'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' [‎34r] (72/312)

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At this time of year the grass is withered, hut in spring is very rich and
abundant [see Route I). Green maize, stalks and barley are used for fodder
now.
The passage of the Vardalan Range is difficult at any point, and near
Chardowar, the southern slope, it is an almost perpendicular sheet of rock
extending for a considerable distance.
The ridges are very steep with “ razor-edge ” summits, and the road might
aptly be compared to the track of an ant crawling along the teeth of a large
saw.
Tang-i-Salim .—The Chenara forces its way through the range by a huge
chasm called the Tang-i-Salim, each successive ridge being divided by a rift
extending from the top to the bottom of the mountain, bordered by stupendous
cliffs. A path leads by the river bank, but is said to be unfit for
mules.
Momunai .—At 9 miles the small village of Momunai was reached, situated at
the foot of the first outlier of the range (^SSO 7 ); and from here we commenced to
cross two steep jagged ridges thickly covered with oaks and low scrub; extreme
ly steep gradients, and the track very rough. The summit of the first is SjdbO'.
At miles the second (6,010') is reached, and the head of a valley, 2 miles
wide (5,495') traversed, in which are two large springs.
From here we followed diagonally along the ridge (6,000') heading west.
The track is rough and stony until the southern edge is reached when the
descent becomes very steep and toilsome leading first down a narrow ravine,
among huge boulders, through low shrubs and undergrowth, then a steeper
slope, of a jumbled mass of broken sheets of rock and boulders, sometimes over
the smooth bare surface of the underlying strata. I took one hour to get down
on foot, and the animals 1^ hours. The total descent was 1,340 feet. There
was no definite track, numerous small ones leading in every direction among
the stones; the mules found their own way, and the horses had to be led
carefully.
On either side of the pass the ridge is a smooth hard sheet of rock, of
vertical limestone strata, and it would be impossible to make zigzags to
improve the path into a cart road, or make it passable for artillery.
The ascent would be very trying, and would take at least three hours.
Chardowar Valley .—At the foot of the pass lies Chardowar valley (3,150').
We followed a track across some low undulating spurs to the village where a
halt was made by the bank of the Chenara river which had emerged from the
Tang-i-Salim, and flowed east along the southern side of the valley.
The village consists of a few mud huts near an orchard, during the summer
the people had gone into booths by the river.
The headman came to offer the diwankhana of his booth for my use. The
interior is like that of the ordinary blanket tent. The outer walls are formed
of several upright trunks, interwoven with boughs and the roof of thickly
woven branches ; reed mats are placed round the walls inside the boughs,
and the interior is partitioned off into smaller rooms, viz., one for women’s
quarters, another for the kitchen, another for the young calves, &c., leav
ing a central portion to move about in, and a pillar on which to hang the
inevitable Martini Peabody rifle, saddle, and accoutrements.
One end of the roof projected and formed a small verandah, divided from
the rest by a reed partition. This is the diwankhana for receiving visi
tors and is usually carpeted. The reed matting is woven with various patterns
of coloured worsted, and stands about 4' high. The headman’s house was by
far the largest, being 50' long by 20' wide.
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