Otherwise the niches are not ornamented, except in one instance, as above alluded to; the head of the smaller figure was formerly covered by the roof, as evident from holes or troughs for timbers in the gallery.  These holes are now inhabited by pigeons, and the lower ones by cows, donkeys, fowls, kids, dogs; some are filthy apertures blocked up by stone and mud walls; the doors irregular, and guarded between two giants.

An old tope occurs near some small figures, it is composed of stones very much disintegrated, with curious blocks of kucha work, and large Babylonish bricks; the smaller figures are much destroyed, some completely; all are in alto-relievo.

The plants about Topehee valley, are Cichorium, Centaurea lutea, Berberis common, Salvia, Cicer cultivated, Lucerne, Centaurea angustifolia, Cnicus of Koti-Ashruf, ditto of Karabagh hills, Triticum, Asteroides, Avena, Centaurea glauca, the common thistle, Ephedra, Mentha, Rumex, Melilotus, Medicago, Artemisia pyramidalis, Lychnis inflata, Saponaria, Bromus, Verbascum, Cerasus canus, Ferula, Statice, Salsola, Astragalus, Polygonum fruticosum, Composita dislocata, Clematis erecta, Clematis alia, Echinops, Leucades, Pulicaria fragrans, Hyoscyamus parvus, rare; Geranium, Rosa, Fabago of Maidan, fructi echinatis, Arundo, Hippophae.

Halted at Bamean till the 6th, and inspected Ghoolghoola or Bheiran, which presents extensive ruins:  those of the city are almost destroyed; but those of the citadel are more perfect, and situated on a mound 300 feet high, which still stands with steep banks or fortifications, apparently of Kafir origin, generally kucha, with bases formed of boulders.  Three lines of defences remain on the valley side; and the remains of a ditch 50 feet broad at the mound on the east side. Pucka, or burnt bricks are common among the debris, also pottery, but this is of the ordinary sort:  I observed but few pucka bricks in the fortification on the west side.  Great masses of rocks have been thrown about near the building of the fort, and some of the lower bastions were built on these masses.  The mound is chiefly occupied by Salsolaceae, some of which exist in profusion.  Nothing seems to be known about the history of the place, except that it was built by Julal, to whom the Mahommedans fix Ud-deen.

Quails are abundant in the fields about Bamean; it is a curious thing that in many of these fields oats far preponderate over other grain; yet they are not cut, although all the seeds have fallen out of the ear!  Can it be cultivated solely for the straw?