1841.] Report on subjects connected with Affghanistan. 813 



The only lake in the kingdom of His Majesty Shah Shoojah known 



Lakes. to me, is that of Cabul, which is of some extent. I 



am not aware of its being of any other use than supplying the market of 



Cabul with water-fowl, and ice during the winter, and affording in the 



same season healthy recreation to AfFghans and Europeans. 



Of Hurmal, or chalybeate springs, I observed only two ; of these the 

 Springs. most Striking one is a chalybeate on the Siah Sing 



torrent, in the direction of Bamean ; it is perfectly clear, and emits copi- 

 ous bubbles, depositing copious sediment of red powder, by which all 

 the turf and plants around are covered. The Hurmal springs, if they 

 can be called so, occurred at Gurmah ; of three examined by Dr. 

 Henderson of the Sappers and Miners, the hottest had a temperature 

 of 81° and 82°. Small salt springs do not appear to be uncommon in 

 the valley of Bamean, but are not, I believe, put to any use by the 

 natives. 



Having thus attempted a sketch of the physical features of the 

 country, I pass to another great natural feature, the absence of forests. 



It is only eastern Affghanistan that possesses forests. From Dadur 

 to Tanjeen, three marches from Cabul towards Jilalabad, nothing wild, 

 worthy of being considered a tree, was to be seen by the Army. An 

 involuntary exclamation of surprise escaped me, on reaching the crest 

 of the Huft Kotul pass, from which the fir-clad ridges above Tanjeen 

 are visible. 



The Bolan pass, beyond a few miserable Rairoo trees* may be said 

 to be absolutely devoid of arboreous vegetation ; some pollard-looking 

 Sehnee trees exist in the ravines of the Khojuck range, elsewhere not 

 only are these absolutely wanting, but there is nothing like luxuriant 

 shrubby vegetation. The forests of eastern Affghanistan are limited 

 to the Sufaid Koh and to the Sub-Himalayas north of Pusheet and 

 around Olipore, lat. 34° 54' 38," long. 70° 12'. On both of these 

 mountain chains, firs, Zaitoon, and oak forests are common. Other 

 forest trees occur on the Kafir mountains within a few miles of Olipore ; 

 of these the two most striking are the horse chesnut, and a beautiful 

 abies or spruce fir, apparently allied to the Morinda or Khutrow of 

 the Himalayas. These are only known to me from specimens 

 purchased from the Kafirs. 



* A-cacia? 



