360 



CANDAHAR AND A UGH AND A B VALLIES. 



The Arghandab is a good sized river, with channel subdivided : it- 

 stream is rapid and fordable ; no large boulders occur in its bed ; 

 the temperature of its water is moderate. 



The fish are a Cyprinus and a Barbus, or Oreinus with small scale*, 

 thick leathery mouth, and cirrhi ; a Loach of largish size, flat head, 

 reddish, with conspicuous brownish mottlings, and a Silurus. 



The hills forming the northern boundary of the valley are pictur- 

 esque, and of several series, and perhaps the subordinate valleys are 

 not so large and fruitful in this direction. 



Between Arghandab and Candahar, two ranges occur ; one inter- 

 rupted : the other nearer Candahar has first to be surmounted at a low 

 pass ; the pass is short, rugged and impassable for guns. The inner 

 ridge is much closer to the cultivated part of the valley than the 

 northern range. 



Between it and the Arghandab, at least six cuts occur : these 

 are met with generally in threes, and are at different elevations ; the 

 inner one being close at the foot of the hills ; great labour must 

 have been required to make them. Numerous villages, some with flat 

 roofed houses occur. 



Arundo, Salsola, Plantago, P. coronopoid, Cnicus, Juncus, Vero- 

 nica exallata, Santalacea, Mentha, Lactucoides, Chenopod. 2-3, Pani- 

 cum, Samolus, Ceratophyllum ; Salix occurs near the river ; apricots, 

 apples, pomegranates, damsons or plums, bullaces, pears, mulberries 

 and raspberries in the gardens. 



The shingle found about all the hills in Khorassan, can scarcely 

 be derived from any source but disintegration, it slopes too gra- 

 dually and uniformly for upheavement. If my idea is correct, the 

 mountains will at some period be buried in their own debris, of 

 course inspection of the shingle will at once point out whether this 

 is true or not, more especially in all those places where the rocks are of 

 uniform structure. There is a curious desert to the south and south- 

 west of Candahar, elevated a good deal above the valley, quite bare, 

 and stretching a long way to the westward : it is seen for forty miles 

 along the Girishk road. 



Curious reflection. — Observed in ghee used as lamp-oil, a bubble 

 ascending from the surface of the water on which it floated, met 

 by another descending; the deception of this is perfect. That it 

 is due to reflection, is apparent from the variation of the length of 

 the descent, according to the angle under which it is viewed. 

 When viewed from beneath at a very oblique angle, the descent is 



