1837.] Account of an Inscription from Bar eilly. 777 



resort to minor authorities. By what lie alone says there is no reason 

 to infer that Alexander came as far eastward even as Kandahar. He 

 says he founded a city at the foot of the Paropamisus, — an isolated 

 fact ; hut by the rest of his narrative we shoud conclude that he went 

 straight from Mazendardn to Bactria, keeping to the north. But as 

 the nature of the country is not favorable for the march of an army, 

 he probably passed to Herdt, and founded his city at the foot of the 

 Hazdrajat, and crossed from that neighbourhood into Bactria, per- 

 haps retracing his steps a little. I do not think he came to Kabul, 

 From the foot of the pass over the Kosh, an open plain extends due 

 east by which he could avoid all the defiles of Kabul, and from the 

 accounts of his subsequent operations, I think it may be fairly inferred 

 that he took this route. Bdmidn I am very sorry to say I could not 

 visit. The country was almost in a state of rebellion, and the good 

 Nawab Jabar Khan would not hear of it. Rustam's well, into which 

 he was thrown after being murdered, is about fourteen miles from 

 Kabul. I may remark in favor of Dost Mahomed, that in Sha'h 

 Jehan's time a person could not go ten miles from the city without 

 risk of robbery. The roads are now every where comparatively safe. 



There is a cataract on the Kabul river about twenty miles from the 

 city in the mountains that prevents water communication from Kabul 

 itself to the sea. 



The Hazarehs are an interesting people resembling the Gurkhas 

 in feature but larger in person. They will ride their horses at speed 

 down very steep declivities, are regular mountaineers in their habits, 

 have a Yodeln like the Swiss. Amongst other animals which inhabit 

 the mountains is the Markhar or snake-eater, which has never I 

 believe been described. It is a huge wild goat as large as a large 

 pony with an immense whitish beard and straight spiral horns, four 

 feet long nearly. I have two pair of these horns. I have a drawing 

 of a large male that was sent in to me by the young Amir Mahammed 

 Akber Khan. 



VII. — Account of an Inscription found by Mr. H. S. Boulderson, in 

 the neighbourhood of Bareilhj. By James Prinsep, Sec, #c. 

 To their associate Colonel Stacy the Society is more immediately 

 indebted for bringing to their notice the subject of the present article, 

 wn inscription hitherto undescribed though it appears to have been 

 known for several years to Mr. H. S. Boulderson, of the Civil Ser- 

 vice. Having applied to that gentleman for any notes he might 

 possess on its discovery, he has favored me with the following 

 particulars. 

 5 p 



