'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎66] (91/122)

66
Route No. 37-
These routes, although they do not—except for those leading resppctively
from Erzerum to Mush and Bitlis, from Erzerum to Van, and from Bitlis to
Van represent important commercial routes, are of great military interest.
They traverse a country very likely to form in the future a theatre of military
operations on a great scale, and which, hilly as it is, will as a rule admit of
the employment of troops in all directions. This country is but imperfectly
known as yet, and only partially surveyed, and it is in some cases difficult
to reconcile routes followed by different travellers with each other.
Erzerum—Tashkese—Aghvekan—Khinis—Charbukur—to Mush.
No.
Distance iir
uiles.
of
stage.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Eeuabes.
Ebzeeum
From Erzerum the route rtifts nearly south for 2
miles to foot cf hills, then ascends, and after
zigzag to east, reaches top of Palan Dukan pass
(9,795 feet), 6J miles from the tower between
the two new Works. Up to this point the road
has been regularly engineered. Artillery might
with difficulty be taken over the pass ; it is
blocked in winter. Descend gradually south-east
over bare, undulating country, to stream running
north-east of the Upper Nebi Chai; this is crossed
by a ford (2 feet deep in July). Boute continues
to
Madrakh, a Kurdish village ; supplies very scanty.
Over grassy downs, 4 miles to village of Tashkese.
A stream running south-west into Upper A raxes.
At village of Delider direct route to Knlli
diverges to left. Route continues past Deniz
and Semi in a deep valley, descending to the ford,
of the Araxes, 3 feet deep in summer* The river
runs in a deep valley.
Chauvma (6,645 feet), a small Kurdish village, 1
mile beyond the ford. Route continues south
east over spurs for 8 miles to Korsi, where it
joins the route from Mejidlu, where it turns
south. ^The route crosses a ridge (7,200 feet),
the watershed The boundary between adjacent drainage basins. between the A rales and Murad Su
valleys, which would make a good position
against advance from north, and descends into a
fertile valley.
Aghveranj a large village, where supplies are
abundant. Route runs south, across a level
plateau. At 54 miles across deep ravin6 with
village and stream, good ford; 2g miles further
another ravine; and 2 J miles further, again,
descend into another ravine, in which is
Khinis Kala. Route runs down left side of ravine to
Ai'Osh, where the stream (the Khinis Chai) is
forded (i| feet in summer). The route then
moves &outh-south-east over a plateau to
3
2
3
4
Madeakh
Chaubma
Aqhveean
K HINIS K ala ...
ii
13J
121
10|
11
24|
37
47i