'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎92v] (189/300)

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known as the Dehaneh Bulbulab, or “ singing water,” which is quite in con
formity with the volcanic appearance of the surroundings, and halted in the
desert. In summer, our march of to-day would prove a hot and trying one,
and there is not a drop ot water en route. The ground round our camp was
covered with a yellow flinty stone, and the country had a volcanic appearance.
A little spade and shovel work would make the road fit for wheels.
Dehakeh Bulbulab to Chah Eeis.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermedi
ate Miles.
Total Mile*.
Tth December 1898 ...
3
Chah Reis 2,458 feet.
12-00
45-23
From our halting place, we marched over undulating ground strewn with
volcanic debris, and still kept east-south-east. At 2 64 miles, another track was
seen going olf to the left, bearing 100 , and this our guide informed us was a direct
and mountainous road to Fadis. Ihe bare black stony ground changed to sandv
Kavir, covered with a thick efflorescence of salt at 4*90 miles, and here there
was a strip of tamarisk bushes, giving at the same tin e fuel for us and o-razino*
for the camels. The tamarisk strip continued to 6 84 mile*, whicir point
marked its limit as well as that of a small spring of brackish water known as
the Ab-Goor-i-Kbar (wild asses’ water), lying 50 yards to the right of the road.
.' m the 7th to 10-73 miles, the track goes over absolute Kavir or salty desert
with nothing except a sort of grass known as shoreh, and is a beaten path*
2 feet or so wide and about 4 inches deep. The going on this beaten path is
good, but on either side we sank into the salty sand, which at present is baked
into crusty cakes, and found it hard work. When wet, this ground would be
practically impassable. Turning due east, we went through another strip of
tamarisk from 10-73 to 12-18 miles, at which point we camped close to a
well oi brackish and undrinkable water known as Chah Reis. Fuel and grazing
in the vicinity of our camp were abundant. The Kavir would preclude the
possibility of taking wheels along this route.
Chah Reis to Samsoor.
Date,
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
8th December 1898
4
Samsoor, 3,095 feet.
23-45
6868
wJvU St ? rt f d t0 ' d , a? ’ s marc , h t, ’ rou n' h fine sand and across the same plain a
yesterday, but in a due easterly direction. The tth mile chanced our bearin'
sn an feTM? VI "V 85 °; We had been aimin & in direction of !
hUl vViV h ‘ ’ a Soo d innd marfc, which is known as Tal-i-Robah, or foxes
iVWn We pa ? ed 10 / ards t0 our lef t> or north, at 5'28 miles. The plan
^f,]M nv COm ?| m a rV tl , le g0ias " on,1 > sparsely covered with shrub, am
Lnt y eadm S- At 8-40 miles, we agaiu turn to south of east 10l° am
stonl ITnn e, I d i' nS , 0Ter e T‘ lent gr0Und tiU 10 'fin, when it became slight!;
towards na.t ® m g ground was entered at 1123 miles, when we again tun
towards oast and emerge on to a small open plain, surrounded by low hills