'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎119r] (242/300)

219
track goes off 18o . Leaving the torrent bed at 10 40 miles, we go over a
gravelly ridge, gradually descending into a second nullah at 17-70 miles, but
shortly alter leave it again and, getting on to the high ground, see Nasratabad
(Kerman) in the plain, bearing .35°. k\e continue over very stony ground to
the 22nd mile, when the track improves, and is finally sandy at 23-50 miles.
A stream of almost sweet water is crossed at 24 miles, and some cultivation on
the right. The Kaleh is reached at 24^ miles.
NAsratabad to Camp.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermeiliate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
3rd February 1899
5
Camp, 3,850 feet.
1616
91-14
The first mile and a quarter after leaving Nasratabad is through soft salty
soil, with an abundance of tamarisk and grazing, and keeps in a south-westerly
direction towards the Nakhaleh range ol low hills. From 1*2; to 2*20 miles,
there are mmy Sind drifts, and the growth gradually decreases. Clearing the
drifts, we get on t> a hard and stony plain, gently rising, a id are in the debris
of the drainage. At 3*50 miles, the track is very rough, and continues so till its
entrance into the hills ar, 5 80 miles. We now ascend a ravine some 50 yards
wide, with steep r>cky hills on either side, and change our direction a trifle to
south of south-west. A spring, perennial, Ab-i-Konjee, with some young date
trees, is passed at 6-40 miles, 50 yards to our right. Continuing up the ever-
narrowing ravine, with the hills gradually becoming higher and steeper, we
reach the Darwazeh, or gate, of Nadir at 9 miles. This is a ridge of rock which
runs at right angles to the road, and through which the torrent has cut a way
9 feet wide. There is some masonry, and such artificial means as have been
executed to convert it into a gate are attributed to Nadir. The watershed The boundary between adjacent drainage basins. , also
known as Darwazeh Nadir, was reached at 9'70 miles, and is 4,775 feet.
Following the southern drainage, known as Chedeh Mullah Ali, the descent., like
the asemt, is gentle down the torrent bed, with rocky hills on either side, and
only 50 to 60 yards wide. A dry spring is pa^ed at 10-65 to the left. Turning
to the west, the torrent bed, passing through a cut with high rock on either
side, opens out to 100 yards, and at 13 25 we pass a second spring, known a*
Kon irch, also dry. The hills gradually lessen, while the ravine broadens, and
we camp near the southern entrance of the hills. This rood empties itself into
Lut-Zangi Ahmed. Road impassable to wheels.
Camp to Gurg.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
4th February 1899
6
Gurg, 1,850 feet.
18-87
113-01
We reach the end of the Nakhaleh hills at *70 miles from our camping
ground, and here the Chedah Mullah Ali widens out to 250 yards and sweeps
due west, while we continue south of south-west, and cross a torrent bed, also
flowing to our right, or west, some 150 to 175 yards wide. We emerge on to
an open stonv plain, gradually descending, in a south of south-westerly direc
tion. The plain to our left—about 4 miles to the high rocky Haul mountains,—
is covered with numerous water-courses and is very rough and stony, though