'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎101v] (192/211)

Appendix F.
TOUR OF HIS HIGHNESS THE GOVERNOR OF KARMAN IN PARTS OF
KARMAN AND FARS.
Winter 1892-93.—This tour was undertaken in conjunction with the
Governor of’Ears in consequence of several cases of robbery with violence hav
ing occurred on the Karman-Bandar Abbas road, one of the main trade arteries of
Persia. The perpetrators of the robberies, the Baharlus, very wisely retired
upon the approach of the Governor, and in following them up a good deal of new
countrv was travelled over, of which I am able to give an accurate account with
the able assistance of Mohammad ^lahmud and Jahangir Khan, members
of the suite of His Highness, the latter of whom was educated at the Ecole
de St Cyr. The road first followed was that travelled over some twenty years
a<ro by part of the Seistan mission, the first stage being Mahun, the picturesque
summer retreat of the wealthy Karmanis. This place has greatly prospered of
late years, and now contains some 6,000 inhabitants.
The change to the next march, Hanaka, was very great, as there only a
caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). and a very small supply of water was to be found, with \ery few
inhabitants. To Rayin, a distance of some 21 miles, the road was stony and hilly
to a degree. Half way a ruined sarai w T as passed. Rayin also is a flourishing
township with a population of 3,000, amongst whom may be numbered many
artizans.
To the banks cf the Pabeneh river the road is good. Half way is the old
sarai of Amirabad. The river rises in the Kuh-i-Hazar, and disappears in the
sands of Bam.
After striking the river its course is followed for four miles. Thence the
road turns away to Sarbistan, a village of some 200 inhabitants, which is exposed
to violent winds, and would be well suited by the Homeric epithet of storm-
tossed.” Thence over rough roads to the villages of Bakri and Murghak,
which are on high ground, and serve as summer retreats for the inhabitants of
Bam.
From this point to the village of Dasht-i-Kuch the road crosses a suc
cession of passes ; the poverty and squalor of the palm-growing districts are
heralded by numerous hamlets of Koutouks—miserable huts, built of palm
leaves.
Dusari, the next stage, a big village of 1,000 inhabitants, rejoices in ^ a very
warm and moist climate. In its neighbourhood are the Luli Iliats, of whom
photographic groups were taken.
Thence to Bijnabad by Sang-i-Sufeed (wherfc there is a hamlet and a
forest) and Allahabad. Passing the latter place is a canal from the Halil Rud to
Shahabad constructed by the late Governor of Karman.
Bijnabad consists of a higher and lower town, both of which are inhabited
by the descendants of slaves brought by the ancestors of the present Governor
from the Khorasan.
Thence to Khanu, also similarly peopled, crossing the Halil Rud, which
in the spring was full of water and running with a strong current.
Khanu is the chief town of Rudbar, and possesses 2,000 inhabitants and a
very fine old citadel ; also a fine date grove.
The road is then level to Kerdi along the wooded tract. Kerdi is merely
a hamlet in the mountains. It is then 15 miles to the Rud Khana Bar, the bound
ary between Karman and Pars.
Thence across the Rud Khana-i-Duzdi to the Tang-i-Gouran, a side defile
which joins the Tang-i-Zindan north of the Sar-i-Sikh. Again the read
as far as Ahmadi is one long defile, and that not a well-watered one. Ahmadi is
a squalid hamlet of the usual type ; next one reaches Nisa, its exact counterpart.
On the road to Jain is a fresh water brook, the Chemil.
Jain has some 30 to 40 huts, and is under the snow-tipped haregoun ivioun-
tairs.