'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎45r] (94/300)

71
ill of Shcms, the road
il a descent as to be
ground. The Persian
?eps on this side, at
low traverse a howling
ther side, and save a
s eye. At times, the
thing breaks the weary
ghtly brackish water
an eminence at 16 73
{f. Villages are now
eone. At 18*125 and
no 2 miles off, and a
i. Just before reach-
zadeh or shrine, which
on the left, and we
,t the same time lies
^h for wheels.
Intermediate
Total
Miles.
Miles.
16*30
109*68
■ fallow land bounds
f sweet water crosses
ed on the right at 1*79
s seen at 2 57 miles,
rack veering to the
.bad and Hosseinabad,
l, ITS, and 4 24 miles,
;tion at 4*37, whilst
The road, which has
i due south-east, the
ages, cultivation, and
nd easy going, with
,he right. At 10 90,
a line of sweet water
good till 13*80 mile?,
same point, it divides,
aek we follow leads to
f Mohommedabad is
ah three-fourths of a
stream of beautifully
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
The first mile is stony and rough, when the road again runs over a sandy
plain, which is rich in its growth of camel-thorn. Shamabad is passed on the
left at 3*32 miles about 2 miles olf, and we cross the sweet water Kanats flow
ing to it at 4*95 miles. Continuing over a good level road with desert on both
sides, in a south-easterly direction, we pass Ismailabad, 2 miles to our left, at
7*62 miles, and on the same side half a mile off Vakeelabad at 8*77. The road
now bears more to the east, and at 10*54 miles a stream of sweet water is
crossed, flowing in the direction of the large village of Sherifabad, which is
passed at 11*61 miles about 1 mile to the left. The ground here, between the
10th and 12th miles, has the appearance of being subject to floods. The
Persian Telegraph line goes through the worst part, so they cannot be very
serious. We again turn to the south-east, and cross streams of sweet water at
13*80 and 14*43 miles. Cultivated land is now seen on every side, and the
quantity of water visible tends to prove that a large tract of country is under
irrigation. At 14*77 miles, the hamlet of Aliabad is passed on our immediate
right with Hafizabad 300 yards to the left. The large village of Kushkuh is
reached at 16'65 miles, while Noorabad can be seen 1| miles off to the left.
Kushkuh is the usual halting place, but we went on to Golnabad to make the
next day’s stage of 23 miles a little shorter.
The road is level and good and open to wheeled traffic. As the ground
slopes down from the hills on both sides to the road in the valley, the spring
and autumn rains wash down and accumulate on the plain, but there cannot
he any great depth of water, which must also soon subside. The water and
supplies on this section are most plentiful.
Golnabad to Baubamabad.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
L
26th October 1898
9
/>'
Bahramabad, 4,970 feet.
21*69
148-73
•
On leaving Golnabad, the rorul goes almost due east, the Telegraph line
crossing from left to right a£ *225, and back again to the left at *380, and
keeping well to that side makes straight for Bahramabad and is not again seen
on this march. Taking a south-easterly direction, tho road continues level and
sandy, with high tamarisk hushes on both sides, crossing a dry torrent bed at
1*63, and passing the ruins of Hassanabad at 1*75 miles. At 1*86, a second
dry torrent bed is crossed. The ground round here shows signs of being liable
to inundation, and it appears some 3 miles of country is, during abnormal
rains, under water. Salabad is passed at 3*40, lying 2 miles to the left.
Prom this point, the road goes more to the east, is level and firm, with high
tamarisk bushes on both sides, till the 6ih mile is reached, when the bushes
cease and give place to desert, with deep sand, which makes the going very
heavy. Dafeh is passed half a mile to the right at 6*75 miles. We continue
to plough through heavy sand with a desert plain on both sides, and keep in
an east-south-easterly direction till 10*53 miles, when we again go south-east.
A road from Dafeh joins in on the right rear at 11*35 miles, and we change
our course to east. The desert stretch practically ends here, as, crossing a
stream of sweet water at 11*58, villages with gardens and cultivation are seen
on all sides. Neymetabad is passed at 11*94 miles, 300 yards to the right, and
traversing llimatabad, we leave Kudratabad half a mile to the left and
Kazimabad 600 yards to the right at 12*41 miles, while Hormuzabad flanks
the road at 13 40. Shehrabad, Hassanabad and Nooshabad lie on our immedi
ate right at 13*75, 13*90, and 14*46 miles, respectively, Dchnabad being opposite
the last point. On our right or S.-W., desert again prevails, but on our left
at 14*92 miles we have Mehdiabad, half a mile off, with its conspicuous Yakh-
chal or Ice house, and the large villages of Laijoon, Kereemabad, Khaleelabad