AFGHAN BOUNDARY COMMISSION. 191 



whose crowd of irregular snowy peaks are equally hard to tell apart. 

 A very great difficulty was thus presented to the direct connexion 

 by triangulation of the previous surveys executed during the Afghan 

 campaign from the Kabul side and those now drawing to a close 

 of Afghan Turkestan. The longitude values in the latter region 

 had been brought over many leagues of desert and mountain from 

 Mashhad to the Hindu Kush, while the values about Kabul were 

 well determined and in direct connexion with India. The latitude 

 values depended on constant astronomical observations, which might 

 fairly be expected to be correct to one or two seconds, as they 

 were checked within certain limits by the results of triangulation. 

 Fortunately, right on the backbone of the main water-shed of the 

 Hindu Kush, a peak was at last discovered whence Colonel Holdich 

 was enabled to recognise the well-known landmarks of the Kabul 

 campaign, whilst due north were one or two granite pinnacles 

 belonging to the Turkestan Series. Thus the two systems of 

 triangulation were finally and successfully united with a general 

 agreement that was highly satisfactory, considering the enormous 

 area traversed, and highly creditable to Colonel Holdich and his 

 colleagues. 



The next piece of work was the survey of the Hindu Kush and the 

 routes and passes connecting Afghan Turkistan with Kohistan 

 and Kabul. These surveys were carried out by Colonel Holdich, 

 Captains Peacocke, Talbot, and Maitland, and Sub-Surveyors Yusuf 

 Sharif, Ata Mahomed, and Hira Sing, and on completion of the 

 work all assembled at Charikar. Yusuf Sharif ascended some peaks 

 near Khawak and made some additions to the existing knowledge 

 of the surrounding mountain region. The main water-shed of the 

 Hindu Kush preserves a singular uniformity of level, while the 

 gigantic spurs which intersect Badakhshan and Kafiristan, and which 

 rise almost to the dignity of separate ranges, are repeated along the 

 entire length of the Hindu Kush on the north as well as on the south, 

 enclosing valleys similar to the Ghorband and Panjshir. But the 

 physical characteristics of the northern offshoots are distinctly 

 different from those of the south, and might well belong to a different 

 system and climate. Rough barren walls and ridges of limestone 

 and granite tower above the narrow valleys on either hand, splinterino- 

 at their summits into sharp aiguilles streaked with snow even in the 

 summer months, and constantly hurling down avalanches of rocks 

 to block the mrrow green riband that borders the mountain streams. 



