'Report on the preliminary survey of the route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line. By W King Wood, Assistant Superintendent, Indo-European Telegraph Department.' [‎67r] (138/300)

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General Summary.
Whilst this section does not present the same facilities for the construction
of telegraph line as the two sections already dealt with? the engineering diffi
culties are not of a very serious character. As we are now traversing a little
known country, I propose to touch on the salient points in each stage,"'although
it may be repeating a good deal of what has already been given under the head
of “ description of track followed.”
Making a start from the Baghistan or Zere-s gardens of Kerman on the
19th November, we followed the caravan road to the large village of Malum,
lying at the foot of the Jupar range, at a distance of 19-92 miles, due south
east of Kerman, where we halted for a day in S. fl. the Firman A Persian word meaning a royal order or decree issued by a sovereign, used notably in the Ottoman Empire (sometimes written ‘phirmaund’). Firma’s beauti
ful garden. The road, though -omewhat sandy and h mvy at times, is open to
wheeled traffic, and an easy alignment would be ensured by keeping to the
north-east side of the valley, which is free of sand drifts.
Some anxiety had been entertained as to the best course for the line to
follow beyond Mahuu, as wliat is shown as the usual canvan route on the map
and in the route book crosses the formidable range of Jupar m matains by tin?
narrow Hanaka pass, with an altitude of 8,799 feet, a pass liable to be block A
by snow two or three days annually, and at the best of times a very r mgh and
undesirable route, only just passable to pack animals. It was, therefore, decided
to at first inspect the route mentioned by Capt. Sykes in his despatch to II. B.
M/s Minister, dated 22nd September 1898. I am, indeed, glad to be able to
state that the result was eminently satisfactory.
The new road is taken up at Mahun, and, whilst keeping on the north-east
side of the valley in an east-south-easterly direction, it runs parallel to the
Hanaka route for some 10 miles, which lies about 4 miles to the south-west at
this point. The ascent is very gradual over a sfconv level plain, with an appro
ximate width of 9 miles, the Sufah range on the left being 3 miles distant, whilst
the Jupar range on the right is some 6 miles off, and, despite so ne stones in
places, the road on the whole is fit for wheels. There is no viilag ■ at Zdn-ul-
abad, the first station, but the inhabitants of Sagoeh, a village of 140 people,
situated 4 miles to the north-north-east, have built two or three mud huts here,
and use the good sweet water in irrigating some patches of cultivation. There
is also a small orchard.
Continuing from Zain-ul-abad, and still ascending an open but ever-nar
rowing valley, over a very fair road, we passed the hamlets of Kareemabad 1*35
miles, to the right, and Arababad at 2 70 miles, to the left. We were agreeably
surprised to find that the almost imperceptible watershed had been reached at
10-75 miles, and that it proved to be 8,450 feet, or 340 feet less than Hanaka.
But this advantage of 340 feet, though in itself of some importance for the
safety of a telegraph line, is insignificant when compared with the advantage
gained by the general configuration of the ground, which at this point is an
absolutely open and gravelly plain, sparsely covered with “ Bo>teh ” or shrub,
extending for 3 miles to our left, whilst on our right the ground is also open to
^ the foot of the Kuh-i-Seueh Jevanan, a small hill, ab >ut a mile distant. A
gentle descent over gravelly, undulating ground brought us to the mud brick
caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). of Neybeed at 18'93 miles, where the water was slightly brackish.
Having crossed the watershed safely, we anticipated no serious obstacle in
the long march from Neybeed to Khan Khatun, ani in this we were not
disappointed, as, descending a broad gravelly valley, the road was excellent for
the first 4 miles, when it encered a range of low sandstone hills, which in turn
gave place to rolling hills at the 10th mile, an l traversing these for the nsxt
11 miles, we finally emerge 1 on to the Klaa-i-Khitu i plan anl reached the
village of that name at 23'82 miles. In these rolling hills at the 12th and 13hi
miles, respectively, the road crosses two dry shallow torrent beis, about 2 )9
yards wide, draining south into the Tehrud, wiiioh would have to be spin iel at
a point higher up, or to the north.