'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎355] (402/466)

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Of isolated masses of the nummulitie limestone, I may refer to the im
pregnable fort of J after Kuli Khan, the notorious chief of the Baklih'ari
Mountain, Chdoum in Lunstan (fig. 5), the Knh-f-Safid, between Shfraz
and Behbehan.
The distant outline of these ranges is straight and uniform, sometimes
presenting a few protuberances, but never rising into lofty and picturesque
peaks.*
The summit of a " diz," or natural fortress, is usually flat or but slightly
undulating, owing to the vertical elevation of the mass, and consequent
horizon tali ty of the beds.f
The great ranges composed of the limestone of this formation everywhere
present a formidable barrier to access from the west. All the passes from
Turkey into Persia are carried over them; and, as those in the interior are
reached by gradually mounting higher and higher, step by step, they were
described by the Greek historians by the appropriate name of ladders.
In some instances the passes follow a zigzag path np the precipitous face of an
escarpment, and are paved with rude blocks, but generally they are little better
than goats' tracks, and almost impassable. The surfaces of these dome-
shaped mountains, which in the distance look smooth and easy of ascent,
are upon nearer acquaintance found to be covered with huge blocks and sharp
broken pieces of hard limestone, or a breccia with a yellow calcareous matrix.
This breccia frequently conceals the superposition of the gypsum deposits
upon the skirts of the limestone dome.
From the base to about 6,000 feet above the sea dwarf oaks abound, but
beyond that height they gradually disappear; at 8,000 feet the astragalus
only grows. The nummulitic rocks attain an elevation of from 9,000 to
10,000 feet.
Exposed to the weather, the limestone assumes a warm ochreous tint; but
on fracture it is yellowish or grey.
In close proximity to the igneous axis of the whole chain of the frontier
are highly crystalline blue limestones, some of which are undoubtedly an
altered condition of the nummulitic limestone, the fossils being destroyed.
In consequence of the rarity of fossil remains throughout the whole of
this formation, and of their being when present for ihe most part in the state
of easts, I have been unable to ascertain the newest beds. The compact and
crystalline nature of the rock presents a universality of character along the
whole line of its range which does not lessen the difficulty.
In very few instances have good sections been met with, because of the
peculiar saddles, which seldom expose more than the upper layers. Even when
a section is obtained through the heart of any of these saddles, we gain no
information further than that it is composed of 2,000 feet and upwards of
layers of unfossiliferous compact or crystalline limestone.
Section (fig. 5) at Mungerrah. —The most detailed section that came under
observation is at Mungerrah, two long days'* journey north-north-west of
Kzful, in the interior of the Lur Mountains, where the English and Russian
Commissioners passed the summer of 1850.
The valley of Mungerrah is an extensive and irregular basin, enclosed on
sides by perpendicular cliffs, except on the south, where it is entered
oy a narrow valley called Sar-i-Dariah. The strata of; which the bowl of this
* The outline of the ranges as seen from Dizful is represented in Section VIII of the original
Memoir.—^^or.
t A diagram sketch of a portion of the Mungerrah Mountain geologically coloured and
"lowing this configuration accompanies Mr. Loftus's manuscript.— ^Editor.
''