10 



with bands of a harder nature. In this ridge great idols are carved 

 and caves excavated, for it is easily worked. The neighbourhood 

 of Bameean is described as producing gold, lead, copper, tin, anti- 

 luon}', sulphur and iron. 



The lower pasjses of Hindoo Koosh consist principally of a light 

 brown splintery limestone, of great hardness, and susceptible of a 

 high polish. This formation is followed l)y sandstone rocks, in one 

 of which round flint stones are imbedded at regular intervals. The 

 real peak of Hindoo Koosh lies about a degree to the eastward of 

 this route, and the difficulty of crossing it is very great. 



From Khooloom, whence the author descended into the plains of 

 Toorkistan, the country slopes gradually towards the Caspian. It is 

 generally flat and is watered by the Ox us. 



The author then describes the course of theOxus, from its source 

 in the high plain of Pameer until it is lost in the sea of Aral, after 

 passing through a low and swampy district. He does not believe 

 that the Oxus ever terminated in the Caspian Sea, and concludes 

 that what are called the dry river beds between Astrabad and Khina 

 are the remains of ancient canals. The natives pretend that the 

 waters of the Aral pass by a subterranean communication into the 

 Caspian Sea, and that at a place called Kara-goombuz, between 

 the two seas, the water may be heard gushing beneath, it is, how- 

 ever, remarkable, that in the sandy ridge near this place, water is 

 found near the surface, although further south it cannot be had 

 within a hundred fathoms. The author then fully describes the na- 

 vigation, course, rise and fall, and inundations of the Oxus; and he 

 mentions that it is frequently frozen over. 



The author then notices the effects of the great earthquake of 

 1832 in the valley of Badakhshan. The roads in this valle}'^ were 

 blocked up for several days by the falling of stones and cliffs, and 

 this place seems to have been the centre of the convulsion. Badakh- 

 shan is famous for its rubies, which are found imbedded in limestone. 



The country which extends from the north of the Oxus towards 

 Bokhara is next described. It consists of a succession of low ridges 

 of soft yellowish limestone, sometimes oolitic, with a superficial 

 coating of loose gravel, alternating with plains of hard clay. Sand 

 hills of greater or less extent, raised by the winds, also occur in se- 

 veral places on this plain, and in some of the valleys are saline rivu- 

 lets and deposits of salt. 



The author afterwards offers some remarks upon the inhabitants, 

 and on the meteorological phenomena which he observed in the 

 neighbourhood of Bokhara; and concludes his memoir with a de- 

 scription of the sandy desert of the Turcomans, between the Oxus 

 and the Caspian Sea. 



