'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎154v] (313/982)

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inli^bitants to be friendly, as witbeut their co-operation foraging parties
would have the greatest difficulty in obtaining anything; but, as above
stated, both the ruler^ and penple oi, this district seem disposed, to. be
friendly, and their assistance could be secured by presents to the Khans
and judicious treatment, of the people, Ei el and water-supply are scanty
and, bad in plapes (for particulars see road report),
“ Very little .transport obtainable except asaes, of which there are apy
number, small but hardy little beasts,
i-ansport. ^ a y era g e j oa( ^ j[p r one 0 f them is less
than half a mule-load-
“ This distripf, in.no way differs from the average Persian country with
General regard^ to its inability to support, a.large
body of,troops, even when only marching
straight through. For actual fighting aboyf here, small bodies of cavalry
with machine guns, mounted infantry, mountain batteries, and pioneers
would be the troops most suited to the nature of the ground. The road has
a general direction east, and is a mere track, very rough in places, especial
ly where it crosses.ridges, but could be vastly improved with very little
labour. There are lateral communications on the north to Shiraz from
Farrashband, Firuzabad and Jehrum.; but, on the, south side they are not
gopd, there being onjy a few rough foot tracks. The nativ.es explain this
by saying that thpy have no business to take, them down there, so why
shonld they go,? though the,country.there-is, by no means more of a desert,
and there are villages.and water. There are, however, roads to the south
from Ahram via Khurmuj down the Tang-i-Zard Valley to Lavar from Firuz
abad, and an old trade route from Jehrum to Tahir! on the Gulf.
“European troops. would find the heat; very trying from Bhshire to
Tang-i-Zard if it was necessary for them to do the march during the hot
weather. Tang-i-Zard is the first place after leaving Bushire that would
make a good halting-place and supply depot ; Firuzabad, five marches
farther on, is the best place in the whole district for a depot, as consider
able supplies could be collected about there, the climate and water are good,
and several roads radiate from it, and there is also any amount of excellent
camping-ground on the plain. Jehrum, though a much larger place, and
strategically more important from the amount of country it commands
and the number of main routes that converge there, does not enjoy so
gppd a climate, being much hotter ; nor are the water and grass so abun
dant and good, nor the country so fertile.
“ Should it.be necessary to engage in actual fighting between Bushire apd
Jehjmm, the operations would probably mainly consist in. the forcing or
holding, as the case might be, of a series of passes over the succession of
rqpuntain ridges .which form the chief characteristic of the country. In
most .instance^ these .passes cannot be turned, owing to the rough precipi
tous nature and length,of the,cjiains of hills .they traverse.
“A body of troops moving through during the .hot-months would find
the night and early morning up to 9 a.m. quite cool for marching. It
would be rathpr a difficult matter, though, to find suitable halting-places
along this route, if it were contemplated to march infantry in the early
morning, halting them during the heat of the day and marching again in