'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎181] (236/905)

chap. viii.]
kelat.
181
it is closed on each side, and commanded by mountains. But
at Ser-e-Khujoor the difficulties commence, and, for a dis
tance onward of ten miles, a road of loose pebbles or sand con
tinues to wind along the bed of the Bolan river, between high The Boian
and precipitous rocks, which at intervals leave between them paS8 "
only sufficient breadth for a dozen horsemen. 1 But during
the passage of our troops, it was ascertained that the rocky
fissures and ravines falling from each side into this formidable
pass are occupied by the villages of the Baluches, who ascend
and occupy the apparently inaccessible ground on each side,
in order to command and levy contributions on passing
caravans.
The province of J'halawan lies immediately southward of District of
Sarawan: it has on the east Kach'h Gandavah, and on the
west Mekran. The climate and soil of J'halawan are superior
to those of Sarawan; yet it is understood that the population
of the latter province, exclusive of Kelat, is nearly double that
of the former. Kelat belongs, geographically, to J'halawan,
though it has been for generations the acknowledged capital
of both; and as the seat of the only regular government, it
enjoys a certain degree of authority over the whole of Balu
chistan.
The communication between the winter station of the city of Kelat.
principal Baluches on the sunny plains of Kach'h and the
capital takes place through the Hala mountains at Gandavah,
where the pass, between two marshes, is traversed in a west-
by-northerly direction, by a road practicable for artillery, and
abundantly supplied with water. The country from thence
to Kelat is mountainous, and remarkable for a succession of
precipitous ridges of rocks, forming difficult defiles. Kelat,
or the City, occupies a part of one of the former, at the
western side of a well-cultivated valley plain; and it contains
about 2500 houses, constructed of sun-dried bricks, with about
half as many more, which constitute the suburbs. The town
itself is a parallelogram, having three of its sides defended by
a bastioned loop-holed mud wall; whilst the fourth, or
western side, as well as the summit of the hill, are occupied
1 Lieut. A. Conolly's Overland Journey, Vol. II., p. 186.