1010 Lieut. Irwiris Memoir of Afghanistan. [Dec. 



countries, and probably exceeds the Indian camel in strength, but 

 yields to him in patience of thirst and hunger. With respect to ap- 

 pearance, he is not so tall and slender in his limbs. 



156. The Punjab, Sindh, and the Indian provinces of the Afghan 

 monarchy considered as a whole, have cattle nearly in the same pro- 

 portions as in our upper provinces, and the quality is not very differ- 

 ent. In the detail we find great differences, the cattle on the west 

 side of the Jumna are superior to those on the east, the oxen of 

 Nagour and cows of Hurriana are much celebrated, even the cattle of 

 the Punjab are probably superior to those of our provinces east of the 

 Jumna ; those of Peshawur are certainly inferior, and the cattle of 

 Sindh are not remarkably good ; yet great numbers of them were 

 carried from Buhawulpoor by Tymoor Shah's army to Cabul, where 

 the breed is still perceptible. The native breed of Cabul yields the 

 most wretched bullocks, but considerable numbers are every year 

 brought from Nasour by the Lohanees, and others who travel on the 

 southern road to India. Cattle are brought to Peshawur from the 

 Doval of the Hydaspes and Indus. In Seeweestan cattle are not nu- 

 merous or good. In the middle and west of Afghanistan and in 

 Khoorasan, they constitute no very considerable part of the national 

 wealth. Being kept by farmers, their numbers are in proportion to 

 the village, and hence they are more frequently found among the hills. 

 The pastoral tribes of the open country keep but a few bullocks to 

 carry their tents, the cow is therefore usually house fed, or fed on 

 meadows and gardens near the village. Round the lake of Seestan, 

 however, are seen great herds of cattle, which pasture on the marshy 

 grounds. The cows of the west in general give more milk than those 

 of our provinces, and in the Ymak country some give as far as fifteen 

 seers; a very small breed kept by some tribes of the Kafeir's gives 

 as far as twenty seers ; the cows of Kushmeer give a great deal of milk 

 of a poor quality. 



157. The buffalo is not fitted for cold countries, hence he is scarce- 

 ly to be seen in Kushmeer, notwithstanding its moistness; and by 

 far the greatest stock is in Poonuch and Rajur and its other dependen- 

 cies to the south, which have a much warmer climate. Far less is the 

 buffalo suited to the climate of Cabul, which is both colder and drier, 

 yet in both countries diligent search would probably discover a few. 

 Buffaloes are numerous in some parts of the Punjab, and they give 

 more milk than in the Company's upper provinces; as far thence to 

 the north and west as the warmer plains and vallies extend, this 

 animal is bred, but according to circumstances in greater or lesser 



