'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎459v] (938/1486)

i8
On the left bank, close to and overlooking the bridge, are the
ruined stone walls of a large square enclosure. Inside are to be
seen large stone slabs which originally formed either a cistern
above ground or the covering to a cistern underground. The
ruins of an aqueduct leading to this enclosure can here and there
be traced without difficulty. The nearest perennial spring is a
mile off. In pursuit of the notorious “ Sang Niwishta ” the road
from this ruin leading along the Chin-Kewar was followed for 12
miles, till at nearly sunset, the Duzdgah (the robber’s haunt) was
reached and the inscription seen and deciphered ! On a piece of
rock about 18 feet high and as many thick (Photo No. 76) were
scratched with a nail or knife a few letters in the most modern
Persian, meaning “David the deceased.”* So the “ Sang Niwis-
tha ” of Chin-Kewar—heard of more than 100 miles away—
with its hopes of a Layard-Iike discovery, was either a hoax or an
evidence of stupidity—the latter for choice—in either case a true
disappointment.
On the way to this inscription, however, about 4 miles from the
bridge, the ruins of a settlement of houses was visited. The
position of the well-cut stones still above ground would seem
to indicate a plinth of a few feet. The tracings, as could be
seen among the undergrowth, however, shewed no signs of any
large buildings having existed. Prettily situated in a well wooded
and watered dell, this may at-one time have been with Baznoi a
favored spot and of very ancient date. It is now the haunt of
robbers, and travellers except en masse are said to be rare. The
road passed through some very pretty glades and close to several
Sweetwater springs. Altogether there are all the elements for a
resuscitation under more auspicious circumstances. Any alti
tude between 5,000 and 7,000 feet can be obtained.
On the other side of this Baznoi river, on the road leading from
Baznoi towards the plains, is a remarkable spot known as Sang Kala
(the stone fort). At the upper end of : a well-wooded and well-
watered valley of the same name, detached from the surrounding
heights, is a large rock, 100 or so feet high, which has been built up
where needed and turned into what must have been in the days of
bows and arrows an impregnable stronghold (Photo No. 89}; outside,
but close to within bowshot is a clear spring, approachable under
cover. This too must have an interesting history of its own, but
local traditioh is silent and the grey lichen-covered walls will tell no
tales.
To sportsmen these regions are highly unsatisfactory. ' One
blue hare, one bear and her two cubs and two parsangs (small ibex)
See Kig.
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