HINDOO-KOOSH — KULLOO MOUNTAIN. 



397 



September 1st. — After re-crossing Hajeeguk we continued our 

 march to Sohkta, five and a half miles. The road continued along a 

 considerable descent throughout, at first down the valley in which 

 we had halted to the west, thence down the large Kulloo valley in a 

 northerly direction ; towards the mouth of first ravine or valley it is 

 bad, passing across a land slip, then it crosses the bed of a huge 

 torrent falling at a great rate, and obstructed with boulders ; the 

 right bank, a high almost precipitous mountain, the left a high aggre- 

 gate of granitic and other boulders. Water abundant, divided into 

 three streams or so : this torrent comes direct from the nearest por- 

 tion of Kohi-Baba, which appears of easy descent, presenting beauti- 

 ful peaks. The road then keeps along left bank, undulating over the 

 ravines, down which water flows from the hills on the eastern side ; 

 some of these are very steep, and the road itself is infamous, as may be 

 supposed, crowded with boulders, and impracticable for wheeled car- 

 riages : one precipitous ravine we passed through, the rocks consist- 

 ed of blackish, curiously laminated, and metallic looking stone. On 

 descending one steep ravine, we then came on the road leading up to 

 the Kulloo mountain, where we halted. 



A good many villages, with forts, as usual were passed ; the culti- 

 vation more advanced than at our last halt, crops consisting chiefly 

 of barley. One good fort was observed close to our halting place 

 opposite the direction of the small Kulloo ravine ; across the valley a 

 well marked road is seen running up a part of Kulloo ridge, at a 

 lower elevation than that which we crossed. 



Poplars and willows occur in the large valley, particularly towards 

 Sohkta, a small orchard of stunted mulberry trees. Cultivation con- 

 sisting of peas ; barley of fine grain, resembling wheat when freed 

 from the husk. 



The plants of the valley of Kulloo were badly observed, as I was 

 greatly tired and fatigued. Polygonum fruticosum re-occurs, Silene, 

 Clematis erecta, Tragogopon, Salvia but less common, a curious 

 Cruciferous plant, Lactucacea purpurea of Cabul, Chenopodium vil- 

 losum faemin. Dianthus, Saponaria, Lychnis inflata, oats common in 

 fields, the common thistle, Urtica, Caragana abundant along the bed 

 of the river, Papaver. On rocks about camp, 2 Salsolse, Glaucum, 

 Umbelliferse of the Yonutt ravine, Artemisise, Rosa Ribes ! Scrophu- 

 laria alia. 



The valley is very narrow at camp, the river running between 

 precipices, in some parts passable without wetting the feet. 



