"الطرق في بلاد فارس. (المجلد I.) (خراسان وسيستان.)" [و‎‎١‎٠‎١] (٥٣٦/٢٠٦)

Route No. IX— contd'.
river, but there are easy roads on both sides. At 4 miles,
Shadichah Bala, 20 houses, on left bank ; at o miles, Junu,
on right bank ; at 6 miles Shadichah Pain, 30 houses, J mile
from left bank and easy ford across the river ; at 7 miles,
Kalateh-i-khan-Mirza-Jan, £ mile from right bank, 10 Timuri
families. At 12 miles Siah Bala, 50 houses ; and at 17 miles reach
Kichidar, 80 houses. Road as in the last stage, but not so
good. There are occasional sharp turns along the banks or on
spurs of hills, but it is passable for field guns. The river valley
is as in the last stage, but is more contracted, being from 1
to 2 miles wide only.
Camping grounds .—Camping grounds are not so good as the
valley is more cramped, but there is enough room almost any
where along the river bank for any force likely to pass this way.
W ater.- —Brackish.
Fuel .—More than at stage 1.
Fodder .—Grazing better than in stage 1.
Supplies .—Less supplies, as villages are fewer ; supplies
might be collected for one cavalry regiment passing through
3 MAZDARAN .. 18 m. General direction
(2,800 / ). ENE. Road leaves
63 Kichidar ESE.,
along the right bank of the river as far as Isma’ilabad at 4 miles
on the left. One hundred houses and 12 ploughs. Water
from the Kashaf Rud. Here cross to the left bank, by a tempo
rary bridge, or, if the river is low, by ford. Ford, when river is
low, is easy and passable for all arms ; about 1 foot deep. Then
along the left bank. Keep along the left bank, passing Robat
Mahi on the left at 5 miles (in ruins), until 11 miles. Turn NNE.
up a slight slope which gets steeper but is still easy, until Mazda-
ran is reached at 18 miles, 1 mile short of the top of the pass.
One hundred houses. Road as before ; more stones and gravel
after leaving the river. Passable for all arms up to Mazdaran
village.
Camping ground .—There is a good camping ground for a
brigade on open ground SE. of the village.
Water .—Good and abundant.
Supplies .—As in former stages.