1863. | Memoranda on the Peshawur Valiey. 221 
marsh formed on this low ground, in seasons of excessive rain, the 
water, however, never being so deep as to quite conceal the tall grass 
and reeds. 
The principal streams of the valley are three, of which the chief is 
the Cabul river, the largest affluent of the Indus during its whole 
course above its junction with the Panjnad at Mittun Kote. This 
river, which, as well as the next, is called Liuindi, debouches from the 
Khaiber range a little above the village and fort of Michni, and 
follows an easterly course for about fifty miles till it falls into the 
Indus close to Attock. It is joined about fifteen miles from Peshawur 
by the Swat river, which after draining the valley of that name, 
issues from the mountains near Abazai, below which its course is 
south-east for twenty-five miles to join the last. 'The Bara stream 
which is much smaller than either of these, rises in T'eera, enters the 
valley ten miles to the south-west of Peshawur, and flows in an 
easterly direction to join the Cabul river above its junction with that 
of Swat. Much of its water, however, is absorbed in an early stage of 
its course, by various canals for the irrigation of the tracts on either 
side, one of the largest of these being for the supply of the city and 
cantonment of Peshawur. The Bodni is quite a small stream, which 
passes near Peshawur, to the northward, and joins a branch of the 
Cabul river. 
Besides these, there are no permanent large streams, but in the 
Husufzai country and other parts of the valley, there are many “ nullas” 
where water flows for a longer or shorter time after rain, and in one or 
two cases for the greater part of the year ; and in and near the beds 
of these, water is at most seasons found in wells from 12 to 30 feet 
deep. Indeed were it not for these, great part of the valley would 
be dependent for moisture on the scanty and precarious rain-fall, and 
much of it would be totally unfruitful. At many places, e. g. the 
Peshawur cantonment, and near Chumkunnie to the south, water 
is not found within seventy feet of the surface (at the former with 
a temperature of 68° to 70° F. in July) ; and the well which the Sikhs 
were obliged to dig for the supply of thew fort of Futtehgurh, 
Jumrood, (commanding the exit of the Khaiber,) 1s said to be no less 
than 180 feet in depth. 
In the ordinary shallow wells, the Persian wheel is almost univer- 
sal for irrigation purposes, propelled by a pair of bullocks or a buf- 
falo, one advantage of the latter being that he will go on indefinitely 
25 
