1 146 MIKERALS.
2 and a sort of gigantic cypress, are also among the natives of the
3 mountams ; as are the walnut and the wild olive. The western hills
4 abound in a tree called U unna (a word alno used generally for a tree),
5 which bears an eatable berry, known by the name of Shnee, I believe
6 some of the hills also produce tiie birch, the holly, and the hazle ; as
7 they do masUch, a tree called Khur^ud, and one called ()<>ln<ih(ye in
8 Pushtoo, and Wisk in Persian. The pistachio t ree also grows ^\ ild iu
9 Hindoo Coosh. On the plains, the commonest wild trees aic the
10 mulberry, the tamarisk, and the willow (of which we may distinguish
11 the weeping willow, the palm, and two sorts called by the natives the
12 ved and the green willow). The plane and the poplar aro alao com-
13 mon on plains ; as are the trees called Seeahdt&bt Pmra, BMuAf
14 and Zwnmg^ wUdi I- have never seeHf and hanre not been'aUe to re-
15 cognise fiom descripdon.
16 Many bniliei may alio be mentioned. The barbeny, tbe JT**
17 fiowHia (Garissa Garoimda)> and other busheB, which bear eatafaJe
18 berries ; audi as tbe Uniook, the Goorgoor^ Sec are comitum in the
19 hfUsy as are wild gr^iea; but of all the dmd»> the moat odebiated la
20 Ibe Ag^ammmf wbich, though it bears the same name with the
21 aaemoae» gfowa to such a hdj^t aa ahnoat to entitle it to the name
22 of a tree.
23 The English flowers, roses, jessamines, poppies, narcissuses, hj»*
24 oimlis, tuberoses, stock, &c. &c are found in gardens, and many of
25 diem wild. Other v^etables will be mentioned hereafter* i|i de-
26 scribing the places where they grow.
27 I need scarcely give a separate chajiter to the minerals, concerning
28 wbicli I only possess a few particulars, picked out of Mr. Irvine's
29 report, to which also I am mucli indebted in the two last heads.
30 Gold does not seem to be tbund in Afghaunistaun, except in the
31 streamn th;it flow from the Hindoo Coosh range. Tlie fable which is
32 current respecting vegetable gold, said to be produced in the country
33 of the Eusofzyef, no doubt arises from the particles washed into the
34 fields by those streams. Silver is found in siii;il] quantities in the
35 cotmtry of the Caufirs. Rubies are found in Eudukhshaun, but not
36 in the A^^iaun side of Hindoo Coosh : whole cliSli of lapis lazuli,
37 Digitized by Google