1 bulkh;
2 tedcB ; wfaidi tnolodD the trad hsniig the Om on tfae'iuntli, the
3 miimntains of Hiiidoo Coocth and BnopMniaiu on'the mmiIIi, Bocbkk^
4 ahanii on the €ait» and (genenlly 8peRk]]^) 'llie dcnrt on the weit.'
5 The eztent of thk tfict may be nmt two hundied and fifr^ mileB in
6 lei^di (fimn eaat to w^t), and'fiom a hundred to a hundred and
7 tweaty niilet in breadth (irom nordi to south).
8 The southern part of thia country is full of hills, connected with
9 Hindoo Coosh. These are gesierally stony, but have many good and
10 well watered valleys. The neighbourhood of the hills secures a sup-
11 ply of water to the central part of the c ountry, which is plain and
12 fertile. The north towards the Uxus is sundy and barren. The i^nst
13 of the provitice, being near a mountainous countrv, is Ijetter thau the
14 west, which borders on the desart and paHnkes of its nature.
15 The descent froni t in at range of mountains is very rapid, and
16 the lower parts ol liulkli towards the Oxus are nnich lower and hotter
17 than those parts of Atghauuistan w lncli lie immediately to the south
18 of the range. The province of Bulkh is famous for a strong and
19 active breed of horses, which are exported in considerable numbers.
20 TheNvhole pidvinoe ia divided into aeveral districta fiom ▼ariona
21 canaea. Som^ tiiongh noir onitedy have fiwnmly been nndtf di0^
22 leht govenunenia \ and other have lately ■eparated' that ibimetly
23 were one* Hie existing divinona are asfoUows (begimung.from tbA
24 weat):«-~Mehnunat Andkhoo^ and Bhabbeigaun; Bulkh Roper,
25 {L A the couutry immediately roond die capital)* Khooioom, Hus^ .
26 mt Imaum, Koondooa, Khoet and IndepuiK Tawlihaim.
27 Tlie three fint cantons are of amall extent and little consequence :
28 thou^ bordering on the desart, and perhaps deficient in water, their
29 adil ia'good and they mi^t be brought under cultivation, but they
30 ere at preaent chiefly occupied by wandering ahepherda of the Uabek
31 and TooTcoman nations.
32 Bulkh requires further notice. The city which gives its name to
33 the district is of tho highest antiquity. It was known to the (ireeks
34 in the time of Alexander by the name of Bactra ; but it had been
35 the capital of Persia at a ^.earJUer period, having 'been fixed on aa
36 Digitized by Google