'Military Report of the Nushki-Chagai-Western Sinjarani Country' [‎67r] (138/302)

Thus this system is composed of a succession of mountain ranges
which rising from the plains of Kachi and the Indus valley, tower one
above*the other in successive steps until, having gained their maximum,
they subside in lesser and lesser ranges westward.
Their o-eneral direction is from north-north-east to south-south-west,
and this uniformity of strike is wonderfully preserved throughout.
The mass is broken through at two points, viz., by the bolan pass at
its northern extremity, and by the Mulla pass near Gandava. ^ ie
ranges are twisted out of their original direction, and run towards the
north-north-west. Through these two great channels the principal
drainage of the country is effected, producing the bolan and Mulla rive, s.
The highest portion of the system is the range bounding the Quetta
valley oiAhe east. This is called Zarghun, and on the west towers one
of the loftiest mountains in Baluchistan—the Chihiltan—which is esti
mated to rise to the height of 10,860 feet. , , •
Lyino- in the bosom of the mountains are numerous valleys and plains.
They have naturally a like direction to the ranges between which they
lie, and vary in height according to their position, so that almost any
desired temperature and climate may be obtained from the sub-tropical
of Sind to the temperate of Kalat. . „ , ...
The highest ranges are clothed with juniper-trees called apurs which
yield excellent firewood and durable timber. They are inhabited by
foxes, jackals, hyenas, wolves, and panthers. In winter the wolves
become so ravenous and bold that they descend into the valleys and
attack the flocks, killing goats and sheep close to human habitations.
The Brahuik and Suliman ranges are connected by the Man and Bugti
hills, a lar»e off-set extending eastward from about north latitude 2Q 30
and joining the Sulimans in the neighbourhood of Harand Dajil.
(Pottinger — Thornton—Co oh, etc.)
HALIDI HILL.—Lat. 29 0 20'; Long. 63° 33'; Elev.
A hill about 4 miles east of Malik Naru peak.
HAMUN-TKAISAR OR WAD-I-SULTAN—
A desert hamun north-east of the Dalbandin plain. MacGregor writes
of this place that “it receives the drainage of the Meshki river, but at the
time—March 1877—it was nearly dry and covered with thick salt efflo
rescence ; only to the south on the Dasht-i-Padag there was a quantity of
coarse grass and reeds and a little water.
“ In the dry season this tract dries up and the surface is often covered
with a salt incrustation, and at times takes the form of a swamp. ^
“ In the rainy season it is generally impassable. {MacGregor.)"
HAMUN-I-LORA or LORA HAMUN—
This hamun lies about 3 miles due east of Chagai (7. ?>.) and extends
south-west to the Koh-i-gao, some 13 miles and north-west to the
Khurae hill, about 22 miles. Its breadth is at its greatest about 9
miles, but from Gazachah northwards decreases to between 4 and 5
miles. It is separated from the Dalbandin plain on the south by a ridge
from 50 to 100 feet high. Peacocke describes it as follows:—
“ The Hamun is a bare plain, destitute of shrub of any kind ; its surface
is a hard baked clay, on which horses’ hoofs leave no impression,cracked