'Military Report of the Nushki-Chagai-Western Sinjarani Country' [‎89v] (183/302)

162
miles marching from Bur]) is the Aliabu gorge, so called from an isolated
pinnacle of rock of great size, somehow connected with the saint, Pir
Aliabu, whose ziarat is on the right bank not far beyond the gorge.
This picturesque defile averages about 300 yards in width and is perhaps
a mile long. The bed of the river is gravel and small shingle, and presents
no difficulties. Into the Aliabu gorge, on the left, comes the Sokhta
nala. It is of considerable size, though dry, and descends from a small
plain known as the Bala Dasht {q. v.), near Utaz karez. There is a road
by it to that place. Sweeping round the Aliabu end of Kargar, the Lora
now makes an abrupt turn to the north, as if bent on finding its wav
back to the plain of Pishin ; but this is obviously caused by its meeting
with the spurs of the great Sarlat range, round the northern end of
which it is forced to pass. Beyond the Aliabu gorge the valley is again
"wide and open, and presents several spots fit for encampment. Kargar
is separated from the next range, called Sharin, by a large water-course,
known as the Great Sharin nala^ to distinguish it from the little Sharin,
which runs on the other side of the Sharin range. Both these descend
from the south end of Pinake. From the confluence of the big
Sharin, the glen of the Lora becomes narrowed, and for the next
10 or 12 miles varies from 500 to 800 yards in width. Through this
defile it pursues its way steadily northwards, although making many
short loops and turns. On the left is the edge of a sort of lofty plateau
which is interposed between the highest ridge, or backbone, of Sarlat
and the numerous spurs which descend to the river. On the right lies
a somewhat intricate mass of high hills, sometimes of strange form,
which are all connected, either with the Sharin range, or with Uie high
ground between 1 inake and the lang stream. Fifteen miles from the
Aliabu gorge the extreme north end of Sarlat is reached, round which
the river twists sharply and resumes its general south-westerly course.
At this bend the Lora is joined by the Tang stream (down which is the
shortest route from Pishin to Shorawak), and from here the river, shut
in between the Khwaja Amran and Sarlat ranges, runs for fully 16 miles
through an extremely narrow and tortuous defile. In this gorge the
Lora only averages 100 yards in width, while on either hand the numer
ous and lofty spurs of the two great ranges present a labyrinthine mass
of hills, glens and ravines, impassable except by the very few to whom
the country is familiar. Lashkar Kach, Mirza Kach, and a rough plateau
a ove the mouth of the Guldara ravine are about the only spots
vt thl ®.P or . tion bora, where it is possible for troops to encamp.
Marching is trying for baggage animals, principally owing to the con
stant crossing of the stream. This gorge is succeeded by a somewhat
more open dara, or glen, which gradually widens for 7 or 8 miles until
the ruined fort of Mir Alam, and the hamlet of Pir Muhammad karez,
are passed and the river fairly debouches on to the plain of Shorawak.
In the middle Lora the average width of the stream during the dry
season, that is, from April till October (inclusive), is about 30 feet, and
at the shallows it is generally but a few inches deep. There are, how
ever, constant deep pools, which must be avoided. During the winter
months when rain falls, or when snow is melting, the river & will average
from 1 to feet in depth at the fords. Its course is then somewhat
ditlicult to tollow owing to the immense number of times the swift