The most common grapes are the kismiss, a long coarse grape which answers for packing, a round, very sweet, purple grape, with large seeds, and small seedless ones intermixed, are all capable of being much improved by thinning, and a huge, tough-skinned, coarse, purple grape, of good flavour.

The best peaches have a green appearance, even when ripe; the ordinary ones are coarse, and not well-flavoured; but the Affghans are quite ignorant of the art of packing fruit, and hence most are bruised.

Two sorts of apples are common, both rosy; one very much so, but much inferior to the other.

Pears principally of two kinds, both allied to the common pear in shape; the large ones are very coarse, but well adapted for stewing.

Aloocha excellent for jellies, as also the cherries:  most kinds of plums are now out of season.

The melons vary much in quality, the watermelons are generally better, and vary less:  the muskmelons I have here seen, are ruined by inattention to the time of gathering; some are very fine, the pulp is never very deep coloured; it is very rarely green; some of the Kundah sort are very good; this and the turbooj are both excessively common.  The usual Cucurbita is cultivated, as well as the other common cucumber, pumpkin, Luffa foetida, and L. acutangula.

Cabbages common, beet root ditto, bangun ditto, excellent spinage (Spinaceae).

All sorts of spices procurable, but they are generally old:  sugar very good, is sold in flat candied cakes, one and a half inch thick; koorool in small cakes resembling chunam.

CHAPTER XVI.

From Cabul to Bamean—­The Helmund, and Oxus rivers.

24th August, 1839.—­Left Cabul for Bamean, and marched to Urghundee.

25th.—­To the Cabul river, distance twelve and a half miles; diverged from the Cabul road at Urghundee Chokey, striking obliquely across a ravine that debouches into the main valley at this point.  The course of the river ENE. or thereabouts, then we entered a ravine to the west side of the river, and commenced ascending the pass, which is not difficult, and although rather steep at first, subsequently it becomes merely undulated, the surrounding hills of the pass have the usual character, but are separated by mere ravines.  Vegetation very scanty; Senecionoides very common, as also Joussa and Statice of Dund-i-sheer; here I noticed the Solora found in the wood at Kilatkajee.  The Barometer at the summit of the pass, 22.148:  thermometer 60 degrees.  An extensive view is had from it, up the Cabul river, the valley of which is well cultivated, but presents nothing very striking in its neighbouring mountains.  Great numbers of sheep passed us going towards Cabul, also numbers of Patans with their families, all on camels, than some of which last nothing could be finer.  The women’s dress consists of loose gowns, generally bluish, with short waists coming almost up under the arms, and leggings of folded cloths; they are a gipsy-like, sun-burnt, good looking people.  Numbers of asses laden with grain were also passed.  At the halting place indifferent apples only were to be had.  Slight rain fell in the afternoon from east, then it became heavier from west.