"تقرير عسكري عن جنوب غرب بلاد فارس، يتضمن أقاليم خوزستان (عربستان)، لورستان، وجزءًا من فارس" [‎١‎٥] (٤٦٦/٤٢)

15
tlireei Notwifehstauding' that elevations of S^OOO' are crossed^ yet^ on account
tie^o£ the general elevation of the valleys (6 ; 800' to 6,900% the ascents and
^rislj descents are not heavy.
Snltanabad lies in the wide, populous, and well cultivated valley of the
* ls ?et| , , r Ab-i-KalJaru in the midst of an important agricultural
Sultanabad. an( ^ manu £ ac tu r ing district. The first view obtained of
J| the Kallaru valley was the finest seen since leaving Muhammerah, heightened
'% | as it was by the picturesque effects of light and shade, on the barren brown
of tie | hills, and bright green, cultivated valley, caused by a thunder-storm which
0 i slulj was ra ^i n » a t the time. The villages round about give evidence of the pros-
Ukli perity of their inhabitants who are largely employed in the manufacture of
r eriil p, carpets. The town itself, cleaner and laid out with greater regularity than
most Persian towns, occupies an area of about 800 yards x 800 yards. During
ultaaJi' the months of January and February snow lies and the cold is excessive
f of L (at times 30° of frost). The people of the district are fair complexioned and
3 a pp Wa of excellent physique, both men and women.
on out At Sultanabad a mixed mule and donkey carriage was entertained at the
oetioil average rate of krans per pack-animal per day. Transport was not plenti-
J} ful, and ii: mules had been waited for, several days would have been lost.
From Sultanabad, Kum was reached by the follow-
tlie Sil Sultanabad to Kum. ^ stages
April 28tli, Shaliwar ... 14 miles / (elevation 5,570').
„ 29th, Ibrahimabad ... 10 miles. Serai.
30tli, Anetbeg ... 32 miles (elevation 4,910').
901 y May 1st, Kiim ... 26 miles (elevation 3,470'). Guest-house.
to). So r~
H | 82 miles.
, (Kum is 4 stages or 87 miles distant from Tehran.) The mule track through-
es ^out is level and good, and is capable of being readily widened into a cart
-road. The undulations crossed rise to heights of G.OOO'.
lit IBS 3S
The country between Sultanabad and Kum is very indifferently culti-
. ^ jVated and many deserted villages stud its broad plains; the canals and kanats
[ ^have been allowed to fall into disuse. Wells are almost unknown. The soil
^ ''' is capable of growing excellent cereals; round about its few villages fruit
^ ,trees of various descriptions flourish, such as the apple, plum, pomegranate.
)ins
oft
r x ' _ rx—^ i j i ^
fig, &c. The vine is very extensively cultivated. Ehubarb of excellent
quality grows. Drinking-water is obtained from streams and rivulets.
S; &r0 • From the great want of timber the mud huts of the villages are roofed
^ g ^n with domes of mud bricks; the frost acting upon these causes them fre-
^ ||uently to fall in and to give to the village a most forlorn appearance, and
X 3very spring they have to be renewed.
gasoVi J i & J ^
r^jg Why the Persians do not use, as a building material, the excellent stone
a ) {|phat abounds everywhere in and near the hills, can only be explained by say-
0 ne Bing ^ le y are Orientals and do as Orientals do.
f^e riff On crossing the barren neck to the east of Saleon, distant seven miles
rom Kum, the sight of the golden dome of its sacred Imamzada, glowing in
sunshine like a ball of fire, was hailed with exclamations of delight by
^ uniofhe muleteers.