'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎78r] (160/416)

Bushahr to Bandar Abbas.
Distance, in
miles.
No. of
stage.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Rbhabks.
M. P.
M. F.
To south of this cistern, distant 1 mile, is the scattered village of Gatchin, containing
about 100 houses, half of these, perhaps, being built neatly of mud and stone, and the rest of
date mats, etc. To north of the village are date groves : a short distance to east the low
rocky range called “Gatchin,” with numerous Am?* trees at its foot. Inhabitants about
400. Supplies proportional to number of inhabitants. Water good and plentiful, from
large cistern. Fuel moderate, from kahur and date trees, etc. Cultivation, none observed.
Grazing very scanty ; but camel fodder plentiful. Camping-ground good.
Note. —From a mound bearing from the large cistern of Gatchin W. ^ S., distant about
160 yai-ds, the pass called Tang Abad, through the range Gishu, bears N. by W. | W. ; and
Tang Kalpurahi or otherwise Tang-i-Khur, through Kuh Pal-i-Khamir bears S. S. W.
Having passed the cistern of Gatchin, we approach diagonally the low range, of the
same name, to east. At 6 miles 6 furlongs the road crosses a dry gully, or rather canon,
banks perpendicular and 20 feet deep, width 2 feet flow to south; and 100 yards
further on a small water-course from N. N. E. to W. S. W. This latter at 1 the point of
crossing is joined by another water-course from the east; banks of both perpendicular,
2 or 3 feet deep, cut in the fine limy clay soil ; beds 25 to 30 feet in breadth, strewn
with fine sand. A large, dry water-course, flow from E. by N. to S. W. by W., now
appears about 30 yards to south of the track ; north banks perpendicular, of limy clay ; depth
of basin 8 feet, and breadth 40 yards. Since leaving the Gatchin cistern the ground is
sparsely dotted with small brushwood, neither trees, large bush nor grass being met with.
At 7 miles we cross a small, dry water-course, 20 feet wide, flow to S., and 200 yards in
advance the larger one mentioned above, flow now from N. N. E. The road then
skirts, in a north-east direction, the foot of the low range Gatchin. At 8 miles 1 furlong
rounding these rocks, the direction changes to easterly, and we enter the main pass, called
“ Tang-i-Chakabak,” cutting through the range Gatchin. The entrance of the pass is about
2,300 yards broad. The hills to north and south, distant from the track 2,000 and 3,000
yards respectively, are perfectly bare and barren, and present either a perpendicular section
or a very steep slope. The ground, now hard and sandy, is perfectly destitute of vegetation
save for a few small bushes thinly scattered. At 9 miles we cross a dry, shallow water
course, about 27 yards wide, flow to N. W. Half a mile in advance the ground is of a very
light bluish clay, mixed with such a proportion of gravel as to make the road gritty. On
the north, the pass is flanked by a nearly perpendicular section of the range ; on the south,
the range Gatchin slopes up steeply, and from its foot low hills or hillocks crowd the ground,
gradually decreasing in height, till, at the road side, they merge into pyramidal or conical
heaps of loose limy earth from 20 to 40 feet high. At 10 miles the ground becomes very
broken, and the road mounts, for the next 170 yards, by a short but steep and rugged pass
to a small, open, stony space, in which, at 10 miles 1 furlong, we find a cistern called
“ Birkeh Mirzai,” full of good water. Altitude, 121 feet.
The pass, which is here much broken and blocked by a labyrinth of dried up limy clay
mud hillocks, pyramidal or conical in shape, is about 1,700 yards in breadth, the cistern
Birkeh Mirzai being distant 200 yards from the steeply sloping or perpendicular hills on the
south side. The range on either hand reaches an altitude of about 300 feet. Supplies nil.
Water dependent on one cistern, which was full at the time of our visit. Fuel nil. Culti
vation nil. Grazing nil. Camping-grounds good for any number of men.
Note.— From the top of a hill bearing from Birkeh Mirzai S. E. i S., distant about
440 yards, the pass, Tang Abad, through the range Gishu bears N.W. 5 N.; and Tang-i-
Khur or Kalpurahi through Kuh Pal-i-Khamir W. by S. | S.
On passing Birkeh Mirzai (cistern) we traverse a fairly easy road between dried up
mud hillocks of earthy gypsum. At 10 miles 7'5 furlongs the pass, for the next 150 yards,
alternately rising and descending, becomes more difficult, though still not bad. Another 2^
furlongs, and the small mud hillocks clear off, leaving a broad, open space of 1 mile
extending to the hills bordering the north side of the pass, and another of 600 to 800 yards,
to those bordering the south side. At 12 miles 3 furlongs the road ascends a low upheaval