THE TASS AT CHOKEY. 



345 



our left. Not much change in the vegetation : Xanthoxylon is almost 

 entirely confined to ravines, Cerasus common, and one or two other 

 prickly shrubs, and a Ruta, Onosma, Linarea, coming into flower, are 

 among the novelties. 



We encamped where the pass becomes narrow, and the ascent 

 steep, and where water is plentiful, but the stream being soon absorbed 

 does not appear to run down the main ravine at this season. 



12th. — Halted, to make the road where the main ascent commences 

 about 400 yards from our camp, and which is about 300 feet high ; 

 thence there is a descent, and afterwards an ascent to about 600 feet 

 above the camp, whence the low plains of Candahar are visible, as well 

 as the range to the north of which Candahar stands. The road is 

 good compared with places elsewhere to be seen, and for common traffic 

 on camels may be easy enough ; but for guns, it is steep and difficult. 

 The way it has been made by the Engineers is admirable and rapid ; 

 three other passes without roads, and in their rude natural state are 

 as yet to be crossed. The pass here is narrow, none of the hills rise 

 more than 1,000 feet above it, they are easily accessible, and are 

 composed chiefly of clay slate. Chikores are frequent. The cuckoo 

 was heard to-day, as well as a beautifully melodious titmouse, with 

 a black crown : a fine eagle, or falcon was seen. 



The hills are as usual barren, all the shrubs are thorny, and all the 

 plants unsocial, never coalescing into any thing like groups. The 

 Xanthoxylon is found throughout in ravines up to nearly 7,000 feet, 

 the utmost height of the pass. Fraxinus of Chiltera also occurs, Cera- 

 sus primus, in abundance, Cerasus alius, tertius, not uncommon, Berbe- 

 ris ! here and there in ravines, Equisetoides, Caraganoides altera ; the 

 most common shrubs of any size are Cerasus primus. The other 

 shrubs consist of the low customary Composite, and Astragalese, 

 Umbelliferae are common, among which last the Nari, a species of 

 Assafcetida occurs ? A beautiful Iris is common, as well as tufts of 

 Berberidese, Asphodelus major, and which is much eaten when 

 cooked as a turkaree by our hungry followers, Eryngioides, Aconi- 

 toides, a Valeriana, three new small Veronica?, small Cruciferse, 

 Silenacese, Boraginese, and Labiatse, form the bulk of the herbace- 

 ous vegetation. An Arenarioid, Muscoid, Cruciferse, common at the 

 head of the pass. A large Acanthoid leaved Umbellifera, a Rheoides pa- 

 pillis verrucosum, this is a true Rheum, and when cultivated becomes 

 the Ruwash of the Affghanistans ; it is very common on the Canda- 

 har face of the pass, particularly about Chokey, where it is in flower. 



2y 



