NEEMLA. 



417 



like that at Soorkhab, but of two arches, and ascending a little 

 way, then winding along over undulating very stony ground ; this 

 continues until we descend steeply and along the Neemla valley, a 

 mere ravine, historically interesting, as the field on which Shah 

 Soojah lost his kingdom in 1809, and for a fine tope of trees: 

 then crossing a streamlet, we ascend a little way over sandstone, then 

 another stream, which we follow for 500 yards, and ascending a 

 little, we proceed thence to camp, along a slight slope of very stony, 

 generally very level ground, where we halted on a rivulet with a 

 wide grassy bed, Lythrum growing around. 



No change appears in the vegetation : the surface very barren in 

 stony parts, chiefly Artemisia, Saccharum, Andropogon albus, in 

 ravines, Capparis common, also iErua and Lycionoides. 



The northern boundary of the valley is comparatively low, and from 

 Sofaid-Koh to this is an uniform slope, broken by ravines ; here and 

 there by small hills ; ravines occasionally dilating into small valleys, 

 the only parts in which cultivation is to be seen. This is so far dif- 

 ferent from the usual formation where the valleys occupy the level 

 tract between the slopes from either boundary range. Neemla is a 

 very confined space for any thing like the battle said to have taken 

 place here, the rising grounds inclosing the small space being too 

 much broken for cavalry. 



The rocks consist of conglomerate at top, below sandstone, layers 

 of both alternating near the surface : a break occurs (nearly opposite) 

 in the hills, this break is minutely undulated.* Rock pigeons were seen 

 on the march by Thomson, and small partridges. I find that though 

 to our senses there was comparatively but little descent, that the 

 barometer and thermometer indicate one of 1,500 feet. The Neemla 

 river must be the boundary between the hot and cold countries 

 alluded to by Burnes. 



In spite of this descent, and our small altitude, about 3,000 feet, 

 but little change if any occurs in the vegetation, and none in the 



Bar. 25 5. 

 Gundarauck. 



Hypericifolium. 



Bar. 26 05. 



Futtehabad. 



Neemla. 



* This alludes to a sketch of the valley. 



3 h 



