'Military Report on Persian Seistan' [‎85v] (175/188)

SHI—SIL
we camped below the pool of water at some shallow wells in the bed, which,
on being dug out, afforded a good supply of sweet water. The Shela here
takes a turn and runs east and west.— [C. E. Yate, 1894.)
We crossed the Shela from west to east (between Sangar-i-Mir Alam
Khan and Siabad) at the 10th mile and found its bed a little wet, but
hard enough tq allow laden camels to pass without any difficulty.
For the last ten years n<> water is said to have llown down the Shela to
God-i-Zirreh which is said to have nearly dried up in consequence.
When the Shela is in flood it is said to be impassable for camels throughout
its length, and the roads leading to Seistan from the north, south, or west
then being closed, all camel-traffic is suspended for the time being.
During the season when the Shela is in flood camel caravans going from
Neh to Kuh-i-Malik Siah must avoid crossing that river and travel along its
west bank from Sangar-i-Mir Alam Khan to Hurmak obtaining water from
the Shela as they go along, as then it is perfectly drinkable.
When there is no fresh water in the Shela all camel caravans bound for
Kuh-i-Malik Siah must cross the Shela from west to east and camp at one of the
wells in the vicinity of Tepe-Mir Dost or Ramrud either at Giridi Chah or
Siahab or wherever they may find good water, and recross the Shela from
east to west from Gumbad-i*Shela, the next halting place with water, to
proceed to Hurmak.
Without fresh water in the Shela it is impossible for them to keep west of
that river, since the hilly track through Palong Kuh by Turshad and
Baluchad is impracticable for laden camels, while it is out of the question
to march through the waterless “ Lut ” (desert) east of Palang Kuh direct to
Hurmak. v
After crossing the Shela we marched through tamarisk jungle to Siah-ab.
Our road led south (from Gumbad-i-Shela towards Hurmuk) j we recrossed
the Shila from east to the west about 2 miles out and marched through low
sand hills and thick tamarisk jungle which extended to within a short dis
tance of Hurmak.
The Shela had a deep and wide bed with high banks and contained large
pools of salt water. It was quite dry at the place where we crossed it.
—{Mania Bakhsh)
SHISHANGI—
A place in the Naizar, north of Seistan near Tahht-i-Shah.— (C. E. Yate.)
SHITAK —
A village inhabited by the Shahriki tribe.— (Bellew.)
SHUKGAZ—
A camping ground in the Seistan desert, 86 miles from Bam, on the Seistan
road. Water is procurable here by digging wells 5 feet deep, but is brackish.
The words mean ‘salt' and 'tamarisk/ There is a desert plain here, the
subsoil of which is formed of salt and lime; while the surface is covered with
gravel and some struggling tamarisk. The latter, although growing on a
saline soil, have sweet exudation from their bark, a kind of manna.—
(Goldsmid, Rozario.)
8ILIAN—
A group of ruins, 18 miles south of Lash, in the Peshawaran district. To
the north lie the Dih Malan, and to the south-west the Kul Marut ruins.
r J hose of Silian extend over a distance of 10 miles along the border of
the lake, all of which being constructed similar to and with the materials
used for Nad-Ali, and possessing like fragments of pottery, porcelain, and
ICO r.