'Report on the preliminary survey of the route for the Central Persia Telegraph Line. By W King Wood, Assistant Superintendent, Indo-European Telegraph Department.' [‎93v] (191/300)

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found some rain water m the torrent bea. i^rom tne top ul p^^
obtained a birds-eye view of the band of bills we were now going through.
They were a perfect cluster of serrated peaks, which would be extremely
difficult to negotiate except by following the torrent beds, and which could
only be patrolled by men on foot. We emerged on to a small open plateau at
11'20 miles, where there was a profusion of Darmshoot, or grass, unfortunately
withered for want of ram. Sam-i-Rajee Kuh, a flat-topped mountain, was
passed at 13 50 miles, one mile to our right, and at 14 50 we were in a small
plateau with sandy rolling hills on either side, in place ol rocky peaks, the tor
rent bed being scarcely discernable and finally ending at 17 8o miles. Ihe
watershed of Gardaneh-i-Jauri was reached at 18 05 miles, its height being
6,350 feei Crossing this saddle-back, we almost immediately entered a torrent
bed draining east, our direction being southeast for the first mile, when we
swing round to clue east. At 20 miles, the bills ended and, again turning to the
left, we kept north-east till our camp was reached. The road is quite impass
able to wheels, and is very narrow, rough and stony in the hills. The going in
the end was good over tm open plain,
As our yesterday’s march proved somewhat trying to man and beast and
as we found a supply of drinkable water at Jauri, we decided to do a short
march to Chahan-i-Ashahi. Leaving our camp at the north-east base of the
Seah Band range, we struck across an open gravelly plain in an east-north
easterly direction. A road from Siestan to Pahra crossed ours at 144 miles,
bearing 143°, which was also the bearing of the Kuh-i-Karwanda. Passing a
rocky hill on our right, we turned more to the east at 3 50 miles, having the
Gut-i-Nadir on our left and Sar Talab on our right, and continued down a valley
about 2 miles wide. At 4‘60 miles, we were going due east, while at 5 34 miles
we went south of east. The Gut-i-Nadir we passed one mile to our left at 7
miles, while the Sar-i-Talab was a similar distance to our right, both high
rocky peaks. We entered on a large open plain, probably Yar-Ahmad Zai, at
9‘30 miles and turned sharp to east-north-east, which bearing we kept up till
we reached oup camp. To-day’s march is open to wTieeled traffic.
Jatjri to Chahan-i-Ashahi.
12th Deceniber 1898.
Date.
No. of
Miles.
7 Chahan-i-Ashahi 1P75 118*86
^,847 feet.
B.oute.
Intermediate Total
Miles. Miles.
CjLAHAN ASHAIII TO ClIASHMEH ZlARET.
Date.
No. of
March.
Route.
Intermediate Total
Miles. Miles.
13th December 1898 ... 8 Chashmeh Ziaret, 28*90 147*76
5,100 feet.