1839-] Lieut Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan, 773 



which rises contrary to the Ghorbund stream. After running a con- 

 siderable distance in the Huzara country it enters that of the 

 Dooranees, and passes to the west of Girishk. It finally discharges 

 itself into the lake of Seestan. It is a rapid river, especially during 

 the first part of its course, and the quantity is certainly considerable 

 in the summer, but Mr. Forster who passed it at Girishk on the 17th 

 November, 1783, describes it, without naming it, as a small stream of 

 good water. In the ebb season it is fordable in certain places, but in 

 that of the floods must be passed by means of boats or by means 

 of pumpkins. Except towards Seestan, where the bottom is composed 

 of sand only, the channel has a mixture of stone and sand. The 

 banks are generally high, and the river never sends natural branches 

 to a considerable distance. Art however has drawn out some canals. 

 The most famous is that made by the late Payenda Khan Barukzy, 

 and lately repaired in the midst of civil broils by his son and successor 

 Futteh Khan. It is drawn from the right of the river. The general 

 course of the Helbund is about south-west. 



42. Not far below Girishk it receives the Urghundab from the left. 

 This stream is of far inferior magnitude, and in the ebb season is 

 easily fordable in all places. It rises in the south-eastern extremities 

 of the Paraparnisan, not far from Sooltan Safee, and has Candahar not 

 far distant from its left bank. It is afterwards joined by the Turnuk, 

 or rather by a part of that little stream, for another part is lost in 

 sands. The Turnuk drains part of the Kakur country and of the 

 table land of Ghuznee, and is reckoned to have its principal source 

 near Mookr. Equal to the Urghundab is the Khashrood, that stream 

 which runs under Dilaram to its right. It rises in the Paraparnisan 

 chain, and after a course nearly south falls into the Helbund near 

 Kohinsheen, three days journey below Girishk. The Furahrood, so 

 called from Furah, which is situated on its left bank, also rises in the 

 Paraparnisan, but from parts of it more westerly; it never joins the 

 Helbund, but pursues a separate course into Seestan, where according to 

 some accounts it gains the lake; but according to others, is in the ebb 

 season at least lost in the sands. It is twice as large as the Khash- 

 rood, and its course seems to be south-east. 



43. Such are the streams which take their rise in the south side of 

 the Paraparnisan. From the west rises the river of Hirat, called by 

 the people of Khoorasan ' Pool-i-Malan,' and by those of Toorkistan 

 ' Tejun'; it is the Ochus of the ancients^ and is said formerly to have 

 reached the Caspian sea. At present it is lost in the desert south of 

 the Oxus in a direction north-west of Hirat, It is twice crossed in 



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