'Persia 1888. From Rishir to Bunder Abbas.' [‎28v] (61/69)

36
ROUTE No.
— contd.
Number and names of stages.
Distances.
! Inter
mediate.
Total.
m; f.
M. F.
Rivers and
streams.
Remarks.
Birkeh Mirzai being distant 200 yards from the steeply sloping or perpendicular hills on the
south side. The range on either hand reaches an altitude of about 300 feet.
Supplies
Water
"Fuel
Cultivation *.<
Grazing'
Camping-grounds
Nil.
Dependent on one cistern, which was full at the time of our visit.
Nil.
Nil.
Nil.
Good for any number of men.
Note.— From the top of a hill bearing from Birkeh Mirzai, S. E. J- S., distant about
440 yards, the pass, Tang Abad, through the range Gishu bears N. W. J N.; and Tangi-
Khur or Kalpurahi through Kuh Pal-i Kbamir W. by S. \ S.
On passing Birkeh ,cistern) Mirzai, we traverse a fairly easy road between dried up
mud hillocks of earthy gypsum. At 10 miles 7 4 5 furlongs the pass, for the next 150 yards,
alternately rising and descending, becomes more difficult, though still not bad.
Another 2J furlongs, and the small mud hillocks clear off, leaving a broad, open space of
one mile, extending to the hills bordering the north side of the pass, and another of 600
to 800 yards, to those bordering the south side. At 12 miles 3 furlongs the road ascends
a low upheaval of limestone, and then descends over the glacis-like slope of the strata,
for a distance of about 30 feet, to a smooth, gravelly, and stony plain stretching to the
sea. As we advance, and clear the hills of the pass, the gravel and stone disappear, and
give place to a fine sand. At the point of exit from the pass (the upheaved limestone
strata just crossed), the hills to south are distant about 600 yards, and those to
north 1,400. These ranges, as we advance, gradually sinking into the plain, form the
horns of a crescent, which is open to the eastward.
At 12 miles 5 furlongs a dry water-course appears to north of the road, and then runs
off to east. One mile 6 | furlongs in advance, the road crosses this water-course, flow to
south-west, bed shallow, of a sandy whitish clay, and about 20 yards in breadth. At 14
miles 5 furlongs, the caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). and cistern of Chesterneh, both in good repair, and the
latter full of sweet water.
30.
Supplies
Water
Fuel
Cultivation ...
Grazing
Camping-grounds.
Bunder Abbas .
Nil.
From one cistorn.
Moderate from small hush and brambles.
Nil.
Very poor, from thin, dried up, yellow grass.
Good.
15—4
138—3*4
Leave Chesterneh. General di
rection E. J N.
The road over a sandy, clayey
( i ground, thinly clothed with dried
up, yellow grass, passes for one mile through a low jungle of very small bushes. At 1 mile
we cross a shallow water-course, flow to north-east, bed dry, and about 20 yards wide. An
other 2 furlongs, and rocks, formed by the outcrop or upheaval of strata, rising to the
height of, say, 30 to 50 feet, touch the south side of the road. These outcrops, striking in
a N. by E. direction across the plain from the southern extremity of the low range of
Kuh Gatchin to south, dip, C <?., slope, at an angle of about 30° to the east. The western
faces of the upheaved strata are abrupt and precipitous. We then pass through a labyrinth
of such upheavals. On the north side of the road, distant 800 to 1,000 yards, low
mounds stretch away to the north-east, to the foot of the range Gatchin. At 1 mile 5 fur
longs the road, over very sandy ground, enters a detile, 60 yards broad increasing to 150,
running north-east between upheavals of rocky strata similar to those already described.
The whole plain, hereabouts, is broken up into similar defiles, running parallel to one an
other, and varying in breadth from 50 to 200 yards. At 3 miles these rocky features,
on the north side of the road at least, are merged in the general level of the plain, though