'ROUTES IN PERSIA. SECTION III' [‎278v] (561/739)

498
No. 218— concld.
Tehran to Astrabad, via Firuzhih and Ziarat,
Names of stages.
D istances
ik miles.
nternu
diate.
Remaeks.
Total.
rocks and sharply ascending to plateau, 7,000 feet.
Supplies—sheep and goats. Wood and water
limited. Fair road for mules throughout.
12
zlarat
11
264<l
2,610 feet, 4|- hours. At 3 miles past small spring
of water. Forest commences to thicken and be
comes more varied. At 6 miles, at elevation of
6,350 feet, edge of plateau is reached and Astra-
bad is seen in the plains bearing west of north.
Descent to Ziarat over 5 miles abrupt and diffi
cult in parts. In wet weather soil would become
slippery and make descent dangerous. A village
of about 80 houses in forest clearing. Supplies
limited. Good water available.
13
A strabad
12
276J
100 feet, 4 hours. Road or track passes through
river bed and forest for 8 miles. Progress much
obstructed by boulders if river-bed. At 12 miles
Astrabad, the last 4 miles being on the level.
Fair track for mules in fine weather.
N ote. —The times roted show the intervals spent by a caravan marching with no undue
halts between the stages.
Notes on the road from Tehran to Astrabad, vi& the Lar Valley, FiruzJcuJi and
Khinq plateau.
From Tehran two roads may be taken to the Lar Valley, one via the Afche Pass; the
other the Levasnn Pass. Thus
Tehran. Tehran.
Afche Levasun.
Lar (Yurt Khandla Khan). Lar (Yurt Khandla Khanl
These roads are locally well known and are of no special importance beyond the former
beipo^ largely used by caravans carrying coal from the mines in the Lar Valley. The Afche is a
difficult pass, consisting mostly of rocky ledges and loose rubble, specially from the south side.
The Levasnn Pass and route, though said to be longer, is very much easier and the snow clears
earlier in the year.
Phalour, the 3rd March, practically marks the limit of the Lar Valley and is a name given
to a small amount of cultivation on the slopes of the valley of Imam Fadeh Hashim, only
worked during the summer months from Rehna, at other times untenanted. (No supplies are
available.) It is a plane of some importance as commanding four valleys.—
(1) The northern, along which the Lar drainage flows to the sea.
(2) The southern, or valley of Imam Fadeh Hashim, leading to the town of Demar-
end and the plains of Veramin.
(3) The western, leading to the Lar pastures. .
(4) The eastern, leading to Firuzkuh, commonly known as the Ghazom -tnai
Valley. . L ,
This valley of the Ghazan-Chai to Firuzkuh is that followed in the present report.
The road is easy, and fair village supplies are available. ... +1^
Firuzkuh, small well-watered oasis amid the barren mountains, is^ of importance as
point on which caravan traffic from Tehran and Semnan converges on its way to Mazanaarun
and Mashad-i-Sar on the Caspian.