Burnes, Alexander: Travels into Bokhara: containing the narrative of a voyage on the Indus from the sea to Lahore, ... and an account of a journey from India to Cabool, Tartary and Persia ; performed by order of the supreme government of India, in the years 1831, 32, and 33 (Band 3) (London, 1835)

CHAP. III. KOONDOOZ. 175

Koosh. These are the provinces which it is now
proposed to describe; but we shall reserve any
particular mention of the descendants of Alex-
ander for the following chapter, and proceed, in
the first place, to speak of the country and its
productions.

Koondooz is situated in a valley among low hills,
which extend from east to west for about thirty
miles, and from north to south about forty, when
it is bounded by the Oxus. It is watered by two
rivers, which join north of Koondooz, and are not
fordable during the melting of the snows in summer.
The climate of this country is most insalubrious:
the heat is excessive, yet the snow lies for three
months during winter. The greater part of the
valley is so marshy, that the roads across are con-
structed on piles of wood, which are fixed among
noxious reeds and vegetation. Rice is reared in
such places as are not entirely inundated, and in
the drier ground there is wheat and barley. The
fruit consists of apricots, plums, cherries, and mul-
berries, and it ripens at Balkh and Khooloom about
a fortnight sooner than at Koondooz. The great
mountain of Hindoo Koosh is in sight at Koondooz;
but those hills which form the valley on either
side do not rise to a height of a thousand feet from
the plain. They are long ridgy high-lands, covered
with grass and flowers, free from trees or brush-
wood, but yielding valuable pasture. The town of
Koondooz cannot boast a population of 1500 souls;
for it is deserted by the chief and the people.
The neighbouring districts do not partake of the