'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎111r] (226/300)

203
Pat aaT Ka1irtStt C 3 mile" ° mtiaVe OTCT
of sheep and sheep.pens are seen, while at 6-50 miles^vey^so tont'
Me teis a 20 n f ^; bi t ,tions ^ civii i zation — tL cth
8 50 m.les, while some H miles to our left we can see the Hamnn The first
over brokeT^round to Wa""?' 1 f 9 ' 9 ° “ ileS ’ 6 by 2 fcei We now continue
bears 3 5 "and 33'!' ’ ' vl ! er ^ " e „ Ca "' P at 12 mi,es - Kuh Khajeh
in dry weather huto,ftJ - ma, ch > h ' ie a!1 '> thers « Siestan, is good and open
village WP ,a!t * ft - T* 8 ^° U 1 be lm P'' ISS!>M e- IVarmal was the first
m ml? :, d !, li un Slnce .. leavl "g R cgan on the 5th December, or just over a
month, and with the exception of a Baloochie at D„zdab, we did not see a
single individual since leaving Rood Mahee on 31st December.
V\ ARMAL TO CHILLING.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
12th January 1899.
10
Chilling, 1,720 feet.
1201,
183*54
e lialted two days at YVarmai to give our worn-out camels a rest and to
allow of Nusrullah Klein, Capt. Sykes’ Secretary, getting into Kasratabad and
arranging for the newly appointed Consul’s official entry into the town.
Continuing from Warnial, the road passes over Pat, and at 1 mile we cross a
canal by a rickety earth bridge. At 2 50 miles, the little hamlet of Posht-i-
Desht is seen lying a mile to our light, while on our left is an encampment of
Balooeh Hashims. Prom this point, the ground is all more or less under
cultivation, and there appears to be no fixed route, and w r e have a iruide for
each party. We pass through the large village of Dawletabad at 7*70 miles
and change our direction to due north, and, crossing a canal by a bridge at
S'10 milos, reach Sadakee at 10 70 miles* Passing through Sadakee, we cross
a deep canal at 11*50 miles and camp at the village of Chilling at 12 miles.
The ground throughout the march is flat Pat and Kavir or cultivation, and in
wet weather would be very difficult.
Chilling to Nasratabad.
Date.
No. of
Mfirch.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
13th January 1899.
11
Nasratabad.
15*44
198*98
Keeping in a direction a little west of north, we cross a canal at *60 miles,
and at 1*80 miles pass Kerlxdla Ibrahim, a quarter of a mile to the left, and
Doh Mull a Ali, 100 yards to the right. Ismail Kambar is next passed at
3 miles, lying 50 yards to the right, and at 3*20 miles Taimunabad, 100 yards to
the left. Akberahad and Dadee are respecrively passed at 4^ and 5.] miles,
both some 50 yards to the left. At 5J miles, we swing round to east of north.
Ahdulabad, lying 10 yards to the right, is passed at 8*70, and a Jlashim
encampment at 9 50 miles, where we swing round to east-north-east, and,
continuing over Pat and cultivation, reach Nasratabad, the capital of Siestan,
at 15 b - miles. The roads throughout Siestan change, and guides should always
be taken. The whole country is liable to inundation, the inhabitants saying
the days are Neem-rooz, or half-days, and give* this as their reason tor building
in sun-dr ied bricks only. The villages are all built on mounds, which are
partly natural, partly* artificial, and which appear to be an accumulation of
uorse manure and straw. The houses are of sun-dried bricks, very rough and
domed, without windows or glass. The canals, which a’C cleaned out annua ly,
are from 5 to 6 feet broad, and have 2 or 3 feet of water. The soil is a rich
loam.