1849.] Notes on the Geography of Western Afghanistan. 585 



Anar-duruh is a large district of this country, celebrated for its pome- 

 granates. The forts of Kah and Ook lie south of Furah. The 

 former west of the river ; Ook is the name of a sub- division lying be- 

 tween Furah and Seestan ; a range of hills in it contains one of those 

 singular slopes of sand called Reg-ruwan, to roll down which is con- 

 sidered a very meritorious action. On this range is said to exist the 

 ruins of Tukhte Rostum, a stronghold of this warrior. Modern Furah 

 is a place of no strength and nearly deserted. 



The river of Furah is a large stream, abut 30 miles above the city, in 

 July it was 35 yards broad, 2} feet deep, running 1^ miles in the hour, 

 and just fordable, but during torrents often detained caravans. 



Furah extends East to the river of Khash, South to Joeen, and North 

 to Aseyabad. Except on the banks of the rivers the face of the coun- 

 try is composed of large flat hard dushts separated by bleak ranges of 

 hills. 



The aborigines are Tajeeks and Persians; the dominant tribe Af- 

 ghans, under a prince or chief from Herat. 



To the South of Furah lies Seestan or Seegestan, sometimes called 

 Nemrooz. The earlier inhabitants were called Sukan and Sukzee ; 

 which last some consider to have be arabized into Sug or Suj, and hence 

 Seejeestan. A tribe was also known as Sunjuree. 



Lash and Joween are two strong forts on the frontier ; between them 

 flows the river of Furah. We trace Joween in the work of Sir Wm. 

 Ouseley, and in Edresee, and from it have a distinct distance to Zurung, 

 the ancient capital ; viz. to Peer or Dostar, one march ; to Gurgoonah, 

 (12 Arabian miles,) and to the capital 9 miles, more ; say a distance of 

 44 English miles. Ebne Sueed has recorded Zurung as 20 miles to 

 the north of the Helmund ; These forts are constantly in the mouths 

 of moderns as places of great strength ; Captain E. Conolly found the 

 former a mere castle on a cliff, but the latter a place of more strength, 

 and capable of resisting any eastern armies ; as it had often done those 

 of Herat. 



The Furah river flows into the lake or Zuruh of Seestan, an expanse 

 of low marshy land intersected by bodies of water of various depth. 

 The lake is in books represented as nearly 100 miles in length by the 

 same in breadth ; the exposed lands are culturable, the water swarms 

 with fish, and the reeds and jungle afford cover to endless hogs and 

 wild fowl. The down and feathers of the birds forms a large article of 



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