1839.] Lieut. Irwin's Memoir of Afghanistan. 1015 



water their fields (for they are not ignorant of agriculture) by raising 

 water from cuts which are made from that river, and in this operation 

 they usually prefer the wheel, with a band of water pots, and yoke 

 camels. Such wheels are, towards India, sometimes seen turned by 

 buffaloes. In such quarters of Toorkistan as horses are yoked to the 

 plough, they are also made to draw water, and camels are in use for 

 the latter as well as the former. With respect to the treading out 

 corn, the same animals, camels excepted, are used, as in the respective 

 places where they are yoked to the plough, cows however, although use- 

 ful in treading out, are scarcely so in ploughing. Goats too may 

 sometimes be seen in Pushing, assisting in the former operation ; which 

 in Cabul, Khoorasan and Toorkistan is not always effected by the feet 

 only of the animals, but by the addition of some simple machinery. 



164. It must excite surprise to learn that carts are unknown in the 

 greater number of these countries. In the line of the Embassy's march 

 to Peshawur, they were found not to extend to the right of the Indus. 

 There are few, perhaps none, in the dominions of Mohummud Khan on 

 this side the river, but to the south they are used in most parts of Sindh 

 as far as we may suppose their use demands. Carts are but little used in 

 Seeweestan, and not at all in any part of Afghanistan, the remainder 

 of Bulochistan or Khoorasan. In a westerly direction we may pro- 

 ceed nearly to the Hellespont before we see any. Neither are any 

 found in Toorkistan on the south of the Oxus (with one exception) 

 Bulochistan, Kashkur, Keerategin, Durwaz, the Pamer, Kushmeer, or 

 most parts of the Dooab of the Hydaspes and Indus. In the neigh- 

 bourhood of Bokhara, Orgunj, Samarkand, and Kokur alone are carts 

 used in Toorkistan beyond the Oxus. In Bokhara they are not em- 

 ployed for all the purposes they are applicable to. In this particular, 

 as almost all others, our information is very scanty respecting Chinese 

 Toorkistan. I have been lately informed that carts are very much 

 used in that quarter, and some have as many as six horses yoked to 

 them. The Chinese in Yarkund and the other cities use buggies and 

 tandems, not unlike those of the English, hence there is some proba- 

 bility that the use of the humble, but more useful species of wheeled 

 carriages is not unknown. In most parts of Toorkistan, and pro- 

 bably in many other quarters, great use is made in rural operations 

 of a machine which seems to be a sledge. 



(To be continued.) 



