The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎94v] (41/186)

580
RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.
Duhuk is built in a gap half a mile wide, which separates the
Tabas Kuh—the general name for the chain of mountains between
Tabas and Duhuk—from the Mur Kuh, which latter range runs south-
south-east towards Naiband.
The onward journey lay through Arababad and Zenagun, where we
saw palm trees for the first time. Another waterless stretch separated
us from Naiband, so, warned by experience, we hired three donkeys to
carry water, and marched to Ab-i-garm, where there are extensive
salt marshes and groves of tamarisk. As we had still many miles to
accomplish, I tried to push on at night, but we were afraid of losing
the track, and so lay down to sleep until daylight. Our water was
again exhausted, the skins having tainted it, so I rode on, in order
to reach Naiband before the heat of the day. Fortunately the track
was fairly distinct, but as hour after hour passed, and my pony began
to be dead beat, I feared that I had lost my way, especially as there
were two or three places where there was a choice of routes. Finally,
however, I turned a corner and came upon a vision of fairyland. The
hillside was covered with date palms, underneath which were glimpses
of the bright green crops, and at the summit was an old fort in a
state of picturesque ruin. Upon entering the grove, I saw streams in
every direction, while huge natural grottoes completed the picture.
My first care was to send oft' two donkeys laden with water, in charge
of a man who knew the country, and in the evening the caravan crawled
in, the water having reached them some 5 miles out, when they were
all feeling too much exhausted to go another yard.
Two or three days were spent in climbing about the Naiband range,
while the mules were recovering, and we then traversed another water
less stretch of 39 miles, to a well with forty steps, which was said to be a
favourite spot for Beluchi raids. During the next stage to Darband, we
passed ruins that I believe to be those of Marco Polo’s “Cobinan,” as the
modern Kuhbenan does not at all fit in with the great traveller’s
description, and it is just as well to remember that in the East the
caravan routes seldom change.'"'
We now skirted the western edge of the Dasht-i-Lut, and followed
the main caravan road until at Ab-Bid we kept away to the east of
the main road in order to explore the district of Kuhpayeh, which was
then a blank on the map. We approached Kerman from the east, and
I little thought that within so short a time it was to be my home.
The city lies at the end of a low limestone range, and was once im
pregnable, to judge by the huge old forts that are still imposing in
their decay. Its position on the confines of the great desert, and at
the confluence of four important routes, has always rendered it of *
* this question is dealt with more fully in a paper which I read before the Society
of Arts on May 20.