'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎198] (207/466)

193
K oute N o. 1 — contd.
From Muhammerah to Tehran, contd.
o
D istances ix
miles.
Kemarks.
Numbei
Stage.
Time.
Names of towns. Tillages, &c.
Interme
diate.
Total
(260 miles), except one stage, over whicli snow and ice would compel them to bad their
{see Road Report No. 4, page 281).
2nd April 1884.
Halt. A plentiful stream of clear water flows close to the Ilkham's residence.
3rd April 1884.
a.m.
6-15
AB-I-Bid
155
8-15
8-30
8-35
9-25
10-15
10-30
10-45
11
p.m.
12-30
Kising, the road crosses a gently undu
lating plain ; to the southward a long,
low outcrop is \ mile distant; pasture at
this season is excellent, and covers the plain and its undulations, which rise 100' above it.
To the north-east are seen snow-topped
mountains.
Pass a kanat or under-ground water
channel (see page 345); there are no
wells ; the country is treeless, and no
brushwood grows.
A ruined mud enclosure occupied by a
few herdsmen. To the left, 600 yards
SAE-I-BESHi.
Dizful
^Elevation 680'.
Long. 48° 24' E.; Lat.
32° 24' N.
18
173
distant, is a break in the hills, through
which a small stream forces its way.
Low hills shut in the plain, here 3
miles wide, on either side.
Crosses the pebbly bed of a river 1 mile
wide, through which a shallow stream
courses.
Pasture excellent; good wheat and barley
cultivated.
The low hills to the south cease.
Ford a river bed, conglomerate, almost
dry, but deep at times; banks partial,
and from 2' to 3' high.
A richly cultivated, gently undulating
country extends to Dizful; soil clay.
Descending over conglomerate rock,
crosses the narrow stream flowing in its
deep bottom by a short bridge of masonry.
The road rises gently towards Dizful.
Reach Dizfdl, situated in a fairly level
plain (see Revised Gazetteer of Persia)-
General Remarlcs. —Road generally good and easy over gentle undulations ; the clayey
Boil gets sticky after rain.
Caravans for Isfahan are said to prefer the road by Khoramabad, Burujird, and Gulpai-
gan, which is comparatively level and good, to the direct but more mountainous road acios
the Bakhtian hills. The latter route, of 16 stages, was said to be open for a few months on^jjr
from May (see page 281). The former is at present closed by the Dirikwand, a tribe oi e
Lurs about the Ab-i-Zal, the Bairanwand tribe, and others through whose pastures the ro