1839.] Lieut. Irwin s Memoir of Afghanistan. 753 



frequently call by the same name, and which is undoubtedly connected 

 with it. The course of the mountains thus appears to change from 

 west to south-west, and thence to almost due south, giving rise in 

 that quarter to the Helbund, the greatest river of Khoorasan. The 

 future course of the central and chief ridge it is difficult to ascertain 

 with much minuteness, but its general course seems to be almost due 

 west to the longitude of Hirat. The branches are numerous and 

 extend to considerable distances, being visible from Candahar, and 

 approaching still nearer to Mimuna, Undkho, and Bulkh in the nor- 

 thern directions. These are the mountains which the ancients seem 

 generally to have distinguished by the name Paraparnisan. I say 

 generally, because doubtless quotations might be brought forward in 

 which the term is applied to others. Disregarding such instances, 

 I propose to restrict the term to this range. The Paraparnisan is 

 not so lofty as the great northern chain. Except the mountain called 

 Shadeean, from a village of that name at its foot in the environs of 

 Bulkh, I know no well. ascertained instance of continued snow on 

 any one of them, though it is possible several such exist. They also 

 rise more gradually from their bases than the other chain. Their 

 abruptest descent seems towards Bactria. At their commencement, 

 where they form the tract inhabited by the Gavee Huzaras, they have 

 on the east a gradual descent to the high valley of Cabul, but towards 

 Bactria so rapid, that we soon arrive at climates considerably warmer 

 than Cabul. The table land of Ghuznee, still more elevated than 

 Cabul, bounds to the east the main body of the Paraparnisan which 

 gradually rise from it; to the south-west and north-west the descent 

 into Khoorasan is also in general gradual. 



11. Within Afghanistan we have first to notice that range which 

 runs for the most part in latitude 34°. It is difficult to name with 

 much accuracy its commencement to the west. The road from Cabul 

 to south-west passes over no hill ; to the eastward, however, of that line 

 we find the valley of Cabul divided from the country to the south by 

 the low ridge of Logur, which still more to the east rises into lofty 

 mountains; these continue to the Indus, holding their course some- 

 what to the south of east. They even cross the Indus into the dis- 

 trict of Attoc and divide (though not accurately) Chhuchh from the 

 Khatirs. Even the hill of Husunubdal from its position and its 

 composition almost seems a detached part of this range, which is of 

 various altitude from the hills of the Khuttuks, seldom sprinkled 

 with snow, to the white mountain, south of Jellalabad, ever crowned 

 with it. The greatest altitude is about the middle, the least to the 



