'Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society, from January 1847 to May 1849. Edited by the Secretary. Volume VIII.' [‎317] (426/496)

317
September \tyth. —A. fine bracing morning, with the thermometer at
51°. Shortly after dawn we were again in the saddle, threading our
way along the narrow path skirting the mountain in a general direction
of N. K W. There were merely footpaths, used by the mountaineers,
conducting along the heights, or tangled forest of oak and fern, quite
impassable for laden mules ; consequently the baggage had to proceed by
a longer but less difficult road* some way further down on the slopes of
the mountain. In three quarters of an hour we arrived at Kaleh Zanjir,
a ruined fort occupying a strong isolated position on the summit of a
naturally scarped projection from the N. E. brow of Dalahu. It may
be about one and a half miles distant from Bibiyan, in a N". N. W. di
rection, but accuracy of the road-book was here out of the question.
The decent to this spot is one of the most abrupt and tortuous that horse
men ever ventured, I believe, to accomplish; indeed, at every footstep
the prospect of a broken neck was constantly before us.
Kileh Zanjir I held an important position during the flourishing times
of the Ottoman empire. Situated on the frontier between Turkey and
Persia, it is frequently mentioned in the Turco-Persian boundary treaties,
and the remains of a town of some extent are said to exist also in the
valley below. A. copious spring issues from the base of the lock, and some
deep wells in the interior of the fort are said to have communicated with
a natural reservoir in the heart of the mountain. At the foot of the scaip
the wide-spreading branches of a venerable plam tree, planted on the
margin of a crystal-like stream, doubtless afforded a pleasant retreat to
the garrison that was formerly kept here: at the present time it appears
to hold, from the sacred relics appended to it, a revered place in the
minds of the nomade hordes that dwell in its vicinity. From this posi
tion, the vale and site of the once Royal City of Dareh bears 346 .
From 7.15 (after leaving Kileh Zanjir) till 8h. we continued to cross
hill and dale, in the same general direction of N. N. W., but gradually
ascending to a higher elevation. In the absence of a fixed detail of
route, from the difficult nature of the country traversed, we may assume
* Through the Dashti 1’il valley.
* Opposite Kileh Zanjir, and on the east side of the Zemkan river, tl'e p'ains
of Mirabad, Nerji Holoor, and Thamar, extend from N. E. to S. E. The north
end of the Kileh Kazi range terminates in the latter pain, ,,
high road from Sulimaniyeh formerly conducted to Kirmans ini. nn rtion
used in consequence of the insurrectionary state of the tribes m ia i i g 1
of the country.