The most common plants are still Carduaceae and Salvia; Rosa occurs also, (Senecionoides ceased some time before) Statice, Scutellaria common, Verbascum, Euphorbia linearifolia, Linaria ditto, Mentha:  no change in water plants, or in those of the sward, Chenopod. faemin. villos, coarse grass, No. 998, common; the chief new feature is Ruwash, the dead red leaves of which are abundant.  Two villages were passed after leaving the Helmund, both ruined, yet all spots cultivated, several with Cicer.  Watercourses as high up cliffs and hills as 100 feet above the river.

A dreadfully cutting dry wind blows down the ravine, and in our faces all the way.  Limestone cliffs occurred, about which the vegetation became rich, more especially near a bridge consisting of trees thrown across a narrow portion of the river, at a point where the stream is very deep; near this are two willow trees of a different species.  A fine Rosa, a new Epilobium, Aconitum, Salisburifolium, a small Crucifera, one or two Compositae, a curious Polygonum, a Rumex, a Dianthus, Silene, three or four Umbelliferae, among which is the yellow Ferula? of the Kojhuk pass, two or three new Leguminosae, Saponaria, Silenacea inflata, Cerastium may be found among them, or in the fields close by.

31st.—­We ascended the high bank or cliff over the bridge, and continued up the ravine which lies over the river, but whose bed is too narrow for a road:  we passed two or three villages, the road undulating over ground covered with granite boulders, or rather small masses, rounded only when exposed to weather; the bottom of each undulation is covered with sward and giving exit to a small stream; sometimes we came on the bed of the river.  At six and a half miles we came on a fort, used as a custom house, and diverged again to the east up a ravine; the Arak road continuing along the river.  We passed another fort, and then commenced the main ascent of Hajeeguk.  In a ravine to the left, 100 feet above us, was a large mass of half frozen snow:  barometer at the foot of main ascent 20.320, thermometer 80 degrees.  The ascent is rather steep, but easy enough:  barometer 19.755, thermometer 80 degrees.  Thence the descent was steep for about 800 feet, and then gradual for four or five more, when we encamped on sward.  From the top of the pass we had a beautiful view of the ridge of Kohi-Baba, running about WNW., presenting a succession of fine bold rugged peaks, the conical mass was not seen well, as there is heavy snow on it, and on some other parts of the ridge.

Water is plentiful in all ravines, the lower parts of which are covered with swardy grass.  Cultivation is less advanced than at Yonutt, consisting chiefly of barley; every capable spot is made use of.  Boulders of antimony, also a large mountain close to, and on the right of our camp composed of this ore, which is very heavy; a ruined fort on the hill near us, shewing again how some of these ridges become disintegrated.  A cafila passed with huge loads of cloths of various sorts, carried on asses, going to Bamean:  they paid toll I observed at Choky fort.