Page:Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal Vol 2.djvu/41

 1833.] and Dr. Gerard, from Pe'shdwar to Bokhara. 9

" A Persian of our party, who had been at Moscow, had draw- ings of the idols, which he affirmed were an object of enquiry in that country, and that he had made them at the request of the Russians ; and when they send to Bokhara for coins and other antiquities, there is nothing surprising in their extending research to Bamean. The figures appear to my eyes more like designs of Budha than any other ; their physiognomy at least resembles that of images I have seen in Kanawar and Tibet. They are mentioned in several old books, and it is strange that any mystery should prevail about the age or events of which they are symbolical. We can however now assign them their true site and position in Hindu Kush, which were to us even at Kabul ex- tremely vague, and to people in India, utterly incomprehensible. Bamean has its site upon the northern declivity of Hindu Kush, and within its lofty ramifications, in a dell or valley, which throws its waters into a tributary of the Oxus, that passes through Kunduz. The map places it south of the snowy ridge. — It forms the extremity of the Kabul dominions, and is elevated a little above 8000 feet. The climate was rude and disagreeably cold on the 20th of May, and the grain crops were only sowing. An idea has prevailed that Bamean is a pass in the Hindu Kush, or in a more southernly ridge ; but it is quite across the chain, although environed by snowy heights. On the north, at the head of the dell, the mountains are depressed to a hollow, or pass between 10,000 and 11,000 feet, and beyond that the country subsides in undulations to the Oxus.

Hitherto we had adopted no particular precautions to maintain our disguise, except evading the gaze of people, passing either unobserved, or as Armenians ; but on entering Morad Beg's territory, we rolled our heads within our turbans, and this saved our faces from the scorching sunshine.

At Dwap or Doab, where Mr. Wolff was robbed, we apprehended danger, and provided an escort from a neighbouring brigand chief. In the hollow of a pass, we met a kafila of very fine horses : they were all safe, and quite unaware of their escape, as afterwards appeared. We had no idea of any alarm, but as we were descending the slope of the pass, a body of robbers appeared — they had lost their aim in the horses, and were now coming up to a couple of camels, the last remains of the kafila. — I was behind, as usual, and although I saw, I could not understand the manoeuvres of our party, and kept lingering on till met by one of our servants, sent back to bid me gallop my horse. The robbers were very fair and candid, as I thought, suspecting who we were : they sent one of their party to communicate