'Report on the Preliminary Survey of the Route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line' [‎127v] (259/300)

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terraced, and aqueducts lead from the river to irrigate the cultivation thereon.
Beans, wheat and barley were the staple products. The following are the
names of the hamlets passed and the distances from Serbaz :—
Right hank, 0*70 Machi Mehter; 1'25 Honak; T60 Dashdar; 210
Oureman ; 2*45 Aramkan ; 3 40 Parkan ; 4*10 Qorder; while at 6 45 miles the
direct road from Bampur to flask, which branched off at 5*75 miles south of
yesterday’s march, joins in on the right.
Continuing, we have at 6'88 Bandan ; and for the next 6 miles the rocks
lise too sheer and precipitous to allow of even artificial terraces and to make
space for huts. At 13‘30, the Champ road branches off up the nullah of that
name, and tdie date-groves of Dipakaur start here, the tents and stone and mud
huts constituting the hamlet being passed at 13-70 miles. We then note at
14-65 Shomtak, 15 Gwasulkan, i635 Dezebogan, 17'50 Degerzamin, 18*80
Dipatan, which with Ziaret-Jah, our halting place, include all the hamlets on
the right bank.
On the left bank, we have—
50 Kondan ; 1*50 Chance; 2 30 Mong; 2 80 Eith; 3*40 Kan ; 4‘10Gouroo;
5 Anja ; 5* 0 Shandoo ; 925 Peerdan ; 16 Aboudar ; 17*50 Jemadar; 18*80
Lehabad and 9-50 Rood ban.
The bed of the river in which the road lay was very stony and roush ; and
in such places as we had to strike the water the boulders were slippery and
trying on the animals.
Ziaret-Jah to Rask.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
intermediate
Miles.
Total
Miles.
6th March 1899
6
Rask, 1,845 feet.
1814
107-77
The road on leaving Zi.-iret-Jah keeps on the ritrht bank of the Serbaz
river for a mile, when, crossing a rocky ridge, it again enters the channel.
The going, owing: to large slippery stones, is trying to our animals. Heret is
passed at 3 miles on the left bank, and half a mile further on the road bifur
cates, the right track following the river down to Parood, with a bearing of
190°, while we take the left, with 150" as our line, and thus cut off a corner.
IVe enter a range of low hills at 4 25 miles, and can see Parood Iving a mile
to our right. Continuing among low hills for 3 miles, the track leads down a
small sandy nullah, which eventually joins the main channel at 7 miles. Our
forward bearing is now 125°, and at 7-30 miles the large Kuh-i-Pashamag,
some 12 miles distant to our left and hearing 55°, is pointed out as Sirdar Leader of a tribe or a polity; also refers to a military rank or title given to a commander of an army or division.
llossein Khan’s retreat. The hamlet of Shosgeen, wdth a species of mud fort
in ruins, is passed at 8*35 miles close to our riirht. The word <{ jungle” is
applied to some date groves and patches of cultivation which begin at 11 miles
and end at 13 miles, at which point we have the river to wend its wav to
Peerzabad (Feroozabad), bearing 125°, while we enter a range oi low hills,
bearing 155°, and after a short ascent espy the picturesque hamlet of Peerzabad,
about a mile off on the left bank of the river, which here divides, the right
branch sweeping round to meet us as it were and to clear a range of high rocky
mountains, running at right angles in front, by their western side, while the
left branch goes round the eastern side of the high lulls. The path in the hills
is^veiy rough, but we do not fare much better when we rejoin the river at
15-20 miles For the next mile, we have precipitous cliffs, 200 to 300 feet
high, on both sides. The Kasrkand road joins in at ]7'60 miles on the
light, and we here leave the river to traverse some undulating ground to
Rask, which is situate on the left bank.