I had as usual to wait an unconscionable time for my camels, I found a friendly tamarisk of considerable size under which to spread my blanket.

I always carried on my horse a couple of blankets, in one of which was a pair of light loose trousers made of tussa silk, and in the other a pair of slippers. Then in my saddle-bags I carried some food, so that I was quite independent, and could either have a snooze with my incomparable Terai hat as a pillow, write up my journal, or sketch in my map. Talking of the Terai hat reminds me that it, and a pair of clouded glass spectacles, were given me by kind friends just before I left India. Never have I had such useful and appropriate presents, and I am sure if the blessings I used to pour on the donors almost every day in this journey will do them any good, they ought to find their reward some day.

On Saturday the 24th July, we marched 16 miles to Ak Durbund. The road leads down the valley almost the whole way, only occasionally leaving it to go over spurs to the left, which here and there impinge on the river. It is quite practicable everywhere for field artillery. At the eighth mile we passed a newly built fort called Bughbughoo, occupied by about thirty wretched creatures, who looked at us passing with the longing look of prisoners afforded a glimpse of the outer world.

At the fourteenth mile we descended to the bed of the river and crossed to the right bank, by a very nasty, because very muddy, ford. Thence the road went over an open plain for one mile, when it ascended over a spur

by a steep, but otherwise easy, pass, to another little opening, which was again divided from Ak Durbund by another similar pass.

The river here is confined between hills, so that the valley is not more than 300 yards across, and beyond this it gradually gets narrower and narrower, till it becomes a regular defile, and continues thus till it emerges from the hills at Pool-y-Khatoon, where the ground becomes much more open. All access from the east is closed by towers placed on commanding positions overhanging the defile, so that the position of Ak Durbund becomes one of very considerable importance in considering the defence of this border, as by it is the only practicable road between Moozduran and the southern side of the ridges which bound the Ab-yMushudd on the south.

From Moozduran the main ridge continues to be equally impracticable towards Ak Durbund, before reaching which place it throws out a spur with perpendicular sides, which runs down to the spot thus called, ending in the abrupt drop shown on the left of the picture. Again, from the point above-named, whence what may be called the left ridge of the "Durbund" is thrown out, another spur goes on to the east (it is seen in the ridge shown in the centre of the sketch), and about two miles beyond Ak Durbund throws out another ridge to the S., which is again connected with a spur which runs E. and W., parallel with the parent ridge. The westerly prolongation of this spur comes down to within 200 yards of what I have called the left ridge of the Durbund, thus itself forming the right ridge (shown on right of sketch). Between these two ridges is the only road, and this has been closed by a high, strong, stone wall, built right across from hill to hill, commanded on either flank by strong towers on the heights as well as by a strong little fortlet to the rear. Thus, as long as the garrisons