'Handbook of the Persian Army' [‎12r] (28/150)

Ardabil (15,792 feet), is the eastern termination of
the Qusheh Dagh range and to the north-west of it
the Kara Dagh runs up to near Julfa. These
mountains contain coal deposits and other minerals.
The Sahand mountains, south of Tabriz, rise to a.
height of 11,600 feet.
(c) The North-West to South-East System.—Whiz
system occupies the western, south-western and south
eastern portions of the country. It consists of a
series of mountain chains which, extending from the
Armenian and Kurdish highlands, run parallel to'
one another, with extraordinary regularity in a south
easterly direction through Luristan, the Bakhtiari
country and Fars and thence follow a more easterly
direction through Baluchistan, roughly parallel to
the coast.
The following description of the Pusht-i-Kuh is
typical of this area :—
“ The steep slopes of the lofty ridges are covered
with thin oak forest. In the valleys there is
no vegetation. The rivers are all fordable
with stony beds. The roads are awful, in fact
they are not roads but paths, difficult both
for pack animals and pedestrians. The high
est peak here is Manisht Kuh (QjSOO^ which
has a flat summit.”
South-west of Hamadan are the Alvand Mountains,
the highest point of which is 12,290 feet. These are
noteworthy, as the main road from Kermanshah to
Hamadan passes over them.
The Bakhtiari country is a complete section of the
Zagros Mountains. The highest peaks run up to
12,000—13,000 feet.
To the south-west tiers of hills succeed one another
retaining, however, their north-west to south-east
trend, and gradually decreasing in height as the
Arabistan hills are approached. This mass of moun
tains has precipitous gorges through which the Karun
and Diz rivers force tortuous courses. Valleys usually