412 



TAZEEN TO BARIKAB. 



9th. — Tried to get to the firs, but failed. 



The lower hills, and indeed the range between the valley and the 

 fir range, are conglomerate, easily disintegrated, then limestone, which 

 often occurs quite vertical. Some of the hills are red, others brown, 

 in one instance the coloured substance is interposed between strata of 

 limestone, which last have alone withstood the effects of climate, this 

 range is as high as the Koord Cabul pass. 



Ilex very common, and much used for charcoal, the trunk being 

 eight to ten inches in diameter ; almost all are pollarded. Pomacea 

 common at 500 feet above this, Plectranthus, Senecionoides. 



Artemisia?, Astragali, Statices, Rosa, bastard indigo, Cerasus. The 

 orchards are now assuming their autumnal tint, Salvia pinnata, Canus 

 aliusque, Ruwash. Chough, ravens, nuthatch, and chakor here occur. 



Heavy snow is observed on the eastern portions of Hindoo-koosh, 

 which are quite barren. The best way to the fir tract I find on 

 enquiry will be to follow the bed of the stream up to it. Fields are 

 being now ploughed and sown. Thermopsides very common here in 

 old cultivation : it affords decent fodder for camels. 



10^. — To Barikab, distance ten and a half miles ; the road extend- 

 ing down the Tazeen ravine, over a tract with a considerable descent 

 for about nine miles ; on passing a long dark looking rock and its 

 spur, the road then leaves the bed, and ascends over low undulations of 

 easily detachable conglomerate, and sand ; then a short but rather 

 steep ascent occurs for 200 feet, passing over an easily friable sand- 

 stone, either existing as grains slightly adherent, or caked ; thence 

 the descent passes over the preceding sort of conglomerate, to an 

 abominably barren ravine, drained by a very small stream. 



The road only once leaves the bed of this ravine, but soon rejoins 

 it before finally turning off. 



The mountains present the same features ; where no outcrop of 

 strata occurs, they are rounded, brown, and very barren, with here and 

 there an Ilex ; towards the end of the raviny part in one or two places, 

 more wood than usual occurs, forming scattered thickets. Fraxinus, 

 the older branches of which have much smaller leaves, Thymelia of 

 Chiltera, Cerasus canus, and alius, Senecionoides, Composite, Arte- 

 misia?, Polygonum frutescens, which last is not uncommon through- 

 out. Equisetoides becomes common towards the black rock. 



Where the road turns off from the ravine, a Khubar or tope oc- 

 curs, shaded with two or three large Xanthoxyleae now in fruit, called 

 Khinjuk. 



