'Report on Sistan and the Country Between It and Mashad' [‎48v] (101/118)

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with water and supplies every 12 or 14 miles. Then from Mukhtaruo over
a good road past the villages of Kundur (15 houses) 22 4 miles, fsmaila a
(50 houses, water brackish) 21| miles, and Tark (150 houses) 20 , miles.
Just before Tark the road is hilly, and just beyond it wouk lequne aid
ing for guns j this might be avoided by sending guns by a lower load tio
Isinailabad to Shusp passing below Tark.
Between Tark and Zainulabad near Bandun, 53 miles, there is only one
village, Shusp (10 houses), 'SJ miles beyond Tark, and one otner halting
place by a brackish stream at the 28th mile; but the road is good and level.
From Bandun to Sistan, 56 miles, as before described. The total dis-
tance is o2B miles. Only small bodies of troops wouid take this road.
1. (c) From Mashad to Turbat-i-Haidari as before 82 miles. From
Turbat-i-Haidari to Gunabad, not given in the Route Book apparent y, but
marked on the map, 79 miles, passing the villages ot Allahabad, Fazalmaud
Janatabad, Sangal, and Eoshanawan evidently over a barren and little
inhabited tract.
Then from Gunabad to Neh as in 1 (a), 260 miles. Thence southwards
over an uninhabited region for 133 miles to Sihkuha. khunuk 5 miles south
of Neh, is the last village of Birjand, and the stages after that, whe e
water is procurable, are Madai (karez) 36| miles from ei, a awa (sma
spring) 16| miles, Langar (rain-water in winter) _37j miles Tapa Nimaki
(wells) 29 miles, Lutak near Sihkuha, 10| miles intermediate. The latter
part of this route, like all others entering Sistan from the north, is liable to
be flooded. Camel grazing and firewood to a limited extent are to e la ,
but the lack of water would prevent any but a very small force irom using
this road. The total distance is 554 miles,
1 (d) From Mashad to Bajistan as in (1), 169 miles. From Bajistan to
Tun, not given in Route Book, and apparently not properly explored, 3a
miles on the map, with two doubtful villages on the road From Tun to
Khur, also not much explored, but the natives give the following stages
Sarayun (village) 24 miles, Sihkala (village 20 houses) 16 miles, Jamkird
(water brackish, well) 20 miles, Chashm-i-Khun (well) 20 miles : total 100
miles. From Khur to Neh, 1514 miles, over a very barren country, with
few hamlets and but little water. Stages about 20 miles each.
From Neh to Sistan, 108 miles as in (1).
Total 5634 miles. This also would he only traversed by small bodies
of troops.
Eastern.
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2 . From Mashad to Turbat-i-Sheikh Jam, 100 miles. . Between
Mashad and Sangbast the road is stony, and there is a little high groun
to be crossed, as also between Sangbast and Feraiman. hrom Feraiman t e
road leads dowji the Jam valley, and presents no difficulties to the passage
of all arms. The ground is level, there is plenty of water, and villages with
supplies are fairly numerous. From Turbat-i-Sheikti Jam the road bends
southwards, and descends gradually over a bare ^ plain to Karez, 32 miles.
The only village on the road now inhabited is Mohsinabad (200 houses),
7 miles north of Karez, and there is no water elsewhere, excepting a stag
nant pool in the Abambar of the ruined village of Abbasabad. There is,
plenty of camel-grazing, and in spring grass.