'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎21r] (46/416)

Route No. 2.
Bam to Lash Juwain (Sistan)
No. of
stage.
Names of stages.
Distance, in
miles.
Inter
mediate.
Rbmab^s.
Total.
3 Tdm-i-Rio . 14 50 General direction east-north-east.
Tum-i-Rig, or “ hillocks of sand,” is the last
camping-ground before entering the desert that
occupies the greater part of the distance between
Narmashir and Sistan, and here all preparations for the desert should be completed, including
the engagement of men for the march as diggers of wells in the rare spots where salt and
brackish water may be found. The water at Tum-i-Rig is fresh and good ; and all that may
be required for drinking, at least for Europeans, should be laid in here for the three stages to
Nasratabad. There is a layer of pure salt, of sufficient hardness to turn the tent pegs, at
Tum-i-Rig. It is 6 inches below the surface of the ground.
2i.B .—Goldsmid also describes a route from Bam, joining that described above at about
the middle of stage 2 vi& Kruk (24 miles), Azizabad (18 miles), Khar Manzil (18 miles),
and Tum-i-Rig (4 miles) ;—total 64, which, though good, is devious.
Shdb Gaz
22
72
General direction north-east.
The road runs over hard, stony, somewhat
undulating desert, showing no signs of any kind
of life. This desolation is unbroken, except by
occasional sandy patches on which stunted tamarisk and small kahur trees are found. This
desert stretches on the west right up to Tihran. At ninth mile the road passes a remarkable
tower called Mil-i-Nadiri, height 55 feet. It is built of oven-burnt bricks, and has a spiral
staircase ascending to the top from which an extensive view can be obtained.
Shcr Gaz.—A halting-place in the desert.
5 feet, but brackish and bad.
5 I Gukg
Water obtained by digging to a depth of
35
107
The characteristics of the route are the same as
between Tum-i-Rig and Shur Gaz. At eleventh
mile the companion tower to that already passed is
reached. It is now completely in ruins. At
twenty-second mile the ruins of a considerable fort and caravansarai are passed.
Gurg.—A camping-ground in the desert. Here, as at Shur Gaz, bad and brackish water
can be obtained by digging to a depth of 5 feet. Gurg is situated in a valley running from
south-west to south-east (?). It lies at the foot of a range of hills which separates it from
Isasratabad. There is a stream here, the Rud-i-Mahi, but its waters are so salt and bitter as
to be undrinkable even by animals. It is a brook of considerable size at Gurg. Its course
is not certainly known, but it is believed to work its way through the Nasratabad range and
other hills into Sistan. The old road into Sistan used to follow the Gurg valley eastward,
and turn the hills in front, but robbers have caused that route to be abandoned/ There are
about here the remains of a caravansarai and of numerous kanats and mud huts. The
climate here in winter is bitterly cold ; but in summer it is so hot that it is necessary for
a rider to wrap bandages round his stirrups to prevent his horse or camel from being wound
ed by the contact. The line of waterparting of the range of desolate and barren hills separat
ing Gurg from Nasratabad is crossed at an elevation of 4,900 feet. This march is a very
trying one, being mainly along the stony bed of the water-course that drains the range of
intervening hills. At twenty-ninth mile is passed a curious ruin of a gate situated In a
narrow gorge. Copper is said to abound in the hills around.
6 Nasratabad . 37 144 Between Gurg and Nasratabad we passed
through a low mountain range, the greater part
of the way along a narrow pass, whence we
emerged by a “ darwazah ” or gate, of which
From this defile Nasratabad was discovered in the
low country, in the form of two brown castellated buildings, which on approach proved to
be the old and new stations respectively, each with a walled enclosure for protection.
We had pushed rapidly across the desert and were entering the mountain ranges south-west
Nasratabad
37
144
3,960'.
the artificial finish is attributed to Nadir