350 



CANDAII A R. 



26th. — Halted : Candahar is hid from us by some low hills, on the 

 surmounting of which a large straggling place is obscurely visible, inter- 

 spersed with trees, the valley is much smaller than that in which we 

 are now, which is very extensive. Munjit cultivation is conducted 

 by deep trenches, it is a different species I think from that of the 

 Himalayas. The bed of the Turnuk is now dry and very shallow : and 

 the hills near us are extremely barren, the chief vegetation being 

 Paederioides vestila and Staticoides cymosa, Cheiranthus continues. 

 The vegetation is very poor as indeed it has been since leaving the 

 Khojeb Amrah, nor is there any appearance to be seen of a better 

 autumnal vegetation. 



Candahar is visible at a distance of six miles, from some low hills 

 to the north of our camp. 



27tk. — Moved to Candahar, skirting the low hills just mentioned 

 and passed through two villages, a mile from Candahar in a fine open 

 plain. 



Candahar has rather a pleasing aspect ; it is situated close to a 

 picturesque range of hills, and is well diversified with trees, barley 

 and wheat fields. The slope on which the town stands is a parallelo- 

 gram ; towers occur frequently along the wall, which is however, of 

 mud, and not strong ; it is surrounded by a ditch utterly insignificant 

 on account of its narrowness and shelving banks, this ditch is crossed 

 by an insignificant causeway. The gate at which I entered is oblique, 

 and is defended by a tower : it leads into the main street which is rather 

 wide and not very dirty : towards the centre of this you pass under a 

 middling dome, a street branching off to the right and left ; the con- 

 tinuation of the main street or bazar leads to the topekhanah, or ar- 

 tillery ground, a small space quite disorderly, containing eight or ten 

 guns, most of them melted at the mouth; one Sheik 18-pounder of 

 cast iron, another of English make, 140 years old. From the end of 

 this space you pass over another similar ditch into the fort, the 

 entrance to which is covered, affording two or three angles capable 

 of good hand to hand defence. Passing thence through some spaces 

 occupied by low buildings, you reach Khoondil Khan's house, an 

 extremely rude looking place outside, but very different within. It 

 consists of two houses, one looking into a small square with a delici- 

 ous reservoir of water, and some fine and very green mulberry trees ; 

 the ground being laid out as a garden with sweet-william, etc. ; the 

 water is supplied by a small cut, and is seven or eight feet deep. 

 The garden fronts of both houses are prettily ornamented, one has a 



