'Military Report on Persia' [‎18v] (41/134)

18
The Safed
Bud.
The
Gurgan.
The Atrek.
The Hari
Bud.
There are fords immediately above and below
the fervv, Avhich are practicable only during
summer 'and early autumn, when the depth of
water is about 3 feet.
Similar fords exist at Abbasabad, and othei
minor points between Julfa and Erivan.
Below Julfa passage can only be effected by
means of boats or rafts.
The Safed Bud, or AVhite River rises in the moun
tains of Ardelan north of Sehna, and hnds an
outlet 57 miles east of Enzeli. Its upper waters
are known as the Kizil Uzen as far as Manjil,
where it is joined by the Shah Rud. Abo\e
Manjil it is fordable, when not in flood, near
Mianeh and Derram. There are bridges at Manjil
and 8 miles above Alwar. In spring it becomes a
torrent and is quite unfordable. Below Rud bar
it enters the plains of Ghilan, and flows with a
moderate current between low and swampy banks.
It is navigable for small boats only near its mouthy
where the depth varies from 3 to 7 feet.
The Gurgan rises in the Armut Ali plateau west of
Bujnurd, and, after a westerly course of about 200
miles, falls into the Caspian to the north of
Ashurada Bay. It is quite unfordable in spring
when the snows melt, but in the dry seasons it
can be forded at a few points where dams have
been constructed below Ak-kala. ^sear Gumbat-i-
.Rabus it is about 20 feet wide and 4 or 5 feet
deep, and runs in a narrow bed between cliffs.
The Atrek rises near Towarik to the north-east of
Kuchan, and flows into Hassan Kuli Bay after a
course of about 300 miles. From its source to a
few miles below Chat it runs in a deep ravine, and
is fordable only at wide intervals from September
to February. At the point where the Astrabad-
Chikishliar telegraph crosses, it is about 30 feet
wide, and 3 feet deep when not in flood.
The Hari Rud rises in Afghanistan near Daolat Yar
and flows westwards past Herat to Kuhsan, where,