Surveys on the Road from Shiraz to Bam Author(s): B. Lovett Source: The Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of London, Vol. 42 (1872), pp. 202- 212 Published by: Wiley on behalf of The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1798596 Accessed: 27-06-2016 05:21 UTC

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This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 202 LOVETT'S Surveys ORl the Roadfrorz SAliraz to Ba>Rz.

VII. Sur?veys on the Roc/,d froxn Shz?csz to Ban$. BY MajO1 1J. LOVETT, R.E.

[Read, May 13,1872.]

THERE are several roads that run bet+^reen Shiraz and XerIllall; that 1lsually travelled over, and the one I adopted, goes v8^ :Niriz. The other usual one is sza Darab. Ill summer, a road leading oser very elevated ground and going via Shehr-i-Babelz is sometimes taken. The difEerent routes are detailed at tlle erld of this memoranduln. rl'he road I took leaves the Sllilaz Valley to the north-east, passing by the Bagh-i-Dilkhusha ancl Saadi7s Tomb, and is a very fair road as far as the town of Niriz, so thatJ carts can proceed along it without the slightest difficulty. After arrivillg at Dudeh, our first stage, I found the road to Siriz lay in the Persepolis Valley, as I shall call it for the sake of distinction, $S the famed ruills are situated in it. This- valley or " Julga " extends from BIayin Oll tlle west to Siris, its eastern estremity, and measures about 210 miles in lellgtll. Tlhe westerll portion is called Atervsedasht; at the poillt my route entered upon it the distriet is called :@olwar. In this valley is situated the famous salt lalKe known as the " Deria Sumuk," and generally designated ill the published lllaps as Lake Bakhtavan; why I know not, as tlle inhabitants of its southern sllLore do llot even recognize it by that name. Millerl I passed by, the lake +^>as quite dry, but its usual limits +sere- well defined by a wide expanse of saline deposit. As far as I could discover, it appears that.. this expanse is generally coverecl witll salt water to the deptll of from 1 to 4 yards, but this year, owing to its being the third rainless season, the lake has been thoroughly clried up. The Bunclamir Pkiver, which drains a very large basin and is a consiclerable stream, dwindles to a small stream by the time that it reaches the margin of the lake,- its waters, except in rainy seasons, being exhausted by numerous canals and other irligation worlis zvhich occur in its collrse through Melvedasht and Kolxvar, especially in the latter dis- triet. Major St. Johll, R.E., suggested that I should probably :tind the lake to lie a great deal nlo3ne to the south than tlle position it is usually represented as oceIlpyillg. A glanee at tlae map will sllow tilat MaJol St. John was eorrect in lliS eonjeeture. The asis of the lake, so to speak, partakes of the parallelism of the +alleys ancl ehains of moulltains adjaeent, and these in all hitherto published maps of Persia ineline insuffieiently to the south. 'l'he roek on both sides of the valley is a limestone of the same gelleral eharaeteristies

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms LOVETT'S Suaveys on tAte Roadfrom Shirazto Bam. 2037 as the limestone near Shiraz, which I believe is "nummu litic." I observed to the south of the hills forming the southern boundary of the Persepolis Valley, that there existed a lofty snow-capped range running parallel with it: this lay between the valley of Rohniz and that of Fesa, but is not the " Gushnagan " Eills of the maps, which are a distinct range nearer to Shiraz. The position of Niriz ascertailled on this journey diSers sery considerably from that shown in even recently publishecI maps. I have marked in red its usual position. This town, which is sitllated about 12 miles east of the shores of the " Deria Numuk," is of considerable commercial importance. Its exports are chiefly almonds and figs, which are shipped in great quan- tities vta Bunder Abbas for Bombay. The population isw said to be about 3500, and the revenue paid to the Govern- ment of Fars amounts to 12,000 tomans. It is a large town with many orchards, vineyards, arld gardens interspersed between houses built of sun-dried bricks. It is divided into three parishes or " mahalehs "; that to the south, termed the " Mahaleh Bala,"^ is well known to be peopled almost entirely by Babis, who, though they do not openly profess their faith in the teachings of Syud Ali Mahomed, the Bab, still practise tlle prirlciples of communism he inculcated. It is certain, moreover, that the tolerance which was one of the chief precepts inculcated by the Bab is here observed, for not only was I invited to make use of the public humam, if I required it, but quarters also were assigned to me in a " Madresseh." On the road to Niriz, after leaving Dudeh, I passed Rerameh and SiJilabad, both large villages surrounded by very extensive fruit-growing gardens. The tllird day's halt was at a tower midway between Kerameh and :Shir, called Shan-i-Kitf, and situated in the midst of a small wood of binnehX or van-trees. Shir is a large village situated at the entrance of a pass connecting the Persepolis Valley with those of Rohniz and Savonat, Idj, and Darab. The lofty rallge of hills, at the foot of which the town of Niriz is situated, is there locally termed the " Loirez " range; further to the north the same chain is ealled from the villages on its southern slopes tTse Koh-i-Deh Murd and the Koh-i- :Kwaja Mali respectively. This range then runs on in a north- westerly direction past Bohnat, Dehbid, and Izidkhast on the Tehran road. There are extensive forests of wi]d cherry-trees on the hills of }iwaja Mali, the wood of whicll forms a staple article of commerce. A thorough exploration of this chain of hills fiom its oulminating point, Padinah, to +here it terminates

* The wild pistachio.

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms 2()4 LOVETT'S Surveys on tAle Roadfrom Shiraz to Bam. near the shores of the Persian Gulf, would be most interesting geographically and geologically. Unfortunately, these hills are infested with robbers of the Lushani tribe, both suinluer and winter. Several times during our four days' journey in the Persepolis Valley their horsemen reconnoitred our party, which tlley evidently considered too strong to be worth an attack on tlle caravan. The passage over the Loirez ltills is by a pass 18 miles long, attaining an elevation at its watershed of 5640 feet, Niriz being about 4280, and Eotro, the haltin?-place in the ne2zt valley, beillg about 4250. This pass is not practicable for artillery, and the supply of water is precarious. The Kotro Valley beyond, with its solitary village, presents a picture of desolation that I have rarely seen equalled. It runs in a more southerly direction than the Perse,oolis one, and has no visible limit in that direction except the horizon. So far, indeed, does it e2atend that the Collector of Kotro, Futh Ali Khan, repeating the popular tradition, told me it extended to the confines of Sind ! The Darab Valley joins it a few fursukhs to the south of Kotro, aIld the two arnalgamated go on towards rlaarull. The hills Oll its eastern side are lofty, one specially so, calIed Tung (:hal. These hills lelong to the main chains running from l)ehbid. The lower ground of tlle Kotro Valley is occupied by low malshy ground, a salt lake after rain, and a salt desert or " lzevir" in dry seasons. It i8 very extensive. 'l'he village of Rotro itself consists of abollt 40 houses. Owing to the failure of some "lsanats," or subterranean canals, the , realth and populatioll of this village has-e much decreased; but though at present a miserable wreck, it contains several fine old forts and buildillgs and t\vo wind towers, xvhich form capital 1?3nf1lllarlQs. 'The house in whicll I was accommodated eontained very large and lofty roorns in the olcl Persian style; but all in a larllentalule state of disrepail. This valley is famous for its herds of wild asses, or Ghur-i-Khar. There ale in the neighbour- hood, it is estinlated, upwalds of 2000 heacl. 'l'lley may be seen browsing early in the Inorllin,; but though I came across tlaces of them verv frequently, I was not fortunate enough to fall in with any. A good horse, if brougllt within a fair distance, can easily outrace them, but they have better willd. From Kotro there are txvo roads that lead to Saidabacl, tlle ehief tON\'ll of the next valley to the east (called the ATalle) of Sirjall). One path goes vict Perpa and hIekabad to the south of 1Ve h-i-Tung Chal; the other vtcs Bishni, Dasllt, and Whairabad by the route lying north of that mountain. I chose the latter. Bishni is a small villa3e llestled among some limestone ridges that forlll tlle northern bounclary of the Wotro Valley. On the road I passed

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Loverll's Sure!/s on tlle Ro4from S1ziraz to Bam. 20o strata of slate and ^rhite marble. Crossing the watershed we pro- ceeded another stage on to Dasht, or Sir-i-Dasht, a hamlet consist- ing of a cluster of wretched huts and a solitary tower with a :not over-alounclant supply of brackish water. The name of the place means " stone " in Turkish, from tlle fact of there being leacl mines here. I visited tlle wolks, if they can be so called. The seams containing the ore rull parallel to tlle ,feneral strilte of the hills. It is found both ill the form of an oxide, and asso- ciatecl with coppel. It is redtlced to a metallic state by pulvel- isation, washing, alld heatirly in a blast fulnace, all of which operations are performe-l in the rudest and most primitive manner. The refuse copper ore is thrown awafr, as the miners are not acquainted witll the manller of reducin^, it to a :lletallie state. There are about 40 minels here. The yearly outtllrn is about 4500 mans, of which one-sixth is levied as a tax by the :Fars Government. From Dasht I proceeded to Khairabad, lvhich is situated at the foot of the Tung (Shal range, and by tlle- sholes of another great salt lalve. It was the frontier village of tlle province of Fars in this direction lately; but now it pays revenue to the Government of Kerman. I here reacllecl the- valley separating the hills xYhich form a continuation of tlle Dehlid range from those that are a continuation of tl-le Koh Rud Hills. This valley, therefore, estends from Ispahan, past Aberkoh and Sllehr-i-Babek to Sirjan, and then onwards to the south-east past Baft, the Afshllr, and Alitar districts to that of Jiruft and tllence to Bampur. The hills opposite to me at Khair- aload are, so to speak, the backbolle of the luountain syste}ll of Irean. They are the continuatiolls of the only granitic raluge ellcounterecl on the road from Bushire to Teheran. 'l'lae granite is of a grey colour generallr, alld appears at the crests of the hills ill colljllnctiorl usually *witll trap roclis. As at liohruclS so also by the Shan-i-Surkll Pass, when crossing tlliS rallge I olJsereci the rock on the flanks of the granite xvas chiefly Tnarl and clay. On the soutll side, that is the Siljan frollt, the el.ly near the main chain is covered ^vith huge frac,ments ot trtlcnhyte. The bed of clay oll wllich these masses rest is separatecl IlOW *om the main chain by a valley in whicll tl-le Saadutabacl River luns, alld tlleir preseIlce here, without exhibiting any marks of being water-X^on, seems to indicate the presellce of glaciers in this rallge at some previous epoch. Sirjan is an extensive corn-growillcr clistrict, and is the 2,ranary of Rermall. Its ellief town is Saidabad. There are about 150 vi]lac,es in this "buluk" or district. After leaving SaidabadS lvhere I staid one day and was llospitably entertained by Yayah Khan, the Collector, I proceeded to a large village called

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms :9(JD LOVETT'S Surveys on the Roadfrom Shiraz to Bam.

Saadutalead, alld tllence over the anountain lange above alluded to, pUttillg Up in a SOlitAl'y serai termed Whotl-i-Surkh, built by Abbass Iii., 1JUt zelaired lately by the Vakll-ul-mullc. The watershed I cro3sed was about 8000 feet above the sea-level, and the serai wa.s at above 6700. Tlle cold during the night was considerable. From Khon-i-Surkll I descended into tlle Mushis Valley, sYllich extends to the foot of the ilioh Xuzar, and contains numerous villages. Two stages further brought me to Kerman, where I staid a week. This town is not well supplied witll water, and tllere are lTlany places in the Werman Valley alld near tlle toxvn that would be preferable as the site for a large to^n. Tllis spot I suppose was principally chosen for tlle sake of a rock of limestone on which are the ruins at present of a fort called the ISaleh-i-dokhter, frolvn whicll a capital view of the city is obtained. As I wished to ascertain the true positio of Khabis with reference to l:Verlnan, I proceeded to tllat town, reaehinn it in three stages. It is on the north-east side of Werinan, separated from it by a mass of mountain, mostly lime- stonef but having the highest peaks of granite probably, as in a iver-bed, near Gok, I samr numerous boulders of that material. :Elwab:vs is tlle name of a district anci town producing dates and olanres, ald the terininus for leafilahs proceeding across the deserts to alld from Seistan, Neh, Wain, and AIeshed, and is therefore of considerable importance; it is about 150V feet above tlle sea. At tlle season we visited it (Decembel 22nd), the climate xvas delightful. The gardens are extensise, and look aJery pleasingX as the rich greell tints of the orallge-trees elieve the monotony of the date-pAtlms interspersed. The supply of good water is corlstant ancl abundant. A5o less tTlan elevell varieties of fruit of the Axrc(mttace ale grown here The Persian name for this kind of fruit is " murukhubat." The :nalnes are as follows:

PERSIAN. ENGLISH. Batavi. Shaddock. 13a1ancr. Ditto. rl'ul unj . Citrorl. Narinj. Bitter Ora3loe. Wali-lloi. Seet Orante. i3l krai. Ditto. Limou Khariki. Lemon. Maidani. Sweet Lime. Lilllou Ab. Sour Lime.

Sweet oranges were procurable at the rate of 100 for 1 franc. I allticipated being able to proceed from Ehabis direct to Bam across the desert, or rather along its borders, passing by iIVushit. The

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms LOVETT'S Surreys on the Roadfrom Shiraz to Bam. 207

Aauthorities, however, dissuadecl me from attempting this route -on the plea of want of water and long marches. As the habitual security of this part of Persia had been lately rudely disturbeAd by a large body of Belooch robbers, I have no doubt but th:at was the real reason. I had, therefore, to re-enter the hills and proceed south by a valley parallel to tlle direct road from Mahan to Whan-i-:Eatum, and in three marches, one of 45 miles in length, reached the latter village. NVe passed Undujird and Gok on the wav, being most hospitably entertained with our numerous following br the respective Collectors, Mirza Mehdi lihan and Mirza Hossain Whan Just before getting to the former place, on entering the low hills, I visited the old castle of Undujird, which was built in the time of Nadir Shah, as a look- out statioll to repress Belooch lsaiders. The view from this was estensive, and the mountains of Kain, Neh, and Bindan were pointed out to me. The hills throut,h which we passed orl the nray to Shan-i-Eatum svere chiefly composed of limestone and luarl rock. The highest elevation we attained was about 7000 feet. Gok stands at about 60()0 feet above the sea, and is a very large village with numerous large gardens of fruit-trees and vineyards. Owing to the late prevalence of dry seasons the inhahitants have suSered much from the failure of the fruit crops; but the lot of all the inhabitants of this well-governed and prosperous provillce is happy compared with that of the inhabitallts of Irak and Yezd. At Whan-i-liaturn I reached the anain route proceeding from Kerman to Bam; but as the remainder of my journey to Bam is over a road lately described, tllis part of my travels calls for no further rernarks. Appended is a list of tlle marches I nlade, and also of the alternate routes froln Shiraz to Kerman. I should mention that the xvhole route lies through comparative deserts, bare and stony; cultivation is only met with at rare intervals and ill small patches.

ROUTE

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms BIushir ul - mlllky .

iRoUTS FROM SHIRAX TO BAM.

Shiras DodeX c Rolwa 34 litrom. j To. | Miles. |Mlldlit-ul-Ealk I)istlict. Name bprmgs of 200 Collector. lloues , r Pltm arks F; Procecd to $adia through Tanai-Turkan to Walawal ca Shaneh:roadto:Bidell1 val- ley of lihuAh Mola. Pass T)odeh Kelameh villas of Khuslih B1a, DQ. Dariany sma11 serai Dodeh 19 Sl?ring 500 Filst pad of road sbey proprietor . $nja- u. ,1 So Pass Yezdikhast on rigllt, Rkairabad alld other vil- lages in KQ1wAr pln to le?t; Erass stream after 8 milek3, roal good. 03til- c I{el*amel Khan-l-kitf ffiad large village 2 xniles . Shll b aorth; gadens fruitss 21 .A& BUXIII'> 0f Kanat-no fsedder &?., abundant. Savormtr None Pass Chillar a:ad Hallalabad iEaleh DinJ old ruin to 7 | lightS tound headIanl over bridge called Pul-i- a Talkh. Jungle vanbtrees at Khan-i*Kitf tower Whalw-i-Etf Whil ruins d i Bod good DO. all the way. After lI;alla- 23 llitto Stl eams labad no water. 200 lwases :E Along ffiores of salt lake *e; good toad; tents Bukrai elixts pass spring of llot watel. Pass KhallllXtnfl.

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- . e1'.Z ,s) llel Sisi ltallalt ,8 [)),od Pass villaCcis Og S*Tafr(Ygf < Sllir S 1'1-1> l\Iallome(labad; no +^ ateP o after latter till lJurj Ha- jiabad. Neriz large tO\Vll,

rs three parishes, every sort H of provisioll. Ancient v llluSjid, A.H. 340. lvljtro Ivfltro Fllth Ali K}lan W:anat 40 llouses I Road good to pass- water Neriz o t procuralule half-Xsray nea 9 ( astern estrelllity, tox el Dehsha^^7, Kotl o, two frts 3 with Willd tOWCl'S. Diol,lli D. Ditto Stream well 30 lwousrls Roa(l over ' Kevir," the Kotro along bzlllk of a stream

22 amidst tamarisk bushes. : iBishni llas a four-to+veled

fort and a galdell. ca 30 lluts r

20 accomlllodatioIl at Dasht ct avell, ^itll brackish water. 1 fo.lt, G families lsllairal)ad Silj \'ns all lKlla Ital'at iEloacl passes over pass, tllen es lSa.>llt alont, a plain nt foot of

23 Twlgthal hills and along

shore of salt lake; culti- s xation near -illaoe. Saidaload Do. Ditto Iiallat {OO houses Cross salt lake, passable I;llairal)ad after rain, salt beinffl very 2 ;o hard. Pass Tarabad land . 20 - extensively cultivate(l villa(res numerous Sai- dabad laltre toxvn. Chief town of district, bazars, j hureams.

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms ROUTE F$031 SHIRAZ TO BAM-continued.

FromX T<). 8 Aliles. Distriet. t , Narie of Collector. XVltter Supply. Pt,pulation. Retnalks.

Kallat 3 Saiclabad Saadtltabacl Do. Ked Whoda Mc- 150 hotlse.s Onel uncultisTated plaila. ca she(-l-i-Astur Large house at Haicl.lbae available. $61W Skltatad Kllon-i- Rtl tlrll Selcli; llotllilr Road shortlv winds .tlolly 16 l-)()@ Sulali lrt>tbllI'cl,})l:: l:)esd of r;XeAl, lead ascent aIscl fbro

called Goael-i-Dokhtel . pass serai Khan-i-koll, water; then across valley tob Ba,:hin, serai ancl large o w-illaffle. 23 Kalentar Zamall Knats Road over plaiIl llorth-east UG BaOhin Kerulan Do. a Ehan directioll pass serai How sullia; kerman, capital city of province atld stat of Covernm?llt,

This content downloaded from 137.99.31.134 on Mon, 27 Jun 2016 05:21:49 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms ...... Strearn

29 Ho?saill Kllan Well R()atfl lies througll wide pass Kerman Tungi Nim Wohpahi past Saa,ditl Pass. " (;(vd- giz " valley turns to east nlld conta,itls several vil- la(rets. Large trees, water, antl ptlsturnC>e. o Rollpahi 32 Alil za Mehti Khan 6 house: Xs, provlslon Along river i; Ivllabis " to Faizabad Is llabis . preca rlous foot of Wotlllll, Be.-st to 3 3 halt hele nad go on to J Khabis nest malell, as Kothul is difficult. 2 Kulentar Asadul- Stream f frolll spring Faizabnel * . s . Ptoad good to Khabis; easy Khabis Do. C. lah Khan rivel descent. Ct 15 Mirza Alehti Khan Stream 40 houses Ptoael over sterile plaill to Shabis Unduji Do. Ce ftoot of hills; pass Godis o pretty village with gar- clens and date groves, luins of fort of Undujird. Lat- Ct ter fine village, date-trees, oran>e-trees. ',2 3:Tirzz Hos:Sain Kanat .900 houses Itoad goes past Rutlkhis,wa- Undujird (;01< (ok Is han ter, small llamlet t:hrough

pass goint, neal Joisllan o alld HnshtadaIl. Then south to Funduka, small -

village, wnter, over pass, es . descend to Gok. Lnre a village, cxtensivc gardens. Gok 4+ 25 llouses Road 1'UNS in vatlley going Khan i- Rayi o tsOUtil; no l:-nte7^; ,Ct'0r;(l Katum r oattl; e1OSS tsYo lz ater- tRlleds; detsetend illtO Rayi Valley. Whau-i-Kattlu serai. Ptemaineler of rollte aIreacly linov.itll,

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