There is a curious hazy appearance of the atmosphere over the city in the evening, occasioned by fine dusty particles from cattle, suspended in air; which, from their fineness, are long in subsiding.
This curious hazy weather increases daily, yesterday evening was very cloudy, and this morning the wind rather strong and southerly up to 8 A.M.: and at 5½ P.M. the sun is either quite obscured, or the light so diminished, that the eye rests without inconvenience on his image. In the morning the wind strengthens as the sun attains height and power.
The old Moolla says that this weather commences in Khorassan with the setting in of the periodical rains in the north-western provinces of India, and continues with them. From the direction of the wind it is probably connected with the commencement of the south-west monsoon at Bombay, for the rains at Delhi do not commence before June.
The haze is so strong at times that hills within three to five miles are quite obscured; it tends to diminish the temperature considerably, especially between seven and eight of a morning; curious gusts of hot winds are observed, even when the general nature of the wind is cool.
21st.—A fine and clear cold morning; thermometer 56° at 7 A.M. in the tent. Air fresh; thermometer 75° at 9 P.M. A few drops of rain at 12; cloudy generally.
22nd.—Thermometer 48° at 5 A.M. Similar weather, clear and elastic: south winds continue but of less strength.
Easterly wind prevails in the morning up to 9 A.M., after which hour the westerly hot wind, variable in strength, sets in: the range of the thermometer is then somewhat increased, although in the house it does not rise above 90°.
The Moolla tells me, that snow is of rare occurrence at Candahar; he mentions one fall in about four or five years. The rains last for three months, and happen in winter. During the winter all occupations out of doors are suspended, and people wrap themselves up, and sit over fires.
Clouds are of very rare occurrence, and then only partial.
The clouds, if resulting from the south-west monsoon, ought to be intercepted by the Paropamisus and Hindoo Koosh, and rain ought to fall along these and about Ghuznee at this time. In the evening a cool wind sets in, indicating a fall of rain somewhere.