"دليل بلاد فارس. مجلد II" [ظ‎‎٣‎٣‎٣] (٧٠٦/٦٧١)

654
YAZD
ing the post road to Khush Kuh and thence to Shahr-i-Babak, or else
diverging from the post road at Muhammadabad, 12 miles from Yazd
and going via Mahriz to Shahr-i-Babak. Caravans commonly use the
Sirjan road which joins the main road at Bahramabad, as it is safer and
there are frequent telegraph stations.
These roads have many things in their favour ; they are more direct, and
on the average of the year, some 20 krdns per kharudr (1,300 lbs.) cheaper
than the Shiraz road. At some periods of the year the difference is very
much more in favour of the Bandar ’Abbas road, where the freights some
times are as low as 100 krdns per 1,300 lbs., whilst on the Bushire-Shiraz
road they are never less than 160 krdns per 1,300 lbs. The time taken
on the road via Shiraz is about 40 days and via Bandar ' Abbas-Sa adatabad
about 45 days. Carriage is always to be obtained in Bandar ’Abbas, except
about the Nauroz (21st March) when camelmen and muleteers are graz
ing their animals. To Meshed there is qnly one road used, via Pusht-i-
Badam and Badar Askan.
Telegraphs.- —The telegraph is the Persian line connecting Knman and
Isfahan; it is of very indifferent working and messages can only be sent
in the Persian language.
The great hindrance to a development of trade is the inadequate organi
sation of transport. Merchants are entirely in the hands of camelmen and
goods may lie for months at Bandar ’Abbas waiting for camels and when
en route are often subjected to delays from the whims of the camelmen.
If there were an organisation of caravans to leave Bandar Abbas at stated
periods, matters would be much improved. In the summer camels are not
to be found there and in winter there are so many that goods are rushed up
country to secure the cheap hire, only to sutler loss from an overstocked
m The best route is undoubtedly the Sirjan route described above, though
European merchants invariably use the Shiraz route owing to the great
regularity of the transport. Freights, however, as a rule, are cheaper on
the Sirjan route.
Table of Transport Hire in 1900. These rates have increased largely (1912).
Route.
Camel, or mule, hire per
Remarks.
Bandar’Abbas-Yazd
100 to 480 krans per 100 mans
Average rate 180 krans
(Shahi).
in winter, in summer
often not to be had.
Bushire-Yazd
200 krans per 100 mans
Average rate 200 mans
(Tabriz!).
(Tabriz!), to 100 mans
(Shahi).
Yazd-Tehran
125 krans per 100 mans
Tehran-Yezd more ex-
f pensive than Yezd-
t Tehran, owing to
Tehran-Yazd
Yazd-Meshed
150
35 to 40 krans per 60 mans
) fragile nature of goods.
(Meshed!).
Yazd-Isfahan
60 krans per 100 mans