The Memoirs of Bābur 910.7.6

910.7.6

The snow-fall being so heavy in Kābul, it is fortunate that excellent fire-wood is had near by. Given one day to fetch it, wood can be had of the _khanjak_ (mastic), _bīlūt_ (holm-oak), _bādāmcha_ (small-almond) and _qarqand_.[848] Of these _khanjak_ wood is the best; it burns with flame and nice smell, makes plenty of hot ashes and does well even if sappy. Holm-oak is also first-rate fire-wood, blazing less than mastic but, like it, making a hot fire with plenty of hot ashes, and nice smell. It has the peculiarity in burning that when its leafy branches are set alight, they fire up with amazing sound, blazing and crackling from bottom to top. It is good fun to burn it. The wood of the small-almond is the most plentiful and commonly-used, but it does not make a lasting fire. The _qarqand_ is quite a low shrub, thorny, and burning sappy or dry; it is the fuel of the Ghaznī people. (_i. Fauna of Kābul._)