'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME IV.' [‎258v] (521/652)

508
SAD—SAD
Not far from the Sadaich, west of the point where the river emerges
from the hills, is a pile of stones, or pillar (chadar), said to have been raised
by an independent prince or malik of Makran to mark the limit of bis
territory. It is known as Maliki Chadar or Chidag or, as marked on the
telegraph route map, Malikani Chedag. Nasir Khan I of Kalat is said
to have extended his sway to this point. •
A camel road from Jashk and the coast districts immediately to its
east, leads up the Sadaich, either to Bint or up through the Shimsan gorge
to Ramishk and the districts west of Bampfir.* The former was travelled
by Floyer in 1876 : the latter is said to be a good road, that is, it is
practicable for laden camels.f
According to Floyer’s account of his journey from Bint, the Sadaich is
first struck at the junction of the Surini Kaur (q.v.), 30 miles from the
kdfileh halting-place on the Pasga {q.v.), and 23 miles after leaving
the Gidich, the intervening country being a barren shingly plain. The
Sadaich is here a fine stream, much larger than in its lower course through
the flat sandy country on the coast. Its bed is about a mile and a half
wide, cut 100 feet deep into the stony plain. There are high hills as well
as spurs on either side, but they appear as a rule to stand some distance
back. The stream is broad but not deep, and runs pretty regularly from
side to side, leaving low flats {kaches or bents). Every kaoh is well treed
and grassy, and would make a good camping-ground for any party
carrying their own provisions. They are all distinguished by names of
their own.
The kach near the junction of the Surini ndla is an admirable place[j; ;
water, camel fodder and firewood being abundant and excellent. It is one
of the regular halting-places for kdfilehs taking the Sadaich route into the
interior.
The route leads down the valley, occasionally leaving it by a steep ascent
up the cliff on one side or the other, to avoid a larger bend than usual.
“ Sometimes a mile through tall rich vegetation, sometimes over rough
large shingle, thickly studded with feathery tamarisk, and sometimes
down the broad, shallow river itself.” Where the road quits the valley it
lies over stony plain until it again descends the cliffs to the stream. -
Floyer appears to have followed the winding course of the river for some
25 miles; he does not give the distance. He left it about where it makes
* Thence probably direct to Bam ; also to Kirman through Jiruft.
-j- There can be no reasonable doubt that the Sirich of Haj i Abdul Nabi is the Sadaich .
The Hajiwas at Bint in April 1839 having come from Ramishk. He relates that going
from thence he returned towards Mutarabad {q.v.) until he came on the Kaur-i-Sirich,
where he spent the night. He travelled in this kaur for three stages, sometimes due
south, at others south-south-west, over a very difficult river-bed winding between hills.
On the fifth day he arrived at the port of Sirich, a few huts of poor fishermen. From
thence he went west to Gabrlg.
The only puzzling thing about this is, that while Mutarabad appears to be only
10 to 14 miles north-west of B nt, the Shimsan gorge must be merely 40 miles west of
the same place. However it is possible that the Haji made two stages before he struck
the “ Sirich ” instead of one, as implied above.
J It may safely be surmi ei that i-i.is spot wouldbe known to any inhabitant of the
country as Surini Daf. Here the Bint road, quitting the river eastwards, must divide
from that to the interior, vid the Shimshan defile, which continues up stream.