848 Itinerary from Herat to Cabool via Candahar. QNo. 154. 



cannot be considered practicable for an army ; during summer a great 

 portion would perish for want of water ; if it was to be attempted under 

 all hazards, it would be necessary to establish at different points depots 

 of supplies, besides each soldier being furnished with an iron plate to 

 cook his cakes, as done in the East, and every company supplied with 

 a small hand-mill to grind flour ; without these precautions, they would 

 run the risk of perishing of hunger after the first few marches. These 

 difficulties compelled the merchants to select a new line of route fur- 

 ther to the North, which passing by Khelat-i-Nassir Khan, through a 

 country inhabited by Beloochees, ends at Der-i-Ghazi Khan, situated 

 on the banks of the Indus. That which leads from Candahar to Cabool, 

 offers none of these difficulties, excepting, that it is not practicable in 

 winter, from the quantity of snow which lays. Although passing 

 through a hilly country, it presents no obstacle to the march of artil- 

 lery ; it winds through a rich valley, closed in by two ranges of hills 

 having a North-easterly direction as far as Cabool, and running nearly 

 parallel the whole way. The northern range, which is no other than the 

 Parafornisan mountains of the Greeks, is very much more elevated than 

 the Southern one ; this latter seems to abound in metals. The valley is 

 most fertile, and traversed as far as Mokur by the Turnak river, which 

 joins the Argandab. It enjoys a bracing and healthy climate, and this 

 is the reason, that between Pootee and Julduk are still to be seen 

 the ruins of an ancient city called Sher-i-soofa, meaning the city of 

 health. The mountains which extend to the North of the province of 

 Candahar, and the sand hills which go off to the South, make this city 

 the point from whence the two routes to India by Shikarpoor and 

 Cabool lead ; any army from the North, marching to the conquest of 

 Hindoostan, must necessarily pass this, halt, and take proper measures 

 for supporting its further advance. 



After forty days' detention, a caravan being about to start for Cabool, 

 we hastened to take advantage of its protection, and quitted Candahar 

 the 28th of October, and in four days found ourselves forty coss 

 in advance, and arrived at Mokur. Our halting places were Pootee, 

 Julduk, Tajee Mookeri ; so far I observed that we passed very few 

 villages, but in their places an infinite number of black tents, in- 

 habited by tribes of Sudoozyes, Alikzyes and Giljies. I remarked, that 

 their women did not cover their faces with that care that those in the 



