'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎66v] (137/416)

88
No. 20.
Bushahr to Bandar Abbas.
Distancb, in
— - ' —
No. of
stage.
milks.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Rbmabks.
M. F.
M. F.
Baghan .
18-1-6
99-7-6
640'-
the brushwood bordering the river Mand ; also from date trees. Cultivation good ; barley,
wheat and date trees. Grazing good. Camping-grounds good.
Note. —Prom Shumba a road branches off to Pasruduk, route not difficult, but through
hills. General direction E. by S. Prom native information.
7 Baghan . . 18 — General direction S. S. E. § E.
The road is at first stony over good grazing land
dotted with small tamarisk and bramble bush.
At half a mile the dry bed of the water-course Darya-a-Marsain, after which the
ground consists of clay. At one mile we pass the low range of rocks (sulphate of lime),
called “ Khani Gatch, by a short defile, the rocks on either side being precipitous. A small
rivulet, with sulphur in solution, flows for a short distance close to the west side of the road,
and thence south-westerly to the river Mand. From the defile the rocks of Khani Gatch ruii
close to the east side of the track, and the ground is devoid of vegetation and coated with a
salt efflorescence. At one mile 6 furlongs the road leaves the foot of those rocks, and runs
diagonally across the valley^ which is thickly dotted with a very small bush. At three
miles the salt efflorescence disappears, and tracts of wheat and grass alternate till stage.
The valley is now about 2| miles_ broad. At 6 miles we pass through the village of Darwe-
sheh, altitude 540 feet, containing about 100 mud and stone or mat houses. Inhabitants
about 400. Supplies barley and wheat, good ; no flocks or herds to be seen. Water plenti
ful, but very brackish. Fuel brushwood, scarce. Cultivation good. Grazing fair. Camp
ing-grounds good; but village itself commanded by the hills on the south bank of the
river.
Note.—F rom Darwesha a road branches off to Pasruduk, and from the latter village two
roads lead, the one to Firuzabad, and the other to Jahrum.
There is also a foot-path over the hills (for infantry only) to the sea-port Dayyir, general
direction S. by. E. £ E. From native information.
At 6 § miles we strike the banks of the river Mand, which are steep and about 15 feet
high. The current is very rapid, the flow being from the eastward. At 120 yards from the
high banks the actual water channel, which is about 60 yards broad, commences. The south
ern banks slope up gently for 100 yards, from the water to the foot of a low range of hills.
The ford, at this season, is about 4 feet deep, but very slightly lower down the water
deepens rapidly, and man and horse would be carried away. I observed a few fragments of
masonry near the ford, which were said by the natives to be the remains of an ancient bridge
that once spanned the stream. Having forded this river, the water of which is saltish, the
road ascends, and crosses a low range of hills of stony gravel and sandstone. The road,
with a little broadening in the case of field artillery, is practicable for all arms. At 8 miles
5 furlongs we enter a green grassy vale, about 100 yards broad, dotted with Icanar bush. At
9 miles 3 furlongs the vale contracts to a narrow gorge, the west side of which is like a wall.
This continues for I 3 furlongs, when the road debouches on to a grassy valley. We now cross
the rocky bed of a stream “ Tang-i Bellas (?),” 20 yards broad, with about 15 feet breadth
of water, and pass through tracts of wheat and barley. At 10 miles 2 furlongs a water
course called “Tang-i-Nakhl (?),” bed dry and about 20 yards broad, is crossed. The road
now passes the hamlet of Kerdilan, altitude 632 feet, consisting of about 30 mat huts, and
a grove of date trees. The rate of travelling for loaded mules from Darwesha to Kerdilan
is 2 § miles per hour.
Supplies insignificant. Water good and plentiful. Fuel moderate from Icanar bush.
Cultivation little, barlev and wheat. Grazing good. Camping-grounds good.
Note.— From Kerdilan a road over the hills branches off to the sea-port Dayyir. General
direction S. by E. £ E. Distance 32 miles. From native information.
We then traverse a grassy valley about one mile in breadth, dotted with Icanar hush, and