رسائل وأوراق بخصوص السكة الحديدية العابرة لبلاد فارس والسكك الحديدية الأخرى في بلاد فارس [و‎‎١‎٠‎٠] (٤٤٢/١٩٩)

South of Garmsel and North of the Cha^ai District, can most
conveniently he divided into three sectors, i.e. the Eastern,
Central, and Western, While it is customary to re^rd all three
sectors as l>eini: desert, in the true sense of the term, this is
not strictly speaking the case as the country they relate to is
covered with grass in winter and forms grazing- grounds, the
tribal rights in which are Jealously guarded and have been the
subject, in the past, of many bitter partisan fights. In suriner
the heat is so intense that the pastorlists withdraw, with their
flocks, to the Helmand and the country, and its wells, are left
to look after themselves. The Western sector is desert in the full
sense of the word, except along the banks of the Dhelag, and the
writoi' who has crossed it by the only two routes which are in
at all general use, would gladly forget his experiences. The main
routes which run South from the Helnend valley, traverse the
central sector and strike the Chagai District at the Sarlat.
Dominating as the Barab Chah plateau of the Ohagai Sarlat hills
does all these routes, as well as central Oannsel itself, Barab
Chah occupies a position of the highest military strategical
Importance. There are a few tracks v/hich lead South from the
Helmand to Nushki, through the Eastern sector, but as all these
cross the heavy tumbled sand mountains, hills, and belts, which
constitute the Begistan (’‘country of sand”), they are of no great
importance in themselves.
2. Before proceeding to study the larger issues before us,
it would be as well to pause a moment and consider whether any
other conditions exist, relating to such matters as (A) Cultivation,
(B) Rainfall, (C) Wind, (D) Sand, (E) The main trade routes,
(a ) climate, and ((}) International boundaries, which are likely to
exert any especial influence of their own and if so to what
extent.
A. Cultivation .
The cultivated areas, in the region under review, are
limited. Of these the most Important by far is Seistan whose rich