'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎8r] (20/188)

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ing on, the Ilelmand in Seistan proper, or in the vicinity. In 1893 Yate
writes that boat-building is said to have been regularly begun by the
Amir’s orders; this, however, apparently does not apply to the lower
reaches. Peacock says the river is navigable for light draft steamers,
from 2 to 2^ feet, from the Band-i-Seistan to about 10 miles above Khwajak
Ali.
The Sarshela .—The only other river of Seistan is the Sarshela, or Shila,
a wide deep gully, formed by the overflow of the Seistan Hamun, and
draining the Palang Kuh watershed The boundary between adjacent drainage basins. . It discharges into the Zirreh depres
sion, flowing in a southerly direction, parallel to the Palang Kuh to a point
a few miles south of the village of ^Nawar. Here it takes a sudden turn
to the south-east, and then flows in a generally easterly direction into the
Gand-i-Zirreh, or Shela-Hamun. Its course lies entirely through a level
plain, in some places covered with tamarisk scrub and affording grazing
for sheep and cattle; in others a bare, sandy, and arid desert, known as the
Dasht-i-Shela. The amount of water contained in the river-bed depends
entirely on the overflow of the Hamun, for the ravines which run down
from the mountains of the Palang Kuh add but little to its volume.
In 1884 Captain Jennings found the Sarshela full, but was able to cross
it a few miles south of Nawar. The only other practicable point of passage
at that time was at Shah Grudar, some 35 miles to the south-east, on the
direct route southwards from Band-i-Kamal-Khan. Since 1889, however,
it is said that no water has flowed in the Sarshela, and consequently the
bed has contained only a few saline pools, and can be crossed at almost any
point.
The usual crossing for caravans proceeding southwards is at Gumbad-i-
Shela, to the south of Kawar, where the water-course is some 50 or 60 yards
in width, with precipitous banks in places from 30 to 40 feet high. Khan
Bahadur Maula Baksh says that when the river is in flood it is impassible
for camels throughout its length, and the roads leading to Seistan from the
north, south or west, being then closed, all camel traffic is suspended.
Camel caravans travelling from Keh to Kuh-i-Malik Siah move along the
west bank of the Sarshela from Sangar-i-Mir Alam Khan to Harmuk,
obtaining water from the river during the journey.
Farah Rud .—The Farah Bud is one of the streams in Afghan territory
whose waters discharge into and form the Seistan Hamun, into which
it flows from a northerly direction. Below the junction of the Ghor
stream, quitting the Taimani country, it is said to widen out, and, running
in a sandy bed, soon loses much of its water, being fordable except in
spring and early summer, when the melting of the snow brings down a
volume of water.
The Harut Rud, or Adraskund, with its tributary, the Khushk Bud
is another of the streams of Afghan Seistan which discharges its water
into the Seistan Hamun, also from a northerly direction. It apparently
does not overflow, and is only unfordable in high flood, which, however,
runs off in two or three days.
Lakes. — Hamun-i-Seistan .—The position of the famous Hamun-i-
Seistan has already been described. It is somewhat difficult to give an
exact account of this sheet of water, as its extent and features vary much
from year to year according to the prevailing atmospheric conditions. It
will, therefore, be understood that any given dimensions of the extent of
this lake must necessarily be somewhat vague. Existing maps appear to
mark the extreme limits attained by the water of the lake, the overflow of