KABUL RIVER, a river of Afghanistan, 300 m. in length. The Kabul
(ancient _Kophes_), which is the most important (although not the
largest) river in Afghanistan, rises at the foot of the Unai pass
leading over the Sanglakh range, an offshoot of the Hindu Kush towards
Bamian and Afghan Turkestan. Its basin forms the province of Kabul,
which includes all northern Afghanistan between the Hindu Kush and the
Safed Koh ranges. From its source to the city of Kabul the course of the
river is only 45 m., and this part of it is often exhausted in summer
for purposes of irrigation. Half a mile east of Kabul it is joined by
the Logar, a much larger river, which rises beyond Ghazni among the
slopes of the Gul Koh (14,200 ft.), and drains the rich and picturesque
valleys of Logar and Wardak. Below the confluence the Kabul becomes a
rapid stream with a great volume of water and gradually absorbs the
whole drainage of the Hindu Kush. About 40 m. below Kabul the Panjshir
river joins it; 15 m. farther the Tagao; 20 m. from the Tagao junction
the united streams of Alingar and Alishang (rivers of Kafiristan); and
20 m. below that, at Balabagh, the Surkhab from the Safed Koh. Two or
three miles below Jalalabad it is joined by the Kunar, the river of
Chitral. Thenceforward it passes by deep gorges through the Mohmand
hills, curving northward until it emerges into the Peshawar plain at
Michni. Soon afterwards it receives the Swat river from the north and
the Bara river from the south, and after a further course of 40 m. falls
into the Indus at Attock. From Jalalabad downwards the river is
navigable by boats or rafts of inflated skins, and is considerably used
for purposes of commerce.
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