‘Persia.’ [‎14r] (32/48)

19
23rd November, Wednesday .—Left Mian Khotal at 6-30 a,m. and arrived
at foot of Loktar Kkotal, 3 farsakhs, in hours. The road descends from Mian
Khotal 500 or 600 feet down the rocky side of the hill into a stony plain, the
bed of the Quara Agach river which is full of trees (black trees), but evidently
swept by torrents. The hills on either side being curiously pitched inwards
evenly to the river, just as if the ground on both sides had once formed one
mass "and then had been deeply depressed in the middle by a sudden disturb
ance. After about 8 miles begins the ascent of Doktar Khotal (the Maid’s
Pass), 1,000 feet high; nothing much to speak of; a small tower, a shrine and
a hauz (under-ground reservoir) are passed, and then the descent begins. At
first it is a mere rut, worn between rocks and stones, then it becomes a regular
cobbled staircase zig-zagging along the face of the rocks; the cobbling is loose
at places, and the stones are left scattered about. The work is an engineering
feat, and considering the circumstance of the short distance, the heavy grades,
&c. &c., it cannot be improved on. Prom the foot of the staircase the track is
over the stony bed of a torrent up to a small bridge where the Naksh-i-Timour
is apparently representing three or four women and a lion. Prom the bridge
it’is 2 farsakhs into Kazran over a sandy plain with kiril bushes here and there.
Arrived at Mr. Edwards’ place at 2 p.m. Coming down the hill the mule in
front of me had a long shaped box, so when I asked what was in it, the driver
said “ a dead man for Kerbela.*” The first palm-trees seen in the village.
Kazran has about 8,000 inhabitants, and is famous for its oranges and poppy
cultivation.
24th November, Thursday .—Left Kazran late, as the muleteer having got
an advance the night before of 60 krans, had walked off with the mules to his
abode. To the point of the hill where the route turns southward is 3 farsakhs,
then a farsakh up and down a moderate hill, and then a farsakh into Kamaraj,
51 h olir s doing the 5 farsakhs. Waited for an hour at the rest-house. The
Kamarai Kotal is close to the rest-house, and after a short and rough rise the
descent begins : it is just as if the sides of a mountain had fallen in, ana a
path was only to be found winding along through the stones and debris. The
path is so narrow that the mule-loads strike against the rocks ; the grade is
very severe. In places it amounts to steps, and the way the mules scram
ble up and down these paths is little short of marvellous considering that many
of them carry heavy loads or huge kajjawas in which two, if not three women
are comfortably ensconsed. About 1,200 feet in all of a descent from the
Kamarai Plain which is 2,950 feet above the sea. The geological formation is
curious, a singular configuration of long flat-topped hills with ribs m perfectly
straight layers of colored clays, tipped at an angle from crest to bottom. A
part? it is not unlike the Upper Sooroo Pass in Abyssinia, though here
more tumbled and of a rougher description, but without the huge boulders
which there blocked the way and required ramps and staircases to surmount
them. #
After about 6 miles the Kunar Kud appears, looking most refreshing with
its open winding of blue-green water and miniature rapids ; the road then leaves
the stream, and after a few small hills the track strikes across a plain to Konar-
takteh A lovely evening, so still and the light so clear. The surioundmgs
remind one of many of the villages in Sind ; plenty of date palms. Got in at
5-30 having taken 3^ hours from the rest-house.
'25th November, Friday.-Lett Konartakteh at 6-10 am; got to the head
of Kotal Malu, the worst of the lot. The descent is 1,000 feet from Khisht,
1 800 feet above the sea; the head is but a cut through rock, scarcely wide
enough for one mule; there is a stone causeway with a grade ot 1 in 3
or 4 Tneing made, turning and twisting down a spur, by one Bukkur Khan.
The hill is formed of masses of conglomerate, and the track wmds through
and down for labour as far as the three arches of an old bridge m the river.
Here it rained. The route continues along the bed of a river to Dahki Bridge
of six arches one large span in the centre, three on one side, and two on another ,
the^utwateUare out of repair, and very shaky Then the track follows the
searned bank of river, passes another old broken bridge and wandeis thiough
nullahs and rocky hills till Daliki is before yo u; heavy ram, thunder an d
. Kertela nearifeghdad, wbere Ali is buried. " Of all sacred places this is the most venerated by Shi»».
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