"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [و‎‎٨‎٤] (٥٣٠/١٧٢)

rter
led
rhe
ion
Ik
oes
hr
Miles from
Dilman
56
58i
64
ds,
69
73
7^
79
84|
ROUTE 76 a
163
Enter a gorge, 150 yds. wide, at which point the roadway-
is very narrow. Cross to r. bank of the stream and
follow the valley, here 2 m. wide.
Qotur (alt. 6,200 ft.), a village of 80 houses, mostly Kurds,
but some Armenians, where is the head-quarters of the
Persian Grovernor of the district, and where there were
usually some Persian troops. 66 b from Urmia
joins here, and there is also a rough track to Deir, not
passable for wheels.
Continuing up the valley of the Qotur Chai, a stream
which joins from W. is passed.
Razi, village on 1. in a ravine : Turkish frontier post (1914).
An alternative route leads to Van (see 76 b). Beyond
Razi the valley is 200 yds, wide, with steep, rocky slopes,
and the road, a good hard track, going through good sheep-
grazing ground, gradually ascends above the stream
through a yellow shaly clay, enters a short steep ravine,
and passes a lake called the Qaz Gol, which lies ^ m. to 1.
Top of a pass (7,955 ft.). From this pass a valley is
descended to the Chnl Clxemen basin, an open undulating-
plain running E.-W., 7-8 m. long by 3 to 4 m. wide, the
E. edge of which is skirted.
Pass Sharab Klianeh, i m. away under hills to N. Road
continues over the plain.
Cross a low pass, 7,200 ft. The track descends by a narrow
ravine, and traverses an open undulating plateau, fertile
but uncultivated, 4 m. wide. Ascend slightly.
Serai (alt. 7,205 ft.), an important frontier village, formerly
the summer head-quarters of a regiment stationed at Van
and the residence of the Kaimmakam of the Mahmudiyeh
Kam. There are 120 houses in the village, mostly
inhabited by Nestorians, and a telegraph office on the
Van line. Serai is situated on the E. edge of the Mah-
mudiyeh plain, across which to the S. a cart-track leads
to Khoshab (see lioute 74 a, m. 29).
The route described goes due W., passing Melimed Alan,
2^ m. to N., and leaving to 1., on S., a low range of
rounded hills, an outlier from the Chul Chemen, on
which stands
Astuji, 30 houses, ^ m. to S.
The valley of the Mehmedik Chai is now entered, and the
stream is crossed by a ford, 20 ft. wide and 1 ft. deep in
ii 2