1842.] Note on the Passes into Hindoostan, fyc. 553 



At Atuk, the Indus is considered as entering the plains of Hin- 

 doostan, but it is a mistake to consider the navigation as extending 

 to this point from the sea. The river is a torrent for a hundred miles 

 further to Kalabagh, where it passes through a low range, full of salt 

 mines, that runs across from Kohat to Pinddadur Khan on the Jhilum, 

 and in crossing the Punjab, the route from this latter place to Attock 

 is through a hilly country. From the Indus to Kabool, the ground rises 

 to upwards of 7,000 feet above the sea. The Hindoo Koosh is to the 

 north, and another snowy range, called the Sofed-Koh, to the south 

 of the valley, and the spurs from both meeting at the river, leave 

 successive passes, and beds or basins, of which former the Khyber, from 

 its breadth rather than height, is the most famous. The Julalabad 

 basin is on the other side of the Khyber pass ; between it and the fertile 

 valley of Kabool, there are eight other passes, and the road leads away 

 from the bank of the river to the south, because the passage is easier 

 where the spurs join the higher range. 



The Soofed Koh, or southern ridge of the Kabool valley, is a spur 

 of the Hindoo Koosh, which, shooting out at a point west of Kabool, 

 divides the sources of that river from the stream that waters Ghuzni, 

 and thence sending one branch southward, (which extends even to the 

 sea,) runs due east to the Indus, and terminates in the Kohat country. 



This ridge is crossed about nine miles north of Ghuzni, at an ele- 

 vation not much exceeding 9,000 feet from the sea, and consequently 

 only 1,000 to 1,200 feet above the level of Kabool and Ghuzni ; but it 

 is much more elevated in the eastern branch, south of the Kabool valley, 

 where it is called the Soofed Koh, white or snowy mountain, because 

 so seen throughout the year. Close along the southern root of the Sofed 

 Koh, is a road called the Bunghish route, communicating with both 

 Kabool and Ghuzni. It has not yet been explored by any British officer, 

 but was proposed to the troops at Kabool as to be followed on their 

 retirement, in order to prevent their junction with General Sale at 

 Julalabad, who had not submitted. The route was rejected as im- 

 passable at the season, (January,) because of the necessity it im- 

 posed of crossing the Sofed-Koh. 



This route has a communication with Kohat, and with Banoo and 

 Kala Bagh, at which latter place, or a few miles below, the river 



it follows joins the Indus. 



4d 



