oides continues; a curious subaphyllous
Composita occurs, Iris persica is not uncommon; another Iris is found
here and there in profusion, with Gnidia in sandy spots, Compositae,
Monocotyledons of Abigoon are common in shingle. New rock pigeons. Fine
madder cultivation in _khets_. Of birds the yellow hammer occurs.
Villages numerous, poor, and though built of mud and straw yet present
abundance of small domes.

In these dry hot plains the prevailing wind is westerly, blowing very
strong in the heat of the day, and having a tendency to become hot: the
thermometer is here 98 degrees. The cultivation of wheat is very general
around our present encampment which is within four miles of Candahar, the
wheat is fine; Lolioides occurs in it.

_26th_.--Halted: Candahar is hid from us by some low hills, on the
surmounting of which a large straggling place is obscurely visible,
interspersed with trees, the valley is much smaller than that in which we
are now, which is very extensive. Munjit cultivation is conducted by
deep trenches, it is a different species I think from that of the
Himalayas. The bed of the Turnuk is now dry and very shallow: and the
hills near us are extremely barren, the chief vegetation being
Paederioides vestila and Staticoides cymosa, Cheiranthus continues. The
vegetation is very poor as indeed it has been since leaving the Khojeb
Amrah, nor is there any appearance to be seen of a better autumnal
vegetation.

Candahar is visible at a distance of six miles, from some low hills to
the north of our camp.

_27th_.--Moved to Candahar, skirting the low hills just mentioned and
passed through two villages, a mile from Candahar in a fine open plain.

Candahar has rather a pleasing aspect; it is situated close to a
picturesque range of hills, and is well diversified with trees, barley
and wheat fields. The slope on which the town stands is a parallelogram;
towers occur frequently along the wall, which is however, of mud, and not
strong; it is surrounded by a ditch utterly insignificant on account of
its narrowness and shelving banks, this ditch is crossed by an
insignificant causeway. The gate at which I entered is oblique, and is
defended by a tower: it leads into the main street which is rather wide
and not very dirty: towards the centre of this you pass under a middling
dome, a street branching off to the right and left; the continuation of
the main street or bazar leads to the _topekhanah_, or artill