'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎24] (49/122)

24
Route No. 16.
From Mosul to Tabriz,
by Amadia, Julamerk, and Dilman,
AuiJiority and dale —Ainsworth 1840.
D istance iu
miles.
No.
. * - - f v
of
Names of stages.
R emarks.
stage.
Inter-
aediate.
Total.
AIN Sifin
S heikh A dt ...
G amp in a val
ley.
Crossed the north shoulder of Jebel Maklub. Be-
yond this a country of low sandstones led to the
plain of Nav-knr, watered bj the Khazir; it is
bounded on the north by the Rabban Hormuz, at
the fbot of which is the large village of Bagh-
Idri.
Reached Ain Sifin after a journey across the plain
of about 4 hours, and entered upon mountainous
country.
Two hours' journey over the outlying hills brought
us to a more lofty range of limestones and
sandstones, which we crossed by a narrow glen.
About 21 miles up this, ravine the valley widens
and gives off two lateral and parallel valleys;
that to the south contains the village of Maghei-
rah ; in the central valley is that of Kathandiyah;
while to the right is the northern vale, more
narrow and deeply clad with wood. We turned
up the valley of Sheikh Adi; the village stands
on the top of an adjacent cliff.
The two largest villages of the Yezidis are Bah-
Ashikah at the western foot of Jebel Maklub and
Bah-Idri at the foot of Rabban Hormuz
A gentle ascent led to the crest of the Sheikh Adi
range. Numerous vineyards occupied the hill
sides, and by these we descended into the small
vale of Berbets, out of which we found our way
by a narrow and precipitous ravine about | a
mile in length, with a bad i;oad, which leads to
the fertile valley of Ghanar Su ; this valley con
tains many villages.
We crossed it in a diagonal direction, and in about
1| hours reached a village at the foot of the range
on the north.
The ascent occupied 1| hours ; the range broke oS
suddenly in a steep precipice, beneath which, in
a narrow vale at a depth of 800 feet, were many
villages and gardens. We were obliged to alter
ojir course and keep up the side of the precipice
till, passing over some broken hills, we found our-
selves in the valley of Chelojd, bounded north
and south by narrow ranges of limestone.
We proceeded to the village of Zindar, at the foot
of ^ the Tura or Jebel Gharah. The road led over
this chain in a tortuous manner through wooded
glens ; the height of the summit was 2,137 feet.
There was still a good deal of snow on the eastern
slope (June 9th).