'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION II.' [‎62] (87/122)

62
Route No. 35— conid.
No.
of
stage.
Names of stages.
Distance in
mjlbs.
Inter
mediate.
Remarks.
Total.
10
Eshek Elias...
Zeidikan
18f
661
85^
ICaea Kilissa
GEKaEB
Tashlija
23
m
108i
128
the Eshek Elias pass on that side leading down
to Mulla Suleiman in Alashkert. The road fol-
lows the valley—in some places a gorge—to
I^shek Elias, the scene of a struggle in the war
of 1877. From here a track runs to the left to
Ta^her on the other side of the watershed. The
road ascends steeply for about 3 miles to a col
7,400 feet above the sea, which is the watershed!
The high ground here offers pasture which is
made use of by nomad Kurds in* summer. After
crossing another col the road descends into the
Tagher Valley, where it is joined by the above-
mentioned track, and also by those more to the
west from Omrakom and Yuzveren. The road
now turns eastwards along the high ground form
ing the norlh side of the Shavian Su Valley, and
about 2 miles from that river are grassy hills.
There are several good positions hereabouts com
manding the passages from the Sharian Suto the
Araxes valleys. There are a few villages and
some cultivation.
Zeidikan. The higli ground between Zeidikan and
Delibaba is during the summer time much resort
ed to by nomad Kurds who bring their flocks
to pasture. Zeidikan is important as being a
point from which many tracks diverge. Of these
one runs to Toprak Kalaby Mulla Suleiman ;from
both M ulla Suleiman and Toprak Kala routes run
over into the Ataxes Yalloy ; the telegraph runs by
Toprak Kala to Kara Kilissa. Another nmch-
frequented route crosses the Sharian Su at Khau*
ser, leading over into the Murad Su Valley.
The road from Zeidikan crosses the Alashkert
plain, which is fertile and well cultivated, with
numerous villages. The soil is alluvial. The road
crosses several small streams, and in wet weather
is muddy and difficult. The road passes through
the village of Chalkani and reaches Kara Kilissa.
Kara Kilissa is the meeting point of many routes.
In this part of the countiy there are few^ Turks,
the population consisting almost entirely of
Kurds and Armenians. Jieyond Kara Kilissa the
road keeps to the northern side of the Murad bu
Valley to opposite the Persian village of
Gerger, which is at the end of the Alashkert plain.
It is on a knoll overlooking the Murad Su on its
left bank. To the north are bare uplands rising
to the Kizil Kara Dagh and Sineh Dagh. On
the south the valley is wider. The hills anoid
fair pasture ; there are few villages.
Tashlija is a small village of Persians at the point
where the stream of the same name joins the