'Report on the preliminary survey of the route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line. By W King Wood, Assistant Superintendent, Indo-European Telegraph Department.' [‎111r] (226/300)

leawg Assak-i-Chah in a north-north-easterly direction, we continue over
„ leSenter l . t ! 10 Bonee P laln > where numerous flocks
of sheep and sheep-pens are seen, while at Cy 50 miles we pass some 8 or 9 tents.
We feel we aie approaching habitations and civilization once more. The Chah
Tolee we Is are passed 20 yards to our left at 7'30 miles, while a range of
iTo ""a i, , ll6S 80 1 -T ar ''? 0ur ri " ht ' Cultivation starts on our right at
8 50 miles, while some 1 T miles to our left we can see the Hamun The first
canal of sweet water is crossed at 9’90 miles, 6 by 2 feet. We now continue
over broken ground to Warmal, where we camp at 12 miles. Kuh Kliajeh
bears 330 and 339 . This march, like all others in Siestan, is good and open
in dry weather, but after rains "would be impassable. Warmal was the first
village we had seen since leaving 1 Regan on the 5th December, or just over a
month, and with the exception of a Baloochie at Dozdab, we did not see a
single individual since leaving Hood Mahee on 31st December.
Warmal to Chilling.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
12th January 1899.
10
Chilling, 1,720 feet.
1201
183-51
We halted two days at Warmal to give our worn-out camels a rest and to
allow of Nusrullah Khan, Capt. Sykes’ Secretary, getting into Kasratabad and
arranging for the newly appointed Consul’s official entry into the town.
Continuing from Warmal, the road passes over Pat, and at 1 mile w r e cross a
canal by a rickety earth bridge. At 2 , 50 miles, the little hamlet of Posht-i-
Desht is seen lying a mile to our right, while on our left is an encampment of
Balooch Hashims. Prom this point, the ground is all more or less under
cultivation, and there appears to be no fixed route, and we have a iruide for
each party. We pass through the large village of Dawletabad at 7‘70 miles
and change our direction to due north, and, crossing a canal by a bridge at
8‘10 miles, reach Sadakee at 10 70 miles. Passin? through Sadakee, w r e cross
a deep canal at 11*50 miles and camp at the village of Chilling at 12 miles.
The ground throughout the march is flat Pat and Kavir or cultivation, and in
wet weather would be very difficult.
Chilling to Nasratabad.
Date.
No. of
Route.
Intermediate
Total
March.
Miles.
Miles.
13th January 1899.
11
Nasratabad.
15*44
198 98
Keeping in a direction a little west of north, we cross a canal at *60 miles,
and at 1 *80 miles pass Kerbella Ibrahim, a quarter of a mile to the left, and
Deh Mulla Ali, 100 yards to the right. Ismail Kambar is next passed at
3 miles, lying 50 yards to the right, and at 3*20 miles Taimunabad, 100 yards to
the left. * Akberabad and Dadee are respectively passed at and 5J miles,
both some 50 yards to the left. At 5J miles, we swing round to east of north.
Abdulabad, lying 10 yards to the right, is passed at 8*70, and a llashim
encampment at 9 50 miles, where we swing round to east-north-cast, and,
continuing over Pat and cultivation, reach Nasratabad, the capital of Siestan,
at 15J miles. The roads throughout Siestan change, and guides should always
betaken. The whole country is liable to inundation, the inhabitants saying
the days are Neem-rooz, or half-daj*s, and give this as their reason for building
in sun-dried bricks only. The villages are all built on mounds, which are
partly natural, partly" artificial, and which anpear to be an accumulation of
horse manure and straw. The houses are of sun-dried bricks, very rough and
domed, without windows or glass. The canals, which a r e cleaned out aunuady,
are from 5 to 6 feet broad, and have 2 or 3 feet of water. The soil is a rich
Wm.