1840.] from Bactrian and Lido- Scythian coins. 463 



the fourth range of which being the highest and nearest to the 

 north, rises to the level of eternal snow, and has at least partly 

 an elevation of 20,000 feet. 



The Hindookush further runs from the point presently de- 

 scribed north-west, and then westerly, till it attains its culmina- 

 tion with the elevated snow-clad peak, properly denominated 

 the Hindookush. The mountains then gradually descend to- 

 wards the west, assuming the name Paropamisus, while the 

 higher range, turning south-south-westerly, rises again in the 

 Kohi-Baba to a high snowy pinnacle. Under this lies on the 

 westerly side, Bamian, which therefore has a northerly, and not 

 a southerly aspect ; this is the discovery of Burnes. 



These vast mountains, the Indian Caucasus in its most exten- 

 sive sense, from the point where the Indus breaks through them 

 to Kohi-Baba, are the northern boundaries of the countries 

 about the Cabul river. From this range most of the tributaries 

 of the Cabul river descend, and it gives the country its promi- 

 nent features. We must look at it therefore more closely. 



At the western extremities of the first eastern half of the Indian 

 Caucasus, a high tract of mountains stretches down to the valley 

 of the Cabul river; its southern extremity from the northern bank 

 is thrown opposite to the Sefidkoh, (in the Afghan language 

 Spin Gur), viz. white mountain, which rises on the southern 

 bank of the river; this southern end is the high snow-clad peak, 

 Kooner, very nearly approaching to the valley of the river. We 

 shall give this transversal range the name of the Kanda moun- 

 tains, as they were probably called so in the native language. 

 The whole of the countries about the Cabul river are equally 

 divided by them into regions of a totally different character, the 

 western and the eastern. 



To know the boundaries of the country under consideration, 

 we must recur to Kohi-Baba. Hence extends a high mountain 

 tract to the south. Though no remarkable hills, no table 

 heights are mentioned as existing among them, yet the course 

 of the streams would range in their favour. The Hilmund and 

 Urghandab descend from that mountain tract in a southern di- 

 rection to the basin of the Zareh ; the Ghazna runs to the north- 

 eastward, and joins the Cabul river, flowing to the south-east. 



