'Military report on Tehran and adjacent Provinces of North-West Persia (including the Caspian Littoral)' [‎65v] (135/610)

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dividing the Kizil Uzun from the ^-Aqdughmish. It is a wide
undulating ridge with a fiat or rounded summit, average height
6,200' above sea level and 2 1,500' above the valleys, with gradual
slopes of earth and gravel. It is crossed by many easy paths.
Water is very scarce and Bulanluq, 18 miles South of Mlaneh,
is the only village visible on the Kizil Uzim side, but small
springs on the Aqdughmish side maintain a few villages.
The large expanse of country within view from this ridge is
singularly dreary and uninteresting.
During the spring floods from February to mid-June, the
river is unfordable in both these sections. Yangikand is the
only bridge, there are no boats and it can be crossed only on
camels or rafts of inflated hides, which are available at the prin- *
cipal crossings, e.g., Qalajuq (?) 12 miles below Yangikand,
Ibrahimabad (?) 6 miles below Qalajuq, and Manishan. Crossing
by these rafts is very slow, each journey to and fro takes
about 20 minutes, and the hides require inflating each time.
A raft carries a load of about 200 lbs. When these floods sub
side in June it becomes a succession of pools and rapids with a
gravel bottom, but said to contain quicksands in places, not
very swift, 1J' to 2' deep in the shallows and easily fordable-
In many parts it splits up into several channels.
The only tributaries of note are the Anguran, Qalehchai and
Zinjan Rud, and these dwindle to brooks during the low water
season owing to diversion of their water for irrigation.
The volume of the Kizil Uzun accordingly increases little
between Yangikand and Qaplan Kuh bridge except during the
melting of the Afshar snows.
By the end of June the water becomes fairly clear, but it is
brackish from salt springs in Garrus above Yangikand and from
several other salt brooks, especially in Section II, where fresh
water is very scarce.
Section III.—Qaplan Kuh Bridge—-Eastern Extremity of Aqdagh,
at Junction of 3 Shdhrud with Kizil Uzun. District of
Garmarud for 20 miles, thence of Khalhhal, Province Azar-
hdijdn.
Above the bridge the Qaplan Kuh has narrowed and is
steeper. On the East bank are the hills which form the Northern
boundary of the Zinjan Rud basin.
I Spelt Aidughmish and Aidghumash in the Gazetteer but pronounced locally
as Aqdughmish.
* The crest crossed by the Qaolm Kfih road is 1,520' above the bridge. At
this point it is much more narrow and acute than it is further South.
s The Shahrud of Khalkhal distinct from the Shahrud of Manjfl in the next
section.