1841.] Report on subjects connected with Affghanistan. 805 



marked one on the left bank of the Cabul river, below Jilalabad, and 

 opposite the village of Chardeb. As instances of these vallies, I may 

 cite the valley of Shawl, which is not however characteristic ; the val- 

 leys of the Wighand at Turnah; of the upper parts of the Cabul river; 

 of Jilalabad, and of Koonur. In the only vallies of the Toorkistan face 

 of the Koh-i-Baba, with which I am acquainted, these glacis slopes are 

 not developed to any extent. 



Characteristic 



\an scene north of Chardeh, shewing the glacis slopes, the undulated lower 

 ranges, and the frequently isolated hills. 



The other form of valley, to the existence of which the country is 

 almost entirely indebted for its agricultural produce, are of consider- 

 able width, their bottoms are apparently almost level, and entirely 

 covered with tillable soil, except towards the boundary hills along the 

 bases of which glacis slopes very generally occur. Their principal 

 distinction rests therefore on the amount or extent of tillable soil, the 

 proportion of which is reversed in the two forms. As instances of 

 these, I may adduce the valleys of Peshawur, of Candahar, and the 

 vicinity of Cabul, and perhaps the whole line of country between 

 Mookhloor and Nannee, near Ghuzni. Perhaps the best marked in- 

 stance is the valley to the immediate west of Cabul. 



The formation of some of these valleys is easy, and it appears to me 

 naturally explicable by assuming their having been the beds of inlaid 

 lakes. By this assumption it is, I believe, that Dr. Lord has explained 

 the formation of the vallies of Cabul, Jilalabad, and Peshawur, in 

 Dr. Lord's report or account of the Koh-i-Daman, Journal of the 

 Asiatic Society ^ June 1838, will be found some geological speculations, to 

 which I, although not professing any acquaintance with geology, beg 



