1839.] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 749 



1st, The ancient Khwaruzm, lying towards the mouth of the Oxus 

 chiefly, if not entirely to its left, and the Toorkman deserts extending 

 from it towards the Caspian. 2nd, The tract we have just excluded 

 from the modern Khoorasan, but not including Budukhshan. The 

 natives having no appropriate name for it, I propose to distinguish it by 

 its ancient one of Bactria. 3rd, The tract lying between the Oxus and 

 Jaxartes, with a small territory beyond the latter river. 4th, The 

 country beyond the Jaxartes inhabited by the Kuzzkas to the west 

 and Kirghizes to the east ; — tribes but little advanced in society, or 

 acquainted with agriculture. Beyond them to the north we come to 

 the Russian dominions, and on the east the Chinese. A fifth tract to 

 be called Chinese Toorkistan, and not to be included under the term of 

 Toorkistan simply, is to be afterwards mentioned. These general 

 terms will in the sequel be less used than others more particularly 

 applicable to countries of far inferior extent ; but preparatory to the 

 enumeration of these, let us sketch the course of the mountains and 

 hills, which chiefly mark out their boundaries and give them their 

 character. 



6. The first and greatest ridge is that which forms the boundary to 

 the north of Afghanistan. It originates however near the right of the 

 Burmhpootr river, and running thence in a westerly and northerly 

 direction, forms a boundary of the plains of Hindoostan and the Pun- 

 jub, which are watered by the streams that either originate in it or the 

 lofty lands beyond it. Within it is contained the fertile valley of 

 Kushmeer, and beyond Kushmeer it forms the lofty tract called Little 

 Tibet, and bounds to the north Pukhlee, into which it seems to send a 

 branch. Crossing the Indus it has no longer the same tendency to the 

 north of west, but running in nearly 35° 25' north latitude separates 

 Bhooner, Swad, and Punjkora, small districts now occupied by the 

 Yoosufzyes, and into which its branches extend from Kashkar to the 

 north. Arrived at the river commonly called from this last country, 

 as originating in it, its greatest ridge appears to stretch in a direction 

 to the south of west to a termination in the mountain Hindookoosh, 

 but one minor ridge is detached along the left of the Kashkar river, 

 which it divides from Bajaur to the Punjkora, while others on the right 

 of that river form in their course the cragged country of the Kafeis, 

 (but the Kafeis have some other portions of those mountains, and over- 

 hang the low valley of Lughuran. This grand chain has as a whole no 

 acknowledged name among the natives, nor have the European authors 

 yet agreed in one denomination to be given it. It is undoubtedly very 

 lofty, not merely in its central ridge but in most of its lateral branches; 



5d 



