4 MIDDLEMISS : GEOLOGY OF HAZARA AND BLACK MOUNTAIN. 



began in March, enabled me to push my survey across the border into 

 the almost unknown country of the Hassanzai and Akazai (small 

 trans-frontier tribes). This season's work, both before and during 

 the campaign, was considerably interfered with by persistent bad 

 weather — rain, hail, snow, and high winds frequently stopping work. 

 In the following cold weather of 1891-92 Sub-Assistant Hira Lai was 

 placed with me, and I was joined a little later by Mr. W. B. D. 

 Edwards, A.R.C.S., late Assistant Superintendent, then newly arrived 

 in India. The season was unusually mild and favourable for work, and 

 great progress was made with the map. During the last working 

 season, 1892-93, I again had the services of Sub-Assistant Hira Lai. 

 The cold weather began well during the latter part of 1892, but at 

 the end of January and during most of February 1893 heavy snowfall 

 of phenomenal severity drove my field operations to lower and lower 

 levels, until not only the higher hills, but Abbottabad, the low fring- 

 ing hills north of Rawalpindi plateau, and all the lowest parts of 

 the Haripur plain, were covered with snow, the rivers flooded, and 

 camping at last rendered impossible. The heavy snowfall also pre- 

 vented certain projected trips up into the higher valleys of Bogar- 

 mung and Khagan, for though the route along the valley of the Koon- 

 har was more or less open, the hill-spurs and ridges were hopelessly 

 buried under snow. Even so far south as the rid^e between 

 Kalabagh and Tandiani the northern slopes and crests 8,000 and 

 9,000 feet high were similarly covered with a deep and impassable 

 mantle until late in May. As an additional check to work, the rains 

 set in earlier than usual and with terrible violence. It will be a long 

 time before the rise of the Jhelum river in July, 36 feet above its 

 mean summer level, and which swept away the Domel, Garhi-Habi- 

 bullah and Kohala bridges, will be forgotten. 1 All communication be. 

 tween Hazara and Kashmir was cut off thereby, and much additional 



1 From information supplied by Mr. R. B. Yates, Ex. Engineer, Rawalpindi Pro. 

 Circle, this flood was 63 ft. above winter level, 36 ft. above mean summer level, and 15 ft. 

 higher than any previously recorded flood. 



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