'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' [‎145v] (295/312)

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The road is a broad easy track, and follows the left bank of the river
trending south-west. A good deal of rice is grown in the low-lying bends
of the river.
At miles the actual river valley was about | mile wide. On the right
bank are a succession of steep rounded ridges, and on the left broad terraces,
one above the other, which increase the width to 2 or 3 miles.
At 12 miles (4,580') the road turns south, ascending a broad rounded spur
from the east and leaving the river valley which goes on south-west, and 3 miles
from here disappears in a narrow gorge, bounded by steep rounded hills and
is at once lost to sight.
Previous to entering the gorge, it is joined on the left bank by a large
stream called the Gavvara river (in some maps the Gaveh Rud).
The principal road keeps in the valley of the Sirwan until it joins the
Gavvara, and then turns south up the valley of the latter.
Our track takes a shorter cut, crossing some rounded spurs (5,000') from
a high bare range to the east, and at 19j miles we camped at the mouth of a
ravine, a mile up which is the village of Zamiran (5,060'). Shaikh Haji
Muhammad, a man with considerable religious influence among the Sihna
Kurds, lives here.
A few oaks grow at the entrance of the ravine, and a stream fed by several
springs out of the hillside flows down it, bordered by willow and ash. A
small vineyard and orchard surround the village.
The first stage of this route is usually made to Kurugh, or Choruk, a village
in the valley below this by the river bank.
Rearing 223° to 245°, on the other side of the Gavarra valley is a high
range with a rounded summit called the Kuh-i-Udahlan with good grass along
the summit, on which a few patches of snow were still visible (elevation 8,000' to
9,000'). A deep gap in the range occurs, and from 275° to 300° is another
high range, distant 15 or 20 miles.
12th August-General direction, S.S.E. Left camp at 5-40 a.m. to avoid
the noonday heat, and descended steeply into the Gavvara valley, which we
reached after 1§ miles. The valley is about j mile wide, the stream winding
from one side to the other. The banks are lined with wild vines, briars, and
low shrubs.
We forded the river at miles (4,500') and followed an easy mule track,
with some narrow portions, where spurs from the hills abut on the water’s
edge. A road fit to take guns could be improvised without much trouble.
At /j miles passed the mouth of a narrow valley, up which leads a track
to J uanro and Zohab.
It leads through Yeminan, a village miles up the valley; and Juanro
can be reached in one long stage of 8 hours. The first four hours are a hilly,
>ad xoad, crossing the southern spurs of the Kuh-i-Udaklan; the remainder is
said to be easier.
At llj miles the course of the Gavvara changes south-east, coming from
a narrow rocky gorge. Our route turns up a side valley in a direction 215°
with high rounded hills rising steeply on either side.
Kuldscra. At 17 miles the village of Haltushan is passed, and the valley
widens. A valley, 1 to 2 miles broad and 8 miles long, runs up 314° from
here, at the head of which is the village of Kulasera.
A path luns over the rounded hills at the head of this valley to Juanro,
one day distant. Several springs were passed at the foot of the hills.
amiran. At 191 miles, after a long gradual ascent, we reached a
rounded neck, the highest point on this route, called Mil-i-Merwara pas