1853.] Travels in Central Asia. 289 



It is customary to hang certain herbs down this chasm by long 

 ropes for a month, after which, they are considered as panaceas for 

 all diseases. The plant was very bitter, apparently a gentian. It 

 is called Thoceth. 



The caves are of various size ; inside plain : in one he saw numer- 

 ous images rudely carved of deities and beasts, and apparently 

 letters. The central smooth pillar, 22 feet high, of the main cave 

 was especially so carved. 



He sounds the chasm and gets no bottom at 1140 yards ! ! ! and 

 does not visit the other chasm — rich geological sections. 



7 th. — From Abba Geth diverges about 7 miles. Visits a chasm 

 called G-roor-geth. Follows a broad impetuous torrent running at 

 the base of an immense (1000 feet) cliff ; the valley is ended by a wall 

 of rock under which the stream vanishes, a rocky island dividing 

 it as it disappears, forming a grand water-fall, meeting 20 feet 

 below. 



Thence they ascend to the top in a small valley. 



8th. — Continued North East course ; rugged mountains interpersed 

 with green valleys ; next Khoolook, which lies at the foot of the 

 mountains and border of the desert plain called Esh, which runs 

 from Koondooz twenty-five miles to Pralli ; twelve thence to Khoo- 

 look. 



Delivers Morad Begh's letter to Khan Bahadur; meets a Hindu 

 who has a silver-mounted pocket-compass, and part of a map of India 

 — probably belonging to Moorcroft. 



9th. — Halt at Khoolook to visit ruins of an old city called Kafir 

 Derra. 



It is situated in a narrow pass. The labyrinthine cave cut in 

 marble, grey, white, brown or black, extending about a mile on each 

 side, of excessive intricacy within ; prevented from exploring by innu- 

 merable venomous snakes — numerous prostrate pillars sculptured 

 with figures ; most of the caves mere burrows, 3 feet high. The city 

 is said to have been depopulated by the snakes, which assume the 

 colour of the ground or rocks they inhabit, blue on the blue marble, 

 green among herbage. The pass at the end of the valley is imprac- 

 ticable on account of the snakes. 



About 1| mile due north of Esh, on a bare plain of rock, a colossal 



