'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎92r] (188/300)

165
Regan to Deh Tagi Khan.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
M lies.
Total
Miles.
5th December 1898
1
Deh Yagi Khan
15*14
1514
1,952 feet.
The thread must be again picked up at Regan. Sunday was spent in
getting our stores and extra transport for the desert stages to Khask We had.
to go to Deh Tagi Khan to pick up our escort. Tnis .Ahe last village ou the
desert where there is good water. Leaving Itegan, the bridle path continued
t tiro ugh low jungle for the first 5*6 miles, when it gaye place to an open plain
covered with small sktub, a stream of sweet water was crossed at the first mile
and at 2 77 miles the mud hamlet of Kahmatabad was passed on the right.
Here, there is a stream oi good water, and supplies, in very limited quantities
are procurable. Near here also sra ill hovels, made of branches of trees, were the
first of the kind seen. At 7*20 miles, we were going north of east over an open
plain and gradually descending, while at 9 37 miles we bore still more to the
north and practically kept at this bearing for the rest of the journev, 71°. Salty
efflorescence was note at H'56 miles, the sand being so impregnated as to form
cakes. A small dry torrent bed was crossed at 12 25 miles, the deposit being
pure salt. A brackish stream touched the road on our right at the 14th milts
and we crossed it a quarter of a mile before reaching our camp. The path is
level and dry throughout, and could be made passable to wheeled traffic. It
was difficult to take hearings through the jungle, but we seemed to be going a
bit too far north and out of our way.
Deh Yagi Khan to Halting place en route Chah Reis.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles,
6th December 1898
2
Halting place
18*09
33*23
2,288 feet.
From Deh Yagi Khan, where we found our escort of 4 camelry, we con
tinued due south-east through an abundance of tamarisk bushes, with patches
of fallow aud cultivated ground, and at 1'145 crossed a stream of slightly
brackish water flowing towards Deh Yagi Khan. The tamarisk bushes
stopped at 2’89, and we emerged on to a large plain, the Dasht-i-Lut, which
at first was sparsely covered with an earthy tumuli, but which at 5*13 miles
became very stony and bare. Our direction was now a little south of east,
and at 5'89 miles a black rock was passed 50 yards to the left. We had been
gradually ascending in the direction of some small hills. We entered the b“d
of a torrent at 9*95 miles, which our guide said was the Zahu, draining to
tlie north-east, and emerged from it at 10*30. The banks are 12 to 15 feet
high, while the width is 120 yards. We reached the low stony hills at 13*11
miles, and crossed the highest point at 15*66, which was about 350 feet higher
than Deh Yagi Khan i2,300 feet). Continuing through these hills, a sudden
descent was made at 16*23 to a small plain, and we veered towards south-east
agaia. At 17*98 miles, we passed through a narrow (60 yards) pass in the hills,
B 7—42
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