'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎19r] (42/416)

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No. 1A.
Khabis to Bam, via Tehrud.
No. of
fetage.
Distance, in
miles.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate
Total.
Remarks.
Khabis bears N. 25° W., and the castle of Andujaid, situated on a lofty hill, S. 5° W.
Towards the 9th mile we entered upon a level tract of soft ground, and passed at 10| miles a
watch-tower on a hill. The path then wound in a general direction south, across a small plain
leading ns towards the 12th mile to the village Godiz, a ruinous looking place of scattered
houses sheltered amidst groves of palm, orange, and lemon trees. Passing through it we
reached in a few minutes the walls of the castle of Andujard, crowning a height. The place
is now hardly inhabited, and we crossed another small tract of land in direction S.S.W.,
reaching the village of Andujard, situated at some distance from its castle, at the end of
the 14th mile.
Gowk or Gok . 26 40 From Andujard we travelled southwards across
the plain, presently descending into the broad bed
of a mountain stream, probably 300 yards wide,
flowing from Sarak, but at that time consisting
only ot little streamlets, which are absorbed by the villages of this plain. We ascended it
for nearly 2 miles, and then proceeded S.W. by west, crossing some low hills, from the top of
which towards the 6th mile Khabis was visible, hearing N. 5° W., and the castle of
Andujard N.N.E. From the N.E., and extending to S.E. of the compass, one vast sandy
waste, heaped into waves and having the appearance of a dark expanse of sea, was apparent.
Au isolated mountain bearing north by west, at a great distance off, was pointed out as belong
ing to the district of Kavere. A steep descent through a very wild and rocky countrv
brought us at miles into a deep valley, called Rudkhiz, possessing a small stream and
abounding with wild trees. Thence the road led south up the valley for f of a mile, the trees
disappeared, and we quitted the stream, which here flows from the S. E. At the 11th mile
we entered a narrow pass through a range of snowy mountains, extending from N.W. to
S.E., and proceeded by a winding path. This pass presents a variety of rock, amongst
which limestone and coarse green porphyry are observed. At the 12th mile we proceeded S.
by east by a gradual ascent up a broad stony valley. At the loth mile the village Hashtal
Tan bore N. 15° W., situated under some rocks at about 2 miles distance. Advancing
up the valley, we got amongst snow, with which the ground was partially covered, the soil
beneath being soft and salt. Here my compass getting out ot order, I alighted at the
18th mile at the village Fandaka. The snow increased in depth as we proceeded S.S.E,
up the valley, the head of which we attained at the 21st mile, and then descended rapidly
in the same direction into a vale, in the centre of which lies the large village of Gok,
where we alighted after a ride of about 27 miles. Our baggage was more than 11 hours
on the way from the state of the roads.
Tehkud
38
78
Direction down the valley S.E. by east, reaching
its extremity at the end of about 2| miles. Then
f of a mile in direction S.S.E., past Deh Malik,
a hamlet S.E. by south, by a gentle ascent leading
presently among low hills, and then at 4| miles by the dry bed of a mountain stream, called
Kud-Khanah-i-Nask, from a village of that name about 7 farsakhs distant. Towards the end
of the 10th mile we quitted the bed of the mountain stream leading from hills to the S., and
. proceeded as before by a broad valley, which is a continuation of that of Gok, only that it
is in one part broken into low hills, as I have already described. From the broad valley
we entered at the 24th mile a narrower one, leading through low hills , and reached the top
of the ascent at about 27| miles. Then traversing other valleys and hills, descended at the
31st mile into a great and very uneven plain. Here we passed a few wretched hovels,
where we inquired our way to Tehrud, and reached this most ruinous little fort in the
obscimty of the evening. In all this distance no water is procurable excepting in the plain
of Tehrud.
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