'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎37v] (79/312)

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26th August-—General direction, S.W. Left Dehbala following broad
track down the valley through some patches of Indian-corn irrigated by the
stream.
Kala Kiran .—At the south-west corner of the valley is situated a curious
hill, shaped like a truncated cone, called Kala Kiran. The summit is about
500 yards diameter and scarped almost the whole way round, with only a
narrow path leading up. It is used as a stronghold or place of refuge.
Our road turns south-east at the lower end of the valley, skirting the foot
of a wooded ridge to the west. The country is cut up by several wooded
ravines; the road gradually ascends the ridge to the front by an easy
gradient.
The stream from Dehbala passes through a narrow gorge in the hills at the
end of the valley and emerges again on the Gusdana plain. This is the head
waters of the Ab-i-Tursakh.
At 6f miles turn south round the end of the range we have been skirting
(3,380').
The north-west end of the Kebir Kuh bears 18° from here. The inter
vening country, drained by the head waters of the Gunjianchun, is a series of
rugged wooded ridges, intersected by deep gorges, looking quite impassable.
No routes lead through it to the Kerkhah valley.
We now commence crossing a series of low wooded ridges with steep sharp
summits. Stunted oaks, ilex, pistachio and hawthorn are the principal trees.
Rock is mostly grey limestone, with fertile soil between the stones. The
valleys between the ridges run down 308° to a small river, which we could get
glimpses of, winding through several deep gorges at right angles to the
range. This is the river from Dehbala valley, which enters a “ tang/' in the
hills bearing STi 0 from Dehbala. No road leads along the bank of this
stream.
W T e follow a kind of watershed, several small streams from springs flow
ing east towards the Gunjianchun.
Marbera .—At miles reach Marbera, 5,195', a large spring on
the north-east slope of the Kerrapi Kuh, standing in a circular basin
about H miles diameter, well wooded, and bounded by low cliffs. The Faili
tribes usually make this the intermediate stage when moving to the plain from
Dehbala.
Atash .—Some 4 miles down a steep ravine, on a bearing of 308°, is Atash,
a small cultivated basin, shut in with steep hills, on the Ab-i-Tursakh. From
Marbera we follow a broad track, through thick woods, leading over the ridge
by an easy gradient. The range to the south-east of the summit is in the
Kerrapi Kuh, and to the north-west is the Sanakchir Kuh. The summits are
a line of rugged cliffs well wooded (5,840').
Descended the western slope of the hill for a short distance, and then halted
on a terrace i mile broad (3,295'), cultivated with a few patches of wheat.
Some Lurs were found who lived in booths on the edge of a ravine and who
brought us fowls and eggs.
There is a fine panorama of the Tigris plain from the summit of the Ker
rapi Kuh, it being the last ridge of the Pusht-i-Kuh to the west.
Weather pleasant; strong north-west wind from the plain; noon temper
ature 87°.
27tli August*—General direction, S.S.W. Left camp, and began descent
of the hill in a general direction of 225°, following the line of the spurs,
along a rough stony tracs:, with steep gradient. Trees and shrubs gradually
disappear as we descend, and the soil gets poorer.