'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎474r] (967/1486)

stony peak, an offshoot of the Kuh-i-Girrah, and its garrison must
have had a good view of the surrounding valleys, and have been
within signal distance by beacon with the other garrisons of I ur
and Salmoni. The stone walls could be made out with the aid ot
glasses Fort Salmoni, also viewed from close below, seemed, of
far greater extent than either of the other two. It has a full view
of this Dinarun valley, the crossing of the 1 ang-i-Ardal, and what
was more important perhaps, the approaches from the east oyer
the Ardal and Naogun passes, and could moreover be in view of a
beacon burnt on the fourth of these forts, situated high up the
Sabz-Kuh valley. Could these forts have been of Roman or Greek
origin, sites for small garrisons on what is now known as one of
the 3 best sections between Pars and Susiana? (Compare the Sec
tions A to I). As before noticed, this Gurab pass with its easy
approach from the Bazuft valley, and its almost level continuation
towards the fertile valley of the Zainderud, could now be made one
of the easiest direct alignments, as it was no doubt found to have
been in years gone by. r . . .
Another of these forts the fourth was found in a similar strate
gical position, and with the same tactical precaution, situated in
The fork of two valleys, where two well-marked routes join, com
manding the entrance of the south-east end of the Bakhtian countr),
close t(T a magnificent stream of water, on the summit, of a spur
peak - the site was the selection of a man-at-arms. . It is known a;>
!he Killa Charghash (Photo No. 25). The remaining walls are
in "ood preservation, of larger dimensions than those of Killa ur
and of neater interior space. Traces of separate rooms are clear y
visible- search was made for relics, but only a few potsherds could
be seen These may pnssibly be synchronous with ‘he buildmg
for pottery amongst the present people is unknown. Wood leat e
and iron only are used by them as being the y mate . r,a Sta " .
the wear and tear of their migrations The valley t his f ^ rt “
mands is now one of the most favourite resorts of the Bakhtians,
and must also naturally have been so centuries ago Water, trees
and pasture are found here in abundance now, and must have
been The 1 remains are most probably relies O( posts erected at un-
nortant poTnTs to domineer the marauding inhabitants and to form
a fl ink protection to Alexander’s line of communications vvi h
Persepolis and Pasargardre twenty-one centuries ago . oca. y
rersepons p^ rs ; a there is not one who could answer
even in the whole of , f him t0 und e rst and it.
T q o U n.e'mire Utterly ignorant"of or callous to the history of
fheHwn "coTntrT can Sardly be met with. Possibly excava-