'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎28] (53/122)

28
K oute No. 16— contd.
No.
ot
stage.
Names of stages.
D istancb iit
miles.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
B emabks.
18
19
Eslaya
JULAMEEK
20
Ghaeanis
21
Keemi
22
Meilawa
Passing over a range of hills, rising no great
height above the upland, we descended to a cul-
tivated vale with honses and gardens called
Eslaya, 6,258 feet in elevation.
Another ascent brought us in view of Julamerk,
bearing north 80° east. The town consists of
about 200 houses, or mud hovels, which nearly
encircle the castle hill, the residence of the Beg.
It is situated in a deep hollow, on the Kurdistan
upland, at an elevation of about 5,400 feet. To
the east is a bold rocky mountain called Shembat,
about 3,000 feet above Julamerk. Around, espe
cially to the north and north-west, is seen culti
vation, with a few villages. We descended to one
of these, called Merzin, and thence went on to
the Armenian village of Pagi.
Left Pagi for Bashkala. We had a gentle ascent
up to the shoulder of Tur Burj-ul-lah, which
lasted nearly 2 hours, and then descended to the
valley, or rather upland of Kochannes, a small
village upon a level upland vale, advancing over
the valley of the Zab.
Rode some distance along the side of Kochannes
hill, having a higher range, that of Aref Tagh,
before us. We then descended by a long and
steep, though otherwise good pathway, to a val
ley in which were many villages. We then as
cended again to a cultivated upland at the foot
of Aref Tagh, where were the Chaldean villages
of Espin and Gharanis, both with towers of
defence. Our camp at Gharanis was at an alti
tude of 7,009 feet.
There are two roads from Gharanis, one over the
mountains, the other by the valley of the Zab.
We took the latter, although the longer route.
Made two slight ascents and descents and then
reached some sulphur mines in the bottom of a
valley; passed the Chaldean village of Kermi,
and then turned off from the valley of the Zab,
which was here rocky and wooded, to the north
east, passing a valley with two more Chaldean
villages.
We followed again for some time the valley of
the Zab where it winded through a marshy up
land vale, at the end of which it received a large
tributary, which we crossed by a bridge. Ascend
ing an upland a little above the Zab, we reached
the Chaldean village of Meilawa. The country
towards the head-waters of the Zab beyond this
quite changed its character.
There are still a few mountain points, as Arghi
Tagh, to the south-east, with the bold outlying
"Hock of Tiri." But the outline of the chain is