1862.] An account of Upper and Lower Suwat. 261 



these beautiful plants. The mountains round this part of Suwat are, 

 also, more densely wooded, than about the Morey Pass, with forests 

 of pine and zaitim or wild olive. On the summit of the Pass there 

 is a large open plain, and here there are several TcandaJis or trenches 

 in which a number of bodies have been buried. I have been informed, 

 that there are fissures in many parts of these kandahs, where hundreds 

 of sculls may be seen, as also arrows, swords, knives, &c. It would 

 appear that some great battle had been fought here when the 

 Yusufzis first invaded the country, and that the slain were buried 

 on the field of battle ; and what is more natural than to suppose 

 that the people took post in the Malakand Pass, to resist the inva- 

 ders ?* On the southern side there are no rivulets ; and no water is 

 procurable, save from two wells which have been dug between the 

 village of Dar-gaey and the foot of the Pass. Near one of these 

 wells there is another road, apparently very ancient, over Malakand, 

 the whole of which to within a short distance of the summit, is 

 built up with slabs of stone and lime ; but like that of Khandallah, 

 between Bombay and Poonah, it has many turnings and zig-zags, 

 and thus appears to have been scientifically designed ; but although 

 it is the shortest way, with all its turnings, the Afghans prefer using 

 the other road. 



They say, that there is another road into Suwat, still easier, by 

 the Shah-kott Pass, which is comparatively straight and level ; and 

 appears to have been a regular made road, probably the work of the 

 former inhabitants of these regions, who, from the ruins that still 

 remain, appear to have attained a considerable degree of civilization. 

 Guns could easily be taken into Suwat by this route ; but the Af- 

 ghans, apparently, to provide against such a contingency, have broken 

 up the road in several places ; and at present it is never used. 



There is no place named Kandarak, at the foot of the Karakarr 

 Pass into Suwat, to be found at present ; but the ruins of a village, 

 or something of the kind, may be traced. Perhaps this is the place 

 referred to in the Akbar Nam ah, the scene of the defeat of Akbar's army 

 by the Yusufzi Afghans. I was informed, that about three years since, 



* The history of the Yusufzis and the account of the conquest of Suwat I 

 have found in a work in the Library of the India House ; written however in a 

 most strange manner, in Pushto and Persian. The author was an Afghan ; and 

 he goes on to relate in Persian, and then all at once breaks into Pushto and 

 vice versa. 



