"الطرق في بلاد فارس. (المجلد I.) (خراسان وسيستان.)" [ظ‎‎١‎٩‎٩] (٥٣٦/٤٠٣)

ROUTE No.. VI (a)— contd.
3 MADAN
.. 26 m. General direction S.
(S.OOO').
70
or about two-thirds
of the march and
then westerly. The watershed (5,100 / ) is crossed about half
a mile abore Hasanabad, from which point the main and most
direct route to Bujnurd branches off, vid Sultan Maidan. Thence
descent for some miles with main range to S. and open valley
to N. At 4 miles Kalidar to S. hidden in a valley, with Sultan
Maidan visible to N. and Kuh-i-Mar behind it. Road ascends
and descends. At 12| miles a small marsh near which were
tents of ’Amarlu Kurds.
At 14 miles, Fazilabad to S. of track—the first village in
the Nishapur district ; at 151 miles, Kalata Shahin to N. of road,
with’ Ah Murad, Nasirabad and Burjak to S. A fine meadow-
draining into a small ready river, running S., was skirted ;
but the route, at about 20 miles, swings more to the W., and,
after passing Saidabad, re-enter hills at 22 miles, crossing the
low Kutal-i-Surkh (5,300') at 231 miles. Thence down a rough
hill track to Ma'dan with its two villages of Bala Kaleh and
Pain Kilah. The route from Nishapur joins in a mile short
of the stage.
See stage 2, Route VI (B).
4 ROBAT-I-GAZ 22 m. Direction at first S. of
low pits for turquoises in great numbers, and full of hares.
At 1| miles direction approximately ,W. for the remainder
of the March. At 2| miles Hasan ’AH to N. and Shuhigan
to S. of track. At 4J miles, ’Ah Akbar to S. and Ardilan to
N. of track. At 6 miles, Nusk on the road with Gazandar and
Garmab to N., on the skirt of Kuh-i-Kh vaja. In this range
is a famous shrine in honour of Husain Asghar. At 8 miles,
Pehna on road. At 9j miles Marzun to N. and Robati to S.
of track. At 12J miles, Jambarju. The track thence forward
ran across a wide level plain. At 15 miles, Balgunabad and
Saidabad visible some miles off to S. and Mashkan to N. ;
the latter is of some importance. At 19 miles, a well-used
route running from Sabzawar to Mashkan, and thence probably
to Kuchan, was crossed. A wagon had recently travelled along
it. Near the stage Sultanabad was visible some miles to the S.
92
(3,800').
W. the track skirt
ing the range. Shal-