'Reconnaissances in Mesopotamia, Kurdistan, North-West Persia, and Luristan from April to October 1888. By Lt F R Maunsell, Intelligence Branch. In Two Volumes. Volume I: narrative report, description of larger towns and routes leading from them. Simla: Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General's Dept, 1890' [‎124r] (252/312)

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Baslikala to Van.
The following is a precis of this route followed by M. Binder in 1886 .
20th September. — Left Baslikala at 8-0 a.m. ti
The telegraph followed the line of road which skirted along the foot of the chain of hills which
bounded the plain to the west . . .
We followed for a short distance a new military road begun by an Austrian Engineer named
M. Alexandre, who was then staying in Bashkala. „ ,, , „ ^ . ... .
Three hours from Bashkala we passed the small hamlet of Choukh, and from this point turned
north-west up a hare rocky hillside, the road being stony in some places.
We passed some patches of green grass by the bank of the small streams which flowed clown
the hillside, and reached the summit of the ascent at an elevation which the barometer
gave as 10,500 feet. ’ n i ■
A fine panorama opened out from here, and we seemed to command an ocean of mountains
like the waves of some gigantic sea which had suddenly become petrified.
There was a regular chaos of crests, peaks, and precipices, all of them quite bare of trees, some
a brick red colour ; others blue, green, grey or violet.
The descent was fairly easy, passing to our left a small village called Silh.
We followed a ravine, in which flowed a stream which commenced in very small proportions
at the head of the pass, but gradually increased into a torrent as we descended.
It receives from the south a large tributary, and the valley commences to close
At a sudden turning of the road it again opens out, and across the defile was an isolated rock
on which was situated the fort of Mahmudiah, occupying a very strong position.
At the base of the rock, separated from it by a stream, is a small village called Ivhosh Ah. dhe
houses are for the most part in ruins, and do not contain more than 100 inhabitants.
There is a small Turkish post and a few soldiers here. _ The outwork of the castle consists of a
wall forming an enciente about 500 yards square. The principal castle is situated on a rock with
scarped sides from 200 to 300 feet high.
It occupies the south-east corner of the enciente, and commands the defile through which the
Bashkala road emerges.
At the east face was a prominent round tower forming the corner of the castle.
The enciente wall continues flanked at intervals by small round towers, but, instead of completely
surrounding the rock, ascends to a neighbouring mound, and includes another small fort on it.
Inside the wall, in the space between this mound and the principal rock, are the ruins of some
houses used by refugees in time of siege.
The main entrance gate once stood on the .west face, but an enormous breach now replaces it.
We ascended the rock by a roundabout path up some stairs cut in the rock, and reached the
inner gate of the castle, the only entrance into the keep.
The gate is only 3 feet high, and studded with enormous nails. The lintel and side pieces are
enormous blocks of cut stone, while over head are some curious inscriptions.
It is situated at the foot of a large masonry round tower some 30 feet in diameter, perched on
a lutting portion of the same rock that forms the foundation of the castle.
The doorway being choked inside with fallen debris, we climbed up a large breach into the
interior. Nothing but the outer walls of the castle still remain, all the interior rooms having been
destroyed. The summit of the rock commands a splendid view.
21st September. —Left Khosh Ah at 10 A.M., and started across some bare desolate country
through a series of low undulations. Hares, gazelle, and partridge were plentiful. Panthers were
also said to exist.
The valley grew wider as we descended, and the stream which we followed increased in size,
and received several large affluents on either bank. It is now lo to 20 feet broad, and flovs in
several shallow channels.
The banks are bordered by furze and other shrubs, and the grass near the water grows thick
^Ittfknown as the Tersan or Khosh Ah Chai, and flows eventually into lake Van.
The stream valley makes a sharp turn between two hills with steep rocky sides which overhang
tl10 Tliei-e is a small ruined bridge here, and we forded the stream in preference to trying it.
The stream extends to lake Van, getting wider towards the shores of the lake. The soil is
fertile, and would yield good crops if cultivated. , tt- , .
In the distance we could see the two small hamlets of Zernak and Hindustan, each containing
not more than 100 inhabitants. . .
The sky suddenly clouded over, and a very violent storm of wind and ram came upon ns almost
before we were aware of it. The rain fell in torrents for about half an hour, when all become
clear again, the clouds disappearing as rapidly as they came.
Wo passed through the little village of Norkieg, and ascended the last ridge that separated us
from lake Van. The clay soil of the ascent became.very slippery after the shower ascending the
Sl ° P We reached the summit of the col at a sudden turning of the road, and the plain of Van broke
into view,
2 c
VOL. I.