6 DR. 7. Е. Т. AITCHISON ON THE BOTANY ОЕ 
as fuel, emits a very offensive odour. One specimen only of the rare Crucifer Cithareloma 
Lehmanni was obtained in the desert between Nushki and Sanduri. 
Our food for this part of the journey was in part previously stored along the route, 
the remainder being conveyed by the mission. Тһе grain for our horses was all sent from 
Quetta ; dry fodder, such as crushed straw, was collected from Quetta, Nushki, and Band, 
and where possible the grasses already alluded to were added to the stores. "There was no 
difficulty with regard to fuel, as throughout all the journey Tamarisk wood was obtainable, 
although no doubt in some instances at а considerable distance from our encampments ; 
but smaller fuel, consisting of Artemisia &c., was always to be had. It was noticed that 
the twigs of any of these desert bushes would burn though living; one could never say 
of them in this condition that they were green, and therefore unfit for fuel. Owing to 
the rapidity of our movements, and the distance of our encampments from habitations, I 
saw no cultivation except at Band, and there only the remains of Water-melons and other 
Cucurbitaceæ, Sorghum, cotton, and a little tobacco. It is generally admitted that there 
is a great scarcity of grain in Baluchistan. The supply might easily be augmented from 
the Helmand and Sistan by opening up a trade-route from these parts to Baluchistan. 
This could be accomplished at little expense by building a succession of wells at regular 
intervals, and a few tall pillars to indicate the route. As regards carriage there would 
never be any difficulty, as this is a country fully capable of maintaining any number of 
camels, and, indeed, with them even wheeled transport might be adopted. 
VALLEY OF THE HELMAND, FROM HADJ-ALI TO HAMUN. 
I regret having to report that the botanical specimens, comprising fully 100 species, 
collected in the valley of the Helmand from Hadj-ali to the Hamun, as well as those 
obtained between the Hamun and Pahir, were irretrievably injured by having apparently 
lain under water for some time. Upon opening the cases at Kew plants and paper 
were found forming a solid block. Тһе cases had been despatched by caravan from 
Bala-morghab in January 1885, and only arrived in England in January 1886. А case 
of birds sent with them was received in almost as bad a plight; the only portions of the 
collections whieh escaped injury were the reptiles and insects, preserved in glass bottles 
. in spirits. This loss is а real misfortune, because the greater part of these districts had 
not previously been visited, so far as is known, by any European. My remarks therefore 
on the vegetation are consequently very imperfect, and unsupported by authenticated 
specimens. 
um Тһе mission encamped on the banks of the Helmand on the 16th of October, 1884. 
. Theriver, even at this time of the year, had considerable depth and velocity, being fordable 
at only а few places. Тһе water was said to be at its lowest, but that in February 
or March it rose from fifteen to twenty feet higher than it then was, and that it had 
_ been known to rise as high as thirty feet, doing incaleulable injury to the cultivated land 
. Over which it flowed. Тһе river here has worn itself a deep channel, similar to the 
_ сайопв of western North America, closely bordered by somewhat high land, which on 
1. either side of the river-bed is in physical formation exactly the same as that between 
