1 100 MOUNTAINS OF SOLIMAUN.
2 more be traced. The eastern half of this elevated region is inhabited
3 by the Hazaurchs, and is cold, rugged, and barren : the level spots
4 are little ciiltivatcdv and the hills are naked and abrupt. The western
5 part, which belongs to the Eimauks, though it has wider valleys, and
6 is better cultivated, is still a wild nnd poor country. Tlic northern
7 face of these mountains has a .Multlcn dcsrent into ilio province of
8 Bulkh : their acchvity is loss on their other extremities, except per-
9 haps on the west or houih-wrst. On the north-west they seem to
10 sink gradually into the plain which borders on the desart.
11 The slope of the wliole tract is towards the west.
12 The range of Solimaun commences at tiie lofty mountain which
13 has derived the name of Sufiaid Coh, or White Mountain, from the
14 snow with which it is always covered *. Suifaid Coh stands to the
15 south of the projection of Hindoo Coosh, and is only separated fiom
16 H by the yalley of the Caubul nver, fiom ivhidi it rise* with a rerj
17 steep aoeliTily. It is oonnected with Hitidoo Coosh fay the'hitts of
18 die Otmiuiiidiail* and odier subofdinate langes extending acroiM ^be
19 CBufanl liver^ in whidi they cause iiumeioug lapidS) in some places
20 flifanost amoimting to cascades. On these grounds^ the range of Soli*
21 maun' otigbtt periiaps, to be Tcgaided as a bnmch of Hbdoo GMsh,
22 and even as a eontinuadon of Beloot Taog^, but it willy nevenhelcss»
23 be oonyenient to oonrider it separately. fVom Snffidd Coh, the
24 hig^ieBt ridge of the range runs 8ontfa.soiitb«a8t, and passes thimigfa
25 ihe Jaigee country near Huiyoob, twdlve miles sooth of which it is
26 pierced by the river Koorrum. It then proceeds in a southerly diree-
27 tion, and ibrms the mountainous country of the .Tadrauns, whiefa ex^
28 tends to the southward of latitude dl" north. Thus far the course of
29 * Tli« A%lMiiMiBoiiefieqpiaittycaU Aiiinoimtim Speenghur Aan SnAid Colk Tlie
30 former has the same meaning in Pushtoo that the latter has in Persian. I may here re-
31 mark that as Persian was the langiiage In which I conununicntrd '«vith the Afghnuns, I
32 have often made use of Persian word^ and phrases, where they would have used Pu&htoo
33 Digitized by Google