'ROUTES IN PERSIA, Section 1.' [‎187v] (379/416)

824
No. 4.
Arsinjan to Sirin.
Authority .— Blackman, November 1896.
No. of
stage.
Distance, in
fars<ikhs.
Names of stages.
Inter.
mediate.
Total.
R SHAKES.
1
Sabpaniran
4
4
For first 3^ miles road runs towards Kamin,
but on the opposite side of the valley to tbe
Kamin road. Then turns sharp round to north
and winds about amongst hills to the foot of a pass.
Lower part of pass fairly steep and winding and road narrow, upper part much easier and
more open. Summit reached in 25 minutes. Thence slight descent across a small valley, at
the end of which the road enters the bed of winter torrent with sloping rocky sides. Length
about If miles. Then enter the Sarpaniran valley, between the Miyan Mullah and Tang-i*
Bnlaki hills, about miles wide. This valley is occupied in the summer by the semi-nomad
Nish Mast, who cultivate a narrow strip down the centre of the valley and own a village,
about 3 to 4 miles off the road, which is deserted in winter. Water from kanats. A
track from Sarpaniran to Kala-i-Kurshul and Kadarabad starts from the point where the
road enters the Sarpauiran valley.
Jawa Khan
8
12
Road crosses the valley by an easy descent and
ascent and then crosses a continuation of the
Miyan Mullah hills, winding round spurs to an
unimportant pass; then down a short defile, with
rocky sides, to a small opening about f mile wide. At the opposite side of this the road
turns sharp east through a defile about ^ a mile long, with high rocky sides. The road from
Arsinjan to this point is everywhere commanded. From the end of this defile till near
the bottom end of the valley, which extends to the Baonat hills, the country is undulating.
After a steep descent, of about ^ mile over rock and boulders, a small stream is reached,
flowing from kanats near by. To the west a low spur from the hills obstructs the view,
but to the east is a continuous inclined plain. Four Arab katas visible to the right and
Bagh-i-Siah to the left. After crossing the stream the road ascends slightly and passes
many kanats during the next 4 or 5 miles. At about 6 miles from Jawa Khan low hills
approach the road on either side and gadually close in, till, at about 1| miles from
Jawa Khan, they are barely 200 yards apart. The hill to the left then recedes, leaving a small
open space, miles long hy | mile wide, near the top end of which Jawa Khan is situated.
From Arsinjan a track runs to the east of that described above, by the Tang-i-Eshkan to
Husenabad and Jawa Khan. It is about a farsakh longer.
Mazvan
16
After ^ a mile the road enters the tortuous defile
of a mountain stream, with high precipitous
sides, passing up the boulder-encumbered bed
for about ^ a mile. Then, rising gradually, the
road follows the right bank of the stream almost to its source. Half a mile further it
turns north-west and descends sharply for 2 to 3 miles passing a small stream, the Ab-i-
Garm, half way, where boulders form a somewhat serious obstacle. At the foot of the descent
the road keeps along the foot of the hills it has just crossed till an Arab shrine, the Pir-i-
Kudu, is reached. Here there are several clear springs and a clump of large trees. Ine
road now turns sharp to the right down the centre of a valley, between two spurs of the
hills. Badvar is passed to the right, almost hidden amongst trees, and from this point to
Mazyan there is almost continual cultivation.
4
SlBIN
4
20
Road turns west, across the end of a spur, and is
narrow, winding and stony. Sarbistan lies below
in a narrow valley, and further on, but not visible,
is Kadamgah, The road now descends gradually,
for about 3 miles, into the Baonat valley. From the point where the road enters the Baonat
valley a low spur continues due north for about 2 miles; Baz is situated at the end of
it, and Shidan lies further away to the right. Jamalabad is situated near the foot of the
slope, and from there to Sirin the road keeps near a stream, which flows down the centre ot
the valley. The road is undulating and fair, but at one or two points it crosses cultivation,
and at others it is encumbered with stone.
The stream is crossed bv a ford a mile from Sirin.