1839] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 783 



seen that the Huzara mountains are not of the greatest height, but 

 the cultivated and inhabited valleys being little beneath the level of the 

 mountains are remarkable for their cold. In some of them the wheat 

 harvest is scarcely completed in September. Some of those which 

 open towards Bactria are warmer than Cabul, and the cotton plant is 

 cultivated with advantage. In Cabul it may be and is raised, but the 

 produce is little. Ghuznee and all the places situated on that high plain 

 are noted for cold. That city is said to have been buried in snow nine 

 days after the vernal equinox, yet I apprehend the real cold is not 

 very different from that of Cabul, since the operations of agriculture 

 and the harvest are but a few days later. To the feelings the 

 cold of Ghuznee is made more sensible because of the want of 

 shelter in the country. Mookr and Kura-Bagh are warmer than 

 Cabul, and from Ghuznee to Candahar the temperature increases every 

 stage. 



54. Kushmeer is like Cabul a high valley, and in latitude somewhat 

 more northerly. It is certain the winter is milder both in reality and 

 to the feelings. The same periods are indeed assigned to it, and 

 the snow lies during the same month, but it does not possess that cold 

 felt in Cabul. The natives with no other protection to their feet 

 than sandals of rice-straw travel in it without apprehension, and even 

 in the depth of winter pass the heights which separate their valley 

 from Kishtwar and its other dependencies to the south. Instances are 

 rare of their losing their toes or fingers by the frost, but this is no un- 

 common occurrence to travellers in the countries of Cabul and Ghuznee. 

 The wolf of Kushmeer has not that ferocity which he possesses 

 in the severer winter of the last mentioned quarters. It is true the 

 Vidusta is sometimes frozen over, whereas the river of Cabul after the 

 junction of the Ghorbund stream never is; but a sufficient cause of 

 this difference is seen in its greater rapidity. The summer of Kush- 

 meer is probably of the same temperature as that of Cabul, but it 

 is oftener cooled by showers. The complexion of the natives, which is 

 usually a yellowish sallow, seems to indicate a climate on the whole 

 warmer than Cabul. The Cabulies descended of families long esta- 

 blished in their valley, are nearly as fair as Englishmen. To the 

 feelings it is certain Cabul has the colder air, by reason of its breezy 

 climate, while Kushmeer is a still climate. 



55. It would be a tedious task (even were it possible) to particula- 

 rize the temperatures of the various inhabited places among the moun- 

 tains and hills already enumerated. They may often be conjectured 

 to a considerable degree of accuracy by adverting to some circumstan- 



