"الطرق في بلاد فارس. القسم III" [و‎‎٣‎٦] (٧٣٩/٧٦)

21
No, 19— contd.
Astrabad to Tehran, via Chahardeh, Samnan, fyc.
No.
of
stage.
D istances
in miles.
Names of stages.
I
nterme-
diate.
Total.
R emaeks.
2
M aqassi
16
32
Eoad for about a mile from village lies over wide,
grassy lawns, on slopes of lower hills ; from #
there, is a good view of the desert and the south
east corner of the Caspian. It then enters forpst,
and keeps along edge of a precipice nearly 100
feet high overhanging a ravine, at the bottom of
which is the stream, which passes Miandara. On
left is steep side of a hill, thickly clothed with
forest. In an hour's travelling bed of river is
reached, in which road continues for about a mile
and-a.half, and then commences an ascent,
most painful and difficult for horses, which is
all but impracticable from slipperiness. Reached
a level space, about four miles from the summit of
the mountains, at a sufficient height above the
sea for the snow to lie. Above, high masses of
rock, covered with snow, rose like an impassable
barrier. Path was difficult. Near top there was
half a foot of snow on the ground. At last
attained the summit, and commenced a gradual
descent by a broad, dry, and well-beaten road.
The country presented a very different aspect to
that lately traversed, for tl»e hills were now half
bare, merely dotted here and there with a few
stunted firs. Continued the descent along a deep
and narrow valley and arrived at some caves in
the side of the mountain. There are several of
them of sufficient extent to accommodate some 20
or 30 horses. The place is called Magassi ; a
clear rivulet flows near at hand, and it is a con
venient halting place for muleteers between Mian
dara and Chahardeh, being nearly equi-distant
from both.
3
C hahaedeh
16
:
go
After about a mile, turned east over a level plain
where in summer the Governor of Astrabad en
camps. A small stream of delicious water runs
through it.
About half a mile farther, turned at a right angle
into another plain, which gradually narrowed into
a valley, and terminated in a steep, rocky pass.
The road lay over this, and about three-quarters
of a mile on the other side, entered a curious
defile, about three yards broad, the rocks rising
on each side 50 or 60 feet perpendicularly, like
immense walls, called the Shamshirbur. A
small stream flows through it, now frozen ; great
difficulty in getting through the pass. The
whole length of the defile is not more than 600