'Collection of journals and reports received from Captain the Hon G C Napier, Bengal Staff Corps, on special duty in Persia, 1874' [‎13] (26/396)

6th July. Saidahad, 21 miles. —Leaving Giliard the road runs
east across the valley of Demavend, passing the little stream of
that name by a good stone bridge, and thence on for 20 miles
through the fertile village lands of Ain-i-Verzan, Jaghoon, and
Sarbundan to Saidabad, where the plateau ends abruptly. This
plateau is a continuation of the Boomahind tract already described,
but has greater width, a more level surface, and a better supply
of water. Its soil is a fine alluvium with little sand or gravel,
and of considerable fertility, producing besides heavy crops of
wheat and barley, maize, pulses, castor oil, and cotton. There
are seven fine villages, the four above-mentioned, and Ab-i-Sard,
Mazinak, Bagh-i-Shah. One of the smallest, Ain-i-Yerzan, Ain-i-Verzan.
pays 60 kharwars of grain and 120 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. nominal revenue per
annum; besides furnishing 50 men to the regiment of Teheran.
One-half of the village is held in free grant by Syuds. This
assessment though apparently trifling is really high in comparison
with that of similar villages in other parts, and indicates a great
fertility. With assistance in digging wells and water-courses
other parts of the plateau might be brought under cultivation,
and would rival in production and in beauty the most favoured
tracts of South-Eastern Europe. With a good road over the
mountains a large population might be supported, without fear
of famine, by the surplus grain produce of Mazanderan, and
their more scanty lands and water be devoted to the production
of cotton, tobacco, fruits, wine, and other valuable staples of
foreign and internal trade.
Ain-i-Verzan, overshadowed by lofty mountain ridges seamed
with snow, with its avenues of poplars, and green fields watered
by a stream dashing down to the rock strewn hill skirt in one
white line of cascades, and neat mosque with white octagonal
spire showing over the green boughs of elm and sycamore, might
compare with any village in the Tyrol or the Swiss Alps.
In spite of its elevation the winter on the plateau is said to
be scarcely more severe than in the lowlands ; snow falling to a
great depth but melting quickly.
On the hill side above Saidabad was the camp of a party of
nomads of Turkish origin, but now Sheeahs of the sect known
as the Ali Illahi. Their belief is that Ali, the nephew of the Ah Illahis.
prophet, was God incarnate. They appeared to have no notion
of the origin of this doctrine, and said that " every body believed
" the samethe tents made of black goats' hair woven in strips
were supported by a number of short sticks placed at any angle;
though frail-looking they are said to give good protection against
both wind and rain ; the women of the party were unveiled, and -
made no show of hiding their faces. They were hard at work
making "kroot/' a sour cheese of sheep and goats' milk churned
in a leather bag. In winter these tribes descend to the lowlands
camping on the outskirts of some large village, where they barter
their " kroot" for other necessaries.
July §th. To Firoz Koh, 30 miles. —Crossing the valley into
which the Demavend plateau falls with a steep scarp the route
to Firoz Koh, the next stage, leads up a narrow gorge with rocky
fijifee.) B