'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME IV.' [‎97r] (198/652)

Tundi.—Situated to the east of Kuh-i-Tundl.
Taghale-i-Sekchahl.—Situated, apparently, some 16 miles east of Shela,
Main-i-Tag.
f3,900'— (St. John.)
DURUH—Lat. 32° 15' 30" ; Long. 60° 26' 20"; Elev. ^
1^3,550'— (Mohi-ud-Din.)
A village of about 500 houses and some 2,100 inhabitants, in the Kain
district of Khorasan, on the road from Birjand to Sistan, and 86 miles south
east of the former town. It is situated on the eastern limit of the plains
and at the western base of a range of hills forming the boundary between
Persia and Afghanistan. From Duruh the plains extend 12 miles west,
9 miles north, and 20 miles south. The roofs of the houses are made of
wooden rafters and are not domed like the roofs of the Sistani houses.
The hill which more particularly overlooks the village is crowned by
a very old and ruined fort, which is said to date from the time of the first
Kaiani kings. Duruh is irrigated by six springs of excellent, and three
kdrlzes of brackish, water : it also possesses a water-mill and five wind
mills.
There are a number of walled gardens, containing mostly mulberry,
pomegranate and almond trees. In ordinary years the village does not
grow sufficient grain for its own use, but in years of good rainfall the pro
duction of wheat and barley on bardni land is said to amount to 1,000
Jcharwdrs. Two hundred Indian maunds of 6 Awsa might be obtainable. The
people live principally on turnips. At the beginning of 1908 there were in
the village 6 horses, 5,000 goats and sheep, 300 donkeys and 200 head of
cattle.
There is a Customs official stationed in the village for the trade between
Afghanistan and the Kainat, and 10 sarbdzes under a vakil Elected representative or attorney, acting in legal matters such as contracting marriage, inheritance, or business; a high-ranking legal official; could also refer to a custodian or administrator. with 6 martini
rifles.
The Duruh valley is a favourite pasture ground of the Iliats of the Kain
district, and their black tents are scattered all over the valley, but mostly
along the hill-skirts, where water is generally found.' Their flocks of goats
and sheep are very numerous, but not so camels and horned cattle. Their
goats are of a small breed and mostly black, and shed a soft downy hair
called kurk. This is collected, picked and sorted for the manufacture of
soft felt, clothes and shawls, according to quality. The sheep’s wool is
mostly used in the manufacture of carpets, for which the Kain district has
long been famous. Some of the wool finds its way to Bandar Abbas for
exportation.
The district of Duruh comprises fche villages of Kalateh-i-Bala, Tagushki.
Mah-i-Khunik and several others, consisting altogether of about 1,000
houses, and some 6,500 inhabitants, and it is said they can put 800 armed
horsemen in the field. The district is under a Naib who is known* as the
Sarhaddar.—(C. E. Yate ; Zarudni, 1899 ; Dobbs, 1903 ; Keyes, 1904 ;
Gibbon, 1908.)
DURUH—
A range of hills in the south part of the Sunnikhaneh district of Eastern
Khorasan connected with the Kuh-i-Gazik.— (MacGregor).
61 I. B.
X