BARIKAB TO JUGDULLUCK. 



413 



Snow visible from Barikab to the north, but generally in ravines. 

 The country continues abominably barren, we passed the entrance of 

 the Lutabund pass, near the black rock, but without seeing- it : no 

 difficulty occurs on the road, except from the jolting of stones. There 

 is however no forage to be had at the halt, and but little fodder. A 

 sprinkling of holly-looking bushes are seen extending over the lower 

 ranges of Hindoo-koosh. 



l\th. — Jugdulluck, ten and a half miles from our last encamp- 

 ment ; on leaving Barikab we commenced ascending, winding over 

 undulating ground for a short distance, until we reached the main 

 ascent, which is short, but moderately steep : thence we descended 

 steeply for perhaps 500 feet, hitherto the road extended over sand 

 hills, with quantities of stones. On reaching the foot of the steep 

 descent, we then descended gradually over a long stony inclined 

 plane, then entered undulating ground, descending from which the 

 road took us over a small stream, which we followed up, soon enter- 

 ing a gorge, up which we continued till we reached Jugdulluck. 

 This gorge is the finest and boldest we have seen, the rocks forming 

 precipitous cliffs 2,400 feet high, which often hem in the road, 

 and confine it to a breadth of a few feet, sufficient merely for a gun 

 to pass. 



On emerging from this we reached the tope of Jugdulluck, now 

 a grove of mulberry trees, surrounded by the remains of a wall. 



The country, until we entered the gorge, presented the same fea- 

 tures as before, being frightfully barren. Passed a spring of water at 

 the foot of the main descent where there is level ground sufficient 

 for a small party, afterwards we passed a smaller spring containing 

 less water, but situated in much better ground than Barikab. 



The vegetation of undulated ground continues unchanged, very 

 poor and stunted ; in ravines below the main descent, Stipa is very 

 common; in others, a large Andropogon occurs near the mouth of 

 the gorge along the bed of the river, also Jhow in patches, and one 

 patch of Donax. 



The vegetation of the gorge is more varied ; two small trees occur, 

 one the Khinjuk, and it is the commonest, the other a Terebin- 

 thacea ; Thymelsea of Chiltera is common, Ephedra, Ilex occurs but 

 is less common than on hills. 



Along the water to which it gives exit, and which is abundant, the 

 usual Cyperacese, Junceae, Gnaphalium, Potentilla, and Epilobium 

 occur as at Cabul ; the place is chiefly remarkable for two or three 



