Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 2.djvu/37

1833.] while they are scarcely noticed beyond the Satlej ; these opposite receptions of course leave strong impressions on the feeling's of individuals.

"Dost Muhammed gave us six introductory letters (one to the king of Bokhara) ; and on the 1 8th of May, we took leave of Kabul, under the protecting guarantee of a Nazir, a man of high connexions and repute, who however proved himself anything but agreeable. The opportunity was too favourable to require consideration, the man's character was to be our passport, and as we anticipated difficulties in Morad Beg's territory, we thought ourselves fortunate ; although we afterwards re- pented. — Our ill-favored guide was proceeding to Russia, to recover the property of his brother, who died there. On this occasion, Dost Muham- med Khan wrote a letter to the Emperor ! !"

" The passage of the Hindu Kush presents no difficulties, and viewed in any way, shrinks to insignificance, compared with those portions of the snowy chain which you and I have seen. Even as a barrier to an invading army the difficulties are far from formidable by this route. The great pass, which is alone named Hindu Kush, is even more acces- sible, though more lofty ; we would have taken that route, but for the dread of encountering Morad Beg. The pass is worth seeing, especially as we heard some strange stories about flights of birds being so much baffled by the strong wind, that they no longer could fly against it, and actually took to walking for a change, when vast numbers were killed by the natives. The emperor Baber mentions the same thing, and the fact would seem to argue great elevation. The Hindu Kush has no longer the configuration of the Himalaya ; the steep cliffs of hard compact rock, which characterise that ridge, scarce appear here at all, and few of the peaks attain any remarkable altitude. The most prominent point was Kohi Baba, and I do not believe it rises to 19,000 feet : all the neigh- bouring heights appeared in bluff masses, resembling the contour of the mountains upon the Chinese frontier and the interior of Kanawar, which is evidently the effect of a different structure ; and as far as I could judge from the nature of the road, wherever the bare rock was exposed, the elements of the whole range are of the class of formations termed secondary ; and as we penetrated into the country, the hills changed into slate, gravel, and even mud, which last mixed with loam and calcareous rubble, all indurated by alternations of weather into a rugged hardness, compose the formation of the Bamean " Buts," or idols, which most people believe, and the natives themselves represent, to be cut out of the solid rock. But to return to the Hindu Kush : — we rode up to the pass, which is scarcely 11,000 feet in height; the snow lay deep upon the summit, but was fast retiring before the ardent sun, and