II.
KANDAHAR TO HERAT (by the Northern Route)
1. Kokaran (7 miles).—The river Argandab runs within 500 yards of the high road; an irrigation channel also furnishing an abundant supply of water. Small quantities of forage procurable. For the first 3 miles the road passes through the enclosed gardens surrounding the city and crosses the several canals drawn from the Argandab for irrigating the valley of Kandahar.
2. Jangeri (5 miles—12 miles).—Water procured from an irrigation canal drawn from the Argandab, the river one mile distant south-east; forage for camels and horses procurable. The road stony in some places but generally good; there is an abrupt descent into the bed of the Argandab river, which is easily fordable.
3. Haoz-i-Madat Khan (14 miles—26 miles).—Watered by the same canal which supplies Jangeri; grass plentiful about 5 miles to the southward; several villages and much cultivation in the vicinity; large flocks of sheep and goats. The march lies across a hard and level plain. Water is found close to the road, a short distance from the village of Badwan, 2½ miles from Jangeri.
4. Khushk-i-Nakhud (15 miles 6 furlongs—41 miles 6 furlongs).—Abundant supply of good water from two artificial watercourses. Grass scarce, and little cultivation. A hard level road.
5. Khak-i-Chopan (9 miles 5 furlongs—51 miles 3 furlongs).—Water procurable in sufficient quantity. Road generally good and level; sand lies rather deeply on it for a short distance, and some slight undulations in the ground are met with towards the end of the march. Cultivation and villages lie 2 or 3 miles to the south.
6. Left Bank of Helmund River (22 miles 5 furlongs—74 miles).—Water abundant, from irrigation channels and from the river. Very little cultivation on this side of the river and but few dwellings. Road generally good and hard.
7. Girishk (1 mile 4 furlongs—75 miles 4 furlongs).—Water from irrigation channels abundant. The river a mile distant to the south-east; ground somewhat broken by water-courses and damp spots. Forage both for camels and horses excellent and most abundant. Many small villages and much arable land, but comparatively little cultivated ground.
8. Zerak (20 miles 7 furlongs—96 miles 3 furlongs).—Water good and abundant; forage for both camels and horses plentiful; some cultivation in the vicinity. The dried bushes found on the plains form almost the sole fuel procurable at most of the stages. The first 6 miles of the road on this stage stony and undulating, the beds of several torrents which drain the desert plain crossing the line; after this it becomes level and easy till the fort of Sadat, 18 miles from Girishk, is reached. Beyond Sadat the road again passes over undulating ground with one or two steep slopes till Zerak is close at hand. There is an abundant supply of water at Sadat.
9. Doshakh (12 miles 7 furlongs—109 miles 2 furlongs).—Water abundant; one or two villages and some cultivation in the vicinity; the road hard and level the whole way. At the village of Sur, 6 miles from Zerak, forage is procurable, and if Sadat were made a halting-place Sur would form another at a distance of 8½ miles from it.