48 Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. [No. 97. 



pooree dominions, much preferable to any I can offer. During 

 our inquiries we have always experienced great difficulties 

 in gaining just and consistent accounts of Bulochistan, and 

 I have learnt that government have lately received some 

 information respecting that country 5 on both accounts I intend 

 passing most of it in silence. To the south we begin with 

 Keharapoor, and the line between it and the neighbourhood of 

 Candahar. In my opinion there is no other line with which it so 

 much behoves us to be well acquainted, and I therefore feel the 

 greater regret, that the information yet obtained regarding it is so 

 unsatisfactory. The country immediately north of it, constituting 

 the southern part of Afghanistan, is still more obscure, and there 

 are certain places, the routes between which we have never been 

 able to obtain. In the account of Candahar, something will 

 be said of the Doorranee country and Seestan. With respect to 

 Persian Khoorasan, it will also be mentioned, though very 

 briefly. We have to regret that our information is often the 

 most scanty concerning those countries whose position and 

 other circumstances render them most interesting in a public 

 view. To the north I shall omit the Punjab as far as the 

 river Hydaspes, as being little different from many provinces 

 of India, and because of information already obtained of it. 



Four Tuppas of Cabul. 

 183. The rubbee is the greatest crop, and according to our 

 way of speaking, the only one (see paragraphs 171 — 3.) Wheat 

 is the chief product, and after it barley. The poorest classes 

 consume a considerable proportion of barley and peas in their 

 food. There are none so poor, but that they occasionally in- 

 dulge in animal food, and the rich in a great measure subsist 

 on it. Corn is imported even from the environs of Ghuznee. 

 Rice is brought from upper Bungush, Jellalabad, Lughman, 

 and even Koomer ; in a dear year, corn is sometimes brought 

 from Bamean in small quantities; on the whole however the 

 quantity of corn annually imported into the valley does not 

 bear a great proportion to that produced in it, and provisions 

 are seldom dear. The chief supply of ghee is from Bamean, 

 the Hazara country, and the Ghigies, who pasture their flocks 



