"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد II. ١٩١٧" [‎٣‎٠‎١] (٥٤٢/٣١٠)

ROUTES 11 e (i, ii)
301
Alishtar plain. Beyond Alishtar the present route runs apparently
SW. of route (i). At Vanavilleh it touches an offshoot of the Safld
Kuh and thence proceeds apparently about north to Kaisarwand. and
joins route (i) at the Gumasiab, 20 m. from Kirmanshah.
The road as far as Gumasiab is fit for pack transport only. No
serious obstacles are met with. Water is plentiful throughout. In
October 1908 there was good grazing at Kaka Dar and Ittiwand,
and hlmsa was abundant at Alishtar. (Grazing would probably be
plentiful at Alishtar in the summer.) Little or no fuel is to be had
except at Vanavilleh. Cereals are obtainable (at least in late summer
and autumn) at Alishtar; cattle and sheep, wheat and barley were
plentiful at Ittiwand in October; and provisions of all sorts could
be obtained in considerable quantities in the neighbourhood of
Kaisarwand.
The times given in the margin are those of a caravan.
' Tq mi 0 n - Khurramabad. To the Tang-i-Chinar Dar the route is an
open track passable for all transport. All through the
Tang-i-Chinar Dar the route narrows, and is very winding.
Much undergrowth helps to make it difficult. There are
very few ascents or descents in this pass. From the
farther side of this pass to the hills before the Tang-i-
Awandar (Aivandah?, see route (i), m. 12^) it is a good
open track through a valley suitable for all transport.
Up the Tang-i-Awandar and down to Kaka Dar the track
follows a long steady ascent and descent, but meets with
no serious obstacles. The streams crossed are no obstacles
(at any rate in autumn).
6 45 Kaka Dar (alt. 5,400 ft.). There is no good camping-
ground here. Good and plentiful water from stream.
Good grazing. Road enters a defile immediately beyond
this point. This is somewhat difficult as the track passes
over large slabs of rock covered with water from the
stream. Beyond the defile the road is clear of obstacles,
but goes up and down the whole way until the plain of
Alishtar is reached. The country passed through is bare,
without trees, villages, or encampment (October).
10 0 Alishtar plain : see route (i) above, m. 29^.
Road over the Alishtar plain is an open level track passable
for all transport. From the plain to Lagri it is a narrow
winding track passing over bare hilly country. Road
has no obstacles for pack animals. Water is met with
twice on the road from small streams.