KOHI-BABA. 



485 



koosh to the east and north are ordinarily shaped. All the hills on 

 the north side of the valley disintegrate on their south faces, forming 

 cliffs of partial extent. 



13th. — Proceeded to Akrobat, ascending the Bamean river, and 

 then diverging up a kotul or acclivity of considerable height, but 

 gradual ascent. Then descending at once steeply to Akrobat, which 

 is about 9,500 feet above the sea. Along the river, Rosa, Hippo- 

 phae, and Salix occur, the two former being abundant. Scarcely 

 any change in vegetation occurs : an Ephedra, very common up the 

 kotul and abundantly in fruit. The hills are very barren, and nothing 

 remarkable is observable about Syghan. Apricot constitutes the only 

 fruit tree. Salix, Populus, and Sinjit occur. 



All the valleys are narrow, and the hills very barren, the chief vege- 

 tation being Salsolacese. The vegetation of the valleys is the same 

 as that of Bamean ; on the north of Akrobat two Statice occur, one 

 with spathulate leaves scapigerous, the other a tall straggling plant. 



22nd. — Erak. The vegetation of Kurzar consists of Hypericum, 

 Salsolacese, Carduacea, and Hyoscyamus spinosus, but Salsolacese 

 occur in profusion and several species. 



Hypericum enjoys to perfection, the faculty of condensing water 

 on its leaves, much more so than Salsolacese ; it presents an obvious 

 affinity to Rutacese, capsula radiata 5-valvis, loculicida : valvis linea 

 centrali notatis, septis solutis imo apice exceptis. Seminibus basi 

 locul. affixis, apice villosis ; the tobacco is different from the Nicot. 

 tobaccum, cor. virida tubo calyce, duplo longiore lamina brevi plicato : 

 apricots in sheltered places. 



24th. — Kurzar. The Erak kotul is thickly covered with Festuca 

 triticoides, two Carduaceae, Salvia, Artemisia?, and Statices on the 

 south side. On the north Statices, Onosma, and Carduaceae are 

 most common, and the vegetation is scantier. Ribes is common up 

 the Erak ravine ; with it, Rosa and Symphorema are the chief shrubs. 

 Ephedra ceases about 10,000 feet. A snake found of general grey 

 colour, with black-brown marking. 



26th. — Ascended Kohi-Baba from upper Kaloo, the ascent occu- 

 pied about five hours, the ridge was surmounted but no view of 

 Baissoat was obtained, except that the crest surmounted, as well as 

 the still loftier culminating one belong to ridges running 30° north 

 from a main ridge, the passes of which, although apparently the same 

 height as the peak surmounted, are much more heavily covered with 

 snow. These passes do not appear very difficult. 



