28th.—To Yonutt, twelve miles, continued for a short distance up the Sir-i-Chushme valley, then we diverged to the north-west, still following the principal streamlet up an easy defile; on reaching a beautiful kila, differently ornamented from the usual form, we diverged along the same ravine much more to the west. We continued doing so for five or six miles, passing a little cultivation in every possible spot capable of it, and four or five forts. The ascent then commenced to be steeper, still continuing up the watercourse which was very small; this we soon left, passing over five ridges of easy access, the third being the highest. Barometer 20.365: thermometer 80° at 10½ A.M.; after this we descended the 5th ridge or kotal, 200 or 300 feet, which is very steep, having a watercourse at its bottom; direction of stream lies to the north, thence ascending we again descended gradually over an open stony ridge, until we reached the fort of Yonutt, where we encamped near a green wet spot, visible for some distance.
The road here and there was bad owing to stones; except at the last kotal, or ascent, it was nowhere very steep, but difficult enough for camels, especially up the ascent of the 1st kotal. It lay up a ravine not unlike others we have seen, the ascent being considerable, but gradual, when we left the watercourse, however, we came on a different country, very elevated (1st kotal not under 10,000 feet), longly undulated, the mountains generally massive, rounded, here and there rising into peaks, especially to the south, near Yonutt, where there is a fine ridge not under 14,000 or 15,000 feet, rugged with spots of snow; the mountains to north of this are more rounded; slate and limestone abundant, but not a tree from the base of the 1st ascent. The ascent is very practicable, the road is made, or artificial in many places, soil soft and broken: there is water at seven miles from Sir-i-Chushme, and even at the foot of the 1st kotal, at least there are two or three of the usual villages; there is one with its wall demolished. Many granite blocks are strewed on the road. For ponies and horses, even laden, the road is very easy, but for draft it is difficult. We experienced a cold cutting west wind from 11 A.M. Grass is plentiful along all the moist spots, but it is useless as the camels prefer the Carduacea of this place, though a bad fodder for them.
Not much change was observed in the vegetation for half-way up the 1st kotal or ascent; willows and poplars continue to nearly one mile from the last village. Here and there along the ravine or streamlet, Salvia is very common, Senecionoides, Bubonoides on rocky ground, Sinapis, Verbascum decurrens used in the Himalayas for German tinder, Statice of Dund-i-Shere, Muscoides of yesterday, Urtica of Cabul, Malva rotundifolia, Hyoscyamus 1-labiat., Polygonum prostratum of shingly spots, Composita dislocata, Leucades, Boraginea, Boraginis fasciæ of before. About Kila Moostaffur Khan a coarse tufted grass, Centaurea oligantha common throughout, first found at Khilat-i-Gilzee; Onosma major, Cochlearia, Dianthoides. Chenopodium diclinum, villosa, Astragali 2-3, Cichorum, Linaria angustifolia, Euphorbia angustifolia, Marrabium, Hyoscyamus of Quettah, Testucoides annua appears about here, Epilobium minus, Rumex, Lactuca fol. cost. subtus spinosis, Melilotus, Silene angulata, Arenaria, calyce globoso inflato, Echinops of Cabul. The water plants are precisely the same as those of Cabul.
For new plants see Catalogue 980, etc.
Summit of 1st kotal Statice of Dund-i-Shere, Statice grandiflora, Dianthoides, several Astragali, one with the pinnulæ dentato serratis, petiola spinosa, a tufted Monocotyledonous plant with terete canaliculate subulate leaves, Salvia, Gramen alterum, Composita dislocata, Carduacea, this is the most common plant on the open rounded parts, while the others occupy the rocky sides of the hills. The vegetation is however very poor.
Cultivation various, as seen in different stages along the gorge up to the ascent. Thus, people are seen ploughing for the next year’s crops amidst stubble fields, and lucerne; but above and throughout the ascent, no crops are cut, while the wheat and barley on the descent are in the ear: mustard very common. Several encampments of what are badly called black teal, and paths are to be seen very frequently over the hills in most directions, together with flocks of sheep. A large road leading off to the south-west from the summit is seen; from this our road is well-marked.
29th.—Halted: every tillable spot is made use of about Yonutt, where there is a fort with forty families. The crops are chiefly wheat and a four-awned barley, the grain is fine though scanty, and the plants are of stunted growth. Ravens the same, round-tailed eagle as at Urghundee, and Percnopterus, wagtails, three kinds of Conirostres, and an Alauda are found here, one or two Sylviæ. The sward about this place is abundant, affords good pasturage for a few horses, and water is plentiful. This sward is chiefly occupied by a Leguminous Caraganoid shrub, rather thorny, and not unlike some species of Barberry in habit, this is abundant, and is first met with in the ravines beyond the Oonnoo pass, Cyperaceæ, viz. 2-3, Carices, small grasses, Leontodon, Astragaloid cærulens, Trifolium album, Composita corona, Cnicus acaulis, and Gentiana pusilla, compose the sward chiefly; in the drier parts of it there is a very fine Carduacea, which appears very local.
The hills about are all either clay slate, pure slate, or micaceous slate, the strata generally vertical.
Descended the ravine which the rivulet passes down, to where it joins the Helmund, the hills bounding it are of no great height, but the slips are sometimes bold. The Helmund runs between rocky cliffs, its bed not much broader than the stream, the water is clear, rapid, and the column considerable.