vine,
Artemisiae, Rosa _Ribes_! Scrophularia alia.

The valley is very narrow at camp, the river running between precipices,
in some parts passable without wetting the feet.

_2nd_.--From Sohkta Kullar-Rood to Topehee, eight and a half miles. The
road lay in a northerly direction for a quarter of a mile, then turning
up a steep ravine, with an ascent for 800 feet; then small descent, then
levellish, until we came to a black cliff, over which another steeper but
longer ascent extended, then it became levellish for some distance; two
other moderate, extended, longish ascents, led us to the summit, which is
500 feet higher than that of Hajeeguk. The descent continued steep and
most tedious on reaching the precipitous ravine of Topehee, the road
wound over small spurs, until we came to a grove of willows near the
village. The road although steep is not bad, the soil being soft, that
of the upper parts and of the descent, even annoying from the sand, both
might with little trouble be made easy, but especially the descent.

The mercury of the Barometer on the summit at 11 A.M., stood at 19.513,
at 11.5 A.M., 19.506, Thermometer 66 degrees.

The camels all came up but one, though very slowly; to them as to us, the
descent was more tiring than the ascent.

From the summit a fine view of Kohi-Baba was obtained, running to NW. by
N. To the NE., another high range, but not so marked as Kohi-Baba, was
seen running in a similar direction; on this, two considerable peaks
present themselves, but only visible when lower down.

A splendid view of the Bamean valley is here obtained. We have now
obviously passed the highest ranges: to west where the country is low and
flat; to the north, the mountains indistinctly visible, are beautifully
varied, presenting rugged outlines 10,000 feet above Bamean, also a view
of an unearthly looking mountain, most variedly sculptured, is obtained,
with here and there rich ravines and columnar sided valleys, presenting
tints very varied; in those of the lower ranges, rich rosy tints are
predominant; also niches in which gigantic idols are plainly seen: also a
view of Goolghoolla, looking as it is in reality, a ruined city: a fine
gorge apparently beyond the Bamean river, and a large ravine due north,
by which I expect the Bamean river reaches the Oxus; not a tree is to be
seen, except a few about Bamean. The whole view is indescribably
volcanic, barren yet rich, requiring much colouring to conv