"تقرير عسكري عن جنوب غرب بلاد فارس، يتضمن أقاليم خوزستان (عربستان)، لورستان، وجزءًا من فارس" [‎٣‎٣‎١] (٤٦٦/٣٧٦)

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of the ridges that guard it. He would tap, too, its most fertile plains and include
Shfrai. The 7,2-00 feet kotal that lies between Ardakan and Shiraz has
no difficulties or gradients that a ^ FairlieV engine such as is used between
Poti and Tifiis couM not negotiate. Or I should recommend the trial of
the valley of the Shapur river from Bushire to Nodun, where a tunnel would
lead through to the river Shur which runs from Ardakan.
But to return to roads. The difficulties of the JBakhtiari route are consi
dered so great at Dizful that all kafilas for Isfahan go via Burnjird, and it
might be best to take them from Shustar, via Dizfu.1 and Burujird, to Isfahan,
though the distance; this way must be at least 350 miles from Shustar—prob
ably 380. Unfortunately I have not seen this route, so cannot speak of its
merits; however, water is said to be plentiful and the road not bad.
Certainly this is the case from Burujird to Isfahan [twe Road Reports N ob .
1, 3, 8fa) fy pages 198, 226),
The difficulties of the Shiraz-Bushire road are all within a distance of 93
miles, viz,, from Daliki to the Kara-Gratch river.
Those of the Bakhtiari route are within the distance of 117 miles from
the plain of Mal-i-Mir to the borders of Chahar Mahal.
(1) The Sluraz road is certainly villanous from Daliki to the Kona
Takta plain, a distance of II miles.
(2) Again the Kamaraj Kotal is abominable, 6 miles.
(3) To avoid the Kara-Gatch, heavy work would be required for 4
miles.
(4) To avoid the Kotal Dukhtar and curve a road out of the hill
side to the south of it, 5 miles,
(5) To turn the Kotal Pir-i-Zan and make a carriage road to Dasht-
i-Arjan, 12 miles.
To turn the Sena Safid Kotal, 6 miles.
Total 44 miles.
These 41 miles allow for gradients and comprise all the heavy works. I
think the five miles for the Kotal Dukhtar might be saved by entering the
Dasht-i-Ber from the Shapur valley; but of this I am not positive {see page
338).
The Bakhtian route is, in my opinion, out of the question for wheeled
traffic.
But suppose it were tried, caravanserais built, and the Karun bridged,
we should have—
From the Mal-i-Mir plain to the Karun river
From the river to Deh-Diz
Deh-Diz to Rddbar river
Rudbar to Hillisat ...
Hillisat to Dupulan ...
Diipulan to Ardal
Ardal to Chahar Mahal plateau
Heavy work for 15 miles.
» 5» 10J ,,
>» » 12 „
a » 1^
» 1^ »
j? >» 7
20 „ at least.
Total
98i- miles.
we have 9S*5
It would be necessary to add at least 25 per cent, to these, the bare
mces from point to point, in order to allow for decent gradients, so that
• v, or 103*1 miles of difficult hill road-making.
And this would add 2 Z W) milesljo the distance from Ispahan to Shustar.
That I am not allowing too much for the length required to obtain
a decent gradient, I think will be allowed when the table of comparative
altitudes below is seen.