'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎299v] (618/1486)

4
B
Memo, of the Road from Askabad to Meshad.
November 28 th, 1889 .
Bajghira - i-Irani, miles ; total distance 31 \ miles.
From Askabad the road tends in a south south-easterly direction to the
frontier.
The first 7^ miles gently ascend to the foot hills of the Kuren Dag
range; at 8 miles the hills are entered, and a valley followed till, at the 10th
mile, a zig-zag commences, and a Kotul of considerable elevation having been
passed, a descent is made into a narrow valley, the level of which is reached at
15J miles. The direction of the valley is followed.
The torrent-bed which flows down it is spanned by bridges with absurdly
narrow roadway at the lower extremity of the valley ; and Irish bridges do duty
higher up the water-course, which is repeatedly crossed and recrossed by the road
to the 20th mile ; where the valley which has narrowed to a gorge is left and
the hill-side which bounds it on the right or east side is ascended by zig-zags o,,
to 24! mile, when an undulating road leads into an upland plateau which is
gained about the 26th mile, and extends for a distance of 2§ miles where, on
entering the hills, the collection of huts known as Bajghira-i-Russ is passed.
Here there is a small guard of Turcoman Horse and a Rest-Room for Inspecting
Officers. The road again rises frorn this place to the 30th mile, where the Kotul
or saddle-back which forms the frontier of Persia is reached.
About a quarter of a mile on the Russian side of the frontier, and below it,
so that it in no way commands the Persian Glacis, there is a stone building being
built with a defensible courtyard apparently to be used as a post and rest-house
and may be, it will be occupied by the Turcoman Horsemen already mentioned.
I should put the dimensions of the courtyard at 22 yards by 11. There is a
descent by ziz-zags on the Persian side of the Kotul, and then a slope down to
Bajghira-i-Irani, which is about miles from the frontier. There are two small
villages of mud huts, and no decent accommodation for man or beast therein ;
water good. The night was spent in a mud hut. The total of 31^ miles from
Askabad took 11 hours forced march by mules lightly laden. Except one well
no water or cultivation was seen for the whole distance to Bajghira-i-Russ,
though Juniper trees were visible on the summits of the mountains.
November 29 th, 1889 .
2. Durbadam, 14 miles ; total distance 4$\ miles.
From Bajghira the road follows a valley in a south-east by south direction,
by a gentle descent to a water-course where there is a building, which it ap
parently bears the name of the purpose for which it was built, viz., Mehman-
khaneh. A new and substantial caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). is being built here. Down stream
on the left a village is seen named Shan Khan; time from Bajghira, 40 minutes ;
2^ miles.
A short distance from Mehmankhaneh turning south-west the road enters
the hills, and the made-road ceases, though signs of earth-work showing where
the road is eventually to mount by zig-zags are visible. The track followed was
a steep ascent for 2 J miles, then over a Kotul and along the side of the mountain