'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎337] (384/466)

337
43
Pugximbazan to Bashfc,
25 miles. Direction east
by north. Basht to Tel-
Espfd, 18 miles, east by
south.
Stage 9, December 13th. Prom Dug-umbazan to Basht (altitude 3,730
feet), three farsakhs, there is a gentle descent over a
plain showing marks of onee having been well peopled,
though now a few tents only are seen and a little cultiva-
tion. Great slabs of almost perpendicular limestone rise
from it and form the south of the Kuh-i-Dil. The road
runs to the north-east, and turns the east end of the mountain without much
difficulty by threading between the knife edges of the remarkable limestone for
mation, and ascending a slight kotal called the Tang-i-Narik (altitude 3,230
feet). 1o the east of the mountain the country is quite park-like with the oaks
which have again appeared. On nearing Basht the road was so bad, followino-
a zigzag for U miles, that we had often to dismount; but we had evidently
missed the way, for a better track was necessary for the rickety gun carriage we
have been tracing from Behbahan. The gun, it seems, reached the small stone
fort of Basht only to be sent back again to Behbahan. The fort would hold
70 men. Its walls are highland round it are grouped the reed huts constitu
ting the village. There is a permanent garrison of government people, but
very weak. At Basht is a fine open valley running west by north to east by
south with a small stream capable of becoming an awkward flood. This in its
normal condition trickles over a stony bed down the centre of the valley. The
people (there are only about 100) are at feud with all their neighbours, and
never dare wander out of sight of home. Large clumps of wild myrtle dot the
plain; carraway seeds are cultivated, and an oil extracted for sale. Rice is
also cultivated. A road goes from here to Mian Kotal, and is reported to be
good. The snowy peaks above Dasht-i-Arjan were visible from Dugumbazan.
_ From Basht the road leads down and across the valley, past mounds,
evidently sites of ancient fortified places, and enters the low hills coming from
the north-west; it ascends only to descend again so as to hit off a water
course, which must be occupied by a considerable torrent at times. Thence we
go through a park-like valley with fine oaks. At the head of this is the first
serious obstacle to wheeled vehicles hat we have met with since Behbahan,
viz., the Guzinjun ridge, which is of limestone rocks. The ascent, coming
from the west, is nothing, but the descent of half a mile into the Chal-i-Moreh
plain is steep, rough, and difficult. The view from the Guzinjun ridge (altitude
2,780 feet) is fine. The Chal-i-Moreh valley, almost perfectly flat, has its
alluvial soil standing level up against the stony hills. A narrow gorge
admits the river which meanders from the north-east, escaping by an equally
narrow gorge to the west. The plain extends to the east, like an arm of the
sea, the sluggish stream of the Sar-Ab-i-Siah draining this arm and falling into
the main stream two miles from the ridge. The fords of the main river and
that of the 8ar-Ab-i-Siah are easy; that of the latter is just above where a
remarkable mound, evidently artificial, is now T crowned by a ruined mosque.
The mound is circular in shape, has 40 feet of steep scarp, and 70 feet diame
ter. The Sar-Ab-i-Siah evidently was formerly led round the east side of the
mound as well as the west, and a wet ditch was thus secured ; but now there
is only water on the west. This river Jjis said to rise at one burst from a
uge spring half way up the valley, which has been likened to an arm of the
sea. Certainly we saw nothing of the sources at the head of the valley, or
gather at the narrow neck of level called the Pul-i-Safid, where it emerges
ln to the Tel-Espid plain inhabited by the Mamasseni. Moreover, there was
an irrigation channel from Tel-Espid, formed evidently to water this upppr
portion of the "arm/^above the sources of the Sar-Ab-i-Siah. So the tale of