'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎34v] (73/300)

60
Ardakan — continued.
Remark* ... Ardakan is a large town surrounded by a high mud wall
in fair repair. We passed 3 gates. It has 9 in all.
There are a great many Mullahs. To the town itself are
attached the three villages of Shereefabad with 200
Parsees and 200 Mahommedans, Turkabad 1,000 and
Ahmedabad 1,000, The soil seems rich and well cared
for. It is famous for Mongals, a special charcoal stove,
and chain work; also, for gheleems, a rough carpeting.
The Parsees wear a becoming turban of blue and white,
and their long cloak and trousers are also of blue cloth.
Ardakan has a fine bazaar. Iso towns en route, except
Shereefabad and Turkabad. Faizabad and Mazreh Agha
are also large villages in the suburbs.
%th October 1898. Roknabad. Height 3,639 feet.
Governor ... Adl-ed-Dowleh.
Population
Crops
Supplies
Water
Houses
Transport
Labour
Climate
People
Remarks
350 people.
Wheat 10,000; barley
10,000; pomegranate
carrots 6,000.
10,000; cotton 10,000; straw
6,000 ; beetroot 6,000; turnips and
f Bread, wheat, fowls, eggs, milk, mutton in fair quantities.
6 Barley, straw, etc., are procurable. 300 sheep.
2 kanats; one sweet, one brackish.
Sun-dried bricks; very few burnt bricks; doors and
windows; no glass.
( Mules Nil.
...5 Donkeys 70, at 1 kran per diem.
(, Camels Nil.
... 30 at 1} krans per diem.
f Temp.—Noon, 94°; 6-30 p. m., 79°. It is reported to be
much cooler and healthier in summer than Ardakan,
••• \ and also colder in winter with 1^ months’ snowfall.
Spring is very nice. We found it cooler than Ardakan.
Al l Mussalmen and a polite set.
one-third are Seyads.
Very inquisitive.
About
Cypress and fir trees and nice gardens. It appears to be
a flourishing place.
JEn route, are the following villages :—
Shereefabad, 500, some Parsees, 2 kanats, brackish ; supplies plentiful.
Dehabad, 600, 2 kanats, sweet ; supplies plentiful.
Bafru, 800, 4 kanats, one sweet 3 brackish; supplies plentiful.
Shuruk, 500, 3 kauats, all brackish ; supplies plentiful.
Mohommabad, 250, 2 kanats, one sweet one brackish ; supplies plentiful.
Bargeen, 200, 1 „ „ supplies limited.
Maibut, 1,000, 4 kanats, all sweet; supplies plentiful.
Der Sheikh, none ; only cultivation.
Badrabad 300, 1 kauat, sweet; supplies in fair quantities.
Supplies
Water
Houses
Transport
Labour
Climate
People
Remarks
14^ October
Governor
Population
Crops
Wi October 1898. Hcjatabad. Height 3,822 feet.
Governor ... Adl-ed-Dowleh.
Population
Crops
8, but people come from neighbouring villages to cultivate
soil, which is good.
Wheat 3,000; barley 1,000; hay 1,000; tobacco 400;
maize 200 ; beetroot 2,000.