'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎24r] (52/300)

and then turns off to Mohommedabad, which is passed 600 yards to the north
east at 1-769 miles. Between 2102 and 2'29t, we pass' Mahrabad and its
cultivation half a mile to the north-east, and 3-478 brings us to an ab ambar
10 yards to the south-west, built of sun-dried bricks and containing stale dis
coloured rain water. At 3*820, Ckahar Bagh is passed half a mile to the north
east. The excellent road, gradually descending, passes the villages of Hossein-
abad and Mehrabad, 5 miles to the south-west, and at 8-910 on the same side,
2 miles off, Kharzan is seen. A second ab ambar of burnt brick and cement,
with six steps leading down to the water, is passed at 9'59 miles. This water
is also tainted and undrinkable. Jelalabad we note at 11*44 on the right, or
south-west, 3 miles off, and at 13 080 Riheemab d, 6 miles off, on the same
side. A ruined ab ambar of burnt brick is passed at 14-919, 15 yards to the
left, or north-east, and a line of Kanats, within 10 yards of the road and
containing brackish water, is passed on the south-west at 16-156 miles. Nain
gardens begin at 17*297, 400 yards off, to our left. At 18-289, 18-387, and
18*525 the various routes from Ispahan via Kuoah -ind Varzanek cross the road
on the right, or south-west, and we here strike the Persian Telegraph dine
from Ispahan. ’ The Durweeshei house on the south-west si e of Nain is our
halting place. The road from Nayestannk to Nain is excellent the whole way,
with a very gradual descent, and is not only passable throughout its length to
wheeled traffic, but would be a splendid bicycle run.
The plain is wide, the soil is gravelly, but firm and excellent—in every way
suitable for a line. There will he regular spans and few angles. There is no
water procur able en route for the four summer mouths of the year, but it can
be brought from the villages lying off the road.
Nain to Noh Gumbaz.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
lntf i rm''diate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
4th October 1898
4
Nob Gumbaz, 4,153 feet.
18-29
74-82
Leaving Nain, the road skirts round the south side of the town, keeping
in a south-easterly direction and joins the main road at *39. Just beyond this,
the telegraph line to Yezd crosses to the right, or south-west, and at *6 the
chapar Khaneh and a large caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). are passed 100 yards to the left, or
north-east, while a large blue domed mosque lies 80 yards to the right, or
south-west. A second blue domed mosque is passed at -76, lying about 200
yards to the left, or north-east. The road to Bambeez crosses ours at -92 and
the telegraph line crosses to the left at 1*49, where the gardens end and a short
lane is traversed. A drv ab ambar is reached at 1*60 miles, 5 yards to the
right, and at 1-68 the Mahalleh Nain, a suburb of that town, is seen lying in a
hollow, about 600 yards to the left, or north-east. A line of brackish water
Kanats is noted at 1*80 and a second line at 2-21 flowing to Abachoo, a small
hamlet 600 yards to the north-east, which is passed at 2’46. Mazreh Shah lies
600 yards to the south-west at 2-75 miles. The telegraph line crosses to the
left at 3 - 07 miles, and a few yards further on a line of brackish water Kanats,
flowing down to some cultivation on the north-east, is passed, while at 3‘94 the
village of Bafroon is seen 300 yards to the south-west. More brackish water
Kanats appear at 4-34 miles, while at 4 86 a similar line of Kanats, opening
out into a stream 18 by 9 feet and flowing 26 feet in 15 seconds, is crossed.
There is a small patch of cultivation here, the last seen en route to Noh Gumbaz.
Close to this, at 4 93 miles, is a rained sort of carvanserai, known as Yekider-
akht, and at this point the line crosses and keeps to the left, or north-east, for
the rest of the stage, at varying distances of from 100 to 600 yards off/ There