'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎30r] (64/312)

Tlifise pastures belong to Reza Ghuli Khan, the Kalhur chief, who lives in
Harunabad.
The influence of Hussain Ghuli Khan, chief of the Faili Lurs, does not
extend beyond Manisht Kuh.
28th. April —General direction, S. E. and E. Left camp at 5-15 A.M.
and proceeded south-east down the plain. The border ridges are thickly
covered with trees and brushwood. AtZarna is the richest soil of the valley,
watered by a series of fine springs from which a stream issues, called the
Chashm-i-Zarna (3,580').
From Zarna we turned north-east through the Gurma-i-Zarna Pass.
The narrowest part is 30 to 40 yards wide with steep shelving sides topped
with cliffs. By clearing the stones a good cart road could be made.
From the mouth of the pass emerged into the small grassy valley of
Bankur (SjOlS'), and turned east across it. To the south lies the wooded
plateau of Asmanabad on which is the site of an ancient city of large size.
We passed a stony wooded ridge by % rough track, crossed a broad neck,
forming the watershed between some fine valleys stretching north-west and south
east- And followed a path through a thick forest of fine oaks nowin first leaf.
At 13j miles encamped in a small basin shut in by hills called Char-
milia (4,590') close by a small cluster of Kurd tents.
Kalaja Knh. —In the afternoon I climbed to the top of the Kalaja Kuh, a
range lying east of the camp from which a fine view could be obtained.
The hillside is composed of sheets of grey limestone rock cut up by deep
ravines and almost bare of trees. The summit of the ridge is from 7,2-00'
to 7,500'above sea level.
Kaichal Knh .—The general direction of the Kalaja ridge is 134° to the
south and 305 :> towards the north, where it joins a lofty rounded summit called
the Katchal Kuh. The peak of the Katchal Kuh is 7,500'.
In a direction 134® runs a grassy valley 3 to 4 miles wide and about 25 miles
long, after which the border hills close in. A road leads down this to Harun
abad crossing the Kalaja Kuh some miles farther to the south-east. No
villages were visible in this direction, only a few Kurdish tents.
The pass is said to be more difficult than this. We met a caravan today
which took this route.
It is four stages to Karmanshah—
1. Gavvar (south-east end of the valley). 3. Mahidasht.
2. Harunabad. 4. Karmanshah. *
This joins the main road at Harunabad.
Gavvar is a very small village j few supplies are obtainable, and those
from Kurdish nomads.
Manisht Kuh. —Manisht Kuh bears 157° from here. The summit is flat-
topped and about 9,500' above sea level. Beyond it lay the craggy ridge of
the Gatcha Kuh. Both were thickly covered with snow. Sloping from
Manisht Kuh towards us was the Asmanabad plateau wooded and crossed by
several small ravines. To the south-east dividing I wan from Dehbala valley
were some very steep ridges. The sharp ridge of the Tulwar-i-Khuda was
visible on the horizon.
Bounding the Bankur valley to the north was the Gumir Kuh rising to about
6,500', the north side of which was a slope of about 25° and thickly wooded.