1842.] A Geographical Notice of the Valley of Jullalabad. 121 



The Cabul river in its course receives several considerable rivers, the 



Puni sheer, Ghorebund, and Loghur streams, besides 

 Cabul River. J . .,.„.'.. 



those intersecting this valley are its tributaries ; in 



summer it flows with great violence ; it is fordable only from November 

 to April. Rafts of inflated hides float with the current, and convey 

 people and goods from Jullalabad to Peshawur. Rafts cannot stem the 

 current. On the journey down the river being accomplished, the 

 raftsmen take the hides out of the water, allow the inflated air to escape, 

 pack up the hides, and return with them by land, either laden on, 

 jackasses, or upon their own shoulders. 



These streams, with the exception of the Soorkh Rood, Kashkote, and 

 Cabul rivers are more properly termed rivulets, they are chiefly fed by the 

 melting snows of the Soofaid Koh : canals conduct their waters over the 

 country through which they flow, and spread fertility wherever their 

 influence extends. Several of these streams, during the summer at the 

 period of the rice cultivation, are exhausted before they reach the Soork 

 Rood or Cabul river, to either of which, at other seasons, they form tri- 

 butaries. 



The distance of Dukka to Soorkhal, by the high road is 77^ miles, 

 vide subjoined table of routes furnished me by Captain Paton. 



The low hills of Jullalabad are extremely barren, but the lofty ranges 

 of Koond, Kurkutcha, and Soofaid Koh, are richly clad with pine, almond, 

 and other trees, which supply the market with excellent timber. 



The highest peak of Speenghir or Soofaid Koh, is stated by Lieut. 

 Wood, at 14,100 feet above the level of the sea. The same officer 

 talking of the people who inhabit the hilly country, says, " To see a 

 stream well-conducted along the face of a hill twenty-five feet above 

 the mean level of the valley below is not uncommon, and where no 

 rivulets intersect the valleys, a running stream is procured from kar- 

 kezes, or wells. The appearance of these sequestered valleys is a 

 mixture of orchard, field, and garden. They abound in mulberry, pome- 

 granate, and other fruit trees, while the banks of their streams are 

 edged with a fine healthy sward, enamelled with a profusion of wild 

 flowers, and fragrant from aromatic herbs ; near the forts they are often 

 fringed by rows of weeping willows." 



The plains of Buttee Kote, Geedee Goshta, Chardeh, Lookhee, and 

 the country skirting the hills, afford good pasturage. The pastoral 



