1834.] from Dera Ghd*(-Khan to Cabul. 177 



thousand camels of burden belonging to them, and trade in all the pro- 

 ductions of Hindustan. Large quantities of indigo are exported annually 

 by them from Mult an, Bhdwelpur, Dera Ghazi-Khdn, to Khordsan and 

 Bokhara. Four lakhs of rupees is the estimated amount of duties which 

 they pay every year to different branches of the Cabul Government, ac- 

 cording to the following details, viz. two lakhs at Cabul, one lakh at 

 Gheznin, and one lakh at Bamidn. 



In the course of my journey I intended to have made a collection of 

 scarce botanical specimens, but partly owing to the extreme heat which 

 had parched the vegetation, and partly to the ravages of locusts, I could 

 not collect many, but have obtained a few, which I preserve. I wished 

 very much to visit the Gul mountain, for the purpose of collecting plants. 

 It is said to be remarkable for the richness and variety of its vegetation ; 

 but I was advised not to make the attempt, as the Hazdras, to whom the 

 district of Kara-bag h belongs, are in a state of rebellion. The Hazdras 

 are a very extraordinary people, and have very uncommon features ; they 

 have little eyes, small noses, and thick ugly lips, with scarcely any 

 beards : those who have any, merely possess a few scanty hairs. 



When I was leaving Dera Ghazi-Khdn and Daman, the people had 

 reaped their spring crops. On arriving midway at Gheznin, I was 

 surprised to find that the grain had only just begun to spring up, In 

 Daman, the thermometer stood at 38 Reaumur, and on ascendingtbe range 

 which forms the proper limit of Khordsan in this direction, it fell to 27, 

 which is nearly as cold as Simla. The difference in the climate of the 

 two places is distinguished by a great change in their vegetable produc- 

 tions. The sugar-cane, which grows at Daman, is not produced here. 

 On approaching Khordsan, we began to feed our camels on a herb which 

 is called " turk," produced in abundance in this quarter. 



There has been an extraordinary fall of snow this year in Cabul. 

 The oldest inhabitants of the city do not remember ever having witness- 

 ed such a severe winter. On the 5th of June, the thermometer at Cabul 

 ranged from 15° to 25° Reaumur, (66° to 89° Fahr.) 



It was my intention on my arrival at this place to accompany a kdfila, 

 bound to Bokhara, which was ready to start the next day, but Nawab 

 Jabbar Khan would not let me depart without spending some days 

 with him. He informed me that Bederuddin, the great merchant who 

 conducts the trade between Cdbul and Bokhara, would set out for Tur- 

 kistdn in a short time, and I could proceed with him. I have accord- 

 ingly deferred my departure. 



There is an European here by name Mapson. He was several years in 

 the Punjab. It appears that he has also been to Tabriz, and has lately 

 come to Cabul by the way of Belochisldn ; he resided some time at Bami- 



