‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎73v] (151/722)

the Maidan Kliana the southern and western boundary line of Daraghaz
runs along' the main chain of the northern section of the Alburz, which
divides it from Kuchan, and which is called the Allah-o-Akbar range,
running' from Khezar Masjid. It then crosses the Daraghaz stream above
Duranjar, and strikes north to the ciest of the Atak chain, known
there as the Kuh Asalma. The northern boundary runs along the crest
of this ridge, and then descends to the plain, east of Gawars, the most
easterly obdh of the Akhal; and, skirting the Atak villages, joins the Kalat
border. The tract thus included consists of the southern slopes of, and
spurs descending from, the mountains of Kiiehan, or the Allah-o-Akbar
Kuh, the whole open portion of the valley watered by the voluminous
Duringar river, and the spur of the Atak chain enclosing it to the south.
Its total length from east to west is nearly -fO miles, and its average breadth
to the outermost Atak villages about 30 miles, giving an area of about 1,200
square miles, of which it may be reckoned 400 square miles is level and
more or less cultivable.
Plain .—This plain or valley is one of the most favoured spots in Khura
san. It receives the whole drainage of a valley 70 to 80 miles long, and is
completely encircled by mountains rising at many points up to 7,000 and
8,000 feet in height. It has an elevation of 1,200 feet at Muhamadabad,
a fertile soil, and tine pasturage. From the crest of the Allah-o-Akbar pass,
which overhangs the valley, 23 large villages, each with extensive gardens
and vineyards, may be counted ; and cultivation extends in an unbroken sheet
from the slopes of the mountains on either sides to the river banks. To
the south-east and west the mountains rise to a great heignt and form an
almost unbroken wall, with short, steep, buttress-like spurs. To the north
a chain of lower hills (the Kizil Fair, an offshoot from the Daman-i-Kuh),
rising, however, at one point to a considerable height, completes the enclo
sure. There is a gap in the west where the Duragur river enters, and an
other north-west, known as the Dahana-i-Ishkabad, and a third north,
by which the river joins the dcean-like expanse of the Kin van desert.
Daraghaz Atak .—Passing through this northern gap and the low
hills confining it, the character of the country and soil changes at once.
The soil becomes sandy and saline, and the bill slopes barren. The whole
aspect of the landscape is arid, parched, and forbidding, save where the
c >urse of the river and the lands irrigated from it chequer it with cultiva
tion, green pastures, and thickets of tamarisk (gez), willow, alder, and thorny,
scrub. The villages lie along the border of the river; and to the right and
left, to a distance of 8 or 10 miles from the hill slopes; each one is a
little oasis in the sandy desert. In the spring a green herbage, affording
good pasturage, springs up, covering the plain wherever it is uot already
covered by shifting sands.
T he rice fields are 16 miles down the course of a small stream runningtoward
the plain of Daraghaz. There are few towers built for protection, but no
fixed settlement. The crops are as often reaped by the Turkmans as by
the lawful owners. This year hardly any attempt has been made to inter
fere with the heaviest work. The people attribute this to the Russians, who
have given the Turkmans other occupation. The poor villagers of the
Atak would certainly accept Russian rule as a boon, if it brought with it
security from the constant attacks of their marauding neighbours—a security
that their own government is unable to give them. There was not a house
ia the 20 Atak villages that had not lost some member killed or carried