'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎86] (111/122)

86
R oute N o. 45—
No.
of
stage.
Names of stages.
D istance in-
miles.
R emarks,
Inter-
mediate.
Total.
16
G ulich^ T apa
151
304
At 4 miles enter narrow defile and pass villao-e
Kangaru, 20 houses, | mile left.
Thence by tortuous narrow path between steep
and barely accessible slopes of 500 to 1,000
feet, crowned by granite peaks, to crest of pass
known as Gardan-i-Girdakanu, f l\ miles, total
ascent 1,000 feet.
Thence, descend over steep slopes 400 feet in J
mile ; path barely practicable for wheels, but im-
proveable without serious difficulty.
From foot of pass traverse undulating plain 7 to
8 miles in length and breadth, enclosed on all
sides by mountains.
At 9j miles, pass Girdakanubalak, 40 houses, 1
mile left.
At 12^ miles, pass through narrow gap in enclos
ing hills, and following small stream at 13|- miles
reach Girdakanupain, 20 houses ; road good.
Thence by gcod road skirting low hills flanked
right by deep ravine at about J mile, and passing
hamlet Asyab, 15 houses ; Gurya-Hut, 10
houses ; Baghlashah, 15 houses, off right to the
Gawa Rud, 21| miles ; descent 350 ; streams
small, fordable save in flood ; bottom sound,
banks low and open to \ mile.
Thence, ascend 425 feet to pass at 23f miles ;
ascent easy; road good, commanded by accessible
slopes of 500 to 1,000 feet, lofty tabular moun
tain of limestone, Mahinkoh 1 mile left.
Thence, long steady descent to valley of Sungar ;
passing at 25 miles hamlet FTaiwatula, 20 houses,
at 28 miles reaching foot of descent 700 feet
below pass, and at 29^ miles town of Sungar.
Eoad good and practicable for guns ; where narrow
easily improveable. Sungar, 2,000 houses, open
town, in well-cultivated valley showing many
villages.
Leave Sungar south-south-west ; at l^ miles over
level cultivated plain cross Shaju llud, brook
flowing west, and at 3 miles touch skirt of lofty
precipitous mountain known as Dalakhana.
Thence, over easy undulations, by a stony and
devious track. 9| miles to foot of pass known
as the Gardan^-i-Mala was ; ascent of pass about
1 mile, 300 feet ; path obstructed by boulders,
tortuous and narrow, but with practicable gra
dients and easily improveable.
From crest of pass, descend 900 feet, passing at
12^ miles, Jabarabad, 30 houses, and reaching foot
at 13f miles ; road narrow with some steep pitches,
but easily improveable. From foot of pass
traverse open plain of Dinawar to Gulicha Tapa.