'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' [‎59v] (123/312)

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On the left still runs a rocky ridge, increasing in height as we ascend.
The summit is a cliff 200 to 300 feet high, and the slopes are thickly
wooded.
Bnrzvngeh. —At 13g miles reach Burzungeh (2,600'), a scattered hamlet
extending about f mile up the valley.
The hill slope is cultivated in small terraces fenced in with hedgerows of
roses and vines, which twine up the trees. Oak, mulberry, walnut, fig, and
pomegranate grow in considerable numbers.
The path is narrow and obstructed by trailing vines, briars, and overhanging
branches. The little flat-roofed houses, half hidden by the vegetation, are
scattered singly up and down the terraces. Water is from several small
springs in the hillside. A large quantity of tobacco is grown here, and a coarse
kind of silk produced.
These are Bilbass Kurds, a fine handsome race, and these secluded villages
seem in a flourishing condition. Some large walnut trees were passed.
Kala Burzungeh. —Overlooking the village on a spur is Kala Burzungeh, arr
old stone fort in ruins, built to defend this pass into Rawanduz.
Golan .—At 17 miles we halted in Golan (3,250'), a similar village to Bur
zungeh, with houses scattered about on small terraces, and half hidden by the
thick trees and orchards.
These Kurds wear a short open jacket of white felt without sleeves. The
men never do anything except tend the flocks, the women being the chief
workers. Their shoes are of cotton ornamented with tufts of wool.
Kermanji is generally spoken. One or two men in the village can genei*ally
be found to speak Turkish. They seemed a peaceable, industrious people, and
received us in the most hospitable manner.
Weather clear and bright, and pleasant for marching. Temperature noon
72 Q and 58° at 5-30 a.m.
21 st May—General direction, N. Left the village, and commenced long
ascent of a steep ridge called the Gurmanjol Dagh, which lay in front of us.
Met a small caravan of 20 mules on their way from Rawanduz and some Kurdish
nomads on their way to summer quarters in the Kandil Dagh.
Followed a track in a narrow valley with steep grassy slopes ; an easy
gradient.
At 41 miles elevation 5,200 feet. A few patches of snow were still in the
crevasses of the rocks. This was also the “ tree-limit,” above which the
slopes were quite bare.
About i mile to the west was a perpendicular wall of rock 400 to 500 feet
high, along the foot of which we skirt and which forms the summit ridge of
the Gurmanjol Dagh.
At 4! miles reach the base of the rock wall (5,200 ), and turn north-east,
parallel to it, along a fairly level track.
To the right are several deep wooded valleys, all converging towards the
Shawur valley, and draining into the Sarkupkan Su. Track is a 4 to 6 feet
ledge in clay and shaly hillside.
At 7 J miles (5,265') turn sharp to the north towards a gap in the cliff,
mounting by some steep zigzags : gradient 1 to i. This is easily passable
for mountain artillery, and after one mile of struggling up this steep ascent
we reached the summit of the pass (5,940').
Gurmanjol Bans. —A good view is obtainable of the Kandil Dagh, and the
country to the south. The summits are rounded with few peaks, and the
grassy plateaux form a favourite summer pasturage for the Kurds.
The peak of Pir-a-Magdurin bears 156°.