'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎58r] (120/610)

Caspian, and South East as far as the sources of the Shahrud,
the main ridge forms the “ Secondary ” or “ Northern ”, thence
to the East, the “ main ” or “ Southern watershed.”
On the Caspian side-of the “ Northern watershed ” the spurs
running down from the range between the river gorges, although
sinuous, keep a fairly regular general direction from South to
North, the ridge resembling the spine and these offshoots the
ribs. From some points, e.g., theTakht-i-Sulaiman, Damavand
the Nur ridge, a clear view is obtained down to the Caspian, but
elsewhere the country is usually too broken.
On the plateau side, owing to the existence of these lateral
valleys, the mountains are much more tangled and irregular,
On the Southern face towards the plateau the Elburz present
a more or less abrupt scarp rising above immense gravel slopes
extending for several miles from the foot of the mountains,
the Shimran slopes North of Tehran being the most extensive
and best known. Ascents of the “ Southern watershed ” are
very steep from both sides. The ascents of the “ Northern
watershed ” are for the most part steeper and shorter from the
South than from the North, where the valleys afford longer
and more gradual approaches.
From East to West luxuriant vegetation extends throughout Vegetation
the Caspian provinces, the only variation being that the forest
trees in Mazandaran and Tunakabun are much bigger than in
Gilan.'
To the South it is limited to the slopes nearest to the sea
which catch and intercept the fertilizing moisture from the
Caspian and consequently follows the line of the “ Northern
watershed.” South of this watershed the valleys of Nur
Shahrud and Kizil Uzun are utterly barren. The vivid contrasts
of widely divergent natural features in close juxtaposition which
may be viewed from this ridge are thus described by Lovett.
“ North of the principal watershed forest trees and general
verdure refresh the eye. Gurgling water, strips of sward
and tall forest trees, backed by green hills, make a scene com
pletely unlike the usual monotony of Persian landscape. The
forest scenery much resembles that of England, with fine oaks
and green-sward. South of the watershed the whole aspect
of the landscape is as hideous and disappointing as scenery in
Afghanistan. Ridge after ridge of bare hill and curtain behind
curtain of serrated mountain, certainly sometimes of charming
greys and blues, but still all bare and naked, rugged and
arid.” (Lovett, proc. R. G. S. Feb. 1883.)