1833.] and Dr. Gerard, From Péshdéwar to Bokhdra. 9 
‘“‘A Persian of our party, who had been at Moscow, had draw- 
ings of the idols, which he affirmed were an object of enquiry in that 
country, and that he had made them at the request of the Russians ; and 
when they send to Bokhara for coins and other antiquities, there is 
nothing surprising in their extending research to Bamean. The figures 
appear to my eyes more like designs of Budha than any other; their 
physiognomy at least resembles that of images I have seen in Kanawar 
and Tibet. They are mentioned in several old books, and it is strange 
that any mystery should prevail about the age or events of which 
they are symbolical. We can however now assign them their true site 
and position in Hindi Kush, which were to us even at Kabul ex- 
tremely vague, and to people in India, utterly incomprehensible. 
Bamean has its site upon the northern declivity of Hindd Kush, 
and within its lofty ramifications, in a dell or valley, which throws 
its waters into a tributary of the Oxus, that passes through Kundiz. 
The map places it south of the snowy ridge.—It forms the extremity of 
the Kabul dominions, and is elevated a little above 8000 feet. The 
climate was rude and disagreeably cold on the 20th of May, and the 
grain crops were only sowing. An idea has prevailed that Bamean is 
a pass in the Hindu Kush, or in a more southernly ridge; but it is 
quite across the chain, although environed by snowy heights. On the 
north, at the head of the dell, the mountains are depressed to a hollow, 
or pass between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, and beyond that the country 
subsides in undulations to the Oxus. 
Hitherto we had adopted no particular precautions to maintain our 
disguise, except evading the gaze of people, passing either unobserved, 
or as Armenians; but on entering Morad Bég’s territory, we rolled our 
heads within our turbans, and this saved our faces from the scorching 
sunshine. 
At Dwap or Doab, where Mr. Wolff was robbed, we apprehended 
danger, and provided an escort from a neighbouring brigand chief. In 
the hollow of a pass, we met a kAfila of very fine horses: they were all 
safe, and quite unaware of their escape, as afterwards appeared. We 
had no idea of any alarm, but as we were descending the slope 
of the pass, a body of robbers appeared—they had lost their aim 
in the horses, and were now coming up toa couple of camels, the last 
remains of the kafila—I was behind, as usual, and although 
I saw, I could not understand the manceuvres of our party, and kept 
lingering on till met by one of our servants, sent back to bid me 
gallop my horse. The robbers were very fair and candid, as I thought, 
suspecting who we were: they sent one of their party to communicate 
c 
