"تقرير عسكري عن جنوب غرب بلاد فارس، يتضمن أقاليم خوزستان (عربستان)، لورستان، وجزءًا من فارس" [‎١‎٨] (٤٦٦/٤٥)

18
*
On the 10th, crossing the Kuh-i-Khonsar, at an elevation of 9,620 feet,
Dum-i-Kamar, elevation 7,860 feet, and distant 15 miles, situated at the foot
of the Kuh-i-Afhus and the snowy range blocking all further passage into
the Bakhtiari country, was reached. Hearing of a pass leading through tlie
hills at Ali-Gudar, I proceeded there by the following stages
Peefc.
May 11th, Chaman-i-Sultan, 20 miles, elevation ... 7,810
^ 12th, Ali-Gudar 13. 6,615
the road, skirting the foot of the snowy range at a distance of from 5 to 10
miles from it, is good but undulating. The hill streams are difficult to ford;
crossiEg the head-waters of the Ab -i -Kum, a baggage yabu was washed two
miles down-stream before he was recovered, more dead than alive.
Ali-Gudar is a large village, lying in a fertile valley, at the head of tlie
break in the snowy range, and at a point where the liills
Ali-Gudar. lower considerably in height.
It is the mart resorted to by the Iliyat Eakhtians; here they obtain
cloth, &c., and dispose of ghi, blankets, dates, wool, &c.
From this point Shustar can be reached in 7 days by what was described
as a difficult cow-path ; the Iliyats chiefly use their cows,
which are of a small breed and very sure footed, thougli
slow, as transport animals. Opinions differed as to whether mules, even when
lightly laden, could get to Shustar by this path, which w T as said to be very pre-
cipitous and in places obstructed by trees and brushwood; all agreed that mules
laden with Indian mule trunks could only with great difficulty traverse it, if
at all.
Between this path and the road by which the hills were crossed on the line
Dizful-Khoramabad-Burujird, no other path exists.
The pasture within the hills was described as excellent. Provisions sucli
as flour, butter, milk, eggs, fowls, sheep, &c., can be obtained from the tents
of the llij'ats.
This road was still blocked by snow, and none of the Bakhtians had as
yet come in; the road would probably be passable early in June.
Ali-Gudar is 3 stages from Burujird; their names are Derbend and Bahram-
abad. This is the most direct Isfahan-Burujird road.
Retracing my steps I again arrived at Dum-i-Kamar on the 14th May.
t >' A direct road runs hence to Isfahan via Dumbana and
Burujird to Isfahan. Kuvd-i-Uli this, the most direct Isfahan -Burujird
road is used by caravans in summer only; for five months of the year, i.e.,
November to March, it is closed by snow, w r hich is then described as lying 6
to 10' deep {see details, Fart IV), Making allowances for Persian exaggera
tion and taking into consideration the small rainfall of South Persia, snow
probably never lies to a greater depth than 3' at any time {see 'pages 58, 272),
The inhabitants of this district are miserably poor and wretchedly clad in
cottons. They w r eave woollen blankets, but so poor are they that they sell them,
and themselves starve with cold. There are numerous flocks of sheep and
goats and herds of donkeys to be seen in every village; their dung i s
stacked and used as winter fuel; the district is treeless and produces no
firewood. During the winter the peasants keep to their houses, huddled
round the dung fire for warmth; the dung is burnt under a wooden fJ' 3 *
work covered with a large coverlet, affording warmth to all who sleep under it