'Military Report of the Nushki-Chagai-Western Sinjarani Country' [‎27r] (58/302)

41
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in
diameter, with U'of water lying 15' below the surface; there is
also one well at Sulimau Chah, distant miles to the south-east.
The quality of the water is good, and the quantity would only be
limited by the time and means available for well sinking, trrass
and fuel are abundant in the vicinity.
CHAPTER IV.
Climatic and Sanitary observations.
The best season for the movement of troops is from the
beo-innino- of OeUb-r to the middle of April. In the late autumn,
winter, and early spring the climate is agreeable, extremely dry,
and apparently salubrious in spite of the great variations in
temperature that occur. .i ,
There are, however, disagreeable storms, due perhaps to the Blizzards.
sudden changes in temperature ; these occur, as a rule, alter mid
winter, and recur, fr quently with gieat violence, until the egin-
nincr of Apiil. Thick with clouds of sand the north-west wind
sweeps over the open desert, piling up the sand against all
obstacles, and filling all interstices. During these storms the
temperature f ills rapidly, sometimes even to below zero. Attei
the wind has dropped the sand haze, which de es not settle for two
or three days, keeps the temperature down. Ihese blizzards aie
seldom accompanied by rain or snow. Should snow fall on the
plains, it never remains more than a few days.
The temperature of the plains north of the Kacha Koh and
Koh-i-Sultan ranges is always less than of those to the south of
these ranges, owing partly to their greater elevation, and partly
to the fact that the sand of the Re^istan does not retain the heat,
as does the alluvial soil of the southern wastes. In the Registan,
even during the hottest weather, comparatively cool nights aie
The hot season generally sets in early in April, and towards The summer,
the end of the month the heat becomes excessive on the plains
more especially in the depression extending along the south of the
Kacha Koh, Koh-i-Sultan, and Malik Naru ranges The temper
ature at Faniham, west of Dalbandm, on the ' m 1 ' ,
ported by Captain R. E. Roome to have reached H7 *. about
midday in a double-fly bill tent.
At Nushki itself, during June, the average maximum temper
ature is said by Captain Roome to be about 110 F. in the shaue.
Mr. Ouseley, representative of the Debra Dun tea association,
passed along the trade route in July 1901. He was very favour
ably impressed with the road, and ridiculed the idea that it is not
a hot-weather route. He experienced no real discomfort from the
heat, as bungalows bad been built at nearly every stage, lie look
with him over 30,000 lbs. of tea, and did the journey in under a
month.