'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎303] (348/466)

303
R oute N o, 4 —
from Isfahan toBehbahdn and Bandar-Dilam, —contd.
Time.
Names of towns, villages, &c.
dlstaifoes in"
miles.
Interme
diate.
Total.
Remarks.
14
A.M.*
11th June 1884.
S afae-i -A b
309
Barometer 25*55 ,/ ; thermometer 68°.
The track by gentle gradients descends
the valley, which is 2 miles wide and fair-
ly well cultivated (wheat, barley, rice);
soil, stony. The trees m it are of small size ; the immediate valley of the stream is well
timbered.
5-4 d ••• The track is at times stony and 1' wide#
Undulations fill the valley; the hills
have the same ledgey character as those
met with since the descent of the Gar-
dan-i-Cbasmah-i-Duzun.
Snow lay on the hill to the right, and beyond the summer tents of the iliyats are said to
be. South o£ the Khurra valley, at this season of the year, the low valleys are deserted.
6-2o ••• ... to The valley is miles broad; there are
some large trees here (oaks, planes, &c.).
Crosses the stream 40' wide and shallow.
There are the remains here of an exten
sive cemetery ; the inscriptions on the
sandstone tombstones have been obliter
ated. Stone coffins of the section below
here and there. There are also the ruins of a few low huts built of stone and lime.
7-50
lie
The road undulates, and, passing over the stony hill-side, recrosses the stream.
'-15 ... ... ... Enters the Tang-i-Nakhuda (Godless
pass), a well deserved name; it is from
t 200' to 250' wide with precipitous cliffs,
200'to 300'high, on either hand; its bed is blocked by boulders of huge size, over and
through which the passage of the flocks of the iliyats have worked a path ; the path crosses
and recrosses the stream dozens o£ times ; barometer 26 , 5 // (3,200') {see pages 25,26,359,360),
The tangs are through rock of crystaline limestone without fossils.
1^-15 ... ... Emerges from the pass, and traverses a
country now more or less open and ap
parently clear of hills of any size.
10-45 ...... .. ... Crosses to the right bank of the stream,
here 50' wide and 2' deep ; bed, bouldery.
The descent into and ascent out of its bed,
over conglomerate rock, are difficult.
Ascends the Kal'a Pilli valley, 1 mile broad, and bordered by low burnt up undulations,
ew bushes grow, but no trees; road, stony.
Passes a ruined masonry enclosure 100' X100', and soon afterwards masonry ruins, situat-
e( l on a low undulation, 500 yards and 1,000 yards to the left.