386 



CABUL FORTIFICATIONS. 



13M. — I ascended this morning the ridge above us, up which the 

 wall runs ; the ascent is, after surmounting the summer-house of Shah 

 Zumaun, considerably steep, and very rugged. The highest position of 

 the wall is 1,150 feet above the city. It is eight feet high, and six 

 or seven thick, composed of slabs of the micaceous slaty stone of the 

 place, cemented by mud, with a parapet of two feet, generally of 

 kucha, or mud, with loopholes, and bad embrasures. It is furnished 

 with bastions, but is now in a ruinous state. It is a work com- 

 pletely thrown away. To the south, the wall bends eastward, and is 

 continuous with the outworks of the upper citadel ; to the north it 

 dips into the gorge, and re- ascends the hills on the opposite 

 side. 



From the peak, (which is not the highest point of the ridge, there 

 being two higher to the south, on the nearest of which is a mound, 

 and a small pillar) a beautiful view is obtained of Cabul, its valley, 

 and its mountains, together with the far more beautiful valley in 

 which the army is encamped. 



The town itself presents an irregular outline, and is, with the 

 exception of some gardens towards its northern side, some lucerne 

 fields near its centre, and one or two open spots of small size, dense- 

 ly crowded with the usual terraced-roofed, kucha, or mud houses, 

 which are so close, as to show no streets whatever. 



There is not a single conspicuous building in it, with the excep- 

 tion of the lower Bala Hissar and a mosque of small size on the 

 right bank of the river, occupying an open space near a garden, 

 which alone renders it distinct. 



The Bala Hissar occupies the eastern corner : its outworks are 

 regular enough. It is surrounded by the remains of a wet ditch ; its 

 works have been lately improved. Excepting the part occupied by 

 the Shah, etc. the space is crowded by houses exactly like the town. 

 The fort to its south and commanding it completely, is the upper 

 citadel, and is altogether out of repair ; this continues the defence 

 formed by the wall. The walls of the city themselves are not distin- 

 guishable, excepting those of the nearest quarter, occupied by Kuz- 

 zilbashes. The river intersects the town, it is crossed by two, three, or 

 perhaps more small stone bridges, and runs nearly due east, and may 

 be traced almost to the foot of the eastern boundary range. From near 

 the mosque a fine straight road runs NNE. or thereabouts, with 

 avenues of trees of small size near the town. Two other roads are 

 visible on the east side ; one is continuous with that which runs along 

 the north face of the lower citadel, it runs due east ; and the other slopes 



