In the gorge downwards, Acacia occurs in abundance, with Adhatoda, and otherwise the shrubs of Lundyakhana occur in abundance, and Adiantum about the spring.
After passing the fort, the rocks open out into a ravine, with low undulated hills on every side, covered with the usual vegetation; Astragalus one species.
At Lal-Ghurry Beg, one Khinjuck tree, Elæagnus, occurred; and grass in very small stacks, well pressed and covered with a thatch of bushes and a layer of dirt.
There is excellent fishing in the stream. Loaches, Perilamps, and especially an Oreinus? swarming at Sir-i-Chushme, and taking worms very greedily.
No forests whatever visible in this direction; the arborescent vegetation being confined to scattered and small trees.
5th.—We halted near Jumrood, after a march of ten miles and one furlong. This place is situated at the mouth of the pass, within sight of the Seikh camp at Jumrood. Marched down to the ghat, which is generally speaking narrow and very strong, opening out here and there, into easier parts extending down the stream all the way; this stream loses itself suddenly, but after a little distance it is replaced by another from the right, where ravines enter: here the pass is well adapted for pillage, elsewhere the sides are so steep, that robbers could not dispose of their plunder. At the mouth, the pass opens out into a good breadth, with an even, small, shingly bottom. At Kuddun the Seikh troops were drawn up to compliment the C. in C., one regiment met us shortly before to protect the baggage. Maize cultivated. At the mouth, the Khyber is more difficult than any other pass, except the Bolan: perhaps it is much narrower than that, except just above Sir-i-Bolan.
No change in vegetation, one or two new plants occurred, viz. a Labiata, and a treelet, foliis linearibus oppositis, Jasminacea aspectu, Baloot, Vitex common, Salix, and shrubs as before, Veronica, etc.
The Khyber mountains viewed from the mouth of the pass are brown, and dotted with peculiar looking trees.
6th.—Proceeded six and a half miles to near the ruins of an old tope; first, down the nullah, then by the fort of Futtygurh, a Hindoostanee mud fort with high parapets, two lines of works, and a pucka citadel with embrasures for guns on a commanding mound: thence we passed over a gentle slope with a good many scattered Bheirs, Kureels, Ærua, Mudar, etc. to camp, where the ground is very rough and stony, abundant water obtained from a cut with sheets of maize cultivation. Fossil shells, Pterocles, found in arenaceous limestone (Durand).
7th.—To Peshawur, eight and a half miles, over a sandy plain; road bad, intersected with cuts and ravines; three canals had to be crossed by small bridges which occasioned a good deal of delay to the camels. Passed the Seikh lines, between the fort and north face of town, and encamped on east face opposite the Governor’s house: three gibbets were passed, with twelve persons hanging from them, some of old date.