'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎75r] (154/416)

105
No. 20.
Bushahr to Bandar Abbas.
No. of
stage.
DlSIAN
CK, IS
MILES.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
—
M. F.
M. F.
Rkmabks.
25
Pas Par Dalan
17-7
362—
(Caravansarais.)
1-4
881'.
At 18 miles 5 furlongs, that is. about 2 furlongs from the foot of Gardana Bezan,
we nass two cisterns to south of the road, one of which is empty, and the other full of good
water These cisterns are styled, “ BirUeh zar-i-Gardana,” and sometimes, “ Birkeh mal-i-
x. -J Abdul Hormuzi.” The village of Hormuz, containing about 30 houses, some of mats,
but the majority of mud and stone. There is also a cistern containing good water. The
fort has the usual lofty tower. The whole is surrounded by a ditch about 20 feet broad,
which can be filled from a well in the fort. „ j « c- x , » wv
Immediately to west of the village runs a water-course, called biatuk, at this season
dry flow from N. E. to S. W.; breadth of bed, which is firm, and covered with small
stones, 27 yards; hanks very shallow. When water flows in this channel, it is, by native
report! saltish and not drinkable. , ,
*The valley slopes gently to the foot of the range to south. From one to one and-a-half
miles to south of Hormuz are extensive date groves, extending nearly to the foot of the
hills and also tracts cultivated with wheat and barley, etc., irrigated by means of large
wells. Supplies very limited. Water good from one tank. Fuel scanty except from date
trees. Grazing fair. Cultivation fair. Camping-ground good.
General direction S. S. E. £ E. Traverse a
grassy valley over clayey ground. At 3 furlongs
the road passes a caravansarai containing 20
lower rooms, and, close by, another which is
smaller and more ancient. Three furlongs in advance we cross the dry and shallow
bed of a water-conrse named “ Par-i-Khan,” breadth about 40 yards, flow from E. to W.
The ground is now stony, gravelly, and undulating, A dry water-course, styled
“ Hajamal,” runs to southward at a distance of 20 to 30 yards, on the west side of the
road, at the bottom of a deep ravine or cutting about 100 yards broad. At 1 mile 1 furlong
the road descends abruptly by a steep slope into this cutting, which has now widened out
into a basin 500 yards broad overgrown with kanar bush. The banks of the water-course,
on the west side of the basin, are lined with date trees. We traverse the cutting, which is
called “Bagh-i-Paroshur,” for half a mile and ascend by a steep slope to a smooth grassy
valley sloping southward. At 2 miles 1 furlong, we again descend into the river-formed
ravine or basin, about 100 yards broad, bordered by low gravel hills, or rather mounds.
Seven furlongs in advance, a wall 3 feet high, of loose, rough stone, borders, for the next
half mile, the east side of the road. This place is named “ Bagh-i-Parobardin,” and, although
now neglected and abandoned, was formerly the site of a garden or cultivated enclosure.
There are still to be seen the remains of an open irrigation conduit or ditch. The stream
Hajamal, on the west side of the ravine, runs between steep gravel banks to southward, and is
here 30 yards in breadth. At 4§ miles we cross the Hajamal, banks shelving at point of
crossing; the bed, which is very stony, and about 120 yards broad, contains only salt water
in pools. The nearer or northern banks are lined with tamarisk bush. The stream then
runs on the east side, and out of sight of the road, between high cliff-like banks. Five
hundred yards after crossing the stream, we pass a large cistern, full of good water, and
a caravansarai containing 24 lower rooms. Having left this caravansarai, which is called
“ Hajamal,” the road, still passing through the ravine, is very stony, and goes up and down
between low gravelly hills. The rate of travelling, accordingly, decreases to 2 miles 6
furlongs.
At 5 miles 5 furlongs we strike the river Hajamal, about 150 yards broad, nearly occu
pying the whole breadth of the defile, and pass along its western hank. The river then
narrows to 30 yards, and the road passes over its pebbly, sandy bed. At 6 miles 1 furlong
the road emerges from the bed of the river, which continues to run close on the east side.
We then cross two water courses, the dry beds of which, about 20 yards wide, are incrustated
with salt, flow eastward to the river Hajamal, At 6 miles 6 furlongs the defile is 300 yards
broad, with the river running on the east side at the base of cliffs about 60 feet high, and the