1839.] Lieut. Irwin s Memoir of Afghanistan, 877 



there during the time that the Afghan dynasty ruled Persia. This 

 is even a less practicable road than the other, and in summer is not 

 travelled. There are eight stages of a camel journeying almost in- 

 cessantly, and no water is to be had in the whole space. This desert 

 then may be pronounced impassable by regular troops, except in the 

 smallest bodies. 



J 03. Our knowledge is very scanty concerning Bulochistan. Its 

 western parts or western boundaries are generally desert, but in some 

 places villages are interspersed. There is a winding road from Kilat to 

 Kirman through Punjgoor, Jalk, Dezuk, and Bempoor, but various 

 parts of the stages are desolate; the soil even in the route I conceive 

 to be generally sandy ; the fertile spots are at the foot of hills, which 

 yield them either by nature or by means of art, a scanty supply of 

 water. The hilly tract on which is situated Kilat is much superior 

 to the preceding, yet even here are several upland wastes in which 

 even water is not to be had for one or two days' journey. The soil of 

 Kilat seems to be generally loamy, but in some places is a stiff clay. 

 Such feeble streams as the Buloch hills yield being soon absorbed in 

 this warm climate, there intervenes a dry space between the hills and 

 the sea-coast, which may be compared to the Tehama of Hejaz and 

 Yemen. In this space Rind tribes wander, whose chief riches are their 

 camels. The soil seems to be most commonly inclined to clay. In 

 Seweestan, a clay or clayey loam seems to predominate, but Dajul 

 (which perhaps belongs to Sindh) is sandy, and there are other excep- 

 tions. In Seeweestan water in draw-wells is deeper under the surface 

 than in Sindh, but yet at no inconvenient distance. In some routes 

 spaces occur, of perhaps forty miles broad, where neither water nor 

 cultivation is to be seen, but there is little reason to think the circum- 

 stance owing to the badness of the soil ; some were formerly well 

 peopled. There is a tradition that the river Indus taking a bold turn to 

 the right formerly ran through this country, and appearances are said to 

 favor it. The lake or swamp called Manchoor, mentioned by Aboolfuzl, 

 was perhaps a part of the bed. of the Indus; it is thought to be in the 

 south-east. Aboolfuzl tells us it is near Seewee, but this I conceive 

 erroneous. There are some low and moist lands in Seeweestan, which 

 perhaps were also parts of the Indus bed. There is reason to think 

 that from other causes the rest of Bulochistan (and the remark might 

 be extended to other countries) is drier and more barren than in 

 former times. 



104. The soil of Bactria from Mymuna to Talikan, has a great pro- 

 portion of clay in its original composition; at present this is most 



5 u 



