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‘A RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-WEST PERSIA’ [19r] (42/90)
The record is made up of 1 volume (42 folios). It was created in 1891. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
8
Route No. \--contd.
o
I 3
Time.
Names of towns, villages,
rivers, &c.
Distance,
IN MILES.
o
•o
a
s
Inter
mediate.
Total.
Detail.
9-45
10-10
|
...
...
Halt for bearings.
10-30
...
Cross a stream running north-
11-55
west ; water good.
For nearly ten minutes road
12-5
l£-30
)
\
...
...
passes over ground, the surface of
which consists of slate or flint stone.
Halt for bearings.
III
12-40
Duma Kail
HI
191
Several “ ilyat" encampments are
< ' O,. V i ; •
i 1
seen to our left front, and we en
camp near one close to a stream in
the deep undulating plain of Duma
Kail which is considerably cut up
by ravines.
Note. A.fter deducting halts, actual time taken marching from Tabiran to Duma Kail
4 hours, 35 minutes.
Only mountain batteries and infantry can manoeuvre here, except for scoutinar. ground
too broken for cavalry action.
About 7 miles distant to the north-west is the Kilah Ab-i-Diz or better known among
the natives by the name of Kilah Shahid.
It is a natural stronghold, being a plateau about 4 miles square on the summit of a hill
with perpendicular sides of 200 feet.
The highest part of the bill is 2,560'.—As there are no higher hills nearer than a radius
of from 8 to 10 miles, it cannot be commanded by Artillery fire. From the summit a clear
view is obtained of the town of Dizful, distant some 11 or 12 miles.
Water is obtainable from several springs. When we visited the Kilah Shahid in June
the water from one of these springs was delightfully cool.
Grazing is said to be good up to the end of April.
Fuel. —There is none.
The Ab-i-Diz rushes past the northern side through a deep gorge before it emerges on
the plains of Arabistan. 6
The subjoined sketches are rough ones taken from the top of the Kilah ; No. 1 looking
north, just above the river, and No. 2 looking east over the neighbouring country towards
the Kuh-i-Sikeria.
The only occupant at the time we visited the place was an old follower of the
Ilkhani
The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran.
who was wit h difficulty persuaded to allow us to come up.
It is said to be the strongest place the
Ilkhani
The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran.
has. The summit is onlv reached by a
zigzag path partly cut in the face of the cliff and partly built out on stakes driven into the
- f 3 - 06 hili with brushwood laid on them, which can easily be destroyed by being
thrown down or set fire to, thus cutting off all access to the summit.
, Supplies in winter months could be obtainable in considerable quantities as the plain
° uma Kail is a favourite winter quarter of the Bakhl ians; but in summer would be
scarce as only a few ilyats remain encamped heru permanent! r
Water. During months of June, July, August, and 'S Member reported to become
scarce where we encamped, but the river Ab-i-Diz is distant 7 miles.
Jhveih Scarce, only the “ Konar ” came!-thorn bushes aud wild almond trees.
borage. —Excellent grazing up to the end of Aiay.
About this item
- Content
Narrative report on surveys conducted in south-west Persia [Iran]. The structure of the report is in two parts. The first part concerns British relations with Arabs, Persians and the Bakhtiaris [Bakhtiyārīs] during the reconnaissance of south-west Persia. The second part contains reports of routes leading into Bakhtiari country from the south-west. In addition, there is an appendix containing an account of a journey across the Bakhtiari mountains during 1890-91, which is written by Major Bruce, 19th Bengal Lancers.
The report is by William Daniel McSwiney. The survey work was carried out by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, Khan Bahadur [Imām Sharīf, Khān Bahādur].
The report contains the following illustrations:
- ‘Reconnaissance Sketch of The Dizful [Dezful] Bridge.’ (f 10)
- ‘Reconnaissance Sketch of The Khushi Khana on the right bank of the Ab-i-Diz [Rudkhaneh-ye Dez], which commands the town of Dizful.’ (f 14)
- ‘Distant View of the Snow Covered Bakhtiari Mountains looking East from Dizful, November 1890.’ (f 16)
- ‘View of the River Ab-i-Diz as it flows into the “Gorge’’ on the north side of the Kilah Shahid.’ (f 18)
- ‘View of the Country Over the Plan of Dumakail looking east from the highest point on Kilah Shahid.’ (f 20)
- ‘One of the Broken Bridges Over the Ab-i-Diz at Pul-i-Kul.’ (f 24)
- ‘The Fort of Sar-i-Dasht [Sar Dasht, Khuzestan, Iran].’ (f 26)
- ‘Broken Bridge East End of the Tungi Baba Ahmad [Baba Tungi, Afghanistan].’ (f 29)
- ‘View of the Valley of Mal-i-Mir, December 1890.’ (f 36)
- ‘Bakhtiari Hut Built into the Side of the Hill at Chardeh, in which Major Bruce and Lieutenant W. D. McSwiney were snowed up in December 1890.’ (f 38)
- ‘Doorway of Above Hut.’ (f 38).
The report also contains the following:
- ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W. D. McSwiney, 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 2)
- ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Assistant Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W.D. McSwiney, 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 3)
- ‘Reconnaissance Survey of S.-E. Bakhtiari Country, May 1891, Surveyed by Sub-Surveyor Imam Sharif, K.B., Survey of India Department, superintended and assisted by Lieut. W.D. McSwiney 7th Dragoon Guards.’ (f 4).
- ‘Plan of Dizful’ (f 42).
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (42 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the main foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1 and terminates at the inside back cover with 43; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
Pagination: printed pagination sequences are also present in parallel between folios 11-35 and folios 37-40.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/397
- Title
- ‘A RECONNAISSANCE IN SOUTH-WEST PERSIA’
- Pages
- front, back, spine, edge, head , tail, front-i, 5r:9v, 11r:13v, 15r:15v, 17r:17v, 19r:19v, 21r:23v, 25r:25v, 27r:28v, 30r:35v, 37r:37v, 39r:41v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence