lawless conduct of this fect of Afghans, who are known in this country by the name of Hybers, originates chiefly in the imbecility of Timur Shah's government, and his want of military fpirit. They are ftrongly aided alfo in the pursuit of a freebooting life, by the fituation of their country, which forms a chain of rocky mountains, whofe fcanty flips of valley afford but the coarsest provision for human wants. This rude race of men have made fo flow a progrefs in civilization, that the greatest part of them, like the ftoried Troglodites of old, dwell in caves, or rather in the fiffures of rocks. Though profeffing the Mahometan religion, they are little more versed in it than believing Mahomet to be their prophet, that he had four dif tinguished friends, and that the Perfians, with the whole fect of Ali, are a mifcreant race of infidels. The Hyber dialect is founded on the common language of the Afghans, but harshly guttural, and is ill understood by the adjacent tribes. Timur Shah, who used formerly to pafs the winter at Pefhour, which is there much milder than at Kabul, never paffed through the territory of the Hybers, without their attacking his advanced or rear guard. An Armenian, with whom I was acquainted in travelling from Moultan towards Kabul, arrived at Peshour, where taking alarm at the perils of the Hyber-pafs, he returned to Moultan, a journey of three weeks, thence he proceeded to Kundahar, a month's journey, from which place it is a distance of fifteen days to Kabul; making in all, a paffage of nine weeks, which is ufually performed by the Hyber-track in eleven days. This fact, at the fame time that it marks the caution and patience of an Armenian, explains the dread entertained of the Hybers. ON the 28th, before day break, having joined the party that had escorted the kafilah, we left Dickah, and, at the distance of feven coffes, halted near the village of Biffouly, to dry our baggage, which had been expofed all the morning to a heavy rain. In moving again, we experienced many obstacles from the extreme darkness of the night, and the numerous currents of water, which fuddenly produced by the rains, poured from the hills with extreme impetuofity; carrying with them stones of a vaft fize, whose rolling noise refembled thunder. It was midnight, the sky was overcaft with black clouds, and the roaring of the torrents heard on all fides, created in my mind a certain horror mingled with awe, and I was involuntarily led to confider this grand scene of nature with fentiments of profound reverence. ON approaching a rivulet, which had been greatly enlarged by the rain, our chief dispatched first, that she might not be incommoded by the crowd, one of his favourite women, who, though mounted on a strong horse, had no fooner entered the stream, than she was swept away by its force and drowned. This event occafioned an immediate halt, and very fenfibly afflicted our leader, who threw himself on the ground, and loudly lamented the fate of his mistress. At day break, the body was found on the shore, covered H 2 vered with mud, and after interring it with fuch ceremonies as the occafion admitted, our party croffed the ftream, now reduced to a fmall fize. On the 29th, at Jillalabad,* twelve coffes, formerly a town of great note, and though now much decayed, still supporting a moderate traffic. It has a public market, and the adjacent district produces a coarse sugar. Yesterday the country was open and fertile; to day the road led over a barren tract, interspersed with hills. On the 30th, at the village of Balabaugh, eight coffes. On the 31ft, at the village of Gundamouck, ten coffes; about three miles to the eastward of Gundamouck, croffed a small fordable river,† running to the fouthward or right, over which are the remains of a bridge built of bricks. The air, hitherto hot, had affumed at this place a fudden coldness; not effected by any change of weather, but agreeably to the obfervation of travellers, peculiar to the climate of this part of the country. The shortness of our stay would not permit an inquiry into the cause of this quick tranfition, nor could any of my affociates, though used to the road, give a reasonable account of it. Paffengers, I believe, throughout Afia, make journies merely from motives of profit or conveniency, sometimes of religion. A defire of knowledge, or *The Attock river runs about two miles to the northward of the town. even pleasure, rarely carries them abroad; and they move from one stage to another, without deviating an unneceffary footstep. Yet they are minutely fkilled in the rates of provisions at all the markets, and whether the place is a hot or a cold one, farther they know not, nor do they ever afk. Near the village of Gundamouck is feen a white ftone, faid to resemble the head of an elephant, and I believe, that which the Perfians term the Sung Suffede. The air, in this quarter, must have been strongly impregnated with nitrous particles, for all the exposed parts of my body became covered with a white fcaly fubftance, of a faline taste, which in a fhort time excoriated the outer skin. On the 1st of Auguft, at Baracow, a fandy uninhabited valley, ten coffes. The officer of the escort, proceeding this day to Kabul with those that were well mounted, our party was reduced to a small number. We remained, during the noon heat, at Juggid Ali, where I think there is only one house, which stands under the fhade of a few trees, and where it is faid, the wind continues to blow with violence during the whole year. Its force did not abate during our stay, and if fuch is its usual rate, Eolus, had he lived in our day, would at least have chofen Juggid Ali for one of his country feats. Noor Mahomed, whom I suppose you have loft fight of, believing that my money was now expended, or that I would not advance more, *Signifying in the Perfic a white ftone. had had for fome time treated me with neglect, almost infult, and in defpite of his former affurance, that zealous Mahometans were never abandoned, we fhould have felt extreme diftrefs, had he not borrowed a little cash from a horfe dealer, and I from the private fund. ON the 2d of Auguft we commenced our journey, that day a long one, at three o'clock in the morning, and in ascending a high fteep hill, which forms one fide of the valley of Baracow, the tackle of my mule broke; when I, the animal and baggage, rolled rapidly to the bottom. In my way down, I roared out with vehemence for affiftance, but every perfon being engaged in more interefting bufinefs, no notice was taken of my clamours. My fituation would have been very comfortless, had I not perceived Noor Mahomed paffing close by me, whose help I earnestly intreated. After a long hesitation, and a hearty curse which I bore with patience, he confented to stay, and having afsisted in collecting my fcattered garments, and repairing the mule's tackle, we proceeded together. During a fmart debate, in which his illiberal conduct and my ill luck were keenly reprobated, it was found that we had ftrayed from the path. But the effects of a mutual fear, foon abforbed the late grievance, and united our exertions in discovering the right path, which was found after much groping. CROSSING a range of rocky hills, which extends with little intervention of valley for the space of about eight miles, we entered |