'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎122v] (249/416)

200
No. 38A.
Ispahan lo Shustak, nd Ardal and UiHsat.
No. of
stage.
Distance, in
miles.
Names of stages.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Remarks.
cultivation. We counted six large villages and two small ones. Our road lay aloiitran
extensive plain extending for many miles to the N., but closed by high hills to the S. K
At W. extremity of plain is the village of Takun, situated in a small well-cultivated baiiin
1 he road, so far, is level and good.
10a< ^ ^ urns E. down a gradually narrowing valley bounded
on the E. by sandhills, and on the W. by the mountain of Jahan Bin, a fine mass of rock
At 12 miles Shamsabad, a small walled village ; the valley is here occupied by a stream and
in this neighbourhood is one of the most elevated of the sources of the Karun river.
The stream at Shamsabad is 10' broad and 3' deep at ordinary tiims. At Id
miles the defile known as Tang-i-Karji, shortly afterwards the river is crossed by a fair
brick and stone bridge, about 40' long. The road then follows the right bank of the rirer
The whole of this defile is dominated by the precipitous cliff of Jahan-Bin. At 18| miles
the thriving village of Karaji. The valley opens out below the village of Karaji, where
there is a rough brick and stone bridge by which the road returns to the left bank, and
skirting the hills for a few miles, having left the stream, a sharp ridge of rock, some 300
teet in elevation, has to be crossed before^ the valley and the village of Shalamzar aw
reached. This ridge could he turned. There is a stream flowing past Shalamzar which joins
the one from Shamsabad and they combine ; they flow N. W. for a short distance before
piercing the mountains surrounding the plateau of Ardal. Preece makes this stage only 21
miles. He avoided the Gardan-i-Zara by travelling from Shalamzar to Dopulan
JNangun. Vide end of this route No. 38C.
General direction S. for 5 miles, then S. W,
Leaving Shalamzar we went straight to the
mountains to the S. and crossed the Gardan-i-
... , , ,, , , „ Zara ’ a r °ugh and very steep track, only
passable tor mules, and blocked even for them in winter. Tbe descent on the S. side is
not difficult, and two small lakes are seen on the left. One lake is named Albolaki, and
a stream from it waters the villages of Nagun, where the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. has a house. From
near this lake the road follows the direction of the ridge it has crossed, and the stoen
way is between that ridge and one of the short hills that runs parallel to it. The
open plateau of Ardal is thus reached by a stiff descent. The configuration of the
ground is very remarkable. To the S. E. is a mighty mountain, the Kuh-i-Kala,
with perpetual snow, having, I believe, an elevation of 12,000' or 14,000'. Between
it and a considerable range (the Kuh-i-Sabz) is the Tang-i-Siah. From S. E. to N. IV,
flows the second tributary, that the Karun gains on its left bank. To the S. W. is the
mighty mass of mount Garreh, which must he over 14,000' in height. Between this
last and Kuh-i-Sabz the Karun escapes from the valley of Ardal through the tana or gorge
of Dopulan. Turning one s back to Tang-i-Siah and looking N. W., one sees tbe valley of
the Kanin pioper with the mountains of Zarda, which are said to be higher than either
Garreh or Kala mountains. Looking N. is the comparatively insignificant range crossed
by the Gardan-i-Zara, and through it the river from Shamsabad and Chabar Mahal
is seen to break, which joins the Karun here in the plain of Ardal.
Ardal*
19!
97
6,985'.
* There is a pass t>i<i Gehri to Chaehakhur which mules and men find no difiBeulty in crossine at all seasons
of the year. I)rom Chaghakhur (the Ilkhanis hot weather quarters) the stages to Isfahan are as follows : AlijanS
farsatos, Komeshh ifarsakhs, Avamil 6 farsakhs, Isfahan 4 farsakhs. This is said to be passable at all seasons
and to be a good mule track. F
C c h oL h , a . kh , ur as : J rack ov . er Evel plain for 1* miles, then up the Gardan-i-Chaghakhur,
: of 200 to level of Silligun Valley. Track quite level and good through this valley. End of the western lake
svel, track. Cross ravine
Nangun just below, track
Sawyer, May 1890. - ^ - ' - — — oe ^ “iles (approximate).
From Ardal there is a road to Shustar and Dizful vtd Bazuft. It is the same distance to the plains by it as by
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