1839.] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. J99 



are insignificant in proportion to the whole surface. The character of 

 the Punjab is different from that of Bengal or Egypt. Instead of the 

 banks of the river being higher than the remoter country, the various 

 Doabs usually slope from their interior towards the rivers which 

 bound them. Low tracts are sometimes found, which after heavy rains 

 are covered to some depth with water ; but there is no general inun- 

 dation derived either from rain or from rivers, as in Bengal. The 

 surface of the Punjab, however, after excluding the country beyond 

 the Hydaspes, is lower above the level of its rivers than that of our 

 Upper Provinces in general, with respect to the rivers which run 

 in them. 



81. The periods of the Cabul river where it joins the Indus are 

 nearly the same as those of it. It is lowest in the winter, notwith- 

 standing the rains of that season in the valley of Peshawur. It is 

 sensibly affected by the spring rains in February and March. It falls 

 after they have passed over, yet not to its level in the winter, for now 

 the snow of the lesser hills begins to thaw. At the end of May the 

 middle snows begin to descend, and after them the upper, which bring 

 the river to its greatest height at the beginning of August. We are to 

 attribute the effect in part to the rains, which fall at that period at 

 some of its sources (see paragraph 69.) Such is the history of the grand 

 streams, but there is a diversity of circumstances with respect to the 

 branches composing it. The Pech river swells early in spring, and 

 declines from about the 28th of May. The Punjkora river follows 

 nearly the same laws, though indeed heavy rain in the months of July 

 or August will cause it to reach its greatest height in those months. 

 The three streams in the valley of Cabul (see paragraph 36), the Lugh- 

 man river, the Kashkar, and the Swad, with the rivulets of Jellalabad 

 are highest in the month of July or August. The Bara is on the 

 whole the greatest in the spring, but it rises and falls very suddenly, 

 and very often according to the occurrence or cessation of rain in 

 Teera. The To is probably greatest in spring ; the Koorm is greatest 

 in July or August, when it is swelled both by the Fuse (see paragraph 

 70) and by the thawing of the upper snows. The Gomul is perhaps 

 the highest at the same time. 



82. The diminutive streams of Bulochistan and Seeweestan are in 

 general highest in the spring. The same is true of those found in the 

 western Khoorasan, the Turmuk, and the little streams of the Kakna, 

 Tureen, and Burch countries. Even those rivers which taking their 

 rise in the Paraparnisan flow into Khoorasan, reach their greatest 

 height during the periodical spring rains. The Helbund only which 



