KOORD CABUL PASS. 



411 



Thence the road extends over ascents and descents, three of which 

 have considerable, and stony inclinations, then it enters the ravine 

 drained by a small stream, and continues down it until we enter 

 Tazeen valley. 



Two streams are passed in the ascent ; the first, near the former 

 halting place, flowing, where it is crossed, between slaty cliffs of no 

 height; the second one, small, frozen, and not sufficient to supply a 

 large party : there is however a spring a short way below the summit, 

 although very small. Temperature 58°. The rocks forming the nar- 

 row ravine are very rough and slaty : limestones presenting the usual 

 characters. 



This march has been said to present a very bad road, but it is not the 

 case, at least in comparison with many of the Affghan roads, distance 

 twelve and a half miles, the time it takes for camels to perform the 

 journey is six hours. The road, where not stony, is very well beaten. 



No change is observed in the features of the country until the 

 opposite side of Tazeen valley is seen, and the summit of the Sofaid- 

 Koh : here, wonderful to relate ! are abundance of firs extending 

 down and along the ridge to some distance, but not forming forests. 



Otherwise the vegetation consists of Senecionoides, Astragali, Rosa, 

 Statice 2-3, Artemisise, and Plectranthus, which last is very common 

 in the ravine leading to Tazeen valley, which is drained by a small 

 stream. Here also Carduacea, and Onosmoid angustifolia occur ! 



In this ravine, Xanthoxylon of Kojhuk, a willow, Rosa, and a dis- 

 tinct Ilex, occur, forming chiefly a shrubby vegetation. Ilex is also, 

 so far as can be judged from appearance, the bushy thing seen on the 

 limestone hill at our last halt, also Cupressus, a fine specimen of 

 which I found on limestone at about the height of the top of the 

 pass, (22*76 Bar.) Ther. 60°, with a very small Spiraea. 



The large-winged vultures of Arghundee are common here. Some 

 ruined villages were past, a mosque stood near one of these, two and 

 a half miles from last halt, little cultivation in the Tazeen valley, 

 and in the centre of this, two villages with orchards are visible. 



• Bar. 2276. 



• . • • . Hufli-Koh. 



Cupressus or rather Juniper. • • Spring, temp. 58°, it is too small 



• ' ' • • . to afford an accurate result. 



. ' • • • • . Stony. 



Koord Cabul. . • 



• * ' • • • . • . Narrow ravine. Ilex. 



• . Xanthox., Rosa, Salix. 



•23-3— Bar. 



• • . Tazeen. 

 . . . 24 -0.— Bar. 



