HINDOO-KOOSH HAJEEGUK. 



395 



A dreadfully cutting dry wind blows down the ravine, and in 

 our faces all the way. Limestone cliffs occurred, about which the 

 vegetation became rich, more especially near a bridge consisting 

 of trees thrown across a narrow portion of the river, at a point where 

 the stream is very deep ; near this are two willow trees of a different 

 species. A fine Rosa, a new Epilobium, Aconitum, Salisburifolium, a 

 small Crucifera, one or two Compositse, a curious Polygonum, a Ru- 

 mex, a Dianthus, Silene, three or four Umbelliferse, among which is 

 the yellow Ferula ? of the Kojhuk pass, two or three new Legumi- 

 nosse, Saponaria, Silenacea inflata, Cerastium may be found among 

 them, or in the fields close by. 



3lst. — We ascended the high bank or cliff over the bridge, and 

 continued up the ravine which lies over the river, but whose bed is too 

 narrow for a road : we passed two or three villages, the road undulat- 

 ing over ground covered with granite boulders, or rather small masses, 

 rounded only when exposed to weather ; the bottom of each undula- 

 tion is covered with sward and giving exit to a small stream ; some- 

 times we came on the bed of the river. At six and a half miles we 

 came on a fort, used as a custom house, and diverged again to the 

 east up a ravine ; the Arak road continuing along the river. We 

 passed another fort, and then commenced the main ascent of Hajee- 

 guk. In a ravine to the left, 100 feet above us, was a large mass of 

 half frozen snow: barometer at the foot of main ascent 20*320, 

 thermometer 80°. The ascent is rather steep, but easy enough : 

 barometer 19*755, thermometer 80°. Thence the descent was steep 

 for about 800 feet, and then gradual for four or five more, when we 

 encamped on sward. From the top of the pass we had a beautiful 

 view of the ridge of Kohi-Baba, running about WNW., presenting 

 a succession of fine bold rugged peaks, the conical mass was not seen 

 well, as there is heavy snow on it, and on some other parts of the 

 ridge. 



Water is plentiful in all ravines, the lower parts of which are 

 covered with swardy grass. Cultivation is less advanced than at 

 Yonutt, consisting chiefly of barley ; every capable spot is made use 

 of. Boulders of antimony, also a large mountain close to, and 

 on the right of our camp composed of this ore, which is very 

 heavy ; a ruined fort on the hill near us, shewing again how some of 

 these ridges become disintegrated. A cafil» passed with huge loads of 

 cloths of various sorts, carried on asses, going to Bamean : they paid 

 toll I observed at Choky fort. 



