'Report on the Preliminary Survey of The Route for The Central Persia Telegraph Line from Quetta to Bam and Pahra' [‎59r] (122/162)

APPENDIX. I.
Description of the route from Koh-i-Malik Seah to Bam, via Hydera-
bad.
From Robat, the camping ground at Koh-i-Malik Seah, the course to Bam
Robat to Pepeiee—131 miles. leads in a general south south west di-
1. u , rectionto Pepeiee, the first halting ground,
ascending the whole way over stony nala, or torrent beds through bare moun
tainous country. Pepeiee is 13I miles from Robat, and is marked by a few
springs of brackish water in a narrow defile; the supply of camel grazing and fuel
in the vicinity is very scarce. s ^
From Pepeiee, the course continues ascending through a narrow nala bed
Fepeiee to Petki—16 miles. for about i mile, then descends for
, , . .. . mlles in a westerly direction, and enters
on i.o a desert plain, soil stony mixed in some places with gravelly sand • course
now takes a south west direction, for 6 miles, up to the north west spur of
Lakshak mountain, then changes to south south west, and continues on over the
open plain right up to the north north west base of Koh-i-Petki. Pe^ki the
second camping ground, is close to the foot of this mountain, and is 16 miles
from 1 epelee.
After circling round the north west spur of Koh-i-Petki for about J mile,
PetkitoChama— 14$ miles. the course continues in a west direction
for about 6 miles, ascending an open stonv
valley ; it then leads over a broad flat desert plain for 7 miles to Chama, which
is near some undulating ground. There is a good spring of water at Chama. A
small encampment of about 10 men, and some women and children, have settled
here, and live in gidans, or little blanket tents, hidden away in a hollow
amongst low hills. They have cultivated a small patch of ground near the spring
of water.
From Chama, the course for the first two miles is almost due west, in a dry
Chama to Dumag—i6f miles. nala bed between low undulating ground,
then descends for 12 miles, in a south
south west direction, through a stony valley, about 4 miles wide, with the Koh-i-
Dumag on the south and a low range of irregular hills, called Pachangucht,
on the north. Last 2} miles of this march, direction south, are over a broad
desert plain with sandy gravelly soil. Dumag camping ground is due south of
the south west spur of Koh-i-Dumag. Three small dilapidated remnants of a mud
wall mark the place. There appears to' have been a small mud fort here in
by gone days. There are also some signs of 4 old wells, which have all
collapsed. The only water available at the time of my visit was from a few
muddy pools which had collected after the heavy rain last winter. If fresh wells
were sunk more water would probably be found.
From Dumag, the course is due south for about 4 miles, over a flat plain
n t ~ with sandy gravelly surface, then crosses
a low range ot hills, and descends through
open low hilly country for 6 miles in a siuth west direction. Last 5
Galugan, the direction is west south west, over a sandy gravelly plain,
is the name given to a small area in a narrow valley, enclosed between
varying in height from 150 to 200 feet. A small roving population of
miles to
Galugan
low hills
about 50
people have settled here in little tents, and have cultivated 3 or 4 acres of land.
The course from Galugan for 3 miles is in a north west direction through a
,, , , , narrow valley which gradually developes into
Galugan to Hyderabad—29 miles. 111 1 11
a nala bed, or dry water course, and be
comes a tributary of the Rood Mahee, or river Mahee. This river is dry, but a
flood of water occasionally rushes down it. The course for the next 14^ nrles
continues winding about in a general west north west direction down the scony
bed of the Rood Mahee, which is flanked by high precipitous hills on either side.
This river passes through the Pir Soran mountains. My guides informed me there
is no other pass between these mountains within a distance of 50 miles.