'Persia 1888. From Rishir to Bunder Abbas.' [‎9v] (23/69)

8
ROUTE No.
•could.
V
Number and names of stages.
Distances.
« .
Rivers and
streams.
Remarks.
Inter
mediate.
Total.
M. F.
M. F.
River Maud
At 6J miles we strike the hanks of
the river Mand, which are steep
and about 15 feet high. The
current is very rapid, the flow
beino’ from the eastward. At 120 -yards from the high banks the actual water channel
whioh is about 60 ^ards broad, commences. The southern banks slope up gently for 100
yards from the water to the foot of a low range of hills. The ford, at this season, is about
4 feet deep but very slightly lower down the water deepens rapidly, and man and horse
would be carried away. I observed a few fragments of masonty near ford, which
were said by the natives to be the remains of an ancient bridge that once spanned the stream.
flavin 0, forded this river, the water of which is saltish, the road ascends, and crosses a low
ran° , e of hills of stony gravel and sandstone. The road, with a little broadening in the case
of field artillerv, is practicable for all arms. At 8 miles 5 furlongs we enter a green grassy
vale about 100 yards broad, dotted with kanar bush. At 9 miles 3 furlongs the vale con
tracts to a narrow gorge, the west side of which is like a wall. r,n - —^
This continues for
now cross the rocky bed of
1J fur-
y,- 0 ~:, -
longs, when the road debouches on to a grassy valley, . ^ ^
° a stream “ Tang-i Fellas (?),” 20
Stream yards broad, with about 15 feet
“ Tang-i breadth of water, and pass
Fellas ? ” through tracts of wheat and bar
ley. At 10 mile 2 furlongs a water-course called “ Tang-i NakbJ (?)”, bed dry and about 20
yards broad, is crossed. The road now passes the hamlet of Kerdilan, altitude above sea, 632
feet, consisting of about 30 mat huts, and a grove of date trees. The rate of travelling for
loaded mules from Darwisheh to Kerdilan is 2^ miles per hour.
Supplies ... Insignificant.
Water ... Good and plentiful.
Fuel ... Moderate from kunar bush.
Cultivation ... Little, barley and wheat.
Grazing ... Good.
Camping-grounds Good.
Note .—From Kerdilan a road over the bills
General direction S. by E. J E. Distance 32 miles.
We then traverse a grassy valley about one mile in breadth, dotted with kanar bush, and
strewn with the ruins of an ancient city. To east are ihe rounded, gravel, and sandstone hills
of the rano-e Kuh Kaal or Kasab, and to west the precipitous and rugged range of Kuh
Kolonguk. Rivulets of running water, and small dry water-courses crossing the road are
of frequent occurrence. These, however, offer no difficulty whatever. At 14 miles 5 fur
longs we are abreast of Tang-i Chakchak, and, half-a-mile further on, of Tang-i BachakI
both of which are passes through the range bounding the east side of the valley. At 15 miles
6 furlongs low gravel and sandstone hills commence to close in on the road, and to block the
south-east end of the valley. A quarter of a mile in advance the road, for a distance of half*a-
mile, is crossed by numerous rivulets of good water. At 16| miles the road enters, and ascends
for a quarter of a mile low sandstone hills by what appears to be the dry bed of a torrent. This
pass is not difficult. We then descend by a gentle slope to the main valley, about 6 miles broad,
covered with grass, and dotted with kana - U "~' L X - 1 1 ‘ ‘ J ~ ~ 1 ‘ 1J “ c
branches off to the sea-port Dayyir
From native information.
bush.
trees, which we enter, and at 17 miles 7
Six furlongs brings us
to a belt of date
furlongs emerge on the hanks of the river Riz or
Uiver Riz Baghan, as it is here called. Ford-
or Ba- ing this river, which is about 20
ghan. yards broad, 6 inches deep, and
flows to north-west, we, at 18 miles
1-6 furlongs, enter tho hamlet of Baghan, altitude above sea, 641 feet, situated at the north
end of a narrow spit of land not more than 100 yards broad, the west, north, and east sides of
which are cliffs from 15 to 36 feet high. To the west of this spit runs the river Riz at the