13th.—­Proceeded to Julraiz, eight and a half miles, having passed a waterfall, as well as abundance of people going to Jallalabad.  Bar. 22.760 at noon; Ther. 75 degrees.

14th.—­Proceeded to Koti-Ashruf, where there is excellent fishing with worms, the fish however did not take a fly, though they often appeared at the surface:  a large headed Silurus occurs, but I was unable to procure a specimen.

15th.—­Proceeded to Arghundee, where we met the Bamean force.

16th.—­Proceeded to Topehee Bashee.

17th.—­Returned to Cabul.  Eryngium is rare between the foot of Oonnoo and Moostaffur Khan’s fort.

CHAPTER XVII.

From Cabul to Jallalabad and Peshawur.

October 7th.—­Proceeded to Bhootkhak, nine and a half miles from Cabul, and seven from our camp:  the direction lay easterly.  A canal and a river were both crossed by bridges, the latter of stone, but much needing repairs:  the country generally marshy:  the marshes were crossed by a causeway of stones, rough and broken here and there.  The road is one apparent continued slope to this, but the Barometer gives no indication of any difference of level.  The march proving uninteresting, and the country an uniform brown and barren tract.

8th.—­Proceeded to Koord Cabul valley, the distance of which from the place we left being eleven miles:  first having rounded a spur extending from the south boundary of Cabul valley, we then entered a narrow ravine, chiefly occupied by a small stream, which we crossed several times.  The mountains being chiefly of limestone, then becoming slaty, very precipitous, rugged, and barren; on emerging from this very tedious ravine, we entered on some sward with plenty of Tamarisk, and Salix vimenea.  Koord Cabul valley is a frightfully barren, and very stony place; the chief vegetation of the valley, as also of the ravine, being Artemisiae, in which there is abundance of Carduacea subspicata from Baber’s tomb.

The road throughout is indifferent, but only so from the stones, the largest of which would require removal, and there are not more than two or three difficult rocks in the way, these however might be avoided by keeping in the bed of the stream.  There are two ruined stone walls thrown across the ravine, the remains merely of the very few villages of Koord Cabul.  A high truncated mountain stands to the south, on which some patches of snow are visible.

The mountain forming the east wall of the ravine is the subconical one, seen to such advantage from Arghundee, it is of limestone, quite precipitous, with a few large bushes of, I do not know what; none of them being within reach,—­Ilex, and Cupressus.

9th.—­To Tazeen, the road for seven miles extends over somewhat undulated ground, generally good; but here and there stony, with a gradual but almost imperceptible ascent, until the top of the pass is reached; from this, the view of Tazeen valley, and the summit of the Sofaid-Koh is good.