Journals of Travels in Assam, Burma, Bhootan, Afghanistan and the Neighbouring Countries Part 48

_20th_.--Proceeded to Nanee, distance eight to ten miles, bearing north- east; after descending slightly from the ground we encamped on, and turning the east extremity of its slope, the road is good, sandy and s.h.i.+ngly, running close to low undulated hills. No change in vegetation.

Encamped on undulated s.h.i.+ngly ground formed from low hills to the north, about half a mile off: Ghuznee is thence visible, situated close under a range of hills, the walls high, having many bastions, and one angle on the south face. Abundance of villages and topes or groves about the valley closing up with irregular barren mountains. Picquets were seen about five miles from our camp, but no appearance of an army about Ghuznee.

The valley up which we have come since leaving Mookhloor, runs opposite this place, from nearly east to north, and apparently, terminates beyond Ghuznee; it is highly capable, is well inhabited and much cultivated. So are all the valleys that we have seen on surmounting the boundary ridges: the villages occupy each indentation of the valley, as well as its general level.

Barometer at 1 P.M. 23.336, thermometer 91 degrees: new thermometric bar.

697.1, old 597.2. Lat.i.tude mean of three observations 33 degrees 24' 26"

North.

_21st_.--Moved to Ghuznee, ten miles six furlongs. Cavalry in very regular columns on the left; infantry to the right, and the artillery in the centre; the park bringing up the rear: to the last moment we were not aware whether the place would hold out or not. The Commander-in-Chief and staff moved far in advance to reconnoitre until we entered a road between some gardens, at the exit of which we were almost within range of the town; here we halted; a fire was soon set up against us from gardens to our left, and somewhat in advance, but all the shots fell far short.

On the arrival of the infantry, the light companies of the 16th, the 48th were sent to clear the gardens, which they easily did, although from being trenched vineyards, walled and _treed_, their defence might have been very obstinate. In the mean time the guns on the south face of the fortress opened on us, and our artillery forming line at about 800 yards range, opened their fire of spherical case and round shot in return; other guns in the fort then opened and a sharp fire was kept up on those in the gardens by _jhinjals_ and _pigadas_, who when hard pressed took refuge in an outwork or round tower. The fire from the south-east extremity was soon silenced _pro tempore_, the shrapnel practice being very effective. The howitzer battery on the extreme left of the artillery line was too great a range, and with the exception of one gun, all the sh.e.l.ls fell short. In the _melee_, the Zuburjur 48-pounder, was dismounted, and carried with it a considerable portion of the wall of the citadel where it is built upon a scarp in the east face. After some further firing, the troops were withdrawn almost without range, but sheltered by gardens and broken ground. From 9 A.M. the engineers with an escort reconnoitred the place, and having ascertained that the only practicable point of attack _with our means_ was the Cabul gate, we were moved off, and marched to the new ground in the evening. Owing to the difficulty of crossing a river and several cuts which intercepted the way, and formed the worst road for camels and guns I have yet seen, much of the baggage was not up till twelve next (i.e. this) morning.

One European was killed, accompanying the escort. Graves severely, and Von Homrig slightly wounded, a _golundauz_ lost his leg, and a few others were wounded. Their gun practise in the fortress improved much towards the end, and against the reconnoitring party, was said to be good.

_22nd_.--The ground we now occupy is the mouth of the valley, up which the Cabul road runs: our camp stretches obliquely across this; the Shah's camp taking a curve and resting by its left on the river. On our (i.e.

the sappers) right, is a range of hills, from the extremity of which the town is commanded; between us and the range in question, the 4th brigade is stationed, and on the other side, the remainder of the infantry. We are it seems within reach of the long gun, which has been remounted, and occasionally directs its energies against the Shah's camp. The night was quiet, the troops completely knocked up by the fatigues of the day, the distance we came (to the right) was certainly six miles, and that by which the infantry moved to the left, was still more.

The gardens between us and the town are occupied by the enemy, but the village of Zenrot on the ridge, is not. Large numbers of cavalry are seen on the other boundary range of the valley, opposite our encampment, certainly 2,000; this is probably the other son of Dost Mahommud, who left the fort with the Gilzee cavalry on the night of our march to Ghuznee, for the purpose of attacking our baggage; they were easily driven from the ridge, which is now occupied by our horse.

_23rd_.--Ghuznee was taken this morning by a coup-de-main, the whole affair was over in half an hour from the time the gate was blown open; there was, however, a good deal of firing afterwards, and some of the inhabitants even held out throughout the day, and caused almost as much loss as that which occurred in the storm. The affair took place as follows: the guns moved into position between 12.5 and 2.5 P.M., and about 3 P.M. commenced firing at the defences over the gate: under cover of this fire the bags of powder, to the amount of 800 lbs. were placed against the gate by Captain Peat, the hose being fired by Lieut. Durand.

In the mean time the road to the gate was occupied by the storming party, the advance of which was composed of the flank companies of all the European Regiments. The head of the advance was once driven back by a resolute party of Affghans, who fought desperately hand to hand, but a jam taking place, the check was only momentary. After clearing the gate, the enemy must have become paralysed, and both town and citadel were gained with an unprecedentedly trifling loss. None of the engineers, or of the party who placed the bags, were touched, although from the enemy burning blue lights they must have been seen distinctly: two, of a few Europeans who accompanied Capt. Peat were shot; one killed. During the day a great number of prisoners were taken, among whom was Dost Mahommud's son; a great number of horses also fell into our hands.

_24th_.--Ghuznee: by this morning at 9 o'clock every thing was quiet, and the last holders-out have been taken; strict watch is kept at the gate to prevent plunder, dead horses are now dragged out, and dead men buried: the place looks desolate, but the inhabitants are beginning to return. It appears to me a very strong, though very irregular place, the stronger for being so: the streets are very narrow, and dirty enough, houses poor, some said to be good inside, it is a place of considerable size, perhaps one-third less than Candahar. It is surrounded by a wet ditch, of no great width, the walls are tall and strong, weakest on the north-east angle immediately under the citadel; parapets, etc. are in good repair.

The loop holes are however absurd, and even when large are carefully screened. The ditch is crossed at the Cabul gate by a stone bridge. The Zuburjur is a very large gun, but almost useless to Affghans, who are no soldiers. Every side of the town might have been stoutly defended.

The view from the citadel is extensive and fine, the mountains to the north and north-west extremely so, and seem crowded in the view, while the river and its cultivation add novelty to an Affghan landscape; many villages are visible in every direction, surrounded with gardens and orchards.

There is a good deal of cultivation all round the town, which is situated on a sloping mound, separated by the ditch from the ridge forming the northern boundary of the valley, up which the Cabul road runs; there is a small mosque on this ridge, and below it, within 400 yards of the ramparts, a small village, from which the attack was best seen. The gardens are as usual walled, and are all capable of irrigation, the plots being covered with fine gra.s.s or clover. Apples, apricots, pears, and plums much like the Orlean's plum, a sort of half greengage, bullace, Elaeagnus, and mulberries, are the princ.i.p.al fruit trees; of these the pear is the best, it is small but well flavoured; the others are indifferent. There are many vineyards dug into shallow trenches: the plum is allied to the egg-plum, but altogether there are four kinds.

The chief vegetation of the uncultivated ground is a small Salsola, Salsola luteola, this is mixed with Peganum, Santalaceae, Senecionoides glaucescens, Umbelliferoid bicornigera, Composita, having the decurrent part of the leaves dislocated and hanging down. Centaurea spinescens, Linaria, _Joussa_, and one or two Astragali.

The vegetation, with the exception of an Artemisia indicae similis, a Malvacea, and an Orobanche growing on Cuc.u.mis sp., is precisely the same as that met with from Mookhloor hither, Cichorium, Polygonum graminifolium natans, and two others, Rumex, Mentha, Epilobium micranthum, Dandelion, Plantago major, Panic.u.m.

There are two kinds of willow trees; Thermopsis is not uncommon, Centaurea magnispina and Zygophyllum of Candahar are very common, Sisymbrium, Lophia, Hyoscyamus, Centaurea cyanea, Tauschia. Magpies, Hoopoes, Pastor roseus. Corvus corax, etc., along the water-cuts.

Some fine Poplars occur at a village, or rather a Fuqeer's residence; about one and a half mile to the south-west of the town on the road to Candahar, and about it, one or two Carduaceae, one a fine one, to be called C. zamufolia, Pomacea acerifolia, also in gardens: among the cultivated plants are maize, fennel, aniseed? Solarium, Bangun! Madder, the beautiful clover of Mookhloor, lucerne, melons, watermelons, cresses, L. sativum, radishes, onions, beetroot.

There are no ruins indicating a very extensive old city. About our camp are the remains of bunds and old mud walls; near us, and between us and the city, are two minars, with square tall pedestals, of burnt brick, about 100 feet high, and 600 paces apart: there is nothing striking about them, although they bear evidences of greater architectural skill than any thing I have seen in the country, excepting the interior of Ahmed Shah's tomb. The base is angular, fluted, and equals the capital, which is but little thicker towards its base. They are brick, and derive their beauty from the diversity in the situation of the bricks. The one nearest the city is the smaller, and appears perfect, it is likewise provided with a staircase: the larger one is broken at the top of the capital.

_26th_.--I went to see Mahmoud of Ghuznee's tomb, which is situated in a largish and better than ordinarily built village, about two miles from the Cabul gate, on the road to Cabul, at a portion of the valley densely occupied with gardens. The situation is bad, and the building which appears irregular, quite unworthy of notice; it is situated among the crowded houses of the village, and to be found, must be enquired for.

At the entrance of the obscure court-yard which leads to it, there is a fine rivulet that comes gus.h.i.+ng from under some houses, shaded by fine mulberry trees; in this court are some remains of Hindoo sculpture in marble; the way there leads past an ordinary room under some narrow cloisters to the right, then turning to the left one enters another court, on the north side of which is the entrance to the tomb; there is no architectural ornament at all about it, either inside or out. The room is an ordinary one, occupied towards the centre by a common old looking tomb of white marble, overhung by lettered tapestry, and decorated with a tiger skin: over the entrance, hang three eggs of the ostrich, for which the natives have the very appropriate name of camel bird, and two sh.e.l.ls, like the Hindoo conches, but smaller. The roof is in bad order, and appears to have been carved. The doors appear old; they are much carved, but the carvings are effaced; they are not remarkable for size, beauty, or ma.s.s; and appear to be cut from some fir wood, although the people say they are sandal wood. The tomb strikingly confirms the idea that the Putans became improved through their connection with Hindoostanees, rather than the reverse; the tomb is unworthy of a great conqueror.

I then ascended the ridge, and descended along it to the picquets on the flank of our camp. This ridge, like all the low ones from Mookhloor to this place, is rounded, very s.h.i.+ngly, and generally on the northern face, is partly covered with rocks, apparently limestone. The vegetation presents nothing unusual, with the exception of a very large Cnicus, Cnicoideus zamiafolius, capitulis parvis, an Umbellifera, a Scutellaria, Dipsacus; otherwise they are thinly scattered with two or three Astragali, two or three Artemisiae, among which A. gossypifera is the most common, l.a.b.i.ata fragrans of Karabagh, Senecio glaucescens, Compositae, Eryngioides, Centaurea alia, magnispinae affinis, Santalacea, Leucades, Onosma major, et alia, foliis angustis, Echinops prima, Sedoides, Cerasus, Ca.n.u.s pygmaeus, Dianthoides alia.

The view from this ridge is beautiful, it shows that three valleys enter the Karabagh one about Ghuznee, the largest to the eastward; then the Cabul one, then that of the Ghuznee river. The slope of this valley from the mountains to the river, presents a very undulated appearance. The cultivation is confined to the immediate banks of the river, which is thickly inhabited, and to most of the ravines of the mountains, shewing that water is generally plentiful. The river is to be traced a long way by means of the line of villages and orchards which follow its banks.

The mountains are very barren, much varied in the sculpture of their outlines, and are by no means so rugged as those of limestone in the Turnuk valley. The lofty one which presents the appearance of a wall near its ridge, and of snow, alluded to during the march hither on the 18th ultimo, is still visible. Considerable as is the cultivation, it bears a very small proportion to the great extent of waste, and probably untillable land, untillable from the extreme thinness of the soil and its superabundant stones. Cratoegus occurred near Mahmoud's tomb, also Centaurea cyanea.

_29th_.--Halted: nothing new; botany very poor; poorer than ordinary.

_30th_.--Moved to Shusgao, distance thirteen and three-quarter miles, direction still the same, or, to the north of the star Capella. The road extends over undulating ground, is cut up by ravines, but easily traversed, ascending and descending; then crossing a small valley, at the north-east corner of which the ghat is visible: the ascent to the mouth of this gorge equals apparently the height attained before descending into the valley. The pa.s.s is narrow, the sides steep but not precipitous; the hills are not very rugged, and they are generally thinly clothed with scattered tufted plants; the pa.s.s gradually widens, and has a ruin or remains of a small fort-like building as at the entrance. This ruin, or fort, looks down into a poorly inhabited, poorly cultivated, Khora.s.san valley: road good, with a gradual ascent for one and a half mile from the exit of the pa.s.s, where we encamped, about five miles on the Cabul side.

The Botany is rather interesting, the general features are the same as those of the hills round Ghuznee; the most common plants Senecionoides glaucus, Plectranthus of Mookhloor in profusion, a new densely tufted Statice very common, Verbasc.u.m, Thapsioides, Linaria, Artemisia very common, Cnici, two or three of large stature, Astragali, two or three, Asphodelus luteus, l.a.b.i.ata of Mookhloor, Santalacea, Dipsacus, _Thymus_, Lotoides, Staticoides major.

In the undulated ground before reaching the valley preceding the pa.s.s, a fine tall Cnicus occurs, also Plectranthus; Peganum is very common.

About our halting place the same small Artemisia and Composita dislocata occur in profusion; Cnicus zamiafolius, Dianthus aglaucine, _Astragalus_, a peculiar prim-looking species. Leguminosae, Muscoides two or three, very large Cnici, Plectranthus, Iris out of flower, Astragali alii, 2-3.

Cultivation consisting of mustard and very poor crops, of which wheat is the princ.i.p.al: a few ordinary villages are seen with good and abundant supplies of water; the country notwithstanding is inferior, as compared with that about Ghuznee. The soil coa.r.s.e and gravelly, or pebbly.

Thermometer 47 degrees at 5 A.M.

After descending from the gorge, the summit of which may be estimated at 400 to 500 feet, the ascent is considerable: barometer standing at 1.5 P.M. at 22.323; thermometer 86 degrees; so that the extreme ascent since leaving Ghuznee has certainly been between 1,100 to 1,200 feet.

The inhabitants are coming into camp with articles for sale, as lucerne, clover, coa.r.s.e rugs, and sheep.

_31st_.--Proceeded to Huftasya, eight and a quarter miles, direction about the same, continuing down a narrow valley with a well marked and tolerable road, extending over undulating ground, having a slight descent throughout: the centre of the valley is cultivated, villages extend up the ravines of the northern side. We halted near several villages, with a good deal of cultivation around, consisting of beans and mustard. But few trees are seen about the villages, and there is no change in vegetation: water abundant from covered _kahreezes_ or wells, which generally flow into small tanks.

The slope of the southern boundary is undulated, that of the northern though generally flat and uninteresting, yet near us becomes very bold and rugged, but its ravines and pa.s.ses are easily accessible.

Shusgao--The plants found here about the cultivation, are Achillaeoides, Asteroides, Plantago major, Hyoscyamus, Tanacetoides, Artemisia, Trifolium, Taraxac.u.m, Mentha, Phalaris, Rumex, the small swardy Carex of Chiltera, Astragalus, calycibus non-inflatis, tomentoso villoso, this last with Composita dislocata is common on s.h.i.+ngly plains.

On slopes of hills Leucades, Cerasus ca.n.u.s, pygmaeus rare, Dianthoides, Plectranthus very common, Cnici 3 or 4, l.a.b.i.ata of Mookhloor, Senecionoides glaucescens common, Artemisia, sp. very common, Staticoides of Dhun-i-Shere, Anthylloides, Verbasc.u.m.

_Hyoscyamus_. The circ.u.mcision of the capsule of this genus is apparently in connection with the peculiar induration of the calyx of the fruit; its relations to the capsule is so obvious that its dehiscence is the only one compatible with the free dissemination of the seeds, _the_ _calyx remaining entire_. _Hence_? the induration of the calyx should be the most permanent if it is the cause, but to obviate all doubts, both calyx, fructus induratus, and capsula circ.u.mscissa, should enter into the generic character; the unilaterality of capsules, and their invariable tendency to look downwards, or rather the inferior unilaterality, may likewise reasonably be considered connected with the same structure of calyx, as well as the expanded limb of the calyx.

The indurated calyx is the cause, because although circ.u.mscissa capsula is by no means uncommon, and in others has no relation to the calyx, yet in this genus it has such, and should have in every other similar case.

_August 1st_.--Hyderkhet, distance ten and a half miles down the same valley; the road is bad and after crossing the undulating terminations of the southern slope, very stony and bouldery; in several places it is narrow and uneven. The country is well inhabited, and very well cultivated, particularly towards the bed of the river, which is here and there ornamented with trees. Numbers of villagers are seen on the road as spectators. Beans very abundant, mustard less so, excellent crops of wheat; the fields are well tilled, and very cleanly kept: this portion of the valley, though small, is perhaps the best populated and cultivated place we have yet seen: the descent throughout is gradual: the boundary hills, at least lower ranges present a very barren character, covered with angular slaty fragments. Some tobacco cultivation.

_2nd_.--Shekhabad, nine miles and six furlongs, direction north-east by east. The road throughout is rather bad, particularly in places near the Schneesh river, which has a very rapid current. We left this on its turning abruptly through a narrow ravine to the south: towards this, the valley narrows much; we then ascended a rising ground, and descended as much or perhaps less until we reached the Logur, a river as large almost as the Arghandab, this we crossed by a bridge composed of stout timbers, laid on two piers composed of stones and bushes, and tied together by beams: the cavalry and artillery forded below, and above the bridge.

Crossing the bed which is low and well cultivated, chiefly with rice, we ascended perhaps 100 feet, and encamped on undulating s.h.i.+ngly ground; we then pa.s.sed much cultivation on the road: villages are plentiful, and often placed in very narrow gorges unusually picturesque for Affghanistan; one scene was especially pretty, enclosed by the high barren mountains of the southern boundary, in the distance a village or two, and the Schneesh, with banks well wooded, and willows in the foreground.

The aspect of the hills, except some of the distant ranges, is however changed; quartz has become very common among the s.h.i.+ngle, with reddish, generally micaceous, slate: the mountains are rounded, and easy of access: very poorly clothed with vegetation. The course of the Logur is nearly north and south.

There are some villages about this place, with lucerne, clover and bearded rice of small stature.

The elevation of the country is here about 100 feet below our camp, which is about half a mile from the river. Barometer 182, 23.362; thermometer 95 degrees; lat.i.tude 34 degrees 5' 30".

_3rd_.--Halted: the Logur river discharges much water; the whole of the tillable portions of adjacent banks are not under cultivation, the rocky sides to the south composed of micaceous slate, are very precipitous; these mountains were originally rounded, but are now formed into cliffs; willows and poplars are abundant along the river. But the vegetation of the cliffy sides scarcely presents any change, except in a Salvia, a Ruta, a small withered Leguminosa; the other plants are Polygonacea frutex uncommon, Senecionoides, Salvia Horminum common, Artemisia two: the usual one very common, Asphodelus, Mesembryanthoides, and luteus, several Compositae, two or three Cnicoidei, a Pulicaria, etc. of the same section, Cuscuta, Linaria angustifolia, Stipa, several withered gra.s.ses, Dianthoides, Scrophularia, Allium, Cerasus ca.n.u.s, pygmaeus uncommon, Sedoides, Boragineae, Boraginis facie common, Leucades, Astragali, three or four, Onosmae 2, angustifolia and majus, Scutellaria, Equisetoides, Ephedra.

Anthylloides, Plectranthus common, Peganum uncommon, Staticoides major, Compositae dislocata common.

In the swardy and wet spots along river, the usual plants occur; the novelty being a Hippuris out of flower, Plantago, Glaux, Chara, Alisma, Tamarisk, Salix, Trifolium fragiferum, Thermopsis, Cyperacea, Triglochim, Equisetum. The _Nuthatch_ found in the cliffs, cultivation occurs.

To-day news arrived of the flight of Dost Mahommud to Bamean, with 3,000 Affghan Horse. Captain Outram sent in pursuit. The Shah joined us, attended by perhaps 2,000 Horse, and people are said to be flocking into our camp from Cabul.

_4th_.--Proceeded to Killa-Sir-i-Mahommud, distance ten and a half miles, direction north by east, the park of artillery, etc. remaining behind, the road for the first half extending over undulating ground to the head of the valley, then becoming level and good with some inferior cultivation: the valley is dry and barren. We encamped on stony ground forming a slight eminence under a beautiful peak, certainly 4,000 to 5,000 feet above the plain, and hence 12,000 to 13,000 feet above the sea. The valley at the base of the hills is occupied by a few villages, but generally speaking little population exists in these parts. No change in vegetation; at the level part of the march the Chenopodiaceae of Karabagh is very common.

The 2,000 Dooranees who joined the Shah yesterday dwindled down to 300 by the evening, and the camp was fired into at night. There is some cultivation about this, chiefly of mustard, carrots, millet and Panic.u.m, Setaria.