cruciferous plants common, Salsola lanata also occurs. Water abundant in a channel of fifteen yards wide and three feet deep, clear and tasteless. Furas the most common shrub. No grass occurs but the remains of Panicum. Wheat is here sown in drills, in some places the crop is promising. The country is evidently occasionally overflowed, witness the indurated surface and the fissures, which away from the road, renders it bad for camels, being full of holes.

There are several villages visible round our camp, all of the usual miserable description, and there is a good deal of Bagree cultivation. The water does not extend more than a mile; it is eight feet deep, and about twenty yards wide towards the head, where the bund is thrown across.

March 1st.—To Bagh nine and a half miles. The country is quite similar: the chief plants continue to be Chenopodium cymbifolium, Kureel, a Rairoo, Ukko, Joussa, and Salsola robusta, but occur in no great plenty, they and all the face of the country exhibit marks of inundation. Bagh is visible a long way off from its being ornamented with a gamboge, or ochre-wash, otherwise its aspect is poor and muddy. We came on the Naree about three miles from the town, and as it has been bunded, it is full of clearish blue water, to a good depth. We encamped about one and a half mile on the south side of the town. About the head of the bund there is a good deal of wheat cultivation, and some mustard. In these khets Reseda is very abundant, Heliotrope is also common; I picked up a Matthiola and a Pommereulla. The banks of the Naree are clothed with small Furas, which in these parts are always encrusted with saline matter, or, as it would seem, pure salt. Rock pigeons both sorts, Loodianah rats, etc.

Bagh is celebrated for gunpowder; it is a largish, straggling, but poor place, though thickly tenanted. Its latitude is 29° 1' 20", and is placed thirty miles too far south in Tassin’s last map. Sugar-candy from Bussorah and cloth, are the principal articles sold.

4th.—Marched sixteen miles to Mysoor: direction at first NNW. and latterly west, close to the Brahorck hills. Water is plentiful in bunds and river, but the country is very very bare, Salicornia robusta uncommon, Plantago canescens, Poa, Cynodon, Ukko is very common, otherwise Kureel is the predominant plant. A good deal of wheat cultivation, every thing depends on water: the wheat along watercourses is luxuriant, but where water is less plentiful, stunted: soil the same, a tenacious sandy clay when wet: fields very free from weeds. Reseda very common, but very small, Heliotropium ditto, Crucifera hispida ditto. Green wheat a maund for a rupee. The road or rather country, is intersected here and there by ravines.

5th.—Halted. The nearest range of hills are six miles off, they have a very peculiar irregular brown appearance. The higher ones also have a similar appearance; these appear quite precipitous, and have in some parts a curious crenated outline. The chief vegetation about this place is Kureel, especially along the river and towards the bund, which last is well filled with water. Kureel, Furas, Ukko, very common, Cynodon, Prenanthoid, Poa minima, Joussa, Fagonia, Saccharum, Nerioid. In the water Scirpus, Cyperaceus, Charæ two species, Potomogeton two species, Valisnaria, Typha. On banks, Plantago cana, a curious Sileneacea, a splendid Orobanche, and a Brassicacea.

The birds continue the same: there is abundance of Fulica, swarms of waterfowl, herons, plovers, etc.; starlings re-appear.

Some wheat fields well irrigated; most luxuriant Khujoors, radishes.

6th.—Marched to Nowshera, sixteen miles: five first miles across a plain scantily furnished with Kureel. Sturt tells me the country looks quite a desert to the eastward from one of the hills. Thence we came on the hills, through which and the dividing valleys we proceeded for two miles, thence emerging into a narrow valley in which Nowshera is situated, drained by the river of Mysoor, which is an insignificant running stream.

The hills are very curious, totally bare of vegetation, not more than two or three stunted Chenopodium cymbifolium being seen on or about them. They do not exceed 300 feet in height; their composition is various; they are much worn by rain, and the outline although generally sharp, is often rounded. They present great variety, but chiefly are of a soft clayish looking substance, distinctly enough stratified, the uppermost strata being indurated and often quite smooth, and of a sub-ochreous appearance. The outer ridges on each side of the range slope gradually outwards, and the surface in these slopes is smooth. Inside, or towards the inner part of the range, they are generally precipitous, but beyond the uppermost strata, the exposed face is not indurated, hence this can scarcely arise from exposure to the weather. In these places they look much like sandstone, the fragments at the base of the cliffs are clayey, mixed with brown angular masses, occasionally shingle, and indeed, a low ridge near the north side of the range is chiefly of shingle. The direction is NNE., the angle of inclination of the slopes say 30°. The hills are highest towards the centre, and here some of the strata are curved.

The plain between this and the main range is much broken by ravines caused by rain; it is thinly covered with Kureel, Salsola robusta, Chenopodium, etc. The vegetation along the river is the same as at Mysoor. Durand finds nummulites, but thinks them brought down by the river. The strata or rather debris of slips often intersected by nearly erect projecting lines of a fibrous dyke. There is some wheat cultivation in the fields, a new Plantago, a Ruta, Silenacea, a curious Composita, two Boragineæ, Phalaris, Phleum, Avena, two or three Crucifera, Trigonella, and Melilotus are to be found. The vegetation elsewhere is much the same, Rairoo, Kureel, Ukko, Chenopodium, Lycium albidum re-occurs.

7th.—Proceeded to Dadur, a distance of seven and a half miles, nearly north. The country is a good deal cut up by water: within two and a half miles of Dadur we crossed the Naree, a running stream, with small boulders, and high clayey banks. The country improves towards Dadur, topes becoming more frequent. Salsola lanata abundant: a good deal of cultivation occurs along the river.

10th.—Dadur is a good sized, and more orderly looking place than Bagh, and is ornamented with well wooded gardens, among which the Khujoor holds a conspicuous place. An elegant and large Bheir and a Mimosa, are two other trees of the place; it is situated on the left bank of the Bolan river. The bed of this river until the Levee bund was cut, had been dry, but there is now plenty of water in it. It is in some places much choked by bulrushes, etc., it is eighty yards broad, and is shingly. Dadur stands nearly on the end of a good sized plain, surrounded on all sides by hills, of which those traversed to Nowshera, run NNE. and are lowest. The main range is four or five miles off. The greater part of this plain is uncultivated and covered with Rairoo, Kureel, Joussa, Sal. lanata, and Chenopodium; but along the sides of the river, as well as near that crossed en route to this place from Nowshera, there is a highly luxuriant cultivation of wheat, bearded and beardless, and barley. In some places near the town, are rich gardens of sonff, coriander, Mola, cress, onions, carrots, beet, among which a few poppies and Cannabis occur. These, as well as the fields, are protected with loose Bheir fences. There are a few small villages around, all of the same kucha or temporary construction, together with some remains of cotton, which in these parts is perennial.

There are no wild trees to be found, excepting perhaps an elegant species of willow. The vegetation of the fields is highly interesting, consisting of many European forms, similar to those at Nowshera—Avena, Phleum, Polygonium, Zanthoxyloid, Erodium! Anagallis in abundance, Plantago, Pecagee, Cynodon two species, Andropogon, Melilotus, Medicago, Boraginea, Malva, Tetragonolotus, Astragaloides, Sperguloides, Cruciferæ.

In the bed of the river Nerium, Pæderioides, Crotalaria, etc. of which the former is common every where: Fagonia, Viola found in the bed of the river crossed en route hither, a very curious plant. Antirrhenoid was brought from the hills by Capt. Sanders, singular in the inequality of the calyx and the great development of the posticous sepal.

Altogether this spot is curious in regard to vegetation, for the mean annual temperature must be high, and the winter temperature by no means low enough to account for the appearance presented.

The only novel birds are a jackdaw, with the voice and manners of the red-billed Himalayan species, and which I have only seen at a distance, and a different sort of Pterocles.

11th.—Proceeded to Drubbee, eight miles from Dadur, and about three within the range of hills, the plain towards which is rather elevated, and generally covered with boulders and shingle. The vegetation of this shingly plain is much the same, Chenopodium, Ukko, Salsola, Kureel, Rairoo; the most common shrubby plant, however, is an elegant Mimosa, much like the Babool, with white thorns; Nerium oleander is also very common along cuts.

In some wheat fields I procured Imperata, a new Plantago, and a curious Gnaphalium. The entrance to the pass is gradual; the hills almost entirely bare. I noticed Rairoo, Salvadora, Kureel. The most novel plant is a curious, erect, bushy, thorny Convolvulus, which is one of the most common plants farther in. The pass to Drubbee is wide, say 300 yards; the only obstacle exists in the shingle, which renders the road heavy. No abutments are present, jutting out from the hills, the stream is considerable but easily fordable, and abounds with fish, the Mahaseer, and two or three species of Gonorhynchus. The hills about Drubbee are not more than 500 feet high. They are generally of a coarse breccia, the component parts principally limestone; abundance of nummulites. The chief vegetation of the pass is one or two Andropogoneous grasses, and Apocynum nerioides. There is absolutely no fodder for camels, which however, take readily to grass. Towards the mouth of the pass, Pæderia involucrata, Villarsia, Lycioid, Stenophyllum and Ukko are common, but they are rare inside, although the last continues some distance up the hills and attains a large size, becoming quite arboreous. A Crucifera, a rhubarby sorrel, a Goodyera, and one or two grasses, were the only additional novelties met with.

12th.—Marched on eight miles, after five of which we turned to the right, and the pass became and continued narrow, until we reached our halting place, which is something like what we may suppose to be the remains of a mountain, still a good deal elevated above the bed of river. The mountains continued the same in the gorge, until we came to limestone cliffs, which afforded a peculiar vegetation, Linaria retephioides, Linaria alia pusilla foliis 5-gonis cordatis, floribus luteis minutis pubescens, specimen lost, one or two Rubiaceæ, a Salvia, several very interesting grasses, among which is a Stipa, a Composita, Santanoides, a curious Capparidea, Cassia, etc. etc.

The hills have increased in height, in many places they were extremely picturesque, split and divided in every direction. The valley running off to south on our entrance into the gorge: river diminished somewhat in size. Jheely spots, with very deep water common, surrounded with thick Andropogon, Typha and Scirpus jungle. Few fish were seen and none taken. Can the Mahaseer not reach this? Gonorhynchus continue, but they never take a fly; Ophiocephalus, Sowlee; turtle caught by bearers, Silurus. No less than twenty-three plants novel to me were gathered on the limestone, which looks as bare as the breccia; all its plants grew in small tufts or singly, and all adhered firmly to the rock. The only tree which continues is Phulahi or Rairoo; Convolvulus spinosus very common, a very curious Chenopodioid, Reseda with Cruciferous qualities.

13th.—Proceeded to Gurmab, eight and a half miles. Country continues the same. The defile after crossing some rather broad water three feet deep, opened out into a rather large valley, near the south end of which Gurmab is situated, and it is ornamented with a good many Rairoo trees, of indifferent size and appearance. No change whatever in the vegetation; Salsola prima occurs sparingly.

14th.—Halted at Gurmab. The hills close to our encampment are of limestone, which is in many places very angular. Oolite found by Durand in a low range, standing by itself in the valley, it generally bears a vast quantity of nummulites and madrepores. A flat discoid organized remain occurs in abundance, and probably belongs to the same group. Ukko, Rairoo, Kureel rare, Convolvulus spinosus, Frankenioides, Stipaceum gramen, Euphorbia, Polygonum rheoides, Salvadora, may be found. Along the water Andropogonoides 2, Typha, Arundo, Juncus, Scirpus juncinus in abundance. In the water, a new Naias, and Conferveæ. In a ravine near our camp, I found a Cynoglossum and a curious Periploceous plant, in habit approaching to certain Aphyllous, true Asclepiads.

A few stunted dates are visible near Gurmab, which is three miles from Kirtah, and towards the deep water there is a ruin of a single house. Rairoo, Nerioid, and Lycium albidum are the most common ground plants. There is only Rairoo for camels, who do not thrive on harsh grasses, although compelled by hunger to eat them. Large flocks of Doombah sheep and goats belonging to Khelat men were met with. Mahaseer in abundance, and very greedy after a red hackle of fish, Macrognathus and Opheocephalus occur also. Of birds the white vulture, Alauda cristata et alia, with a notched beak, a partridge which I had not previously seen, Motacilla alia.

15th.—Proceeded to Beebee Nanee, nine and a half miles up the valley in which Gurmab is situated. The road tolerably level and good; boulders not however common. The village of Kuttah, is one mile to the right, consisting of one ruined house; near the exit from the valley a burial ground occurs, having flags, or banners, pointing out the graves, which are covered with heaps of stones. The exit from the valley is by a narrow pass through a low range of angular limestone, thence up another narrow shingly valley or narrowish gorge, and over a small stream of water of ordinary temperature, where we encamped: in the second valley two spots were observed covered with graves. Immense flocks of birds were seen on the range to the west of the valley. In the first valley Pæderia involucrata and Salsola prima, are the most common plants. On the limestone hills, Convolvulus spinosus, Frankeniacea, Plantago villosa, and a curious Composita, subacaulis, involucro foliaceo, of which the single specimen has been lost, a few Bheirs.

Encamped in a small valley or pass leading to Khelat, a marked one only a few hundred yards wide. To the west, the hills continue very barren. Gurmab—this takes its name from the warmth of the water, which apparently rises in several sedgy spots; the united waters form a small stream abounding with Mahaseer, Barbus, etc. and falling into another stream, again meets the main river, which runs off to the eastward from the place where it is crossed towards Gurmab. There is no sign of bubbling in the springs, although the water commences to run visibly from within a few yards. The temperature of one did not vary from 76°, which must be about the mean temperature of the place, but the temperature of a deep body of water after the confluence of several springs was 82°, so that some of them must hence be of considerable temperature: the highest examined was 81°.

Of three springs examined—the first of these had a temperature of 82° Fahr.—the second of 77°, these unite to form the streamlet that runs towards the east—the third spring had a temperature of 77°: this is crossed on entering the valley from the south, it runs under a limestone range, and then bends off to the south-east to unite with the main stream. Cyprinus fulgens and C. bimaculatus were found in the 82° spring. From the variation in the temperature of the three, it is obvious that neither represents the mean temperature of the place.

16th.—To Abigoom, eight and a quarter miles, through a similar country up a valley in a NNW. direction; the valley is narrowed towards the middle, and is a plain of considerable inclination, the chief rocks passed are limestones. No fodder for camels, and little enough on the road for horses; the chief vegetation consisting of Nerioides, Pæderia involucrata, and small tufts of Kuss-kuss grass; Ruwash is common, Lycium album; Salsola prima are not common, and the Bheir is rare. A new and curious plant looking like Kureel was found, male flowers with large semi-antheriferous bearing disc. Apocynum viminale not uncommon, and not ruined by cattle, Prenanthoid albiflora, Echinopsides, a fine Begonia, B. punicoides, arbuscula; Salvadora also occurred. The inclined valleys are very shingly and bouldery. The mountains as barren as ever.

There is at Beebee Nanee a running streamlet, in which small Mahaseer, Nepuroid, Gonorhynchus and Barbus may be found; also a species of Cancer. We were encamped close to the cliffy termination of a limestone range, in which Linaria, Trichodesma, Cynoglossum, Ruwash, Labiata, and a most singular Telepheoid polygalous looking plant were found. There is some fodder along the water for horses, but for camels scarcely any: we accordingly lose six to ten camels now daily. There was a curious echo from the cliff.

17th.—To-day we halt at Abigoom, which is at the extremity of an inclined plain, and 2,500 feet above the sea; some of the boundary hills are considerably higher, the valley is shingly and bouldery, covered with the usual plants, but more scantily: Nerioid, Pæderia involucrata, Lycium albidium, Apocynum viminale.

I went to some wheat cultivation yesterday afternoon about two and a half miles off, in a small valley to the south-east. The wheat was fine, all bearded, most of the Dadur plant occurred in it with some curious novelties, Boraginea, Cynoglossum, Compositæ, Cuscuta, and a new Reseda. The Melilotus and red Anchusoid were not found, Plantago, were among the most abundant. A single Furas tree and some Kureel were seen near the wheat. The weather unsettled; cloudy; rain fell at night and early this morning. A cafilah or caravan from Candahar with figs and raisins passed us. Rock pigeon of Loodianah and the small partridge were observed. There is a streamlet here.

18th.—Detained by bad weather, which threatened the whole of yesterday. The river came down during the night, flooded, and upset some of the tents, damaging many things, but not carrying off much. It rained smartly almost the whole night: we moved this morning to rather higher ground, but not so high as to preclude all danger should the river rise again. A dawk man arrived last night, bringing a handful of tulips which he said came from Shal; it is a small species, foliis subtortis undulatis caule 1-flora, flore amplo aureo subodora.

19th.—Advanced to Sirekhugoor, distance nineteen miles, ascent throughout on a considerably inclined plain up the bed of a river, shingly and bouldery; the pass is not much contracted, but a short distance from Abigoom we parted from every thing like valleys. The vegetation continues much the same: Kureel, Salsola prima re-occurred near Abigoom but sparingly, chief vegetation consists of clumps of withered coarse Andropogons, Nerioides, Pæderia, and Lycium, but less common than before, while Apocynum viminale, and Convolvulus spinosus have increased. The bed of the streamlet is until near Sirekhugoor, chiefly occupied by a large Arundo just past flowering, in which Typha also occurs sparingly: within 300 feet of the halting place, a solitary Khujoor, and some wheat cultivation occurs, the latter much behind that of Abigoom. In the fields Polygala occurred with a Galium; the most common plant being a Sinapis found at Dadur: some Bheir trees also occur here; a few Compositæ, Labiatæ, and Cruciferæ, similar to those at Abigoom, are also found: the novelties were Peganum which continues throughout the pass, Hyoscyamoid, and one or two Compositæ; while in water-courses close to it the first dripping rocks occurred covered with Adiantum and fructiferous mosses, and a curious Primuloid plant out of flower, with a curious Clematis.

The halting place is at the head of the stream, which gushes copiously out of a rock; the bed of the river or defile is 100 yards wide: the mountains immediately adjoining not exceeding 1,000 feet in height, but the second range is much higher, that to our north being plentifully sprinkled with snow. These mountains are barren, chiefly covered with Convolvulus spinosus, which has a different aspect, with a Sytisoid, handsome silvery shrub, a species of Caragana and Apocynum viminale: about the spring and in other places there are thick patches of a very dwarf palm, and a solitary fig tree, a Lycium album continues: the bed occupied by tufts of coarse Andropogons and Apocynum viminale; about the spring Adiantum, a small Boraginia, white flowered small Compositæ, a withered Hepaticum, two or three efructiferous mosses, and the Primuloid plant. In the stream Chara, Conferva, Peppermint, Beccabunga, Convolvulus, like C. reptans, Arundo left behind nearly. On the mountains fragrant Labiatæ, Compositæ, and Umbelliferæ are commencing. The barometer stood at 25.669; thermometer 64° at 11 A.M. Many soft rocks occurred: passed a clayey looking one, with very elevated strata, containing veins of transverse crystals: the sides of the defile are often precipitous, these are generally formed of conglomerate.

20th.—Continued up the same defile, a gradual ascent, and about two miles from Sirekhugoor entered the pass by pre-eminence; very much narrowed, precipitous cliffs on both sides: this continues for some time. The road good, shingly, but not very bouldery; very winding, and generally capable of strong defence; much cover exists from the rugged margins of cliffs, and windings of the road. The mountains, after four or five miles were passed, gradually receded and became less precipitous: at length we came to gradually rounded more distant mountains; then to a small valley; then ascended say 100 feet, over a low rocky range, and descended into a fine valley, surrounded by usual barren looking mountains: high ranges to the north and south covered with snow presenting a beautiful view—and now entered Khorassan. We were accompanied by several bands of a gypsyish-looking people, forming parts of a cafilah. They were accompanied with numerous goats: and camels ornamented with trappings.

Throughout the very narrow portion of the pass the vegetation continues the same: at Sirekhugoor a Xanthoxylon appears and continues nearly throughout: this and an oleinous looking small tree are the only arborescent plants: Apocynum viminale and the other plants of Sirekhugoor continue, nor did I notice any new ones further than a Sedum, and Tortula. However fragrant Labiatæ and Compositæ increase in number, but none are in flower.

As soon as we opened out from the pass, the vegetation almost entirely changed; the hills assumed a rounded form, covered with low bushes, and were much less rocky. Umbelliferæ, Labiatæ, and Compositæ abound, some of them deliciously fragrant: an Astragaloid spinosus very common, a shrubby Cerasus, Thalictrum, Hypoxis, and small Cruciferæ abundant. The chief vegetation consists of grasses in low round tufts; Anemone, Tulipa, etc. all small. After crossing a low range we came into the valley, which is almost entirely covered with an Artemisioid odoriferous plant; no verdure was visible, even on the snowy ranges. We encamped close under a ridge about two and a half miles to the north of the summit of the pass.

21st.—Halted: there being some water collected in attempts to form a nullah from the last rain, it is quite brownish and opaque, but deposits no sediment, and makes good tea, although disagreeable to drink in any other form. I walked out in the afternoon into a valley to the west, close to our encampment, and thence ascended a hill 600 feet high at least.

This valley like the one in which we are encamped is covered entirely by an Artemisioid, a very fragrant plant, each shrub of which is distinct; mixed with it are tulips, several small Cruciferæ, and a Fritillarioides.

The same Artemisioid is also the chief plant on all the hills: it is mixed, but in small quantities with Cerasus pygmæus, Equisetoid, Caragana, and one or two shrubby Labiatæ; and also especially above, with a curious Astragaloid looking plant. The herbaceous plants are numerous, consisting of very fragrant Umbelliferæ, bursting into leaf; tulips, Fritillarioides, Trichostema, Erodium, Iris, Thalictrum, Senecio, Boragineæ 2, Gilenacea, several tufted Gramineæ, Berberideæ, Ranunculoides, Myosotis, Anemone cracea, Asphodeloid, Mesembryanthoids; of mosses Tortula, Grimmia.

22nd.—Proceeded to Sinab, a distance of fifteen and three quarter miles, up two valleys, no ascents. These valleys are elevated towards the mountains and generally depressed in the centre: in some they stretch out a long way from the mountain to which they may be imagined to belong. The mountains seen from a distance jutting out from perhaps the centre of a plain, look curious. The vegetation is generally Artemisioid, and very fragrant: the first valley in its depressed portions was covered with a Salsoloid looking plant, to the exclusion of Compositæ, but these last recurred in the higher parts.

With the Compositæ, swarms of small Cruciferæ occur; that with purple flowers and pinnatisect leaves being the most common. Very rugged hills are visible to the north-east and north of our route, presenting a very different appearance from the usual aspect: they are steep to the east, and present inclined slopes to the west.

Sunday, 24th.—Halted this day. Little new occurs in the valley, except a few trees out of leaf and flower, which, though trees here, yet the species are not so elsewhere. At this place are the heads of the river of Pisheen, which appear to arise more artificially than naturally from Kahreezes, or wells dug in a rude way, and communicating by subterranean channels; those nearest the natural outlet of the water being the shallowest. The vegetation is the same; there is a little cultivation, but nothing to indicate any descent. The amount of population is not great; and the hills to the west are covered with snow. The chief vegetation is Santonica. In cornfields Fumariaceæ, Adonis, Cruciferæ, Pulmonaria, Arenaria, Hordei sp., Tulipa lutea, and Hyacinthus? may be found.

The vegetation of the plains, inclusive of Santonica, consists generally of three or four small Cruciferæ, Tulipa lutea.

I went to the west towards the snow, and found in the river here an aquatic Ranunculus, foliis omnibus immersis, floribus albis, Chara is common; gravelly slopes commence some distance from hills, covered with Santonica, Astragaloid spinosus, Leguminosæ, a spinous Statice, Cytisus argenteis, Composita floribunda carnosa.

The mountains are covered with masses of rock. One tree occurs with a Fraxinus? a Thymeleous looking shrub, Cytisus, Caragana. The herbaceous plants are very numerous, Compositæ, Cruciferæ, small Leguminosæ, Berberideæ, Isopyroides, Crocus? Gentiana, Onosma and other Boragineæ, Umbelliferæ, Silenaceæ, especially small Arenariæ; Cupressus commences about 6,500 feet, near the Cypress an Arctium occurred, at least it has the habit of that genus, Onosma, a curious Boraginea calyce sinubus bidentigeris, demum plano! ampliato bilabiato! clauso, quasi hastato lobato, nucibus compressis, 2, Sedums 4, Arenariæ, a fine Gentiana, Crocoides, Iris, Ornithogaloides or Trichonema occurred, with many others. The greatest elevation attained was about 1,200 feet above the camp. Chikor and the smaller partridge were seen.

25th.—Marched to Quettah, eight and a half miles up the valley over a delightful road. The valley is cultivated, and many villages are visible with their orchards, consisting of mulberry trees, cherries, and apricots, surrounded with mud walls; the houses miserable, and all trees out of leaf: the crops under cultivation are more advanced, but depend on irrigation, some salad-bearing plant occurred cultivated in trenches like asparagus: the fields are clean, and sometimes well manured. A Veronica allied to V. agrestis, 2 or 3 Euphorbiaceæ, a very well defined Plantago, Hyacinthus, and a pretty Muscari, were among the novelties; Juncus, Chara, Carex, occurred in some marshy spots. I was most struck with the occurrence of at least two species of Lucerne, or Trefoil: wells are common, and water abundant. The climate is delightful, temperature 49° at 9 P.M. in a tent.

26th.—I ascended towards a snowy range to the ESE. of our camp, crossing a cultivated portion of the valley extending to the gradual slopes so universal between the level portion and the bases of the mountains, and which are always covered with shingle, and occasionally much cut up by watercourses. Turning a ridge I ascended up a ravine, rather wide and easy at first, but becoming gradually narrow, and at last difficult. On coming to its head I rambled some distance higher among precipitous rocks, the ground generally covered with loose shingle, giving bad footing. The rocks too were treacherous, often giving way under the feet. I was still 1,000 feet from the summit, which is the second range between our camp and the snow but which is not visible from the camp. From it I saw the camp, and the valley of Pisheen beyond the termination of the Tuckatoo range. Water boiled at 196° 7', making the height about 8,300 feet, in my (new) Woollaston instrument at 686; temperature of the air 46° 5'. Nothing occurred to repay me for the fatigue of the excursion. Junipers or cypress form the chief arbusculous vegetation, but even these are scanty; they commence at 6,500 feet, and continue to the snow: Fraxinus occurred about 7,000 feet, and another tree of which I could make nothing, it being out of flower and leaf. Compositæ were the prevailing vegetation; but of these, only the remains were found, which were very fragrant. A large thorny Leguminous shrub out of leaf, etc. looking much like a Rosa, Equisetoides, etc.; of mosses, Weissia Templetonii, and Tortula, so that in these there is very little variety; the debris of one Hepatica occurred.

At the foot of the mountains, the only place out of the valley where any vegetation is to be found, Asphodelus, radicibus luteis, foliis triangularibus, a fine plant coming into flower, Cytisus, Caragana, Narcissus? Cruciferæ, among them a small Draba, Cerasus pygmæus, Peganum, Salsoloid of Mumzil, Trichonema, Myosotis, Gentiana of Chiltera, Buddlæa, Carex; indeed the vegetation is precisely the same as at Chiltera. The only novelty was Bardana in flower, and it proves to be a cruciferous plant of large size.

On the stony slopes, a shrubby spinous Centauroid, foliis pinnatifidis glaucis, Cytisus, Caragana, Asphodelus and Cheiranthus are the prevailing plants. No Santonica is found about here.

A new Iris occurs in abundance: near this in wettish parts of the valley a Vicia, Muscari, Hyacinthus and others as before. The chief cultivation is wheat, irrigated in plots: the soil when saturated with water, forming a clayish, adhesive, finely pulverulent mass, which cakes on drying. A watermill for flour, having a horizontal wheel acted on by the stream as in Bootan occurs; the grain drops in from a pyramidal cone fixed over the two horizontal stones, in the upper of which there is a hole. The apparatus is very rude.

The height attained by me on the eastern ridge being about 8,300 feet; that of the 2nd range, will be 9,300 feet at least, and the height of the peak or highest ridge, cannot be less than 11,000 feet.

30th.—Continue to halt. There is a good deal of cultivation about this place, but the crops will not be ripe before August: it is principally wheat; munjit is also cultivated on trenched ground: the young sprouts have a good salad-like flavour. The Suddozye Lora runs through the valley, about two miles from the town: it is a small stream, crowded here and there with bulrushes, sedges, etc. Towards its banks there is a good deal of Santonica, but elsewhere there is no good fodder, and wherever this is the case the camels eat Iris, and destroy themselves. The valley is sprinkled over with villages and orchards, and is picturesque enough. In one spot, where water runs over the surface, it is delightfully green and velvety, covered with short grass and trefoil, Carex, etc.

In cornfields in this direction, Berberidea ranunculiflora is very common, Muscari, Hyacinthus, Taraxacum, Plantago. Of animals the Jerboa, sent to Macleod by Mr. Mackenzie, of the Artillery, several specimens having been caught here: presenting affinities obviously with the hare, and analogies with the Kangaroo. Macleod has just given me, from his namesake of the 3rd Cavalry, a tadpole-like animal, very similar to one from the Khasiya Hills. I fear it is a tadpole, but I keep the specimen lest it should be a Lepidosiren.

The orchards here consist of cherry, and a pomaceous tree which also is cultivated at Shikarpore, and on the skirts occasionally of willows, which, were they unmutilated, would be handsome trees. The Punjabi name of the pomaceous one is Sai-oo, of the cherry or plum Aloochah.

Senecionoid glauca is extremely common towards the river, but is not eaten by camels. In the streams arising from springs a Myriophylloides is very common; as also in some places, Ranunculus aquaticus, Beccabunga, Mentha piperitioid, a Sicyoid, Juncus, Coniferæ, and Cariceæ, all small.

Along the banks of the river, there is a good deal of a small thorny shrub with white bark and fleshy clavato-spathulate leaves. Themopsis is extremely common, Crucifera glauca ditto, Peganum less so, Achilleoides is very common. In damp spots a Lotus (out of flower) occurs. The ground is covered in many places with an efflorescence of saltpetre.

Quettah.—The country was so disturbed throughout the greater part of the line, and attacks on followers so frequent, that I did not go out so much during the last few days as I otherwise would. The only plant that seems to a considerable extent local, is the larger Asphodel, which is however found occasionally towards Kuchlak. Within the last few days vegetation has rapidly progressed; the orchards bursting into leaf, and the whole plain, where uncultivated, is assuming a greenish tint. I have nothing to add respecting the botany, except having found Ceratophyllum and two species of Chara, one a very interesting species from having the joints furnished with semi-reflexed, very narrow leaves, it is apparently Dioeceous, there is also a Naiad, much like that found at Dadur. No Lemnæ occur among the vegetation: there is some sort of pea cultivated: but the chief object is wheat, then next to it in extent is Lucerne, which is cultivated in plots; the ground being laid out as in wheat, so as to allow of irrigation.

The climate is variable; rain generally falls every four or five days, before this happens it becomes hot and hazy, afterwards it is very cold and clear: the alternations are hence very great. From the thermometer immersed in the fount of a spring gushing out from a Kabreeza, the mean temperature would appear to be 56°. Water running in cuts close to it, was 66°. A Tauschia occurs in abundance near the spot, and is remarkable for illustrating the nature of the leaves of the upper parts; it is curious that all such have a peculiar aspect. (For other plants of this neighbourhood, see Cat. and Icones.)

The town although the third in Khorassan, is a miserable place and has a deserted aspect, the houses are of the most temporary construction, and the hill is crowned by a poor half-ruined kucha fort; the gates of the town are ornamented with wild goats’ horns and heads. There is no trade, and the place is stated to be plundered often by Caukers. Orchards—apricots of large size, and very large cherry trees, a pomaceous plant with the habit of poplar, occurs; the Ulmus of this place is one of the largest sized trees; no walnuts.

April 6th.—Left Quettah for Kuchlak. We traversed the sandy plain and then ascended the gravelly slope to the pass traversed before reaching Kuchlak, the ascent and descent were about equal, but the former was long and gradual, the latter rapid and short. The features of the country are precisely the same; the pass is short, the descent to the ravine, which in the rains is evidently a watercourse, short and steep, not 100 feet. The mountains forming the sides are steep; and those to the left, bold and romantic, with here and there a small tree. The plain of Kuchlak is like that of Quettah, well supplied with water-cuts and one small canal, but miserably cultivated, and with very few villages. The hills forming its west boundary are low, rugged, and curiously variegated with red and white. Tuckatoo forms part of its eastern boundary: no snow is visible on its face towards Kuchlak: a few low rounded hillocks occur in the centre of the valley. The chief vegetation round the camp, is Santonica. We encamped close to the western boundary of the valley, about two miles from the grand camp: total distance of the march thirteen and a half miles. The climate is very hot and variable; thermometer ranged to-day from 40° to 86°.

The chief vegetation of the gravelly slopes is as marked as ever, and differs entirely from that of the sandy tillable portion; it consists of Centaurea fruticosa, C. spinosa, Anthylloides or Ononoides, Astragalus spinosus, and Staticoides, another thorny Composita occurs, but is not common, the herbaceous plants are Cruciferæ in large numbers, as well as Compositæ; of Boragineæ, a good many, some Labiatæ, a large Salvia: towards the tillable lands or where gravelly places occur among these, Asphodelus is common with Cheiranthus; one or more fruticose Dianthi occur in these places, and a curious shrubby Polygonum.

In dry watercourses Cytisus is common, with a host of small Cruciferæ, Boragineæ, and Compositæ; Papaveraceæ are very common with Glaucium.

The novelties in the pass were Ficus, Lycium, some grasses, Onosma. (See Cat. from Nos. 411 to 430,) Marchantiaceæ.

7th.—Proceeded to Hydozee, distance eight miles. The country is very barren, diversified by curious low hills, of a red, white, or yellowish colour, divided by small bits of plain, which in some cases were a good deal cut up by ravines. Passed immediately on starting, the Sudoozye Lora, here a sluggish muddy stream, knee-deep, twenty yards wide, and in addition to a bad dry cut, we passed likewise another little stream with a pebbly bottom and rapid current.

The crops composing the very little cultivation seen before arriving, were backward and scanty: so were those at Hydozee. The chief vegetation is Santonica; here and there are gravelly spots with Centaurea fruticosa, spinosa; Statice, Salvia, etc. re-occur. The commonest shrub along the watercourses is Lycium, with another Lycioid thorny plant.

The low hills were in some cases stratified, the strata in others and perhaps in most were indistinct: most were rounded, but the outlines at a distance were very diversified. The novelties today were a fine vesicular calyxed Astragalus, an Isatidea, tulip of red, orange, and yellow, indiscriminately mixed, Papaver Rheas, Cheiranthus lapidium, Asphodels both sorts, but the second and larger one is uncommon, Iris Stacyana very common in sandy places, Iris agrestis, most common about Suddozye, Adonis, and Ranunculus Anemoides occurs. Snow on north side of Tuckatoo mountain as heavy as on Chiltera; the valley of Pisheen is here a miserable place, narrower than that of Quettah.

9th.—Advanced to Hykulzyea, distance twelve miles to the town, about eleven through a similar country with that previously noted, and until the expanded part of the valley of Pisheen is entered the aspect is very barren; the road extends between low rounded hills. After crossing the valley of Hydozyea, three streams are passed, none of any size. Botanical features continue the same, Santonica being still the prevailing plant. The curious frutex pluvinatus of Sinab re-occurred, together with an additional subspiny Astragaloid shrub and a small Ruta. The hills are covered with distinct small shrubs, never coalescing into patches. Peganum continues in addition to the other plants: Glaucioides has aqueous juice, Papaver Rheas ditto, the other smooth-leaved one has it slightly milky.

Lycium and Tamarisk 4-fida is rather common: Hykulzyea is a far larger place than Quettah, but miserably defended. The houses are very inferior, consisting of thatch and mud. The cultivation of wheat is rather extensive around. Many villages are seen towards the hills to the north and NNE.; also one or two forts, but not a tree is to be seen in the valley which is comparatively very large and very level. The hills to the north have the ordinary appearance; those separating us from the valley of Hydozyea, more especially the lower ranges, are so confused that they look like a chopping sea, and present a red and white colour. The rock pigeon of Loodianah is common about Hydozyea. A few novelties occurred in the vegetation, the chief of which being a large Salvoid Labiata, a plant which is very common throughout Khorassan from Sinab in gravelly spots. Leguminosæ, Boragineæ, Compositæ, Cruciferæ, and Labiatæ, are the prevailing plants; Salsola tertia not uncommon. Birds as before, Alauda cristata, and Sylvioides being the most common; no red legged crows were seen. Rock pigeons are abundant.

10th.—March to Berumby, distance thirteen miles, the road very bad in one or two places: the first difficulty being a rather deep ravine, the second a nullah, with water knee-deep, and very high precipitous banks, yet both these had to be passed. Much of the baggage was not up at the encampment until 5 P.M., although we started at 3 A.M., but the nullah was literally choked up with camels. No change in the vegetation has appeared, except in the occurrence of large tracts of Tamarisk, which tree reaches to nearly the same size as the Jhow. Very little cultivation is to be seen; the villages are tolerably numerous, especially near the hills forming the north boundary of the valley.

11th.—Entered the pass which is at first wide, with a gradual ascent, but which soon becomes narrowish, with a good though gradual and easy ascent: the mountains are of no height, and they are not generally precipitous: no limestone, but much clay slate occurs. The ravine up which we passed, or rather watercourse, was well stocked with Xanthoxylon, some of large size as to the diameter of trunk, but very stumpy: water is found not far from the entrance: some cultivation also occurs and one large walled village, Dera Abdoollah Khan, lay to our left. Not much change in the vegetation: Xanthoxylon is almost entirely confined to ravines, Cerasus common, and one or two other prickly shrubs, and a Ruta, Onosma, Linarea, coming into flower, are among the novelties.

We encamped where the pass becomes narrow, and the ascent steep, and where water is plentiful, but the stream being soon absorbed does not appear to run down the main ravine at this season.

12th.—Halted, to make the road where the main ascent commences about 400 yards from our camp, and which is about 300 feet high; thence there is a descent, and afterwards an ascent to about 600 feet above the camp, whence the low plains of Candahar are visible, as well as the range to the north of which Candahar stands. The road is good compared with places elsewhere to be seen, and for common traffic on camels may be easy enough; but for guns, it is steep and difficult. The way it has been made by the Engineers is admirable and rapid; three other passes without roads, and in their rude natural state are as yet to be crossed. The pass here is narrow, none of the hills rise more than 1,000 feet above it, they are easily accessible, and are composed chiefly of clay slate. Chikores are frequent. The cuckoo was heard to-day, as well as a beautifully melodious titmouse, with a black crown: a fine eagle, or falcon was seen.

The hills are as usual barren, all the shrubs are thorny, and all the plants unsocial, never coalescing into any thing like groups. The Xanthoxylon is found throughout in ravines up to nearly 7,000 feet, the utmost height of the pass. Fraxmus of Chiltera also occurs, Cerasus primus, in abundance, Cerasus alius, tertius, not uncommon, Berberis! here and there in ravines, Equisetoides, Caraganoides altera; the most common shrubs of any size are Cerasus primus. The other shrubs consist of the low customary Compositæ, and Astragaleæ, Umbelliferæ are common, among which last the Nari, a species of Assafœtida occurs? A beautiful Iris is common, as well as tufts of Berberideæ, Asphodelus major, and which is much eaten when cooked as a turkaree by our hungry followers, Eryngioides, Aconitoides, a Valeriana, three new small Veronicæ, small Cruciferæ, Silenaceæ, Boragineæ, and Labiatæ, form the bulk of the herbaceous vegetation. An Arenarioid, Muscoid, Cruciferæ, common at the head of the pass. A large Acanthoid leaved Umbellifera, a Rheoides papillis verrucosum, this is a true Rheum, and when cultivated becomes the Ruwash of the Affghanistans; it is very common on the Candahar face of the pass, particularly about Chokey, where it is in flower.

13th.—Proceeded to Chokey, not quite four miles. The top of the pass may be reached by three or four passes. I went by one to the right, which is easy enough, and the descent from which is much better adapted for camels than the made road, which is very steep, with two sharp turns, but soft. The descent thence is gradual, down one of the ordinary ravines, well clothed with the usual shrubs and Xanthoxylon: our camels were a good deal fagged, but more from the halt at the pass, where some cathartic plant abounds and weakens them very much, than fatigue. The view from the top of the pass is very extensive: the plains are seen to have nearly the same level, and are divided here and there very frequently to north-east and north, by the ordinary mountains.

14th.—Halt; water here is not abundant, and is obtained from driblets and pools; around these, the surface is covered with a rich sward, which affords fine fodder for a small number of horses. In the swampy spots, Beccabunga, Anagallis, Mentha, Carex, Glaux, apparently identical (so far as a memory of 7 years may be trusted,) with the English plant, the small variety of Leontodon, Medicaginoides, Phleum, and the very small Amaranthoid, Polygonea, occur.

The hills around Chokey, and below it are rounded, those towards the pass being more steep. They are covered with Centaurea fruticosa, and C. spinosa, a favourite food of camels when it has young shoots, Santonica, Statice, all of which grow precisely as before, Boragineæ, Compositæ, Labiatæ, and Papilionaceæ, are the predominant forms, and mostly of the same type: I observe a tendency among Boragineæ to have cup-shaped nuts. Generally speaking, the plants are the same as those before found. Rheas, Papaver, Glaucium purpureum, especially the two last are common, Labiata salvoides, Iris persica, and crocifolia (rare), Trichonema, Gentiana, Alyssoides.

The novelties were Rheum, Silena fruticosa, Linaria, Ruta, Astragalina, 2 small Silenaceæ, Iris, Glaucium aureo-croceum, a beautiful Boragineæ with cup-shaped nut, Lotoides, an Hippophaoid looking shrub, Scrophularia sp. singulous, Malthioloids spiralis, Allium, Glaux, Nitella, etc. (See Catalogue 482 to 516.) Graminea very common, Rottboellia and Anthistiria, 2 curious forms, the other more northern, Umbelliferæ common, Nari much less so than on the south face.

The vegetation of the summit which is nearly 7,000 feet, and of peaks which rise 600 to 700 feet above the pass, has no change, except the abundance of Cruciferæ and Muscoides; Cerasus is the chief shrub; Thymelæus frutex occurs at 6,500 feet. The prevailing rock is clay slate.

16th.—Marched to Dund-i-Golai, distance fifteen miles, we first descended gradually to the plain, and then traversed this until we skirted some low hills, about one and a half mile, from which a pool of water was situated, where we halted, and which was fed by a small cut coming from some distance. The road was very good throughout, the water-cuts although not unfrequent, being either shallow or skirting the left of the road. The vegetation continued the same as about Chokey, until the plains were reached, but the prickly shrub, habitu Berberidioides, became more common in the water-cuts below than I had seen it before, while Santonia, Centaurea spinosa, and the plants of Chokey, disappeared as we reached the plain, except some few herbaceous forms, which continued throughout. I was much indisposed during this march, and for the time we halted at Dund-i-Golai, a period of four days, was unable to go out, but Capt. Sanders and my people brought me many novelties, which I have not yet noted down. The chief vegetation of the plain is Salsola tertia, the surface is level and firm, clothed with scattered Salsola and a few stunted herbaceous plants, among which a yellow Centaureoid, a Crucifera siliquis junioribus clavati 4-gonis, were the most common, there was also a curious Thiscoid looking plant. A considerable change commenced about the low hills, a Thymelæus shrub, some curious grasses, an Erodium, a Santonica, occupying the places of the former shrubs, and Dipsacus or Scabiosa becoming very common. The height of this place is about 4,040 feet, the climate most variable. Fahr. thermometer 48° to 105° in single roofed tents. No cultivation seen, a pool of water is situated near the hill, and a little is reported as situated half-way between this place and Chokey, this however I did not see. The country is much parched up, and bears every appearance of always having been so; no remains of tanks, villages, etc. visible. Painted partridges were seen; and the eggs of a large bird like a plover? The wind inclining to be hot, but it is cool up to 7½ or 8 A.M.

Alaudo cristata? and an Alauda with the form of Sylvia.

Sunday, 21st.—Proceeded to Killa Pootoollah, a distance of ten miles. The road was good over an open, dry, level country, but intersected with small cuts: some cultivation was passed, but no villages. Some little improvement was observed close to the Garrah hills, which are of the usual description, and of no great height: a curious slip of the strata exhibited itself, in which the upper strata are cut away in the centre as if there had been a watercourse there. Vegetation continues the same. The Thymelæous shrub and Iris, still occur in sandy spots, Allium and a second species; Centaureoides, yellow and pink, Thesioides, a curious sand-binding grass, Salsola tertia most common, and in some open firm places Joussa reappears as it did at Dund-i-Golai: Anthemis occurs, Rheas, Salvioides in stony places, otherwise few of the plants of the Pisheen side are seen; grapes abundant about old and new cultivation, Hordeum, Bromus several species, Triticoides, etc., in profusion. Passed a deep well of considerable diameter, which had an open communication with a widish and deep canal, the only place I have seen that would hold a good deal of water; it was cut throughout in shingle, and was perhaps fifty feet in its deepest part.

22nd.—Left Pootoollah for Mailmandah, and on our arrival found some of the troops and the cavalry had passed through and made a double march to the river Lora, a distance in all of twenty-four miles. There is a good deal of pure water at Mailmandah running in a cut by the side of that, which is in the rains a considerable stream, also one or two Kabreezes about two miles further on, producing excellent water. The road first led up a ravine of some width, and swardy, and then over low hills, until we surmounted these to descend into the valley in which part of the army halted. The country continues mostly the same; although if possible it is still more barren than before: the mountains generally are more rugged: the ridges frequently toothed, and the sides precipitous; not a tree to be seen except a willow near some water, and a small arbusculoid fig. After passing the halting place we re-ascended an inclined plane, entered a gorge, and again issued out of it: after a short time again we entered into another valley drained by an actual river, really containing water, and bounded to the west and north-west by curious red low hills, not unlike an embankment. The vegetation continues much the same: Salsola tertia very common in some sandy places, Centaurea spinosa, Statice, Santonia, etc. re-assuming their places on all gravelly slopes: some novelties occurred as (See Catalogue, Nos. 543 to 574 inclusive,) one or two new shrubs, Cytisus, etc. The heat continues great; 102° Fahr. in tents in the middle of the day. We encamped on a flat ground about 200 yards from the river, which contains a good deal of water, and has a sluggish stream running to the north, surrounded by mountains, none of any height. Wheat cultivation, Arundo, Vitex, Prunus or Cerasus abundant in the pass to the river, and yet the former does not indicate water as it ought to do, Lycium, Tamarisk, Arundo on the banks of the river, and Tamarisk in profusion in its bed.

The cultivation on the opposite side of the river is remarkably clear of weeds, as compared with the cultivation at Quettah, etc. Achilleoides, Veronica, Iris crocifolia, Phalaris, Chenopodium, Rottboellioides, Hordeum vulgare, being the only or the chief plants cultivated.

Proceeded next to Dai Hap, thirteen miles, over a similar but even more barren country, the hills being destitute of all vegetation, except a few stunted small shrubs, such as Statice. The usual plants recur with shingle and in sand, the chief is a Santonica, [{349}] a few novelties occurred, among which is a curious plant, with large vesiculate petaloid connectiva. See Catalogue, No. 576, et sequent.

The hills continue with toothed ridges, near Dai Hap, where water is abundant, but not in the form of a river. Thymelæa occurs in abundance, with a Mimosea fruticosa humilis: a curious hairy-fruited Polygonum et Peganum, is among the most common plants.

25th.—To Khoshab, distance twelve miles, over a large level plain, either sandy, and then generally cultivated, or gravelly, and then uncultivated: road open: passed two dry beds of rivers: one must be of large size, but is very shallow. A new Tamarisk occurs along it; no trees are visible until we approach Candahar: vegetation continues much the same. Santonica, (see above) Centaurea spinosa, Astragalina (Ononoides recurs), Staticoid, Asphodelus, Mesembryanthoid, Peganum, are the chief plants, especially on gravel; most of the small Cruciferæ have disappeared, Labiata-Salvioides continues; a curious subaphyllous Composita occurs, Iris persica is not uncommon; another Iris is found here and there in profusion, with Gnidia in sandy spots, Compositæ, Monocotyledons of Abigoon are common in shingle. New rock pigeons. Fine madder cultivation in khets. Of birds the yellow hammer occurs. Villages numerous, poor, and though built of mud and straw yet present abundance of small domes.

In these dry hot plains the prevailing wind is westerly, blowing very strong in the heat of the day, and having a tendency to become hot: the thermometer is here 98°. The cultivation of wheat is very general around our present encampment which is within four miles of Candahar, the wheat is fine; Lolioides occurs in it.

26th.—Halted: Candahar is hid from us by some low hills, on the surmounting of which a large straggling place is obscurely visible, interspersed with trees, the valley is much smaller than that in which we are now, which is very extensive. Munjit cultivation is conducted by deep trenches, it is a different species I think from that of the Himalayas. The bed of the Turnuk is now dry and very shallow: and the hills near us are extremely barren, the chief vegetation being Pæderioides vestila and Staticoides cymosa, Cheiranthus continues. The vegetation is very poor as indeed it has been since leaving the Khojeb Amrah, nor is there any appearance to be seen of a better autumnal vegetation.

Candahar is visible at a distance of six miles, from some low hills to the north of our camp.

27th.—Moved to Candahar, skirting the low hills just mentioned and passed through two villages, a mile from Candahar in a fine open plain.

Candahar has rather a pleasing aspect; it is situated close to a picturesque range of hills, and is well diversified with trees, barley and wheat fields. The slope on which the town stands is a parallelogram; towers occur frequently along the wall, which is however, of mud, and not strong; it is surrounded by a ditch utterly insignificant on account of its narrowness and shelving banks, this ditch is crossed by an insignificant causeway. The gate at which I entered is oblique, and is defended by a tower: it leads into the main street which is rather wide and not very dirty: towards the centre of this you pass under a middling dome, a street branching off to the right and left; the continuation of the main street or bazar leads to the topekhanah, or artillery ground, a small space quite disorderly, containing eight or ten guns, most of them melted at the mouth; one Sheik 18-pounder of cast iron, another of English make, 140 years old. From the end of this space you pass over another similar ditch into the fort, the entrance to which is covered, affording two or three angles capable of good hand to hand defence. Passing thence through some spaces occupied by low buildings, you reach Khoondil Khan’s house, an extremely rude looking place outside, but very different within. It consists of two houses, one looking into a small square with a delicious reservoir of water, and some fine and very green mulberry trees; the ground being laid out as a garden with sweet-william, etc.; the water is supplied by a small cut, and is seven or eight feet deep. The garden fronts of both houses are prettily ornamented, one has a tharkhanah, delightfully cool; generally the rooms are small, coated with a pretty sort of stucco. The remaining sides of the square are occupied by offices; small rooms opening into the garden by lattice work evidently denote a portion of the zenana. Altogether the Khan must be a man of taste.

The bazars of the city are well thronged, but the shops are by no means equal to those of Buhawulpoor, and the manufactures, except those of earthenware, are utterly insignificant.

Tobacco, atta, musallahs, dried fruits, aloo-bokhara, figs, apricots, raisins, salt, sugar, a green fruit something between a plum and greengage, meat, onions, salads, dhie, sherbets, kubabs, wicker-work, singing birds, are offered for sale: also abundance of Lucerne and some bhoosee. Altogether it is a busy place, but not so busy as the road near the gate, which is thronged by followers, and dismounted Europeans, who are forbidden access to the city without a pass. Tea from Khiva of good quality is procurable in small quantities. No women but old ones to be seen. The dress of the inhabitants very often, and in some cases very completely, approximates to that of the Chinese. The features too of most are evidently of Tartar cast, and some wear two tails of plaited hair. Blue seems to be a favourite colour of dress.

The chief trees about the city are mulberry, a few Khunjucks, which is the Xanthoxylon of Bootan and the Kojhlak passes, occur outside; willows are frequent, and generally appear to be cultivated, among these a weeping species here and there occurs.

May 3rd.—The resources of the city are evidently small, the only things indeed that appear plentiful are earthenware and milk: grain is excessively dear, but is reported to exist in considerable quantities. Khoondil Khan having ordered all those out of the city, who had not provided themselves with six months’ provisions. Atta or flour is now selling at two seers a rupee, or 6d per pound, and every thing is proportionally dear: wood excessively so, the chief fuel is derived from the Santonia, which in some form or other appears to constitute a principal feature of the vegetation of Central Asia, and there is some other wood apparently derived from some tree I have not yet seen.

Some discontent prevails in the town owing to the high price of provisions, which is, no doubt, severely felt. The established price of grain is at the rate of eight seers the rupee, a rate established by the king, but on occasions like the present there can be no rule. Water is very abundant, it is to be found within four feet of the surface, and some regiments have already supplied themselves from this source by means of temporary wells. The water is excellent.

Asses, ponies, and horses are common, the former are excellent, 150 rupees is a good price for one; they carry heavy loads with the additional weight of an Affghan on their back; the ponies or tattoes are less valuable, but still they are strong.

The horses are indifferent; good, generally speaking, but heavy, and with little spirit. Excellent milch cows have been procured for twenty-five rupees, including the calf. Goats are not easily procurable. Sheep (Doombas) are common, and afford excellent mutton, they vary in price from two to three rupees.

Tea from Bokhara is procurable in small quantities; its quality is decent: it was originally eight rupees a seer but is now thirty. Coarse Russian cloths, and very inferior silks are also procurable.

The great drawbacks are the want of wood, and above all want of inhabitants; from what I have seen of the cultivation, the soil appears to be very capable, and well adapted to barley and wheat; rice might also be raised as a summer crop. With regard to water, if there is a scarcity of this element, it is due to the indolence of the people. I have not yet seen any vestiges of buildings, topes, etc. to indicate that Candahar has ever been a very populous place, the want of trees considering the ease with which they may be cultivated, is a strong evidence of the extreme laziness of the Affghans, who appear to me remarkably low in the scale of civilization; and in personal habits, very generally inexpressibly filthy.

Poplars, mulberries, and willows are the principal trees: the poplar is very much akin to the Sofaida of the Sutledge, it is a handsome tree, with a fine roundish crown. The fruit trees generally appear small in gardens; lettuces and onions are commonly cultivated, especially the latter, fields of Lucerne are very abundant, and I believe clover also; a pony load of the former now costs five annas, but it is sufficient for a day’s consumption of two or three horses. The pomegranate attains the ordinary size. In gardens two or three Ranunculaceæ, Jasminum, pinks, sweet-williams, marigolds, stocks, and wall-flowers, are common, with a broad-leaved species of flag, the flowers of which I have not seen.

The crops vary according to the mode in which they have been watered; if this has been properly done, they are rich. Some of the fields are tolerably clean, others filled with weeds, among which a Dipsacea, and one or two Centaureæ are very common.

The villages are not generally defended: each house has its own straggling direction, is built of mud, and the roof is generally dome-shaped, and it has its own enclosure within a mud-wall. The houses are very low, and indicate poverty, and want of ingenuity. The better order appear always with arched roofs, and none are without picturesque ribs and recesses.

The vineries here are so well enclosed, that there is no way of access except by scaling the mud-wall: the vines are planted in trenches; a row on each side, and allowed to run over the elevated spaces between the trenches. In one garden pomegranates, a pomaceous tree, and mulberries, whose fruit is now ripe but quite devoid of flavour, occurred. A Zygophyllum, a beautiful Capparis, an Anthemis, Marrubium, Centaureoides 2, occurred as weeds, with Plantago, Phalaris, Cichorium.

For an excellent register of the thermometer at this place, I am indebted to the kindness of Dr. Henderson; the range in the open air is from 60° to 110°!!!

The variations in the wet bulb are due to the currents of air, which beginning about 11 A.M., pass into a rather constant strongish west wind about 11½ or 2 P.M., and even almost become hot. The climate is excessively dry, as indicated by the effects it has on furniture, etc.

The difference of temperature between a tent, even with two flies or double roof, and the open air in free situations, is by no means great; thus when the thermometer was 105° in part of my tent, it was scarcely 110° in the sun; in Capt. Thomson’s large tent 102°; placed against the outer kunnat, it rose to 105°. Hanging free with black cloth round the bulb, 112°. But to shew the great heating powers of the sun, the thermometer with the bulb, placed on the ground and covered with the loose sand of the surface of the soil, rose to 141°.

Black partridges occur in the cornfields here, but in no great numbers. Much of the cultivation of barley, wheat, and rye, is very luxuriant, but the proportion of waste, to cultivated land is too considerable to argue either a large population or active agricultural habits. Pastor roseus occurs in flocks; it is evidently nearly allied to the mina. The capabilities of this valley are considerable, more particularly when the extreme readiness with which water is obtained in wells is considered, as well as the nature of the soil, which is well adapted to husbandry. Candahar, viewed from about a mile to the west of our camp, backed by the picturesque hills (one bluff one in particular), the numbers and verdure of the trees, the break in the mountains on the Herat road, presents a pretty scene.

8th.—The installation of the Shah, which took place to-day on the plain to the north of the city, was a spectacle worth seeing on account of the grand display of troops; but there were very few of the inhabitants of Candahar or surrounding villages present. Mulberries and apricots are now ripening. Rats, a Viverra with a long body and short legs, tawny with brown patches, face broad, blackish-brown, white band across the forehead, and white margins to the ears which are large; storks were seen when alarmed. Pastor roseus occurs in flocks; magpies, swallows, swifts, and starlings. There is a garden with some religious buildings, to which an avenue of young trees leads in a north-east direction from one of the Cabul gates, for there are two on this face. The buildings are not remarkable; nor are the trees, which are small; a few planes (Platanus) occur, the most common is the Benowsh, a species of ash, (Fraxinus) of no great size or beauty. The elegant palmate leaved Pomacea likewise occurs, with the mulberry: the marigold is a great favourite.

The fields are now ripening, this being the harvest-moon. Wild oats occur commonly, although they are not made any use of; the seed is large, and ripens sooner than any of the others; from the size of the uncultivated specimens, I am sure that oats would form an excellent crop.

In the fields Cichorium is very common, and Carduacea, Centaurea cyanea, Dipsaceæ, and in certain low places an Arundo, are the most common weeds; two or three Silenaceæ, and Umbelliferæ also occur. In the ditches Typha, Butomus, watercresses, Alomioides, Ceratophyllum, Lemna gibba? Confervæ, Gramineæ two or three, Ranunculus, Potamogeton, one species immersa; Mentha, Sium.

On the Chummuns, which are of no extent, but which are pleasing from their verdure and soft sward chiefly consisting of Carex, Trifolium, Juncus rigidus, Santalacea, and Gentiana likewise prevail.

The fields of Lucerne are luxuriant, but require much water, the price of which is very dear; one ass-load costs eight annas!!

Iris crocifolia is common in old cultivations.

The city is situated at the termination of one of the shingly slopes, which are universal between the bases of the hills, and the cultivated portion of the valley. The ditch is hence shingly, whereas an equal depth in the cultivated parts would meet nothing but a sandy, light, easily pulverizable brownish-yellow soil, tenacious, and very slippery when wet. The tobacco crop is excellent.