File 1187/1914 Pt 2 ‘Persia – Policy. British Interests in the South. Russian Policy’ [‎196v] (140/300)

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system seems to have been put in originally, but recently various tie rods have
(8) Page 16, Ahwaz d;*p»tch No. I.-4<5» dated been erected. The Serais ( 8 ) here are two
and July 1914. in number. The upper one was deserted at
the time and in a filthy state. It consists of two or three small rooms and very J)
small covered stables ; the courtyard wall is only some 2' 6" high and it must
be very bad in winter, i he lower one is very small and has no courtyard and
very little level ground round it on which to picket animals. Both are built of
mud and some stone. Fodder available in small quantities, but several karavans
would clear them out. I believe the nearest supplies are 7-8 miles away.
Sarpul to Deh-Diz.
From the Serai to 4! miles (9) the grades are fair but the road in places
is far too narrow and should be widened
(9) Pages 157-9, Deh Diz, ‘ BaMuan R ep° rt . as at present it-is extremely difficult for
two loaded mules to pass each other in some of the places. From 42—13!
(Deh Diz) the road is good and on a gradually ascending grade. We cross
four ravines, which entail some rise and fail but even here the grades are
quite respectable ; six shingle beds are crossed, but these all have very small
watersheds and I do not think would give any trouble during wet weather.
The karavansarai at Deh Diz is well situated, but in summer most of the
karavans camp near the spring up on the hill side above the village. Plenty of
fodder available with excellent water.
Deh-Diz to Shalil.
Deh-Diz is on the
(10) Gardan-i-Deh Diz, or
buland.
slopes of a range; we climb immediately up a steep
Gardan-i-Belut ascent with surface rather soft and sandy
and reach first crest (10) at 1 mile. 1—3
miles is very fair and suiface good with easy grades, but at some places the
camber is bad and might be improved with very little work. From 3—4f miles
is a steep descent and the surface is alternately soft and sandy and is on whole
poor and needs improvement. From 4J—6 miles is ascent, surface not bad but
road is again on steep hill side giving a camber of 1 —6, in many places no
attempt has been made to cut out any sort of road. For the last 200' the grades
are excessive and the surface very rough and should be improved as soon as pos-
, . r . . D sible. 6—o miles is very steep (n) and
very rough. This length is the worst m
the road, and dangerous to animals ; this whole section should be regraded and
a better surface obtained ; it was originally built with too steep grades. The last
1J miles is especially bad, as are also both approaches to the bridge (9 miles).
(i 2 ) 1 , 4< From the bridge at 9 miles to the serai at
11 miles (12) the road is fair except for the
last } mile which requires some improvement. A stream has to be crossed if one
wishes to camp in or immediately round the serai. This serai is built of stone
and in very bad repair, and is I think the worst on the road, there is practically
no stabling and only two habitable rooms which have recently been built. When
we were there we could get no barley, wheat or tibbin owing they said to
several large karavans having been through during the last few days. There was
tibbin within two miles over a hilly path and barley some two hours’ journey away
and then in limited quantities.
Shalil to Sarhun.
From Shalil to 2J the road or rather the pass (13) is narrow but grades are
(13) Along the bank of the Ab-i-shaiii. eas y« a good deal of rise and fall has been
,, . put in to avoid a few pounds work. Une
ma stream is crossed. From 2J-3J ascent is fairly steep but surface good. From
9-7 4 the road ascends very gradually and practically nothing is required to be
(14) Fromthe summit of the Gardan-i-Lug- done here. From (14) 7 f-i^f the descent
hamf?,r - Knt th* surf;
very gradually and practically
»ne here. From ^14; L11 ° ,
, . , , fairly steep, but the surface fair an
from joj to 11J where we reach Sarhun the ground is almost level. The serai
ere is poor and has but little accommodation j fodder fairly plentiful ; there is
very nne water where the stream has its source near the base of a rock cliff*