Horsemen, about thirty, were seen on the hills; they descended thence and skirted the base in number; when they were pursued by our cavalry, but escaped through a ravine which Sturt says, leads into a fine plain with many forts.  The 4th brigade joined with the Shah’s force.  I observed to-day a curious monstrosity of an Umbelliferous plant, in which the rays of the umbellules are soldered together; forming an involucre round the immersed central solitary female, the male flowers forming the extreme teeth of the involucre.

Detached thermometer 83 degrees 3’, attached ditto 83 degrees 3’; barometer 23.262, mean of three observations:  old therm. bar. 597.2, new ditto 696.9.  Abundance of villages throughout the part of the valley running east, and then north, and many trees.

[Ghuznee:  p373.jpg]

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 shingly, running close to low undulated hills.  No change in vegetation.  Encamped on undulated shingly 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.  Latitude 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