'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎301] (346/466)

301
U oute No. 4— contd.
From Isfahan to Behbahdn and BandaT-Dilam, fyc. —contd.
13
Distancf s in
miles.
Time.
Names of towns, villages, &c.
Interme
diate.
Total.
Eemarks.
p.m.
2-5
S ad'at (elevation
7,200').
Lon. 51 0 18 , E.
Lat. 30 o 47'N.
18
287
The valley is well watered ; fine walnut
and mulberry trees grow about the
village, but few of the houses of which
are now occupied.
There are extensive vineyards here.
Barometer 23*0' / .
A few partridge were shot in the barren hills bordering the Khurra valley.
A typical Sassanian ruin is thus described by Sir H. Eawlinson :—
" The buildings are uniformly composed of massive stone walls, cemented with a plaster
<4 of lime; a foundation of arched subterranean vaults appears universal, above which the
"usual construction seems to have been a single arched passage, divided into a number of
apartments surrounding a quadrangular court; but, in other instances, the superstructure
"consistsof a whole labyrinth of these vaulted passagesj communicating with each other, the
41 centre apartment being thus necessarily in a state of complete darkness, unless, indeed, of
"which I could perceive no trace, light was admitted from above. In a few cases there were
"the remains of a second story, also arched; so it would appear as if beams of wood were
"never made use of in these Sassanian buildings."
" The interiors were coated with plaster and ornamented with paintings of flowers and rude
patterns."
The ruined buildings here are of a less pretentious nature than those above described and
those to be seen at Deh-dahst. They are one-storied.
13
p.m.
5-15
6-15
7-5
8-15
untouched.
10th June 1884,
S adat
287
Barometer 23 , 5 7 ; thermometer 52.°
The road, an easy track, descends the
valley; the soil is a decomposed sandstone
and granite.
Ascends over the left side of the valley ;
the ascent, made in places only, .is very
difficult, steep, and stony where it passes
over ledges of slippery rock; it is very
dangerous for mules and horses {see
Roads, page 110),
Barometer 22 , 65' / (7,400'). Descends
nnd enters the Tang leading up to the
Gardan-i-Miila.
Summit of pass; barometer, 22*l v
(8,350'); the descent is steep and difficult,
although a broad mule track and made in
places ; all difficult places have been left
Hawthorn bushes and shrubs are now again plentiful; large trees are rare.
The hill to the left of the valley traversed is known as the Kan-i-Lilli.
9-25
The Kuh-i-Neh is half a mile distant
on a bearing of 315° ; it is snow-topped.
The path now runs under the Dalbe-
raugh hill.