THE HUMAN SPECIES. 375 



"by the river Cabul, which, passing the foot of the Kohi- 

 Baba (the special Kaf of oriental fiction), flows eastward 

 to the Indus, forming one of the richest valleys in the 

 world for every species of cultivation. Further south, 

 beyond the peaks of Suffeed Koh, commence spurs or 

 prolongations, passing nearly at right angles from the 

 main chain ; one, the most western, lower than the 

 other, is the Ghiljee, and the other more elevated, form- 

 ing the occidental side of the valley of the Indus, soon 

 rises to a chain, which contains further south the peak 

 of the Dove, where, at a remote period, it was already 

 fabled that the ark rested, according to the legends of 

 Northern India. It is not less than 12,000 feet in 

 elevation, and now known by the appellation of Takt- 

 y-Soleimaun. 



From Hindu-Koosh, a lofty chain, now known by 

 the name of Ghoor, continues westward, and is said to 

 have been more particularly the Parvati Montes, or 

 ancient Paropamissus of Ptolemy. Further on we 

 find another Takt-y-Soleimaun, as well as a third at 

 Och, on the Syr-Deriah, or Jaxartes. All Arabic 

 names in central Asia are, however, of recent impo- 

 sition. Then we have the Caspian range, leading on 

 to the second, or interpontine Caucasus of western 

 writers. Towards the east, Hindu-Koosh abuts on 

 the Belor ridges, which turn northward, and first pre- 

 sent the high table land of Pamere, termed the back- 

 bone of the world. Pooshtu Kur, the most prominent 

 peak in the new direction of the chain, sends forth, 

 from its broad glacier, the grand source of the Oxus, 



