'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎72r] (148/416)

L 2
99
No. 20.
Bushahr to Bandar Abbas.
Distance, in
MILES.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Remarks.
M. F.
M. F.
plentiful. Fuel plentiful from bush. Cultivation fair. Grazing very good. Camp
ing-ground good.
Gazdun .
18 —
258—
4-3
49
19 Gazdun . . 18— 258 — General direction east. Before clearing the
village we pass two cisterns, one on either side of
the road. The valley, which is covered with
grass and about 4 miles broad, slopes very gently
from the range Marz on the south to that of Khunj on the north. The road, over
ground of a whitish clay, skirts, for the first three and-a-half miles, the southern range
at the foot of which is an abundant growth of tamarisk and kanar bush. At one mile the
low limestone hills on the north side of the road, that had commenced at the village of
Chatus, sink into the valley, and we pass a date grove, and a few mud and stone houses,
situated at their eastern extremity. At 2 miles 2 furlongs the south side of the road up to the
foot of the hills is cultivated with wheat and barley. Low tumular semi-detached hills then
spring up close to the road on the same side. At 3 miles 3 furlongs we pass a small hamlet
called Aliabad, surrounded by date groves, lying near the foot of the hills to south. The
road now strikes diagonally across the valley towards the range Khunj, and, passing through
some tracts cultivated with wheat and barley, brings us to the village-fort of Tishabad.
This place, situated on the north side of the road, consists of the customary mud and stone
fort, wherein dwell about 60 people or 20 men fit for service. Supplies insignificant. Water
good from a cistern. Grazing good.
On the south side of the valley are to be seen numberless irrigation wells, apparently
not at present in use. Low limestone hills now rise from the valley 200 yards to south of
the road. Some tracts of wheat, barley, and tobacco, are then traversed, and we observe
frequent date groves extending along the foot of the northern range Khunj. At 8
miles 2 furlongs we pass a small fort and village, distant about 1 mile to south at the
foot of the low limestone hills. Tracts cultivated with wheat, barley, and tobacco, now
alternate with grass-land, till at 10 miles 1 furlong, we come to the outskirts of Arat, a
fairly well built town of about 900 inhabitants, lying near the foot of the range Khunj
on the northern side of the valley. Altitude 2,625 feet. The houses, of stone or sun-
dried bricks, are substantially built. The fort, a square building with turrets at the four
corners, is just beyond the eastern outskirts of the town. There is also a cistern full of
good water. Supplies moderate. Water good and plentiful. Fuel rather scanty. Cultiva
tion good. Grazing good. Camping-ground good.
Note —Three roads branch off from Arat to Lar, viz.: —(1) Rah-i-Barrisgun. (2) Rah-
i*Balangestan. (3) Rah-i-Mabada.
Road (3) is traversed in this route. Passing through Arat, the road then skirts the
low hills of limy sandstone lying at the foot of the range Khunj. The valley to south
of the road, which is over gravelly ground, is green with alternate tracts of cultivation
and grass-land, and is about 3 miles broad. Having advanced 2 miles 1 furlong we pass a
date grove on the south side of the road, and at 13 miles cross a small stream, called
“ Chasavil,” which is the name also of the locality. This stream has a shallow basin about
30 to 40 feet broad with shelving banks, breadth of water 10 feet, and depth a few inches,
now to S. W. by W. At this point there is a water-mill. The road now enters among, and
passes through, low hills. At 14 miles 1 furlong the road crosses a dry nala, that has, for
the last mile, been running close to the south side of the road, to W. S. W.; the banks, earthy
and overgrown with grass, are almost perpendicular. Three furlongs in advance we cross
another nala, bed dry, except for a pool of water. At 15 miles 2 furlongs the road enters
a grassy amphitheatre, dotted with kanar and small prickly bush, about 2 miles broad, and
surrounded by low hills. Proceeding another 2 miles 2 furlongs we pass a water cistern in
good repair. At 17 miles 6 furlongs the level, grassy amphitheatre has narrowed into a