ction lay the same as before, but as we approached
the low hills, separating us from Ghuznee plain, we proceeded more east
in order to turn them. The features of the country are the same,
together with the vegetation, the only novelty being a genuine Statice
and a Cruciferous plant, which I observed at Mookhloor, and a Composita,
Echinops spinis radiantibus continued. The medicated suffruticose
Artemisia: _Joussa_ in old cultivation, and Peganum are the most common
plants.

Grass abundant along the cuts and streamlets, mixed with a pretty new
Astragalus, and the Astragalus of Mookhloor, _Composita depressa_, etc.

The valley narrowing, we halted at the foot of low hills, which we are
yet to traverse; the ground about our camp stony and barren, producing
Astragalus, thorny Staticoides, Centaurea spinosa, Verbascum, and
Thapsus.

The soil of the plain good and deep, as instanced by ravines, and the
deep beds of streamlets. Cultivation is abundant, villages numerous,
and, as usual, all walled; their form generally square, with a bastion at
each corner, and often two at each face, in which there is a gate. The
people are very confident of their own security in these parts, crowding
to our camp with merchandise. The country continues bare of trees,
except about some of the villages; northern boundary hills lofty; a
curious snow-like appearance is occasionally produced from denudation of
land slips, like a long wall running along one of the ridges: southern
hills distant, presenting limestone characters.

The articles sold in camp yesterday, were _atta_ (wheat) eight seers,
barley sixteen _chenna_, sugar three to four seers. Lucerne abundant, at
one rupee four annas a bullock load, _soorais_, _kismiss_, three to four
seers, _zurd-aloo_ twelve seers, dried _toot_ or mulberry one and a
half seers for a rupee, but these are insipid, very sweet, but also very
dirty, _pistacio_ nuts one seer: crops not yet cut, but ripe.

_Kupra_, cloth of common quality, as well as a black kind called
_soosee_.

Barometer, mean of three observations (12 P.M., 1 P.M., 2 P.M.) 23.433,
thermometer 85 degrees 6'. Wooll. new therm. bar. mean of two
observations, 699.1, old, 597.5. Lichens abundant on black _limestone_?
rocks. On hills about camp, Labiata nova, and a curious tomentose plant
were the only novelties.

_19th_.--Proceeded to Argutto, distance nine miles, direction easterly,
the country continues unchanged until we ascende