1840.] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 35 



cessarily receive part of the rain falling on the neighbouring 

 heights are cultivated in preference ; others are so situated 

 that it is easy to turn on them the water of nullahs, and 

 these are not reckoned irrigated, but Mm, (see paragraph 78). 

 In Toorkistan, certain lands are distinguished into a class as 

 receiving in the spring a great deal of thaw water. There 

 are other lands, which depend entirely on the rain which 

 may fall on their own surface, but have been provided with a 

 high bank of earth which surrounds them and retains the water ; 

 such may be seen at Oormul, a village about 9 miles south-east of 

 Peshawur ; they are every year under crop from one generation to 

 another. There is still another species of lulm quite distinct 

 in its nature from all the preceding, being land moist in 

 itself, without requiring for the success of the crops raised 

 on it rain or any other supply ; such is in Cabul called za, 

 and in that, and similar climates, is commonly in the state 

 of natural meadow. In Hindoostan are considerable tracts of 

 it, being the low banks of rivers subject to be under water 

 for a great part of the rainy season, and large spaces lying 

 under the great northern mountains. In Mooltan, where it is 

 considered as the most valuable species of land, it is called sew 

 or seo, that is literally border, because it lies near the rivers. 



167. Irrigated lands too, may be divided into species whose 

 differences it is important to note. Some lands are only imper- 

 fectly irrigated. The Kamojoe Kafirs turn the water of springs 

 upon their fields, but the supply is so defective, that summer 

 showers are anxiously looked for. In most cases, rain in 

 the accustomed season is welcome to the owner of even well 

 irrigated lands, as saving him the trouble and expense of 

 watering. Irrigated lands may be divided into those which 

 depend on springs and natural streams ; secondly, those which 

 depend on wells ; thirdly, those which depend on kahrezas ; 

 fourthly, those depending on dams. The first kind con- 

 tains several species. In the vallies of mountainous coun- 

 tries, and in plains under mountains, it is easy to conduct the 

 water of streams from a higher level upon the fields, and 

 this constitutes the first species ; but in open and champaign 

 countries the difference of level is seldom so considerable as 



