'Collection of journals and reports received from Captain the Hon G C Napier, Bengal Staff Corps, on special duty in Persia, 1874. Includes revised index. London: HMSO, 1876' [‎15v] (34/409)

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18
Chardeh.
Shumsherbur
Pass and
Kursoo.
Being at the junction of one of the main trade routes from
Mazanderan and Astrabad to Shahrood and Damghan, and a
route much used by pilgrims bound to Mashad, the spring is
visited yearly by large numbers of travellers, who usually halt a
day to bathe in the stream and pay their respects to the local idol,
a mark, which those who are so inclined, believe is the impression
of the foot of Ali; the foot-print has been very neatly carved out
on a block of stone, and is protected by a wooden railing from too
close an inspection.
The village of Astana though watered only by the salt stream,
has fine gardens, trees, and corn fields ; it is beautifully situated
in a green basin, shut in on three sides by barren precipitous
heights.
15th July. Sawur, 23| miles .—There being still some days to
spare before the departure of the convoy to Mazenan, I determined
to march with a light camp over the Shamsherbur pass; reputed
by some to be the ancient Caspiae Pylce, into Mazanderan, and
back to Shahrood by the main road from the sea over the Chachal-
yan pass ; a detour giving two additional marches, and enabling
me to see the passes on the direct road from the sea to the plains
of Persia.
Leaving Chashma Ali the route follows the windings of a green
fertile valley with fine crops of wheat and barley toj the village
of Cbardeh or the “ four villages.” The first of these Kelateh is
prettily situated between two white chalk spurs on the south slope
of the mountains. The remaining two, (one situated higher,
having been abandoned since the famine) lie at the extreme head
of the valley buried in dense orchards and groves of tall poplars ;
overhung by the two rugged peaks of the Shah Koh range, known
as the Plash Zindan, they present the most perfect picture of a
flourishing Alpine village. The three villages contain about 400
houses, and furnish a contingent of 300 men to the Damghan
Regiment. There are a few mosques and a bath, and a public
bakery, a great economiser of time, for each peasant is not, as in
India, employed for hours in baking his own bread. Situated as
the village is on one of the main trade routes, large numbers of
mules are kept, and can be readily obtained by travellers at short
notice.
From Chardeh the road rises over easy slopes to a pass known
as the Sar-i-Halala, thence over wide green plateaux and through
a short defile to the Tung-i-Shamsherbur, a curious natural passage
between two perpendicular strata of limestone as smooth as a
wall, and of 20 to 30 feet in height. The softer strata between
and on each side of the limestone have apparently been worn
away by the action of the weather. The passage is 150 yards
long with an average, width of about 18 feet. A little stream and
the path finds an exit through a natural gap 14 feet wide and
nearly meeting over head. There can be little doubt that this is
the pass known as the Caspian gates or Caspian straits. The
defile below shortly widens out and the road improves. At the
foot of the slope is the green glen of Russoo with the orchards and