1 839. J Lieut. Irwin s Memoir of Afghanistan. 895 



wearing shoes of undressed leather. Still simpler are those called 

 Chuplee, woven from the leaves of a plant which the Afghans call Muzii% 

 and the Peshawurees, Putha ; it grows to the height of a man, but in 

 general is under that height. It is not found in the cold countries, 

 but extends to a certain height on the east side of the hills, beyond 

 which is Khoorasan and Toorkistan. To the south it is found in 

 some parts of Seeweestan, and to the east it is not known beyond the 

 longitude of Husan Abdal. It is of the palm kind, and perhaps is yet 

 undescribed. It bears a small fruit, which ripens in July. An Afghan 

 will make a pair of chuplees in a single hour during a halt ; they are tied 

 on the feet like sandals. The Kushmeerees make sandals of rice 

 straw. 



130. The Assafcetida* plant is produced in great abundance to- 

 wards the source of the Ghorbund river, and also near Isfizar (which 

 is three days from Furah), and some other places in the west of 

 Khoorasan. It prefers a cool climate, and the only cultivation bestow- 

 ed on it is to shield it from the sun. Assafcetida is more consumed in 

 India than in the countries of its production, where however it is used in 

 food and also medicinally. Many other shrubs furnish articles for the 

 native materia medica. Blisters are made with the leaves of Kureel, a 

 plant well known in India and also in Peshawur. The plant called 

 Akt or Uk, has a white corrosive juice, which the Rajpoots give to their 

 infant daughters as a poison, when they do not intend to bring them 

 up. This plant yields charcoal, and is good in tanning, dyeing, and 

 pharmacy. The sacred Toolseej is found in all these countries among 

 shrubs famous for the beauty of their flowers, but the most remark- 

 able is that called by the natives Urghuwan, or Anemone shrub. It 

 grows in some parts of Cabul, Budukhshan, and Durwaz. In Durwaz 

 it grows to the height of twenty feet ; spears are made of its wood, 

 and it is a common fuel. 



131. Shrubs are the chief fuel in these countries, generally consi- 

 dered, though there are some districts where more use is made of 

 forest timber or the branches of large trees, and others in which the chief 

 resource is the dung of animals. Caravans sometimes find a difficul- 

 ty in procuring fuel at uninhabited stages, but few tovvlis can be men- 

 tioned where this article is dearer than in our provinces. It is dear in 

 Candahar and Cabul; and in the latter a great quantity being re- 

 quired, it forms an important part of the expenditure of the poor. 



* Ferula Assafcetida. f Asclepias gigantea. Linn. 



| Ocimum sanctum. Linn. 



