Kabul River
This article has been extracted from THE IMPERIAL GAZETTEER OF INDIA , 1908. OXFORD, AT THE CLARENDON PRESS. |
Note: National, provincial and district boundaries have changed considerably since 1908. Typically, old states, ‘divisions’ and districts have been broken into smaller units, and many tahsils upgraded to districts. Some units have since been renamed. Therefore, this article is being posted mainly for its historical value.
Kabul River
River of North-Western India, which rises in Afghanistan near the Unai Pass, about 40 miles west of Kabul city, in 34 degree 21’ N. and 68° 20' E. In its upper course it is joined by many small tributaries from the southern slopes of the Laghman range. It is at first an inconsiderable stream, being fordable as far as Kabul city. At a short distance beyond this it receives the Logar from the south, and thenceforward becomes a rapid river with a considerable volume of water. About 40 miles below Kabul city it receives from the north the Panjshlr; 15 miles farther on the Tagao; 20 miles below, the united streams of the Alingar and Alishang ; and a few miles above Jalalabad, the Surkhab from the south. Just below Jalalabad it is joined by the Kunar from the north. After these accessions, the Kabul becomes a large river, nowhere fordable. Flowing with great force, it hugs the north side of the Jalalabad valley until it enters the Mohmand Hills, when it presses towards the north base of the Khyber range, and is confined between hiHs until it enters British territory near Michni Fort. Here it divides into two branches, the Adezai on the north and the Naguman on the south.
The Adezai, or Hajizai, is at present the main stream. It divides
the tahsils of Peshawar and Charsadda for 20 miles, and, after a further
couFse of 10 miles through the latter tafisll y rejoins the Naguman
at Nisatta, after receiving the waters of the Swat. The Naguman,
formerly the main stream, throws off the Budhni, a small branch which
supplies the Jui Shaikh canal, and after receiving the drainage of the
Khyber Hills, turns north and joins the Shah Alam, itself a chord of
the Naguman. That stream has a course of 20 miles before it reaches
Nisatta, and below that place the joint stream is known as the Landai
or 'short’ river. The Landai flows between low banks for its first
12 miles, but below Naushahra it has cut a deep channel and its lower
reaches are rocky. After a course of 36 miles it falls into the Indus
at Attock. Thus the total course of the Kabul river is about
316 miles.
From its source to Jalalabad, the river is of no value except for irri- gation, which it also affords in the Frontier Province (see Kabul River Canal); from Jalalabad to Dobandi, it affords safe, and generally rapid, descent down stream by means of rafts of inflated skins. This mode of travelling is frequently resorted to, as it saves ten marches which may be traversed in twelve hours when the river is in flood. The boatmen of Lalpura, Jalalabad, and Kunar are a peculiar race, keeping much to themselves, and are known under the generic title of nilabi. From Dobandi (or Nisatta) to Attock, the Kabul is navigable for boats of 40 or 50 tons.
Between Kabul city and Jalalabad, the river is fordable in places ; but after it has been swelled by the waters of the Logar, the fords are not always practicable ; both at Sarobi (opposite Naglu) and at Jalal- abad there are alternative fords and ferries. The precarious nature of the Jalalabad ford was illustrated by a catastrophe which occurred in March, 1879, when an officer and forty-six non-commissioned officers and men of the 10th Hussars were drowned while attempting a passage in the dark. The principal ferries between Dobandi and Attock are from Nisatta to Khalll Bandah, and from New to Old Naushahra. The railway from Naushahra to Dargai crosses the river, and there is a bridge of boats at the same site, while another has recently been constructed at Lalpura below Jalalabad. Permanent bridges cross the river in Kabul city.
