'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎52v] (109/982)

BAK-MK
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(m) Pusht-i-Kfih, the mountainous country between the Chehar Mahal
and southern and western plains :
(m) Those plain and other lands merging with the province of
'Arabistan.
It is essentially a mountainous country, with its loftiest peaks rising
Mountains. to a height of 14,000 feet. The general run of
the many ranges, which conduce to make this
country one of the most rugged tracts on the face of the globe, is by
almost parallel lines from north-west to south-east. Taking these in
order from the south they may be arranged.as follows:—
{a) The Kuh-i-’Alwani, rising to 720 feet above sea-level, and bounding
the plain of Ramuz on the north.
(6) The range of gypsum hills running from the Tul Khiat, south-east
of Shushtar, through Jam, and rising to 2,000 feet above sea-
level.
(c) The Kuh-i-Darband and Kuh-i-Asmari ranges, rising to 3,200 feet
above sea-level.
(d) The Kuh-i-Mangasht, rising to 12,000 feet above sea-level.
(e) The Kuh-i-Garreh and the Kuh-i-Sabz, rising to 13,000 above sea-
level.
(/) The Kuh-i-Rang or Jaihun, the Saldarun and the Zirreh ranges,
with their loftiest peaks ranging from 14,000 feet downwards.
((/) The Kuh-i-Gupganak, Chui, Jehanbin and Ahangari, varying
between 12,000 and 14,000 feet above sea-level;
(h) and, finally, forming the boundary on the north with the Isfahan
plateau, the Kuh-i-Rukh and Kuh-i-Badkun, rising to 9,000
feet above sea-level.
Besides these more important ranges there are numerous shorter ones,
which serve the more to score the surface of this country, and distort from it
any semblance of order and regularity.
This general aspect of nature’s convulsions is modified by the notable
Plateaux and pasture plateau of the Chehar Mahal; though this, from
lands. all its physical aspects, may be said to be merely
a more elevated portion of the great central plateau of Persia, on which Isfa
han is situated. Still it is included in the Bakhtiari territory, which also
extends, though under somewhat undefined and contentious conditions, over
the adjoining broad valley or plateau-land of upper Linjan as far as the right
bank of the Zindeh Rud. The Chehar Mahal, thus situated at the north
eastern comer of the Bakhtiari country, is roughly 40 miles deep and
60 miles broad with an area of some 2,400 square miles, and a normal
elevation above sea-level of 7,000 feet. Its boundary on the north is
the range Kuh-i-Rukh, Badkun, while on the south it is shut in by the
great Zirreh range ; on the east it fringes on the Qashqal country, while on
the west it is enclosed by the tributaries of the Zindeh Rud and the Kuh-i-
Rang. It is also cut up to some extent by some lofty and mgged mountain
ridges, notably the Jehanbln range (13,000 feet) and the Kuh-i-Ahangan.
The level and undulating portion is fine arable or pasture soil; though but
little use is made of it except in the immediate neighbourhood of villages.
It is well-watered by many streams, which are never dry and all of which