THE KURAM VALLEY, ETC., AFGHANISTAN-. 27 



at a ruinous expense of timber. As a rule, they scarcely ever 

 for their own uses cut down a large tree ; and throughout the 

 forests of this district few or no trees are seen partially burnt, 

 as is so commonly the case in Kashmir. "When this does occur 

 it is in localities where Afghan or British soldiers have been en- 

 camped. I believe the cause of this immunity to be due to the 

 unsafe condition of the country, for benighted travellers who 

 would, do not dare to light a fire lest it might betray their pre- 

 sence. 



The following are the measurements of some of the excep- 

 tionally large trees which I have seen : — plane tree, in circum- 

 ference, 33 feet, walnut 17 feet, deodar 21 feet, Celtis 16 feet, 

 Quercus semecarpifolia 13 feet, Populus nigra, var., 10 feet 6 

 inches. 



Near the village Kaiwas, on the road to the forests, I saw 

 timber slides of rather a rude construction for bringing down 

 from the hills poles for roofing houses. Most of the houses are 

 built on the " wattle and dab " principle, and for their construction 

 the stems of Fothergilla, Cotoneaster bacillaris, Quercus Ilex, and 

 willow are usually employed. Household utensils, viz. large 

 platters, bowls, and spoons, are made from the wood of TJlmus 

 campestris (called the "carpenter's tree "), of the poplar, willow, 

 and walnut, indiscriminately. The handles of their farm imple- 

 ments, such as axes, hoes, &c, are made from Cotoneaster bacil- 

 laris, Fothergilla, and Fraxinus. The small rolling-pin with which 

 is beaten out the leaves of the Chamcerops into a coarse fibre is 

 always made of a piece of Quercus Hex. Their usual walking- 

 sticks consist of Cotoneaster bacillaris ; and the wands carried 

 by the priests, or " mollahs," are of the wild almond, and held 

 sacred. For clogs the wood of Pinus Gerardiana is preferred 

 but they are also made of the wood of other pines. For 

 making baskets, a particular willow, near Salix viminalis,is culti- 

 vated in the Hariab district. The bark of Curagana ambigua, 

 Stocks, in entire circular pieces, is used to encircle and keep firm 

 the wooden sheaths of the long Afghan knife. In addition to this 

 being a strong material for the purpose, its bright golden brown 

 colour gives it, when fresh, an ornamental appearance. Portions 

 of the stem of Arundo, sp., are employed to hold charges of gun- 

 powder, and are arranged in a row round the waist, as is the 

 custom in carrying breech-loading cartridges. 



Fibres. — The leaves of Chamarops Pitchieana torn into strips are 



