"دليل بلاد فارس، المجلد I ويشمل محافظات أستراباد، شاهرود-بوستان، خراسان، وسيستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٥] (٧٢٢/٣٥)

12
ALA-DAGH—Lat. 37° 24'G", Long. 57° ILO"; Elev. 12,300' {Napier).
A lofty rugged peak of the Alburz range in Khurasan, trending the valley
of Ispargin on one side, and throwing spurs towards the Atrak river, one
of which encircles the Bujnurd basis on the north. The name signifies
“ The piebald, - ” which is very commonly applied to mountains high enough
to retain patches of snow late into the summer. According to others the
peak is called after a fine peach. The highest peak of this mountain is
4,()(’0 feet above the level of the valley, and called Baba Buland.— [Bellew,
MacGregor, Napier.)
AL-AJAK— Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A post in Khurasan, about 5 miles from Abbassabad, on the main road
from Shahrud to Nfshapur. There is a guard of 50 militia here kept up
for the protection of the road. This probably is the same village as Clerk
cads Alhak.— {Eastwiek.)
ALAM— Lat. , Long. ^ ; Elev.
A stage on the western border of Khurasan on the northern road between
Bnibanak and Nari, about 60 miles from each.— {MacGregor.)
ALAMDAR— Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A village in Sistan inhabited by the Sanjurani tribe.— {Bellew.)
ALARtT— Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A small stream in Northern Khurasan flowing north-east from the Abu
Kuh, and crossed on the road from Jah Jarm to Astarabad by Naudfh at 11
miles fi’om Kanchi.— {Napier.)
ALBO RZ*—Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A range of mountains in Persia, part of the great mountain system of Asia.
All authorities seem to agree that they are connected with the Paropamisan
range, the watershed of which runs south of Herat, Ghurian, Khaf, and
Turshfz, to a point on the road between Biarjun and Gond-i-Bang in Khu
rasan (which Clerk says is the highest point on the road between Shahrud
and Herat) near Bustan, whence one range runs back again north-east and
east round the north part of Khurasan, dividing it from the Atak, and even
tually dying away about Kalat-i-Nadiri; the other range goes with a
direction south-west to the peak of Damavand; it then turns west, and then
trends to north-west till turned by the Kizil Ozan river, whence one spur is
thrown west parallel to that river, and the main range turns south-west,
and, crossing Khamseh, is joined with the mountains of Ardelan, near the
sources of the Kizil Ozan river. It is quite arbitrary to attempt to lay
down exactly where a range begins and ends in eastern countries, because
ranges are never known by distinct names, till perhaps some systematic and
scientific European seizes on the name of some conspicuous peak, and names
a whole range by it.
However, one thing is certain that the Alburz, like every range in South-
West Asia, may be said to owe its origin eventually to the Pamir ; for, as
has been shown above, it is connected with the mountains of the Paro-
pamisus by a range which runs south of Mashhad and north of the Great
Salt Desert of Khurasan; and the mountains of Ardelan being connected
with those of Ararat and the Caucasus, it is clear that the Alburz may be
regarded the connecting link between the two.
iTobably from Al Burj, “ The Tower.