rought us, after another dreary march of seventeen miles, to the fort
and village of Koorrum. For nearly the whole distance between Rhoeh
and Koorrum not a drop of water is procurable; as we had not provided
against this contingency, we suffered in proportion. Altogether this
part of the road offers considerable obstacles to the progress of an
army, from its numerous ravines and steep though short ascents and
descents, which would be very difficult for artillery; I should, from
a cursory glance at the country, imagine that these steep pitches
might be avoided by a more circuitous route, though the one we pursued
was the beaten track for the caravans, and they generally find out the
most convenient passage. The approach to Koorrum was pretty, but the
scenery was of a character with which we were now so familiar that
its peculiar beauties did not perhaps impress us as much as when they
afforded the additional charm of novelty. A succession of walnut,
apricot, mulberry, and apple trees shaded our path, which lay through
extensive orchards, carpeted with beautiful turf. The vines clung to
the sycamore trees; and where the spade had been at work, corn and
artificial grasses grew in abundance. Our next halting place was
Sarbagh, where we arrived on the 15th, after marching through a
pleasant and fruitful valley, flanked by parallel belts of mountain
land, the agreeable verdure relieving the eye from the barrenness of
this, I may call it, parietal range. The ornamental trees which fringe
the banks of the Koollum river, as it gracefully pursues its course to
the Oxus, had altogether a very picturesque appearance.

The son of Baber Beg, the chief of Heibuk, was at this time residing
at Sarbagh, and shewed us every possible attention, sending us sheep,
fowls, corn, flour, fruit, and every article required for about
seventy people. It was very gratifying to us to find that we were
treated by the Uzbeg chiefs in so friendly a manner, as we had some
misgivings lest our being unprovided with any letters from influential
men in C[=a]bul, might create unfavourable surmises amongst a
half-savage and naturally suspicious race. Doubtless we gained a large
portion of attention and civility from the idea which pervaded all our
hosts that we were great hakeems, _physicians_, and if we chose,
could relieve the human body from every illness whether real or
imaginary--and I was glad to remark that the latter class of ailment
was by far the most