78 JO URNAL, BOMB A Y NA TUBAL HISTOR Y SOCIETY, Vol IX. 



were discovered. The whole way down to Gudhai on the Gilgit Road the 

 scenery in this valley is very fine. It is richly wooded in parts, the chief 

 trees being Pinus excelsa, Juniperus excelsa, and willows. We passed a few 

 small villages, the most important of which is Bobin ; its elevation is a little 

 over 11,000 feet. Some fine nullahs open into this valley on either side. At 

 about 10,000 feet Karbe Village is passed. Near here I came across a number 

 of Commissariat coolies, mostly Punjabis, cutting grass for the Gilgit trans- 

 port animals. 



From here there is rather a steep descent to the Burzil Valley. The two 

 rivers join close to Gudahi, the elevation of which is about 9,000 feet. 



We are now on the main Gilgit road, a few miles from Naugaun, where I 

 dismissed my Shigarthang coolies, and got a fresh set to take my loads on to 

 Astor the next day. 



On arriving at Naugaon I found the entire population either playing, or 

 assisting as spectators, at an exciting game of polo. The flat roof of a house 

 served as a grand stand, and here the village band played a variety of tunes. 



The next day's march was to Astor. The road for the first few miles is 

 very rough and dusty. This is really a piece of the old road, the new portion 

 which is being carried at a higher level, not then being open for traffic. After 

 crossing the Burzil Stream and the Astor Biver, the road ascends to Gurikot, 

 where there is a good deal of cultivation and many groves of fruit-trees. 

 From here the new road leads by easy gradients to Astor. The edible pine 

 {Pinus gerardiand) is common in this portion of the valley, the elevation being 

 about 8,000 feet. The local name is Garol. Juniperus excelsa is also abundant 

 here, and is called chili. 



The scenery of this portion of the valley is remarkable. The villages on 

 either side are perched on the slopes of an enormous moraine, through which 

 the river has cut a deep channel with high precipitous cliffs of moraine debris 

 on either side. Astor itself is high above the river. 



The Hollyhock (Althce rosea) with pure white or mauve-coloured flowers is 

 abundant here along the hedges of cultivated ground. It is not indigenous, 

 and was probably introduced at some time or other, along with the large 

 white-flowering Iris, for planting over graves. 



I remained at Astor for a day, and left on the 26th July for Daskin. After 

 passing the fort the road descends to Harcho, and then -ascends to Daskin, 

 keeping high above the river, Daskin being considerably higher than Astor. 



The sides of the Astor Valley look almost completely bare of vegetation. 

 There are, however, many juniper trees scattered over the rocky hill-sides 

 which at a distance give the grey colour of the rocks a speckled appearance. 

 Some interesting plants are to be found in the rock crevices and in the more 

 shady nooks. At elevations above 10,000 feet the climate is cool and moist, 

 and the vegetation is correspondingly luxuriant. These conditions prevail 

 throughout this part of the country and up to and beyond Gilgit. Nearly 



