1832.] Sketch of the Route and Progress, 5fc. 139 



— the superiority of the China sugar-cane, at p. 240, over that common- 

 ly cultivated in India ; — at p. 476, Convolvulus Turpethum used as a 

 purgative by the natives of India ; — the observations on Sapistanum, 

 at p. 589, and at 617, on Scopolia aculeata, as a cure for jungle fever. 

 In the second volume Nerium tinctorium is mentioned as producing a 

 kind of Indigo, and N. tomentosum, a yellow dye ; Asclepias asthma- 

 tica is highly spoken of as a substitute for ipecacuanha ; — the Asclepias 

 tenacissima as yielding fine silky fibres, of which the mountaineers of 

 Rajmahl make their bow-strings ; — Asclepias tingens is mentioned as 

 yielding a green dye ; — Salsolanudiflora for the production of pearlash^ 

 and Sanseviera zeylanica as affording what is called China grass. Most 

 of the Indian trees and plants, remarkable for any useful properties, are 

 always indicated, and the native names being mentioned under the 

 botanic ones, facility is afforded for obtaining any of the articles that 

 may be required for experiment. 



In conclusion it may be useful to indicate, that if the generic 

 characters were all printed in a tabular form at the commencement of 

 each volume, considerable inconvenience would be saved in discover- 

 ing the genus of a plant with which we are unacquainted ; for instead 

 of turning over to the generic characters throughout the volume, we 

 should have them presented to us within the compass of a few genera. 

 If the learned and highly venerated Editor should not consider it as 

 coming within his plan to embrace our suggestion, we will in a subse- 

 quent number of the Journal offer in a tabular form all the genera 

 contained in Dr. Roxburgh's four volumes of the Flora Indica. 



IV. — A Sketch of the Route and Progress of Lieutenant A. Burnes 

 and Dr. Gerard. By a recent Traveller. 



[We have to thank our correspondent for the following sketch of the proceedings 

 of two travellers, upon whose adventurous journey to explore the Oxus are 

 directed the eyes of all who are interested in geographical research. The infor- 

 mation is evidently drawn from private letters, hut we trust, that the authors 

 will not deem the publication of the extracts to which we have confined ourselves, 

 premature, only because they were not expressly written for such an object.] 

 Before the travellers quitted the last civilized capital on the north- 

 west the splendid city of Lahore, so much celebrated for its palaces, 

 gardens, and mosques, densely populated by an active and cheerful race, 

 Ranjit Sinh desired to leave an indelible impression on their minds of the 

 splendour of his court. Dr. Gerard writes : 



t 2 



