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.