remains merely of the very few villages of
Koord Cabul. A high truncated mountain stands to the south, on which
some patches of snow are visible.

The mountain forming the east wall of the ravine is the subconical one,
seen to such advantage from Arghundee, it is of limestone, quite
precipitous, with a few large bushes of, I do not know what; none of them
being within reach,--Ilex, and _Cupressus_.

_9th_.--To Tazeen, the road for seven miles extends over somewhat
undulated ground, generally good; but here and there stony, with a
gradual but almost imperceptible ascent, until the top of the pass is
reached; from this, the view of Tazeen valley, and the summit of the
Sofaid-Koh is good.

Thence the road extends over ascents and descents, three of which have
considerable, and stony inclinations, then it enters the ravine drained
by a small stream, and continues down it until we enter Tazeen valley.

Two streams are passed in the ascent; the first, near the former halting
place, flowing, where it is crossed, between slaty cliffs of no height;
the second one, small, frozen, and not sufficient to supply a large
party: there is however a spring a short way below the summit, although
very small. Temperature 58 degrees. The rocks forming the narrow ravine
are very rough and slaty: limestones presenting the usual characters.

This march has been said to present a very bad road, but it is not the
case, at least in comparison with many of the Affghan roads, distance
twelve and a half miles, the time it takes for camels to perform the
journey is six hours. The road, where not stony, is very well beaten.

No change is observed in the features of the country until the opposite
side of Tazeen valley is seen, and the summit of the Sofaid-Koh: here,
wonderful to relate! are abundance of firs extending down and along the
ridge to some distance, but not forming forests.

Otherwise the vegetation consists of Senecionoides, _Astragali_, _Rosa_,
Statice 2-3, Artemisiae, and Plectranthus, which last is very common in
the ravine leading to Tazeen valley, which is drained by a small stream.
Here also Carduacea, and Onosmoid angustifolia occur!

In this ravine, Xanthoxylon of Kojhuk, a willow, Rosa, and a distinct
Ilex, occur, forming chiefly a shrubby vegetation. Ilex is also, so far
as can be judged from appearance, the bushy thing seen on the limestone
hill at our last halt, also Cupressus, a fine specimen of which I found
on li