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NAREATIVE OF A JOURNEY

THROUGH THE PROVINCE OF

KHOEA SS AN

NARRATIVE OF A JOURNEY

THROUGH THE PROVINCE OF

KHORASSAN

AHD ON THE

N.W. FRONTIER OF AFGHANISTAN

1875

COLONEL C. M. MacGREGOR, C.S.I., CLE.
BENGAL STAFF CORPS

IN TWO VOLUMES.-VOL. II.

WITS ILLUSTRATIONS

LONDON:
W« H. ALLEN & CO., 13, WATERLOO PLACE, S.W.
1879.

LONDON :
PRINTED BT WOODFALL AHD KINDER,
MILFOKD LANE. STRAND, W.C.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
PAGE
Mtjshtjdd TO SURRUKHS . . . 1

CHAPTER II.
MUSHTJDD TO DURRAGTJZ . . 38

CHAPTER III.
Dtjekaguz to Shahrood . .  77

CHAPTER IV.
Shahrood to London . . 155

Appendix I. . . . . . 201
II. . . 205
III. ... . 229
IV. . ... 231
V. . . . 239
VI. . . . 24-1

VOL. II.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
Persian Infantry Soldier  3
Evan, near Mushudd  (facing) 4
Native "Choola"  10
Toorkmun Horse Furniture  (facing) 16
Persian Cavalry — Horse when Protected . . . (facing) 17
Contours oe Ground  19
Contours oe Ground  20
View oe Ak-Durbund  (facing) 24
Gorge oe the Ab-y-Mushudd, above Pool-i-Khatoon . (facing) 25
Plan oe Surrukhs  (facing) 31
Surrukhs  (facing) 31
Entrance to Ddrbund-i-Jaob,  (facing) 45
In the Sreja Deeile, on the Road to Kullat-y-Nadir (facing) 46
Karradagh Range, erom Vardeh  (facing) 50
, Mukburra-y-Nadir, in Kullat  (facing) 51 '¦
Arghawan Shah Entrance oe Kullat .... (facing) 55
Arghawan Shah Gate at Kullat ..... (facing) 56
South Face oe Kullat-y-Nadir  (facing) 56
Naeta Entrance to Kullat  (facing) 57
Rough Plan oe Mahamadabad  71
Earthquake-House  85
Rough Plan oe Shirwan  91
Bcjjnurd, erom the S.W  (facing) 96
Rough Plan oe Bujnurd  97
Koordish Churn  103
Jahjurm, from the East  (facing) 105
Old Fort oe Jahjurm  (facing) 106
Oven  110
Mosque of Roshunabad  (facing) 163
" Gimlet " Fly  166
Tullar  .... 167
Captain Pavlofe .  168
Table oe Heights and Distances from Ispahan to Shoostue,
via Ardall  (facing) 231
River Karum  (facing) 234

KHORASSAN.

CHAPTER I.
MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS.
Having had about enough of Mushudd, I was anxious
to be again moving, but was not yet quite disposed to
turn homewards. Hearing, therefore, that the Persian
garrison of Surrukhs was about to be relieved, I
determined to accompany the relief, and see as much of
the country in that direction as I could. The order
from the Government of India prohibited my going
into Afghanistan, or Toorkistan, but said nothing against
my going anywhere in Persia I pleased, and as
Surrukhs was a Persian garrison, I should be clearly
within my instructions in visiting it.
The tract of country I proposed to visit afforded
considerable interest, as, except Burnes, no Englishman
had been over the whole of the road the relief proposed
to march by. Mr. Taylor Thomson in 1840, had
visited both Surrukhs and Merv, but he had reached
the former place by way of Moozdur, while my road
would take me by Ak Durbund and promised to clear
up the topography of the country thence to Pool-y-
Khatoon. I left Mushudd about five in the morning of the
VOL. II. b

KHORASSAN.

1 8th, and Abbass Khan rode out a short way with me.
It was a beautiful clear morning, and the view of the
surrounding hills was the best I had yet had, while the
golden minars and dome of the tomb of the Imam
stood out beautifully clear, as if entering a protest
against any disappointment at a visit to Mushudd. On
the road we passed the Urabb and Ujjum regiments,
on their way to relieve guards in the city. The men,
as usual with Persian regiments, were good material,
making one's fingers itch to have the working them
into shape; but the dirty state of their dress and
accoutrements, and the slovenliness of their whole get-
up, and their slouching gait, would have driven many
gallant officers of H.M.'s Army I could name into a
fit. On getting outside, we passed their camp, the
most striking feature of which was that it seemed as
if this regiment owned more donkeys than men ; I
mean this of course literally, for taken figuratively, it
is of course no more than may be said of any corps in
other parts of the world. But speaking literally the
donkey is a very important part of a Persian regiment,
as every man who can buy or steal one makes a point
of having his jackass. In quarters he is very useful
in performing little odd jobs for his owner, ranging
from the lawful to the illegal. Often the wretched
soldier is enabled to earn a little to eke out his
invisible pay and scanty subsistence by lending his
donkey to carry fruit or what not from the villages; and
often also he becomes useful for the transport of his
owner's plunder from some neighbouring village. It
is on the line of march though, that he comes in most
useful; for in addition to carrying all his owner's
baggage, he also has to carry himself, together with
many of his friends' rifles as well. A Persian regiment

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 3
on the march, therefore, does not present in the least
the same aspect as one of a properly disciplined
army. There never is any attempt at order, and once
the command to march is given, each owner of a don
key mounts his animal and. goes along at his own pace.
Though this system has the disadvantage of being
fatal to all discipline, there is no doubt that it enables

J}7xxjik. laynhswoV

Peesiah Infautby Soldier.

Persian regiments to get over in one day an extent of
ground no troops could accomplish solely on foot.
The Persian infantry soldier is dressed in a badly
made tunic of the European model, which I think a
pity, as the ordinary Persian frock-coat is not only a
more serviceable shape, but looks better ; besides,
all the men wear their own longer coats under their
b 2

4 ' KHORASSAN.
tunics. On his head he is supposed only to wear the
black lambswool busby, with an ornament consist
ing of the " Lion and the sun " in brass ; but as these
head-dresses are extremely hot in the summer, the men
generally tie some sort of a cloth on their heads and
put the busby on over this.
Close to the Paeen Kheeaban Gate, we passed the
ruins of a fine building called the Moosulla-y-Gow.
This beyond its size has no great claims to admiration,
for it is devoid of architectural beauty, but the front
of the " Evan " has on it some of the best specimens of
the enamelled tile-work called " Kashee."
The road on leaving Mushudd goes perfectly level
through a large amount of cultivation, with villages
far and near, which speak well for the fertility of the
soil of this valley, and show that it would bear a far
larger population than it can boast at present.
At about five miles out the village of Ashkabad is
passed on the left and that of Kheeaban on the right,
and half a mile further the river, which comes down from
Torokh, is crossed by an easy ford. Passing on through
Jullalabad and Dushtgurdoo, still over a level plain
covered with cultivation, we came in about six and a half
miles to the village of Hooseinabad, prettily situated on
the slope of a brown stony ridge, and in the midst of fine
plantations of poplar and extensive vineyards.
On arrival I found that my man had secured a de- '
licious place in a cool garden, and I at once indulged in
the luxury of a bath. The water was deliciously cool, and
I lay down full length in the little aqueduct, and let it
pour from a little fall over my head. This daily
tubbing seems to be one of those things which no one
in these parts is expected to understand, and is conse
quently put down as another proof of the madness

EVAN, NEAE MUSHUDD.

[To face page I.

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 5
with which all Furrungees are afflicted. After an hour
or two, when owing to the soothing effects of the bath,
breakfast, the cool air, and the cold sound of the
running water, I was in the frame of mind that a
child might have played with me, Abbass Khan, the
Governor-elect of Surrukhs, who was in command of
the party, came to see me. I at once rushed to put on
a coat, but he came up and in a very jolly way said,
" Come now, none of that ; we 're our own masters
here, so let the ways of cities be hanged, and let us be
comfortable." This man, who is now about sixty, has
seen a good deal of hard knocks in his life; he was in both
the sieges of Herat, in 1837 and 1857, and has been in
hundreds of skirmishes with Toorkmuns. He is a
Hurat Sheea, but has been living in Persia for the last
thirty years. He has not a very favourable opinion
of the Afghans, and he became quite solemn when he
said " Sahib, they are not to be trusted, not one of
them, they are all crooked (Kuj)." Of course he talked
about the Russians, every one does that in Khorassan,
and the remark — when are the Russians going to take
Merv or Herat? is nearly as common as the usual
inane commencement of the conversation at a morning
call in England, about the weather. He said one thing
original, and though perhaps it was meant to flatter,
it is none the less true. He inquired if the Russians
were very great Roostums in fight ; and then went on :
" Every one says they are, but I confess I do not see
why. The fact of their having overrun Toorkistan,
certainly does not prove it, for the Oozbucks never
fought properly once." I said I thought the Russians
would always succeed in beating such enemies as
Oozbucks and Toorkmuns, but if they tried on their
little game with us, Inshalla ! we'd lick their heads off.

6 KHORASSAN.
Next day, as the force was not going to march, and
the inaction was hateful, I determined to make a trip
over to the north side of the valley and encamp at the
large village of Kenibeest. This place, which is
situated not above two miles from the foot of the low
hills to the north, has about 300 houses, under a chief
whose acquaintance I afterwards made, named Mahamad
Khan. The chief's family and many of the inhabitants
appear to be of Koordish origin, having come from
Ardelan in the time of Shah Abbas. Among the others
are found some Afsharts, which was Nadir Shah's
tribe. The son of the headman, Ata Khan, was a fine
young man of about twenty, who had already got a
name as a destroyer of Toorkmuns, and he showed
me a prisoner whom he had captured, with his horse,
a few days before. About three miles from this
place, on a small isolated hill are the ruins of an old
stone fort called Shadshuhr attributed to the time
of Daghianus. I did not go to see it, as. I really
cannot work np sufficient interest in ruins, unless
there remains still in them some architectural
beauty, or grandness of design, or site. In the hills
beyond are marble quarries, but they say they are
not very plentiful, nor, from the specimens I saw, very
good. Three or four miles to the west is another village
called Kenigosha, which, however, I did not visit. It
contains some 250 houses, inhabited by the descendants
of a colony of Jumsheedees, whose chief now is a fine
handsome fellow called Alayar Khan. I afterwards met
this chief on the march to Surrukhs, where he was in
command of his quota of horse. He talked much of
Captain Napier, for whom he seemed to have a personal
regard, and whom he remembered with affection. The

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 7
system of transplanting turbulent races from one part
of the country to another, in order to keep in check
some equally obstreperous tribe, does not seem a bad
one, and might I think be often applied with advan
tage on our own frontiers in India. The hardship of it
only applies to the first of these forced emigrants, and
they probably often deserve no consideration. In
Persia, the system is nearly always marred by the
tyranny of the local governor, and the consequence is,
.these men are often not so faithful or so useful as they
might be if well treated.
On this day's short march a considerable river is
crossed by a deep ford, namely, the main stream of the
Ab-y-Mushudd, called also in this part the Kara
Soo. One mile down the valley, on the right bank of
this river, is the considerable village of Kala Aulang,
and on the left, that of Arsabad. About two miles
beyond Kenibeest a low range of hills rises, beyond
which is the district and village of Tabatkoon, whence
there is a road by the Duhna Zao Koonee to Kullat-y-
Nadan. There is also another road by the Duhna
Munasar to Indulabad, whence these hills are named
Koh Indulabad. The village of Kenibeest is a strong
little place, surrounded by a respectable wall and a
ditch, with its water supply safe, and not commanded.
In the evening I visited the fort, which was in a filthy
state, and had a long interesting conversation with
Ata Khan, in which tales of Toorkmun raids figured
most. These people are evidently not a bit afraid of
the Toorkmuns, and give them as good as they get.
On the 20th July I left Kenibeest, about six in the
morning, the road leading out in a direction a little
south of west, over the dreary undulating waste, which
lies between the hills on the left and the Mushudd

8 KHORASSAN.
river on the right. The road went through no cultiva
tion after leaving that of Kenibeest, but skirted for a
time the Karez which provided that place with water.
Numerous villages and hamlets are, however, passed
near the river, among which may be mentioned Koz-
goon, with 150 houses; a small walled village called
Alee Maidanee, inhabited by Taemoorees ; and Chillagai
with fifty houses of Mushuddees. At four and a half
miles from Kenibeest we crossed the road to the village
of Mai-o-mai, which is about fourteen miles distant.
It is situated under the hills in the road which goes by
Moozderan direct to Surrukhs. Crossing numerous
karez, in three miles further we came to another track
leading to Mai-o-mai from Sungbust, and passed one
mile on our right the village of Kara Bukken with 100
houses of Moozduranees.
The road now leaves the low ridge on the left, and
going over some undulations, descends to the river
through a narrow defile between low hills. This pass
is practically the limit of the cultivation of the Mus
hudd valley, for though there is a little beyond, it is
J of the most precarious kind, the villagers carrying it on
in constant fear from Toorkmun raiders. Yet under a
strong government, the whole valley of this river, right
down to Ak-Durbund, is capable of being kept in the
highest state of cultivation, as there is abundance
of water in the river, whose banks are not too high
to admit of its being distributed for vegetation. The
road now goes along the bed of the river, which is
covered with a dense jungle of tamarisk and reeds, and
at one and a half miles passes the old fort of Naza-
reean, where there are still a few miserable inhabitants.
It then crosses the river, which is here only two and a
half feet deep and thirty feet broad, and which trends

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 9
away to the left, and ascends the right bank to a
ruined fort, and then going over a strong undulation
descends again into the bed of the river at Lungurruh
or Inayutabad.
The valley here is about two miles broad and has
abundance of water, and a fine stretch of good soil
capable of being cultivated. There is no village
where we encamped ; but fuel, forage, and water are
abundant. The sun was very hot when I arrived, and after
roaming about for some little time among a disordered
mass of human beings and baggage animals scattered
about at their will, I observed some one making signs
to me, and on getting closer was glad to find it was the
old Surteep, Abbass Khan, who wished me to come
under his tent for shelter ; an offer I was delighted to
accept. Entering the low tent, I found the old soldier seated on
his bedding, which was spread on the floor. Though a bit
of a swell in his way, and going to take up the appoint
ment of Governor of Surrukhs, I think his equipment
might almost have passed muster even under the 401b
rule, and it certainly would have brought to shame any
one accustomed to luxurious Indian compaigning. In
the first place, the tent was so thin and light that it
afforded but little protection from the sun ; and beyond
the old Surteep' s bedding and a carpet there was abso
lutely nothing else. We sat there for some time, talk
ing and eating fine water lemons the old gentleman had
brought, waiting till my baggage came up.
Unfortunately this was not for a long time, as I had
been persuaded at Mushudd that camels would be the
best carriage to take for the desert road we were to go,
so that T had to wait hours before these beasts, the

10

KHORASSAN.

most provoking means of carriage one can have, came
up. Of course I found that the stories of the difficulty
of getting water on the road were ridiculously exag
gerated, as no part was one fourth so bad as the deserts
which I had crossed between Beeabunnuck and Tubbus,
or Birjund and Herat.
The old Surteep was much interested when I in
formed him that I could make sweet drinkable waters out
of the worst and most salt stuff he could give me, and
he begged me to show him how it was done. I accord

ingly one day told Pascal to bring the things over
to his tent. My apparatus was a very simple one,
which I had used for photographic purposes, and con
sisted of a common cooking-pot with a concave lid B.
The pot I placed in a " choola," or fireplace formed of a
few stones, and lit the fire underneath. In A is placed
the boiling water, and in B a constant supply of cold
water is poured, which, from its surplus running out by
the pipe C, is always maintained cold, the steam from

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 11
the water in A then condenses in the lid B, and runs
down and collects in a tin pipe, by which it runs out
into the bottle E. In this way, with a small portable
apparatus, sufficient drinkable water for one's own use
can always be obtained, whatever the bitterness of the
water supply may be. Abbass Khan was delighted with
it, and begged me to have one made for him at
Mushudd, but as I should probably not want my own
again, and there would have been difficulty in forward
ing one to him from Mushudd, I gave him my own, a
gift which was very much appreciated.
At Mushudd I Had managed, through the kindness
of Abbass Khan, the British Agent, to get a new set
of servants. One of these was one Kasim, who had
been his own factotum, and as I had taken a fancy to
him, he had let him come with me. He was a small
active, very intelligent man, and had been very civil
while we were at Mushudd ; but I very soon found
that he was not only unsuited to roughing it, but also
very much averse to it. He seemed to have left his
good qualities behind him, and instantly began to
develop bad ones. So that the upshot was, I let him
go back from the next march. My experience of
Persian servants hitherto had been most unfortunate,
but I was not much surprised, as I knew in this respect
Persia did not differ from other countries. It is really
impossible for a passer by to get good servants in any
country ; in India they are better than any place I
know. Next morning we started at 4.30 in the direction of
SSE., the road going down the valley, but occasionally
leaving it to go over low undulating spurs on the right
bank. At two miles we passed a small fort called Kili-
chibad, which contained some thirty houses of Taemoo-

12 KHORASSAN.
rees, and had a fair bit of cultivation round. Then we
went on for one mile to Shadeecheh, another fort with
some twenty houses of Mervees. Here the valley was
about one and a half miles broad, with a fine stream of
water in the river, and great abundance of fodder and
fuel, together with a large extent of culturable land,
only scraps of which were however made use of.
I was quietly riding in from this place, when a
trooper came up to me, with the Surteep's compliments,
to ask me to halt here, as he found that the guns would
not be able to get beyond this to-day, and he did not
think it safe to go on without them. So, as there was
no help for it, I set to work to look out for a spot for
my tent.
At nearly every other place before this march at which
I had stopped, I had always been provided with quarters
in the villages, but now I was obliged to have recourse
to my tent. And small though it was, right glad was
I to have such a luxury with me. Although only what
is called in India a sleeping pal, I found it was the
largest shelter in camp. It measured 8 by 1 0 feet, and
was about 6 feet in height, and had two flys. The sun
was extremely hot, the heat going up as high as 110° to
1 1 5° in the tent, and so in order to provide more shelter I
had to place all my spare horse blankets between the flys.
With this arrangement, these small tents are as much
as a soldier requires for protection in the East. Com
fort is of course out of the question, but then there can
be no comfort where the thermometer adopts such ten
dencies. No doubt a larger tent seems a little cooler,
but I doubt if it really is so, and after the thermometer
has got to 110°, it really does not matter how much
higher it goes.
We were, alas, doomed to stay in this uninviting spot

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 13
for yet another day to wait for the gunners, who seemed
in no hurry to go to their prison at Surrukhs ; but as
I could not go on by myself, there was nothing for it
but to grin and bear the disappointment.
Next morning, the 23rd July, I went over to see
Mahamad Khan, the chief of the village of Kenibeest,
who was here in command of the cavalry of the force.
He was a nice gentle-mannered old man, but rather
more fit for his own divan than for roughing it out here.
Nevertheless, he had been a man of note in his day, and
was much looked up to by the other leaders of horse.
After a short conversation we went round — I was
going to say the lines — but this word would never
apply to the manner of encamping peculiar to his men.
The fact was each man had picketted his horse, however
and wherever he pleased, and so we could only meander
about, zigzagging from one to another, as Mahamad
Khan wished me to look at some particular horse or
take notice of some pet trooper.
I must say the cavalry thus brought to my notice
were indeed "irregular," for at first sight each man
seemed to dress as he liked, arm as he liked, and do as
he liked ; they were in truth, a body to make a cavalry
officer of the Cardigan days (now gone for ever, I hope)
shudder. But I had been accustomed thus to see the
raw material presented in all its immaturity, and it was
not long before I discovered in these incoherent atoms
a system, not a system laid down in red books and
published by order, but one founded on time-honoured
custom and the practice of many hard, yet unheard of
little campaigns. True, the men were dressed in " black
or green, or blue or brown ;" true, some had 14-hand
ponies, others 16-hand Toorkmuns, and these were
picketted anywhere and nowhere; true, they had no

14 KHORASSAN.
beautifully dressed lines of cumbrous tents, and they
had none of the paraphernalia termed " necessaries " in
our land — yet they were a serviceable lot. And there was
a good deal more uniformity about them than was appa
rent at first. They had all good serviceable sheepskin
busbies, some black, some brown, white or grey, (and
nearly all had the sensible movable peak called the
" affcab gardan," literally meaning " moving with the
sun," as they are moved round in any direction so as to
afford shade where the sun beats fiercest.
Their coats were the long Persian frockl coat,
which is one of the most serviceable and most^gentle-
manly coats I have seen in any land — and thefr boots
were generally of good strong brown untanned leather,
reaching to the swell of the calf (only calves in this
country don't swell). These had pointed toes and high
heels, very much like those in which, the fair sex in
Europe delight. They had no spurs, but carried a short
Toorkmun whip, which last is, I think, a decided mistake.
Their arms generally consisted of a matchlock, slung
as I have shown it in the sketch,* and a sword. Their
weapon, par excellence, is the matchlock, which most
Persians are very skilful in the use of on the move ;
their tactics being of the Parthian order, they use their
matchlocks often at full gallop, firing either as they
advance or retreat. To disciplined cavalry of course
this sort of thing is more amusing than serious ; but
I daresay it would try the nerves of Cossacks, who in
the Khivan campaign, were acknowledged even by the
Russians, to be inferior as light cavalry to the Toorkmuns.
Their sabres are of the usual Khorassanee curved shape,
with no protection for the hand ; but they do not go in
much for the use of the sword.
* Given at p. 237, Vol. I.

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 15
Their belts were all made of brown untanned leather,
and though of rough construction were very serviceable.
The sword-belt struck me as being of a useful pattern.
It is a belt fastened by a snake hook, and one from
which I think we might well take a hint. It is
made of one piece of leather, which is slipped over the
head and brought round the waist, and then tightened
by means of a large ring to the necessary length, so as
to fit over the right hip and under the left ; the ends
of the strap become narrower towards the end, and are
then crossed through the ring which keeps all in its
place. There are no buckles, and the only sewing is at
the small rings of the sword. I wore one of these
belts for a long time and found them most comfort
able. Another article of equipment well worthy of adop
tion, especially for pistol ammunition, is one I have
since adopted in my own fighting equipment. It
merely consists in having a number of little pouches or
pockets sewn on to the cross-belt which sustains one's
binoculars, as is shown in the sketch.* I have worn
this now in riding for not less than some 3,000 miles,
and always found it very convenient. The belt, too, with
the pistol cartridges so carried, might be made to
assume a very pretty appearance, suitable alike to the
" pomp and circumstance of glorious war."
As to the horse equipment, first comes the head-stall,
called " Kullugee." This consists of narrow brown
leather, which looks weaker than it really is, as it is sewn
double throughout ; the usual price is four krans. The
bit used is a jagged snaffle. In hot weather, or when
flies are troublesome, they use a " maghazpara," which
is tied on with a bit of string.
* See remark at foot of p. 14.

16 KHORASSAN.
Attached to the head-stall is a chain, the actual size
of the links of which is shown in the sketch. This is
passed once round the horse's nose, and then through a
ring and hangs down at the near side of the neck, and
is attached to a beautiful light but strong picketing
rope, made either of came! hair or silk. At the end of
this rope is an iron picketing peg, which is always used
by these horsemen.
As they shave the manes off their horses they
always have a band, sometimes made of leather or rope,
but often of leather with silver plates on it to hang
round the swell of the neck, in order to give something
for the horsemen to hold on by in mounting. The
breastplate is made of the same material and is attached
to rings in the front of the saddle.
The saddle is of a shape that would not suit us, but
it is a very strong serviceable article, with the seat of
leather stretched as in our hussar saddles ; the plan of
which was, I believe, introduced by Nolan from the
Hungarian saddles, and as these people came from
Central Asia, it is very probable their saddles were
very much what is in use with the Toorkmuns to this
day. This saddle consists of two parts quite separate,
viz., the "zin" or saddle tree, and the " tukultoo " or
saddle pad. This last is made of thick folds of numda
covered with leather, and having a sort of flap at the
back which is made of cloth often beautifully embroi
dered in silk. Besides there is a white felt numda
called " arasgir."
In saddling up their horses they first take off the huge
Toorkmunfelt "jhool"and roll it up in a long roll,
its eventual place being behind the saddle They then
fold the smaller " jhool."
But it was in their horse furniture that they excelled

{| Zvn,l5~krans
Suddl&.vrootZcoverecb

Gen.*"

TOORKMUN HORSE FURNITUEE.

[To face page 16.

PERSIAN CAVALRY HORSE WHEN PICKETED.

[To face page 17.

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 17
most, all being taken from the patterns in use with the
Toorkmuns. The former sketch will show how these
were placed on the horse, and the following description
will demonstrate each article more in detail.
They first place it smoothly on the horse, then cross
the sides over the back, and double back the two front
pieces. On this they place the " arasgir," and then the
" tukultoo," and fasten them with a broad leather
(tung) strap. Over this again the saddle is placed, and
also secured by anbther similar but broader strap. The
tree is always taken off when the march is over, the
saddle pad is often left on, and the smaller jhool is
never taken off, but is unfolded and then the larger
jhool is fastened on by a long girth which is wound
round and round the body, so that the horse presents
a rather comical, if comfortable, appearance.
The stirrup is shaped very much like ours, but to the
inner edge there is a small spike (mamoz) which
answers the purpose of our spur indifferently. These
men never ride with more than one rein (jilo), and
this is made, as is shown in the sketch, with a loop
at the end, and often a long thong which can be used
as a whip. To my mind these reins are far more
sensible and serviceable than ours, as they enable the
horseman to drop his rein when necessary and use his
left hand, and also to pick it up with the greatest ease
afterwards. In heavy marching order every man has a pair of
" Khoorzeens " or saddlebags of carpeting, which are
stuck behind the saddle where it is well balanced.
Over this is tied a roll, consisting of an overcoat or
extra blanket, and behind all the roll composed of the
larger felt for the horse. This roll is the only thing
that does not look workmanlike, but owing to the
vol. n. c

18 KHORASSAN.
thickness and stiffness of the felt it is not possible to
make it up smaller or more compactly.
Equipped in this way these men are enabled to make
the longest marches and remain out without any more
carriage, for in their Khoorzeens they carry their all,
inclusive of provisions.
I was altogether much pleased with my little inspec
tion of Mahamad Khan's cavalry, and told him, on
leaving, that I had seen a good deal of cavalry in many
parts of the world, and though I had seen smarter men,
I had seldom beheld a more thoroughly serviceable turn
out. Such men led by English officers would prove
very formidable antagonists for the best of Cossacks,
and, let me add, the remark cuts the other way too. Our
native cavalry in India, the best light cavalry in the
world, would ride them down perhaps, but they would
not have it quite their own way.
Though these irregular horsemen are capable of being
made good cavalry if they were subjected to a strict
discipline, it must not be supposed that as they are at
present, they are really very efficient. I noticed many,
very many, " laches " of discipline that would have
driven officers of our cavalry into a state of lunacy.
There was seldom any attempt made at scouting, and
the only endeavour to guard the front of our camp from
surprise, consisted in pushing out a few bodies of men
to the front, who generally went to sleep directly they
arrived at their posts.
One of the most amusing instances of what we should
term unsoldierlike behaviour I noticed, was seeing
some of our advance guard riding in front with their
wives behind them. I rode up to one of these men
and asked him if he thought this was a right proceed
ing, and how he could fight while encumbered by his

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS.

19

better half. " Oh," he said, " it's all right, we shall
not have any fighting, and if we do, she will soon jump
off." I suppose he would not have had the smallest
hesitation in getting rid of the extra weight if his own
life was in danger ; but there is something touching, I
think, in the devotion of these women in thus following
their lords, even into the lion's mouth.
Erom Shadeecheh, which we left on the morning of

Contours of Ground.

the 23rd., the road first crosses the river and then turns
north, going for two miles over an undulating ridge on
the left bank of, and parallel with, the river, which here
gives a turn to the north. It then descends into a
valley which drains into the main stream, and goes up
it for two miles. Another ridge is crossed in the next
mile, and the road then descends into a ravine and, going
down it for one mile, comes again to the main stream of
the Ab-y-Mushudd. Crossing this by a shallowish
c 2

20

KHORASSAN.

ford, with heavy mud bottom, it continues along the
right bank of the river for two miles to Char Goombuz,
a ruined " serai " and " howz." Thence it continues by
an excellent track, down the river bank, the valley of
which is here one mile broad, for eight miles further to
Ordoogah, passing at four miles another ruined serai
called Nabat-y-Mai.
While going down this valley, I noticed a formation
in the ground I have never seen or heard of before. I
have always noticed the drainage of a ridge to run out
more or less at right angles to the axis of the* ridge ; as
is shown in the preceding diagram.
But here it was quite different, the drainage ran as
above, only to the foot of the lowest contour of the
ridge, and then turned sharp round and followed that
contour, thus forming a ditch at the foot of the ridge,
which cut off the hill from the level ground at its foot.
This I have attempted to explain by the annexed
sketch :

Contours of Ground.

I cannot account for this freak, as the ground at the
foot of the slope did not offer any obstruction that
would have caused the drainage to turn off thus

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 21
parallel to the axis of the ridge, and therefore I leave
it for solution by others more learned in these matters.
As the " Surteep " had talked with rather a long
face of the danger of to-day's march, I was rather
amused by the utter confusion of the whole order of
march. Cavalry were mixed up inextricably with a mass
of camels carrying supplies and huge "Kajawalis " *
containing the richer portion of the fair sex going to
brighten the dreary existence of their lords at Surrukhs.
The Infantry were mostly riding on donkeys, and
wandered at the sweet will of the animals all over the
country, and the guns were surrounded by such a throng
of donkeys, horses, and camels, as would have made their
services utterly inoperative in the event of an attack.
There was, however, more semblance of discipline
among the gunners than the other arms; though thus
surrounded, they were all marching in some order well
together. The guns were 9-pounders drawn by six
excellent little horses apiece, and though there was a
good deal of rope in the harness, all looked fairly
serviceable. The men were simply splendid in physique,
and had all the attributes the raw material should
possess. The way they get their guns over places that
would have made many a more civilized gunner stare
was most remarkable. Nothing seemed to come amiss
to them and they shied at nothing. I experienced
proud satisfaction in thinking that this superiority of
the artillery' of the Persian Army was a remnant of the
wholesome system and pride in their craft, instilled into
them in the days of the gallant Christie. The captain
(Sooltan) in command, with whom I rode part of the
way, said his father often spoke of Christie Sahib and
* A sort of pannier, one on each side of a camel, for the conveyance of
women.

22 KHORASSAN.
his glorious death at Aslandooz, and he added sadly, yet
proudly, " Aye, with leaders like him we'd do it again."
And I believed him, for dirty and unkempt as his men
were, they bore on their fine manly bronzed counten
ances the mark which stamps men, " fit to go anywhere
and do anything."
At Ordoogah there are no habitations, but the river
bed affords any amount of fodder and fuel and water,
and in the hills around them is excellent grazing for
camels. From this place there is a fine view of Moozduran,
and the range of the same name which stretches from
a bearing of 336° to one of 97°. It is apparently, and
I believe actually, quite inaccessible between these points
almost for footmen, except at Moozduran itself, which
bears 47°, when the ridge becoming a very little more
rounded and less precipitous affords room for two or three
paths over it. But these, as well as every crest and
hollow of the ridge, are defended and blocked by high
circular towers. I counted no less than twenty-one of
these towers, besides a small fort on the crest of an isolated
hill. Altogether it is a very strong position, and must
be considered as quite impregnable to the Toorkmuns.
If it once fell into their hands, the result would be
disastrous for the Persians, as then these jackals would
have an impregnable fort as a base, from which to
issue and harry the country right up to Mushudd. The
Persians however are well aware of this, and keep a
pretty strong garrison of irregulars in it.
The camp to-day was a little more closed up than it
had been before, and Cavalry were sent down the river
bed to beat the dense tamarisk jungle for lurking
Toorkmuns, while picquets were pushed forward to the
east. I did not feel the heat so much to-day, as, though

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 23
I had as usual to wait an unconscionable time for my
camels, I found a friendly tamarisk of considerable
size under which to spread my blanket.
I always carried on my horse a couple of blankets, in
one of which was a pair of light loose trousers made
of tussa silk, and in the other a pair of slippers. Then
in my saddle-bags I carried some food, so that I was
quite independent, and could either have a snooze with
my incomparable Terai hat as a pillow, write up my
journal, or sketch in my map. Talking of the Terai
hat reminds me that it, and a pair of clouded glass
spectacles, were given me by kind friends just before I
left India. Never have I had such useful and appro
priate presents, and I am sure if the blessings I used to
pour on the donors almost every day in this journey
will do them any good, they ought to find their reward
some day.
On Saturday the 24th July, we marched 10 miles to
Ak Durbund. The road leads down the valley almost
the whole way, only occasionally leaving it to go over
spurs to the left, which here and there impinge on the
river. It is quite practicable everywhere for field
artillery. At the eighth mile we passed a newly built
fort called Bughbughoo, occupied by about thirty
wretched creatures, who looked at us passing with the
longing look of prisoners afforded a glimpse of the
outer world.
At the fourteenth mile we descended to the bed of
the river and crossed to the right bank, by a very nasty,
because very muddy, ford. Thence the road went over
an open plain for one mile, when it ascended over a spur
by a steep, but otherwise easy, pass, to another little
opening, which was again divided from Ak Durbund
by another similar pass.

24 KHORASSAN'.
The river here is confined between hills, so that the
valley is not more than 300 yards across, and beyond
this it gradually gets narrower and narrower, till it
becomes a regular defile, and continues thus till it
emerges from the hills at Pool-y-Khatoon, where the
ground becomes much more open. All access from the
east is closed by towers placed on commanding posi
tions overhanging the defile, so that the position of
Ak Durbund becomes one of very considerable import
ance in considering the defence of this border, as by it
is the only practicable road between Moozduran and the
southern side of the ridges which bound the Ab-y-
Mushtidd on the south.
From Moozduran the main ridge continues to be
equally impracticable towards Ak Durbund, before
reaching which place it throws out a spur with perpen
dicular sides, which runs down to the spot thus
called, ending in the abrupt drop shown on the left of
the picture. Again, from the point above-named,
whence what may be called the left ridge of the "Dur
bund " is thrown out, another spur goes on to the east
(it is seen in the ridge shown in the centre of the
sketch), and about two miles be)rond Ak Durbund
throws out another ridge to the S., which is again
connected with a spur which runs E. and W., parallel
with the parent ridge. The westerly prolongation of
this spur comes down to within 200 yards of what I
have called the left ridge of the Durbund, thus itself
forming the right ridge (shown on right of sketch).
Between these two ridges is the only road, and this has
been closed by a high, strong, stone wall, built right
across from hill to hill, commanded on either flank by
strong towers on the heights as well as by a strong
little fortlet to the rear. Thus, as long as the garrisons

GORGE OF THE AB-Y-MUSHUDD, ABOVE POOL-I-KHATOON.

[To face page 25.

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 25
hold out, no Toorkmun or other evil thing can get
through the " White Gateway " or barrier.
Next day, 25th, we were only to make a short march
of four miles to Shorjah, as it was the last place
between Ak Durbund and Dowlutabad, where there was
water, and it was, of course, an object to get as far on
our road as possible. The first thing to be done was to
pull down a portion of the wall to enable our column
to get through, and then the road turned to the NE.
and ascended to the top of a low, easy pass (over the
cross spur noted above), in two miles, then descending
over open downs covered with "pista" bushes and the
rough easy ravines to Shorjah, a little opening in the
defile, followed by the river.
Here there were three or four small towers, and a
fortlet garrisoned by about fifty men, who did not seem
at all to appreciate their being thus needlessly advanced
beyond the safe shelter of Ak Durbund. The water
here in the river is brackish, but there is a good spring
of drinking water about two miles up the defile, and
fuel, and grazing for horses and camels are very abun
dant. In the afternoon, about four, we were on the move
again, and from the way in which everybody huddled
together, it was evident they were all in a blue funk of
Toorkmuns. The road almost immediately crossed over
the dying end of the Moozduran range, and ascending
the top of this I saw before me for the first time, the
much dreaded, much talked of, Dusht-y-Toorkmun, a
name which no Persian, east of Shahrood, speaks of
but with bated breath.
The " plain of the Toorkmuns " as yet, at least,
showed no signs of deserving the first part of its name,
for no plain was to be seen, but only a series of bold

26 KHORASSAN.
undulating ridges, which, except for their sandy nature
and absolute want of all life, might have been in
Devonshire. The feeling with which I looked on this
expanse, the happy hunting grounds of the greatest set
of villains which even this wicked world has perhaps
ever produced, was one of intense curiosity, mingled,
let it be told, with some awe — something of the feeling
one has when, after long marches, one first sights the
enemy's stronghold which one has come to attack lying
peacefully in a far distant plain.
Here every one instinctively halted, and gave one
long look at the bare rugged hills behind, which, not
withstanding their aridity and unsightliness, looked
down on the way to home, while in the other direc
tion was the way to — where ? I think I saw many
shudder, I am sure I saw many green cheeks and blue
lips as this thought suggested itself.
I was standing by the " Surteep," and he, too, though
I daresay as brave as a lion against an open foe, did not
half like plunging into the unknown, or giving the
word which would cause the seething mass of confusion
which composed his command, to move on — on to those
undulating hills which look as if expressly made for an
ambush. At last he said, " Let us go ; Toorkmuns or
no Toorkmuns we must not delay." Then the word
went round, and every one called out boldly " Forward ! "
yet a good many took care their animals should not
move, till seeing others going on ahead all gathered
courage and the whole throng moved down the low pass.
Up to this moment, my experience of Persian troops
had shown me little but utter disorder and confusion ;
but I thought, after all it does not matter, there is no
danger here, no doubt when they really get into the
dangerous tract I shall see that fear, if nothing else,

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 27
will induce them to advance in better order. But I
was wrong ; the only idea which any one seemed to have
was to huddle as much together as possible, so that
Abbass Khan's army, which, if it had been properly
handled, was really a very compact little force of a
battalion of infantry, three guns and some 500 horse
men, was quite lost in a chaotic throng of camels,
ponies, mules, and donkeys, so that their fighting powers
were completely annulled.
I did not like this : for the last six days I had been
hearing dreadful stories of the prowess of the Tukkeh
Toorkmuns, and though I received these " cum grano,"
I could not but think that we were liable to attack, and
this way of doing business quite shocked my military
sensibilities. I therefore went up to the Surteep, and
said, " You surely are not going to advance with your
command jumbled up in this fashion ? " " What can I
do ? " said the poor old man, with a comical look of per
plexity. " Nobody will obey my orders." " But don't
you see," said I, "a couple of hundred Toorkmuns
could put the whole of such a helpless mob to flight."
" Yes, I know, but it's no use talking to them. I told
them all before the cavalry were to go ahead and the
baggage in rear, but they won't obey."
Seeing it was no use trying to get him to help, I
then galloped off and got hold of Mahamad Khan, who
was the principal cavalry leader, and after a good deal
of argument, got him to separate his horsemen from the
main body and send them on a mile or two ahead ; but
he plainly did not see the fun of bothering himself
with precautions, thinking that if it was willed they
should get to Surrukhs they would get there, advance
guard or no advance guard ; and if it was not so fated,
why they would just have to go to Merv.

28 KHORASSAN.
I then went to Alayar Khan and found him much
more sensible, and he at once agreed to take his men
out to the threatened flank. Next I went to the
Sooltan of the gunners, and he agreed with me, it was
all very lamentable. " If they do come," he said, " I can
do nothing, what with these (zuns) women, and (oosh-
turs) camels, and these infernal infantry (surbazes),
with their donkeys."
1 found nothing could be made at all of the infantry,
of which no two men were together, and whose officers
were riding about, some on ponies and some on baggage-
animals, all over the place; and as for trying to get the
baggage a little straight, I saw that was a bad job,
and so I resigned myself to what fate had in store.
Night had now fallen, but there was a fine moon,
and one could see a short way a-head, and so taking
my " boy " with me, we rode on a-head, and were thus
in the safest place, because, if the Toorkmuns had come,
they would probably have made straight for the baggage.
On we went the whole night through, over a vast un
dulating sandy plain, the silence only broken by the
monotonous tinkling of the mule bells; and I was
never more glad to see dawn appear.
Presently we came in sight of Dowlutabad, and even
its blank mud walls afforded some relief after the
anxieties of the night. Riding up we found the gates
closed, and the garrison, which I afterwards found to
consist of sixteen men, on the alert. The place was
large enough to hold 400 men, so I think the garrison
was wise in abandoning all the rest of the fort to its
fate, and assembling in one tower over the gateway.
When daylight fully disclosed to them that we were
not Toorkmuns, they came down and opened the gate,
and it was a real pleasure to see the delight with which

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 29
the poor devils welcomed their people. They seem to
have an awful time of it, for days together they are not
able to stir out of the fort, or they would be pounced
on by the prowling bands of Toorkmuns which they
constantly see from the walls ; and they took advantage
of our presence to rush out, and taking every animal of
their own, and as many more as they could get the loan
of, they made off to the river-bed, about half a mile off,
and piled them up with fire- wood. They had a good
supply of provisions, and the Surteep gave them some
more, and there was a well about 20 to 30 feet deep
inside the fort. They had no women with them, and
altogether I should say they had about as hard a time
of it as any warriors I ever heard of. We had come
about thirty-five miles in the night, on a bearing of
from 18° to 40°, the last eight miles being 30° as
straight as a die.
The Surteep was so delighted at getting over the
dangerous part of the road, that he determined to go
on to Surrukhs the same day, and so about noon we
were off again, and every one was so pleased with the
near prospect of safety, that it became a regular devil
take the hindmost scurry, and the noise was terrible.
The distance was eight miles in a direction 350°, and
the road led over a waste plain of excellent soil about
a mile or so from the left bank of the Tejund River,
which ran in a very diminished stream between high
steep banks. Although remonstrated with on the
temerity of such a proceeding, I preferred to ride off to
the flank along the edge of the river bank. There
really was no danger, for I could see to the front very
clearly, and if Toorkmuns had lurked in the Tamarisk
jungle of the bed, I could have got back to the main
body before they could have even got out of their lair.

30 KHORASSAN.
We passed several ruins of forts, and one fort about
three miles from Surrukhs which was inhabited and
named Nowrozabad.
The sun was very hot, and I was extremely glad to
get into the immense fort of Surrukhs, and reach the
quarters which a captain of the infantry regiment very
kindly gave up to me. I do not know that there is
anything in this wicked world so grateful to the senses
as a bath following such a day as we had had. After
the shudder caused by the first trickle of the water,
and one feels it caressingly gliding down the fevered
limbs and its cool gush on one's heated brow, one
exclaims in the ecstasy of the moment, " If there is
bliss upon earth, it is this, it is this."
Next morning, 27th July, I rose refreshed after a
deliciously cool sleep on the top of my quarters. I rose,
and climbing up the worn and scarcely practicable
steps got on to the top of one of the north towers and
looked round. The scene that met my eye is easily
described. To the north stretched one vast plain,
which, except for a few mounds and a ruined mosque
marking the site of one of the former towns of
Surrukhs, was unbroken by tree, bush, mound, or
undulations as far as the eye could reach. The Te-
jund, it is true, winds round to the NW., but its bed
is low, below the level of the plain, and so nothing can
be seen of it. It was a strange feeling to look out on
this wide interminable expanse, and think that for an
arc of 80°, there was not for over 300 miles perhaps
one single drop of water, or one human being. To the
NE. lay the road to Merv, stretched out beyond the
dark tamarisk foliage in the bed of the Tejund. To the
east all was clear ; to the SE. were undulating rounded
ridges (covered with little black dots, which they told

32 KHORASSAN.
higher ranks ; and there are a few, very few, artisans
and shopkeepers.
Outside the fort are a number of Toorkmun towers,
and round each of these is a small patch of ground,
cultivated by the men of the garrison, and watered
from wells. The soil is everywhere of a light sandy
nature, but as there is abundance of water at a
depth of about 20 feet, no doubt it would be capable of
affording large crops. Were the Toorkmun question
for ever at rest, I see no reason why Surrukhs should
not become a place of considerable importance, as a
large population could easily be supported by agriculture
alone, and its convenient position with reference to
Mushudd and Herat on the south, and Khiva and.
Bokhara on the north, marks it out as a future pro
bable entrepot of commerce.
With regard to its strategical importance, I think a
glance at the map will show that in the complications,
which must arise ere the Russo-Indian question can be
deemed settled, its future is likely to be a stirring one.
Placed at the junction of roads from Herat and Mus
hudd, by the Hurree Rood and Ab-y-Mushudd valleys
respectively; and at the best entrance to the
province of Khorassan from the north, it cannot
fail to exercise a very serious influence on the momen
tous issue of the above question. This must happen,
whether it falls into the hands of the friends of Eng
land or into those of her foes. Whether Russia uses Sur
rukhs as a base for offensive measures against Herat, or
England as a defensive outpost to defeat any such opera
tions, that position will be heard of again. And if my
feeble voice can effect a warning ere it is too late, let it
here be raised in these words : ff England does not use
Surrukhs for defence, Russia will use it for offence.

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 33
Commercially, it is admirably situated for drawing
to it all the trade between Toorkistan on the north,
and Khorassan on the south ; and it has every advan
tage of soil and water and climate that would be neces
sary for these purposes.
I think, however, the actual site now occupied is, from
a tactical point of view, too far forward, and I should
myself be inclined to draw it back as far as Dowlutabad,
near which, on the right bank of the river, are some
heights, which might soon be rendered a very strong
position for a fort, while arrangements might be made
for storing water in the river bed below to any extent.
On the 28th, after a good deal of difficulty, I got
Abbass Khan to give me a couple of hundred horse
men, and with them I rode out across the Tejund for
some twelve miles in the direction of Merv, and I can
assure my reader it was with a very reluctant heart I
returned. Beyond lay an endless desert, and deserts
always have equally disturbing effect on me with un
known ranges of mountains, I always want to look
beyond. And so it was, the spirit of adventure said,
" Ride on ; true, these people won't go with you, but
qu'importe ? go on by yourself, it would be fun to
ride quietly by yourself right into the Tukkeh den ; "
but then rung out those words which were yet rankling
in my breast, " You are not to enter Afghanistan or
Toorkistan." So I had to come back.
There was nothing much to see. After crossing the
Tejund, which is generally dry here except after rain,
and the bed of which is still filled with thick jungle of
tamarisk, the road goes north-east over a hard plain
interspersed with sand drifts. Towards the end the
sand assumed the mastery more and more, and on ahead
there was apparently a complete sand waste.
VOL. II. d

34 KHORASSAN.
On the way out to Surrukhs I had, of course, had
many conversations with the different chiefs of our
party, and, as may be supposed, much of this ran on
the absorbing topic of Khorassan politics, the advance
of Russia. During these conversations I had learnt
that the Tukkehs had a' Russian prisoner, whom they
had taken in one of the fights with Markosoff's detach
ment during the Khivan campaign.
At Surrukhs I learnt more about him. He was said
to be a gunner, but they did not know his name. The
Tukkehs had offered to give him up for a ransom, and
it was believed that the Wullee had made them some
offer, but the Russians did not seem to take much
interest in the matter, and so the wretch was allowed
to languish in captivity.
Poor devil ! I pitied him. I had heard so many
stories of Toorkmun cruelty, these were so fresh in my
mind, and after travelling so long among Asiatics one
imbibes a fellow feeling for any one from Europe ; so that
perhaps my sympathies were more easily touched than
they would have been if I had been sitting in an easy
chair by my " ain fireside," with a halo of forgetfulness
cast over Toorkmun horrors. I therefore longed to do
something for him, but what to do ? I could not go to
him, I could not offer to ransom him, as it was said the
Tukkehs wanted something like £2,000 for him. Yet
I could not bring myself to pass by on the other side,
and go away without showing the smallest sympathy
for the poor wretch.
I therefore wrote him the following short note, put
ting it into indifferent Persian, and I daresay worse
French, as the only two languages I knew anything of
that he was likely to know also.
" My friend, I am told that you are a prisoner in the

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 35
hands of the Toorkmuns of Merv, and I write in the
hope that I may be able to do something for you. If
you will write me a letter to care of the British Agent,
Mushudd, I will do anything in my power for you. I
send you a little money, and if you want more I will
endeavour to send some to you. Hoping I may be
able to do something for you  "
This letter I gave to the Surteep, and he promised
to forward it by some Tukkehs who were about to leave
Surrukhs for Merv ; but I regret to say, though I left
orders at Mushudd on my starting for the Caspian, that
any reply was to be sent to me, I never received any
while in Persia, and thought, of course, Abbass Khan
had probably never sent it. But it may be interesting
to my readers to learn the after-fate of my letter. It
appears that it was sent to Merv, and it duly reached
the hands of the poor devil for whom it was meant
(and whose name, I think, I afterwards heard was
Ivanoff), and he replied to it. The reply was sent by
the Surteep to Mushudd, and instead of reaching me
fell somehow into the hands of the aged Governor of
Khorassan, whom I have aptly named Zaeef-oo-Dowlah.
To this old gentleman's mind it at once suggested
itself that here was an opportunity of showing what a
sharp lookout he kept on the frontier, and at the same
time making a little favour with the Russian Embassy.
He therefore sent it to Tehran, no doubt with such
comment as his feeble mind and his zeal in the Russian
cause suggested. Here poor Ivanoff's simple reply seems
to have been bandied about from the Secretary for Foreign
Affairs to H.I.M. the King of Kings, to the Envoy
and Plenipotentiary of H.I.M. the Tsar of All the
Russias, and thence to the Envoy and Plenipotentiary
of Her Britannic Majesty, till, like a snowball, it had
D 2

36 KHORASSAN.
assumed in diplomatic minds quite serious dimen
sions. By the time it reached England no doubt the snow
ball had reached alarming proportions, twisted and
misrepresented by the crooked minds of Persian diplo
mats, and garnished with crafty innuendoes from
facilely-lying Russian pens as it had been ; and naturally
I was asked to explain.
Of course there could be but one reply. The reader is
in possession of the facts connected with this occurrence,
and will therefore understand how it was I could say
nothing but that my feelings of humanity had been
too many for me.
I am free to confess I was annoyed at first at finding
even such a trivial circumstance being made the subject
of inquisition. It is not for me to cavil. Yet I may
trace the spirit which prompted it to its real origin.
I blame no individual or individuals, but I do unhesi
tatingly blame the mercenary and selfish spirit which
has led the people of England to dictate, for the
last ten years, a foreign policy unworthy of their great
name, and most unfitting the future of a people who
wish to remain great — a policy which, inculating tame
submission to all slights and all insults, has made the
continued application of the proud boast " Civis
Romanus sum " to English people a mockery.
However this may be, I need hardly say the explana
tion I was enabled to offer was deemed by Her Majesty's
Government quite satisfactory, and I therefore now only
pray that poor Ivanoff may some day come to know
that my offer of help was after all not mere empti
ness. On the 29th the relieved guard left for Mushudd.
We got to Dowlutabad about noon, and halting a

MUSHUDD TO SURRUKHS. 37
couple of hours, en route, got to Ak Durbund on the
morning of the 30th. 1 regret that I did not time this
march, as I could not have believed camels could get
along so quickly. It is evident if you want a Persian
to progress quickly, you have only got to put the
" Khauf-y-Toorkmun "* behind him.
However, once inside the hills they did not seem
inclined to keep up the pace, so, inducing Mahamad
Khan to send some men with me, I got to Robat-y-
Mai on the 31st, and to Mushudd on the 1st by the
same road as that by which we had marched to Sur
rukhs. I had tried to get them to take me straight
from Mushudd to Kullat-y-Nadir but did not succeed ;
I give, however, a description of the road in the
Appendix. * The fear of the Toorkmun.

38 KHORASSAN.

CHAPTER II.
MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ.
On my return to Mushudd I obtained quarters in a
delightful garden on the south of the city, with the
somewhat unpalatable name of the Bagh-y-Khoonee, or
the " garden of blood," — why so named I could not ascer
tain. I took up my abode in a tower of the form known
in Persia as "Koolah-Furrungee;" I suppose from its
resemblance to the immortal black hat of happier scenes.
This consisted of an octagonal tower of two stories ; the
lower or ground floor I made into a store room, occu
pied the second floor in the day, and slept on the top at
night, and was very comfortable.
These towers, with a few alterations and additions, can
be made very habitable for Europeans, and I should
always recommend their being used when available.
Though I applied for permission to go to Kullat-y-
Nadir directly on my return, it took a week before I
could get it, during which the time hung rather heavily
on my hands, as eating grapes and sleeping begins to
pall after a bit.
There was a very decided attempt made to get me to
go and see Mahamad Ayoob Khan, a rebel son of the
Amir of Kabul, and own brother to the gallant Yakoob
whom that wily potentate had got safely in prison.
Under other circumstances I should have been glad
to have seen Ayoob, but I thought that with the facili-

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 39
ties for the manufacture of falsehoods which abound
all over Asia, it might cause some embarrassment, and
give the Amir another grievance with which to hide
his own treacherous designs. Therefore I declined. I,
however, often met his men about, and once I came across
Ayoob himself, whose salute I duly returned. He
seemed half inclined to call on me to stop, but seeing
that I did not encourage the idea he desisted.
" More Persico" Ayoob was well treated at Mushudd,
and had quarters and a pension of 4,000 tomams a year
assigned to him. The fact is, the Persians always do,
.and always will, hanker after Herat, and so they are
ever ready to receive any fugitive chief from that
country in the hopes of making use of him at a future
date, as a stalking-horse for their own purposes. In
addition to Ayoob, they have now got a son of Sooltan
Jan's called — I think — Shah Naroz Khan, at Tehran,
and a grandson of Yar Mahommed at Birjund, any of
whom they are ready to play off against the Afghans,
and any of whom, moreover, are quite ready to be played
off. I got away at last from Mushudd with great diffi
culty, on the 7th August, but only rode out to the tomb
of Khajeh Rubbee, about four miles to the north, as I
wished to get everything right before starting, and also
to see this celebrated mausoleum. There is nothing
peculiar in the style of architecture of this tomb, which
is a square building with a single-domed roof, but the
enamelled tiles with which it is covered outside, and
probably lined inside. The place is so overgrown with
trees that no thoroughly good view of it is obtainable,
and it is only by walking round and round it, and mak
ing a whole out of the glimpses obtained of it through
the foliage, that one can understand the plan of the

40 KHORASSAN.
ornamentation. This is no doubt very beautiful, and
the patterns are in the greatest variety, from the simplest
squares or octagons of one colour, to patterns either
worked out complete in one tile or else extending over
many. The prevailing colours are dark blue, very dark
brown, and a lovely pale sky blue ; but white, yellow,
green, buff, brown, and black are also plentifully used.
The brickwork of the building is of the poorest descrip
tion, and this seems to be the case with all similar
edifices in Persia, and I attribute the fact that it seems
impossible to keep one of these tiled buildings in repair,
in a great measure to the swelling and bulging on,.
contraction of the bricks underneath. The garden in
which this tomb is situated has been a pretty one, and
even now the fine avenue of plane-trees from the gate,
though short, is very attractive ; but it has like every
thing else been allowed to go to ruin, and is now a
jungle. The situation is good, being a terrace over
looking the low valley of the Ab-y-Mushudd, with its
numerous villages, gardens, and fields, and having a fine
view of the main range to the north.
The inside of the dome is not made of tiles, but
of a sort of raised work in cement, on which flowers,
are brought into relief. Now the colour of all
these flowers has completely gone, and there is nothing
to be seen but a number of unseemly white patches.
But even if the colours were intact, the effect would, I
think, be much more gaudy than beautiful, and, from
the few specimens which remain, there was evidently
but little taste or skill displayed in the drawing of the
flowers. Below the dome, all round the tomb is a
broad border of blue tiles, with Arabic inscriptions in
white, which has a very appropriate effect. Below this
again, is a perfectly lovely pattern of enamel tile-work

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 41
in blue and white, and arranged in octagons, and eight
pointed stars; certainly the best I have seen, and Abbass
Khan tells me, as good, if not better, than anything in
Persia.* The garden of this place is a good deal frequented
by the people from the city, but in the gateway are
capital quarters, which a few screens would make quite
private, and then these would form about the best
dwellings to be found round Mushudd.
I was amused here by a party of holiday-makers,
chiefly women, who came from the city to do the
^gardens, and as their idea of pleasure was so different
from that of a similar party in England, I will describe
what I saw, for the benefit of any fair reader who may
wish to introduce a new mode of picnic-ing. In the
first place, there were only two or three of the male
sex. These were evidently fathers and brothers, and
perhaps this will account for their being a little dull.
On first arriving the women were full of spirits, laughing
and talking like their fair sisters elsewhere, and then
they all made for a sort of platform on one side of the
tomb. Here, I thought, they will open their picnic
baskets, and surely, under the exhilirating influence of
sekunj beer and sweetmeats, I may have a chance of
seeing some of their charms. I was, however, disap
pointed, for no sooner had they sat down, than rolls of
bedding were brought by boys and women, and
the whole bevy went off to sleep ; their male protectors
following their example under the trees a little way off.

* Khanikoff says, " This tomb is that of the tutor of the Imam Alee
Eeza. It was erected by Shah Abbas, in 1031 a.h., or 1053 a.d., on the
ruins of an ancient mosque. The "belle caisae de bois sculpte," which
forms the tomb of the Saint, is a very ordinary piece of workmanship.
It was brought from India.

42 KHORASSAN.
I thought, of course, this was only to rest themselves
after their ride, and that the fun would begin in the
afternoon ; but I was disappointed, for about four they
all uncoiled themselves, and waddling out of the door,
were no more seen ; thus having had a real happy day
of it.
The following are some of the bearings and approxi
mate distances I was enabled to get from the terrace
below the tomb, at Khajeh. Rubbee Keneegosha 105°,
about eight miles distant; Syudabad 104°, one mile;
Kahda 125°, four miles ; Chah Ishmail Koo, two miles ;
Kalata, one mile ; Jow Farosh 148°, one mile ; Atar
150°, one mile ; Sarmajkand 180°, two miles; Chaish
240°, half a mile ; Aokuh 230°, two miles; Kalat Bogha
266°, three-quarters of a mile ; Saadabad 300°, three-
quarters of a mile ; Shooturuk 87°, two miles ; Dehund
70°, two miles; Zerkahi 35°, one and a half miles ;
Farrahgird, two and a half miles ; Iwuzee 27°, one and
a half miles ; Gara 18°, three miles ; Hoosenabad, one
and a half miles ; Dareh 12°, five miles ; Sar Asia 340°
three miles ; Mulabad 330° half a mile ; Kullat Mus-
huddgoolee 305°, five miles.
From Khajeh Rah the road goes down to the stream
of the Ab-y-Mushudd or Kushuff road in about one and
a half miles, and crosses this river, here only about
thirty feet wide, by a good masonry bridge, the Pool-i-
Shah. It then ascends over a low undulation to the
village of Darveh, whence it is level for two miles to
that of Furrakheh, and descends into a parallel valley,
from which it continues along a watercourse (the
village of Parmeh two miles off on the right) for eight
miles to the defile in Durbund of Undurokh. It
passes through a cultivated country, with villages on
either side, amongst which the largest are, at nine

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 43
and a half miles, Khushabad, at ten and a quarter
miles Manaiva, and at twelve miles Regun. The
latter is situated most picturesquely on both sides
of, and at the head of, a small valley, bounded by
rounded bare hills, to the summit of which its vine
yards reach. It, or rather its site, reminds me very
much of some of the villages in the south of France.
The village of Undurokh is passed at the fourteenth
mile, and the Durbund of Undurokh is entered at about
the fifteenth and a half mile and continues for one
and a half miles, it consists simply of the bed of the
stream, and varies in breadth from thirty to one
hundred feet, including space occupied by water. The
cliffs on either side rise sheer out of the water to a
height of 200 feet, and are quite impracticable, while
the bends of the defile offer numerous excellent sites
for forts. Altogether it is one of the very strongest
places I have ever seen, and could not be forced against
a determined defence ; luckily, therefore, it can easily be
turned by infantry going to right or left over the hills,
which are not difficult. There is an old ruined fort
above the defile, but, as it is not visible from it, it can
not have been of much use. Kardeh, which I make out
to be about nineteen miles from Khajeh Rah, is situated
in a small valley running north and south two miles,
and about three quarters of a mile broad, the whole
covered with cultivation and gardens. The village is
at the north end, near the Durbund of Al, and is a
small place containing forty houses of Koorban Toorks
sent here by Shah Abbas. It is however the residence
of the chief of the small subdivision of Cholai, which
extends from Undurokh to Hurkutt and contains
sixteen village, among which the principal are Murrush,
Balghoor, Seej, Al, Hurkutt, and Gosh. The climate

44 KHOKASSAN.
here is said to be more severe than that of Mushudd ;
but I doubt this, as though it is undoubtedly higher,
perhaps 800 feet, it is infinitely better sheltered, and
there are none of the violent winds which are so
disagreeable at Mushudd.
About one mile from Kardeh, in a defile to the left, are
said to be some caves which are reported to contain men's
bones. My informant said they were extensive, so
much so that nobody had ever got to the end of them.
He appeared to know nothing more of them than
having been once to the entrance, and no one in the
village was any wiser.
I left Kardeh on the 9th August, and made a long
march to Vardeh ; the distance was not very great, but
the road was not good, and I took a long time in
traversing it. I certainly have never seen a stronger
bit of country than the twenty-seven miles passed over
to-day, it being one continual succession of impregnable
defiles, any one of which would make the road cele
brated. Starting from Kardeh, one enters almost
directly into a defile, the road going down the river bed,
and perpendicular cliffs rising up on either side without
a break, without a ledge on which a goat could rest,
for 200 feet. This continues without any intermission
for four miles to the village of Al, the roadway, or
rather bottom of the ravine, being from forty to one
hundred feet broad, and the path crossing continually
from side to side ; showing that the defile would be
impracticable during floods, and that it is extremely
dangerous at the season of the rains. Al is a small
village of about fifty houses, situated in a small opening
in the defile about one mile long by 400 yards broad,
and its houses, cultivation, and gardens, take up the
whole of the level ground at the foot of the cliffs,

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 45
which rising as steeply as ever on all sides are very
peculiar. They rise from the bed of the stream at an
angle of 45°, and are about thirty feet thick and of a
height above the rest of the hill, diminishing from one
hundred feet or so at the stream to six or eight at the
top. They are quite straight, at right angles to
the defile, and occur at regular intervals of thirty paces,
the ends of one overlapping that behind, so that the
road zigzags round each, and it seems as you round
each that you have arrived at a cul-de-sac. From the
north end of this defile, which is three quarters of a
mile long, the road opens out into a small valley, and
the first view of the Kullat-y-Nadir is visible. This
consists of a straight ridge running east and west,
crowned by cliffs from twenty to 200 feet high, without
a single break or track by which a goat could ascend.
On leaving Al the defile becomes exceedingly narrow
for half a mile, not more than forty feet wide, and is
commanded by an old fort in a very commanding
position on the left, which also sees down the whole
valley. This fort is now abandoned, but it is in such a
strong position that its site would be sure to be occupied
in the event of hostilities in this defile, and it would
have to be taken before any force could proceed onwards;
it would be a very hard nut to crack.
The defile now opens slightly but does not reach
the breadth of even the smallest glen, and it is still
bounded by the same tremendous cliff. At seven and a
half miles a stream joins from the right, and above the
junction is a curious conical hill with scarped sides,
called Panj Mara, which offers another impregnable
site from which to command the pass. Here there is a
small valley one mile long, and at the end of it the road
splits in two, the direction of that to the left going by an

46 KHORASSAN.
exceedingly difficult defile called Tangi Shikasta, which
I will presently describe ; the other going over the hill
dividing it from the right or Sreja defile, and going
eventually two miles on, but the point where these
roads separate is a position of surpassing strength.
The road leads straight up to a noble cliff, going
between precipices, and apparently coming to a cul-de-
sac, as no sign of a road is seen
The hill rises 400 feet above the defile and searches
every foot of it for a mile, and the road on reaching it
turns sharp to the right and left, only, however, to be
confronted on both sides by cliffs of equal grandeur and
equal inaccessibility which flank the road. This position
could certainly not be forced in the face of any op
position, and there is no path near by which it could be
turned that would not also be closed. It would be
possible to ascend the hills on the south bank of the
defile, and, going along their crest, get in behind the
above position half a mile to the rear, and descending
from this to the Tang-y-Shikasta, whence a break-neck
path leads up to the rear of the hill ; but this path is
so close that it would be impossible to get up by it
unperceived, and no troops could force their way up.
It might be possible by making a long detour of five or
six miles to turn this position on its right, but the hills
are so open that there would be little chance of doing
so without being exposed, and the paths up to it are all
of an extremely impracticable nature.
However, as there is no enemy in our way, we will
go on, choosing the Tang-y-Shikasta as the shortest line.
From the Koh-y-Na Mumkin the road for half a mile
goes up a defile, which is not more difficult than that
which has been passed through already; but here the
" Broken Defile " begins. It is broken indeed, the road

Tccnffi- ShilcastL

Toaxg-t, -Shiqco

7~tt~TTtttt-

mv\\ M PrrTfrfi
o^" ftrewn, oitcZ. qrf-ey y-ocfe. 1 1 i ' ) , ' I
.iTTTTm* rnr"

^rnrr^i'ffnTT

IN THE SREJA DEFILE, ON THE ROAD TO KULLAT- Y-NADIR.

"-B->-«v*»T>17fc

[To /ace ^ajre 46.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 47
leaves the bed of the river altogether, as this has taken to
leaping down small drops, and goes along a ledge at the
side, about four feet wide, amidst and over and round huge
jagged rocks ; on the left rises a debris of mighty rocks,
heaped one on the other in wild confusion nearly to the
top, where a sheer cliff stops all view ; on the right is
the river, with a drop of thirty or forty feet to it. This
continues for 300 yards, when it gets a little more open.
This defile is not practicable for mules even, and
although one can ride up, it is a most disagreeable as
well as dangerous feat. After one mile more of defile
the road leaves the river, and ascends easily to a neck on
the left, from thence descends again into the valley of
the stream, and then becomes level, running along the
lowest contour of the hills for a mile, when defiles again
begin. This little valley belongs to the village of Sij,
and is about a mile long by 500 yards broad, and would
afford a good site for the encampment of a force, as
there is abundance of water and fuel, and some forage.
We now came to the Dahna Bahurt, the name of a
succession of very difficult and narrow defiles, affording
positions of impregnable strength, which are divided
from each other by little glens, about 100 yards broad.
There are five of these defiles, and a like number of
glens in the next two and a half miles, and in one of
the latter, where the road to Bulghoor turns off to the
left, is a ruin called Robat Bulghoor. At the end of the
last glen is the commencement of the Zow Peer Zun.
Before entering this, however, we must really take
breath, and look back at the tremendous country we
have come through. For fifteen miles the road has run
either in the bed of the river or along the sides of
the cliffs, and nowhere has it been further off than
200 yards from these unassailable heights. It is in

48 KHORASSAN.
reality one continuous defile, and throughout the whole
length there are not more than half a dozen places
where a goat could get up to the crest, which has
everj^where the most complete command of the road
way. I have said, any one of these defiles is suffi
ciently strong to make the reputation of a route for
impregnability. What then shall we say of a route
which is all so grandly impregnable, so perfectly unas
sailable ? Really to describe this route in detail would
tire the reader ; I could only repeat at every step what
I said before, and the description of one part answers
for all. The whole road is like a V, the only difference
being when the strokes become a little more open. As
a rule it is practicable for artillery, except in the
Tung-y-Shikasta and a few other places, but all these
could, if it was thought worth it, and the defile was
in one's own possession, be made practicable by the
plentiful use of blasting.
To return to the Zow Peer Zun, or old woman's
defile. First, it is noticeable that this word Zow, which
is said to be Toorkee, is also used for a defile on the
Derajat frontier ; secondly, that whenever there is any
thing more than usually disagreeable in the way of a
pass or defile, the Persians always seem to attribute it
to some " old woman" — name unknown. I am sure I
cannot say why this is — my knowledge of Persian old
women is as limited as my acquaintance with Persian
young women, and so we must conclude that women in
Persia do not (like Port) improve with age. Still I do
not think any old woman could ever have been so
thoroughly disagreeable as to have deserved that this
defile should be named after her ; for, although it may
seem strange to say so, all that has gone before is easy
compared with this one, or rather with the first 1'50 yards

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 49
of it. The roadway narrows down to five feet in one
place, and to six, eight, ten in several, and it is
throughout a regular " devil's staircase" of slippery
rocks. On either side rises a succession of walls, which
are ranged one behind the other on either side, in a
sort of columns in echelon, dovetailing into each other.
I should say that this defile was quite impregnable to a
front attack ; any way I should not like to try it, even
if the old woman was all there was to oppose me.
I could see no sign of a way by which it could be
turned either, and my guide swore there was no other
path either through the hills or over them. Altogether
I would recommend any commander who has the dis
agreeable duty of getting to the other side of this
defile given him, to " bide a wee," look about him, and
see if there is no path by which it can be turned ;
for any goat-path, undefended, must be better than this,
if held by a man and a boy. After 150 to 200 yards
the defile i opens a little, but still for a mile and a half
further is quite as bad as anything on the road. Then
it is with a feeling of intense relief one finds oneself at
last out on the open hills, for really the country from
Kardeh has been more like what one would see in a
nightmare than anything one has ever beheld awake.
Once through the defile the road turns south-east and
then goes over open hills, ascending to the top of a neck
by a rather steep path ; it then turns more east and goes
parallel with a frightfully steep ridge, rocky at the top,
which, however, throws out huge buttresses of earth,
which have to be crossed. There are eight or ten of
these, and then the road ascends easily towards the Dawa
Borne Pass, but at 150 yards from the top it zigzags
up to get over the crest of rock which tops the whole
ridge in the most difficult way. The descent on the
VOL. II. E

50 KHORASSAN.
north is not so steep, and being over earth could be
improved to almost any extent. One mile from the
crest is the desolate looking village of Vardeh, the first
in Kullat territory. It is a miserable place, inhabited
by Toorks who call themselves Tartars, and say they
came from Bokhara. They have a rather Mongolian
type of countenance. The women here wear, instead of
the blue or white sheet of the rest of Persia, a coloured
sheet checquered just like a tartan. The tartans are
generally quite different from ours, but the pattern is
unmistakably a tartan. Some were very like the Scotch
tartans; one resembled the Stuart, another the Mac-
pherson, and a third the Murray I think.
The Karadagh range which we have just negotiated
rises from the valley in hugh swelling bluffs, and is
everywhere topped by a crest of perfectly perpen
dicular and impracticable cliffs of grey rock. On the
south these bluffs dip boldly down to the stream, and
then rise with equal abruptness into what appears to be
a second parallel range, but which is separated at
different points by water courses, whose sides are
bounded by precipices 200 to 300 feet high, and whose
beds form the " durbunds " we have come through.
On both sides of this range, which is a spur of the
main watershed between, the drainage of Mushudd
and that of the Attruk valleys run down to the east and
drain out into the Attruk plain.
From Vardeh the road at once descends into a
narrow glen, which may be called a defile, and continues
along it for two miles to a place called Bekh Koond,
where a stream comes in from the left, and there are two
or three houses, a tower, and some cultivation. Thence
it takes the left valley, and almost immediately leaving
it ascends easily over earthy rounded hills for two miles

KARADAGH RANGE, FROM VARDEH.

[To face page 50.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 51
to the top of the Mirza Gooshtee Pass, a watershed
which drains to Kullat on one side, and towards the
Dusht-y-Toorkmun on the other. From this the path
descends exceedingly steeply for one and a half miles to
a narrow defile, bounded on the right by impracticable
hills, on the left by one mass of sheet rock which comes
shelving down in huge detached slabs at an angle of
thirty degrees. Both the descent and the defile are
commanded throughout by positions of the greatest
strength, and neither could be attempted till clear of
an enemy. After one and a half miles of comparative
open, during which a path to the village of Al-i-gerum
is passed, the road comes to the Durbund-i-Jaor, which
is a succession of very narrow defiles divided by small
open spaces, and flanked by the same column-like walls
of rock which I have noticed before. The road leads
down the valley for three miles close under them, and
then turns sharp to the left along them till, three miles
on, it comes to the south entrance of this celebrated
stronghold, called Durbund-i-Arghawan Shah. Here
there is a guard of two companies of regular infantry,
and a few small villages perched on the ledge of the hill,
mostly on the left.
From this the road winds along the lowest contour
of the hills, and reaches the residence of the Khan at
the small village of Ja-i-Goombaz in two and a half
miles from the entrance. Unfortunately my friend
Behbood Khan was unable to leave Mushudd so as to
come with me ; but I was received by his son, an
extremely intelligent lad, and very good-looking. The
Khan lives in a building called Mukburra-y-Nadir
which is the queerest erection I have ever seen. It
consists of a huge round tower, seventy feet high and
about forty feet in diameter, surrounded by an octagonal
k2 ''

52 KHORASSAN.
structure twenty-four feet high, while four sides are
thirty-two feet in breadth outside, and four are sixteen.
These contain rooms which are for the most part
unoccupied. The whole building is composed of
inferior bricks faced with a reddish sandstone. The
tower is flanked all round by half pillars, which rise
above the octagon about thirty feet, and certainly
improve its appearance immensely. Though named
after the great conqueror, there is every reason to believe
that he only once resided in it. In this village there is
another building, a goombuz or domed tomb now
used as a mosque, four archways (eiwans) having lately
been added to it. This is noticeable on account of the
excellence of the ornamental tile work with which its
exterior was once covered. The village, although the
chief place in this small Khanate, has no claims to
notice, consisting as it does of about one hundred
wretched houses of mud built on the edge of the level
ground. I stayed two days at this place, and made the usual
trips, up to the top of the Kummar of Khisht,
and to the Nafta gate, but these did not enable me
to see half as much of this really wonderful freak of
nature as I could have wished. The road up to Khisht
leads along the face of a precipice nearly the whole
way, and is so narrow as to be quite dangerous, and
this notwithstanding that fifty men could make it all
right in a couple of days, as it is all composed of earth.
On reaching the top you come to an undulating plateau
without a tree, and at one edge is the desolate looking
village of Khisht, while a mile to the east are the ruins
of what is said to have been built as a residence by
Nadir Shah. From Khisht I went up to the top of a
high hill just above it, from which my guide the Naib

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 53
said the best view of Kullat was obtainable, though I
may remark, en passant, that it seems to me the best
view would be gained from the top of a hill .called
Baba Koomeklee. The prospect that presented itself
on reaching the summit was certainly very extensive to
the north. Beyond low hills lay a dreary looking waste,
held in great awe and respect by the inhabitants, and
best known to them as the Dusht-y-Toorkman, but which
we generally call Attuk,* a word which simply means a
boundary, or border frontier. To the NW., apparently
in a small plain surrounded by low hills, were numerous
black patches, which I was informed were the gardens
of Mahamadabad, and the crest of the stronghold
could be clearly traced as far as the hill of Baba
Koomeklee, which shut out all further view in that
direction, the SE. The place is called the kullat, or
fort of Nadir, I suppose for want of a word to
describe it better ; but the fact is, there is nothing as
far as I saw, anything like a fort. It is a district, or a
basin fortified in the most wonderful manner by nature
In shape it is something like a foot, and it must have
a length of twenty miles by a breadth of two to four
miles. The toe of the foot, points to the NW., and
the whole outer edge is said to consist of the same
impregnable cliffs as I have described as seen from the
south. All along the south as far as I could see, these
cliffs were of the same nature, and the hill ran in a
direction from NW., to SE., almost as straight as a
wall ; but to the north, the hills though still almost as
strong, become more irregular on their outward slope.
Inside, the hill to the south shelves down very steeply,
so steeply as to be impracticable for men, for about
400 feet, to an undulating plateau, which is inter-
* The river Attruck is sometimes called Attuk.

54 KHORASSAN.
sected in every direction by huge ravines with perpen
dicular sides, which carry the drainage of this part
to the main stream. To the north and west, the hills
from the interior are generally speaking quite practic
able for horsemen, and the outer edge is reached by a
long shelving plateau which reaches right up to it, when
there is a sudden drop of from 30 to 200 feet. Then
near the Nafta Gate again, and also beyond it as far as
I could see, the hills approach more to the form of those
on the south. This district is divided into two unequal
parts by a stream which enters it about two miles from
its western end, and, running east and west, leaves it at
the Nafta Gate eight miles off; the whole of the inner
faces of the surrounding hills, i.e., the whole space
occupied by what is called the Kullat Nadir, drains
into this stream. This basin cannot be less than fifty miles
in circumference ; it contains only seven villages, viz.,
Giro to the west, Khisht, Ja Goombuz and Nafta on the
north bank, and Saryzur, Koola Zas and Aktush on the
south. These I was informed by the Naib, who proved
no exception in veracity to the rest of his country
men, had formerly contained ten thousand houses, but
now there were not more than two thousand. I had,
however, got so accustomed to hear lies spoken, that
observing my rule of never believing any one man's
story, I had ascertained that Ja Goombuz was beyond
doubt the largest village, and that there were only
seven of them. Now this place had but one hundred
houses, so that the outside number in the district
could not be more than seven hundred ; but I had also
seen Khisht, Giro, and Nafta, which certainly have not
more than fifty each ; so that allowing one hundred
for each of the others, which is more than they possess,
the whole number would not be more than five hundred

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 55
representing a population of about 2,500 souls (exclud
ing the garrison), in a tract 20 miles by 4. It could no
doubt support a larger number of inhabitants, perhaps
twice the number; but the story that there were 50,000
people in it must be put amongst those flowers of
speech in which Persians so delight. There is a con
siderable amount of water in the stream, even at the
exit, and there is also a good deal of uncultivated land ;
but this bears a very small proportion to the whole
extent, most of which is too far raised above the level
of the stream to derive any benefit from it. Of course
more land might be cultivated, but the out turn would
not add very greatly to the resources of the basin, as
the yield of land in these parts, which is dependent on
rain as its only water supply (N.B. called Dehina), is
very small and exceedingly precarious. The hills
around, and especially the plateaux of Khisht and Giro
must in the spring afford a very large amount of
grazing, and as the hills outside are all of the same
nature, there is no doubt that a very large amount of
forage could be collected at this place, provided timely
and sufficient arrangements were made to get it in before
it was all burnt up. The supply of drinking water for
both man and beast, is, of course, abundant and never
failing. There is very little fuel inside, and outside the
bushes from which it is collected are few and far
between. I regret very much that owing to my ignor
ance of the place, I came by the Vardeh road. If I
had known what I afterwards ascertained, I should have
gone by the road usually taken by the detachment of
artillery which goes from Mushudd by Kaneegosha,
through Geep Kotul to Karategan, whence there are
roads either by Kooshtanee through the heart of the
place from SF. to NW., or along the Sutera south face,

56 " KHORASSAN.
and I should recommend any future traveller to take
this route.
Regarding the strength of this place, there can, I
should say, not be two opinions. It is, in fact, so ex
ceedingly strong, that if the term impregnable can be
used anywhere, it can here. For the fifty miles of its
circuit, nature has indeed left hardly anything for man
to do. There are only five entrances, viz., Arghawan,
Nafta, Dehchah, Choobust, and Kooshtanee, and of
these, the two first only are practicable for artillery,
while the others are difficult even for mules. Besides
these, there are several paths which are just practicable
for infantry. I forbear attempting a list of these, as I do
not think anything but going all round the place one
self would enable one to draw it up correctly. From
what I saw, there were four such paths ; 1 . At a little
to the right of where the road from Vardeh first comes
under the cliffs and turns towards Arghawan. 2. By the
ridge which connects Kullat in the north- wrest, with the
mountain system on the south ; this path is well known,
and is called Koingoshee, and leads to Giro. 3. Im
mediately under the Sar Kummur Khisht peak. 4.
Close on the left of the Nafta Gate. All these, how
ever, are defended by towers, and could easily be
rendered quite impracticable.
I ought to mention here that Kullat is not in any
way isolated from the mountain system either to the
north or south. In riding along its southern face, I
could distinctly trace the connecting ridges which are
situated about five miles SE. of Arghawan, and two
miles NW.
There is thus, no doubt, that we have here an ex
tremely strong position, in which any number of
troops could be collected; but with all its strength

ARGHAWAN SHAH GATE OP KULLAT. [To face page 56.

SOUTH FACE OF KULLAT-Y-NADIR.

[To face page 56.

NAFTA ENTRANCE TO KULLAT.

[To face page 57.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 57
Kullat has two very fatal sources of weakness. First, it
is situated to the north of an exceedingly difficult range
of mountains, across which it would be very difficult to
transport supplies, and if cut off from its supplies in
this direction, it would not be possible to collect suffi
cient from the small villages dependent on the Khanate.
Secondly, its size is a source of weakness ; it would
require a garrison far beyond the power of any state to
devote to its care. In its present state, with its slender
garrison of 500 or 600 half-hearted soldiers, scattered
all over the place and separated from each other and all
support by miles of difficult and almost impracticable
roads, it is not probable that it would hold out very
long against any skilful and determined attack, and as
the Persian Government has not the men to spare to
strengthen its garrison, or the sense and the means to
do what is required in improving its interior commu
nications, it is probable it will be found in very much
the same state as that in which I saw it, by any general
who may have occasion to go that way.
On the next morning, the 12th August, I rode down
to have a look at the Nafta entrance. The road goes
down the left bank of the river through fields for a
couple of miles. It then ascends and descends over
stony rounded spurs to the Bund-y- Dookhtur, a dam
which stretches across the river above a natural water
fall. It is then very narrow, hanging over the river
till it comes to an opening with fields and a pretty grove
of trees. Going through this it crosses over to the
right, and ascends over spurs and reaches the village of
Nafta a miserable place of about thirty or forty houses.
Leaving the village it goes through narrow defiles to
the Durbund or Gate of Nafta.
The hills here come down on either side to within

5S KHORASSAN.
about 60 feet, and as they are sheer scarps, the only
entrance is by the bed of the river, which is closed by a
loop-holed wall made to let the river run through.
Looked at from the north, it certainly seems perfectly
impracticable, as, in addition to the above defences,
every spot where the hill seems to offer the possibility
of ascent, is either artificially further scarped, or topped
by loopholed walls, while on each little bit of level
ground above is a tower. If held in sufficient strength,
it would be, I should say, quite impossible to force it,
as in addition to the obstructions in front, the bed of
the river is flanked by walls built upon the face of the
cliff for a distance of 200 yards or so. Nevertheless, it
was, not many years ago, entered by a party of 2,000
Tukkeh Toorkmuns, but this must be put down more
to the negligence and paucity of the garrison, than to
the strength or gallantry of the assailants. They, how
ever, luckily did not attempt to hold it, else they might
have given more trouble than they even now do.
There is always in Kullat a garrison of regular troops,
and the duty is intensely unpopular with the men owing
to the great losses they always suffer from fever. The
fact is, the valley itself is probably very unhealthy and
feverish, and the interior communications of the place
are so bad, and it is so extensive, that it is necessary to
concentrate the garrison at the two main gateways ;
and at the other two principal entrances, viz., the Dur-
bund-y-Kooshtanee and the Durbund-y-Deh-y-Chah, at
each of which is a weak company.
When I was at Kullat, the Chief, Behbood Khan,
was unfortunately absent ; but I had seen a good deal
of him at Mushudd, and from what I saw, I should
regard him as one of the ablest men in Persia. I had
many long talks with him, and he certainly astonished

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 59
me by the amount of French and English he had picked
up from poring over books in those languages. He
could not speak them, as he had scarcely ever seen any
one belonging to those nations ; but he could read an
English book, and make out slowly what its meaning
was. I tried him more than once, and may mention
that on one occasion I put before him my Gazetteer of
Persia, and asked him to read the article Kalat Nadiri,
which he did, and moreover he understood it, for he
said it is a great deal more than thirty miles from
Mushudd, and is out on a high hill. I then read it
out to him and explained each sentence, and we came
to the conclusion, that a more inaccurate description
than that which I had compiled from Malcolm and
Kinneir could scarcely have been penned.
I learnt in Mushudd from Abbass Khan that Behbood
was a protege of the Hissam-oo-Sooltan, a fact which
proves the latter to have that instinct of great men,
knowing a good man when they see one. In appearance
he is a fine portly individual, with a frank expression
and very simple honest manners.
Although the Chief was not present himself, the
honours of the occasion were very efficiently performed
by his son, a very handsome and gentlemanly boy,
called, if I remember rightly, Yar Mungtosh, after his
grandfather. This youth, though only twelve years of age, behaved
with a courtesy and manliness that could not be sur
passed ; and when I left I made a point of writing to
Behbood an expression of gratitude for my reception,
and my admiration of the fine qualities of his son.
Without wishing to intrude into the sanctity of the
"anduroon," I cannot refrain from saying, that boy's
mother must have been a marvel of beauty.

60 KHORASSAN.
The district under Behbood Khan extends from the
crest of the Karadagh range on the south, to as far
north as he may have the power to hold it ; at present
this only extends as far as the line Chache, Chardeh, and
Mehrun ; but there is no doubt that the natural frontier
of Persia in this direction is the limit of possible culti
vation, i.e., the Tejund. On the west, the defile of
Jirgaun is its boundary, and on the east it goes as far as
Moozduran, north of the mountains.
In this extent of country, which is defended in every
direction by a series of as strong defiles as are to
be found in the world, there are not more than twenty
to thirty villages, none of which have more than 100
houses, or are of any note for other reasons. I have
mentioned those inside the stronghold, and the follow
ing is a list of some of those outside : viz., Chache,
Mehrun, Chardeh, Kemabad, Archingoon, Deh-i-Chah,
on the north; Kara Fegan, Abgarm, and Khowa on
the east ; Vardeh, and Bekhkoond on the south ;
Ighdaleek, Charm, Senai, Sain, Khakkista, and
Yirgaun on the west. Beyond what is required for
the consumption of the inhabitants, this district pro
duces nothing, and if we except the pretty striped silks
used for coats by the men, and the silk or cotton
tartan plaids of the women, there are no manufactures.
The Khan has the power of raising a body of about
300 horse, and on an emergency he might collect 100
more cavalry and 500 infantry matchlockmen ; but it
is doubtful whether these last could be kept up, for
these people dislike foot work above everything.
At Kullat I had the pleasure of meeting the most
intelligent officer of the Persian army I have yet seen'
and in the Toorsheez regiment, of which he is the
colonel, he has the smartest body of men I have seen

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 61
in that not very smart body, the Persian army. He is
really very intelligent, and seems to take great interest
in his work, and abstains, I understand, entirely from
eating his men's pay (muwajib na mi khoorad), which is
high praise for a Persian colonel.
The women here wear the same tartan sheets that I
saw at Vardeh, and the effect is certainly more pleasing
than that produced by the monotonous dark blue one
sees elsewhere. The do not cover themselves up with
the same strictness here as in the more orthodox Mus
hudd, and I consequently had many opportunities of
judging for myself. While I saw one or two pretty faces,
I must say I think that if most of those whom I beheld
had been veiled, nothing would have been lost. A
curious custom prevails here ; the women, when they
see a man coming, do not cover the whole face as else
where, but only the mouth, leaving the hair, eyes, and
nose visible. What the idea of this is I do not know,
unless they suppose the sight of their cherry lips
would be too much for man. They also wear coats
like the men, but they are made so as not quite to
meet in front, and the two ends are connected by a
rather neat buckle, consisting of three diamond-shaped
pieces of silver, with a stone of some kind in the centre
of each.
The people of Kullat seem to be fonder of " taking
it out " on the morning, than elsewhere ; and as in the
hot weather at least, all sleep on the tops of the houses,
they erect small tents of very thin material, in which
they sleep. These at some distance off, and if there is
a dark background, certainly do effect the purpose of
Veiling from vulgar eyes scenes of domestic bliss ;
but should it chance that you pass near one which has
but the clear sky for a background, you get an intro-

62 KHORASSAN.
duction to phases of Eastern life to which you have
hitherto been a stranger.
On Saturday, the 13th August, I rode away from
Kullat as early as I could, but owing to the laziness of
my servants, and the dilatoriness of my escort, it was
daybreak before we started. The road to Durraguz
goes back through the Arghawan gate, then turning
to the right, ascends easily up a valley which is very
stony at first, but latterly becomes more earthy, till the
top of the Goyik Kotul, two miles from the gate, is
reached. From this the hills round are bare and
earthy with easy slopes and rounded tops, all being
covered with magnificent fodder. To the north a sort
of narrow plateau stretches towards the scarp of
Kullat, into which it rises three miles off; this pass
being on the watershed connecting it with the hills of
Vardeh. Before reaching the crest of the Goyik Kotul there
is a path called Koingoshee, by which infantry and
mountain guns could enter the fortress down to the
village of Giro. The village of Archingoon was said
to bear 337° from the top of the pass.
Thence the road goes on in a direction 227°, being
commanded on the left by bold heights, the top of which
form a plateau on which I was told there is fine grazing.
It goes up and down numerous ravines, divided by
spurs from the main range to the south. Some of
these are broader and more open than the others, and
in the first of these little valleys is the village of
Churm, which is situated about a mile up the valley
under a high rugged hill. It consists of about fifty
houses, and is said to have been more than once visited
by the Toorkmuns.
The road then ascends for a short distance a low

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 63
spur, and descends by a bad stony path to another
stream, which uniting with that from Churm, goes on
to Archingoon.
From this the road ascends steeply by a narrow path
over a slippery earthy hillside, and again descends over
similar ground to another stream two miles on. Going
over yet another spur, the valley in which is the village
of Senai is reached. The village itself is a mile further
up in a narrow glen, and is said to consist of 100 houses.
The water of this valley also drains to Archingoon.
The road now goes down this valley for five-eights of
a mile, then over a spur for half a mile, and down
another valley for three-quarters of a mile, from which
it ascends very steeply over earth-covered slopes for
three-quarters of a mile to the crest of the Ahdahee
pass. From thence the road is exceedingly steep, and
owing to the narrowness of the path is also too
dangerous to make riding down it a feat of any profit.
It is also commanded by an isolated hill with scarped
sides, which overhangs the river and affords a splendid
site for a fort.
Ighdaleek, eighteen miles from Kullat, is a queer little
village, surrounded by four mud walls, and situated in a
small glen, so completely commanded by all the hills
round that one has almost a birdseye view of it. The
level space is quite taken up with gardens and fields,
and a very fine stream rushes down the centre of the
glen. Both from above and below it is approached
through the most difficult defiles, the cliffs rising from
the upper one to a height of not less than 1,000 feet
sheer. There are now about forty houses of Toorks
and Koords, but there have been more, 100 souls having
been carried off four years ago by an " alaman* " of
* Predatory band or expedition of Toorkmuns.

64 KHORASSAN.
Toorkmuns who attacked the village, carried off this
number and all the cattle of the place. On hearing
this, I much wondered they had not at once moved on
to the site at top of the pass mentioned above, which it
would be quite beyond the power of any Toorkmuns to
attack. The headman agreed that it was a splendid
site for a village, but the water was a little farther off
i.e. about a quarter of a mile. Very apathetic
these people; if having one-third of their number
carried off does not rouse them into taking such
a patent precaution what will? It is said that the
silk manufactures of striped pieces for coats and tartan
sheets, are better made here than elsewhere in the
Khanate, and so I bought a couple as specimens. The
latter I have described as resembling some of our Scotch
tartans. The former are sometimes very pretty, red
being always the predominant colour. The two I bought
consist, in one case of a red stripe, and then a
pretty green, and then a mixture of red, white, and
black, with two narrow black stripes on either side ; in
the other, of a black stripe with red piping in centre,
then a red with a black centre, then yellow and white
stripe, which brightens it all up. The prices are
absurdly low, being two shillings a yard.
The main range above Igdaleek is called the Koh
Huzar-Musjeed, the same name as it bears on the other
side, from a high peak of that name, said to be above
Ratkan. The crest of this range is said to abound in
fine pastures (aulang) with plenty of water, and there is
a path which, though bad, is practicable for mules from
Ighdaleek to Ratkan, distance about 12 fursucks or
50 miles.
From Ighdaleek the road goes for an hour up a narrow
earthy glen, ascends easily (except the last 200 yards,

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 65
which were very steep), over earth to the Gurdan Toot
luk ; it then descends into, and ascends from, two more
small valleys, the first named Tootluk, and at last
descends in two hours to the mouth of the Durbund
Khakista, the water of whose river drains to Khemabad.
Having entered this defile, the road goes up it for nearly
an hour, over huge boulders, passing by positions of
great strength, particularly at a part 30 feet wide,
where a wall 15 feet high has been erected across, and
where towers on both sides command the entrance.
Beyond the wall, there is a succession of four or five
little glens filled with trees and connected with each
other by narrow defiles. In the last and largest of
these. valieys is the pretty village of Khakista, contain
ing thirty families of Koords. The whole of this is a
most delicious secluded spot, and the scenery, a mixture
of grandeur and peaceful beauty, is still on such a small
scale as to make one long to lay it out a bit, open out
the trees here, place a grotto on that rock, clear the
view of that little waterfall, and erect a small white
temple above amid that dark green foliage.
It appears, however, that even this little paradise is
not free from the visits of those devils the Toorkmuns,
who attacked it last year, when it was only by a timely
retreat to the higher hills that the inhabitants were
saved from a greater loss than that of all their cattle.
After leaving this the defile opens out a little, but is
still crowned by cliffs of indescribable grandeur as far
as a place called Char-rah, where two valleys meet, and
whence a road goes over the hills to Kardeh, and thence
to Mushudd. From this there is a steep ascent by a
narrow and stony path to the top of the Kotul Laeen,
followed by an equally bad descent to that village, which
I make to be under sixteen miles. It contains fifty
VOL. II. F

66 KHORASSAN.
houses of Koords, and is situated in the same sort of small
opening in the hills, closed above and below by frightful
defiles, as all the villages met with on this road have
been. I was to have taken on a dozen sowars from
this place with me, but as they were not ready, I
determined to push on to the next village, in order the
better to divide the remaining distance to Durraguz.
Accordingly, much to the disgust of the sowars I had
with me, we moved on at once, ascending for one and a
half hours, by a road at first easy though stony,
but afterwards getting gradually worse and worse, till
near the top the road ascends by a very steep stony
zig-zag track to the summit of the Kotul-y-Tirgaun.
It then descends for one and a half hours, at first quite
as bad as the ascent, but then gradually improving, to
an encampment of Koords near a spring of good water,
whence to the village of Tirgaun, is one and a half miles,
thus making the distance travelled on this day (14th)
not far short of twenty-five miles.
I did not go into the village of Tirgaun (which is
situated in a little cul-de-sac to the left of the road, and
was said to consist of only ten or twelve houses of
Koords), but went into a small mill near the mouth of
the Dahna-y-Tirgaun. There I found company, and as
there was no place beyond it till Durraguz was reached,
and it was said to be unsafe to go outside the " Dahna "
without escort, I determined to stay here.
The glen was so narrow, that at four the sun had
gone. I was amused by the history of two of the
villagers, who had just come back from Khiva, having
been released by order of the mighty " Oroos." Poor
devils, I don't wonder at the prestige Russia has on this
border, because if one Toorkmun can attack two
Persians, and one Russian can eat five Toorkmuns, it is
evident they are worthy of great respect.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 67
They had been slaves for four years, and had only
come back this year. I think they had benefited by"
their experience, and were looked on by their brethren
with considerable respect, as having been through the
rough and disagreeable experience which it might be their
own lot next to undergo ; much, in fact, as one small boy
whose flogging has yet to come, looks on another whose
ordeal is over.
From this point there are two roads to Durraguz, one
over the hills to the left, goes by Zungalanee, and is the
safest, but the most difficult, there being many ascents
and descents. The other goes outside the various
dahnas direct to Durraguz. I imagine from Baker's
saying he began his road by ascending, that he took
the first named road.
Below Tirgaun the road is not very bad for ten
minutes, but then comes the defile of this name, which
is really frightful. For twenty minutes we floundered
about from boulder to boulder, enjoying no doubt some
thing of the excitement of the chamois, but, alas! lacking
his agility. Every step it seemed to become worse, and
I despaired of ever getting the mules over with whole
limbs, yet they accomplished it. On either side rose
cliffs of rocks straight out of the bed, each dovetailing
into the one behind, and offering, as all these defiles do,
positions of impregnable strength. The defile opens then
and is easier for the next ten minutes, after which the open
valley begins ; after going down this for five minutes
the road leaves the stream to wind on amid desolate
depopulated glens and hideous defiles till it emerges
into the plains to fertilize the fields of the devils who
have caused all the ruin above, and taking to the hills,
goes over several spurs into different small glens, one
named Shahtoot,-all draining to the north. These glens

68 KHORASSAN.
have water in them, and all might be cultivated were
there a strong government on this frontier. After three
hours thus ascending and descending, the fine valley of
Zungalanee is reached. Here a noble mountain stream,
thirty feet broad and three feet deep, rushes past through
a beautiful valley with acres and acres of good soil, but
without a living soul in it. There is water enough and
land enough along this stream, from the time it leaves
the defiles till it reaches the plains, and is lost in the
desert, to support in comfort not under 50,000 souls,
and yet not one ever ventures here, except as we were
doing, to hurry through with eyes and ears and senses
all open for the slightest trace of the fell Toorkmun.
Here and there were old ruined towers, and in one place
I saw signs of an abandoned village, each marking eras
in the annals of this country. First before the
Toorkmuns had become a scourge to the land, a smiling
valley with fields and flocks and signs of life every
where ; then the same valley with fewer fields, more
ruined houses and more towers of refuge, and now even
the latter had fallen, and so the swift stream carried its
clear limped water to be lost in the desert, or wasted in
carrying life to Toorkmun dogs.
It is really sad to see a magnificent country deserted
like this ; it has the finest soil and most water of any
district I have seen in Persia, yet no attempt is made to
colonize it. The excuse given — Khowf-y-Toorkmun* —
is no excuse at all, for the Persian Government should be
quite able to arrange that no Toorkmuns could live with
in raiding distance without giving up their habits of
kidnapping. The river is crossed by a deep ford, and as the current
even when I crossed was very swift, it must be impass-
* Pear of the Toorkmuns.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 69
able after rain. It drains an immense tract of country,
as all the streams from Laeen westward fall into it
before it gets to the plains. I afterwards crossed its
head waters in the glen between the AUaho-Akbur
and the Maidan-y-Khoonee on the Durraguz-Koochan
road. About half a mile above the ford the road through
the mountains joined the one I was following, whence
it goes over open hills ascending easily for three-quarters
of an hour, and then descends over the same sort of
country for one hour and a quarter to the deserted fort
of Sain ; then on, passing a queer little fort on a hill
named Koomuch Khoor, through low deserted valleys
with good soil and water, to cross a low ridge which
shuts out Durraguz from view. After quitting the
ridge the road goes on level in one hour and three-
quarters from Sain. The tract of country between Sain
and the valley in. which the village of Mahamadabad
is situated is said to be very dangerous, as the Toork
muns find good grazing and water in the valleys, and
hiding behind the tall reeds emerge when least expected.
My party, however, got through all right, although
there must even then have been Toorkmuns on the look
out, as two men were carried off just behind us. In
this space, as I heard afterwards, of about five miles, I
counted over 150 towers of refuge, a pretty good proof
that its reputation was fully deserved.
On the left of the road above Zungalanee, I was
informed there was a fine tableland five miles long by
two miles broad, which is called the Tukht-y-Shah, and
affords excellent pasture ground.
On arriving at Mahamadabad I found no one to
receive me, although I had sent on the order of the
Wulee hours before by the short road. On inquiring, I

70 KHORASSAN.
was told the Khan was sleeping, and no one in the
town was bold enough to awake him. I, after waiting
two hours outside the gate, went off, found a place
for my camp, and proceeded to make myself com
fortable. At three an individual came to say he had come to
take me to my manzil. I told him to tell the Khan I
was very comfortable where I was and couldn't think of
moving now. Then came deputation after deputation,
each rising in rank, and all used their most persuasive
arguments, and all swore the Khan would kill them
and burn their fathers if I did not come. But I said I
was extremely obliged to the Khan, and if they had
come when I was being grilled in the sun, they would
have been welcome, I would not say more welcome;
but their arrival would have been more happily timed.
Now, having been grilling for ten long hours in an
orient sun, it was necessary that the Furrungee should
bathe, should eat, and finally — Inshalla ! — should sleep.
At length they came with their last argument. It was
not safe to remain outside, the Khan could not be
answerable if I remained. This was enough ; I made
it a rule to do whatever the authorities wished in this
respect, and so I went into the town.*
* After I had got completely settled in my new quarters, an individual
came to me from the Khan to see what I wanted ; of course they did not
understand why any one should travel and " draw troubles " on his
devoted head for pleasure, and they always seemed to consider more
unintelligible that a Colonel should do such things. However, having
satisfied my interrogator on this point, he said, " You are an English
man P " " I have that honour, thank heaven ! " I replied. " Then you will
want to go to the top of a hill and look at the Toorkmun plain through a
telescope? " I inquired what he meant; on which he explained that it had
always been the rule with all Englishmen who came here to do this, but
as I ascertained that the only result of this manoeuvre was seeing through
a glass a hazy plain with some black specks on it, and could not afford
the time for such mild amusement, I declined the trip. I wished very

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ.

71

The village of Mahamadabad, which is the chief
place in the Khanate of Durraguz, of which latter
name there is no town, is contained within double walls,
which enclose about 1,200 houses; all of the poorest
description. There are two gates to the inner wall, one

Ont&r -woCli

PAEEN DARWA7A.

Out'e-r-waZV

GATE,

OAKWAZA
 -350 yards '

Ditch,

Rough Plak of Mahamadabad. Scale— 12 in. to a mile.
on the south leading to Kooehaun, the other on the
north leading to Bairago, and they are connected by a
street with trees down the centre, in which are the
shops of the place.
much, certainly, to go and really see a Toorkmun camp, but the Khan
said that could not be managed, for the old reason which has been ring
ing in my ears ever since I left Toon, " Khowf-y-Toorkmun."

72 KHORASSAN.
The former town seems to have occupied a space of
350 yards by 400, and to have been enclosed within a
good wall, with towers at the corners, and at every
50 yards, in the curtain, and these fortifications still
remain. Probably owing to increase of population, a
further space of 50 yards all round has been enclosed,
and the north side is surrounded by an ordinary
wall and a good broad ditch. In the NW. corner of
this enclosed area, is a mound of the height of about
40 feet looking into the citadel, which is simply a
portion of the village 100 yards square, marked off.
There are two gates, one on the north called Paeen
Durwaza, and the Bala Durwaza on the south. There are
corresponding gates in the outer wall, a little to one
side of each. The only thing remarkable that I dis
covered in Mahamadabad was the absence of ruins,
and the regularity of the streets, these latter being laid
out at right angles to the walls, and having two main
streets which meet in the centre, coming from the four
points of the compass.
Though far from pleased at my reception, I went
next day and called on the Khan, and was received by
him in a garden- half a mile to the south of the village.
In the centre of this, on the top of four tiers or terraces
of octagonal shape, was raised a tower of the kind
called a Koola Furrungee, from its resemblance to a
European black hat, whence a good view of the surround
ing country was obtained. As I was riding up, I heard
a regular fusillade going on, and soon learnt the reason
of it ; for after we had sat in the room for ten minutes,
the Khan proposed going out on the terrace, and there
guns being brought him by attendant myrmidons in
crimson dressing-gowns and lambswool busbies, he
fired frequently and, as it seemed to me, very wildly.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 73
Yet he always apparently managed to hit something,
for after every discharge some of the dressing-gown
gentlemen rushed among the trees and emerged with
small birds of various descriptions. It would not
perhaps be fitting in me, as a guest at the moment, to
venture to account for the apparent discrepancy between
the wildness of the aim and the havoc denoted by the
result, and, therefore, I leave the solution of the problem
for those who are quick at the art of putting two and
two together.
The Khan of this place is neither a very polite nor
an amusing individual, but one thing which he said
tickled me much, illustrating as it does the emptiness
of fame. In talking of two former travellers who lately
visited this place, and who, lest their feelings should
be wounded, I forbear to indicate more minutely, he
had apparently quite forgotten their names, and always
mentioned the first comer as "eki" and the second as
" eki digar ; " saying for instance, " eki " had come and
gone shooting ; "eki digar," had talked Persian." Some
times too he varied the denomination of these, by talk
ing of them as " pirar sali " and " par sali ; " so I con
clude after I have gone, I shall be promoted to be " par
sali," vice — advanced to the rank of " pirar sali ; " for
the present, I must put up with the humble rank of
" im sali " I suppose.*
I must say, I was not on the whole impressed with
Alayar Khan, and I am sure whatever soreness there
may have been at the time at my rude reception, can
not have any weight now. I thought he was intelligent ;
but his genius seemed rather jerky and unstable. He
* " Eki " means one person, " eki digar " another ; " par sali," the last
year person, " pirar sali," the year before last person, " im sali," this year
person.

74 KHORASSAN.
talked a great deal of what he was going to do, and
expressed a poor opinion of the Toorkmuns ; but when
I asked him why he did not colonize the magnificent
Zungalanee valley, he could only say such was his inten
tion, and poor though his opinion of the Toorkmuns may
be, I never saw such mortal dread of these gentlemen
as all his arrangements showed.
Long before it was dark, he quitted the garden-house
I have mentioned above, and when I suggested it would
be a very nice place to sleep in during the hot weather,
he turned quite green. When we left we were all
huddled into the town, and the gates were shut, though
the sun was only just setting. According to his own
showing, the whole country round was occupied by
roaming bands of Toorkmuns, and even if he had not
said so, the very large number of Toorkmun towers
alone proved it. The two days I was there, the gates
were not opened till nine in the morning.
Alayar Khan, however, has a body of some 1,000
horsemen, worthy of all commendation. Their equip
ment is the same as that described of the horse
men of the lower part of the Mushudd valley; but
these men seem more in hand. They are dressed for
the most part in black lambswool busbies, and coats made
of the striped Khorassan silk; they have a most soldier
like appearance, and are extremely well mounted. He
can also, he informed me, turn out over 1,000 foot men,
but these are of the " catch 'em alive o" description,
with which we are familiar on the Indus frontier. His
cavalry are, I believe, chiefly mounted on horses captured,
or taken as ransom from the Toorkmuns, a supply
which though it seems sufficient, must be more or less
precarious, and it is therefore a matter of surprise that
some arrangement for breeding horses is not come to.

MUSHUDD TO DURRAGUZ. 75
I asked Alayar why he did not do this, but the idea did
not take with him, and I suppose as long as this
Toorkmun difficulty is not arranged, he will go on as
he has done. The system of border defence, though of
course not so regularly organized, is much the same in
principle as that of the Punjab frontier, viz., a system
of reprisals. It is a bad system, I think, as neither side
can ever settle down as long as it goes on.
The Khanate of Durraguz is smaller than that of
Kullat-y-Nadir ; the southern boundary goes from that
of the latter along the Koh Huzar Musjeed range,
round the head of the Zungalanee river, which is there
called the Rood-y-Kibkan, north of the Maidan Khoo-
nee pass, and thence to Kulta Cheenar. Whence it
takes the crest of the Zurreen Koh ridge, to the exit of
the Mahamadabad stream, beyond which there are a
i'ew settlements in the Attruk, held on a precarious
tenure. It then runs on and meets the boundary of
Kullat, whence the east bounds may be said to run up
the spur which divides the drainage of Laeen from that
of Zungalanee. In this tract, as well as in Kullat,
there are some magnificent tracts of country with plenty
of water and very fine grazing, so that there is no
doubt much might be done to improve it agriculturally,
while it would afford great facilities for the rearing of a
splendid breed of horses and mules.
From Mahamadabad I got the following bearings.
The Allaho Akbur pass, 217°. The main range, or
rather perhaps the Allaho Akbur spur of that range,
stretches from 143° to 263°. The road to Durringa,
bears 295°, and that place is said to be about thirty
miles distant, beyond which to Annow, one of the
Ukhal Toorkmun villages, is from sixteen to eighteen
miles, the road is said to be quite practicable.

76 KHORASSAN.
The Zurreenkoh stretches from 302° to 43° across the
north of the valley, the fort being not more than three
miles distant. A low ridge runs out from Karajukhar
hills which bears 140° to a bearing of 11 2°, and a glen called
Talkeedurra, and a pasturage named Pad Alung, bear
115°. The road from Kullat bears 125°, and the valley
is quite shut in on the east, by a ridge running north
and south, which is continuous with that which comes
down from Karajukhar. One mile off, on a bearing of
320°, is the village of Arteean. Nowkundan, said to
be a large village about six miles off, is on a bearing of
300°. The river, whose bed passes Mahamadabad to
the east, is joined below that place by the river of
Durringa, the head of which is said to be a long way
off in Koochan territory.*
* The route from Daragoz to Mushudd. As far as Mankoh the
route is the same as that I followed, from this the road follows that to
Kuchan for three miles, when the Mushudd road goes off to the right,
and ascending a valley, crosses over the main range by the pass, and
descends to the village Teshagi, whence to Mushudd it goes down the
valley by Ratkan, Ohinaran, &c.

77

CHAPTER III.
DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD
On the morning of the 18th August, as soon as we
could get out of the town (not till 9 a.m.) I commenced
my march to Koochan, without waiting for the horse
men who were to have come with me.
The road goes out to the SE., and in a mile passes
the old site of the chief village of the Khanate. It
then goes between low hills for two miles, when it
passes the village of Pai Kulla half a mile on the right,
and two miles further comes to the village of Khulk
Vurdee, that of Chubeshlee being about one mile
further on to the left frontier. One mile to the right
of Pai Kulla is Kulla Abbas, and one mile still further
to the right Saadabad, Kotallee being three miles
further off still on the right.
From Khulk Vurdee the road goes over an open
undulating plain for four miles to the village of Kulla
Meena, which is one mile off the regular road to the
left. Here, as it was now past eleven, I determined to
halt for breakfast and wait till my escort came up ; so
I got under the shade of a really magnificent plane tree
and bivouacked. The villagers were extemely civil at
this place, and brought me bunches of splendid grapes
which were most welcome, as from the long absence of
green food with my meals I used to long always for
the grapes which at this season are nearly everywhere

78 KHORASSAN.
procurable. About one the escort turned up, in twos
and threes, till some twenty-five had assembled, and I
was glad to find they were a particularly fine body of
men. As the sun was very hot I didn't start again till 3 p.m.,
when we went on. We had got a little off the main
road by going to Kulla Meena, and I was afraid that
in trying to regain it we should find ourselves in a tract
where it would be difficult for the mules to go ; but as
it turned out the line we took by the villages of Aktash
and Kolyell was actually shorter and easier than the
regular road, which joined about a mile up the ascent
by a steep gradient. The whole road to the top of the
Allaho Akbur Pass is very easy, and except a few short
bits, where it could easily be improved, is practicable for
artillery now. Near the top of the ascent, which is a
little over three miles and takes one and a half hours to
accomplish, the road goes under some very high precipi
tous cliffs which completely command it, but the crest
could not long be held by an enemy, as the whole of
this range is so practicable everywhere as to offer but
little difficulty in turning any position taken up on it.
A little below the actual crest is a tower held by some
Durraguzees, but, from its faulty site, I should say it
cannot be of much use.
From the crest of the ridge of Allaho Akbur I got a
fine view of the Durraguz plain, and saw what I had
taken for the Zurreen Koh was in reality a small
tributary spur of that range, which rose up much
higher and parallel to it. I also made out that all the
drainage of the valley as far west as Chibushlee and
Meena, ran out through a defile I had passed in the
road to Mahamadabad, and draining eventually into
the Zungalanee river, while all to the west of this goes

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 79
out by the defile which leads to Ab-i-Vurd. Beyond
the Karajakhar ridge was still another low ridge called
the Kirrik Kaz between it and the Attuk.
Before descending finally the road passes over a low
neck of the ridge, after which it goes down easy, but
rather stony, to a very curious series of little rocky pro
jections which rise straight out of the ground to a
height of two or three feet, and run close together and
parallel to each other right across the hill. These of
course make the road here very difficult, and the inter
stices would have to be filled up with earth before
artillery could get over it. On every one of these little
ridges and all along them close together, travellers have
at various times erected little piles of stones of all
shapes and sizes, and on looking back at the steep ascent
with these heaps of stones I could not help calling to
mind the story in the " Arabian Nights," where the
hero is called back at each step by the stones strewed
about the hill he is ascending.
From this the road goes down pretty steeply and is
much encumbered by stones, the last part is especially
bad, going through a narrow defile with cliffs close on
either hand, and the road lying over masses of sheet
rock : all of which makes it quite impracticable for
artillery in its present state. Then the road goes
alongside the stream, ascending imperceptibly to the
south of Mean Koh about one mile on.
On reaching a point on the crest of the Allaho
Akbur pass from which I could see the valley below, I
was much astonished to find that it drained to the east
ward. From the map in my possession, which was the
latest one of Col. Walker, it seemed that once you had
crossed this pass one would enter a tract draining
towards Mushudd; but this is not the case, as the Mean

80 KHORASSAN.
Koh river, here called the Rood-y-Gibkan, the head
waters of which, I may add, are not less than fifteen
miles to the west, runs to the NE., and going through
a narrow defile joins the waters of the Zungalanee river,
which I crossed on the march to Durraguz. There is a
road which goes from Mean Koh to the Zungalanee, then
over the hill between it by the line Baker's party came
and the Tirjaun river, whence to Kullat it follows the
line I had come by. This is probably the most direct
route between Kullat and Koochan.
The village of Mean Koh is an odd little place,
situated, as its name implies, between hills and perched
on a low isolated hillock. It has only about thirty
inhabitants, Koords, but there is an immense deal of
tobacco cultivation for so small a place. It also has a
great abundance of water, and there seems no reason,
except want of population, why every part of the ground
that could be got at by water, should not be cultivated.
On the march to-day, an individual named Roostum
Beg attached himself to me, and said he was a servant
of the English for ever, having served " Cornel Fikkur "
(Col. Baker), and he recounted to me numerous stories of
the hills the Colonel had climbed, the game he had
shot, the places . he had been to, and the things he
possessed. With regard to the latter, I may defend myself
from any imputation of inquisitiveness on the subject of
Colonel Baker's belongings, by appealing to any one
who has ever heard a Persian roll out a yarn ; when he
has an attentive audience no helping is required.
We got off early, about 3.30, but as there was a lovely
moon, and so while we have lost but little as regards
view of the country, we gained the cool hours of early
morning, I was very glad to leave for I could get no sleep
all night. Not far from me was a woman wailing, not

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 81
very loudly, but it seemed to me very broken-heartedly.
She went on again and again repeating some name — I
think it was Ahmud — saying " Oh, oh, Ahmud, Ah-m-ud,"
then bursting into a paroxysm of grief. Poor wretch !
I suppose he had been good to her, and now he was
gone from her, and her cries struck a chord in my own
heart, which made it very trying to listen the long
still night through.
The road goes along the valley, gradually ascending
for three miles to a small hamlet, just beyond which a de
file is entered, where another stream joins from the proper
right, up which there is a road to Mushudd. It then turns
to the right up a little valley, and presently commences the
ascent of the Kotul MaidanKhoonee, which is generally
very easy, over open rounded hills covered with mag
nificent grazing, the roadway being over earth. The
ascent does not take more than half an hour, and then
an undulating plain covered with grass is reached,
which is called the "Field of Blood," why I don't know,
for it looks very peaceful, and has numerous flocks
grazing on it. After a bit of level of three-quarters of a
mile, the descent commences. It is very easy at first, but
gradually becomes worse, till towards the end it is very
rocky, steep and difficult, and would have to be much
improved for artillery. The whole is about two and a
quarter miles. At first there is no view of the general lie
of the country beyond, but towards the bottom one sees
the Tawarikh valley, and here again I was surprised.
I thought that although the Allaho Akbur ridge was
evidently not the main range, this clearly was, and
that of course I should now find the drainage going
towards Mushudd. Not finding this the case, however,
1 asked Mr. Roostum, who has a pretty fair knowledge
of the country. He said, " The river of Tawarikh
VOL. II. . G

82 KHORASSAN.
goes to Koochan." " Yes," I said ; " but beyond, does
not the river drain to Mushudd? " " To Mushudd ? "
he replied, quite surprised ; " no, it goes on to Shirwan."
Here was another surprise ; I always had an idea that
Koochan was at the head of the drainage of Mushudd,
instead of which I find that it drains to Shirwan, and
then to the Attruk.
There is thus no doubt that this little stream at Tawa
rikh, is justly entitled to be considered the chief source of
the Attruk river, though which of the four streams which
join each other near this is the actual source, I had not
time to determine, but I am inclined to think that
which comes from the east, from the direction of the hill
which is called Koh Tuhmusp, has the best claim.
The village of Tawarikh is very prettily situated in
a little valley, surrounded by picturesque mountains and
by many trees. It has a good deal of cultivation,
but might have much more, as no less than four
fairly plentiful streams discharge their water into it.
From this there are two roads, one down the defile
of the river, the other over the hill. I chose the last
as being the shortest, and found it very easy the whole
way to Myree, a small village where I halted for break
fast about eleven.
This place has about 100 houses, with an abundant
supply of good water, but there are no gardens round
it or trees, and I was consequently obliged to stay in
the open. From Myree, a hill called Koh Kampharee
bore 200°, and it is situated in the ridge beyond
Sooltan Maidan. The village of Furkhan, said to have
50 houses, bore 192°, two miles distant. The head of
the watershed between Koochan and Mushudd was
said to be at a spot called Eek, about eighteen miles
off.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 83
After having satisfactorily accomplished the impor
tant duty of breakfasting, I again started about two,
and was severely punished for not going on at once,
by having the sun blazing right in my eyes the
whole way. From Myree I sent back the greater
part of the escort, keeping only some five men, among
whom Roostum was one.
The road first goes down a ravine for two miles, in
a direction 250° to the village of Kulla- Agha-Said,
when the main valley of Koochan is reached ; whence
the road is over a fine open undulating valley for some
six miles ; the last part into the town of Koochan
being through an unbroken sea of vineyards.
On arrival I found that the sowar I had sent on
had of course not arrived, and so there was some delay
in informing the authorities, but I had afterwards
sent on the trustworthy Roostum, and therefore had
not to wait long ere a portly individual with an appear
ance something between a French Marshal and a
chef de cuisine, came with a host of furrashes and
showed me to a very nice house, all the way pouring
forth a string of welcomes from his master.
While waiting outside I took advantage of the
opportunity to get some bearings to the surrounding
points of interest. The Koh Shahjuhan bore 250°, Koh
Mahamad Beg 164°, K. Sarakhor 180°, ten to twelve
miles distant, head of the Koochan valley 130°. A
road to Durraguz 55° (more direct than the one I had
come), Koh Isfuzar on the range to the north 330°,
road to Shirwan, 302°, finally I noticed the town of
Koochan was completely commanded by a hill to the
north-east. Next day I went to see the chief of this district, by name
Meer Hoosen Khan, by title Shoojah-oo-dowlah, and
g 2

84 KHORASSAN.
he received me in a tent in a garden, explaining that he
almost lived in a tent now, as the earthquakes were so
frequent as to make a house dangerous. He is an
elderly-looking man of about forty-five, of sallow com
plexion, and grave dignified manners, and with an
appearance of considerable intelligence which his after
conversation did not belie. He was very kind and
pleasant in his manner, and, as I was pleased to find,
not in the least inane in his conversation. There
was a prince of the Kujjur* family staying with
him, by name Mahamad Hashem Mirza, who has some
employment connected with the shrine at Mus
hudd, and who struck me as one of the best looking
and most gentlemanly-mannered men I have seen
anywhere. Lastly, the chief's son, by a Toorkmun
lady, Abool Hussun, made up the trio of my com
panions. This young man had a heavy look, with the
sort of eyes that look as if the owner had been crying,
and it is strange how much looks belie people, for
Abool Hussun, who looked as if he would burst into a
flood of tears if his mother spoke harshly to him, had,
when the Shah imprisoned his father, a few months
ago, gone off to the Toorkmuns, and was on the point
of bringing 10,000 Akhuls down on the garrison
which had been sent from Mushudd. Altogether I
passed here about the pleasantest visit I have had in
Persia. I must not forget to mention that Meer Hoosen Khan
sent an Arab for me to ride, with the handsome
trappings which had been presented to him by the
Shah, the saddle being covered with a velvet saddlecloth
beautifully embroidered, which I afterwards learnt was
Resht work. The headstall, reins, surcingle and crupper,
* The tribe to which the Shah belongs.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 85
were covered with plates, of either gold or silver gilt, of
the same pattern as is common enough among the
Koords, but these were far the handsomest I saw in
Persia, or indeed have ever seen anywhere. The horse
was really a fine animal, a pure Arab, but I was so
impressed with the dignity of the source from which
he had come, that I did not like lightly to try his
paces. Koochan is certainly about the most ruinous place
I have seen, and when the reader remembers that every
city in Persia seems to be nearly in the last stage of
dissolution, the force of this remark will be appreciated.

At least one half of the old city has been absolutely aban
doned, and is now a series of shapeless mounds; and of the
other half, one half of the houses are tumbling down.
Viewed from the top of a mound on which the citadel
formerly stood, the place has a most desolate appearance,
which is not relieved by the beauty of any single
building. All the houses are mud and nearly all flat-
roofed, though a new kind of building has lately come
into vogue. It is said to stand the earthquakes better,
and consists of a tent roof with no walls, erected of
poles tied to each other, and to a ridge pole, the ends

86 KHORASSAN.
buried in the earth, and the whole covered with a layer
of earth, as shown by the dotted lines in the diagram.
Whether this is effectual or not, I cannot say, but the
people seem to have faith in it. It would be useless to
attempt any description of Koochan, or its walls, for
the whole, now a mass of ruins, may cease to exist at the
next earthquake ; and as to its gates, besides those
made by man, it has, as a Persian friend wittily
remarked, several which may be termed "earthquake
gates." (Darwaza-i-zilzila.)
There is a very wretched bazaar here, with scarcely
anything in it beyond the ordinary country produce,
but there are said to be a good number of copper pots
and woollen stockings made. Outside the town for
more than a mile all round the place is one vast vine
yard, and it seems almost as if nothing else was grown ;
but beyond this radius there is a large extent of wheat
cultivation. To the north-east of the town is a hill rising
about 150ft. above it, at a distance of 2,500 or 3,000
yards, which is called Nadir-i-Tuppeh, and is justly
celebrated as the spot where that great conqueror was
assassinated while besieging Koochan during one of its
frequent fits of rebellion. This hill completely com
mands the town at the above range, a fact of little
importance, however, as it is the last place in the world
able to make any resistance.
The town has about 2,000 houses, inhabited by
Zuffuranloo Koords, who are the ruling race, Toorks
and Persians. It is situated close under the last slopes
of the hills on the north, but there is an immense
stretch of splendid land to the south.
The valley of Koochan, or Koochoon as the people
call it, I reckon, from its head to past Shirwan, cannot

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 87
be less than sixty miles long ; and I should say the
breadth of the culturable ground, which slopes down
from the hills on either hand, could not be under fifteen
or sixteen miles. The area of this tract, therefore,
would be about 900 square miles ; and when we come
to consider that the whole of it seems to be composed
of fine culturable soil, and that the grand mountains on
the north and south pour down an abundant supply of
water, it is easy to see what a country this might
become under a better government and with more
people. Not that I have anything to say against the Shoojah-
oo-Dowlah, who seemed to me one of the most intelli
gent and best governors I had seen in Persia, and who
I afterwards learnt was certainly much beloved by his
people. Therefore, if Koochan, fine district though it
be, might be finer, the fault does not lie with Meer
Hoosen Khan, but with the accursed Persian system
of mingled tyranny and imbecility. It would be
impossible for the best man under the sun to make his
district all that it might be, if he were under the orders
of the imbecile vapourers who form the ministry at
Tehran ; for if he did, it would soon be said that he
was becoming too powerful, and he would be straight
way plundered if they dared to plunder him, or if not,
induced to pay heavy bribes to be let alone.
The boundaries of the Khanate may be said to be
the crest of the fine ranges on the north and south ;
on the east I should take the watershed betwen Mus
hudd and Koochan as the probable boundary ; and on
the west, the Shoojah-oo-Dowlah's territory extends
down the Attruk valley to about twelve miles below
Shirwan. The length is therefore about ninety miles,
and the breath about forty miles, the area about 3,500

8S KHORASSAN.
square miles, that is, an area nearly equal to Devonshire
and Cornwall.
It is very difficult to form any idea of the probable
population of any district in Persia, more especially
after merely passing through it in the way I did. The
Shoojah-oo-Dowlah told me he could call out 30,000
armed men, which would give a population of probably
150,000 souls. I am, however, inclined on the whole
not to put it higher than 100,000, which gives about
thirty to the square mile.
When I was at Koochan, nearly all the horsemen
of the place were away on the Toorkmun frontiers, but
in the guard that was sent with me on my departure,
I saw enough to convince me that the standard of
efficiency which I had seen in Kullat and Durraguz
was also kept up here. The number maintained was
said to be 1,000.
Staying at Koochan on the 20th and 21st, during
which time I was most kindly and hospitably treated,
I left for Shirwan on the 22nd, getting off in the small
hours. The road led straight down the valley to the
north-west on the right bank of the Attruk. At one
and a half miles we passed Ishmabad, and at five miles
the village of Jafurabad, which was said to have lost
seventy people in the earthquake that happened three
years ago, when a good part of Koochan was laid in
ruins, and eight other villages almost totally destroyed,
so that notwithstanding their fine valley the inhabitants
have not got it quite their own way. Five and a
half miles further we passed Faroch, one mile off, Yam,
a large village four miles, and Korghab, two miles off,
all on the north of the road.
Still on down the valley for four miles, when we
came to another group of villages ; viz., Barghar, half

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 89
a mile ; Nuzzuffabad, two miles ; Sehgoombaz, three
miles ; Khairabad, five and a half miles ; and Merwan,
seven miles on the right; the last being in the hills.
At about nineteen miles from Koochan we came to
Faizabad, where I found another escort waiting to take
me on ; and I stopped to have some breakfast outside
the village, which did not look inviting enough to
tempt me to enter it.
Going on from this place we continued down the
valley, passing a hamlet called Boorzilabad at the twen
tieth mile, and at the twenty-fourth mile we passed the
village and fort of Dewin, one mile to the left. It is
said to have 100 houses, and the fort is situated on a
small isolated mound about 100 feet above the village,
but it is commanded to the west by a low ridge which
runs out into the valley from the main range. One
mile further we passed the village of Sekaura on the
right, situated under the hills ; and three miles on
came to the small hamlet of Baghal, containing some
ten houses ; and at two miles from this, to the village
of Allahabad, situated between a large mound and the
last spur of the hills, and possessing large gardens.
Five miles further on we reached Shirwan. I noticed
that the low ridge mentioned above as commanding the
village of Dewin runs to the west, parallel with the
main range right up to Shirwan. From the north of
Shirwan the hills become low, and also to the west of
the Koh Shahjuhan on the south. Beyond Shirwan,
both ranges close in and end the fine open valley we
have been traversing.
Arrived at this place, I was met by a chief of the
Shoojah-oo-Dowlah, and conducted through a busy street
abounding with coppersmiths to my quarters, which
were in a large but dilapidated enclosure belonging to

9 0 KHORASSAN.
the Khan. I was given a very nice clean room looking
out on to what might once have been a pretty garden.
After a short conversation, the chief left me alone, and
directed his " furrashbashee "* to look after my wants.
As usual, the first thing I asked for was water to bathe,
the second grapes.
Shirwan is a much more respectable looking place
than Koochan, and though trees are wanting in the
landscape, the site, surrounded as it is by many-tinted
hills, is very pretty.
The town has about 300 houses, and is an oblong
about 600 yards by 300 yards, and is surrounded by a
strong high wall, which is loopholed, but with a very
dilapidated banquette, and without a proper communi
cation all round. There are two gates — the Koochan
and Bujnoord Durwazas — and there is one good
street, which leads from the first-named gate to the west
to the Khan's house; the rest are all irregular and
narrow. At the south-west corner there is a mound
about 100 feet high, and with a diameter of about 200
yards at the base, on which is built the citadel, which
completely commands the whole of the town, but
which is itself also under the command of the hills on
the south.
About half the space enclosed in the walls is a mass
of ruins, the cause of which is, however, not earth
quakes, as elsewhere in this valley, but the usual
Persian apathy. A larger part of the remainder is
taken up by gardens and open spaces, covered with
filth. The valley to the north of Shirwan comes round to
the west with a sweep, the hills being about four miles
* Chief Purrash.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD.

91

off. From the south to the west the hills approach
close to the town. Two miles to the north is a
famous Zeearut,* and the river of Zeristan joins the

KuxJuxn, Gccte,

Rough Plan of Shirwan. Scale— 12 in. to 1 mile.

Attruk. The boundary of the Koochan Khanate
is said to be at Abdowa, about eight miles below this
place. The house I was in was, for a Persian dwelling, very
* A place of pilgrimage.

92 KHORASSAN.
tolerable. Of course, according to our ideas, there is
not a great deal of comfort in any Persian house, but if
the difference in the climate be taken into considera
tion, there is much in their abodes, and, I may add,
something in their habits, from which we in India might-
gather hints. Among other items, I think the Persian
ceilings might well be adopted as an improvement to
the abominable " chut " * of India, and their plan of
having a number of niches in their walls would take off
much of the awful deadness of the whitewashed walls of
that country.
On the 23rd I again got off early. Leaving the
town by the Bujnurd gate, just north of the citadel,
the road led out nearly due west, and then turned more
south over an open plain for two miles to the river
Attruk, which we forded. Thence we went along the
left bank to the village of Hoosenabad in two miles
and a half. This place has fine groves and vineyards.
Going beyond this for half a mile, the road now turned
more south (214°), and continued so for two miles over
easy undulating ground to the foot of the Kotul-y-
Khojeh Vardeh. It then turned nearly west (260°),
and ascended quite easily to the top in three miles,
during the last part of which the road is commanded
by bold cliffs on the left, affording a fine position from
which to pour a fire on an unwary enemy.
The descent is quite easy, but very stony for a mile
and a half, to a mill turned by the water of a fine
tributary of the Attruk, which joins it near Gurme-
khan. Below the mill is a small village called Bagh-
zuggan. From thence the road goes due west into a narrow
* Chut is the whitewashed cloth which is stretched across the roof
and forms the ceiling.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 93
valley for three miles and a half, then, turning north
(295°), the valley opens more and becomes quite level,
continuing so for six miles to an imperceptible water
shed. Crossing this, it descends slightly for a mile and
a half to a pretty spot, where there was a camp of very
wild-looking gentlemen, who said they were Shadeeloos;
thence a road went off to Gurmekhan.
Still continuing down this valley for a mile, I reached
a point where my guide told me a road went off to the
left about twenty miles to a fine mountain district
called Roobeea, which had a nomad population of 500
tents, and thence over the Tukht-y-Mirza hill to Isfu-
rayeen. All the above tract goes by the name of
Huzar Jureeb. Three quarters of a mile beyond the
above mentioned point the road comes opposite the ugly
village of Chinaran, which has about sixty houses, and
is built in a strong position in a little glen to the left of
the road. The country about here reminded me much
of Abyssinia. From this three miles and a half still
down the valley brought us to a place where there was a
ruined fort situated in a hollow, and three-quarters of a
mile further to two isolated hillocks with traces of forts
on the top, and some wretched hovels situated under
the scarp of their sides.
Half a mile further the road left the valley, which ran
on to Gurmekhan, and turned a little more south, and,
going over easy undulating ground, arrived in a mile
and a half at the foot of the Kaboob Rummur pass, so
called from the white colour of the rocks wrhich form
the hill. From this the valley of Bujnurd begins to
be visible, the town itself bearing 290°, a grand hill,
the Koh Saluch 246°, and another, called Khan Balagh,
just above the town. From here I could see where the
water of Bujnurd had its exit, and could trace the

94 KHORASSAN.
spur which runs between it and the drainage ol
Chinaran. The guide told me the two streams joined
about five miles off. Descending from this pass, the
ascent and descent of which were both quite easy, we
passed through the village of Gamzik, situated on a
spur above the valley. It has 100 houses, and there is
much cultivation, as well as extensive gardens below.
We now entered the valley, and, going over fine and
tolerably level ground, came to the town, having
accomplished a march of not less than thirty-seven
miles. On arrival, I found that my quarters were not to be
in the town, but in a garden some two miles beyond it.
So we had to trudge on right through the town, and
did not arrive at the garden till after dark, the last half
hour seeming ages. When I got in I was so tired with
my long ride, right through the day with a blazing sun
the whole way, that I could hardly wait till my bed
was put up, when I flung myself down and slept as I
very seldom do.
Next morning I awoke at bearing talking near my
bed, and looking up found a stout gentleman looking
at me with an air of such benevolence and kindness that
I jumped up and said, " Who are you ? but I need not
ask, you must be a friend from your looks." He said,
" I am your friend and your slave. The Eelkhanee
sent me here last night to ask after you, and say he
would come and see you in the morning, but seeing
you .were very tired, I waited till you woke."
" Surely," I said, " you have not been waiting all night ?
You must have 'drawn great trouble on yourself.''
"Not at all; I got on very well by that fire." Then
pausing, he said, " At what hour would you be ready to
see the Eelkhanee ?" " No, no," I replied, " it is my duty

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 95
to pay my respects to him first, so if you will tell him I
will be with him in a couple of hours." My friend was
alarmed at this, saying the Khan had particularly told
him not to let me come first, but I said, " All right ; I'll
make your peace with the Khan, but I could not think
of letting him pay me the first visit."
I then got up, put on my undress uniform, which
was what I always wore on these occasions, and after a
slight refreshment rode over to the garden where the
Khan was, which was only about half a mile off.
Arrived there, I found he had prepared a beautiful
large tent, laid out with carpets, and had got together
all his notables. One of these visits is so like another
as to details, that the only variation is to be found in
the manner of the host. One does not get much intel
lectual pabulum from the talk of the generality of
Asiatics ; though in Persia, I must allow, the conversa
tion is generally far more amusing and intelligent than
in India. Sometimes they are flippant, like my friend
Alayar Khan ; sometimes supercilious, like the Moota-
wulee Bashee at Mushudd ; generally there is a film
of bombast, often a soupqon of insolence ; sometimes
they are " vox et preterea nihil." Therefore, when one
meets one of them whose manner, like that of Eelkhanee,
is one of most impressive kindness, and who does not
obscure his intelligence with any such nonsense as
above, one appreciates it the more. Suffice it, there
fore, to say, this interview and many others I had with
the Eelkhanee passed off most pleasantly. I have seen
some more intelligent men in Persia, but I have met
no one whose kindness (though I seldom found this
wanting) has left a more grateful recollection on me
than has that of Yar Michund Khan.
Bujnurd is certainly one of, if not the, prettiest val-

96 KHORASSAN.
leys I have seen in Persia. It is a small and beautiful
plain studded with villages, covered with cultivation
and picturesquely sprinkled with gardens and trees, and
surrounded by mountains of every variety and descrip
tion ; it only wants water to make it perfect. In fact,
it is quite the sort of place I should wish to have for an
estate, being just big enough for one thoroughly to
overlook it. From any of the surrounding heights one
can see all over it quite easily, and its beautiful appear
ance made me indulge in sundry day dreams, and long
to have the laying of it out. There, where the plain is
lowest, I would make a beautiful little lake, with islands
and temples ; here and there on the plain, with studied
negligence, I would plant trees in twos and threes and
clumps. Then on the hills, which are a trifle too bare,
I would have small green thickets at the springs, and
with some white mosques and tombs dotted on the hill
side. But what is the good of a dream ! I only wish
I had an artist's pencil that I might lay it all before
my readers ; in default of which I offer this little sketch,
which shows one view of the town from the south
west. The town of Bujnurd may be described as a square,
situated about two miles from the hills to the north,
built round a mound on the north side, on which is
situated the Eelkhanee's residence, which, as usual, is
called the Arg. The place is surrounded on all sides
by a very decent wall, which includes a great deal more
ground than is taken up by the town, so that on the
south and west sides there are large open spaces almost
entirely unoccupied, and these are shut off from the
inhabited portion by inner walls ; and on the west there
is a third wall, which runs in a meaningless way from
the Bagh-y-Khan to the south, between the outer and

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD.

97

inner walls above-mentioned. There are four gates;
the Kibla on the north, Koochan on the east, Mushudd

a

on the south, and the Goorgan on the west. The
citadel is built on a mound about 150 yards square,
100 yards from the north gate, and the ground slopes

VOL. II.

98 KHORASSAN. ,
from it down to the south. The town is said to con
tain 1,500 houses, and these are all of mud, and of the
usual dilapidated appearance, with flat roofs. There are
four main streets : one enters at the Kibla gate, and
winds round the western face of the Citadel, and then
goes south to the Mushudd gate ; another, entering at
the Koochan gate, runs irregularly to the west, and
has its exit at the Goorgan gate. The town, though sur
rounded by triple defences, is not capable of offering
any resistance, as the walls are, as always in Persia,
much out of repair ; the water can be cut off, and the
place is commanded by high ground to the north.
Down part of the street leading to the Arg is a stream
of water, and some trees are planted, giving it a cheerful
shade. The only manufactures of Bujnurd are copper pots,
and the pretty silk cloths made elsewhere in north
Khorassan. Some of these are striped, and some tartans.
They also make pretty, but rather gaudy, socks and
gloves, both in wools and silks. No carpets are manu
factured here, but they can be got readily from the
Toorkmuns. From what the Eelkhanee told me, his
jurisdiction extends on the east from the Koochan
boundary ; on the north —
" The good old rule, the simple plan,
That they should take who have the power,
And they should keep who can,"
seems to settle his frontier ; and, as he wittily remarked,
"When I am up in the world, I do what I like with
the north ; and when the Toorkmuns are too strong, I
pull in my horns. If I was strong enough, and had
the people, I would take the whole country up to the
Kuren Dagh, as I have more right to it than any one

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 99
else ; but now it lies waste, and neither I nor the
Toorkmuns dare occupy it." I fancy these remarks
apply pretty accurately to the west also, and I believe
he has no regular settlement west of Mana, Showghan,
and Jahjurm. On the south, his boundary takes in all
the Jahjurm Sankos lands. The Eelkhanee has a body
of about 1,000 horsemen of the same description as
those of Kullat, Durraguz, and Koochan — not better
and not worse. He showed me a party of about fifty,
who were very fine men, dressed in a very pretty uni
form of green frock-coats and brown lambswool busbies.
I do not know which looks best in a body, this green
uniform or the red I saw at Durraguz ; or a light-blue
coat with black busby, such as one frequently sees else
where in Persia.
The Eelkhanee seems to make a pretty good thing of
it in raiding the Toorkmuns. When I was there, there
was a party of about 1 00 prisoners bivouacking in the
main street of the place. They were all chained, but
the people seemed to take very little notice of them,
and, contrary to what I should have expected, did not
apparently regard them with very bitter feelings. I
fancy the reason of this is that these Koords give quite
as good as they get, and so have a certain fellow-feeling
for their enemies. The prisoners did not look unhappy
or frightened, but simply very much bored. They re
garded me with much curiosity at first, thinking I was
a Russian. The Eelkhanee gave me the following list of the
Ukhal Toorkmun forts, commencing from the east,
viz.. Gawars. Anow 3 farsuks ; Ashkabad 2 farsuks ;
Koorhee 1 farsuk ; Googja 2 farsuks ; Kipchak
£ farsuk ; H eerek £ farsuk ; Salugle £ farsuk ; Yas-
man 5 farsuk; Akdashayak -| farsuk; Karadashayak
• h 2

100 KHORASSAN.
£ farsuk; Izkund 2 farsuks; Baba Arab \ farsuk :
Koorjoo \ farsuk ; Kullajar 1 farsuk ; Beghar 1 farsuk ;
Yungee Kulla 1 farsuk ; Yunshan 1 farsuk ; Gunbadlee
1 farsuk; Kanjik 1 farsuk; Kakshal \ farsuk; Ukhal
\ farsuk; Gooktuppah \ farsuk; Yarajer 3 farsuks;
Maheen 1 farsuk ; Kulla Noor Vurdee 1 farsuk ; Ak
Tuppah 2 farskus ; Karey 2 farsuks ; Karakan 2 farsuks ;
Dooroon 1 farsuk ; Gukcha \ farsuk ; Bahrzan 1 farsuk ;
Moorcha 1 farsuk ; Soonchah 1 farsuk ; Urcheeman 3
farsuks ; Boormah 3 farsuks ; Bamee 2 farsuks ; Kizzil
Chushma 1 farsuk; Yungee 1 farsuk; Zow 1 farsuk;
Koch 1 farsuk ; Kizzil Arwat 4 farsuks. The distances
given being between each fort. From Kizzil Arwat to
Kizzil Soo or Krasnovodsk is said to be 30 farsuks.
I stayed at Bujnurd four days, leaving on the 27th.
Before starting, the Eelkhanee presented me with a
carpet and a fine piece of chain mail, and I sent him the
only things I had left, viz., a Snider breech-loading car
bine with case, and one of my horses ; but he was not
satisfied with this exchange, and said he must present
me with a Toorkmun horse, which I refused as delicately
as I could, but he would take no refusal, and as I
was setting off, sure enough up came a very decent
looking animal. It was rather a difficult fix. Without
the horse my presents were very fairly balanced with his,
but with it the scales went entirely down in his favour.
So, as the best way out of it, I said (Kabool) I accept,
and then presented the horse to my Mehmindar. By
the way I shall never forgive myself for forgetting this
man's name, and unfortunately I made no note of it.
However that may be, he was the dearest and best
fellow I met in Persia, and never seemed to be able to
do enough for me. On leaving, the Eelkhanee rode out
three or four miles with me, and it was with the most

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 101
unfeigned regret that I shook his hand and said good
bye, and thanked him for his hospitality and kindness,
which will always remain a green spot in my mind.
My baggage was sent round by the regular road by the
Duhna Ferozah, and I went by a worse road over the
hill to Shanghan. I did not get away till 5.30 a.m.,
and the road led out in a direction 240° up a valley for
the most part quite waste, for eight miles to the village
of Urkan. The road then turned a few degrees more
north, and ascended by a pretty easy gradient, but over
a very stony path for another four miles to a halting-
place where there was a fine spring, and plenty of fuel
and some little forage. Here I halted to breakfast.
The view from this place was very fine, and the whole
of Bujnurd lay like a map at our feet. The hills were
everywhere bare of trees, but covered with good pastur
age. From this the road goes in a direction 235°, and
ascends for three miles, it then turns 312°, and descends
for one mile and again ascends for one and a half miles
over open hills. It then goes over and round undulat
ing hills for some four and a half miles, when it begins to
descend by an extremely narrow and dangerous path, the
gradient of which, however, is not very steep for the first
one and a half miles, after, which it becomes simply
the very worst bit of road I had yet seen in Persia. It
seemed almost to go straight down, and in fact, did wind
about the face of a nearly perpendicular precipice over
the most utterly villanous pathway imaginable. Of
course, we had to walk down, and it has ever since
remained a matter of wonder to me how my wretched
horse ever managed the descent. I know what with
. looking out to pick my own way, and being in terror
lest the horse should slip on to the top of me, I had a

102 khorassan.
very disagreeable time of it, and was glad when it was
over. The distance I don't suppose is more than one
and a half miles, but it beats the Sheeraz passes into fits.
The whole road is completely commanded by extremely
strong, utterly impracticable heights, and this pass is, I
should say, quite beyond the power of any artillery to
surmount, unless perhaps a Punjab mountain battery.
From the foot of the pass, we went in pretty level to
Shanghan, which is only about half a mile distant. On
the way we passed the head of the stream which supplies
it with water ; the source gushing out of the rock at
once in a strong swift spring.
The valley of Shanghan is very like that of Attala
which we passed on the way up to Magdala in 1868. It
is about twenty miles long by five miles broad, and has
an immense quantity of water, with some extremely large
orchards and many little forts. The hills on either side
are very rugged and difficult. From the east, the road
from the Duhna Ferozah comes in, and on the west, the
valley is closed apparently by a low watershed, called
the Dusht-y-Armoobalee which divides the drainage of
the Pool-y-Abresham* system from that of the Goorgan.
The village of Shanghan is a large place of about 250
houses. It furnishes a guard of 100 horsemen for this
exposed tract, which is completely open in the Goorgan
direction, and is also much raided from the north. The
drainage from the west runs south-east, hugging the
foot of the south range called Koh-y-Buhar, and in the
bed of the river are, it is said, favourite hiding-places of
the Toorkmuns.
I was given excellent quarters in this place, and
when I expressed my gratification to the Chief of my
escort, he said, " Inshalla ! as long as you remain in
* This river I have since learnt is rightly called the Kal Moora.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 103
the Eelkhanee's land you shall have the best we can
give you." We did not get in till nearly five, and by
the time I had had my tub, the sun had moderated its
fierce rays, and I was enabled to go up on to the roof.
Here I was amused to see the Koord way of making
butter. The churn was one which for simplicity of
construction, durability, portability and facility in use
leaves all one sees at an Agricultural Hall Show
far behind. It simply consisted of a goat skin hung
on a tripod and filled with milk. The Koordish

maiden sitting on one side caught the tail (as it were)
of the skin, and gave it even forward and backward
jerks as long as might be necessary. During the night
it seemed as if a mania for butter making had seized
every woman in the place, and I could not get to sleep
for the regular sloshing sound the churning made, and
the low monotonous drone with which they accom
panied it.
On the 28th I made a short march to Sankhas :
The road goes right across the valley in a direction
205° over an easy plain in four miles to the mouth of

104 KHORASSAN.
the Duhna Shoughan. Here there is a tower and fort in
order to command the defile and close it when necessary.
Thence the road goes on in a direction south-east, par
sing the village of Durbund half a mile from the
mouth, and at the seventh mile from Shoughan, that of
Koorf half a mile on the right and Kali two miles on
the left, both being situated at the foot of the hills
bounding the defile called Koh Buhar on the right, and
Koh Salukh on the left. From this point the road turns
due south, and the defile, which has never been narrow
except at the mouth, ceases. At the ninth mile the ruins
of an old Caravanserai called Rabut-i-Shah is seen two
miles off to the left ; this is on the old caravan road
from Astrabad by the Goorgan to Nishapoor, now
completely abandoned on account of the Toorkmuns.
Thence the road goes for one mile over a stony plain
draining to the south, and then for two miles through
gardens, arriving at Sankhas at the twelfth mile. This
village is a wretched place, situated in a most uninviting
looking plain. It has 200 houses, and is the chief of
four villages which are together, one called Chardeh, the
others being, Khorasha with fifty houses, Safirabad,
thirty houses, and Soorbat sixty. The village has
evidently been a much larger place, as there are the
remains of its old wall much beyond its present limit,
and its gardens stretched for two miles round. The
water here is decidedly brackish, a hint that we are get
ting back into desolate Persia proper again. Ever since
leaving Herat I had found abundance of water every
where ; and I had begun to forget my experience of the
waterless tracts. The whole country round this is very
much exposed to Toorkmun raids, and consequently
the whole plain is dotted with the towers of refuge,
which are speaking monuments of the havoc committed

KoKBabr.

JAHJURM, FROM THE EAST.

[To face page 105.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 105
by these, wretches. From this place I got the following
bearings. The Koh Buhar stretched across the NW.
horizon from 358° to 242°, the Koh Salukh across the
NE. from 358° to 76°, and behind it from 100° to
76° was the Shahjuhan. Isfuraeen bore 86° twelve
miles distant. Jahjurm 228°, Maiomai hill 190°, west
end of the lower range which shut out all view to the
south, 245°, the centre 170° (which was also said to be
the direction of the village of this name), and the east
end 140°; Muzeenan was said to bear 179°, Abbassabad
15b°, and Subzwar 129°. On Friday, the 29th I
marched to Jahjurm. At first the road took a direction
240° for about sixteen miles, and then turned a little
more north to 258°, which direction it kept right in.
The whole was over a level plain of hideous aspect,
without a particle of vegetation to relieve the eye, and
for two miles of the way we went over a regular bit of
salt desert (Kuveer). The whole distance I make about
thirty miles.
About halfway we came to a ruined howz, where I
halted to have breakfast. The architecture of this
place was rather peculiar, having evidently been meant
to represent a lion couchant, and what with the accom
paniment of the blazing sun, and the surroundings of
a desolate waste, it was a fit emblem of Persia. A
little way after this we met a caravan of about 100
souls on its way to Mushudd. It was composed of
Azurbaijanees, and the men looked just the fellows to
give a good account of the Toorkmuns. It was accom
panied by an escort from Jahjurm, so I took their escort
back with me and they went on with mine.
Jahjurm fort looks very imposing in the distance, but
when we came up to it we found it quite in ruins.
Round about it is the village of Jahjurm, which may

106 KHORASSAN.
contain about 300 houses, though there seems to be
more. All have domed roofs, owing to the impos
sibility of getting any wood for rafters, and the whole
is surrounded by a dilapidated wall. It boasts a good
deal of cultivation, some of which is dependent on rain
and some on water brought by Karezes from the hills.
Nearly the whole plain on which this cultivation is
situated is covered by Toorkmun towers, showing what
a dangerous spot this is. There do not seem to be
many gardens.
The chief of my escort was a fine young man, who
took the opportunity of showing me a watch which he
had received from Captain Napier, evidently as a hint I
should give him something also. But I simply could
not, having been cleaned out completely before I
reached this place. A private traveller stands in an
invidious position in this respect, as, however much
Persians may be assured that one is not in any
official position, they do not believe it, so I suppose I
shall get the reputation of being stingy here, and at
other places after this.
I was shown into a very nice house, with a charming
garden and a ruined fountain.
The old fort, now quite ruined, is situated «in the
centre of the village, on a mound about forty feet high.
As far as I could make out from the debris, it has been a
square, with walls about thirty feet high and an inner
keep ten to fifteen feet higher. It has been unoccupied
for more than twenty years, and were it not for the
peculiar dryness of the climate, and the absence of rain,
must have long ago dissolved. It is surrounded by
a deep and broad ditch at the foot of the mound, and
altogether it must have been a very strong work
formerly.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 10?
The chief of this place is one Mirza Naheem Khan
and he informed me that he had to keep up a force of
about 100 horsemen. I saw about half of these, and
they seemed to me to fall off a good deal from the
standard of the Koordish cavalry. The men are
Persians, and are not of such fine physique. The chief
has also one light gun, which is kept on a bit of level
below the fort, and was, I should think, a more
honourable than useful appendage to his dignity.
I left this place early in the morning of the 30th.
Baker's party had gone to Shahrood, by a road which
led over the plain south-west, by Riabad ; and Napier
had gone by Nurdeen, direct to Astrabad ; so there was
nothing left for it but to follow a middle route, which
went from Nurdeen to Shahrood.
The road for the first four miles goes over a plain,
and then passes a stone fort called Kulla Jullaloodeen,
situated on a hill, on the right of the road. ' Half
a mile on we came to the village of Gurmah, said to
contain 150 houses, and half a mile beyond again to that
of Irad with seventy houses, and at seven and a half
miles from Jahjurm to the village of Durra also with
seventy houses.
The road now goes due west through a narrow barren
valley draining from the north, with hills on both
sides, and is very good. It keeps this direction to the
twentieth mile, when it enters a valley running north
east to south-west, called Yazro, which has evidently
been the bed of a dried-up lake. I crossed this in a
direction 320°, for three miles, when it ascends a
parallel ridge by a gentle gradient for one and a half
miles and then the road is level for half a mile to
another lake basin called Girish or Givish, about three
miles by two miles. From this the road descends for

108 KHORASSAN.
one mile along the hillside to a spring and deserted
hovel, whence it crosses the valley in a direction 260°,
for three miles. Then it passes over a low ridge, and
enters on the Nurdeen plain, and goes down it for three
miles. This valley is also an apparent lake bed, about three
miles broad by six miles long, and is surrounded by
hills, those on the left being called Kurrawal, and
those on the right rejoicing in the name of Goorgoo.
The village of Nurdeen is situated in the middle of the
basin, and consists of a mud fort, with high walls, which
is said to contain about 250 houses.
The chief is named Afrasiab Khan, and he seemed a
very nice intelligent man ; but as I here got an attack
of fever, I was not able to see more of him than on
the ride in. He was however very civil to me He
has a body of about 300 horsemen, and those constitut
ing my escort seemed a good serviceable lot, though I
believe they are composed of all the scoundrels and
refugees from the country round.
Nearly all night the fever stuck to me, but by dint
of strong doses of uuinine I got it under at last, and
managed to drag my aching limbs outside and mount
my horse : who was also, by the way, by this time in a
very miserable state.
The road led along the valley for three miles and a half
in a direction 252°, and then ascended by easy gradients
for one and a half miles to the crest of the ridge dividing
the drainage of the Nurdeen basin from that of a river
draining to the Goorgan. From the top of this pass,
the view is really beautiful. A pretty valley lies
straight before me, bounded by the well-wooded hills of
the Zeerkoh on the right, and the bare hills of Goorgan
on the left : and on either side on terraces above the

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 109
river is a large amount of cultivation, with many
picturesque villages, embosomed in trees, dotted about ;
while in the background is a grand mountain called
Khoosh Eylak.
The road after descending for three-quarters of a
mile, turned more south, and at about six and a half
miles passed the pretty village of Tolbeen, three-
quarters of a mile to the right, under the red crags of
the Zeerkoh. Descending by an easy path the right
bank of this stream, the hamlet of Goolistan is reached
at the ninth mile, after which the road descending,
crosses the river and ascends pretty steeply to the
village of Kasheedur, situated strongly and pictu
resquely on a high commanding spur, which runs
between the river and a small tributary. The village
has a hundred houses, a small amount of cultivation,
and some vineyards. Here I halted to get some
grapes, the only thing I fancied. Opposite is a village
from which a road goes to Khousar over the hill.
From Kasheedur, after descending and crossing the
tributary streams, the road above-mentioned ascends
very steeply by a narrow path over a rugged spur, and
then descends into a narrow glen, down which it goes
to the village of Teelawa, which is situated on the
bank of a fine stream. This place has some sixty
houses, and a very fair expanse of cultivation and
gardens. It forms the winter quarters of a tribe of
Toorks, who were at this time mostly summering on
the slopes of the Khoosh Eylak mountain, and belongs
to one Alee Nuhee Khan Surhung, who is chief of
Findurisk. At first I bivouacked under a glorious tree over
hanging the stream, as I learnt that the headman of
the village was away at Findurisk, and I did not like

110

KHORASSAN.

to trouble his wrife who was said to be present. How
ever, before long the old lady herself came up, and
begged me to come to her house, which was ready for
me. She added her husband would never forgive her
if she had let me remain out in the open. So getting
up, I walked up to her house where she received me
herself very kindly, not even attempting to hide her
face. Her manner was quite charming, so frank and
lady-like. She asked me every minute what she could
do for me, and after a most pleasant conversation, when
my servant came to say my tub was ready, she jumped

*M

iff,,.

'k\

up and said, "Yes, you go and bathe, and I'll go and
get some bread ready for you."
Coming out afterwards, I saw her hard at work
kneading the dough, and begged Kasim to go and tell
her to let some one else do that, but one of her
servants said it would be no use as she would do it her
self. The oven consisted of a dome in section as above ;
the bread, which was of the usual blanket-like dimen
sions, being dabbed against the sides as shown in the
accompanying section, the oven having first being
heated red hot by a fire beneath.
I also saw the churn used by these people for making
butter. It consisted of a trunk of a tree hollowed,

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. Ill
about three and a half feet high, and with a. churning
staff, just like our old-fashioned churns.
Part of the way in I was accompanied by such a
charming youth, about the handsomest boy I ever saw,
who rode like a centaur, and was only about thirteen,
but used his gun with the greatest skill. He came to
see me after I had settled down a bit, and said his
father belonged to Khonsar, and had been kept in
prison by the " Kujjur dog " at Astrabad. The
manners of these Eastern youths have none of the
awkwardness of our boys ; he spoke quite with the
air and manner of a man of the world, although
living in such an out-of-the-way spot. It struck me,
though of course I did not put such a delicate ques
tion, that if this youth had sisters, they must have
been what I once heard a lady call another, " danger
ously handsome."
On Monday the 1st September, I again started in a
direction a little west of south, the road going up
the valley — which ran on to join that of Nowdeh —
for one mile, then commenced the stony, and at first a
very steep, ascent of the Kotul Zurdawa. After a bit,
however, it got easier, but continued indifferent for two
miles. From the crest, Nurdeen bore about 35°, the
Nowdeh valley 340°, and a road to Maiomai went
off in a direction 190°, while my road bore 210°. The
road descends immediately into the desolate basin of
Zurdawa, which has also been a former lake bed, and is
about five miles long by three miles across. Going
down the whole length of this basin, the road then
leaves it by an easy ascent over a low ridge for half a
mile, whence it turns more north 220°, and descends
by a very easy gradient over a stony hill slope for seven
miles right into Kullat-y-Khech, a very miserable-look-

112 KHORASSAN.
ing village surrounded by high walls and situated in a
dreary waste.
The headman first took me inside the village, but as
it looked very filthy I did not wish to put up there, so
I asked him to get another place. He then went off
and led me to a small garden in which there was what
appeared like a shed, but on arriving at it I found it
was a mosque with many of the faithful praying. There,
he said, is your munzil. This was by no means the first
time I had been offered a lodging in a mosque, but I always
refused as, putting aside the danger of arousing the pre
judices of some fanatic, it is not pleasant to have people
coming in and out at all hours. So I told my friend I
could not go into the mosque. He gave a grunt and
said, " Not go into a mosque ; then where do you want
to go ? " He evidently thought me most unreason
able. On the 2nd I marched for Shahrood. The road
went over a plain for twelve miles, whence it crossed a
low ridge to Fewztuppah, when it entered another plain
about twelve miles by six miles, bounded north by the
main range, west by the Shahrood ridge, east by the
above low ridge, and south by another low range which
divided it from the plain north of Maiomai. This plain,
or rather district, is called Poosht-y-Bostam, and
contains thirty villages, the principal of which are
Kurgan, Hoosenabad, Meyoon, Aleeabad, Taglooabad,
Abasir, Dakhe, &c. Crossing this plain, at the twentieth
mile we came to Bostam.
As I did not wish to stop here, though it is the seat
of the governor of the province of Shahrood-Bostam, I
pushed on, after a short halt, to ShahroocU During
this I went inside one of the gates, and climbing on to
the walls, got a good view of the place. It seemed

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 113
to cover a space of rather more than half a mile square,
and has two walls, both of which are high and strong.
Inside there are a number of gardens, and in the centre
was the citadel, also with apparently strong walls.
From this to Shahrood is about four miles, the road
going through a small defile by which the Bostam
drainage runs to Shahrood. Here I got very good
quarters, and remained a day, calling on the governor,
who happened to be in the town at the time. He was
a very weakly, dissipated-looking individual, named
Kaiomorz* Mirza, and is an uncle of the Shah.
While I was calling on the Prince, a very shabby,
dirty-looking individual, who told me in Persian that
he was a Russian named Baumgarten, was announced.
He seemed to take rather an impertinent interest in my
proceedings. Shahrood is a walled town of no particular shape,
situated immediately under a low ridge, which is the
end of a spur from the main range. It is surrounded
by a wall, which is, however, of not more importance
as a defence than a garden wall would be. Altogether
it is a place of no strength whatever, as it is completely
looked into by the hills which run along its north face.
It has two large gates, one on the east and one on the
west, and a small wicket on the north. The arg
or citadel is situated on the north-east corner, and is an
irregular octagonal structure, with walls 30 feet high,
but no other pretence to strength. There are said
to be over 1,000 houses ; but it is difficult to form any
idea of these, as, though from the hill above mentioned
one can see all over the town, the houses are almost
completely hidden by trees. Shahrood is situated on
* If one was inclined to pun on this name, I daresay Indian readers
will see how appropriate it is to the sickly appearance of the owner.
VOL. II. I

114 KHORASSAN.
a fine plain, in which the cultivation stretches for miles,
and which would afford plentiful supplies.
Being placed at the junction of roads from Mushudd,
Tehran, Yuzd, and Astrabad, it is the entrepot of a
considerable trade which goes on between these places ;
and for the same reason, and because supplies are here
abundant, it also has very great strategical importance.
The possession of this district of Shahrood-Bostam,
would give the Russians based on the Caspian a most
formidable influence in the affairs of either East or
West Persia, and would be necessary to protect the
communications of a force advancing by any of the
routes south of the Attruk towards Mushudd and
Herat. The only manufacture of any importance is that
of boots and shoes, and whole streets are here devoted-
to the sale of these articles. Though the shapes do not
suit European tastes, there is no doubt that the work
manship and material are really good.
The Rood-i-Shah which comes down from the main
range above Tush, after watering Bostam, runs past
the place, supplying the inhabitants of the surrounding
district with a fair quantum of water, after which it goes
on south, and is said to be lost eventually in a Kuveer.
There are some very good caravanserais here, in one
of which the so-called Russian merchant Baumgarten
lived. At his earnest solicitation I went to see him,
but the den he inhabited was so filthy, that I was glad
to get away soon. There are here also a few Arme
nians who trade in a small way.
There is a post-house (chuppur khana), and likewise a
telegraph office, where I made the acquaintance of the
very intelligent and agreeable signaller, when I went
to send off some messages to Astrabad and Tehran.
From the hill above Shahrood, I took the following

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 115
bearings. Road to Deh Moolla 192°. A range lies
south of Shahrood, running east and west, and is evi
dently continuous with the Maiomai range ; beyond it is
said to be Bearjoomund. There were a number of
villages in the plain below, among which I noted
Moghun 175° one mile, Kulla Nowroz Khan 168° one
mile, Duzgud 160° three miles, Bedushk 307° three miles.
The direction of Maiomai was said to be 95°, about forty
miles distant, and Mugguz on the direct road from
Jahjurm bore 57°.
By the time I reached this place, my only remaining
horse had completely shut up. He seemed to be partially
insensible and quite incapable of movement. His body
was swollen all over, especially under the belly, and he
altogether refused his food. I did not know what was
the matter with him, but I imagine his state was owing
more to hard work than anything. I was able to get
a Persian to exchange him for a good little Galloway,
which carried me the rest of the way to the Caspian,
and which I eventually sold to a Russian at Guz.
I will now give my readers a short description of
Khorassan, the province which gives its name to this
work, and which after all the wanderings above described
we have now left. Except, perhaps, Azurbaijan on
the NW., Khorassan is the most important, as well as
the largest province in Persia.
It stretches from Deh Moolla on the west to Surrukhs
on the east, and from the Dusht-y-Toorkmun on the
north, to what Khanikoff whimsically called the Desert
of Lot on the south. It is about 500 miles in length,
by 400 miles in breadth, having an area of about
200,000 square miles, considerably more than that of the
British Isles, and nearly as much as that of France. The
northern boundary, to give it in detail, commences to
i 2

f

116 KHORASSAN.
the NW. of Shahrood from the Shahkoh peak, whence
it follows the crest of the main ridge which separates
the drainage of the Caspian from that which, running
south, is lost in the tracts of Kuveer and desert land.
From the Zerkoh above Nurdeen I should consider the
water-parting in the Kalposh plain and the Dusht-y-
Armoot Alee, between the Goorgan and the Kal Mura
drainage will represent the line as near as possible.
Whence the boundary of the province is the same as
the northern boundary of the petty states of Boojnoord,
Koochoon, Durraguz and Kullat-y-Nadir respectively,
which are described hereafter under those headings.
From the Attruk, the northern boundary of Persia is
very doubtful, and depends a good deal on the relations
of that Government with the Toorkmuns. There is no
doubt that at one time or other, all the five Toorkmun
tribes have acknowledged the Persian Government, and
were the man to arise, it has quite sufficient power to make
its authority respected. However this may be, it can
not be an advantage to any one to keep the Toorkmuns
independent, and the political necessities of the Persians
require that the states at least should be in subjection.
Moreover, the geographical boundary of Persia to the
north is clearly the south edge of the Kara Kum desert.
It seems clear, therefore, that the Caspian should form
the boundary on the Adji Bajour bay, and that thence
it should run along the north skirt of the Toorkmun
cultivation on the Attruk to Surrukhs. In the same
way, Merv clearly belonged to Persia, but as it is not
politically necessary, nor geographically part of that
country, it should belong rather to Afghanistan. From
Surrukhs, the frontier runs down the back to the Hurree
Rood to Shaharh, whence it is correctly shown in the
map.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 117
From the north-easternmost corner of the frontier of
Kullat-y-Nadir the limit of Khorassan takes in all the
country to the left bank of the Tejund river, up
to Surrukhs, whence the east line runs south along this
river, which above the Pool-y-Khatoon is called the
Hurree Rood, the left bank being Persian, the right
Afghan, though from Surrukhs to Kareez, neither one
nor the other ever dare to intrude on this favourite
haunt of the Toorkmun.
From the point where the Hurree Rood first turns
decidedly to the north, the frontier line leaves that river,
and is henceforth, as far as Seestan, not defined with any
exactness, though that given in Colonel Walker's map
of 1875 is not far out; that is, it goes between the
Koh Sung-y-Dookhtur and Doshakh, so that Kafir
Kullu is on the Afghan side ; as, likewise, is Kullund*
on the south of the ridge, Yezdoon being within the
frontier of the Amir of Ghaeen. There is then a
howling wilderness, graphically called the " Plain of
Despair " (Dusht-y-Na-oomed), in which there are no
points to catch hold of. Clearing this delectable tract,
we have Bellew's authority for regarding the Hurree
Rood as the limit of the Afghan possessions.
Thence we may take up the boundary as defined by
the Seestan arbitrator, Sir Frederick Goldsmid, viz. the
west and south limit of the Naizar to the left bank of
the Helmund, whence that bank of the river forms the
boundary as far as Kohuk, after which it consists of a
line drawn from Kohuk to the hill known as Koh
Mullik Seeah, on the range dividing Seestan from the
desert of Kirman.
From the Mullik Seeah Koh, the line may be said to
go to the fort of Nusratabad ; beyond which the Khor
assan territory is divided from the rest of Persia by a

118 KHORASSAN.
howling desert. That is from Kirman by the Dusht-y-
Loot, and according to Khanikoff, the boundary goes
from Nusratabad to within a few miles of Deh-y-Saif,
on Khanikoff's route from Nehbundan to Kirman,
thence to the hill Nekhee Vund, and thence to west of
Poosht-y-Buddan which belongs to Tubbus. • From
this a line drawn through the Dusht-y-Kuveer to about
Deh Moolla the NW. limit of Shahrood, will give the
boundary in this direction.
It is thus a fact that Khorassan is surrounded in
every single direction, except a portion on its NW., by
deserts. On the north is the desert of the Toorkmuns ;
on the east is the perfectly uninhabited, though not
quite uninhabitable, tract from Surrukhs to Kareez; and
then the " Plain of Despair ; " the line being thence taken
up by the desert of Balochistan. On the south there
is the waste Seestan and Nurmasheer, and this is
continuous with the waterless tract called Loot, which
again runs into the equally uninviting desolate region
of the Kuveer. The political divisions of Khorassan
are as follows : — 1. Shahrood -Bostam, 2. Boojnoord,
3. Koochoon, 4. Durraguz, 5. Kullat-y-Nadir, 6. Mus
hudd, 7. Nishapoor, 8. Subzwar, 9. Toorshez, 10.
Toorbut. 11. Jam, 12. Khaf, 13. Tubuss-wa-Toon, 14.
Ghaeen and Seestan. Further on I give a slight sketch
of the resources and topography of each of these.
The whole of Khorassan, if the tracts immediately
bordering on the desert are excepted, is essentially
mountainous, and after marching through it from south
to north and from east and west, there were very few of
my marches in which I had not to cross some hill or
other, and then it was only because I was going down
or up a valley between hills.
Leaving out in this place the question as to whether

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 119
the ranges of Persia are connected, through those of
Khorassan, with the mountain system of Afghanistan,
and consequently also with that of the Himalayas, there
is no doubt that all the ranges of this province can be
traced to belong to one system, which is connected with,
and commences from, the continuation of the Elboorz
range north of Shahrood.
Starting from the mountain known as the Shah Koh,
the ridge runs past the Chehl Chaleean and Wajmenoo,
passes the Shahwur Koh, and thence by the Ubbur Koh
to the Khoosh Eylak. From this the range turns NE.,
draining north into the Nowdeh valley, is again crossed
on the road from Nurdeen to Nowdeh by the Kotul
Zurdawa. Thence to the Khorkhood there is a tract of country
which has not been traversed by any European, unless,
indeed Captain Napier has been there lately. The
range seems here to open out into the broad undulating
slopes of the Kulposh plain and the Dusht-y-Armoot
Alee, but still it preserves a perfectly distinct watershed
between the drainage of the Goorgan and that of the
Kal-Mura system.
So far the range throws out no great spurs, except
that of the Koh Juhan Noomah, which leaves it above
Shahkoh and runs towards the Caspian, and which is
not, therefore, in Khorassan. On the north it descends
steeply to the basin of the Goorgan, and on the south
the spurs — viz., those of the Koh Baba and Koh Buhar
— are short and unimportant. There is, however, a
ridge, which may be called the Maiomai ridge, which
would seem to have its origin in a spur which, starting
from Khoosh Eylak, bounds the valley called Posht-y-
Bostam on the south, and runs east of Bostam, and then
turning west is broken up into more or less disconnected

120 KHORASSAN.
ridges round Mai-o-mai ; where, however, there is an
apparently isolated peak, which rises to a height of
6,000 feet above the sea level.
From Koh Khorkhood the main range runs on (it is
now called Aladagh, from a fine peach of that name)
south-west of Boojnoord, past the Durbund Feroza to
the Koh Tukht-y-Mirza, whence a spur, called the Koh
Salig, which encloses the Showghan valley on the south,
is thrown out to the south-west. From the Aladagh
other spurs run down towards the Attruk, one of which
encircles the Boojnoord basin on the north, while from
the Tukht-y-Mirza — the Prince's seat — rises the ridge
crossed by me at the Kaboot Kummai, which encloses it
on the south.
From the " Prince's Seat " the main range runs east
by south, and then south-east ; and, under the name of
the Koh Shahjuhan, bounds the Koochoon valley on
the south ; and under that of Koh Mehrabad (or, accord
ing to Napier, Beenabood Koh), it lies to the south of
the Mushudd valley.
At this point I must stop to consider the range which
runs along the whole northern frontier of Khorassan.
It may be a question whether this northern range can
be considered an offshoot from that I have just been
describing, or whether it must be deemed quite distinct;
and this, I take it, depends entirely on how the reader
regards the question as to the proper description of
mountain ranges. I do not wish to attempt to confute
the phenomena on which geologists found rules for
tracing the course of mountains, but I think it is often
difficult for persons knowing nothing of that science
to understand these rules, and they consequently fre
quently have seemed to me arbitrary. The rule which
I have always followed in describing mountain ranges

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 121
may be very incorrect from a scientific point of view,
but I think it is an easily intelligible one, and it is
moreover invariable. I hold that two or more appa
rently distinct ranges must be considered as part and
parcel of the same system, if they are connected by any
distinct watershed : that is, if standing on the crest of
one, you can go to the crest of the other by keeping
along the crest of the water-parting without crossing
any drainage line whatever.
On this theory I hold that the northern range of
the Attruk and Mushudd valleys is not a distinct range,
but only an offshoot of the southern range ; for though
I have not crossed from Mushudd to Koochoon, I under
stand there is a distinct rise in going from Ratkan, and
a distinct descent towards Jafirabad ; and, therefore, I
am of opinion there is a point on the southern range
from which one might descend, and, keeping the crest
of a distinct watershed the whole way, again ascend to
the crest of the northern ridge at Koh Huzar Musjid,
or thereabouts.
However this may be, I will commence my descrip
tion of the northern range by suggesting that as it has
no name applicable to its whole length, it might well
be called the Koh-y-Damun, or Mountains of the
Border. From the Koh Tuhmusp the range runs ESE.
and WNW. In the latter direction it opens out into
a high undulating plateau, called Maidankhooree, and
then runs past Koh Duz round the head of the Durringa
drainage to a point above Ashkabad ; thence it con
tinues in one unbroken line to close on to the Caspian,
where the old bed of the Oxus is supposed to have
entered that sea. The east part is called the Kuren
Dagh, the western the Kopit Dagh. On the north this
range, as far as is known, throws out no large spur;

1.22 KHORASSAN.
but on the south, as well as we can judge from the sup
posed lie of the main feeders of the Attruk, there are
probably some considerable offshoots between the Soont
and the Chandeer, and between the latter and the At
truk, and one which divides the Zeristan valley from
that of Kooshkhana I saw from Shirwan.
From the point above Ashkabad above noted, the
ridge changes its character to the extent that whereas
west of that point the main spurs are thrown out to the
south, east of it they are thrown out to the north.
The first of these is a ridge which runs parallel with the
main range, and, bounding the Durringa valley on the
north, is known at its end, if not throughout its whole
length, as the Zurreen Koh.
Passing by a minor spur which goes from the Koh
Duz, between the drainage of Durringa and Maha
madabad, we come to a spur which, starting from the
head of the Zungalanee river, runs east, parallel with
the main range, and then turns sharp to the north-west,
enclosing the Durraguz basin. Over this range lies the
Allaho Akbur pass, and I crossed it again at a low dip
between Zungalanee and Durraguz, where it was called
Karajukhar. I may now take up the main range again from the
Koh Tuhmusp, whence its course is ESE. On the
north it throws out steep spurs between the various
rivers, as between Zungalanee and Tirgaun, the latter
and Laeen, and again between Laeen and Igdaleek.
The next spur is one which I crossed at the Goyik
Kotul, and it runs to the north and then east round the
west and north sides of the Kullat; while another
comes from the main range west of Vardeh, encloses
that valley on the north, is crossed by the Mirza
Gooshtee Pass on the road to Kullat, and then twists

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 123
round to the north, throwing out ramifications which
form the south and east sides of the Kullat.
From the Kotul Dewa Boyjun, where the range is
called Aladagh, the spurs on both sides become more
and more insignificant, till at Moozduran the range
forms a knife-like crest with no offshoots at all, and
above Shorjah it dies away in undulations terminated by
the Tejund.
Turning now to the main range at the point west of
Mushudd, where it is called Koh Mehrabad, there is
only one spur calling for notice. That is one which
runs out from about Sooltan Maidan to the south, and
dividing the drainage of the Kal Murra system from
that of Nishapoor, and then turns west and forms the
ridge known as the Jouven or Jugatai ridge. This
bounds Subzwar on the north, and is connected by a
ridge (the crest of which, according to Belle w, is 4,290 ft.
above the sea) which divides Nishapoor from Subzwar
with another ridge called Koh-y-Meesh, which cuts off
the Subzwar plain from the great desert.
We now again come to a point in the main range
where to the south of Mushudd it gives a very decided
dip — so much so that, except on the theory which I
hold to be the correct one, it may be said that a new
range would commence south of Shureefabad. Still, as
in going from Nishapoor to, say, Furreemoon, there is
a distinct ascent over a ridge which I saw to the left
in going between the latter and Sungbust, I hold that
here we have the link which connects the mountains of
Northern Khorassan with those on the east. Unfortu
nately, as travellers in these parts always go to Mushudd
from Nishapoor, they choose the shorter road over the
Koh Mehrabad by Jagurk, and therefore we have not
much information to go upon.

124 KHORASSAN.
The Seestan mission came up from Toorbut to Mus
hudd, and consequently did not cross this ridge, but
kept to the east of it. But from the context I gather
that the link was in the plateau of Bewajan. Major
Smith does not say much about it, but observes, " to
the south-east a splendid view of the snowy mountains
behind Herat burst upon our view." Thus I argue,
that they must have been on high ground, because if
they had been in a hollow no such view would have
been visible. Again, Bellew says the Bewajan plateau
forms a long narrow strip of table-land sloping east and
west, in which latter direction it drops to the plain of
Nishapoor. It is thus evident to me that there must
be a distinct watershed, as I have said, between the
drainage of the Sur-y-Jam district and that of Nishapoor,
which watershed is the link I am seeking.
From this watershed the Koh Soorkh ridge runs off
to the west, bounding Nishapoor on the south, and
further south, either from the ridge crossed north of
Rubat-y-Soofeed, or from the Godur-y-Rukh, or Ma
hamad Mirza, a ridge runs out to the east, dividing
the drainage of Sir-y- Jam from that of Jam. This ridge
I crossed between Furreemoon and Sungbust, and it is
quite clearly marked. I notice it because from it is
the origin of the ridge which Napier calls the Koh
Kat-y-Shumsheer, but which I was told was named
Koh Yoghur and Koh Chehl Sung, and which drains
on the one side to the Ab-y-Mushudd, on the other to
the Jam river. This ridge was on my right the whole
way to Ak Durbund. There may be a plateau on it, as
Napier states in his map, but I heard of none, and from
the view I got of the range to the east from Furree
moon, and to the south from the valley of the Mushudd
river, I should doubt it. I am inclined to think that

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 125
there are probably more torrents draining east into the
Hurree Rood than we yet know of.
From the Godur-y-Rokh the range turns west round
the head of the Kullendurabad drainage to the Godur-
y-Bedar, where Smith says " the ranges of Koh-y-Nasar
to the west and Koh-y-Bors to the east join," and this
agrees with my own observations. I came up a parallel
route to the Toorbut one, through Bakhurz, and at very
nearly the same latitude as this Godur-y-Bedar crossed
a pass called the Godur-y-Kulla Minar, over a range
which divides the drainage of the Bakhurz district from
that of Jam. My note-book says : — " It is connected
to the west with the Bakhurz ridge, and first runs east
and west, but to the east of the Kulla Minar pass it
turns more south, and has a general direction north
west to south-east, and ends in a low ridge which Clerk
describes between Mohsinabad and Kareez. This range
would be aptly called the Jam range.
From the Godur-y-Bedar the range runs south-east,
separating Bakhurz from Toorbut ; on the east it throws
out no important spurs, the hills sloping easily towards
Himutabad and Shahr-y-Now, though there is a low
ridge intervening between the latter and Mushudd-y-
Reza; and Bellew says, that from the above point a
ridge runs round the head of Toorbut, and is continuous
with the Koh Azkund which bounds the Toorsheez
plain on the north.
From the west of Shahr-y-Now the range runs on
south-east, dividing Khaf from Mushudd-y-Reza. There
is no doubt that it goes on south of Kareez, and is the
same range crossed between Ghoreean and Khaf of
which the Koh Sung-y-Dokhtar is a spur, and on which
is the Koh Do Shakh. This range runs parallel with
the Hurree Rood, and ends in the Herat valley. The

126 KHORASSAN.
low pass which I crossed between Zundehjan and Deh
Minar was over its dying end.
So far regarding its course as seen from the east I
am pretty certain, but of its west ramifications I am
not so sure. We have two routes which may help us,
however — the first that of Captain Clerk, from Khaf to
Toorsheez, and the second that of Khanikoff, from
Goonabad to the former.
The place which Clerk calls Khaf is properly called
Rooee, or Khaf Paeen, while Nusseerabad is Khaf Bala.
Apparently there is no range of hills crossed between
Khaf Paeen and Toorsheez. The only mention of any
ascent is at the nineteenth mile between Nusseerabad
and Sungoon, and a gradual descent from the twenty-
third to the twenty-sixth mile ; at the eighth mile, next
stage, is an " undulating ascent " to the twelfth mile,
and a " gradual descent " to the thirteenth mile. At
the twenty-first mile the Toorbut river is crossed.
Von Bunge, one of Khanikoff's officers, went from
Khaf to Goonabad. In the first march to Asudabad he
crosses the Koh-y-Sinau " at no very great height." In
the second, to Nowdeh Pishung, he crosses the north
end of the Koh Khaibur by " a not very high pass." I
take it the Koh Khaibur is part of a range to the south,
as he mentions having crossed the north end of it. The
Koh Sinau is probably a spur from the Kurrat Koh,
though it is strange that Clerk makes no mention of
any ascent whatever between Khaf and Nusseerabad.
From the above it would seem that there is no spur of
the Kurrat range which is connected with the Ghaeen
hills, but I am inclined to think the Koh Sinau ridge
is continuous with that of the Koh Khaibur, and I am
pretty sure that the Koh Khaibur is joined to the
range which bounds the sub-district of Neembolook on

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 127
the north. The latter range is certainly one with the
range between Ghaeen and Toon, being joined to it by
the spur over which I crossed between Kakh and Neem-
bolook. At all events, whether it is right or wrong,
this is the theory I hold by.
Therefore, from the point whence this spur is con
nected with the Toon range I will now continue the
description. The range runs south-east, and before
reaching the latitude of Ghaeen it throws out a spur
over which is the Godur-y-God pass, as well as that by
which I reached Ghaeen, and which is ended by the
junction of the Ghaeen and Neembolook drainage.
Thence it turns more east round the head of the
south drainage of Ghaeen, and is crossed by the Godur-
y-Khooneek, shortly after which it throws out to the
south-east a spur called the Koh Guzeek, the end of
which I crossed between Guzeek and Goolwurda, but
the main range now turns south and a little west to the
Samun ShaheePass, from which a spur goes south-west
to the north of Birjund, and eventually dies away in
the desert.
The main range is continued in the Koh Mohmeena-
bad, which bounds the Birjund drainage basin on the
north-east, and I crossed it again between Isfizar and
Durmeean. Running south-east from the Samun
Shahee Pass to the south of the above pass, the range
then turns south, and is crossed by the Godur-y-Guada-
koh between Seestan and Birjund. After this, it throws
out a spur called the Koh Bageeran, which bounds the
Birjund valley on the south, and probably dies in the
desert near Khoosf.
From the same point, the Gundakoh, other spurs,
which form the hills of the Neh sub-district, branch out
to the south. Most of these probably die away in the

128 KHORASSAN.
desert ; but I think it will be found that they are con
tinuous with the range crossed by the Seestan Mission
between Narmasheer and Seestan, and that they cut off
all connection between the Dusht-y-Loot, and that of
Baloochistan. However this may be, I will now turn
back to the point below the Godur Durmeean noted
above. I notice that St. John in his map, I suppose on
the information of Lovett, makes the drainage t)f Foorg
Durmeean eventually reach the Haroot Rood. This
may be the case, but I do not think it is ; 1st, because
from my own careful inquiries on the spot, I ascer
tained that the drainage of this tract runs into one of
the peculiar depressions with which this tract abounds.
This is called the Duk-y-Toondee, and is said to be
about fifty miles ESE. of Ahwaz ; 2nd, from Foorg,
from a hill near Guzeek, and from Goolwarda, I traced
with my own eye a range which cuts right across the
supposed line of this drainage.
I believe that this range is connected with the hills
of Doroh and Lanoo : and though I daresay there are
easy passes over it, which may look like gaps, I think
that the drainage of the Haroot Rood is quite separate
from that of the Sooneekhana sub-division. And I
have said in a former chapter, that if there is any con
nection between the Afghan hills and these, I think it
must be through this ridge.
Now, I must turn back to the point where the Toon
range is connected, as I suppose, with that of Khaf, and
trace the west and north ramifications of this range.
In the first place, the range runs north in the direction
of Bejistoon, near which it probably ends in the desert.
To the west, it throws out spurs as far as Toon, all of
which also end in the desert.
This leaves the mountains about Tubbus uncon-

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 129
nected with the Khorassan system, and such, I
believe, is the case. They certainly are not connected
through the Toon spurs, nor do I think that they are
further to- the south, as from Bushrooya I could not
only not see any signs of hills in the direction of Bir
jund, but I was told there was none on the road, those
seen being on the left.
I am not prepared to say to what system these
mountains of Tubbus belong, but on the whole I am
of opinion that after exploration may perhaps show
they are continuous with the range to the north of
Yuzd. I must admit, however, that such an explora
tion would be very difficult, as I am not aware of any
road leading from Yuzd in a direction (as to Toon or
Ghaeen direct) which would afford the necessary infor
mation. To turn now to the Hydrography of this tract. If
my readers have followed my attempt to trace out the
ramifications of the mountain system of Khorassan,
they will be in a position to form some general idea
of the probable direction of its drainage.
Except the Attruk, which reaches the Caspian,
every river in Khorassan, is sooner or later absorbed
in sandy deserts or salt wastes.
On the north of the range which I have ventured to
nome the Koh-y-Damun, all the rivers are short lived ;
and with three exceptions are little more than torrents ;
these are the Durrunga, the Zungalanee, and the
Kullat streams ; and I could not learn that any of
these reach the Tejund, though it seems pretty certain
that they must do so in flood.
The Durrunga rises to the west of the Koh Duz
and the Zungalanee to the west, and both flow in
opposite directions, probably again approaching each
VOL. II. k

130 KHORASSAN.
other as they make their exit from the hills. In the
Zungalanee, and I believe in the Durrunga, there is
always abundance of water ; but that in the last is more
used for cultivation, while all the beautiful tracts on the
banks of the former are allowed to lie waste, a monu
ment of Toorkmun oppression and Persian imbecility.
The principal river in Khorassan is the Attruk,
but as I have only visited a part of it, and I have since
heard that Captain Napier has seen more of it than
any other European, I will leave it to him to describe.
Baker places the true source at the spring of Kara
Kazan, to the south of Shirwan ; though I myself
should be inclined to place it above the village of
Tawareekh, fully sixty miles further off. However this
may be, there is no doubt its source is in Koochoon
territory, and it cannot have a length of less than 350
miles. After leaving the Koochoon boundary, it becomes, I
believe, enclosed between rugged precipitous hills, and
its current is probably very swift ; thus precluding any
possibility of its bed being adopted as a roadway, or of
being utilized for irrigational purposes. It is joined by
only one feeder, the Chandyr, which enters it at a spur
called Chat-y-Attruk. In the lower part of its course
after it has emerged from the hills, its current
becomes sluggish, and being a deep stream, it is pos
sibly suitable for navigation by light boats during this
part of its course to the Caspian, which it joins at the
Hussum Koolee Bay.
The next principal river is the Kushuff Rood or
Ab-y-Mushudd. This, according to Napier rises in the
mountains of Hazra Musjeed to the north of Chinaran,
though the natives consider its source very much as
they do in the case of the Attruk to be at the spring of

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 131
Chasma Gilass ; both streams joining a mile below the
village of Mehrabad.
The spring is a magnificent one, pouring forth at once
from a limestone hill side, into a basin, which has a
depth of twelve to fourteen feet. The whole of this
water, however, is drawn off into a canal which has
been excavated, and provides the holy city of Mus-
hudd-ul-Mukuddus with its water supply ; conse
quently, the stream which I crossed by the Pool-y-
Shah below the Khajeh Rubbee shrine, must have been
collected from other streamlets draining from the
mountains north and south. At this point there was a
considerable supply of water, the stream being thirty
feet wide by about three feet deep. The next point at
which I crossed it was south of Kenigosha, where it had
become wider but shallower, having been drawn off for
irrigational purposes by the villages above. From
this I followed it down to its near confluence with the
Hurree Rood at Pool-y-Khatoon, and it everywhere
had in its bed a good supply of water. Below Koz-
goon it is scarcely drawn on at all, though it has on both
banks a fine tract capable of cultivation. Its length is
probably about 250 miles, and it drains an area of
some 9,000 square miles.
The Hurree Rood, although it bounds the province
on the east, can hardly be said to belong to it, as I
should doubt there being a single acre of land irrigated
from this river, and there are no Persian villages on it
at all. Below Pool-y-Khatoon, where by the affluence
of the Ab-y-Mushudd, it becomes the Tejund, there was
when I was there, a scanty stream scarcely running ; but
it is evident from the scour of the high banks, no less
than from the large area drained by these united streams,
that after flood there must be a fine body of water in
k 2

132 KHORASSAN.
it. Beyond Surrukhs, it turns* to the west and is
eventually lost in the desert, though at what exact spot
it terminates is not known, as no European traveller has
traversed any of the routes leading north from the Attruk,
the following of which might have settled this point.
All the other rivers of Khorassan are mere torrents,
which though they have often a perennial supply near
their source, are so much drawn on by irrigation that
it is only in flood they have sufficient in them to reach
their last resting-place in the thirsty desert.
The first of these, which I need notice, is the Shah
rood. This river rises in two branches, one of which
runs down from between the Shah Koh and the Shahwar
Koh, and is formed of two streamlets, one coming from
the Chehl Chaleean pass, the other from that of Waji-
menoo. The other branch of the Shahrood drains the
district of Poosht-y-Bostam and has its rise from
the south slopes of the Abbur Koh, and flowing past
Bostam joins with the Tush branch, north of the low
ridge which bounds the Shahrood plain on the north.
What little water it has left on passing Shahrood is
quickly used up for irrigation, and a short way to the
south, it is sucked up into the desert, which also appears
to absorb the drainage of Damghan.
The next river is the Kal Murra, which though it
drains an immense extent of country seems to have very
little water in any of its numerous branches, and then
only near the hills. The eastern branch, which may be
called that of Jahjurm, comes from a ridge dividing the
drainage of Jahjurm from that of Nurdeen. I went up
this valley, but found no water in it, though there are
"Kunats " led off from parts of its course to the Jah
jurm villages. The centre branch, which St. John calls
the Karasoo, comes from the Showghan valley, in

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 133
which there are several streams, one from the direction
of the Duhna Firoza; another fine spring starts out from
the hill just above Showghan ; and a third comes from
the direction of Rabat-y-Ishk. These all join north of
the defile formed by the closing heights of the Koh
Buhar and the Koh Saliz, to provide water for the four
villages of Sunkhas or Chardeh, beyond which I think
no water goes. Of the Isfuraeen branch, 1 know nothing,
save that it provides irrigation for a large village called
Meeanabad. Finally, the Jouven branch drains a tract
of hills extending from the Koh Shahjuhan to Sooltan
Mardan. From Captain Napier's account, there would
seem ordinarily to be but little if any water in its bed,
except above the village of Kamaistan, where there are
several streamlets which join it, with " a good head of
water." All these torrent beds run into one north of
the Jouven ridge, and then going through a defile
emerge at a place called the Pool-y-Abresham. Captain
Clerk mentions that at this point there is nothing but
the " dry deep bed of the river," and Napier says there
is a small stream, " brackish and bitter," with no indi
cation of " ever carrying a large body of water ;" just
below this, there is " a depression in the surface of the
desert covered with a white saline efflorescence ;" but it
is " at times evidently a wide marsh." Still the stream
seems to struggle on, for Captain Clerk, who crossed on
the return journey from Herat, forty miles below this,
says there was still a stream of " two feet of water, very
salt," the banks beings " steep and high." The length
of the longest branch of this stream would be only
about 160 miles, but the tract drained by its tributaries
is very extensive, not less than 10,000 square miles,
and if the Subzwar plain drains to it, about which,
however, I am doubtful, very much more.

134 KHORASSAN.
The river of Nishapoor, which is called by Clerk the
Shisteray from the name it bore on the south road, also
seems to drain a large area. Captain Napier in going
from Jouven to Nishapoor by the turquoise mines at
Madan crossed it not far from its source, where it is
called the Ab-y-Maroosk from a Koordish district of
this name in the mountains above, but he gives no infor
mation regarding its size, and in the accounts of other
travellers who crossed it lower down, I have not been
more fortunate. However, from the former reputed
fertility of the plain of Nishapoor, which is said to have
been irrigated by twelve perennial streams, affording
12,000 "Karez," and the fact that Clerk in his route
from Nishapoor to Shorab mentions crossing no less
than eleven drainage beds, it may be surmised that a
considerable body of water flows from the south slopes of
the Beenaloh or Mehrabad range. Clerk, who crossed it
over seventy miles lower down, mentions that even so
far on its course, it was still " deep and rapid." Of its
course beyond this nothing is known, but, unless it is
suddenly arrested, as is shown in St. John's map, in a
swamp, or Kuveer, it may be surmised that in flood it
would have a considerably longer course. It is there
fore, I think, to be regretted that some of the members
of the Seestan mission, who at Bejistoon and Yoonasie
could not have been very far off its course, did not take
the opportunity to clear this point up. Bellew indeed,
mentions seeing the " Kuveer " to the west of the first
place. I think it is more than probable that the drain
age of Bushrooya, falls into the same " Kuveer " as that
of Nishapoor, Toorsheez, and Goonabur, and that
this basin is quite distinct from any " Kuveer " to the
west. There are no other rivers of any importance in Kho-

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 135
rassan, those that there are only having water in them
in flood. But it will not be out of place if I make a
few remarks regarding their drainage beds and the
course taken by them. On the west of the Toon range
the largest drainage bed is that of Khoosf, which col
lects its water from the Mohweenabad and Bajeeran
ranges and turns south towards Kirman. How far it
proceeds into the " Loot " desert, I do not know.
On the east, all the drainage of the tract called Su-
y-Jam, and the east drainage of Bewajan, goes in the
Kushuff Rood. Of the Bakhurz range there is only one
point I wish to notice. That is, all the drainage south
of the Godur Kulla Minar from Himutabad, Shuhr-y-
Now, drains south-east, and collects in the ravine bed
which, passing Mohseenabad, falls direct into the Hurree
Rood. There is no connection between the drainage of
Bakhurz and Jam.
In Walker's map of 1875, the drainage of an
immense tract, i.e., from Yezdoon, Ahwaz, Ghaeen,
Neembolook, and a large portion of Khaf, is made to
collect in a bed, the Kurrat Rood, which goes through
the Khaf range between Sung-y-Doochtur and Doshakh
and falls into the Hurree Rood by Tehbad. This is, I
believe, quite wrong, for as I have said before, the
drainage of this tract, which is called Zeerkoh, has no
connection with the Hurree Rood at all. All the
drainage of this space is absorbed into three of the
great depressions, peculiar, as far as I know, to Central
Asia. These are called Hamoon in the country all
about Seestan, and also God, but here they are called
"Daks." The drainage of Neembolook, Ghaeen, and of Khaf
Paeen goes to the Dak-y-Dewalan ; that of the Zeerkoh
tract, which includes all to the east of the Koh

136 KHORASSAN.
Angooran range, comprising Goolwarda, Shorab, Yez-
doon, and Kullund, drains to the Dak-y-Khooshab close
to the Koo Kaboorla ; that of Foorg, Durmeean, Ahwaz,
Tubbus, drains to the Dak-y-Toondee in the Dusht-y-
Naoomed. There is one other point which has yet to be cleared
up. If, as I suppose, the hills of Nehbundan are
continuous with those passed by Goldsmid between
Nurmasheer and Seestan, I conclude that the drainage
of the east portion falls into the Hamoon of the Hel-
mund. The Khoosh river seems to drain a considerable
tract of country, and is eventually lost in the Loot desert ;
where Khanikoff crossed, it was in April completely
dry- All over Khorassan, indeed all over Persia, wherever
there is a possibility of their construction, Kunats or
Karezes, that is underground canals, have been dug ;
so that though the rivers of Persia are generally water
less, whatever water can be got out of the hill sides is
utilised. Karezes are thus constructed : — The spot
having been ascertained where a spring of water issues,
a series of shafts are then dug at regular intervals in
the direction of the tract which it is wished to irrigate,
and these are afterwards connected by tunnels slightly
sloping downwards. It follows, therefore, that the
shafts get deeper and deeper according to the distance
and the slope of the ground. The length of the
Karez of course depends on the supply of water, and
the distance it has to be brought. They are found all
over Persia, and their course can be traced for miles
across perfectly waterless plains by the circular heaps of
earth thrown up at intervals around the shafts.
As far as I know there are no lakes in Khorassan.
The Chasma Gilass has been said to be a lake, but

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 137
Napier found it was only a spring. The rivers certainly
nearly all empty themselves into swamps, which perhaps
become almost lakes after heavy floods, but there are no
permanent collections of water deserving this name.
The lake or Hamoon of Seestan I consider beyond the
limits of this province, but even this is said to be fast
drying up.
I think the climate of Khorassan is very fine, and
travelling in spring or autumn is pleasant enough. In
summer the sun's rays descend too fiercely to make
marching in the daytime an exhilarating amusement,
but I scarcely remember anything approaching to a hot
night. In winter, too, I can imagine that the wind
sweeping over the bare open and snow-covered plains
would be very trying. There is one point which should
not be passed over here ; the fierce wind which blows
in some parts of south-east Khorassan. I take it to be
the same as is called in Seestan the " bad-y-sud-o-beest
roz." It blows from the north to the south, and I
found it most disagreeable during my journey from
Birjund to Pahre, especially between Boojd and Ifuzar.
The mineral productions of Khorassan have not
received sufficient attention to enable me to form any
idea as to their value or extent. The turquoise procured
from mines at Madan, near Nishapoor, is the most
celebrated of its mineral productions. Bellew says
there are other mines in Toorshez, and the Chief of
Tubbus informed me he had found them in the Koh
Naigenoo in his district. Coal exists, as I have said
before, in the hills above Shahrood, about three miles
from Tush, but not as far as I know anywhere else.
It seemed good in quality, but it is unlikely ever to be
of much use, as the cost of transport is too great.
Salt is found as an efflorescence all over the depres-

138 KHORASSAN.
sions towards the desert, and there are probably many
places which are called Wad by the Baloches, where it
could be cut out in blocks. Smith mentions a range of
hills, near the village of Kafir Kullah, on the road
between Toorbut and Mushudd, exactly resembling the
Salt Range on the Indus, which yield excellent salt, sold
in large quantities at Mushudd and in neighbouring
countries. Regarding the " kuveers " of Persia I will only
remark, that I am of opinion that there is no such
thing as one continuous great salt desert, stretching, as
has been supposed, from near Koom to Bejistoon ; but
there are a great number of smaller " kuveers " due to
local drainage. That east of Koom, I suspect does not
extend very far, and I should doubt if even the drain
age of Semnoon emptied into it. The drainage of
Damghan and Shahrood, probably forms one kuveer, or it
may be swamp, for it is a fact that a "kuveer" is only a
desiccated swamp or Hamoon, formed by the saline
nature of the ground. The " kuveer " crossed by
Buhse in going from Yuzd to Damghan, is probably
merely local, formed by the drainage of the immediate
neighbourhood. I crossed a "kuveer" for fourteen
miles, but it was clearly due to the local drainage
of the Mehrjan and Beyaga tract. There is said to be
another north of Khoon in Beeabunnuck, and there is
certainly one south-east of Tubbus. The drainage of
the Kul Murra also probably forms another " kuveer,"
and that of the Nishapoor basin certainly forms
"kuveers"to the west of Goonasee, and is joined, I imag
ine, by the drainage of Bushrooya from the south.
I notice that Smith as well as Bellew is in error, not
only in surmising that there is one " great salt desert,
extending from Herat and Ghorian to Kushan and

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 139
Howz-y-Sooltan," but in supposing that there is any
connection with the " kuveer " which they saw near
Bejistoon, and any desert of Herat. In the first place,
there can be no connection, as there is a range of hills
between these points ; and in the second, there is no
" kuveer " anywhere in the basin of the Hurree Rood
at all. According to Khanikoff, there is no " kuveer "
in what he calls the " Desert of Lot," neither did I see
any, nor could I hear of any in the tract between Bir
jund and Herat. The rivers here do not "kuveer," but
they " hamoon," though no doubt, if for any reason
the supply of water was to run short, these " hamoons,"
or as they are locally termed " daks," would soon
form "kuveers."
The terms which Persians use in describing deserts
have led to strange errors in our names for these tracts.
They will tell you atractis "Kuveer" or "Reeg," "Loot"
or " Beyaboon ;" the first implies that it is a salt waste,
and this consequently is the worst description of desert
there is, as not only is there no potable water there, but
there never can be any, and it is absolutely without life
or vegetation. The term "Reeg" means sand, and
generally it is applied to completely sandy wastes ; but
these are not so hopeless in their nature as " kuveers,"
for not only is there some animal life, but on the very
worst sand hills are often found growing a species of
tamarisk, which affords good grazing for camels, and
there is more than one instance of good water springing
up from the midst of the most howling sandy waste.
" Loot " is another term applied to deserts, and I need
not repeat that it has nothing to do with Lot or that
gentleman's wife. I have always heard it applied to a
perfect waste. " Loot " may have sand interspersed over
its surface, but not kuveer, and it is generally sprinkled

140 KHORASSAN.
with thorny shrubs, which afford grazing for camels.
In a tract called " Loot " there is no water, but the soil
is not saline, and does not therefore preclude the for
mation of " howzes," a very important point to note.
The term " Beyaboon " means waterless, but in com
mon parlance it applies to a tract to which neither of
the above terms, though both signify places which are
waterless, would be applied. Thus, the parts between
the stages on the road from Tubbus to Yuzd, were
always termed "beyaboon," though there were some
howzes existing, and many more in ruins ; I may add
that the same term was applied to the road between
Goolwurda and Pahre though there were regular, if very
distant, water places on it.
The animal productions of Khorassan are the
horse, though not many of these are bred in the
country, some ponies and mules, innumerable donkeys
and sheep, and in the desert tracts also many camels.
Of wild animals, the wild ass was seen by me in the
deserts of Beeabunnuk, of the Zeerkoo, near Sungbust,
and also near Jahjurm. I believe ibex, markhor, and
oorial are found in the mountains, but I never saw any.
In fact, I should think there was very little sport of
any kind in the province.
I will now turn to the districts of Khorassan
and give a short sketch of each. These are, as I
have said above, as follows : — Shahrood, Bostam,
Boojnoord, Koochoon, Durraguz, Kullat-y-Nadir, Mus
hudd, Nishapoor, Subzwar, Toorsheez, Toorbut, Jam,
Uhaf, Tubbuswa, Toon and Ghaeen. The first of these,
Shahrood, extends from Tush north-west of Shahrood,
to the Kal Murra stream, a distance of 170 miles, and
from the crest of the Khoosh Eylak range to far
into the Kuveer, a distance of not less than seventy

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 141
miles, so that the area may be roughly 10,000 square
miles. That portion of this tract which is drained by the
Shahrood is known as the Joolgah-y-Bostam, and this
consists of a fine alluvial tract, with many large villages
and much cultivation. To the east of this, at the foot
of the outer spurs from the Khoosh Eylak, is a tract
known as Joolgah-y-Muggus-Geelan, which is dry and
arid, with little water.
The subdivisions of this district are : — Zeristuk, which
comprises the west portion and all the principal vil
lages in it ; Kohpaya, which consists of all the country
in the higher part of the hills on the north, and includes
the villages of Abersich, Abre and Mojund ; Surhudd
consists of the upper part of the Bostam valley, and the
hilly country above the Muggus, and that plain itself;
Beargomund is the tract lying between the above and
the desert ; Nurdeen, a petty chiefship to the north of
the Zurdawa ridge, and bordering on the Goorgan
basin. The inhabitants of this district are designated Arab-
o-Ajam — Arabs and Persians — though there is a small
proportion of Toorks. The first are the descendants of
the Arab conquerors, but the three races have now
fused so completely that they are undistinguishable in
feature and language. One of the finest regiments in
the Persian army is called the Arab-o-Ajam, and is
celebrated for its valour.
The population of the district is estimated by Napier
at only 32,000 souls, exclusive of Nurdeen, which may
have 2,000 more. The force kept up numbers about
1,000 infantry and some 500 cavalry.
Of Boojnoord I have said something previously. It
is inhabited by the Shahdeeloo Koords, who were trans-

142 KHORASSAN.
ported to this frontier by Shah Abbas three hundred
years ago. The Chief is termed the Eelkhanee, and his
jurisdiction extends over Simulghan and Mana on the
Attruk, Jahjurm and Isfuraeen, and is about 90 miles
from E. to W., and 50 miles from N. to S. The tract
inside the mountains is described as having a fertile
soil and an ample water supply, but it is much cut up
by difficult hills, which, however, furnish good pastur
age, and often wide spaces of arable land. The parts
situated, as Jahjurm and Isfuraeen, outside the hills,
are parched and arid in the extreme, and could under
no circumstances support a large population. The soil,
however, is alluvial and fertile, and if there was suffi
cient water would, doubtless, repay its cultivation.
The total population is given by Napier at 28,500
souls, of which two-thirds are Koords, who occupy the
land within the hills. The people of Jahjurm are
Persian, and those of Isfuraeen Huzaras, only trans
planted from the Herat mountains in 1857. The forces
at the command of the Eelkhanee comprise about
1,000 horsemen of superior quality; 300 Shamkalchees,
besides some 3,000 Koord villagers armed with match
locks. Koochoon, Durraguz, and Kullat-y-Nadir, I
have already described, and will not, therefore, say any
thing more on the subject.
The Mushudd district may be described as consisting
of the basin of the Ab-y-Mushudd or Kushuff Rood.
The principal sub-divisions of this tract are Ardamah
and Jaghark, situated to the SW. and W. in the
Mehrabad range, with a population of 5,000 and 3,000
respectively, mostly of Persian origin. Bewajan,
Shandiz, and Sir-y-jam, are situated to the south of
Mushudd, and have altogether not more than 5,000
souls.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHBOOD. 143
Meean Vilayut, Chinaran, and Ratkan, are further up
the valley than the city, and are the principal sub
divisions of the district. In the first the population is
principally Persian, but of the 20,000 souls, about one
quarter are Taemoorees. Chinaran has 9,000 souls,
mostly Zuffuranloo Koords, and Rathauhas 7,000 souls
also Koords of the Kaiwanloo branch.
To the north, on the Kullat road, is the little sub-divi
sion of Cholai, inhabited by some 2,500 Toorks ; and to
the N. and E. of Mushudd is Tabatkoon, a consider
able sub-division, comprising all the lower part of the
Kushuff Rood, and the south slope of the Kullat hills
to Moozduran and Ak Durbund ; the people are Koords
of various tribes. The total population of the district
does not, probably, amount to 150,000 souls, and the
military force is estimated by Napier at four battalions
of regular infantry, twenty light field guns, 3,500
irregular horse, and 10,000 irregular foot. The district
produces very little more grain than is required for the
consumption of the inhabitants, and the surplus only
suffices to feed the troops, government servants, and the
large number of pilgrims who visit the place. The
supply of forage, too, is very limited, and there is even
less fuel, while water is by no means abundant.
Nishapoor, to the west of Mushudd, on the opposite of
the Beenaloh range, has a district attached to it about
80 miles each way. North and east it is bounded by
the Mehrabad range, south by the Koh Soorkh, west by
ridges from the first range, dividing it from Subzwar
and Jouven. This district was formerly reckoned one
of the most populous and fertile in Persia, but Napier
describes it as being now, with the exception of a few
favoured spots, " barren, parched, and forbidding in
the extreme." The total estimated population does not

144 KHORASSAN.
come up to 120,000. The principal sub-divisions are
Sar-y- Vilayut, which has about 8,000 Toorks. It is
situated in the hills in the direction of Sooltan Maidan.
Maroush is another division in the same direction, in
habited by Koords ; and the others are Taghan Koh,
next Subzwar, and Jouven, 8,000 ; Ishkabad, 8,000 ;
south-west of Nishapoor, Rewund, in which the town is
situated 12,000 ; Durb-y-Kazee 24,000 ; Zubbur Khan
8,000 ; Durrood, to the east 12,000, and Oordkish, south
of Nishapoor, with 8,000. In the north part of the
district the people are Koords, below chiefly Beyat
Toorks mixed with Persians ; and there are, strange to
say, 1,000 tents of Baloche nomads. The district, not
withstanding its former prosperity, has at the present
day but few resources. Its out-turn in grain but barely
suffices to feed the people ; and here, as nearly every
where else, forage and fuel are very scarce, though water
is more abundant. The forces of the district are all
irregular, numbering not more than 5,000 men, but
these are mostly Toorks of good physique and fairly
armed. The district of Subzwar lies to the west of Nishapoor,
and it consists of a narrow plain between the Jagatar
mountains on the north, and the Koh Meesh on the
south. To the east it is divided from Nishapoor by a
low, barren ridge, which connects the two above-men
tioned ranges, and on the west it has a desolate tract
bordering on " Kuveer." Its length is about 75 miles,
and its breadth 40, giving its area about 3,000 square
miles. The northern part near the hills is fertile, cul
tivation being carried on by Kunats. The population
may amount to 45,000 souls, and principally consists of
Persians, with some Koord, Toork, and Baloche
nomads. There are no troops in the district, but the

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 145
armed peasantry might furnish some 8,000 men — all
supplies are very scarce throughout the district.
Next comes the district of Subzwar, and a small
division called Jouven or Jugatai, which, however, is
very productive, owing to its having a good amount
of water. The area of this tract may be about 1,100
square miles, and the population about 11,000. The
last are mostly Toorks, who can turn out some 800
matchlockmen of a superior stamp.
Lying next the desert is the little district of Toor
sheez, a small part of which is said to be very produc
tive, abounding with fruits of all descriptions. The
grapes and pomegranates of Toorsheez, are unsurpassed
by any in Persia. The inhabitants are chiefly of Arab
descent, but there are many nomads of Baloche extrac
tion, the whole number of the population, however, not
reaching more than 20,000. The southern and most
direct road from Tehran to Herat passes through this
district. Bellew, who passed close to it, gives no infor
mation regarding it, which is to be regretted, as there is
doubt as to its exact position. The district of Toorbut
Haiduree comes next. Its southern boundary is said by
Bellew to extend to the right bank of the river at Yoo-
misee, and its northern would seem to reach to about
the Gudar-y-Bukh ; on the east its limit is the Bakhurz
range, but I cannot make out how far it extends to the
west, or how its boundary with Toorsheez Khaf runs.
Bellew says, it comprises the sub-divisions of Maha-
wullat Toorbut, Zawah, Khaf, Bayak, Rukh, and Azkund.
I think, however, it may be doubted if the latter belongs
to Toorbut, Khaf certainly does not. The population is
roughly estimated by Napier at 25,000 souls, of whom
the Karai, a Toork tribe said to have been brought here
by Timour, are the paramount race, the rest being of
VOL. II. I'

146 KHORASSAN.
Arab and Persian origin, with some Baloche nomads.
The chief of the Karai, is one Hadjee Mirza Mahmood
Khan. Bakhurz is a small district which I passed through
on the road to Mushudd. It is bounded north by the
Kulla Minar ridge, west by the Bakhurz range, east by
the Koo-y-Birs, whioh divides it from Jam, and on the
south by a long slope which comes out from the Kurrat
Koh to the Hurree Rood, including Kareez. The lower
portion of this district is simply a barren, stony waste,
sloping like a glacier down from the hills ; but above
Shuhr-y-Now, in the plain and in the hills about Kulla
Minar, there is a very fine tract of country, which only
requires labour to make it very productive, as the soil
is good, and there is abundance of water.
The principal village of Bakhurz is Shuhr-y-Now,
which is dilapidated as usual, but has been laid out with
some attempt at regularity.
The population numbers about 16,000 souls, chiefly
Huzaras brought here from the hills round Herat ; and
the chief has at his disposal a body of 200 inferior
horse, while nearly all the adult males are armed with
matchlocks. My old friend the Surteep, Abbass Khan,
was formerly governor of this district, but he has been,
as related above, transferred to Surrukhs.
The little district of Jam lies to the north and east
of Bakhurz, from which it is divided on the west by the
Birs range. Its eastern boundary goes up to the Hurree
Rood, and is that of Persia in this direction, and its
north boundary is quite undefined, but may be roughly
put at the crest of the Koo-Chahl Sung or Yoghur,
which divides its drainage from that of the Mushudd
River. Its principal villages are Toorbut-y-Shekh,
Jam, Furreemoon, Kullundurabad, and Hussunabad.

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 147
The population may number 12,000 souls, consisting
chiefly of Taemoorees, with some Heratees, and a
local tribe known as Jamees, of Persian origin. A body
of some 800 inferior horsemen is kept up, and besides,
the services of perhaps 2,000 matchlock men would be
forthcoming. Khaf, also a Taemooree chiefship, consists of the
country bounded north by the Kurrat Koh, south by a
desert waste, east by Afghan territory, and west by the
districts of Tubbus and Ghaeen. This tract consists of
bare, stony hills, and desolate slopes, with very few
patches of cultivation round the villages, the chief of
which are Kooee and Nusseerabad. The population
consists of about 15,000 souls, who are called on to
furnish 300 horsemen, but who could turn out some
2,000 more matchlockmen.
The district of Tubbus-wa-Toon is very extensive,
running, as it does, from Poosht-y-Buddam on the
south-west to Yoonusee on the north-east, and from
the crest of the Kullat range to Chah Mehjee below
Surayoon. It is nearly all a desert, the hills being
equally unproductive with the plains, and it is only in
the small tracts round Tubbus, Bushrooya, Toon,
Goonabad, Kakh and Bejistoon, which are the names
of its sub-divisions, that there is, or can be, any cultiva
tion. The population may number in all 30,000 souls.
The family of the chief Hadjee, Mahamad Bakur
Alee Khan, is of Arab origin, but the rest are mostly
Persians, with some Baloche nomads. The people are
unwarlike, and though perhaps 2,000 to 3,000 match
lockmen could be collected, they would be of little
service. The fact is, that except in the Bejistoon and
Goonabad sub-divisions the district is so cut off by
deserts that they are little troubled with Toorkmuns, l 2

148 KHORASSAN.
and since the strong rule of the Amir of Ghaeen has
been introduced, they are freed from fear of Baloche
raids also.
The next and last district of Khorassan is that of
Ghaeen, to which has lately been added the Persian and
best portion of Seestan.
The Amirate of Ghaeen is bounded on the north
by a ridge which runs out from the Kullat range,
between the Ghaeen sub-division of Neembolook and
the Tubbus division of Kakh and Goonabad. On the
west the boundary goes up to the crest of the Kullat
range, as far south as the point whence the spur over
which lies the Godur-y-Goad pass is given out. There
it crosses this range and takes in all the hilly country,
and as much of the plains as the water reaches to, up
to the desert. The southern boundary also extends in
the same manner to the Loot desert, and on the east is
that of Persia and Afghanistan. The length of this
is about 250 miles, and the breadth about 200
miles. The district, in its general aspect, is as forbidding as
most of the rest of Persia, brown burnt hills, long
glacis-like slopes covered with stones, with a few patches
of green round the villages.
The divisions are Neembolook on the extreme north,
then Ghaeen, the most fertile of all, Sehdeh or Alghose,
consisting of the tract between the Khooneek and
Samun Shakee passes which drain westward, Birjund,
which consists of the basin drained from the Momeena-
bad and Bageeran ranges as far down as Birjund; beyond
which is a fine tract called Khoosf-Neh, which com
prises all the southern hills to the desert. Sooneek-
hana, the principal village in which is Foorg, and which
may be said to consist of the valley between the

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 149
Guzeek and Momeenabad, and finally Zeerkoh, which is
mostly a howling desert, but has some oases, as
Doroksh, and Charakhs ; this tract is supposed to con
tain Yezdoon, but the country is far too dangerous to
make this outlying post a desirable place to visit even
for revenue.
The inhabitants of Ghaeen, judging from that of
Birjund and Ghaeen, and the reported populousness of
some villages to the west, as Khoosf Khon, Afrees and
others, cannot number less than 80,000 souls. These
are of mixed races, some are Arab, others clearly
Persian, while those of the Soonekhana tract are
Afghan, and those to the south Baloche.
Meer Alum Khan, Amir of Ghaeen, Hushmutt-oo-
Dowlah, and general in the Persian service, is probably
the most powerful, as he certainly is the most able chief
in Khorassan. He maintains a force of 11 guns, one of
which is an 18-pounder, the others being 9-pounders
and 6-pounders, 2,000 cavalry, and 2,000 regular infantry,
besides which he could raise 5,000 irregular matchlock-
men ; but these numbers are inclusive of the force in
Seestan. The portion of Seestan which is now under Meer
Alum Khan consists of all south of the Naizar or Reed
swamp of the Hamoon, and all on the left bank of the
Helmund up to Kohuk, from which place a line drawn
to the Mullick Seeah Koo is the boundary.
The question as to the right of Persia to Seestan
has been fully reported on by Sir Frederick Goldsmid,
who had the very invidious and thankless task of arbi
trating upon it, as between the Afghans and Persians.
The only remark, therefore, that I shall make is, that
as both Persians and Afghans were profoundly dissatis
fied with the decision, it is reasonable to assume that

150 KHORASSAN.
it was probably the best that could have been arrived
at. But the history of the claims of the Persians to a
country from which they had very long withdrawn is
instructive, and it may not, therefore, be out of place
to say a few words here about it.
The history of Seestan may be summarized thus : —
In 1747 Nadir Shah died, and up to his death, not
only Seestan, but the greater part of Afghanistan
acknowledged his rule. After his death, Ahmad Shah,
Durani, conquered the whole of Afghanistan, clearly
including Seestan. Seestan also undoubtedly paid
tribute to him and his successor, Timur Shah, who died
in 1 793. Then succeeded a blank of forty years, during
which the Afghans, too much occupied with their own
quarrels, paid no attention to Seestan, which conse
quently became practically independent; but during
this period they (the Afghans) never relinquished their
claim on it. In 1834, Kamran reconquered Seestan for
Herat. In 1845, Kohandil reconquered the east portion
of the same country for Kandahar.
Commencing from 1851, Persia had manifested a
continually increasing tendency to revive her preten
sions to the recovery of the ground lost to the east
since the death of Nadir Shah, and these pretensions in
creased till in 1 857 the Persians laid siege to and captured
Herat. When they advanced on Herat, Ahmad Khan,
son of Shah Pasand, threw in his lot with them, and
allowed them to store Lash with grain, and even to occupy
it and Jorven with a force. On the termination of the
Persian war in 1857, Major Taylor was sent to Herat to
see that the stipulations of the treaty were duly executed.
He reported that they were not, and among other
evasions that the province of Lash Jorven had not

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 151
been evacuated. A correspondence then ensued
between the British and Persian Governments, the
latter constantly protesting that Lash was Persian
territory. When at last the Persians submitted to the
urgent representations of the British Ambassador, they
did so in these terms : —
" But as your Excellency is so urgent on this sub
ject, and- a continued persistence in requiring an inves
tigation and inquiry would doubtless be attributed to
other motives and views on the part of the Persian
ministers, whose object being purely and sincerely to
possess the friendship of the British Government, they
are perfectly free, merely to gratify the British ministers
and to co-operate with your Excellency, and that not
the least point in amity and union may be omitted,
they will make over Lash and Jorven, the unquestion
able territory of Persia, to Sirdar Ahmad Khan (son
of Shah Pasand Khan), in whose hands they formerly
were, and the Persian authorities will be withdrawn
from these places."
Wearied of being made a bone of contention
between Herat and Kandahar, Ali Khan (brother
of Mahamad Reza of Sehkuha) went to Tehran, and
eventually in 1857-58 succeeded in contracting an
alliance with a Kujur Princess, giving in his allegiance
to the Persian King in return for this honour.
In the spring of 1858, Ali Khan was to have
returned with a body of Persian troops. On the
representation, however, of the British Minister, the
Persian Government abandoned this idea, but in their
reply did not relinquish their claim to Seestan, which
they put in these words : —
" The Persian ministers have always considered, and
do now consider, that Seestan, ab antiqud, has formed an

152 KHORASSAN.
integral part of the Persian territory, and it is at the
present time in the possession of the Persian Govern
ment, on whose part it is therefore not necessary that
troops or soldiers should be sent, or a new occupation
of the place effected."
Mr. Murray again remonstrated, and informed the
Persian Government that the sending of troops to Seestan
would be considered as a direct violation of the treaty of
Paris. On this the Persian Government sent only " a
small escort," with the Kujur Princess, Ali Khan's wife ;
but with it went a drill instructor as well as tools for
coining money. When Ali Khan reached Seestan, a
regiment was raised and drilled, and money coined in
the name of the Shah of Persia. Taj Mahamad Khan,
son of Mahamad Reza, now headed a revolt and assassi
nated Ali Khan, and the Persian Government then
came forward with a proposal to send a force to punish
Taj Mahamad. They were, however, again induced to
withdraw this project on the reiterated assertion of the
British Minister, that to do so would be considered a
direct violation of the treaty of Paris. While yielding,
however, they again persisted in laying claim to Seestan
as an appanage of Persia. Taj Mahamad after this, of
his own free will, appears to have offered to accept and
fulfil all the engagements made by the late Khan, if he
was recognized as Chief of Seestan. This proposal was
acceded to, and the Shah granted him the pay and title
conferred on Ali Khan. Taj Mahamad Khan sent his
brother as a hostage to Tehran, and Ibrahim Khan and
other chiefs also sent their sons to reside at the Persian
capital as a guarantee of their good faith. From 1861
to 1863, the Persians continued to claim Seestan, saying
they only refrained from enforcing their rights from
fear of offending the British, but that they could never

DURRAGUZ TO SHAHROOD. 153
permit the Afghans to take possession, which they feared
they meant to. The correspondence which passed on
this subject is not free from tediousness, nor is it of
material importance, but on the 5th November, 1863,
Lord Russell wrote a letter, in which in the following
terms he implied the permission of the British Govern
ment to the Persians, to assert their right to Seestan by
force of arms. " I have the honour to acquaint your
Excellency in reply, that Her Majesty's Government,
being informed that the title to the territory of Seestan
is disputed between Persia and Afghanistan, must
decline to interfere in the matter, and must leave it to
both parties to make good their pretensions by force of
arms." No notice, however, seems to have been taken of this
permission, till the end of 1865, when the Persian
Government, taking advantage of a reported threat of
the Afghans in Seestan, marched a force from Mushudd,
which arrived in Seestan in April 1866, and consisted,
according to different accounts, of from 4,000 to
10,000 men. They then destroyed the fort of Sehkuha
and some smaller forts, and levied a tax of one in
forty on cattle. In fact they took possession of this
portion of that country. This brings us to the end
of 1867.
After this, though the dates are not stated, they
deprived Ibrahim Khan of Shek Nasur, of much of his
territory, taking Jalalabad, Jahanabad and Nadali, and
they then advanced as far as Husenabad.
The Shah's Government, notwithstanding these acts,
still disavowed all knowledge of a participation in these
movements in Seestan.
Several raids were during 1869 reported to have
been committed by the Seestanis, acting under the

154 KHORASSAN.
orders of the Persian commanders on Kandahar terri
tory. The Afghans under orders from the Amir,
behaved with a marvellous forbearance throughout all
these raids.
Arbitration was then proposed, and Persia has agreed
to it on condition of being allowed to retain all that
part of Seestan acquired by her since Lord Russell's
letter of November, 1863, which she considered to have
given her the right of settling the question by force of
arms.

155

CHAPTER IV.
SHAHROOD TO LONDON.
On the 4th September, I got away from Shahrood, but
when we got outside the gates one of the muleteers
absolutely refused to proceed. However, as the other
called him names and declared himself quite willing to
accompany me, I let him stop, and I have no doubt his
moment of repentance came in due course.
Leaving by the gate on the north, the road first goes
through a low and rocky pass, over a ridge for one mile,
then turning 272°, it goes over an open but rather
stony plain for seven miles further, passing the village
of Kullat at the fourth mile. It then enters a valley,
three miles wide, with hills on either side, those on the
right being called Koh Shahbar, and those on the left
named Koh Tuppeh, were close to the road. Continuing
up this valley for seven miles more, the road turned
more north, and one mile further on it left the valley,
and ascended easily over a spur from the Shahbar
range, and then descended in the next mile to the river
bed again, which had here abundance of water, about
three feet deep and flowing in a strong current. This
point, where there were two ruined " robats," forms the
boundary between Shahrood and Astrabad jurisdiction.
There is an excellent site for a camp at this place, with
abundance of water, fuel and forage. The road now
turns 350° for half a mile and then 305°, and goes up a

156 KHORASSAN.
narrow glen. Keeping the hill-side on the left bank of
the stream for three-quarters of a mile, where a ruined
serai, called "Rabat Marghazar," is situated on the
right bank, just below the junction of the two streams,
one from Tush, and the other the Gundab from the
Chehchalean pass.
Taking the Tush valley we went on 320° for half a
mile, and then turned up, in a direction 6°, a little side
glen, at the head of which, half a mile up, was the
valley of Tush.
This is a small place, with some fifty wretched hovels,
and a little cultivation. There is, however, good water
here, and some supplies are procurable. I was given a
very decent room in the headman's house. About
three miles north of this village coal, which is called
Sung-y-Zukkal, is found. It is said to be plentiful,
and as far as I could judge from the specimen I burnt,
seemed of good quality. The headman said that some
six years ago, the Russians sent an officer here, who
took away 100 loads of 35 Tabrez maunds each, for
which they paid for the hire of transport to Guz, eight
krans per load, besides the cost of the labour of
excavation. As they never came again, it may be
supposed they either found the coal inferior, or the cost
of transport too high ; the latter is probably the case,
as it must have cost them nearly £3 a ton at the
Caspian. I had intended going from this place direct to
Astrabad, by the Wajmenoo Kotul and Karasoo, but
I changed my mind and determined to go by way of
Shahkoh and Zeerutt. The road bends back from Tush
for a mile to near the junction of the two rivers, at
the Rabat Marghazar above mentioned — just before
reaching which, instead of going round, it crosses over

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 157
a low spur dividing the two valleys. It then goes for
four miles up the western glen, to a place called
Gundab, from which it takes its name. Here there is
plenty of fuel and forage, and some cultivation, but the
water smells horribly. On from this the road goes west
for four miles, by a very easy ascent over earthy slopes to
the top of the Kotul-Chehlchaleean, whence there is a
splendid view down the valley ; upon the left is a
magnificent scarped hill, called Koh Benar.
Thence the road goes down the valley, generally due
west (but turning more south for half a mile in the
descent), for three miles to a mill, when it turns north,
and ascends to the village of Shahkoh Bala by a narrow
breakneck path.
Shahkoh is about the worst looking place I have
seen, even in Persia, which is saying a good deal for it.
It consists of about eighty houses built on the side of a
bare burnt- up red hill, without a sign of a green thing,
tree, grass, or cultivation, near. It is at least one
mile from its water supply as well as from its fields,
which are in the valley below, and can only have been
built up here to get out of the way of the road. It is
very high up, but the inhabitants say that owing to its
sheltered situation, surrounded by high hills, it is not
cold in winter. There is no coal near this village.
Shahkoh Paeen, another village situated down the
valley, about three miles, is probably a much nicer
place. The river of this valley is called the Kurtaroo,
and is said to flow below Ratkan, and thence on to the
Caspian, west of Ushruff. It is joined below Shahkoh
Paeen by another large stream, which flows through a
district or valley, called Char-bagh, and rises from the
main range near the Wajmenoo Kotul.
The direct road from Shahrood to Bandur Guz, is by

158 KHORASSAN.
— 1. Marghazar (as above), 2. Aragee down the valley
of the Kurtaroo, to two miles below Shahkoh Paeen,
3. Bar Kulla, down the valley to below Ratkan, 4. Guz
Bandur. Over the hills the road from Tush, which I did
not follow, goes to Rabat-y-Sufeid. First there is an
easy ascent of four miles to the top of the Kotul
Wajmenoo, and an equally easy descent of about twelve
miles down a valley. There are no supplies here.
Thence Astrabad is about twenty miles distant, the
road going for two miles to the Kotul Koozlook, whence
there is a nasty ascent over the pass to the old site of
the village of Koozlook now deserted, whence the road
is level through a forest into Astrabad.
The road I took, went over the hill, north of Shah
koh Bala, and then descended by a steep but easy path
over earth to the pretty Charbagh valley in four miles.
It then goes down this valley, which has abundance of
water, a splendid soil, but only a few inhabitants, for
three miles to a place called Shaheebad, whence it
ascends for three more up the Taloo pass, which is on a
spur dividing the drainage of the Kartaroo from that
which goes past Zeearutt. The first half of this ascent
is not very difficult, but then it becomes simply fright
ful. Unluckily the day was cloudy, or I daresay I
should have had a fine view of the Astrabad plain from
this commanding height. As it was, there was nothing
but a confused mass of jungle- clad hills which it was
impossible to unravel, very like Bhotan.
From this pass, the road descends easily for one and
a half miles, and then winds round the contour of the
hill in a direction 1 5°, through a thick forest of oak
and juniper for four miles, passing numerous little
encampments of nomads, and clearings, but no village.
Then it descends down the precipitous sides of the

SHAHROOD TO LONDON 159
hills by very steep short zigzags, over excessively
slippery clay, and all through dense forest for miles. It
was quite out of the question to attempt to ride, so I
got off and walked leading my horse. Going down, down,
down by this infernal breakneck path, and not able to
see fifty yards ahead anywhere, we at last reached a
stream. But it was by this time dark ; I could not
see my watch, and the road led now over boulders, now
over a level terrace, now over a short sharp ascent, then
in the water, so that it was quite impossible to arrive at
any idea of the distance covered before we got to
Zeearutt. At all events it was 10 p.m. before we
reached our destination. I turned at once into a house
which the guide said I could use, and without waiting
for any of my things, spread my blanket, put my
saddle under my head, and was soon fast asleep. We
had had a tremendous day, starting about 3 a.m., we
had been going, except for a short halt at Shahkoh, till
10 p.m. — 19 hours. During that time we had crossed
three passes, none of which could have been under 9,000
feet above the sea, and about half the road was of that
breakneck order that it is quite impossible to avoid
the conclusion that Dame Nature must have been in a
most vile temper when she laid out that bit of country.
I do not mind saying that on that day I was regularly
done. But if it was a hard day for me, what must it
have been for the mules ? I was sound asleep before
they came up, but next morning on waking I found my
incomparable muleteer sitting smoking as if he had
only had a little outing the day before. How they got
down that road in the dark I do not know, I cannot
conceive, but they did it. Wherever I have been in
Persia it has always been the same with my muleteers ;
whether in my trying march across the desert, from

160 KHORASSAN.
Beeabunnuck, or across the Zeerkoh tract, as here, they
have always at the end " turned up smiling." Thev
never made difficulties, never grumbled at hard work,
never lagged behind, in fact never behaved as if they
were Persians at all.
When I got to the village the night before, I knew
that the Russian Consul was there, but at that moment
if my own father had sent a message to say that one
of those little dinners he knew so well how to order
was waiting, if I had known there was a delicious
big bed with clean sheets, and the most beautiful " houri"
in creation to lull me to sleep, I would not have gone.
I was quite beyond food, or houris, or comfort, and so
as I have said, I flung mvself on the ground and despite
a stone in the small of my back forgot everything.
I therefore make no apologies to the Russian Consul
(one can't be expected to remember Russian names), for
not going to see him that night. However, next
morning, the 7th of September, after sending off my
baggage, I paid him a visit. I do not know whether the
worthy representative of the Ak-Padshah,* had been
having a curtain lecture, or whether his dignity was
hurt, but he was at first evidently on the stilts. This,
however, soon wore off, and we got pretty friendly over
a cup of tea.
He was living in very primitive style in a native hut
pur et simple, but had Madame with him, and an elderly
female attendant, who looked very much as if she felt
like a fly in amber, and wondered how the deuce she had
got there. It must indeed have been strange for her, for
anything more different from the hideous bleak plains of
her native Russia than this lovely forest-covered moun
tain glen, cannot be imagined. * White Emperor.

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 161
Our only medium of conversation was Persian, but
we managed with this well enough. It was from this
gentleman that I first heard of the outbreak in the
Herzegovina ; and I thought he communicated the
intelligence with rather a meaning smile, as if he
thought it would lead to more than I dreamt of at the
moment. And here too, I heard of Colonel Baker's
affair, and it gave me quite a shock. For the last three
months I had followed in Baker's footsteps, and every
where I had heard nothing but good of him, every
where learnt that his journey and his conduct had
greatly raised the English name in these wild countries,
and now to think that such a man in a moment of
weakness had so fallen, was indeed a blow to my national
amour propre.
The road on leaving led down the stony bed of the
river for eight miles, and was simply execrable. Then
leaving the river it went through dense forest to within
two miles of Astrabad. Here I was met by the
British Agent, a Persian, who very kindly conducted
me to quarters prepared for me in his own house.
Astrabad seemed to me, who had got so accustomed
to the dreary-looking cities of Persia, a most picturesque
looking-place. Lying at the foot of fine forest-clad hills,
and surrounded by trees, its situation is very pretty, and
the pent roofs covered with red tiles enhance the general
effect ; also while passing through the streets I noticed a
custom of putting flower-pots in the windows, much the
same as one sees in Europe.
It is situated on a little river, the Astaisoo, which
drains to the Karasoo, and is enclosed within an
imposing and once strong mud wall, now however in
ruins. All round too are the remains of a ditch, and
'there are strong towers at intervals, but the town is
VOL. 11. M

162 KHORASSAN.
completely commanded by a spur from the main range,
which comes down to the west, and all round there is
cover within a few yards. This last, however, if
judiciously placed, might add immensely to the strength
of the place, as it consists of thick, in fact perfectly
impervious, thorn-bush, called here I believe, Pahlwan-
y-Muzunduroon, which nothing could get through, and
which it would be extremely difficult to cut and
impossible to burn.
There are three gates to the town of Astrabad, but
numberless ways in, which may be called Durwaza
Iranee. The gates are called the Shahrood on the south,
Mazundaran on the west, and Goorjan, or as it is some
times called Chahl Dookhtur, on the north. There
are only about 1,200 houses inhabited, though the
space enclosed in the walls is very large, and capable of
holding ten times that number. All the rest is taken
up with waste ground, rubbish heaps, graveyards,
jungle, and gardens.
The whole place is quite unlike anything else I had
yet seen in Persia, and the people also were clearly a
different race. We no longer saw the neat lambswool
" koolla," and the tight-fitting blue frock coat ; but
instead, the people wore huge brown sheepskin hats, with
loose brown woollen coats and trousers, leg bandages
such as are worn in Cashmeer, and regular sandals like
those of Peshawur.
I went about the streets a good deal while here, though
it was very hot in the daytime ; at night there were
myriads of mosquitos. I did not go to see the Gov
ernor, but an individual who was called the " Bullyoos "
came on a mission from that potentate to find out all
about me. He was a talkative, but pleasant enough,
man, and very civilly told off some of his furashes to

SHAHROOD TO' LONDON. 163
look after me. No doubt these men were put on to me
a good deal as spies, but as I had nothing to conceal,
I was glad of their company in going through the
streets. While I was here there were two regiments and six
guns. The infantry were the regiment of Arab-o-
Ajam and the Geroos battalion. I made the acquaintance
of the officers, and had long talks with the men. They
were encamped outside the south wall, and the pre
valence of raised platforms for sleeping showed that they
suffered much from fever.
The place seems to have no manufactures, and though
I hunted everywhere for curiosities, all I could get was a
very nice dagger. However, I managed also to pick up
a couple of very good Toorkmun carpets here. These
are quite different from the Persian carpets in pattern
and colour, though they are made in the same way.
The predominating colours are not so bright as the
Persian carpets, and consist chiefly of a Turkey red,
black, white, and sometimes dark blue.
On the 10th, I left Astrabad for Bundur Guz, and
marched - sixteen miles to Koord Muhulla The road
goes due west and is quite level the whole way, at first
piercing a very impenetrable thorn jungle, through
which a path has been cut, and then through forest.
At four miles the village of Aneraj is passed, at six
miles that of Vurtan, and at eight miles is Kulla Jan,
and then we came to Roshunabad, where there is a
mosque, which reminds one very much of a church,
At twelve miles we passed the picturesque village of
Durra Mean, situated on the hill slope two miles off to
the left ; at sixteen miles we reached our stage.
The country passed through was either dense forest
of regular Terai-like character, or else thick bramble
m 2

164 KHORASSAN.
jungle with occasional clearings. Of the culturable
capabilities of this country, I should say there could be
no manner of doubt. Cotton, tobacco, corn and rice, could
be produced to any amount, and the lower hills are just
the sort of country that tea is grown on in the Darjeeling
Terai. But all this requires what I fear it will never
get as long as it belongs to Persia, viz., population,
good government, capital, and enterprise.
This village of Koord MuhuUa seems to be very un
healthy. It is surrounded by swamps and terai jungle.
While going through it to my manzil, I met two dead
bodies being carried, and it gave me an awful turn to
see a third being washed in the stream which furnished
the drinking water for the village. In the evening the
headman came and said six people had died that day ;
on which I said, that " Moord Knlla," would seem to be
a more appropriate name for it than Koord MuhuUa, but
the pun called forth no response.
Though my quarters were as good as they could
furnish, I had a " night of it." I never slept one
solitary wink. It was a night that might have given
infinite pleasure to an entomologist, from the number
and variety of the insect world that collected on my
poor body, but having myself no mania for insectology
it simply drove me almost mad.
However, next morning we got off, and going through
the same dense jungle, interspersed with swamps and
clearings, we came to the village of Guz in about thirteen
miles, and thence by a narrow path, through swampy
ground and over some very nasty streams with treache
rous quagmire bottoms for three and a half miles, when
we came out on the shore of the Caspian, and turning to
the left, arrived, at about the sixteenth mile, at Bundur
Guz, the principal port on the south-east of that sea.

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 165
Whatever its future may be, the Bundur of Guz is
not now an imposing port, either with reference to its
public buildings or its commercial establishments. It
consists of eight or nine houses, built out of packing
cases, and a very dangerous and wretchedly constructed
pile pier, which runs out into water deep enough for a
ship's boat to come alongside. Besides, there is a cara
vanserai built on a good plan, which if only kept
decently clean, would be comfortable enough.
The " Bullyoos " at Astrabad had told me to go to
Mirza Sooleiman, whom he said I should find a very
good fellow, and very glad to put me up. I found him
to be a very good fellow, but I found that if he " put
me up," he would have to put his wife up a platform
erected on trees, so I declined.
Then I went to the Russian agent of the Mercurial
and Caucasian S. S. N. Co. Limited ; but, finding he
did not jump at the idea of having a gentleman in his
house, I went to an Armenian merchant who had
greeted me on my way in. This man was very civil, and
said he would do anything for me, but when he showed
me my bedroom, I realized that it was simply a box
six feet square, with only one hole six inches square for
air, that it was fearfully hot, that, to put it mildly,
it had a certain bouquet, and finding I should be
depriving him of the pleasure of living in it, I " got
out of it," both literally and metaphoricaUy.
In despair, I now went to the caravanserai. I had been
warned against it, I had been told that the mosquitos
were bad and the fleas worse ; but I was obliged to stay
somewhere, though the smell was somewhat ammonia-
cal. The rooms were a good size, and I thought I had
been agreeably disappointed on the whole. But what I
suffered in the two nights I was there, would require

166 KHORASSAN.
the pen of Hugo to describe, the pencil of Dore to por
tray. , It is perhaps better that I should draw a veil over
those hours of agony, and not unnecessarily harass the
reader's feelings. I cannot, however, refrain from placing
it on record that the mosquitos were about the size of
camels, the fleas could not have been smaller than cats,
and that there was another insect, whose name is un
known to me, and whose habits are, I hope, unknown to
every one. It had a head, all made up of eyes, a body
like an ordinary fly, and a tail like a gimlet. It never
made any noise, and it always attacked to the rear, and
once it had got its gimlet into you, it seemed to afford it
such pleasure that it invariably parted with its life

sooner than let go. But its effects were not realized till
after its death; then came on an itching pain that
nearly drove one mad.
After a tub, I went over to breakfast with the Russian
agent, and luckily there found an individual who talked
Persian. The house, which was the principal mansion
in the place, consisted of one room about eight feet
square, and two or three cupboards where a short man
might get in, if he did not want to stretch his legs ; but
unfortunately, the one room was considered too grand
to be used, so we breakfasted on a raised platform
which is used in Muzunderan for sleeping in, and is
caUed a " tullar."
First there is a low platform of heavy timbers about

SHAHROOD TO LONDON

167

three feet high, and then on that is erected another,
which may be of any height, but is generally about
twelve feet above the other. The top of this is boarded,
surrounded by a railing, and covered with a thatched
roof, and is reached by a ladder. They form very
pleasant sleeping places, as they are here erected so as
to catch the whole of the sea breeze.
Our breakfast was very fair. The company consisted

of the agent, a small man with a cunning face and a
bullet head, a lady of unknown connection with any
one, and my friend who spoke Persian, whose name was
Alexandre Vasilivitch Sevaragin. I don't think he was
a Russian pure.
After breakfast, Alexandre volunteered to take me on
board the Teulen, a Russian gunboat which was lying
off the place. The commander of this vessel was a
very fine, manly, determined-looking, fellow, I never

168 KHORASSAN.
could quite catch his name, but it sounded so like Cuts-
with-Gough, that 1 adopted this patronymic for him.
His gunboat was an old-fashioned wooden boat, like
those which I remember in China in 1860, and though
I daresay it was not in spicy enough order to have
pleased a smart British naval officer, it seemed to me
that all the essentials were well looked after. The crew
were a very fine lot of men, and altogether I would
sooner be friends with the gallant commander than an
enemy. On leaving he asked me, through Alexandre,
to come to breakfast next morning.
We then went on board a merchant vessel caUed the

Shah, with a Russo-German captain, named Pavloff,
who could talk a " leetle Engleesh," and was dressed in
nautical fashion. He was an awfully good fellow, but
so fat that it seemed as if a slight prick would cause
the whole skin to collapse. I thoroughly enjoyed hear
ing my own language again, and we made great friends.
I had a delightful swim from the ship before I left. I
tried hard to get the Captain to come into the water,
but he said he could not " sweem," yet looking at him
it seemed impossible that he should ever sink. When
I left he came with me as he said, " I go proveesion
seek." So this day passed off, and fearing another night at

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 169
the caravanserai, I got Captain Pavloff to let me come
and sleep on board, to which he most kindly assented.
As there seemed to be no chance of the steamer's
coming in I determined to take advantage of the delay,
to go over the hill to see Ratkan, where I had heard
theRussians had a sanatarium ; on inquiring, however, I
found there never had been any establishment there,
but that a former Russian consul had been in the habit
of going up there in the summer.
1 went about eleven, after a glorious header and swim
from the Shah, on board the Teulen, where my friend
Cuts-with-Gough was ready waiting. Most unfortun
ately, however, Alexandre could not come with me, so
as Captain C. only knew the three words oui, non, and
bon, in French, and I knew no Russian, our conversa
tion was naturally limited. However, we made up for
it by abundance of signs and laughing, and the worthy
commander wTas most pressing in his hospitality. The
food though simple was capital, and there was abun
dance of tea, vodkee, and some of the sour Caucasian
wine called Kakhetee.
I tried to make Captain Cuts-with-Gough understand
that I should be very glad if he would accompany me
to Ratkan next day, but I could not, so I was obliged to
wait till we went on shore and got hold of Alexandre.
When it was explained to him, with the addition that
I would mount and feed him all the way, he said he
was much obliged, but he had never been on a horse in
his life, and he should not like to risk it, he would only
tumble off and be a nuisance to me. I tried to assure
him this would not be the case, but it was no good, and
none of the others would come. As a last resort I
asked Captain Pavloff, who had mentioned his riding,
but he said he should like it, but it was too far, for

170 KHORASSAN.
though he rode, when he rode too far he became " very
seek here," rubbing his hands over his enormous
thighs. I could not consent to remain at this detestable
place longer, so next morning, the 13th, I started.
After going through the forest for some six miles, there
was a very long and steep ascent over a slippery clay
soil to the top of the ridge overlooking the Caspian, and
then a descent equally steep, into the valley which I
had entered at its head at Shahkoh. Here we first
came across a villager ploughing in his fields, and when
asked where Ratkan was, he said we had come entirely
out of the way, that now we should have to go up the
valley for three miles, and then ascend to that village.
Following his directions we did not reach the village
of Ratkan till nearly dark. On the way up we passed
one of those towers which seem to be scattered about
Persia, and which seem to date from the Kufic period.
I have described one I saw near Ubburrkoh,and I believe
there is also one at the village of Ratkan, on the road
between Mushudd and Koochoon.
During the night it came on to rain heavily, but
stopped towards morning. I had intended remaining
here a day, but what I had seen of the road the day
before convinced me it was likely to be very difficult
indeed after rain, and that I might not be able to get
into Guz in one day.
I took good care to get a better guide this time, and
we started very early by a very much better road, to
the top of the ridge. The soil on this side was more
stony, but directly we began descending our difficulties
commenced and continued the whole way down. In
parts the road was simply a slide, long greasy mud
slopes at an angle of 45°; in others it was a quagmire;

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 171
but worst of all, were some places where the mud of
the quagmire was not so much dissolved, but was still
soft enough to let animals sink each leg in to above
the hock. No one tries to improve a road in Persia, or
even takes the trouble to go round bad bits, but con
tents himself with thinking if it is his " Kismut " to
get over it, he will do so. Consequently, there were a
number of these places, which I can best describe by
likening them to honeycombs in the mud, and after the
rain the slosh had quite covered up the mouths of the
holes, so whenever we came to a quagmire, we knew we
were in for it. Two or three times my riding boots
were pulled clean off me and I sunk over the knees, and
tumbled in the mud times without number. How the
mules got over it I don't know, but they did, though
they fell continually, and all my things were covered
with one black mass of sticky mud. Fortunately none
of them broke their bones or even were lamed ; for which
, reason, I can only say with the Persians, it was our kis
mut to perform this wonderful feat, and so we did it.
I have never accomplished a worse bit of road than
that ten miles. At first I was inclined to take things
cheerfully ; then the constant recurrence of these exec
rable pit-falls angered me. But that was of little use,
and so at last I became quite apathetic. Among other
difficulties was the passage of a swollen mountain
torrent. This was a real danger, in fact, so little did I
Uke the look of it that I told my men they might stay
till it went down ; as for me, the thought that I should
miss the steamer and have to spend more nights with
the fly with the gimlet tail would have nerved me to
even greater dangers. So dismounting, the guide (who
was a good strong fellow) and I held hands and
felt our way carefully. The pace the current was

172 KHORASSAN.
coming was terrific, and the water surged up to our arm
pits, but luckily it was not very broad and we got over.
The getting the baggage and the mules across was worse
still, however, in the end all was accomplished.
Nevertheless we did not get into Guz till about 10 p.m.,
and there hearing the steamer was to sail next morning
I was rewarded for my perseverance in pushing on.
I slept on board the Shah that night, and next
morning about eleven went on to the steamer, called I
think the Constantine, and about two we steamed off.
In an hour we got to Ashoorada. When I was at Guz
I tried to get Cuts-with-Gough to give me a boat to take
me there, but he said he could not do so without leave,
and when we anchored off it, I concluded it would be
equally useless to ask the Captain ; so seeing some of the
seamen going down the ladder, I said nothing to any one,
but walked after them and got into the boat as a
matter of course. I suppose they took it for granted I
had leave, or did not think it mattered, as they said
nothing, and presently we were landed on the spit
on which the station of Ashoorada stands.
When I got there I was sorry I had taken the
trouble to come, as there was absolutely nothing to see.
Two or three pretty little houses, a church and some
ricketty barracks, with a few trees, aU looking as if a
few inches more of water would submerge the whole
island. I must say the Russians who have to live there
are not to be envied.
The importance of the place has been a good deal
exaggerated I think, for the Persian Government are so
supine, that even if the Russians were not here now
nothing would be done to prevent their taking it when
ever they liked. No doubt if a proper fort were estab
lished on the point, and it was decently armed, it would

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 173
cut the Russians off from the fine harbour formed by
Astrabad bay : but this is an amount of forethought
which the Persians are not to be credited with.
The journey to Enzellee was uneventful ; we stopped
during the night off Mushudd-i-Sar and arrived at
Enzellee about four on the 17th. The Captain was a
Russian but spoke a little English, so I got on pretty
well. There were some Russian Naval Officers on
board going to Bakoo, but none of them could talk
anything but Russian. Their appearance was not very
taking nor their habits cleanly, for I swear no one washed
while I was on board. The meals were very fair, much
better than one would get on an English ship of the
same nature. There was a good deal of finger work
going on at meals, and the dexterity with which knives
were used almost amounted to conjuring. It does not
accord, either, with our insular prejudices to have smoke
puffed in one's face in the middle of meals.
AU the time, certainly all the day and a good part
of the night, when they were not eating, every one, the
Captain included, was playing cards, and the amount
of vodkee drunk was astonishing.
One of the passengers was a rather elderly lieutenant
of Gunners who had been transferred from the Teulen
to another ship. Through the Captain I kept up a
conversation with him, and in one of the lulls between
vodkee and sleep, or cards and vodkee, he informed me
that he was passionately devoted to shooting ; but when
I asked him if he had ever shot any tigers, which are
said to abound in the jungle about Guz, he smiled, and
said no, that was too dangerous — from which we can
estimate the length of his foot.
Landing at EnzeUee was quite a dangerous pro
ceeding, there was a tremendous swell on, and I was in

174 KHORASSAN.
great fright they would take me on to Bakoo, a trick
they sometimes, I am told, play passengers. The boats
were of the most ricketty nature, and the boatmen the
most unskiUed body of navigators I have ever seen, so
again I thought of my " Kismut."
The mouth of the Enzellee backwater or Moord-ab,
is defended by two little forts, more for the name of
the thing than any use they can be. The town is
situated on a spit of land between the sea and the
Moord-ab, to the west of the entrance. The most
striking building at Enzellee, is a high octagonal tower
of four stories which was built for the Shah. If any
thing could reconcile one to staying at this place,
having such a house to live in would, as it is too high
to be much affected by malaria, and it must always get
a fine breeze from the sea. After some little difficulty
with the Customs authorities, out of which I was very
kindly assisted by one of the British Mission Ghoolams
who had come down to meet Mr. Ronald Thomson who
was expected, I managed to get a boat and we started
for Peeree Bazar.
A sail of three hours, during which we lost our way
among the reeds, and were nearly having to wait till
morning, and we got to the mouth of the Peeree Bazar
river, whence we were pulled and poled up in a couple
of hours more to the place of that name. The air, all
the way from Enzellee, resounded with the noisy trum
peting of musquitos which were of enormous size,
and the atmosphere was redolent of malaria ; so pro
nounced indeed was this, that it almost seemed as if
one could feel the poison. I have seen some pretty bad
fever-stricken places, but never did I see any tract worse
than this.
From Peeree Bazar the road is now in good order,

SHAHH00D TO LONDON. 175
and hiring a pony, I soon got over the five miles
between it and Resht ; and here, after wandering about
the streets for some time, I at last reached the hospit
able mansion of the " Consool Inglees," Mr. Churchill,
and though it was the middle of the night and this
gentleman did not expect me — my telegram not having
reached him — he very kindly got up and bustled about
for my comfort.
I stayed here three days ; and enjoyed myself much
in the society of Mr. and Mrs. Churchill. After all my
wanderings, it was indeed a treat to receive such kind
ness from one's own people too. It was also a great
pleasure to me to meet one of the heroes of the splendid
defence of Kars in '55, and to listen to Mr. Churchill's
lucid description of the siege, and examine his beautiful
sketches. And not only regarding this feat of arms
was my host worth listening to, for he had served
Her Majesty in many parts of the world, and had
pleasant stories and interesting information to impart
about the wild border countries between Persia and
Turkey ; about various parts of Turkey ; about the
French in Algeria, and lastly about Zanzibar, where
he had been Consul-General. This berth failing
health forced him to throw up, and the sad consequence
was, that twenty years after he had done his fair share
to raise that monument to British pluck, energy, and
endurance that is contained in the words " Defence of
Kars," he was beginning the world again. Truly, he
had missed fortune, but not fame ; and it will be well
for us if we again find men like Williams, Thomson,
Teesdale, Sandwith, and Churchill to see us through
our difficulties.
The Russian Consul here was a M. De Nord, and
his manners, his tastes, not less than his language were

176 KHORASSAN.
those of an Englishman. No one could ever have
detected his nationality if he had divested himself of
the invariable broad-brimmed cap of the Russian official.
And he had shown his taste in culling from the garden
of Britain's fair daughters one of the brightest flowers.
So, between the representatives of the two Asiatic
powers and their better halves, known to the people
as " Khanum Oroos " and " Khanum Inglees," the time
passed very pleasantly.
Resht is, if possible, even more unlike the rest of
Persia than is Astrabad. In other parts, Iran gener
ally presents to the view nothing but desolate plains,
burnt up hills, and ruined mud cities ; and the longing
always is for water and vegetation ; but here it is aU
trees and water. Get on to a house, and you see
nothing but a plain of dark green foliage hiding every
thing else ; stay below, and everywhere there is water,
or swamp, or mud. It is in fact a grand place for a
study of botany, or febrile diseases, always supposing
the student to have an iron constitution.
It is impossible to describe a place of this kind after
so short a stay as I made. Indeed, one would have
to go and make a careful plan of it, before one could
arrive at any conclusion as to its shape, its length, and
its breadth.
The houses are generally scattered about, with gar
dens and swamps intervening ; except in the middle of
the town itself, where there are some semblances of
streets. The houses are generally built of mud white
washed, with red tile roofs, which give them a pretty
appearance. The principal manufacture of the place is
silk, and there were some really beautiful specimens of
silk embroidery brought to me for sale, from which I
chose a few. These consist of tablecloths, curtains,

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 177
saddle-cloths, prayer carpets, &c. ; but pretty as they
are, they don't come up, in beauty or variety, to the
designs in the School of Needlework, which I was
afterwards taken to see in London.
The last day of my stay I began to feel a little queer,
but I had so long been free from the malarious fever
which I had contracted during the Bhotan campaign,
that I did not think much of it, and took no notice of the
symptoms. On the night of the 21st I said good-bye
to my kind hosts, as I was to start very early the next
morning ; all my things had already gone.
When I woke about 2 a.m. on the 22nd, I felt more
queer, and instinctively looked at my finger nails, after
our invariable custom in Bhotan. They looked blue,
and I must say I felt blue and shivery. However, still
I hoped the fever would go, so I mounted my horse and
rode the first stage to Sungur, about fifteen miles.
The road is quite good, being raised, drained, and
bridged. It goes through a very close country, of
which little can consequently be seen.
At Sungur there is a very nice serai, with some
capital rooms, in a gateway under which the road goes.
The walls of this caravanserai are built of different
coloured bricks arranged in pretty patterns. Some sup
plies are procurable here, and, it is needless to add, also
abundance of water, fuel, and forage.
I stopped here for breakfast, and the man brought
me some delicious fresh bread, only somehow, the only
thing I could eat was grapes. I felt cold and wretched,
so I soon went on.
The road on to the next stage, Roostumabad, is good
throughout, though there are many little ascents and
descents, and after rain it would doubtless be heavy.
It keeps close to the left bank of the Soofeid Rood,
VOL. II. N

178 KHORASSAN.
— which is a fine river — and crosses some of its affluents
by ricketty bridges or by fords. I passed numbers of
the country people, who looked generally unhealthy,
though the womenkind had very pretty features, and
the dark eye of the East. I noticed that the " banghy,"
or mode of carrying loads slung to each end of a pole,
which I had thought was peculiar to India, was here
also common. At nine miles we passed a place called
Imamzada Hasleem, where there is good ground for
a camp in a pretty clearing. Beyond this the valley
became more and more open, the hills receding and the
forest ceasing, so that we could see the country. It is
a beautiful tract of good soil, the hills coming down in
terraces. At fifteen miles I reached Roostumabad,
where there is a nice caravanserai, which I rode up to,
in the hope that I might find my things here, and so
be enabled to halt.
The fact was, the ague and cold from which I suffered
in the first stage, had now turned to unmistakable
fever, and I had ridden the whole of this stage with it
on me. Unluckily my men had gone on, and as I had
nothing with me, not even a little quinine, I got a drink
of water and another horse, and then continued my
journey. For three miles the valley continues pretty open, but
then the hills close in, and the road, which is quite good,
is cut out of the sides of the hills, which soon become
quite precipitous down to the river. Winding round
them we came in ten miles to the village of Roodbar,
a long large village which stretches along the left bank
of the river for a mile and more, and is embosomed
in a forest of olive trees. Threading my weary way
through this place, I went on for two and a half
miles to a bridge over the Kizl Ozan. This is a more

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 179
imposing than useful structure, for a good part of it
was carried away soon after it was built, and a tem
porary bridge had been erected along one side of
it, till such time as the Persians chose to repair the
regular bridge. I arrived here just after dark, and met
a most terrific and very cold wind blowing down the
pass, which, considering the fever was now raging on
me, did not add much to my comfort. However, every
thing has an end, and one and a half miles brought
this wretched ride to an end, when we arrived at the
Chuppur Khana at Munjeel. Here I found my
things had arrived, that my two Persian servants were
down with fever, that my incomparable boy Pascal also
had it, but that he had nevertheless made my bed and
got dinner ready. Dinner ! ugh, the very name makes
one almost sick ; no, no, give me another flannel ; bring
my fur coat, my blankets, my waterproof sheets, pile
them all on me ; give me twenty grains of quinine and
leave me alone!
Two wretched days did I stay at this horrid place.
Next day, the 23rd, I had another very sharp go, which
did not go off till the morning of the 24th, and by that
time I felt much too poor a creature to have another
day in the sun ; so we stayed till night and then rode
to a miserable hovel called, I think, Muzrah. I could
not make out much about the road for it was extremely
dark, and I was very weak and miserable. But this does
not matter, as the road henceforward to Tehran is
perfectly well known. We went over a pass called
the Kotul-y-Khurzan which was steep, but not very
bad. At Muzrah I stayed all day and then went on next
night to Kusveen, by a perfectly good road. Here I
put up in the Chuppur Khana, and scandalized my
n 2

180 KHORASSAN.
friend at the Telegraph Office very much by so doing.
I had got pretty well by this time, and my boy also
picked up, but my Persians declined to move a step
further, so I had to leave them.
On the 27th and 28th we rode through the night, and
reached Tehran early in the morning of the 29th. Here
after a great deal of difficulty I found a house which had
been told off for me, so, as I was pretty tired, I spread
my rugs on the bare ground and was soon asleep.
" Hullo, when the deuce did you turn up ? " were the
first words I heard on waking after three or four
hours' snooze, and looking up I saw a cheery -looking
individual, with a long red moustache, dressed in the
most correct European style. Reader, let me introduce
Capt. the Hon. George Napier.
I had not known much of this gentleman"before,but
considering I had been foUowing in his steps for the last
four months, and had been hearing daily what Napier
Sahib said and what he did, I felt like meeting an old
friend, though I daresay I looked as if the old friend
had " woke me too early."
He then told me I had not been expected so soon,
but that Mr. Taylor Thomson was very kindly going to
send over furniture for my abode, and he begged that I
would consider myself his guest during my stay. In
consequence of which I did consider myself his guest,
and I hope H.E.'s cook appreciated my efforts to do
justice to his master's hospitality.
The Mission was at this time staying at Goolahek,
a village about six or seven miles north of Tehran,
situated just where the hills begin to rise from the
dreary plain below. This was rather a nuisance .for me,
as I only wanted to make a short stay in order to see
the city of Tehran, and I should have to ride seven

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 181
miles there and seven miles back every day, thus
wasting a great deal of time. However, as it would
not have done to offer such a slight to the hospitality
proffered me, I made the best of it.
It would be no use trying to describe Tehran, as
every one who has ever been in Persia has already done
that, and I suppose it would be impossible to say any
thing new about it. I stayed here ten days and was
really glad of the rest, and thoroughly enjoyed the
converse with my own genus. Every one was very
kind, especially those princes of good fellows the
" Telegraphchees." On the whole I had no reason to
complain of my treatment by the Persians in my travels.
I hardly ever met with incivility, generally with much
politeness from high and low, and sometimes with kind
ness that could not have been surpassed. It is not
therefore from any spirit of ingratitude to the Persians
that I thus record my pleasure. Persians are very good
fellows, as I have said, and they are, like ourselves, of the
order man, " Adam," but there are many subdivisions of
this order. The simplest, and as I have uever seen it
specified before, perhaps the newest division, I take to
be one which a long service in the East — during which I
have ranged from Pekin and Bhotan to Abyssinia and
Iran — convinces me is a right one. That is, all human
beings, inclusive of our relations the monkeys, are
distinguished from all other animals by their propensity
for sitting, and all are so formed that they have some
thing to sit upon. The simplest distinction then
appears to me to be, 1st, those who have got somewhere
to put that something, and who may be called " Koorsee
nisheens." 2nd, Those who have nowhere to put that
something, and may therefore be termed " Khood
nisheens." No doubt this is not a scientific division of

182 KHORASSAN.
the human race, and it is not therefore one I wish to
press on the Anthropological Society, but it seems to
me practical and simple, and as such I recommended it
to the unscientific.
The subdivisions of the first are English and
American, French, German, Austrian, Italian, in a
descending scale, till we come to the Russian, who it
is interesting to note is just emerging from the
second state, which contains Turks, Persians, Indians,
&c, &c.
If these primary divisions are borne in mind we have
a clue at once to the habits, character, and feelings of
the people under review, for in all these are " Koorsee
nisheens" opposed to "Khood nisheens," in a
greater or less degree, accordingly as the sub-tribe of
one approaches the other; that is, an American and
Hindoo are as different as an ape is from a frog, but
there* is no such great difference discernible, in the
character of the Russian and the Turk.
Slight consideration will make this apparent. First
with regard to habits. Cleanliness is every day, as we
advance in civilization, becoming more and more
regarded as an absolute necessity among those who
habitually sit on chairs ; while those who squat still
scarcely ever change their clothes, and look upon
washing not only as unnecessary but as positively
deleterious. Again, class B habitually regard woman as an inferior
being, a mere animal, born to pander to their own
animal passions ; while class A, the higher we go in the
scale look on her more and more as a being to be loved,
honoured, cherished, and when a very high degree of
perfection is reached, such as that attained by Mr. Mill
¦ — obeyed.

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 183
Then as to character : surely it cannot be gainsaid
that the one are, as a rule, lovers of truth, any more
than it can be denied the others are tellers of lies.
Witness the accounts of the Franco-German war as
compared with those of the Russo-Turkish war. And
surely this great difference must influence the character
to an indefinite degree, and through the character, all
the actions.
Next let us take religion : whatever the practice may
be (and that, I am sorry to confess, often tends too much
to the blood and iron regime), the theory of the Chris
tian religion inculcates peace, goodwill towards all men,
charity — and one may expect to meet all these qualities
in a greater or less degree among Christian nations.
But if we would not be deceived we must always expect
to find the contrary amongst the others.
However, this is a mere digression. Life at Tehran
for a European, can only be taken in the literal and
primary sense of that word, and not quite that.
Webster, I think, defines life as a state in which an
animal is capable of performing its functions. Well,
I suppose a European in Tehran can eat, and sleep, and
walk, but there are some funotions he never gets a
chance of exercising, and others, such as using his brain,
gets so little practice, that I should say if a good
many people's heads in Persia were out open, the brain
would be found to have become fossilized. As to life,
as one sees it in happier regions, there is no notion of
that. The society is very limited, and unfortunately what
there is, is almost entirely composed of the various
embassies and their followers ; and the important diplo
matic functions which they perform take up so much of
their time, that little is left for an outsider ; and they

184 KHORASSAN.
are so veiled in mystery, that to let him into any of the
secrets of this diplomatic Pedlington would be a course
too frightful to contemplate. Talking as a complete
outsider, one would not have thought that there was
much of great moment to do at Tehran, but there
must be, as I never saw any cabinet minister at home,
or member of council in India, so weighed down by the
cares of office as these gentlemen seem to be.
As long as one has to remain at Tehran, and after
you have exhausted the very scanty list of lions in these
dreary abodes of the Kujjurs, there is literally nothing
to do but eat and sleep. It is generally just too hot to
make walking a pleasure, and the whole country is so
stony that there is little amusement to be got out of
riding. You can talk, of course, but always with the
disadvantage of being cut off from, at least, half of the
subjects which makes social conversation so delightful
in Europe.
However, I must not go on in this way, or it will be
thought that I did not enjoy my stay ; whereas the fact
is, I did do so very much. I am not finding fault with
the Europeans, but only commiserating them ; and
trying to show how it is the duty of the respective
Governments who employ Europeans in these parts to
give them very large pay to gild their joyless exist
ence. The village of Goolahek is one of many similar little
villages situated at the foot of the main range to the
north of Tehran, which have been given to the various
missions as summer residences by the Shah. I believe
the British mission first succeeded in getting this grant,
and, of course, afterwards all the other missions had to
be similarly treated; because it is one of the great
points in diplomacy in these parts, never to do with less

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 185
than your confreres — get as much more as you can, but
never do with less, otherwise your Government will be
thought " small beer " of by the Persians.
I believe the whole village of Goolahek belongs to
the mission, and in it have been built a Residency for
the ambassador, with one or two smaller houses which
are occupied by the lesser lights. All these are enclosed
in a pretty garden which is nicely laid out, and strictly
guarded from the entrance of the unhaUowed, by a party
of the King of King's ludicrous warriors.
Outside this a very nice house has been built in a
separate garden for the direotor of the telegraph, and
there are besides some other native houses occupied by
attaches and others.
The diplomatic world is represented by ambassadors
from Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia, Turkey,
and, I believe, Italy ; but I had not much opportunity
of seeing any of the other nationalities.
Generally my day was spent as follows : — In the
morning after the cup of tea which I am much too well
brought up an Indian officer ever to neglect, we went
out for a ride, I generally being mounted from Captain
Napier's stud, in which he had some fine Arabs and two
or three good Toorkmuns. Then came a tub and
breakfast at the mission, followed by a ride into the
city, where making Mr. Preece's hospitable house my
head-quarters, I made trips to the bazaars, where I
emptied my pockets and increased my experience at the
same time.
There are many things well worthy of the attention of
the curio-hunter to be had in Tehran. In the first place,
there is, or was, a good deal of China that would have
driven many an otherwise sane friend of mine into hyste
rics. The brass work also is very curious. It consists of a

186 KHORASSAN.
sort of open work in which figures of men and animals,
trees and flowers, are cut out of the metal, and this is
generally shaped into vases of different shapes. I also
bought some very beautiful water goblets, made of
clouded steel inlaid with gold.
The enamel work is very pretty, and is made into
"Kalioon" bottles, coffee-cup holders, vases, and trays.
I tried very hard to get some specimens of jewellery,
but whether there was any prejudice on their parts in
selling such things, or the women of Persia do not go
in for these frivolities, I don't know. Except some
silver bracelets and necklaces, the only pretty things I
got was some little gold round filagree-work clasps, such
as the women fasten their " bourkas " with. Of these
I got six or seven, and had them made into a pretty
bracelet when I reached London.
There was also a great variety of silk embroidery
from Resht, some velvet curtains and prayer carpets
from Kashan, and every style of carpet made in Persia;
but it was not easy to get fairly clean specimens of
these. I do not know which description of carpet I
like best. Some of those from Khorassan are very
pretty, but many are very gaudy. The Toorkmun
carpets are neat, with a beautiful thick pile ; but per
haps the best are the Koordistan pile carpets, of which
I secured two, which were as soft as velvet, and of
beautiful and exquisite patterns.
But if any of my readers want to see a great deal
more cf Persian manufactures than I can tell him of,
let him go to the South Kensington Museum, where
there is a collection of Persian art, made and lucidly
described by my friend Major Murdoch Smith, the like
of which does not exist elsewhere.
Though there is very little to see in Tehran, it is, I

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 187
think, on the whole the finest town in Persia. The
Shah's palace is worth looking at, and so are one or two
other buildings; but the bazaars, which are much the best
I saw in Persia, well repay a visit, though one meets with
far more incivility here than even in that hotbed of
fanaticism, Mushudd. The bazaars are roofed in, and
are very extensive.
The city is situated low down on the plain which
slopes from the mountains, and its surroundings are
nothing but a barren stony waste. A feeble attempt
has been made to erect round it an " enceinte on a
European plan, but, like everything Persian, it is but a
half-hearted attempt, and the parts that are finished
faU to ruin before the rest is begun. The gate on the
north is a pretty piece of architecture, being covered
with well-arranged tiles of the Kashee work ; but it is
much more suitable for the entrance to Cremorne than
to a fortified town.
At Tehran I did not go in for calling on any of the
swells, as my time was fully, and much more pleasantly,
occupied in the society of my own grade. But I
thought it only right to pay my respects to the Suddur
Azim, or prime minister ; so I drove down with one of
the officials of the Embassy, who tried in broken Eng
lish to impress me with the importance of the visit I
was about to make, and the honour that was about to
be done me. I can't say the first flurried me much ;
and, as for the second, when one gentleman calls on
another simply as such, I take it the honour is as much
on one side as the other. When we arrived, we were
kept kicking our heels like importunate creditors out
side his Excellency's door for nearly half an hour. I
did not like this, and several times made a move to go,
but was stayed by the mute look of agony and horror

188 KHORASSAN.
portrayed on my mentor's countenance. At last we
got in, and, as may be imagined, I was not in a very
sweet temper. The Suddur Azim received me very
cavalierly ; however, we shook hands, and I sat down
on a ricketty-looking form, which forthwith gave way,
and^brought me to the ground. On this his Excellency
burst into a rude guffaw, which quite nettled me ; so,
getting up ] with as much dignity as I could, I said, " It
is of no consequence, your Excellency ; the form is
typical of Iran." My mentor on this turned green.
H. E. did not like it, but he evidently appreciated it, as
afterwards he was civil enough ; and so, after a talk,
I took my leave, and finished my last call in
Persia. Having seen all there was to be seen, I meant to
leave after a stay of about six days, but another attack
of fever kept me to my bed for a couple of days, and
proved that my meanderings through the dank forests
of Astrabad had not been without results, and this fever
which I here contracted stuck to me all through the
winter. However, I got away at last, I think it was on the
10th of October, and was lucky in having secured Cap
tain Napier as my companion in the ride to Tabreez.
We started about three in the afternoon, and rode quietly
the first stage, where we stayed the night.
This was my first experience of the famed " chuppur "
riding of Persia, and I looked forward to it with as
much pleasure as I look back on the* thought that it is
over with delight. I had heard a great deal of it, for
every one in Persia rides " chuppur," and every one says
they like it. The stories I heard were enough to put
me on the " qui vive." " You know, it's awfully jolly,"
says A. ; " you get a horse for yourself, stick a pair of

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 189
' khorzeens ' on him with your things, then you have
another for the ' chuppurchi,' and you bowl along
your hundred miles a day as jolly as possible." " Yes,"
chimes in B., " then the climate is splendid, and you
arrive, you get a bit of bread from the village, and get
the ' chuppurchi ' to cook you a fowl, then you turn
in for a couple of hours, and then you're off again as
lively as a lark."
Then they go on and tell you stories, which I daresay
are perfectly true, how Champain went from Ispahan to
Tehran something slower than an English telegraphic
message ; how Pearson did it ever so much quicker than
a Persian telegram ; how St. John is said to have beaten
every one, till little Dr. Waters came and outstripped
all. The fact is, one of the effects of Persian air seems
to be to immediately fill every one with a fierce desire
not only to chuppur, but to chuppur at a greater pace
than any one has ever chuppured before.
But I had done some pretty hard and long rides in
my day. I had seen, and heard, a good deal of long
riding in the burning sun of Indian hot weather, and,
though I will not say I disbelieved their stories, I
was " canny," and certainly doubted the jolliness of it.
Still, as I called to memory some of my rides in
the winter in India, especially a very pleasant one I
once made with Colonel Earle along the Trans-Indus
frontier, and remembered the delightfully wiUing little
nags we had, and the perfect arrangements made by
the officers of " the Force " * for our comfort, I was
prepared to believe that with good arrangements we
might have a very pleasant time of it.
" With good arrangements remember, Napier, I
believe in the pleasure of bowling along fifty or sixty
* The Punjab Frontier Force.

190 KHORASSAN.
miles a day on a good little nag ; but none of your
fowls cooked by chuppurchis, if you please, so I am
going to take my ' boy ' and a due amount of bedding
and cooking things."
Thus it was arranged. I had one horse for myself,
another for my boy, two for baggage, and one for
my " chuppurchi," and Napier having arranged for
his own wants, thus we got off.
As there was no use in going quick the first stage,
we walked that, and got in just after dark, and we
got on pretty fairly to Kusveen ; but after that, after
we were cut off from all help, then we came on to a
set of animals which I believe cannot be equalled in the
whole world.
I will not trouble my readers with a detail of all the
miseries we suffered from these brutes — nay, these
sticks. Most of them looked as old as Methuselah, and
all felt as if they had been going ever since their birth ;
none showed any signs of ever having been fed, all had
sores on every part of their body, and none had any
power of feeling.
So we went on, stage by stage, some being far too
long for even a fresh horse. At the beginning of a stage
there was always a certain amount of hope in our
breasts. The animal did not look as if he could put
one leg before another ; but the chuppurchi always said
he was a real good one, and had carried Pearson Sahib
in two hours, or had borne the " Sword of the Empire,"
or some other high official, like the wind ; once we were
off, we should see. And we did see : we saw that he
was lame in all four legs, had a mouth one side of which
had as much feeling as a barn-door, and the other was
bleeding ; we saw that no whip and no spur that ever was
invented could make him go. So after a few miles the

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 191
hope changed to despair, which got blacker and blacker
as each passer-by we asked the distance said it was two
farsakhs farther than the last liar had declared. Then,
towards the end, we got better, hope began to live
again ; surely in this animal we had had the worst that
all Persia could produce, and the next would be, must
be, better. But the next was no better; it was the
father of the last, and the next again the grandfather
of that. Twice I got good brutes that went well, and
my hope fed on these all through-; if I had got a good
one once, it was clearly not impossible I might
again. I was going to say we took it easily, but I will
change the expression into — we did not go fast, but took
eight days to do the 400 miles. It was a physical im
possibility, even if it would not have been frightful
cruelty, to attempt to go faster. We used to start always
at an unearthly hour in the morning, and, except a halt
for breakfast, we went all day, and we very seldom got
in before dark. Therefore, my scepticism about " poulet
a la chuppurkhana " stood us in good stead; at all
events, we got pretty decent food and had tolerably
sound sleep.
I will not describe the road; it has been fully
described before. Suffice it to say, it was excellent
throughout, and is perfectly practicable for artillery, the
best proof of which is that we met a train of the great
lumbering four-wheeled waggons which Russians
delight in, going to Tehran. The worst bit is over
the Kalifan Koh, a pretty steep and high pass, but
nothing to stop guns.
Our second stage was to Suffee Khojah, and our
third to Kusveen, a short one. Here we were most
hospitably received by M.  , whose fair young

192 KHORASSAN.
wife did all she could for our comfort. Another
brought us to Sooltania, a ruined village situated in
a magnificent plain, well suited for the purpose to
which it is said sometimes to be put— viz., an exer
cise ground for the Shah's troops. Here there is a
very imposing-looking tomb with a dome over 100
feet high, once covered with enamelled tiles, but now,
alas ! yet of course, in ruins also. On the way thither,
my steed, one of the two animals who live in my
memory as "among the faithless, faithful only he,"
while galloping with me along the slippery side of a
slope, came down on to my right foot, and gave my
ancle such a nasty twist that I made sure it was
broken, and the Gonsequence was that to all the other
disagreeables of the ride I had now only one foot
to kick on steeds which required twenty to make them
go at all.
Next we came to Zunjan, said to contain "the
most mutinous and troublesome inhabitants in Persia,"
a fact which perhaps accounts for its name being con
nected with fair women, "hard to please." Here
we breakfasted, and, riding on through its fine bazaar,
came out into a valley the waters of which drain to
the Kizl Ozan, the largest river in Persia. Going
down this valley to near its end, we went over some
low ridges, and halted for the night at Jumalabad.
Here there is a telegraph station, but with the
Englishman's usual reserve in intruding on strangers,
we did not trouble the officers in charge, but put up at a
once very fine, but now ruined caravanserai. The court
yard was in a most filthy state, and all the lower
rooms likewise, so we tried the roof ; but here also we
found unpleasant mementos of man's presence, so we
were forced to choose a windy, cold passage which led

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 193
over the arch of the gate. Our next-door neighbours
were a batch of Koordish prisoners, who were supposed
to have committed some crime against the majesty of
Persian law, and were being taken to Zunjan for
punishment or as. hostages. They seemed very poor,
and though dirty and wretched were very civil to us.
Perhaps they thought that we might turn the hearts of
stone of those who were to judge them.
Though there were all sorts of stories here of the
Koords being " out," we pushed on during the night,
and negotiated the Kafilan Koh successfully by the time
the dawn appeared. It is quite an easy pass, and part
of it has been paved, a piece of engineering which the
slippery nature of the stones makes practically useless
after rains or in winter. Descending from this we
crossed the Kizl Ozan and reached Meeana. The
dreadful stories we had heard of the Meeana bug made
us disinclined to stay here, even if it had been con
venient to do so ; therefore, while Pascal was preparing a
griU, Napier and I carefully swept a part of the room
clean, and taking up our position as if on watch for an
enterprising and relentless foe, we nervously waited for
our breakfast. The arrangement was that each was to
guard a half of the circumference of the platform, and
on the approach of any animal, known or unknown,
biped or quadruped, winged or otherwise, we were at
once to give the alarm and retreat — anywhere. Luckily,
however, our sojourn passed over without any meeting
with the famous bug, but the following description of
the animal, extracted from Ouseley, will show we had
grounds for our fears : —
" Of the ' milleh ' or Mianeh bug many extraordinary
anecdotes are related highly alarming to strangers, for
such only are they said to annoy. They fall from the
VOL. II. o

194 KHORASSAN.
ceilings of houses. It is said of twelve muleteers bitten
only six recovered''1 &c, &c.
Escaping the bug, we rode over a very dreary waste, but
with a fine view of the Sahund mountain to the westward
of the SavalanDagh to the north of Toorkmun chai, where
in 1828 Paskievitz extorted the treaty of this name from
Abbass Mirza, which bound the Persian Government to
pay the enormous sum of two millions sterling. Going
on from this we stayed the night at Hadjee Agha, a
post-house. Next morning we rode to Syudabad, pass
ing a small salt lake called Karagool on the way. Here
we breakfasted, and met two gentlemen who were en
route to Tehran. They belonged to the firm of Ziegler
& Co., and were armed in the most curiously complete
manner I have ever seen. I never heard of them after
wards, but I am satisfied they must have reached Tehran
without being attacked, as the mere sight of their arma
ment must have scared any number of Koords.
Going on from this we crossed a ridge, and then
descended the whole way to Tabreez. The last four miles
of the road seemed interminable. It appeared aU to be
between garden walls, and it was night before we got
to the English Mission-house. As there was no re
presentative of our long-suffering nation present, the
French Consul-General, M. Dejoux, in the kindest
manner possible, had sent over and got some rooms
ready for us, and placed seats at his table at our dis
posal during our stay. Our dearest friends could not
have been more kind than were M. and Madame
Dejoux. As my nose was now pointing homeward, I had
no wish to stay long here, and there was nothing
in the place to repay us for delay, so on the 21st,
after breakfast, I started. I hoped to have made

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 195
Maraud that day, but though I arrived at Sofeean
about 3 p.m., my things did not turn up till long after
dark, about 10 p.m. It was then too late to go on, and
I determined to wait till the moon rose, when I rode
on and reached Marand, a fine village, with great
abundance of water, in a pleasant situation.
On the arrival of my things, I found out why it was
they had not come up the day before. The fact was
the chuppurchi had lagged behind, and he must have
deliberately tried to burst my boxes open, for there
were a number of marks on the lid, at the bottom, and
at the sides, which showed he had done his best The
boxes, luckily, were of strong block-tin, and as I sup
pose he had no instrument more suitable than an iron
picketing peg, he failed, and had then brought on my
boxes. I reported the circumstance to M. Dejoux, and
though he took the greatest trouble about it, I heard
the man, though imprisoned, had been let out very
soon. Going on at once from Marand, I breakfasted at the
next post-house, the name of which I have forgotten,
and then rode on to Soolfa. As I had now got to the
end of the Shah's dominions, before leaving them I may
mention an incident which shows how high the British
name stands in these parts. I was galloping past the
caravanserai on the Persian side of the Aras, in a state
of the highest elation in being absolutely at last about
to be freed from " chuppur " horses, when a man ran
out shouting towards me. I stopped, and when he came
up he said, insolently — " Come back, and give up your
horse at the chuppurkhana ; " but as by that manoeuvre
I should have had to walk half a mile to the river, I
proposed an amendment, which was — " You come on to
the ferry and fetch it," and so I went on. He ran
o 2

1 96 KHORASSAN.
after me, and caught the bridle, so I cut him over the
hand, and he let go, called me a name, and said he
would report me to the " oroos" opposite. " Oh, wiU
you ?" said I ; " then you had better have something to
report about," and I galloped after him, but he caught
my bridle, and as my switch was not of much use, and I
could not reach him with my hand, I jumped off,
knocked him down flat, jumped on my horse, left him
howling, and went to the ferry and crossed.
It must have been about five I arrived, and on land
ing I was met by an old man with the broad official
cap of Russia, and in appearance like a pensioned half-
caste band boy in India, who asked me for my pass
port. This I gave him, as well as my " padorogna," or
order for horses, and then he very kindly offered me a
room in his house, and said I could have the " troika "
in the morning.
Accordingly, on the morning of the 23rd, the "troika"
came. It certainly was an awful contrivance to look at,
a sort of boat on wheels, without the ghost of a spring.
However, it was not so bad as it looked, as they made
a seat of ropes, which, covered with blankets, was a fair
make-shift. The horses all through were most excel
lent, three being harnessed at each stage, and it was a
great comfort to get all one's things with one.
We first came to Nukohhvan, the first Russian can
tonment. Here, after great difficulty, I found a place
they called the " Cloob," where I got something to eat.
An English officer being, I fancy, a somewhat rare
article in these parts, I enjoyed the advantage of having
a levee of a good number of the Russian officers in the
place. As the news spread, they came dropping in one
by one, always in uniform, and generally with their

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 197
swords on. I essayed to open a conversation, but they
neither " meegoled " Persian, or " parleyed " French,
and as these were the only two languages I knew any
thing of, we failed in opening communications. Eventu
ally a native, an Armenian, who spoke Persian and
Russian, was produced, and I got him to interpret a
few civil phrases for me, and soon after I got off
again. Driving on through a bleak barren country inter
sected with stony ravines and crossed by spurs from the
mountains on the right, we at last emerged on to a fine
plain, covered with villages and cultivation, with the
glorious peak of Ararat rising straight up on the left.
It was a most magnificent sight, the equal of which I
have never seen. Far-stretching snowy ranges, and
glorious snow-clad peaks I have seen innumerable, but
this was quite different. There was always on other
occasions a foreground of mountains rising up one be
hind the other, and taking off a great deal of the grandeur
of the line of everlasting snow ; but here, in the fore
ground was a beautiful smiling plain, interspersed with
foliage, and sprinkled with pretty villages, from which
the noble mass of snow rose up at once majestically and
grandly, challenging the beholder to find a fault in the
inimitably grand picture disclosed to his view. This
was one of those moments, which I have so often felt,
when I would have given my right hand to have been
able to transfer the scene to my sketch-book. It is a
real misfortune to have artistic taste and a strong feel
ing for the beautiful in nature without being able to
carry away with one the scenes that touch one. Words
even fail me ; yet the beautiful, majestic peak is before
me now, photographed in all its grand details, its splen
did ensemble.

198 KHORASSAN.
Passing through the pretty viUages of Sudduruck,
Devaloo, and many others, we came to Ereevan just as
it was getting dark. Then I had a hunt for an hour
before I could find a place to lay my head. No one could
understand anything I said, and the word "hotel,"
which I thought was known all over the civilized world,
repeated dozens of times, failed to elicit any recognition
of my meaning from the people we passed. At last I
was relieved from my dilemma by my boy, who some
how or other had found out that " gustaneetsa " meant
hotel, and then, they drove me up to a building from
which sounds of revelry were heard.
At first, even here, no one could be found to whom I
could make myself intelligible, till at last a person ap
peared, who, understanding French in a fashion, ex
plained to the people what I wanted. Then, by dint of
further colloquy, I got them to give me a room and
something to eat. But let me draw a veil over these.
Russian ways are not English ways, thank God !
I only stayed next day till about noon to drive about
and have a look at the place, and then went on. The
road which had hitherto been execrable was now a
regular made road, and I soon forgot the awful joltings
I had experienced. Driving past the dreary looking
lake of Gokcha, we ascended the Deleejan Pass easily,
and then descended by a zigzag well-engineered road
to that place. It is situated along the banks of a
stream, and reminded me, in the way the houses were
strewn about the hill sides, of an Indian hill station.
From this we drove down a pretty and well-wooded
mountain valley to Dagkesaman, where the Bakoo road
joins, and then over undulating country on the south of
the fine valley of the Koor to Tiflis, getting there just
after dark.

SHAHROOD TO LONDON. 199
I stayed here some five or six days, enjoying my first
introduction to civilization — albeit Russian — hugely ;
but as I have every intention of again visiting this
magnificent country, I will not trouble the reader with
any description thereof, or of the delightful drive over
the Caucasus to Hadee Kufkas.
The tail end of a long journey, after one is heartily
sick of new scenes, is not the mood in which to visit
the Caucasus, and as I know I should not do it justice,
I wUl refrain from doing it injustice. The one thought
that was present in my mind was home. Alas, not such
a home as I had often dreamed of going to, where each
pleasure would have been enhanced and reflected in the
bright eyes of her who has gone from me, but still a
home where I should see our child, and begin with her
a new life.
From Hadee Kufkas I took rail to Rostov. The dread
Russian winter had already begun, and the fearful
steppes were already covered with snow. Indeed, I
thought to myself as I gazed out of the windows of the
carriage on the desolate scene, if this is Russia, I can
understand the longing of that people to get southward,
to warmer and sunnier climes.
Proceeding via Rostov, Kharkov, and Cracow, I came
to bright, gay Vienna. But its joys had no charm for
me, and I pressed on, and on the 15th November, arrived
in dear old England.
Reader, I have done ; I have fulfilled the desire of
mine enemies, and written a book. So now, defying
them to do their worst, I turn to those who are my
friends, as well as to those who were in blissful ignorance
of my existence, and to them I say, I have tried as well
as I can to describe what I saw in an eight months' trip.
If I have failed to impart to you any amusement or any

200 KHORASSAN.
instruction, then join with me in the fervent hope, that
the cacoethes scribendi, which has inflicted this volume
on you, may Bequiescat in pace.

APPENDIX I.

TRAVELLING IN PERSIA.
It may not, perhaps, be unadvisable if I now say a word for the benefit
of those of my readers who may wish hereafter to travel in Persia. There
are only two ways of travelling in Persia ; one is to ride " chuppur " right
through the country, and try to beat every one who has ever gone before
you. By this means you will cover a great deal of ground, take in very
little of the country, see nothing of the people, and arrive at your desti
nation in a condition something between a skinned eel and a boiled
lobster. In order to do this, you have only got to arrive at Resht
or Bushuhr, and taking an equipment of the Napierian order, get on
to your " chuppur " horse, and whack him and spur him till your arms
ache and your spurs are a mass of blood. Repeat this as many times as
you can in the twenty-four hours, and every day for about a fortnight,
and you will be about as glad to see the sea at the other end as Zenophon's
warriors were. If one is pressed for time, and yet does not wish to go by
the usual weary round by Aden, Suez and Brindisi, I would strongly
recommend this trip, as I think it is far better to see even this little of
the country than none at all. Some men have, of course, the faculty of
observation strong within them, and such will, no doubt, profit by their
ride ; and as for others, time will draw a veil over the disagreeables of the
trip, nature will, no doubt, soon replace any expended cuticle and
restore the tone of an outraged digestion, and they will be able to record
" it is awfully jolly." The other is, to march with either hired or purchased
cattle. Horses for riding had better be purchased ; mules can be hired
almost anywhere, and besides, if they are paid well, the muleteers are
grand fellows, and will go anywhere. First, as to outfit, I may as well
sfty what I had, as I made out my list before starting, from a large
experience of similar work, and I found it suited exactly, being neither
too much nor too little. The best sort of hat is undoubtedly a Terai hat,
as it wants no care to keep in shape, and affords excellent shade for the
face. Round this I tied, first, a small piece of mosquito net, big enough to
cover the face and hands, and enable one to get an hour or two's snooze
after the march was over; second, a silk turban loosely stuffed with

202 APPENDIX.
cotton wool, which on occasion I used as a comforter. The turban rolled
up and stuffed inside the hat, makes the latter an excellent pillow. Next,
I think, a pair of clouded glass spectacles— made in two pieces, to cover
the side of the eyes as well as the front— are quite indispensable if the
journey is to be made in the hot weather, as the glare, in crossing the
salt or sandy or barren wastes, is sometimes very trying.
You may suit yourself as to coat, provided it is. loose and has lots of
pockets. I always used a light loose coat, made like a " Derby wrapper,''
with six pockets. Some people prefer breeches, but though very nice
when actually riding, they are not so generally useful as a pair of well-
made riding trousers. I had two pairs, and they just lasted me through.
Of flannel shirts four will be enough, and a couple of white ones for
swell occasions, and I had six pairs of strong linen drawers, which did for
bathing as well as ordinary wear. One has little need for much walking,
unless one is going in for shooting, in which case, of course, it will be
advisable to take some pairs of thick woollen socks.
I had two pairs of strong brown leather walking boots, one pair of
black boots with box heels, and a pair of soft brown leather gaiters, and
a cherished pair of hunting spurs which have clung to me for twenty long
years, and been stuck into many a gallant and many a white-livered
steed. Though some anonymous friend has been good enough to pitch into
me for using my uniform on one occasion, let me recommend any one to
take an undress suit with them. You must go and pay your respects to
the various governors and officials, as it is not only right, but expedient,
that you should be civil to them, else, as in other parts of the world, they
will not be civil to you ; and remember that if a swell takes it into his
head to be rude, it is not only his boorishness you have to meet, but that
of all his hangers' on. I would also recommend your taking a suit of
decent clothes, with a black coat, for use when you are halting at the
larger places. It is just as necessary to be able to look respectable on
occasions in Persia as anywhere else.
This completes the list of clothes. Besides, I had a small Indian
sleeping tent, weighing about 701bs. ; but the people in Persia are every
where so civil, that you will very seldom require to pitch it. I think,
therefore, if I went again, I would only take a sort of awning, made like
those used on boats, which gives just enough shade to cover you when
sitting up writing, or lying down to read.
In the way of bedding, the best thing to have under you is a sack of
strong Russia duck, stuffed with chopped straw, which is procurable in
every village in Persia. It forms a most comfortable bed, and when you
start you can empty the contents and pack it up with your other bedding.
Of this I had three good blankets, and a fur coat. In the summer it is
seldom cold enough to require all these, but in the spring and autumn
the nights are sharp, especially if you have to sleep in the open. I had,
in addition, a Scotch cap, and a pair of chamois leather sleeping socks. I

APPENDIX. 203
bought in the Caucasus a " bashlek " or hood, which I always mean to
take with me in future. For pillows I nsed two bags stuffed with flannel
shirts, towels, &c, which, on the march, were slung over my spare horse in
a Khorzeen. All the rest of my bedding, except the blankets, was rolled
up in a strong waterproof sheet, 8ft. by 4ft., with double straps.
In saddlery, I had two good hunting saddles with any amount of dittos,
and each, with a couple of saddlebags and two broad English girths,
made short for the small horses one gets. I had two good English head
stalls, and I brought out English reins and bits ; but I soon discarded these
last for the country ones, which are, in my opinion, much more convenient.
To each headstall I had one of the beautiful strong silk ropes with a bit
of Toorkmun chain, and an iron picketing peg. The blankets I strapped
on in a roll before and behind (by the way, take lots of straps, as a Persian
is quite unable to resist their annexation). In one of the saddlebags I
carried my own breakfast, in the other a feed for my horse. Inside one
blanket I carried a towel, comb, tooth-brush, and a bit of soap ; inside
the other, a pair of loose drawers and a pair of slippers ; and attached to
my near saddlebag was a small sabretache containing maps, a few sheets
of paper, and mapping materials.
For arms I carried a sword and a pistol, and I had, besides, a couple of
Snider carbines and a breech-loading gun, which my servants carried.
Of instruments, I had with me a couple of prismatic compasses and two
aneroid barometers, and I would recommend, also, a couple of hypsometers
and pocket sextants. I had a pair of binoculars which I never used, and
a beautiful telescope, which probably saved my skin from the prick of a
Toorkmun lance once, if not twice.
I took with me a Bombay Portuguese servant, who cooked, talked
English, and did everything. To say he was of the greatest use to me
is to give but a faint idea of his qualities ; suffice it to say, he was
simply worth his weight in gold. I had first three, then two, then one
Persian servant, and found invariably, whether in twos, or threes, or
single, they were utterly useless. Still it is a good thing to have one or
two to look after your horses and run messages.
I think that is all, excepting some cooking pots, some enamelled iron
plates, knives and forks, and a few books. All this made two mule loads ;
but as some of the marches were very long, and without water, and it
is absolutely necessary to mount all your servants, and certainly to let
one of your muleteers have a ride occasionally, I never regretted
having gone in for, and kept up all through my journey, six mules. I
had no stores but tea and sugar and tobacco, and I never found the
want of them. A good cook is what is wanted, and he is not heavier
to carry than a bad one. Liquor of any kind I never do care for much,
and so I did without any with comfort.

APPENDIX II.

From Beeabunnuck to Semnan there are two roads, viz., from Khoor —
1. Faruckhi, 3 farsangs, 40 houses, water few supplies, level over
Kuveer.
2. Jandak, 3 farsangs, water, village, few supplies, road level over
earth.
3. Pesh-i-Giaza, 9 farsangs, level 1 farsang, 2 farsangs between hills,
then over sand, water and supplies.
4. Hoosenoo, 30 farsangs Kuveer, water and supplies.
From this the road goes to Semnan thus : Chah Shoran 8 farsangs,
Semnan 9 farsangs, water. To Damghan the road goes from Hoosenoo to
Reshm 2 farsangs, Gola-Ki 3 farsangs ; road is very bad over hills called
Koo-Tunga, water and villages. Forot 10 farsangs. The road is level
over earth, village. Thence Damghan is 5 farsangs through villages and
cultivation. This road is a good deal used in winter by caravans of
camels.
Khoor to Biarjoomund : —
1. Sar-Chah, 2 farsangs, water, few supplies. The road is level.
2. Arasoon, 6 farsangs, water, hamlet. Road level.
3. In Kuveer, 10 farsangs, no water.
4. In Kuveer, 10 farsangs, no water.
5. Tdnit, 10 farsangs, all Keveer, water, small village.
6. Sar-Chah, 7 farsangs, road level, water.
7. Biarjoomund, 7 farsangs, road level, water half way between Turut
and Biarjoomund : there is a range to go over between, but the
pass is easy.
Khoor to Subzwar : —
1. Halt anywhere, all Kuveer, except 1 farsang of sand, no water.
2. Peer Hajat, 30 farsangs, water, large villages in a valley, road level.
3. Duhan-i-Mambar, 5 farsangs. The road goes over a pass, which is
easy. Water.
4. Dusht-Girdu, 5 farsangs. The road is level, no hills, water, supplies,
many villages.

206 APPENDIX.
5. Deh-Noo, 6 farsangs. The road is level, water and supplies.
6. Sar-y-Chah, 5 farsangs, water, few supplies. The road is level.
7. Taoroom, 8 farsangs. The road is level, part over sand.
8. Sudduree, 5 farsangs. The road is level, few supplies, water.
9. Dariacheh, 5 farsangs. The road is level, water, few supplies.
10. Mazrai. The road is level, water.
11. Hyatabad, 7 farsangs. The road level, water, supplies.
12. Subzwar, 3 farsangs. Road level. This road has the Koh-Surteh
range on the right from Dehrm, no hills on the left.
There are several roads from Beyaza to Tubbus : —
1. Mrehrjan, 4 farsangs, level.
2. Holwan, 24 farsangs. Kuveer, one well.
3. Chah Regu, 8 farsangs, water, salt from well.
4. Chardeh, 6 farsangs, village, supplies, and good water.
5. Tubbus, 4 farsangs, large town.
6. Gurmah, 5 farsangs. The road is level, crosses a low pass, Godar
Chogas, village.
7. Khoor, 5 farsangs, level, large village.
8. Holwan, 22 farsangs, Kuveer or Chah Melegi 18 farsangs ; then, as
above, this is called the Rah-y-Meean.
9. The Rah-y-Tabago. To Khoor as above, then Holwan 22 farsangs,
as above.
10. To Khoor-Chastab, 4 farsangs, water; Shakarab, 3 farsangs,
water ; Chah Melegi, 8 farsangs, water ; Chah Alinag, 6 farsangs,
water ; Chah Regu, 8 farsangs, water ; Chardeh, 6 farsangs ;
Tubbus, 4 farsangs.
The direct road from Biabanah to Yuzd is as follows : —
1. Hajeeabad, 8 farsakhs south. The road goes from the village of
Beyaza first south-west to turn the Koh Soorkh, then south-east
between hills, and is very good. This village is situated between
the Koh Soorkh and the Seeah Koh. There are about 10 houses
in it, and water, and a few supplies are procurable.
2. Zareen, 9 farsakhs. The road is over sand, then over a hard plain
with the Seeah Koh on the right.
3. Toot, 6 farsakhs south-west. The road is over a level plain, with
hills on both sides. There is a village here of 15 houses, where
water and a few supplies can be got.
4. Yuzd, 15 farsakhs. The road is quite level and good all the way.
Roads also go from Toot to Ardekan; 12 farsakhs; Khuranuck, 8 far
sakhs, with no villages. 3 farsakhs from Toot is the Godar Shor pass,
which is the point at which the roads split. The road is quite level,
having the range Koh Doombhuft on the right, and none on the left

APPENDIX. 207
From Beeabunnuck to Naeen the road starts from Khoor and goes to —
1. Gurmab, 5 farsakhs, being good.
2. Huft Temam, 3 farsakhs. The road crosses a pass, then there is a
village with water.
3. Abassabad, 6 farsakhs. The road is level through hills in one place.
Here water is to be got, but no supplies.
4. Moosajueeb, 6 farsakhs. The road is level. Here is a howz of
water.
5. Anaruck, 8 farsakhs. The road is level and good. This is a large
place of 1,000 houses, situated in a valley between hills, and water
and supplies are procurable.
6. Chasma Zaghab, 5 farsakhs. The road is level. Water to be got
here.
7. Naeen, 10 farsakhs. The road is level.
There is said to be another road as follows, to the north of the
above : —
1. Ghufoorabad, 3 farsakhs. The road is level. Water procurable.
Small village of 10 houses.
2. Chah Afzul, 5 farsakhs. The road is quite good. Water.
3. Zooroomut, 4 farsakhs. The road is level. Water.
4. Alum, 6 farsakhs. The road goes over sand. Water.
5. Chaft, 6 farsakhs. The road is level. Water.
6. Chah Khurbooza, 6 farsakhs. The road is through hills for 1 far-
sakh, and then level. Water.
7. Mualla, 2 farsakhs. The road is good, over a pass.
8. Anarah, 4 farsakhs. The road is quite good. Thence to Naeen as
above.
From Naeen a road goes on to Kashan, as follows : —
1. Nehistanuck, 7 farsakhs. The road is good, over a level plain. A
village, water, some supplies, Serai and Chuppurkhana.
2. Jangam, 7 farsakhs. The road is level but stony, with hills on
either side. Water, supplies, Serai and Chuppurkhana.
3. Ardistan, 5 farsakhs. The road is good, over a level plain. Large
village, Serai, Chuppurkhana, water, and all supplies.
4. Mogbor, 5 farsakhs. The road is good, over a level plain. Large
village, water, supplies, Serai and Chuppurkhana.
5. Kiltabar, 5 farsakhs. The road is quite good, over level plain.
"Village, water, supplies, Serai and Chuppurkhana.
6. Bozabad, 5 farsakhs. The road is good, over earth plain. Village,
water, supplies, fine Serai and Chuppurkhana.
7. Kashan, 7 farsakhs. The road is good, over level plain. All sup
plies.

208 APPENDIX.
The following routes are some of those given me by poor old Hoosen
Alee : —
1. Tubbus to Subzwar.
1. Chardeh, 10 miles. The road I came by.
2. Shirgish, 18 miles. The road ascends gradually. Water, villages,
and a few supplies.
3. Pushnagaroo, 12 miles. The road is bad. Village, water, few
supplies.
4. Deh-i-Now, 12 miles. The road is bad. Village, water, few sup
plies.
5. Chah Shor, 12 miles. The road is bad. Bad water, no sup
plies.
6. Rabat Chah, 24 miles. The road is bad. Good water, supplies.
7. Keogi, 12 miles. The road is level, between hills. Good water, no
supplies.
8. Zungee Shah, 18 miles. The road is level. Village, good water,
a few supplies.
9. Burdus Kund, 12 miles. The road is level. Village, good water,
a few supplies.
10. Kulla-i-Maidan, 18 miles. The road goes over a pass. Good
water, a few supplies.
11. Shamkoh, 18 miles. The road is bad. Village, good water, a
few supplies.
12. Abdoolabad, 15 miles. The road is bad. Village, good water,
a few supplies.
13. Subzwar, 15 miles.
2. Tubbus to Bhj und : —
1. Aspak, 24 miles.
2. Dahok, 21 miles.
3. Arbabad, 18 miles.
4. Khoor, 27 to 36 miles.
5. Toghab, 18 miles.
6. Birjund, 18 miles. From Khoor there is another road to Koosf,
24 miles.
Birjund, 12 miles.
Tubbus to Mushudd :—
1. Durra Bet, 15 miles. The road is good, crosses a low pass, the
God-ar-Ashogo. Village, water, supplies.
2. Deh Mahumud, 15 miles. The road is good and level. Village,
water, supplies.
3. Aspak, 15 miles. The road crosses a low pass. Water, supplies,
village.

APPENDIX. 209
4. Naigenoo, 18 miles. The road is level and good. Village, water,
supplies.
5. Howz Hadjee Meerak, 18 miles. The road is level and good. Water,
no supplies.
6. Kasimabad, 12 miles. The road is level and good. Water, no
supplies.
7. Fakhrabad, 15 miles. The road is level and good. Village, water,
few supplies.
8. Yoonsee, 18 miles. The road is level and good. Village, water,
few supplies.
9. Faizabad, 15 miles. The road is level and good. Village, water,
few supplies.
10. Daghabad, 12 miles. The road is level and good. Village, water,
few supplies.
11. Toorbat Haidan, 12 miles. The road is level and good. Village,
water, few supplies.
12. Kama, 12 miles. The road is bad and very stony. Village,
water, few supplies.
13. Kulla Shahyada, 12 miles. The road is good and level. Village,
few supplies.
14. Kulla Kafar, 15 miles. The road is bad, crosses a pass. Water,
few supplies.
15. Shureefabad, 18 miles. The road is good and level. Water, few
supplies.
16. Mushudd, 18 miles. The road is not good. Water, few sup
plies.
The following routes were taken down from this man by Kazee Syud
Ahmud, on his arrival at Tehran. The fifth route is that he
travelled by.
1. Toon to Tubbus :—
1. Rabat-i-Shor, 7 farsakhs. Rabat with howz.
2. Bushrooya, 7 farsakhs.
3. Ispak, 6 farsakhs.
4. Deh Mahumud, 5 farsakhs.
5. Durrah Beed, 5 farsakhs.
6. Tubbus, 4 farsakhs.
Water procurable everywhere from kunats and Ab Ambars.
2. Tubbus to Toorsheez :—
1. Durrah Beed, 4 farsakhs.
2. Deh Mahumud, 5 farsakhs.
3. Ispak, 5 farsakhs.
4. Begnan, 6 farsakhs.
5. Howz-i-Hadjee Meerak, 7 farsakhs.
VOL. II. P

210 APPENDIX.
6. Fukhrabad, 8 farsakhs.
7. Sardak, 6 farsakhs.
8. Jafarabad, 4 farsakhs.
9. Toorsheez, 5 farsakhs.
Villages everywhere, and water lentiful.
3. Toorsheez to Mushudd : —
1. Aleeabad, 5 farsakhs.
2. Toorbat-y-Eesa Khan, 6 farsakhs.
3. Shor Hisar, 6 farsakhs.
4. Kila Shahzada, 4 farsakhs.
5. Ribat-i-Sofeed, 4 farsakhs.
6. Shareefabad, 6 farsakhs.
7. Mushudd, 6 farsakhs. .
4. Birjund to Tubbus : —
1. Hussoonabad, 7 farsakhs.
2. Khoosp, 6 farsakhs.
3. Arbababad, 9 farsakhs.
4. Dhook, 8 farsakhs.
5. Ispak, 5 farsakhs.
6. Kureet, 6 farsakhs.
7. Tubbus, 4 farsakhs.
Water plentiful everywhere but 4th and 6th stage.
5. Tubbus to Tehran : —
1. Chardeh, 4 farsakhs.
2. Shorah, 6 farsakhs.
3. Jafaria, 7 farsakhs.
4. Chah Mehjee, 7 farsakhs. Only very salt water here.
5. Howz-i-Mirza, 14 farsakhs. No water here.
6. Jomin, 6 farsakhs.
7. Chah-y-Alee, 8 farsakhs.
8. Chah-y-Zurd, 7 farsakhs.
9. Chah-i-Khorasanee, 6 farsakhs.
10. Dokala, 10 farsakhs.
11. Lajana, 9 farsakhs.
12. Simnan, whence to Tehran by the main road by Lasgord and
Deh Nimak, 8 farsakhs.
From Joman to Simnan water very scarce.
6. Subzwar to Toorsheez : —
1. Sar-i-Mazar.
2. Aka Hasan Nazir.

APPENDIX. 211
3. Khor.
4. Baro Maskan.
5. Sultanabad or Toorsheez. Water plentiful.
7. Toorsheez to Birjund : —
1. Saadeedee, 6 farsakhs.
2. Sardak, 5 farsakhs.
3. Bejistoon, 6 farsakhs.
4. Buro, 6 farsakhs.
5. Toon, 4 farsakhs.
6. Sorayoon, 6 farsakhs.
7. Chahak-i-Mohamadabad, 8 farsakhs.
8. Chah-i-Bayaban, 8 farsakhs.
9. Khoosp, 7 farsakhs.
10. Birjund, 4 farsakhs.
Water plentiful, villages everywhere.
Tubbus to Seestan : —
1. Kurit, 4 farsakhs. The road is good over level. Village and sup
plies, and water.
2. Aspak, 3 farsakhs. The road is good on level ; hills on left. Vil
lage, water, and supplies.
3. Howz Mahomed Kasim, 4 farsakhs. The road goes over Godar
Khulookee, pass easy, practicable for camels, and then level.
Water, no supplies.
4. Dohok, 3 farsakhs. The road is not very good, through hills, with
a pass between for 2 farsakhs, then good over level. Village,
water, and supplies.
5. Rezgo, 2 farsakhs. The road is level and good. Good water, no
supplies.
6. Tulkhal, 7 farsakhs. The road is quite good. Water bad, no
supplies.
7. Goonbut Jung, or Pushta Jung, 9 farsakhs. The road is level.
Water, few supplies.
8. Khoor, 3 farsakhs. The road is good and level. Water, supplies,
village.
9. Chah (a well), 6 farsakhs. The road is level. Good water, howz,
and no supplies.
10. Chah (a well), 4 farsakhs. The road is level. No supplies,
water from howz.
11. Sar-i-Sibchah, 6 farsakhs. The road is good and level. Water
and supplies. This road is very near that of Khanikoff.
12. Howz Arab Khona, 4 farsakhs. The road is good and level.
Water from howz, few supplies, near hills.
P 2

212 APPENDIX.
13. Chah Zaloo, 6 farsakhs. The road is good, level. Water, sup
plies, hill on either side.
14. Charfarsakh, 4 farsakhs. The road is good, but hilly. Water
and supplies.
15. Neh, 4 farsakhs. The road is good.
To Khoor, 8th stage, as above.
Tubbus to Birjund : —
1. Dashtagird, 5 farsakhs. The road is level and good. Village,
water, supplies few.
2. To Ghah, 5 farsakhs. The road is good and level. Village,
water, supplies few. Kusf is on the right, at 9 farsakhs.
3. Birjund, 5 farsakhs. The road is good and level.
Bashrooya to Kirman : —
1. Arisk, 4 farsakhs. The road is level, over plain. Village, with water
and supplies.
2. Dohok, 6 farsakhs. The road is level, hills on right. Village, with
water and supplies.
3. Zanavgun, 6 farsakhs. The road is level. Village, with water and
supplies.
4. Burj-i-Garm, 5 farsakhs. The road is level. Water bad, no supplies.
5. Haiband, 7 farsakhs. The road is good, but at end crosses a pass.
Village, with water and supplies.
6. Howz-i-Khan, 5 farsakhs. The road is level over Luth. Water,
no supplies.
7. Chehlpaya, 7 farsakhs. The road over Luth. Water bad.
8. Darbund, 8 farsakhs. The road is over Luth. A serai, water, and a
few supplies here.
9. Lovar, 8 farsakhs. The road is level. Water, with village and
supplies.
10. Howz, 5 farsakhs. The road is level, through waste. Water, no
supplies.
11. Godar-i-Khorasani, 6 farsakhs. The road crosses a pass. Water,
with village, no supplies.
12. Sarasia, 6 farsakhs. The road is good. Village, with water and
supplies.
13. Kirman, 7 farsakhs. The road is level.
The route from Toon to Birjund followed by the so-called Russian
scientific expedition, which had explored the district a few years
before my arrival, is as follows : —
1. Sarayoon, 6 farsangs. The road goes south-west over a stony
plain sloping upwards, with lofty hills on the left ; passes some
rocky isolated hills to Ayaz, 4 farsangs. Here and there is a village,

APPENDIX. 213
with water and supplies, whence on, in 2 farsangs, is Sarayoon, a
large village, situated under the hills. There is water at every
farsang on this road.
2. Dostabad, 5 farsangs. The road ascends gently over a plain with a
high chain on the left; all through cultivation, with a " howz " at
every farsang ; in two places a canal crosses the road. At 4 farsangs
the hills from right contract the plain somewhat. After passing on
the right a small village, the road descends a little to Dostabad.
Thence there is another road by 1. Mahamadad; 2. Chahak;
3. Rolatasaddaolu ; 4. Birjund.
3. Afrees, 8 farsangs. The road goes over a plain not far from the
mountains on the left, which at some distance send out a spur.
(In the plain itself is a group of isolated hills opposite, but not
connected with it, or with another much more distant and much
lower chain on the left. To the left is the large village of Teghab,
and on the right, farther up, is Dasht, near the cross range.) This
plain is of sandy and clayey soil, with much cultivation at first, but
it then becomes saline, on reaching the cross group of hills at 3
farsangs. Salt vegetation disappears after passing two of these.
Beyond the third is the village of Meeanjoo. The plain, still
ascending, narrows here, and in two long farsangs farther are more
isolated hills at the foot of which Afrees, a large village, with water
and supplies.
4. Afzulabad, 7 farsangs. The road turns a little more south, and goes
among the hills, at the foot of which Afrees lies, ascending at first
gently through a wide valley, which gradually becomes narrower
and steeper, to undulating ground, whence it descends pretty
sharply into a wide plain, a continuation of the Toon plain. At
2 farsangs farther on is the village of Chahak, far to the right, and
at 3 farsangs the plain ends. The road then mounts a ridge of
cross-running hills (behind which is seen a similar ridge, and
behind it the high range of Bageeran), which appear to extend from
east to west, and connect ranges on the right and left with each
other. At the 4 farsangs the road comes to a hollow ravine with
peculiar saline vegetation, and then continue on between higher
hills to the little village of Sheer, all of whose water is saline ; then
on through curious water-worn salt clay hills, very barren, to the
larger village of Kundur, then upwards among ranges of hills to
the salt encrusted bed of the Dehr-Cham-Shor, through which a
very rapid though not very copious stream of drinkable water flows.
Continuing along this stream a side valley is reached by a gentle
ascent, on which is Afzulabad, a village with water and supplies.
5. Birjund, 5 farsangs. The road goes through the well- cultivated valley
of the Tagintsch to the large village of Noghab, then upwards among
rounded hills,then steeper to a rocky pass, which it crosses ; thence
there is a beautiful view into a deep, well-cultivated valley, at the

214 APPENDIX.
upper angle of which, on the left on high ground, is the large village
of Shargoon. Beyond this the road goes at considerable height,
and then up and down past gardens and fields, through dry
watercourses to the little mountain village of Aghaldar, whence it
ascends more steeply into the Bagheeran mountains, crossing which
it descends, crossing a deep valley and falling and rising repeatedly,
till it begins to follow the windings of a steeply ascending stony
valley. Then a little pass is crossed to a side valley, from which
the road again at once ascends among high and steep rocks to the
highest point of the road, from whence on either side rise abrupt
rocky crests. Thence the road descends for 2 farsangs along a
valley, at first stony and pretty steep, through a saline water
course overgrown with tamarisk ; then the slope becomes less, and
the valley is contracted farther down by high rocky walls into a
deep ravine. Beyond this it widens again, and crosses to the fields
of Kolat Kule Sinn, whence it follows the deeply-worn bed of a
stream coming down from the mountains to a steeply sloping
plain, and from which the road descends along a Karez by terraces
to Birjund.

Toon to Subzwar : —
1. To Saadadi as below, via, Baruk, Olmak, Bejistoon, and Sarduk.
2. Naobulhakim, 6 farsakhs. The road through Cupabadi. Village,
with water and supplies.
3. Badraskand, 6 farsakhs. The road through waste. Village, with
water and supplies.
4. Bijwat, 4 farsakhs. The road through Abadi. Village, with water
and supplies.
5. Deh Zamin, 4 farsakhs (Sabzwar). The road goes over a low pass
(Turshiz) and undulating country. Village, with water and
supplies.

Toon to Toorsheez : —
1. Baruk, 4 farsakhs. The road is level, over Toon Valley. Village,
with 300 houses, water and supplies.
2. Ohuak, 4 farsakhs. The road is over low hills, all easy. Village,
with water and supplies, 100 houses.
3. Bejistoon, 4 farsakhs. The road is level. Village, with water and
supplies.
4. Sardak, 5 farsakhs. The road is over level waste. Village on border
of Kuveer, 50 houses, water and supplies.
5. Saadadi, 5 farsakhs. The road is over Kuveer. Village, 100 houses,
water and supplies.
6. Toorsheez, 8 farsakhs. The road is through Abadi.

APPENDIX. 215
Toon to Nishapoor.
1. To Bijwat as in the above routes.
2. Chinaee, 4 farsangs. The roadis over hills. Village, with water and
supplies.
3. Sangird, 5 farsangs. The road is through hills and undulations.
Village, with water and supplies.
4. Nishapoor.
The following is the route from Yuzd to Bundur Abbass by camels : —
1. Mahumudabad, on the Kirman road.
2. Mehreez 5 farsakhs. The road is good, over a plain, with small
stones.
3. Bandaroon, 5 farsakhs. The road is over undulating ground near
the hills on the right. This is a small.village, with few supplies
and little water, and fuel is scarce.
4. Aleeantak, 7 farsakhs. The road is over a level gravelly plain for 3
farsangs, between hills close on either side, then over plain. No
water. There is only a well here with a little water, and no sup
plies.
5. Khor Mehra, 11 farsangs. The road goes over low hills over earth,
at last over stony ground. Supplies and water procurable.
Dehay, a large village, is passed, where a halt can be made.
6. Shuhr-y-Babuk, 6 farsakhs. The roadis over low hills and is very
stony. Water and supplies are procurable here, which is a village
of some size.
7. Deh Shootaran, 6 farsangs. The road is level. This is a small
village, with little water, and no supplies.
8. Zaidabad, 9 farsangs. The road is good and crosses a low pass,
and then goes over a salt plain.
9. Syadabad, 4 farsakhs. The road is good through cultivation. Here
there is a village with water and supplies.
10. Sadatabad, 6 farsakhs. The road is good through cultivation.
Water and supplies are procurable here.
11. Koroon, 5 farsangs. The road crosses over the beds of torrents
several times, and is very stony. Here water and supplies are
procurable.
12. Dushtab, 8 farsangs. The road goes through scrub jungle and over
a stony plain, with many villages. Water and supplies are procur
able.
13. Deh Surd, 5 farsangs. The road is very bad and stony, crossing
low hills and descending frequently to river beds and going over
low passes. Water and supplies are scarce here.
14. Deh Abdoola Khan, 5 farsangs. The road descends, but is not bad.
Water and supplies are scarce in this place.
15. Ahmudee, 7 farsangs. The road descends the whole way and is
very bad, crossing many hills.

216 APPENDIX.
16. Khoosh Koh, 11 farsangs. The road is very bad indeed, and scarcely
practicable for horses, descending the whole way in a river bed,
which is crossed 24 times. Water and supplies are procurable
here.
17. Lukht-y-Sardareh, 5 farsangs. The road is bad, crossing low hills.
18. Bundur Abbass, 6 farsangs. The road is level and good, over a
sandy plain.
N. B. — This route was given me by a merchant who had travelled it over
twenty times.
Toorbat Ishak to Herat : —
1. Dowlatabad, 5 farsangs. The road is good, through Abadi. Village,
with water and supplies.
2. Kulla Agha Hussun, 5 farsangs. The road is good, through waste.
Village, with water and supplies.
3. Kulla Nao, 5 farsangs. The road is good, and crosses an easy pass.
Village, with water and supplies.
4. Shuhr Nao, 5 farsangs. The road is good and level, through Abadi.
Village, with water and supplies.
5. Mashad Rega, 4 farsangs. The road is good, through waste.
Village, with water and supplies.
6. Kariz, 4 farsangs, or Tabad, 4 farsangs. The road is quite good
and level. Thence to Herat, the road goes by Kohsan and Gho
reean.

The following is the route of Kanikoff's companions from Khaf to Goona
bad: —
1. Asudabad, 17£ miles. The road on leaving rounds the end of the
rocky range close to Rooee, and then goes along a dry watercourse,
ascending at first gently ,then steeper.between rounded hills (soil dry
at first, then higher up very saline ; scanty spring on opposite slope
with saline efflorescence). It then descends this slope to the small
village of Kullat, whence it again ascends between rounded hills.
From the top of these, not far off, is the abrupt jagged range of
Koh-y-Sinan ; from this the road passes through a small basin-
shaped valley, and then ascends by easy gradient to a valley of
that picturesque ridge, whence the ridge is crossed at no very great
height. Thence the road descends for 3£ miles over a stony, steeply
inclined plain to a perfectly flat steppe, on which are several villages,
the nearest of which is Asudabad.
2. Nowdehpishung, 42 miles. The road goes over the same plain as
above to Kasimabad and Susanoff, on the left, after which it
begins to ascend along a watercourse towards the Kaibar Koh,
and when this is neared, it ascends steeper into a rocky ravine

APPENDIX. 217
with numerous small trees, whence it crosses the northern end of
the Kaibar Koh by a not very high pass. Thence it descends by a
pretty steep and rocky path to a ruined " rabat," without water,
passing by curiously-shaped mountains with mushroom-like tops,
whence it descends more gradually over a stony, sloping plain to a
very broad clay and sand tract into a thicket of about 3J miles
broad. After passing through this it goes over a very broad tract
of clay, bare of vegetation, overflowed in spring by rain and melted
snow from the mountains, for 7 miles, to a howz with no water.
Thence the road goes over a sandy clay tract, rising on the right
into hills of drift sand, towards the end of the Geissur Koh.
Thence it goes over first a gravelly, and then stony, and at last
sandy, tract to some cultivated ground to Nowdehpishung.
3. Joomin, 76 miles. The road runs SW. through hills of driven
sand to the large village of Bemurgh, at 5-^ miles. It then
ascends at first over a dry plain along an open water-course,
and then goes through a narrow sandy valley among chains of
hills which connect the mountains on the right and left, then over
the ridge, whence the road descends over a broad, slightly inclined
plain, highly irrigated and cultivated, with villages thickly studded
around. Joomin is one of a cluster of eight villages which consti
tute the township of Goonabad.

While at Ghaeen I procured the following routes : —
Ghaeen to Herat, 50 farsangs :
1. Isfedeh, 8 farsangs. The road is good down the Ghaeen valley
for 1 farsang, and passes through the village of Ishmishat; it
then enters hills and goes down the bed of a river, dry in hot
weather for 1 farsang, whence it emerges on to a plain for the rest
of the distance. At Khoonik, 2 farsangs, pass a large village.
Here there are some supplies ; the water, however, is brackish.
2. Bamrud, 5 farsangs. The road is quite level, over a plain, the whole
way. Here is a village, with water and supplies.
3. Charakhs, 4 farsangs. The road is quite level, over a plain. Here
is a village, with water and supplies.
4. A well, 6 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. There is water
here, but no supplies. The hills are about 1 farsang distant.
5. Gal Howz, 8 farsangs. The road level, over a waste. Water, no
supplies.
6. Ghorian, 8 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste, to 7 farsangs,
when it goes over low hills.
Thence it goes by the main Mashad-Herat road. This road is dangerous
from Charakhs to Ghorian, and is not much used by Kafilas, but
it is quite practicable the whole way.

218 APPENDIX.
Ghaeen to Subzwar, in Afghanistan, 50 farsangs: —
1. Kala-Khooshk, 6 farsangs. The road goes for 4 miles over the
Ghaeen plain, then enters hills, in which it continues the whole
way. It is not difficult, but over easy passes. Here is a village,
with water and supplies.
2. Tajow Chakhen, 6 farsangs. The road goes through hills and in
the bed of a river, and is not difficult. Here is a village, with water
and supplies.
3. Doroksh, 4 farsangs. The road is through hills, crossing low passes
and one highish pass, but is not difficult. Here there is a large
village, with water and supplies.
4. Gazee, 6 farsangs. The road is level for 2 farsangs, then between
hills in the bed of a river. Here is a village, with water and sup
plies.
5. Booz Goolwarda, 3 farsangs. The road is between hills in the bed
of a river for 1 farsang, then over waste. Here there is some
water, but no supplies.
6. A howz, 4 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Here is water
in a howz, but no supplies.
7. Chah Jumalee, 6 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. The
water in the wells here is brackish, and there are no supplies.
8. Chahoozbukee, 8 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. The
water in the wells here is brackish, and there are no supplies.
9. Kullat-y-Kallowntar, 8 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste.
Water in wells brackish, no supplies.
10. Aokal, 6 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Here is a
village with water and supplies.
11. Subzwar, 3J farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. At 1
farsang pass the village of Ka.
Ghaeen to Khaf: —
1. Boynabad, 6 farsangs. The road is good and level, between hills and
in the bed of a river. Pass village Ismishat at 1 farsang, Dezuk
at 2 farsangs, and Kalat-y-Ghibgi at 3 farsangs. From this the
road goes to Godar-i-Chung-y-Kalak, which it crosses ; it is then
level. Here is a village, with water and supplies.
2. Khaf, 12 farsangs. The road is quite level, over an uninhabited
plain, for 8 farsangs to Kohkaibar ; it then goes between hills in
a valley with scrub jungle for 2 farsangs, then over a plain to
Khaf.

Khaf to Subzwar, in Afghanistan : —
1. Masceeroo, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a salt plain. Here is
water, but no supplies.

APPENDIX. 219
2. Kunar-y-Kapa, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Water,
no supplies.
3. Chah Neela, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Water,
no supplies.
4. Do Chahee Gowda, 5 farsangs. The road is good, between hills, and
crosses a low pass. Water, no supplies.
5. Aodaroo, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Water, no
supplies.
6. Dewaloon, 7 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Water, no
supplies.
7. Chah Pooza Koo Mahamad Ishmail, 5 farsangB. The road is level,
over a waste. Water, no supplies.
8. Aokal, 8 farsangs. The road goes between hills, and crosses an
easy pass, Gaodar. Village, with water and supplies.
9. Subzwar, 3 farsangs.

The road from Birjund to Seestan is as follows : —
1. Boozd, 7 miles. The road is described in the body of the book.
2. Mood, 7 farsangs. The road is quite good up the Birjund valley.
Here is a village, with water and supplies.
3. Sar-y-Beesheh, 5 farsangs. The road is quite level and good. A
low hill crossed. Here is a village, with water and supplies.
4. Sailabad, 6 farsangs. The road is level, between hills. At 3 far
sangs is the well of Chah Khoja Shafi. Sailabad is a village with
bad water, and some supplies.
5. Chakar Daraza, 4 farsangs. The road is level for 2 farsangs ; it
goes through sand. The water here is brackish, and there are
no supplies.
6. Khooshk, 4 farsangs. The road is level, but crosses a low pass
close to the stage, where there is a village, with water and sup
plies.
7. Neh, 5 farsangs. The road is level by one route ; a shorter road
goes over the hills. There is a large village here, with water and
supplies.
8. Aleeabad, 5 farsangs. The road is good, but crosses one easy pass.
At 2 farsangs pass the well of Khooneek. Here there is a village,
with water and supplies.
9. Bandan, 6 farsangs. The road is through and over low hills, and
for 2 farsangs goes down a river-bed with hills on either side.
This is a village, but the water is brackish. Supplies are pro
curable.
10. Shand, 8 farsangs. The road is quite level, over waste and sand.
Water from river-bed. No supplies.
11. Nusseerabad, 8 farsangs. The road is over the dry bed of a lake
and is quite good. A town.

220 APPENDIX.
Birjund to Furrah : —
1. The road is the same as above, to Sar-y-Beesheh.
2. Gazdis, 5 farsangs. The road is level, between hills. There is here
a village, with bad water and a few supplies.
3. Kashmarun, 2 farsangs. The road goes over a rather difficult pass.
There is water here, but no supplies.
4. Doroh, 5 farsangs. The road goes over the Godar-y-Mishun, which
is difficult. There is a village, with water and supplies.
5. Hoosenabad, 3 farsangs. The road crosses a pass, Godar Gazdiz,
and is easy. Here is a village, with bad water and no supplies.
6. Doroh, 6 farsangs. The road is bad, over hills, and crosses the
Godar-y-Kulla Sungee, which is difficult.
7. Maojak, 5 farsangs. The road is bad crossing the Godar-y-Durd ;
this stage is difficult for camels. A spring of water here, but
no supplies.
8. Haroot, 6 farsangs. The road is level and good. At 4 farsangs
pass the well of Chah-y-Sugguk, where there is water. Water
at stage from river-bed, but no supplies.
9. Kulla Kuh, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good. Here is a
village, with water and supplies.
10. Furrah, 10 farsangs. The road is level, over waste. Pass a well
at 5 farsangs. A town.
Another road from Birjund to Furrah : —
1. To Guzeek the road is the same as that I followed, and which is
described in the body of the book.
2. Kullat-y-Gubbeech, 4 farsangs. The road is good, and crosses an
easy pass. Water here, but no supplies.
3. Charuck, 8 farsangs. The road is level, over waste. Water here,
but no supplies.
4. Chah Roosee, 3 farsangs. The road is good, and crosses the Godar-
y-Shabiak pass half-way, which is easy. Here is water, but no
supplies.
5. Dahkal, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Here is water,
but no supplies.
6. Anardurra, 3 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Village,
with water and supplies.
7. Do Chahee, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Here
is water, but no supplies.
8. Furrah, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. A town.
Birjund to Subzwar, in Afghanistan : —
1. Sir-y-Chah, 5 farsangs. The road is good all the way, and crosses
a low pass. Water here, but no supplies.

APPENDIX. 221
2. Noghab, 5 farsangs. The road is good, over a waste. Here is a
village, water, and supplies.
3. Ahwaz, 5 farsangs. The road is good, over a waste. Here is a
village, with water and some supplies.
4. Goolwurda, 4 farsangs from Guzeek. The road is almost identical
with that I followed.
5. Chnshma Nimuck, 7 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste, and
goes over a low hill. Here the water is bad, and there are no sup
plies.
6. Gurreechah Alanoo, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste.
Water here is brackish, and there are no supplies.
7. Chah Babooree, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. The
water here is braekish, and there are no supplies.
8. Karez Dusht, 5 farsangs. The road is level, over a waste. Here is
a village, with water and supplies.
9. Owkal, 3 farsangs. The road is good, over a plain, with some vil
lages. Here is a village, with water and supplies.
10. Subzwar, 3 farsangs. The road is good, over a plain, with some vil
lages. Here is a town, with water and supplies.
There is a direct road from Farimun to Nishapur, as follows : — •
1. Hasanabad, 5 farsangs. The road is level over plain for 2 farsangs
to Farahgird, thence to Ahmadabad, 2 farsangs, it is quite good,
crossing a low pass, and thence level. Village, water, supplies.
2. Saghabad, 6 farsangs. The road is quite level, through cultivation
and passes, through the villages of Kela, Syadabad, Dizbad,
Husenabad, Dishdish. Village, water, supplies.
3. Nishapur, 5 farsangs. The road is quite good over the main road.
Surrukhs to Kullat-y-Nadir : —
Chacha, 12 farsangs. The road goes over an undulating plain the
whole way to the Durbund Chacha, a narrow defile close to the
fort. Water at Chilkeman-i-Durbund, 8 farsangs, and fort of 50
houses.
Kullat, 10 farsangs. The road goes through a defile for 3 farsangs to
Karategan (village, water, supplies, 100 houses), and is level and
good. Thence one road, practicable for artillery, goes along out
side Kullat to the south for 7 farsangs, and is level and good ;
another road goes by Kushtani, 2 farsangs (level) ; then there is an
ascent to the Kotul Kushtani, which is very difficult— horsemen
cannot ride up ; then on, for one farsang, to Aktash (village,
water, supplies, 100 houses); then on to Kula Zao (bad road) ; then
to Sirizar, 1 farsang (bad road ) ; thence, i farsang descend to
Band-y-Dukhtar ; then along the valley into Deh-Goombuz, the
principal village. Another road goes outside the hills, thus :

222 APPENDIX.
Shorakh, below Muydaran, one day (water, forage, fuel) ; thence
the road is over a plain to Zangun, 1 farsang (water, fuel,
forage, old fort) ; Chilkeman, 3 farsangs (water) ; thus same as
above.
Chacha (outside) 3 farsangs. The road is over a plain. Water from
river plenty, fuel, forage.
Mehra, 6 farsangs. The road is over plain. Old town with ruins ;
water from Karategan river ; fuel, forage.
Chardeh, 5 farsangs. The road is over plain. Old fort ; a few Toorkmun
tents ; little cultivation ; water from Kullat stream.
Thence to Nafta Gate is three farsangs, of which 2 farsangs is over
plain; then the road goes through Durbund Khojeh defile; road
way good, but very narrow, with commanding heights. From
Nafta to Kullat is 2J farsangs.
Surrukhs to Durraguz. To Chacha, vide above.
1. Doshakh, 7 or 8 farsangs. The road goes over a plain the whole way
to this place, which is on a river draining from Chacha, and 1
farsang from the hills. No village ; water, fuel, and forage.
2. Khoja Ahmad, 7 farsangs. The road is over a waste the whole
way. Water, fuel, forage.
3. A Fort, Baverd, 7 farsangs. The road is over a waste plain near
foot of hills. 200 houses of Duraguzi. Water, supplies.
4. Durraguz, 9 farsangs. The road goes through a defile to a pass 1
farsakh Kizil Kotal, which is difficult for camels. This road is
dangerous on account of Toorkmuns, and the road which would be
used would be by Kullat.
There is, however, another road from Surrukhs to Durraguz, which goes
as far as Chardeh, the same as to Kullat Nadir.
Then to Aliabad, 6 farsangs, the road over plain along foot of hills ;
village, water, supplies ; water from the Archingun stream :
thence to Baward 6 farsangs, falling in with road by the Attruk as
above.
Surrukhs to Kohsan : —
1. Pul-i-Khatun, 8 farsangs. The road is quite level, over a plain on
the left bank of Tejund River; at 2 farsangs, pass Kala Daolata-
bad ; at 4 Naowjabad. Here an old bridge of stone. No village,
water, fuel ; forage plentiful.
2. Chasma Saoz, 7 farsangs. The road crosses to right bank and
goes among hills, and is not very good ; and it crosses a pass, Kotal
Istakhanchil, at the end. It is practicable for guns. Here is
abundance of water, fuel, and forage. At 4 farsangs old serai of
Gulran, or Kalabagh.
3. Kohsan, 6 farsangs. The road is good along bank of river over

APPENDIX. 223
plain. Village, water, supplies. Thence to Ghorian'. This is the
road all the Tekkeh " alamans " come by, and therefore any peace
able individual would as soon think of going by it as of going to
hell willingly. Some men I met had been carried off by the
Toorkmuns; but as they were made to go night and day, and
thrashed all the way, they took no count of distance or country.
However, the " alamans " generally go back in three days, and as
they probably go as quick as it can be done, it is probably about
150 miles. The road is probably quite good, and capable of being
made practicable for artillery, if it is not already so. There is
water all the way, as it is the bed of the Hurree Rood, and there is
also great abundance of forage and grazing, but no habitations
anywhere.
Surrukhs to Bala Murghab : —
1. Koin, 6 farsangs. The road is over a waste the whole way. There
is a well of salt water ; fuel, forage.
2. Bowardashik, 8 farsangs. The road is over the Dasht, without
water; well of good water; forage at times; fuel.
3. Baighiz, 8 farsangs. The road is over a plain; to this, on the
Murghab encampments of Syats ; water, fuel, forage abundant.
4. Marochak, 8 farsangs. The road goes along the bank of the Mur
ghab ; camps, water, fuel, forage abundant.
5. Murghab, 4 farsangs. The road goes along the banks of the river.
Here a fort, with supplies ; water, fuel, and forage.
Mushudd to Surrukhs by Muzdaran : —
1. Koygun, the same as described in my route.
2. Maiomai, 16 miles. The road is quite good, over easy undulating
ground. Village, water, supplies.
3. Muzdaran, 27 miles. The road leads under the hills, crossing low
easy spurs. Village, water, supplies.
4. Surrukhs, 36 miles. The road crosses the Koh Muzdaran by a very
steep difficult pass, which it would be very difficult to force, and
then goes straight across the desert, with no water for the last
24 miles.
There is a road which goes from Mushudd to Kullat, as follows :—
1. Tabat Kun, 6 farsangs. The road goes to Kenigosha, 3 farsangs,
over valley, and then about a. mile from Kenigosha through the
defile Durbund Zao Khuni a short way, and through cultivation.^
2. Giss, 2 farsangs. The road ascends with a difficult incline, but is
practicable for guns, being the road used always for this purpose ;
thence the road descends to Ab Garm, where there is water, and an
old rabat of Shah Abbass. Time and fuel and forage in plenty.

224 APPENDIX.
3. Amirabad, 3 farsangs. The road is very bad and difficult, but prac
ticable for guns over hills and through defiles.
4. Chacha, thence the road goes down the bed of the river, and is
good for 3 farsangs.

There is another difficult road, not practicable for artillery, and only
used by single horsemen, that goes from Mushudd to Kullat.
1. Permet, village, 100 houses, water, supplies.
2. Guzligi, 6 farsangs (village, water, supphes), and is good over a valley
the whole way.
3. Khaor, 2 farsangs, though a defile (water from the Chacha) called
Dahna Khaor. The road is very difficult and stony, ascending
over spurs.
4. Gangi Kala, 3 farsangs, over hills, and is very difficult. Village,
water, supplies (water from the Karategan river).
5. Karategan, 3 farsangs, is pretty good, up and down.
6. Thence, vide Route from Surrukhs to Kullat, ante.

The road from Kullat-y-Nadir to Durraguz by the Attruk is as follows : —
1. To Archingun (village, 60 houses, water, supphes), 3 farsangs, the
road is good and level, through a defile or glen west of Igdaleek.
2. Baward, 7 farsangs. Thence the road goes through a defile, the
Dahna Archingoon, about a mile, and then through a plain along
the foot of the hills the whole way. Village, 100 houses of
Toorkmun subjects of Durraguz. Water from the river of Laeen.
3. Bawago, 6 farsangs. The road is over a plain along the foot of the
hills. This is a large village of 300 houses. Pass village of
Kizilja at 1 farsang (40 houses); Dargana at 2 farsangs (100
houses) ; Khasru, 1 farsang (100 houses). Water and supplies ;
water from the Shamstu Khan river.
4. Durraguz, 4 farsangs (2 farsangs are over a plain) ; then to Kizil
Kotal there is an easy ascent over low hills, and then is level in.
N.B. — The water of Laeen goes to Khemabad, thence to Baward.
Kullat Nadir to Merv :—
1. To Chardeh, vide Surrukhs to Kullat-y-Nadir, in body of the book.
2. Thence to Kulla Oraz is about 12 hours : this is on the Tejund river.
The road is over a plain with no water. Here there is an old
village. Water is plentiful, and fuel, jungle, and forage plenty.
3. Thence a road goes on over a plain with no water to Shetli, for 24
hours. There is no village here. Water from a well ; plenty of
fuel and forage.
4. Thence to Merv is about 10 hours, still over a plain.

APPENDIX. 225
Another road goes to Durt Kuli : —
1. (4 wells), which is about 15 hours over a plain. Water for a few
men ; fuel and forage plenty.
2. Thence to Chah Burkas, about 10 hours, over plain. Water, fuel,
and forage here.
3. Merv, about 10 hours ; more still over plain.
There is a road which goes from Kuchan to Subzwar, as follows : —
1. Mahamadabad, 4 farsangs. The road is level for one farsang to
Darbandi, thence over a hill for one farsang, to Kara Shah Verdi,
thence, over a difficult pass, Hadjee Aghazi, for 2 farsangs. There
is here a village, and water and a few supphes are procurable.
2. Yam, 5 farsangs. The road is bad over a pass called Kotul
Sukhani, the foot of which is reached in 2 farsangs, whence £ a
farsang is over a bad pass ; thence it is pretty good. Here there is
a village, but the water is salt. A few supphes are procurable.
This place is situated on the river Shurkab.
3. Burkabeh, 6 farsangs. The road goes down the river all the way
(for 2 miles it is bad) through a defile. Here is a village of 50
houses, with water and supplies.
4. Subzwar, 5 farsangs. The road is difficult over low hills for 2 farsangs,
then it is level in.
Another road goes as follows : —
1. Besh Aghach, 5 farsangs. The road level and good the whole way.
A village of 100 houses, with water and supplies.
2. Abdulagao, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good the whole way.
A village of 60 houses, with water and supplies.
3. S ultanabad; 6 farsangs. The road is level and good the whole way.
A village of 100 houses.
4. Subzwar, 6 farsangs. The road is level and good the whole way,
There is a road from Bujnoord to Subzwur, as follows : —
1. Isfaram, 6 farsangs. The road as far as Feroza, 2 farsangs, is level
and open, then it enters the defile of DahnaFeroza, bounded,by high
cliffs, and goes through this for one farsang to Gir wa ; thence it goes
over the Kotal Siahkhana (not practicable in winter for four
months for animals) for 1 farsang. Thence it is good in. This is
a large village, with water and supplies.
2. Jowen, 6 farsangs. The road is good, over a waste, without villages
all the way : two little ascents passed over. This is a large village,
with water and supphes.
3. Subzwar, 7 farsangs. The road is good and goes over a low hill, with
very easy ascent.
VOL. II. Q

226 APPENDIX.
The Eelkhanee gave me the following road from Bujnoord to Chek-
ashlar : —
1. Mana, 5 farsangs. The road ascends pretty steeply over the Akhir
hill, and then descends steeply to Mana, a large village, with water,
fuel, and forage.
2. Chehlguzar, 7 farsangs. The road is level, descending gradually
along the river ; but it is narrow and stony. Water, fuel, and forage
abundant.
3. Marawa Tapeh, 6 farsangs. The road first ascends pretty steeply, but
is not difficult from 1 farsang to the top of the Kotal Hoonkai, and
then descends again to the river. (There is no practicable road by
the river, which is confined between cliffs.) Thence the road goes
along the bank of the river. Here there is water, fuel, and
forage in abundance. This Kotal is the only difficult place, but it
has been crossed by guns.
4. Dahna Sozish, 6 farsangs. The road is good along the bank of the
river all the way. Here water, fuel, and forage are abundant.
5. Genjai, 5 farsangs. The road is good along the bank of the river
all the way. Here water, fuel, and forage are abundant.
6. Chatki, 5 farsangs. The road as above. This is the junction of the
Chandyr and the Attruk rivers. Water, fuel, and forage are
abundant.
Thence to Chakishlar is 15 farsangs along the river. It is never
travelled except by Toorkmuns, but the road is quite level, and
water, fuel, and forage almost everywhere, with numerous camps of
nomads on the banks. This road is practicable for guns.
From Mana a road goes on to Garm Khan, and is good, but through
a narrow defile along the side of the river. Garm Khan is a
village with water, fuel, forage, and supplies.
Thence to Shirwan is 6 farsangs. The road is good by the river, and
is narrow, in places. Thence to Mushudd the road goes by Koochan
and Ratkan.

The Goorgan road from Bujnoord, to Astrabad is as follows : —
1, Simalghan, 6 farsangs. The road ascends gently over good road of
earth for 3 farsangs, then descends equally easy to Sunalghan, a
large village, with water and supplies. At 3 farsangs pass village,
where a halt can be made.
2. Rabat Karabil, 7 farsangs. The road goes for 3 farsangs to Chum-
munbeet up a valley draining to Simalghan, and is level, though
rather stony. Here a halt can be made, excellent water and
forage are abundant, and fuel is procurable. From this the road
ascends gradually to Chalbash, at the top of the range. Here also
there is a spring and forage. Thence there is an easy descent to

APPENDIX. 227
Rabat, where there is an old serai, and water and forage are
abundant, and fuel is procurable.
3. Pukhli Kula, 6 farsangs. The road is quite good and goes down a
valley about 5 miles broad, which drains to the Goorgan. Water,
forage, and fuel are here very abundant. There is an old serai
here.
4. Goorgan, 6 farsangs. The road is level, through a jungle. Here are
many large camps of Goklan Toorkmuns, and water, fuel, and
forage are abundant, and some supplies procurable.
5. Sangar, 4 farsangs. The road is level between foot of hills on
the left of the river, and is quite good throughout. There is a
village here, and water, fuel, and forage are abundant. This place
is also called Pisrah and Haji Lar.
6. Nowdeh, 4 farsangs. The road is good at foot of hills on the left,
through jungle for a part of the way. There is here a village, with
water, fuel, and forage abundant, and some supplies.
7. Rah Mian, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good all the way
descending the valley. Here is a village, with water, fuel, and forage
abundant, and some supplies.
8. Finderis, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good, through jungle
all the way nearly. Here is a village ; water, fuel, forage abundant,
and some supplies.
9. Kotul, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good through jungle, but
is heavy in places from mud. Village ; water, fuel, forage abun
dant, and some supplies.
10. Guhabad, 4 farsangs. The road is level and good through jungle.
Village: water, fuel, forage abundant, some supplies.,
11. Astrabad, 4 farsangs. The road as above.

The following route is that followed by travellers going from Shahrood to
Yuzd. To Damghan by the regular road, thence Damghan to Yuzd: —
1. Torat, 4 farsangs. The road is good, over waste. Village, with water ;
few supplies.
2. Golaki, 12 farsangs. The road as above, no water on road. Water ;
no supplies.
3. Reshm, 3 farsangs. The road is good and crosses a low easy hill
called Koh Tang-i-Reshm.
4. Hussun, 2 farsangs. The road is good, over plain. Village, with
water ; few supplies.
5. Sandak, 28 farsangs. The road over desert, no water ; 24 hours for
horses, 36 for camels. Large village, with water, 150 houses ; few
supplies. Khur, 12 farsangs towards east from this.
6.*— 5 farsangs. The road over level waste. Water ; no supplies.
* Note by publisher. No name given.
Q 2

228 APPENDIX.
7. Zurumat, 6 farsangs. Road as above, at foot of Koh Zurumat.
Water from spring ; no supplies.
8. Arusun, 5 farsangs. Road as above. Water in bed of river ; no
supplies.
9. Chu.puau.rn, 4 farsangs. Road as above. Water brackish, from well ;
no supplies (6 farsangs from Anarak).
10.* — 4 farsangs. The road is good, but crosses a low hill, easy. Water
from Howz, after rain ; if not, a spring up the hill, 1 farsang.
11. Chah Pelang, 6 farsangs. The road is good and level. Water salt,
from well; no supphes.
12. Howz, 5 farsangs. The road is good, crosses a low pass. Water
from Howz.
13. Hi Goor, 6 farsangs. The road is good. Water.
14. Ardekan, 4 farsangs. The road is good, between hills. Water,
large village, supphes.
15. Yuzd, 12 farsangs, (Vide ante.) This is the regular caravan road
between Yuzd and Shahrood, and is regularly used every winter,
about a dozen Kaplas coming annually, of from 50 to 200 camels
each. There are no supplies on it, but forage for camels is, gener
ally speaking, abundant ; and except between Sandah and Husein,
there is sufficient water for small numbers at each stage. From
Husein the road splits and goes to Semnan, by which to Sari is
the quickest route from Yuzd to the Caspian.
* Note by publisher. No name given.

APPENDIX III.

RIVADENEYRA'S ROUTE, KHORAMABAD TO DIZFUL.
The most direct route is seven stages, but is very difficult. This route
detours NW., then S. from Madian Rud, joining the direct road at
Ab-i-Zal. This is comparatively easy. At all stages water is procur
able in abundance.
1. Chengori, elevation 4,550 feet, 3'1 miles.
2. Sar-i-ab, elevation 4,530 feet, 9-3 miles. A river here joins from the
Khoramabad road.
3. Pai-Pul-i-Kashkan, 3,900 feet, 10'6 miles ; 3 furlongs west of this
the Madian Rud joins the Khoramabad road.
4. Chenar Burda Kal, 5050 feet, 10'6 miles.
5. Pul Madian, 4,350 feet, 13'6 miles. Wood scarce, plentiful before.
6. Alee Gigan, 4,450 feet, 16"7 miles.
7. Pul-i-Dukhtar, 3,000 feet, 10'6 miles.
8. Ab-i-Garm, 1,950 feet, 18' 6 miles. Two narrow passes traversed.
9. Pul-i-Tang, 1,880 feet, 106 miles. Cliffs very narrow.
10. Ab-i-Zal, 2,020 feet, 106 miles. River joins the Kerkha river.
11. Huseina, 1,900 feet, 18'6 miles. Cultivable land commences.
Hitherto only pasture.
12. Salihabad, 1,175 feet, 18-6 miles. Half way across the Bala Rud
and enter the plain of Khuzistan.
13. Dizful, 37 miles,

TABL E OF HEIGHTS AND DISTANCES FROM ISPAHAN TO SHUSTER VIA ARDALL.
N.B. Heights taken, by a, JVegrretti, & Zcarabrais Aneroid/.

¦ ZeveZ-

TABLE OF HEIGHTS AND DISTANCES FROM ISPAHAN TO SHOOSTUR VIA ARDALL.

[Tofacepage 231.

APPENDIX IY.

MR. MACKENZIE'S ROUTE FROM ISPAHAN TO
SHOOSTUR.
As this route has never appeared in print, I am glad the kindness of
Mr. Mackenzie enables me to publish it here.
Ispahan to Shoostur, via Ardall : —
1. Siahabad, 8 farsakhs, 9 hours, 6,250 feet above the level of the sea,
Proceed from Julfa in a SW, direction, through cultivation. At
Pal Varzun cross Zendarood river by a good stone bridge. At
IJ farsangs from bridge, slight and easy ascent up Gardan-i-Gopiell
over spur. Thence no water or vegetation for 3 farsangs, when
river above is again met in the district of Upper Lenjun. Follow
its course through cultivation to Pul-i-Kalaah village, where cross
by stone bridge. After this the road leaves the Zendarood. Sup
plies and water abundant. Road throughout practicable for
carriages.
2. Sirak, 8 farsangs, 8J hours, 6,700 feet. The road ascends at once to
Gardan-i-Rokh, 7,750 feet, IJ hours, thence by easy gradual descent
to Sirak. Road practicable throughout, Supplies and water procur
able. Three roads from here to Ardall — 1, by Salagur and Chag-
hahor as below; 2, by Gardan-i-Zereh and 3, by the Tang
Darkash Varkash.
3. Gaoharu, 5 farsangs, 5 hours, 7,050 feet. The road is level, over fine
alluvial soil, which is heavy after rain. Gass round the base of
the Koh-i-Jumbeh to the left, whence are springs which go to the
Karun river at 4 farsangs, gradual and easy ascent up Gardan-i-
Pasaondeh 7,150 feet, whence descent short and steep. Road good
and practicable for carriages. Village, with water and supphes.
4. Ardall, 4 farsangs, 6J hours, 6,350 feet. In one hour pass village of
Chaghahor, whence road good to the Gardan-i-Chalarzuneh, 8,350
feet, where the ascent is difficult, and would require improvement
to make it practicable for carriages. On the Ardak side the hill is
deep and precipitous, but the road goes by easy gradient along the
sides, and is here practicable. The road is soft after rain. Village,
with water and supplies.

232 APPENDIX.
5. Do Pulan, 2J farsangs, 4 hours, 5,050 feet. The road passes over good
but undulating ground for 1 farsang, when reach Kotal Gul Merza,
where there is a steep descent of 1,000 feet to 5,350 feet, to a fine
stream, a feeder of the Karun river. The road then follows the
course of this through a very narrow valley, with high precipitous
mountains on either side. Road passable for mules, but requires
making for carriages, especially on Kotal Gul Merza. Village and
water, but no supplies.
6. Shahid, 5 farsangs, 10 hours, 5,55C feet. The road crosses a bridge at
Dossulan and immediately another over a feeder of the Karun, and
then proceeds due west for f farsang along a good road to a small
village on the river at the foot of a steep hill. This march is very
arduous from constant ascents and descents, but the road is good.
The ascents are — 1, ascent to 6,450 feet, descent to 5,050 feet ; 2,
ascent to 7,350 feet, descent to 6,050 feet; 3, ascent to 6,650 feet,
descent to 5,050 feet ; 4, ascent to 6,950 feet, descent to 5,550 feet.
At 7J hours the village of Sakhun is passed, which would make a
better halting-place. Village, with water ; few supplies.
7. Dehdiz, 4 farsangs, 6| hours, 5,150 feet. Descent easy and gradual to
one of the main feeders of the Karun, 3,250 feet, which cross by a
wicker bridge 15 yards broad, across deep fissure in rocks (the cross
ing for animals below is dangerous) ; then ascend to 5,850 feet, and
descend again to 5,250 feet ; ascend by a steep road to 6,550 feet,
whence descend to Dehdiz. Village, with water and supplies.
8. Godar Balutak, 2-| farsangs, 3 hours. The road descends easily and
gradually through a valley, and is good (at J hour pass small
village) to the Karun river (here 60 yards wide, deep, rocky bed,
very rapid, and subject to sudden rises), crossed by ferry of reed
rafts. Village, with water ; no supplies. Thence there are two
roads to Mai Amir, one by Gurgir, rough and stony, the other below.
9. Mai Amir, 6 farsangs, 8 hours, 2,150 feet. The road follows the
course of the river farther along valley (when the river turns to the
right, and is not again met till Shustar) ; level, and could easily be
made practicable for carriages. Pass through a narrow valley with
high precipitous mountains on either side. Ascend a mountain
ridge, overlooking the Mai Amir plain by an ancient paved way to
3,150 feet, then descend for 1,000 feet by a stony and difficult road
to the plain. This would be impracticable for carriages. Village,
with water and supplies.
10. Kala-i-Tul, 4 farsangs, 4 hours, 3,150 feet. The road is good and
level, with a slight and scarcely perceptible ascent. Village with
water and supphes. Thence there are two roads to Shushtar one
by Gurgir, rough and stony, the other shorter and better, by Koh
Sang-y-Shoostur as below.
11 and 12. Shooshtur, 27 farsangs, 27 hours, 550 feet. Theroad descends
gradually the whole way to Shooshtur. At first it is rough and

APPENDIX.

233

over a succession of rugged hillocks for 15 hours, then for 12
hours perfectly level over magnificent pasture land. Total 12
stages, 99 hours, 77 farsangs. This road is said to be always open,
but this is doubtful in severe winters.
The following routes are from information obtained from natives by
Mr. Mackenzie, and may be of some use to future travellers : —

STAGES.
Shoostur to Gotwand 
Gotwand to Lalee 
Lalee to Chulvar 
Chulvar to How-i-Now
How-i-Now to Chelow
Chelow to Ooganooree
Ooganooree to Bazooft
Bazooft to Pawcherril
Pawcherril to Aloo-Kuh
Aloo-Kuh to Chulcheh
Chulcheh to Kav-i-Rokh ...
Kav-i-Rokhto Bist-a-goon ...
Bish-a-goon to Pol-i-Vargoorn
Pol-i-Vargoom to Ispahan ...

36 6
576 5
66 5 55
2i

farsangs.

This route is closed by snow, and this year, though not a severe winter,
was not open early in April. A portion of the tribe take this road in
May, as they move their flocks up to the highlands for summer grazing.

STAGES.
Shoostur to Kirmakshah.
Shoostur to Kouzek  6 farsangs
Kouzek to Dizful  5 ,,
Dizful to Housanieeah  7 ,
Housanieeah to Pol-i-Zar  4 „
Pol-i-Zar to Bagh-i-Kahn  4 „
Bagh-iKhan to Jow-i-Dar  4 „
Jow-i-dar to Baraftar  4 „
Baraftar to Khoramabad  8 „
Khoramabad to Boorijird  10 „
Boorijird to Koom  5 stages
Koom to Tehran  4 „
Boorijird to Hamadan  3 „
Shoostur to Kirmanshah  10 „
The above route is said to be always open.

234

APPENDIX.

COMPARATIVE ROUTE.
Bushuhr to Ispahan via Shebraz and Kazeroon.
Bushuhr to Abmedie  6 farsangs
Ahmedie to Borozgoon  5
Borozgoon to Dhalaki  4 „
Dhalaki to Khanehtacht  "- 4 „
Khanehtacht to Kamaridge  3 „
Kamaridge to Kazeroon  6 „
Kazeroon to Mein Kotul  6 „
Mein Kotul to Dash-i-Argeen  3 „
Dash-i-Argeen to Khaneh Lenzan  3 „
Khaneh Lenzan to Sheeraz  8 „
Sheeraz to Lairgoon  5 „
Lairgoon to Saidoon  7 ,,
Saidoon to Kawamabad  4 ,,
Kawamabad to Moorghab  6 „
Moorghab to Dehbeed  7 „
Dehbeed to Khanekhoreh  5 „
Khanehkhoreh to Soormeh  7 „
Soormeh to Abadeh  4 „
Abadeh to Shoolgoostan  5 „
Shoolgoostan to Yezdikhast  6 „
Yezdikhast to Mavoodbeg  6 „
Mavoodbeg to Koomeeshah  4 „
Koomeeshah to Myar  5 „
Myar to Maarg  6 „
Maarg to Ispahan  3 „

Shoostur to Mahomrah by land-caravan stages.
Shustarto Ban-i-keer 
Band-i-Keer to Vess 
Vess to Awaz 
Awaz to Ameerah 
Ameerah to Samaznee
Samaznee to Village above 1
Mahomrah J
Village to Mahomrah

3 farsangs
4 „ ..
3 „ ..
5 „ ..
7 „ -
2 „ ..

7 farsangs
7 „
8 „
9 „

The shortest way is to ford the river at Shustar, water rising to girths
of the horses, and proceed direct to Band-i-Keer, where there is a ferry.
Animals swim over.
At Ameerah there is a similar ferry, where a crossing can be made to
the Mahomrah bank, shortening the distance by 4 farsangs, but there is

ROUGH SKETCH OF RIVER KARUM SHOWING ROADS
FROM SHUSTUR TO MAHOMRAH.

• JhLST-tfhJRwe*'

RIVER KARUM.

[ To face page 234.

APPENDIX. 235
no village beyond Ameerah, and if that road is taken it necessitates camp
ing out in the open for one night.
By proceeding via Samaznee at 2 farsangs above Mahomrah (on the
Mahomrah bank) is a village and ferry. Animals swim over.
But by crossing the bridge at Shustar and following the bend of the
river, one crossing above Mahomrah alone is necessary, but the distance
is thereby increased by one day's march.
Shoostur to Mahomrah : — Four marohes as before specified. Road, a
dead level, following course of the river over a fine alluvial plain,
which in the dry weather presents no obstacles for carriage
traffic, but after rain becomes so soft that horses alone can, in
many places, with difficulty pass over it.
The Karun, however, presents no impediments to navigation, save at
the Bund* of Awaz, where one transhipment alone is necessary.
It is a fine and rather sluggish river throughout, having a greater
depth of water above than below the Bund. The minimum depth
at the shallowest part, during the low season, is said to be 2J to
3 feet.
Steam vessels towing rafts, could make the ascent in 50 hours, and
the descent in 20 hours.
The population from Shoostur to Mahomrah are Arabs, who have a
great dislike for their Persian rulers. They possess large flocks,
but grow sufficient grain for home consumption only. The crops
are entirely dependent on the rainfall.
At no point did I observe the waters of the Karun utilized for pur
poses of irrigation. General Remarks.
Inhabitants and Language. — The people from Gowharoo to Kali Lool
are all Bakhtiarns, speaking amongst themselves " Loor," under
standing Persian. Their present means of sustenance, their flocks,
entails on them a nomadic life, but they seem to adapt them
selves readily to a more settled life, and would doubtless adopt it
had they any inducement for so doing offered them.
They proved themselves to me hospitable, civil and obliging when
kindly spoken with, and to be free from caste prejudices. I was
everywhere made welcome to sleep in their tents, and when food
was brought they evinced no objection to eat out of the same dish
with me, smoking the Kalian, too, at all times after me.
I never once met with an insult though accompanied by three private ser
vants only, and one footman as guide, given to me at Ardall by the
Eelkhanie who, though sufficient, was indispensable for my safety.
Their ignorance was the profoundest, having no idea either of time
or distances. Generally, they know of two other nations only — the
* Dam.

236 APPENDIX.
" Farangee " and the " Roose :" to the latter they would appear to
give the precedence, as I was at more than one place asked
whether the Emperor of Russia was not the " Shah-in-Shah."
They are a happy and contented people, entirely under the control of
one chief, the " Eelkhanie," whose authority alone they acknow
ledge.
From leaving Ispahan, till I reached Shustar I did not meet a single
beggar, and saw no sick people in their villages.
They olothe themselves in chintzes and Manchester cloths indigo
dyed.
Industry and Agriculture. — They rear large flocks of goats, sheep, and
cattle. Horses and mules, too, of a fine class are largely bred,
and it is from these districts that muleteers generally, throughout
the country, draw their supplies. The hair of the goat is used
for the manufacture of their tent-cloth, and the wool, though much
inferior to the Arab descriptions, partially finds its way into the
hands of the Busreh and Baghdad buyers, but is chiefly consumed
in the country in the manufacture of felt for capeting, hats, and
overcoats.
Carpets, too, of an inferior and rough description are manufactured by
their women, and all sold by weight, Krans 8 to 10 per 131bs.
In winter they trap the fox and " Musooree " (a speoies of martin ?),
a considerable trade being done in these skins with the buyers for
the Russian market. The fox skins sell at Krans 2 each, and the
" Musooree " at Krans 6 to 8 each.
Other articles of Commerce are " Roghan " (olarified butter), gall-nuts
and beeswax. Coal is said to exist in their mountains, and fine
naphtha springs in the plains.
Grain is extensively grown, and its cultivation could be extended to an
almost unlimited amount if the country was opened up and access
given to the people to the Indian and foreign markets, which the
placing of steam vessels on the Karun would at once tend to do.
Barley at Shoostur was selling at 451bs. per Kran (10d.), and wheat
261bs. per same price.
This route once opened up to traffic must quickly supersede the
one via Sheeraz. In distance it is 9 to 10 days shorter. The
passes are nowhere so rough as between Bushuhr and Sheeraz, and
with no great objections to it, it has the advantages of more water,
more timber, and a cooler chmate.
At present the bazaars of Shoostur are largely supplied with chintz and
goods from Russia. Notwithstanding the long and expensive
land carriage they have to bear, and that, too, notwithstanding
that Shoostur might be placed within two days' communication
with the Busreh river, where, having regular steam service, they
might be placed weekly within reach of all the foreign markets.
The opening of the Karun to steam navigation would, I believe, not

APPENDIX. 237
only force back the Russian trade to its natural limits, but it
would drain the most fertile provinces of this country of, if they
could find an outlet, the produce they are capable of raising,
thereby enriching its ryots and increasing the general wealth and
prosperity of the country.

APPENDIX V.

Tubbus to Toon :—
1. Durra Beet 15J miles. The road is level and good over gravel to
Howz Dana Choi 9 miles (water), at 3 miles pass Howz-y-Cha
(water), at 8 miles HowzAtar (water), at Danachol are caves ; it then
enters Dalian-i-chol, goes up bed of river, for IJ miles, when it goes
up to the left bank and along this, sometimes narrow, for IJ miles,
when it crosses to right bank and then leaves river to right, and
then ascends, gradually 'at first but steepish at end, to Godar-
Ashego in \ mile. From this it descends easily into bed of river
draining to south in 1 mile, it then goes over an undulating plateau
for \ mile to gorge Dahan Ashego, and goes up a river bed through
this which is a strong position. It then ascends over undulations
to 6,800 feet, and then descends into bed of Darabit river at the
15Jmile. Here a serai, good water, few supplies.
2. Deli Mahamad 16£ miles. — The road first crosses over a rise and in
\ mile descends into Darabit river, up which it goes for 1 mile,
crossing over another rise and going into it again at If miles where
space for camp, water. From this the road leaves the river and
ascends gradually over undulations for \ mile, after which it goes
over an undulating waste, with hills on both sides, nearly level
the whole way for 10J miles, when it winds round the range to right
and then goes over gravel waste for 3J miles. Here serai, water
brackish, supplies.
3. Terez 17 miles. — The road is quite good the whole way, going
through gravel valleys with hills on either side and crossing low
passes at 2 miles and 9 miles, from which last it descends very
gradually through open valley, at 15 miles ; road to Zeinabad on
right at 16 miles ; road to Aspak on left, then in at 17 miles, serai,
water, supplies.
4. Bashruyah 16 miles. — The road first crosses a low ridge, then the
plain of Bashruyah is in front, and this it crosses for 15 miles
over gravel whole way ; at 7 m. pass water out from hills ; at 11 J
miles and 13 \ miles, howz water.
5. Robat 16 miles. — The road goes through cultivation for \\ miles,
then over heavy sand for 2 miles ; there is then a distance of 3 miles,

240 APPENDIX.
sometimes over sand, sometimes gravel, which is succeeded by
sand for another 2£ miles. The road then enters on low sandy
undulating ridges, from which it ascends gradually, very heavy in
places, for 3J miles ; it then descends into the sandy bed of the
Senawa ravine, up which it continues for IJ miles, when it leaves
on right bank, and crossing a low ridge, and continues over ground
undulating, sometimes sand, gravel or pat, for 6 miles. Here excel
lent serai, few supphes, good water from a howz, J mile off. Water
at Howz Agha, 5f ; Howz Ah Pir, 8 ; and Howz Dohok, 11 miles.
6. Toon 21 J miles. — The road is over gravel plain for 5J miles ; it then
enters low hills and ascends very gradually for 7J miles, when it
crosses a pass. It then descends generally, but crosses low spurs
of the range at 17 miles and 20 miles, and it arrives over plain.
at 21J miles. Water at 18 miles. Here everything procurable.
Total distance from Tubbus to Toon, 102J miles.

APPENDIX VI.

THE MERV QUESTION*
I now propose to offer a few remarks on the importance which should
be attached to the present position and future action of Russia in Asia,
especially in regard to what may be termed the Merv question. I would
premise, that I do not purpose to present those who may honour me by a
perusal of them, with any history of the progress of that power,
bocause I take it for granted that they have had access to the many able
worksf which afford such necessary information. I wish further, in as
few and as plain words as may be, to mark a distinction. Whether or no
the conquest of Merv is a part of a grand scheme of conquest patiently
worked out by Russian statesmen, there is at least this difference
between it and preceding operations, that they may be defended, but it
cannot. It may be possible to believe that the instinct of self preserva
tion has hitherto induced Russia to keep on acquiring fresh territory in
Toorkistan, in order to obtain positions of strategical and defensive
importance ; but I assert that now this plea must end. The Khivan
desert is the limit of all advances which can be justified on the grounds
of defence, and therefore it is, that any further advance comes under
the category of offence ; therefore it is that the Merv question differs
from all that have gone before it.
We have heard much of the advantages which will accrue to humanity
in Asia from the civilizing influences of the Russian power ; and I think,
no one, no one at least who has seen as I have, how much in need of
civilization all Asia is, will refuse to endorse such sentiments, or hesitate
to aid in any plan towards the attainment of such an object. But
surely there is a hmit to this theory, and the limit which common sense
would place to it would be the point at which it might commence to
create evil. In the conquest of the Khanates of Toorkistan, and in their
gradual initiation in the blessings of order and justice, there is no doubt
much good, and we may well wish Russia God speed in the task ; but
when the prosecution of further conquests, though made in the purest
spirit of philanthropy, may lead to serious evils hereafter, surely it is
time for philanthropic pleas to be withdrawn. Besides, let us not forget,
* This paper was written in 1875, since which time events have much changed, but I
prefer to let it stand.
| Particularly those of Captain Trench, Sir H. Rawlinson, and Mr. Michell. R

242 APPENDIX.
that if self-preservation is a Russian duty, and philanthropy in Asia a
Russian mission, there is such a thing as our own preservation, and our
mission of civilization in our part of Asia is not less holy or urgent.
And seeing that nations, like mortals, are fallible, it seems to me the
right thing, in the interests of civilization and mutual self-preservation,
is for both Russia and England to avoid striving for positions which may
change friendly rivalry into* hostility, and thus retard, for an indefinite
period, all schemes for the amelioration of the material and spiritual con
dition of their subjects in Asia.
Now, these sentiments, though they may be shared in by the Czar
himself and by an advanced party of his subjects, are certainly not those
of a large and powerful majority of his people. There is a party who
hold that it is the destiny of Russia to advance and absorb unceasingly ;
and it is not right, because we ourselves wish for nothing but peace and
goodwill, that we should shut our eyes to the mischief which the unceas
ing advocacy of such opinions may effect. Neither should we forget that
should the Russians once succeed in taking up such a position as would
be a thorn in our sides, a sense of national honour will not permit
them to withdraw, nor will the instinct of self-preservation permit us to
acquiesce. I hold the occupation of Merv to be such a step. It may
be a small thing, but it is like a small bit of poison put into a wound,
causing it to slough, to inflame, and requiring excision lest it should
mortify. The Russians once in Merv, the sore so caused will rapidly get worse,
and will extend to Herat ; if suffered to remain, it will keep us in a con
stant state of irritation and alarm.
It will first be necessary that I should show what is the real value of
Merv, and how danger must come if the Russians are permitted to obtain
possession of it. We certainly read that though Merv was once one of
the principal cities of Asia, it has long since disappeared, and now there
is no city, town, or even village on the old site, nothing but the shell
of an inferior Toorkmun fort, surrounded by a number of black tents of
the Tukkehs.
What then, it may well be remarked, is the value of such a place ?
Why is such a fuss made about it ? Surely if the Russians develop a
foolish predilection for seizing empty forts in the middle of deserts,
they had better be fooled to the top of their bent, they will soon find out
their mistake P
The value of Merv arises from several causes which cannot be con
troverted and should not be ignored. In the first place, though
the above, to some extent, truthfully describes what Merv is, it says
nothing of what it may be. Should we not mark, as an item for con
sideration also, the deep, swift, steady flow of the Moorghab river through
its midst ? should we disregard the rich loamy soil on its banks ? The site
may be desolate now, but conceive this spot peopled— not by kidnapping
Toorkmuns, whose agricultural operations are limited to the rearing of a

APPENDIX. 243
few melons and a little barley, but by an industrious race living under
a strong and settled government.
Imagine this, and the further effort of replacing Merv in the mind's
eye, at least, in its old place of plenty and populousness is easy.
So far, I acknowledge I have only shown why the beneficent effects of
Russian rule might well be extended to Merv also. But remarking, en,
passant, that these very qualities of plenty and population are those
required for a strategic base, I now turn to the other advantages of
Merv. In order that my readers may follow me clearly, I would ask them
here to turn to a map of Central Asia ; and note the great desert which
stretches without a break between the Oxus and Persia. This desert is
waterless ; it has no green spot anywhere to relieve the eye ; it is almost
death for small parties to attempt to cross it ; it is next to impossible for
large bodies now to do so. It is, in fact, at the same time an unrivalled
frontier if looked at from a defensive point of view, and a very formidable
obstacle if regarded from an offensive aspect. It stretches like an un-
fordable river, only it is far more impassable than any river, along the
present right front of the Russian possessions in Asia.
Now, without for a moment imputing ulterior motives to the gentlemen
on the north.with regard to this obstacle, suppose it were asked of a general
as a strategical exercise merely how he would cross this obstacle, what
would his answer be P Practically, the problem is like the crossing of an
unfordable river in the face of opposition. Any one, therefore, in the
position of the supposed general, would look out for the narrowest and
best point, and his eye could not fail to rest upon the spot where the green
promontory of Merv juts out encouragingly towards Chajooee on the
Oxus, and here he would place his bridge.
He would next try to get possession of the opposite bank, and if he
could do this unawares, so much the better. And the best way to do
this would be to cross at a point where he would not be noticed, and
creeping up silently come down on the flank of those holding the selected
point, Merv.
I will not pause here to show that this is exactly what the Russians are
doing ; but go on with the development of this important strategic value
of Merv. — Having gained possession, it would be easy then to bestow on
it the blessings of a strong government, and so enable its inhabitants to
turn it from a wilderness into a garden ; and it would also be quite feasible
to connect it securely by means of the improvement of well selected
halting places with the Oxus, thus giving it safe, direct, and easy com
munications with any part of the Russian Empire.
But another glance at the map will convince that Merv may thus become
much more than a mere fertile oasis. Connected with its rear by com
munications which are unassailable, it affords a position of very patent
strategical value for offensive purposes against both Mushudd and Herat,
that is, it presents a salient front towards those places.

244 APPENDIX.
And this granted, it is not diffcult to conceive perfectly reasonable and
irrefragable grounds for showing how means may be collected at this
point, which would render possible any offensive stroke which might after
wards be thought advisable. Of course if the Russians are in possession
of Merv, they must move up such troops and stores as might be required
for its maintenance, and supposing it, as I say, to be thought advisable to
advance further, it is evident that all the preparations for this advance can
be made in this place in absolute secrecy. My readers are well aware that
but little information reaches us regarding Russian movements that they
do not wish us to receive, and that what we do get is generally months
old ; if they add this fact to the extra difficulties which the physical
dangers of the desert and the moral fear of the Toorkmuns interpose, it
is clear that it would be unreasonable to expect any news of Russian
doings at Merv, which the authorities for any reason wished kept secret,
to be received by us till it was stale and useless.
Of course, supposing us to be anxious about Herat, rumours might
reach us of men and material being collected at Merv ; but the answers
to any questions we asked would be so easy, that it would hardly be
worth the while to ask them at all. Threatened disturbances amongst the
Toorkmuns, disaffection among the Oozbecks, the ordinary rehef of
regiments on the frontier, would suffice to account for much larger forces
than would probably be necessary.
It is thus evident that Merv may become endowed with plenty, and
a dep6t for offensive purposes, and if I can show that there are facihties
for advance from it, I shall have shown what its full importance really is.
A Russian authority, M. Tchichacheff, declares that Herat would be in
no danger, even if the Russians were in possession of Merv, because the
road between these places lies over an impracticable range of mountains.
I must, however, take leave to deny this statement in the most decided
manner. I have myself been to the Herat valley, and have followed a
considerable part of one of the roads to Merv, and I have made the most
careful inquiries from people on the spot who were in the constant habit
of riding over the rest of the distance. Yet, there is so httle impression
of difficulty in my mind, that I would undertake to drive a mail coach
from Merv to Herat by this road.
With regard to the other road, by the Moorghab, we have fortunately
the evidence of two British officers, Lieuts. Abbott and Shakespeare, and
in their accounts, which are accessible to any one, there is no word of
difficulty anywhere.
The distance being 260 miles, the fact therefore is that this place, which
the Times says is of no importance, is easy accessible from Herat — that
is, for guns, cavalry, and infantry. How soon 5,000 men could be trans
ferred from one place to the other, I leave my readers to work out for
themselves, all I contend being, that to do so would be a perfectly
feasible, nay an easy, military operation.
But supposing for the sake of argument, that we shall be protected

APPENDIX. 245
from any such "denouement " by the absence of ulterior designs on the
part of Russia. We shall not, we cannot, be protected from the results
of an annexation which our ally the Amir has so clearly pointed out as
probable. When a civilized power takes up a frontier close to a race of
such turbulent ruffians as the Toorkmuns, the Jamsheedees, and Huza-
rahs, and other tribes within the Afghan border; and when that
state, as I can assure my readers it is, is believed in Khorassan to have
aggressive tendencies, complications must arise, raids and counter-raids
will be committed; explanations and redress will be asked for, and as is
characteristic of all Oriental chiefs, never fully or frankly given. Then
satisfaction will be taken, Russian detachments will take the law into
their own hands, and there will again be as much, nay, more reason for a
further advance, as there has been hitherto.
It is not, however, sufficient to show the importance of Merv. I will go
further, and try and show why Herat is important, because of course
if Herat were not important, and there was nothing beyond Merv but
desert down to the sea, I need not have troubled myself to, pen these
remarks. Merv has almost no more value apart from Herat, than the
head of a sap has apart from a fortress selected for attack. I there
fore wish particular attention to be given to the next step by which I hope
to prove my case.
Herat has been termed the Key of India, not lightly ai a mere figure
of speech, but by every officer who has had an opportunity of seeing its
valley. It is so, because it is the nearest and best point at which an
invader could concentrate and prepare for the invasion of that country ;
advantages which it gains from its beautiful valley, the fertility of which
is unrivalled in Asia ; from its strategical position, which gives it the
command of all the important roads to India ; from the great strength of
its fortress, it being in fact, the strongest place from the Caspian to the
Indus ; from its admirable climate, and from the prestige it enjoys through
out Asia.
The fertility of its valley, and its capability of maintaining large forces
is proved by the fact that it has been besieged oftener than any city in
Asia, and has always afforded supplies for the armies of both besiegers
and besieged. And it must be remembered the first have sometimes
reached as many as 80,000 men, and have seldom fallen below 30,000,
while both have always been composed of undisciplined men who
destroyed nearly as much as they consumed. Moreover, I have seen it
with my own eyes, and I have no hesitation in saying that it is capable
of maintaining a very large army.
It will not be necessary to describe the defences of Herat, but only to
remark that Sir H. Rawlinson's description is in no way exaggerated when
he says, " It is surrounded by works of the most colossal character, which
with the adaptations and improvements of modern science might be
rendered almost impregnable."
A glance at the map will convince any soldier of its importance

246 APPENDIX.
strategically. No less than five distinct routes lead to Herat from the
west, viz: 1. from Ashruff by Shahrood, Toorshez, Khaf; 2. from Guz
by Bostam, Subzwar, Toorbut, Haiduree, and Shuhr-i-Now, 3. from
Astrabad by Findurisk, Jahjurm, Jowen, Nishapoor, Furreeman, Shuhr-
i-Now; 4. by the Goorgaun, Rabat Ishk, Boojnoord, Koochaun, to Mus
hudd, and Jam ; 5. from the mouth of the Attruk, by that river through
the same points. From the north two routes lead direct on to it from
Merv, and a third arrives from Kirkee by Maimanna. Herat commands
all these routes, as well as the routes to the south from Persia, viz. from
Toon by Khaf, from Ghaeen, Subzwar, from Bisjund to Furrah, Herat
and Lash. Moreover the routes leading out of Herat, or over which an
army stationed here may be said to have the command are, 1. the route
to Kabul byBameean; 2. the route to the same place by Behs'ood;
3. the same from Merv by Bala Moorgab ; 4. the route by Bulkh to
Kabul ; 5 and 6. two routes to Kandahar ; 7. the route to Ghuzuee
through the Huzarah country; 8. the routes from Persia which lead
through Subzwar, Furrah, Lash or Seestan, and which all converge on
Kandahar. Besides all these positive and patent advantages which this place posses
ses, Russia in Herat would have an unassailable position, from which to
theaten us in India, so as to force us to keep large forces always ready to
meet the menace, while she would be able to cast abroad throughout India,
that " seething, festering mass of disaffection," the seeds of a rebellion
that would still further cripple us, she would altogether alienate from us
the whole of the Afghans, and the Persian Khorassannees, and would
practically control for her own purposes nearly all their military resources.
I will not follow this further. In fact I am particularly anxious to
withdraw the attention of my readers from anything beyond this question
of Herat.
I do not wish them to follow the example of the Times in a late
article, and look so far ahead as the invasion of India, and thus miss, as
that paper has done, the danger at our feet, which is Herat. The danger
now is not the invasion of India, but the seizure by Russia of a point,
now almost within her reach, which will enable her to paralyze our action
in Europe, and give us an infinity of trouble in India, costing valuable
lives and millions of money to rectify.
The next point for consideration is this. Whatever the Emperor of
Russia may wish, whatever his diplomatists may assert, there is a party
either in Russia or in Asia, perhaps in both, who are determined to push
on at least at far as Herat. Whatever may be said against this view,
I assert that the whole evidence afforded by the acts of the Russian
officers in the Trans-Caspian district have for the last seven years at
least gone to prove it.
Even if the writings of Blaramberg, Dandeville, Veniukof, Romanofski,
Tchichacheff, and other Russian officials, did not clearly show that there
has been an intention (long anterior to the broaching of the question by

APPENDIX. 247
the English Government), of taking up a frontier, to include not only
Merv, but a considerable portion of Northern Khorassan, the acts of
their officers within the period above stated, afford abundant testimony
to the fact.
These have, in a few words, consisted of a series of arbitrary actions
towards the Toorkmuns, with the view of driving them to furnish pleas
for the seizure of their territory. And though since the Toorkmuns
have begun to understand these tactics they have carefully abstained
from meddling with the Russians, this policy does not appear to have
saved them, nor, will it, I think in the future.
I will not here trouble my readers with a full account of the arbitrary
acts in question, for they are graphically described in Sir Henry Raw-
linson's work ; but I cannot conceive how any one can peruse the account
of the unjustifiable seizure of Krasnovodsk and Chikishlar, the uncalled
for attack on the Ukhals, the disgraceful raid on the Gamoods by Kauff-
mann's Cossacks, the claims of allegiance on the Tukkehs, made under cover
of the Khan of Khiva, and finally their apathetic disinclination to
recover a prisoner at Merv, whom the Tukkehs are quite wilhng to give
up, without saying to himself, they are doomed.
Possessing the land which is required, it is clear that not only will
they be condemned before being tried, but their very offences will be
prepared for them beforehand. I have no hesitation in saying, and
having been lately on the Toorkmun frontier, I know what I am talking
about, that conflicts with the Toorkmuns, especially the Tukkehs, will not
take place, unless they are, so to speak, angled for. The Toorkmuns,
though much feared, are quite contemptible as an enemy against the
Russians, and moreover, it is not their habit to attack armed bodies,
even of Persians.
Having, however, taken possession of Krasnovodsk and Chikishlar, it
may be conceded that occasionally a brush with the Gamoods or Ukhals
might occur, but if these cases were treated with forbearance, no serious
results need follow.
In this respect the Russians might, were they so minded, learn a lesson
from our management of our NW. frontier of India. Let the Russians
change their present readiness to take offence, nay their eagerness to
make offence with the miserable Toorkmuns, for something of the line
of conduct we have followed.
I have seen how things are done on the British frontier, I have
but lately heard how things are done by the Russians, and the compari
son I think is in our favour. A few Cossacks round Krasnovodsk, and a
little energy in their use, is the honourable, the honest solution of the
Toorkmun difficulty ; but I fear it will not be adopted.
The Toorkmun plea is the merest excuse. Were the Russians prepared
to face the difficulty, without ulterior designs, it would die a natural
death, as has the raiding of quite as dangerous ruffianism on our own
frontier, and I therefore dismiss it as not requiring any further argument
to refute.

248 APPENDIX.
There are not, however, wanting other arguments by which the
further advance of the Russian frontier is sought to be justified, and it
may be well to examine these. The Russians assert that it is necessary
to take possession of the Toorkmun country, in order to improve their
military position and render the communications between the various
strategic points of their position in Asia more secure. Let us therefore
consider their present position. Though these places are not at the
present moment actually held by them, Khohand, Bokhara and Khiva
may be taken to be the main advanced points of their position, and
Orenburg and Astrakhan, may be said to form the natural bases for their
outposts. Now the merest tyro in the military art knows, that to form
a sound military position, the communications of a force should lead to
the rear or base, from as near the centre of the front as possible, in order
that they may be covered by the army in front. A glance at the map
will show us that as far as safety from attack (the most important
consideration in establishing a military line of communication) is
concerned, a line which will take them from the points in italics by
Tashkent, Kazala, Uralsh and Orsh to Orenburgh, or by Khiva, across
the Ust Urt to the Mertir Kuli Bay to Astrakhan, would in respect of
safety be perfect, and it cannot of course be upheld for one instant, that
a line between these points taken through the Toorkmun country and
the desert of Kara Koom, will be in any way an improvement.
But it may be advanced, that though the lines I have thus traced are
the most direct, as far as mere distance goes, and the safest, they are,
owing to the long land journey entailed, too tedious and expensive to
admit of their being retained, and that it is necessary to gain a fresh
line, on which, if not quite so safe, the difficulties and expense of transport
shall be less. This is quite a reasonable view. The Volga and Caspian
give the Russians water carriage from the heart of their empire to the
coast of the Caspian ; it should therefore be made use of to the utmost.
But even in this view a glance at the map will show that the natural
line of communication will lie through Khiva, and across the Ust Urt,
far away from the Toorkmun country ; and I may here note that this is
the line actually acknowledged by Romanofski, as in every respect the
most favourable.
There is one other pretext which should be noticed, viz., the necessity
the Russians are under of laterally connecting their possessions in
Toorkistan with those in the Oaucasus, so as to make them mutually
self-supporting. Even admitting this necessity, I cannot conceive how
it can be urged with any force, that any of these lateral lines need go
near the Toorkmun country. However advisable it may be to secure
lateral communication, it is surely absolutely necessary on military
grounds that these communications should be well protected from any
attack from the front. Now this end can best be obtained by a line run
ning from Petrofski to Kinderlinsk, and thence to Khiva. Everything
in the shape of reinforcements and material coming by rail for the

APPENDIX. 249
Caucasus, must come to Vladi Kafkas in the first instance, and as the
best port on the Caspian is Petrofski, from whence to Vladi Kafkas
there is now an excellent military road, and will soon be a railway, it
is evident there can be no advantage in sending such of these reinforce
ments or material as are intended for Toorkistan over the Caucasus,
and then by a bad road to Bakoo, only to reach an inferior port at which
to embark, a worse one at which to disembark, and a dangerous line to
the final points.
These facts are, indeed, so apparent to the eye as hardly to require serious
argument. A line drawn across the map from the Kara Bugaz Bay to
the Oxus, may be taken to represent the danger line. As to the south of
it there is danger to the communication from the Toorkmuns, and it is
evident that any one of the three lines I have named above, while serv
ing all the purposes for which communications are required is also quite
safe, while any line taken to the south of it is not only completely
exposed to danger, but is also more circuitous.
The next assertion is, that the taking up of a line through the
Toorkmun country will improve the commercial position of Russia in
Central Asia, and as this is an assertion which may be supposed to be
peculiarly impressive to us as a " nation of shop-keepers," let us see how
it will bear investigation.
The markets which Russia supplies in Asia, are briefly : 1. Asiatic
Turkey and West Persia; 2. East Persia and West Afghanistan; 3.
Toorkistan. The first of these, naturally is now and must always be
supplied from Trebizond, Tiflis, or Resht, and is therefore quite unaffected
by this question. The second tract is now, and always must be supplied
from Astrabad, as that is the best port for the purpose, and it is connected
by the best, safest, and most direct roads with the main points to be
supplied, viz., Mushudd and Herat. The third tract includes the whole
of the Oozbek Khanates, and a glance at the map will show that either
of the lines I have traced in considering the military part of the question,
are the most direct, the safest, and the cheapest that can be adopted, not
only for military stores, but for merchandize. Therefore, in this case,
unless we accept the theory that the commercial prospects of Russia in
Central Asia are likely to be improved by their adopting unsafe, expensive,
and desert routes in preference to those above-mentioned, we are forced
to the conclusion that no less with the commercial than the military, the
proposed advance of frontier cannot better their position. There is one
other point to be considered, that is, would the advance proposed in
any way improve the frontier, of which the Russians are already in pos
session. Happily, to the East the limit of Russian advance has been
settled, so far as frontier engagements with a power who does not hesitate
to tear up her treaties, can be regarded as any settlement, and up to
Khojeh Salih, it has been admitted by the Russian Government that the
Oxus shall form the limit of their interference. To the west of this,
however, this settlement has unfortunately not been continued, and,

250 APPENDIX.
supposing Russia to be guiltless of any ulterior object, other than the
consolidation of her present possessions in Toorkistan, we are driven
to consider what would be the most expedient frontier line for her
to adopt. Here again a reference to the map will show us, that from
Khojeh Salih west to the Caspian, between the settlements irrigated by
the Oxus on the north, and those which draw their supply of water from
the mountains of Persia and Afghanistan on the south, there lies the
waterless desert of the Kara Koom, forming perhaps the very best and
most unassailable defensive frontier that exists in the whole world, a
frontier stronger than the most formidable range of mountains, and
more impassable than the broadest ocean.
I have now shown what the proposed advance of the Russian frontier
would not do. I have explained that only by keeping within their present
line, can their military communications remain good ; only by retaining and
improving the present roads, can their commercial prospects be improved;
and only by keeping to the north of the desert, can their frontier line be
bettered. What then does the advance south really give themp It
gives them a position of great strategical importance for the offensive,
whereas, adherence to their present frontier, would infallibly end all neces
sity for further conquests, and would certainly admit of their turning their
attention to the material improvement of their present possessions. If
they once overstep it, they assume a position of menace to Persia, Afghani
stan and India. The truth is, and it cannot be too often or too plainly
stated, Russia in this advance has an ulterior object, an " arriere pensee,"
and that is, aggression. I have no hesitation in saying, that her griev
ances against the Toorkmuns, her pleas of the wish to improve her
military and commercial position, are the merest pretexts, and pretexts
insulting to the understanding of any one who has any knowledge of
Central Asian Geography.
Of course it cannot be hoped that Russia will prove unsuccessful in
her campaign against the Toorkmuns, for, however unfortunate might
be the opening of it, she must succeed in the end. Though perhaps her
progress might be slow, I do not myself entertain any doubt of her
success. The Toorkmuns, though their bravery is much vaunted by
themselves and the terror-stricken Persian peasants, whom they have for
the last century made their prey — are really not a formidable foe to any
one ; to a European force they are simply contemptible. And who is there to
help them ? The Persians have already learnt by experience the futility of
opposing the Russians single handed ; the Afghans with all their turbu
lence and boastfulness, have little sympathy with the Toorkmuns,
combined with a wholesome respect for the Russians; the Oosbeck
Khans have shown themselves weak individually, and quite incapable
of combination. One power only can do it, that is England, and she will
not. She hitherto has, like the ostrich, hidden her head in the sands of
ignorance, and refused to see the danger; or, wrapping herself up in the
mantle of self-complacency, she persists in believing there is none.

APPENDIX. 251
Despite the warning of many of her ablest officers, despite the inexorable
logic of facts, she lives on in a fool's paradise, letting her enemy carry the
outer walls, and hoping without grounds for hope, that he will not assail
the inner, saying almost as plainly as if put into words, to the people of
Persia and Afghanistan, " You may be the rightful defenders of our outer
walls, but we know ye not, we have our treasures safe in our midst, so we
care not how ye may be spoiled." Here it may be asked, if I know that many
abler voices than mine have been disregarded, why undertake the thank
less task of reiteration? I answer, in all humility and in all loyalty,
because I do not yet despair; because I think it is the duty of all never
to cease the cry of warning as long as they see a danger to their country ;
because, even one small word of warning now, may, if attended to, save
England much money, many valuable lives, and much disaster, if not
dishonour, hereafter.
Therefore, taking it for granted that if we do not interfere the Russians
will successfully carry out their designs upon Merv, let us now consider
what will be the result of this move.
What has been once it will be allowed may be again, and we have only
to look back on the history of Russian progress in Central Asia in the
past, to get an exact picture of what it will be in the future. In 1864
the Emperor of Russia ordered that a new frontier line should be taken
up to connect the line of the Syr Daria and that of Siberia. The order
for this was explicit ; the line was to be limited by the northern slopes of
the Alexandrofski and Karatagh mountains, which bound the Kirghiz
Steppe on the south ; yet in 1874, the Russian frontier had advanced to
the Oxus ! Our own experience on our north-west frontier, shows how
even a government which, like our own, does not wish to overstep its
frontier, may find it very difficult to hold its hand. Although our fron
tier on the north-west of India can clearly not be improved for defensive
purposes by any advance, such has been the irritation caused by the con
stant raids of the tribes over the border, that there is scarcely any part
of it which the Government has not been urged to advance. Of course, -
as Herat has really capabilities of being made a strong place, it may be
said that it could hold out till we could relieve it, especially as it would
be garrisoned by Afghans. Now, in the first place, the Afghans are
notoriously the most faithless race in Asia, and it would be unreasonable
to suppose that Russian gold would not very soon create a party devoted
to its interests, even if I did not know, from my visit to the valley, that
a strong Russian party already exists there. Secondly, what right have
we to suppose that the Afghan garrison, though stanch, would have
sufficient courage to resist an assault from Russian troops? We know
that General Pollock with 5,000 troops, of which only part were English,
and the rest the since much run-down Poorbeea sepoy, marched through
the most difficult defiles of Afghanistan, though they were defended
by the Ghilzaes, by far the bravest of that race, flushed with success.
Therefore, what right have we to expect that 5,000 Russians with modern

252 APPENDIX.
arms, and the spell of prestige on their side, backed by swarms of Toork
muns and thousands of brave Koords, could not take from the Heratees,
the most pusillanimous race in Afghanistan, their city. And once they
are in possession of Herat, they would fortify it so that with 50,000
men we could not retake it, and then they would secure the direct line of
communication with the Caspian, and Northern Khorassan would be
absorbed. I have thus, I hope, shown that the result of this present move of the
Russians may become, to say the least of it, a most serious affair for us,
if nothing is done to prevent it. I have purposely stopped at their occu
pation of Herat, as it is unnecessary to follow up the question further,
because here we come to a point on which most Englishmen agree.
It is a very old saying, that prevention is better than cure, and there
never was a case in which this is more applicable than here. I think, I
hope, it is not yet too late. I trust there is yet time to prevent by diplo
macy, what can only be cured by war ; and when I think that prevention
means peace, time to improve our position in India so as to make it un
assailable from without, means opportunity so to shape our Government
as to make it inexpugnable from within, and that cure means war, a war of
which no man could foresee the end or the cost, surely no soldier, however
ardent, could wish for the last, if the first was by any means attainable.
To prevent it now is, I admit, a most difficult question. Frightened by
the disasters of forty years ago, we have persisted in turning a deaf ear
to the warnings which have been given, have been lulled into a false
security by the distance of our rival, and by his specious and false
promises, and we have striven to- believe that each cry of uneasiness
from those on the watch was but the cry of wolf. And now that
none can disregard the cry, now that the wolf is at the door, we wake
but to find the question a hundredfold increased in difficulty. Let us
not, therefore, any further blink it. Let us at last face it, as we read
Englishmen used in the days of old to face questions of national danger,
not merely with straightforwardness but with firmness, and with fearless
courage. Diplomatic Notes, like mustard-plasters, may be very useful in slight
maladies, but this case has become chronic, and requires a bold plunge
of the knife, directed by a firm hand and a clear head. Sir Henry
Rawlinson has apparently accepted the Russian occupation of Merv as a
fait accompli, and would answer it by going to Herat. I so far
agree with him that I say if the Russians do get Merv, we must go to
Herat. But, because I consider the occupation of Herat would be
such a serious step, a step from which there could be no drawing back,
and of which no man could tell the end, I would try rather to prevent it,
to turn the stream of Russian aggression from setting in that direction,
than have to erect a dam at once to stop its full flow.
Our proper course then, is at once to resolve— there is no time to wait
now, for even as I write it may be too late— on a strong decided policy,

APPENDIX. 253
and take immediate steps to carry it out unfalteringly. Our policy
hitherto has been termed " masterly inactivity," but it seems to me to
deserve the adjective as little as the substantive. It has rather resembled
the drifting course of a piece of wood thrown into a stream, now gliding
gently on, now rushing forward, with the full force of the current to be
pulled up by a rock, or turned by a twig, anon whirling round in an eddy,
and then resting for a time in a quiet pool, or stuck hopelessly in the mud
of the bank.
Every one in their heart now agrees that the time has come to say " No
farther ;" some say so openly, others would like to say so, but there is the
bugbear of having to make up their mind, and they would fain drift
on a little longer. How much better would it not be to tell the Russian
Government, in polite but unmistakable language, that we regard her
operations on the east coast of the Caspian and towards Merv, not
only as a violation of the territory of our ally Persia, but as a menace
to our bulwark Herat. Let it be clear that this is no idle threat by the
steps we shall take simultaneously to secure our note being heeded.
There are very many reasons why Russia should heed us ; now her
hands in Toorkistan are pretty full, she cannot see how far the rebellion
commenced in Khokand may spread, she knows that Khiva and Bokhara
are at best but precarious conquests, and that Daghistan is not quite
so friendly as could be desired, and she cannot think that the Toorkmuns,
Afghans, Persians, and Turks, would not gladly join against her. Again
the Eastern question is far from settled, and she does not number amongst
her neighbours, any who would join her in a war with England. Finally,
her army is still in process of organization, her finances could not
stand the strain of war, and she knows well we could do her a great
deal of harm without her being able at present to return the compli
ment. All this will, to use an expression applied by one of her writers to us,
make her "think seven times;" all this is favourable to our acting at last
decidedly. But we have seen too much lately in the contemptous manner in which
our representations have been received, grounds for belief in the success
of any Note which is not backed up, or rather preceded by, the evidences
of a change in our policy in the East.
The fault hitherto has been not so much that our pohcy has been one
of inaction, but that we have had no settled policy at all. This must
not continue. We have till now been separated by vast stretches of desert,
and it really has not mattered to us what the Russians were doing ; but
now this is no longer the case. Her presence, which before but loomed
afar off, is now a close tangible reality.
I may be asked, why take our stand here — why not, urges that fatal
sophistry which is always for putting off the evil day, let them come
on, let them toil on painfully through the barren, waterless plains of
Afghanistan, till wearied by long marches, wasted by hunger, harassed

254 APPENDIX.
by myriads of Afghans, they emerge dispirited and ripe for defeat by our
fresh troops on the plains of Hindostan.
The reason simply is, because the Russians will not arrive at our
frontier wearied and wasted, harassed and dispirited, but if we fold our
hands still and with a smug smile of satisfaction let them come, they
will arrive strong and hearty, with their supplies of all kinds up, not with
myriads of Afghans (that broken reed on which we so much rely)
fighting against them, but on their side, and with thousands of wild
ruffians from all parts of Asia, and with the immeasurable power which
prestige gives in war. She will find to meet her, a Government who
has been living in a fool's paradise; English battalions wasted by
watching an unhealthy frontier, Native troops dispirited by the success
of the mighty phantom they are at last to face; and behind all " a seething
festering mass of disaffection."
Whatever the sophistry of optimists may tell us, I as a soldier cannot
be blamed for placing my reliance rather in strategy, and strategy tells
me that Russia must be fought if we are to fight her, as far from India
as may be, in Persia, in the Caucasus, in Afghanistan, and on the Sea.
Therefore I think now, we may be said to have arrived at a stage
when we can say what we do want, and what we do not care about.
We know that Russia may go on absorbing to the East as long as she
likes, and as much as she can, and we are aware that she may not go
further South. She cannot have Afghanistan, because that is too near to
otir frontier, and she might turn her turbulent subjects against us. She
cannot have Persia, as, if established there, she would not only deprive
us of the power of acting on her flank, but would place herself on ours.
She cannot have Turkey, or at least Asia Minor, and the Bosphorus,
because, again, she would be able to act on our flank.
Putting the last out of the question as, though intimately connected
with the subject, we have not time to enter into it now, let us follow
up our thesis. It is to our disadvantage that Russia should have
Merv, because through it she may attack Herat, and through Herat,
India. It is very undesirable she should remain on the east coast of
the Caspian, because she gains access unquestioned to routes which lead
to the same end as the first proposition ; she must not advance further
towards Azurbyan and from the south coast of the Caspian, because she
would paralyze Persia, whom it is our interest to keep strong and on
friendly terms with ourselves.
Therefore, while we always conciliate Turkey so that she shall ever
remain our ally, let us strengthen Persia and make Afghanistan un
assailable. Of course then it follows, that the three first main points to
attend to are the cessation of Russian projects on Merv, her withdrawal
from the east coast of the Caspian south of Krasnovodsk, and the imme
diate delineation of the north Persian frontier.
I have said that I should not expect much from one of the usual diplo
matic notes. These have hitherto had too much the result observable

APPENDIX. 255
when one feeds a naughty child with sweetmeats, giving all the sweetness
away and leaving only the stickiness on our own fingers. Considering,
however, the present state of affairs, I should be inclined to hope some
thing from a note which should embody a desire for satisfaction on the
three points noted in my last paragraph, if such note was preceded —
firstly, by the despatch of English officers to put the defences of Bala-
Moorgab, Kohsan and Herat in order; secondly, by negotiations for
the acquisition of sites at Mohumrah and Ormuz from the Persians ;
thirdly, by the despatch of English officers to the Persian Army, and
by giving a hearty support to that country. All these measures
have the advantage of being tentative, leaving our Government free to
act further on. The first would show a determination that come what
may the Afghan frontier must not be crossed ; the second would show an
intention of taking advantage of the power of acting on the flank of
Russia, should she openly menace Persia ; and the third would display a
resolve that as far as may be, Persia shall be our friend and in a position
to give as well as receive material aid. Finally, we on our parts must
undertake measures for the pacification of the Toorkmuns, so as to remove
this sore.
Of course we have allowed matters to go so far now, that it is probable
we may not be able by these means to stay the Russians in their advance ;
and while confessing this, I would fain hope that as she is as yet by no
means committed to any conquest of Merv, or any retention of the large
slice of Persian territory she has taken on the east coast of the Caspian,
that seeing clearly she has got beyond the stage of Oozbeck resistance,
she will acquiesce with a good grace.
The despatch of English officers to Herat, is a measure of the feas-
ability of which there can be no doubt, nor if they go through Persia as
they easily may, and in fact should, would there be any danger. The
people of the Herat province are extremely favourable to English people,
and I would not anticipate, provided ordinary precautions were taken,
much more danger to their lives there, than in one of our frontier sta
tions. Once there, the chief of the party should be supplied with money
to pay for the necessary fortifications, and he should have power to
arrange for satisfactory garrisons. By these means the important points
of Kohsan, Ghorian, Bala Moorghab and Herat, could easily be placed
beyond the possibility of falling by a coup de main; and if good arrange
ments were made to prepare for the quick advance of a supporting force
from India, and for procuring good intelligence from the Russian direc
tion by means of agents at Astrabad, Mushudd, and Maimunna, the
advantage of the Russians in having possession of Merv would be
annulled at once, if not eventually altogether destroyed.
The acquisition of sites at Mohumrah and Ormuz, would have not
only the advantage of enabling us in time of war to act on the flank of
the Russians, but it would enable us in time of peace, by forming commer
cial depots at these places and by spending money for the improvement

256

APPENDIX.

of the roads, to eviscerate from Persia and Afghanistan all the trash in
the shape of Russian merchandise with which these countries have now
to be contented.
It has before now been remarked that the value of supporting Persia is
problematical; but one has only to look at any map of Central Asia to
see how fallacious such an assertion is. As has been said by one of our
first strategists, " The geographical position of Persia gives her a stra
tegical importance of the highest magnitude with reference to India."
She, in fact, occupies the key to the whole position. If it were a
European question, no such folly as the disregarding a country holding
a position of such strategical value as Persia does, would be tolerated for
a moment. But it may be urged that Persia is dying, there is no life in her, either to
oppose Russia or help us. I beg leave to contest that view. Let us
not forget that threatened men live long ; nor how often we have seen
apparently moribund states in India successfully galvanized into hfe.
Therefore, we need not shrink from trying the experiment on so valuable
an ally as Persia would be. There is an immense deal, no doubt, in Persia
that might well be rectified ; but bad as she is, I consider her with her
polished, intelligent and generous chiefs, her brave, enduring, unbigoted
peasantry, a far more promising patient than many a native state which
we have restored to health in India.
Therefore, I say, in the words of two of our best writers on the
strategy of this subject, " On Persia must we fix constant attention."
" Let us grapple her to us by hooks of steel, forged in the furna'ce of
mutual self-interest."
The despatch of officers to the Persian army, is a proposal which has
been made times without number, but which has always fallen to the
ground, partly from ignorance of its real value, partly from our own half-
heartedness. The real value of such a step as providing the Persian army with
officers, hes not only in the friendliness which it evinces, in the support
it would give the Persians, but also in the fact that the corps d'armee
thus disciplined would supply us with a very formidable nucleus of a
force for operations to the north, either towards Astrabad or Tabreez.
Of the value of the material in Persia, I cannot conceive any one who has
seen Persian troops doubting for an instant.
I am aware that the Russians are very fond of decrying the possi
bility of ever making soldiers of the Persians ; but I have seen Persian
troops of all branches, in various parts of the country, and though their
organization is quite lamentable, there is no doubt in my mind as to
their capabilities. The Persian soldier is physically well-built, he is
extremely hardy and enduring, and considering all things wonderfully
amenable to orders. In physique, he is, in fact, superior to all but a
few of the very best of our Indian regiments ; he is quite as hardy and
enduring, and is more amenable to orders than a Pathan. And if we

APPENDIX. 257
remember that the Persian Government so ill-treat their troops, that only
the scum, those who can by no possibility raise enough to bribe themselves
off, ever serve, there can be little doubt that troops raised by English
officers would be far superior in physique and intelligence to the present
army. The greatest difficulty no doubt, would be the payment of these troops,
but it is a difficulty to which we are in India far from unaccustomed, and
should not, therefore, be insurmountable. The Persian Government
have to disburse a certain sum for their troops now, and would not object
to continue to pay this amount. As in theory the Persian troops are by
no means very badly paid, it would only be necessary to raise their pay
a little, say 3 tomauns or 24 rupees per annum, and to see that the full
amount really reached the soldier. And if, in addition, we agreed to
supply all the arms, accoutrements and uniforms necessary free, we could,
no doubt command the market.
Supposing that the force thus raised consisted of 3 divisions of infantry,
of 6 regiments 1,000 strong each; a division of cavalry of 6 regiments,
each 600 sabres strong, and 2 batteries horse artillery ; 8 batteries, field
artillery and 2 siege batteries, together with sappers, we may roughly
calculate the cost as follows : — TOMATJNS
Clothing 18,000 infantry  72,000
4,000 cavalry  16,000
2,500 artillery  10,000
„ 1,000 sappers  4,000
102,000

or £40,000

Extra pay for 25,500 men at 3 tomauns=75,000 tomauns, or £30,000.
The sum of 4 tomauns per man may seem very small, but I think it
would be ample, if the troops were clothed in the fabrics of the country,
which produces everything that could be required.
The cost of arming would depend on the weapon given ; but it would
only be heavy the first year, after which a small sum would suffice for
repairs, &c. £50,000 would be about the cost of the English officers and
their assistants, so that the whole annual sum required would probably
be under £150,000.
There are some objections which will be made to this scheme, and
one no doubt will be the extra expense. No doubt the expense will be
considerable if the compensating gain be not also taken into considera
tion. But when we consider, what is undoubtedly the fact, that the
present strength of the Indian army is totally inadequate to the defence
of such an empire as ours, and that there are very strong political
objections to increasing it, it is evident that a plan which promises us such
a considerable addition of strength, at such small cost, must commend
VOL. II. S

258 APPENDIX.
itself. £150,000 is, no doubt, a large sum to pay, but then a like increase
to the native army in India, which would otherwise be necessary,
would cost £700,000 ; therefore this objection disappears. And after all
is £150,000 a large sum to pay as an insurance for an empire that brings
in fifty millions revenue P But we might reasonably expect Persia to pay
£40,000 of this sum.
Another point may be urged. We may, it is true, raise and train a
force in Persia, but can we trust it not to act against us ? This, certainly,
is a danger, but it is no new one to us, for more than 100 years we
have been living exposed to it in India. Whatever may be said, there is
always the chance of our native troops rising against us as they did
before. But if such an argument were considered final, there would be
an end to all enterprise, and we might as well give up the advantages of
steam because engines are liable to blow up. Surely we may trust the
intelligence and vigilance of our officers to prevent any such ending ; or
if these troops did turn against us, we might rely on the firmness and
resource of the officers to make their mutiny futile.
I say nothing here of other measures, which are of great importance,
as they only indirectly affect the question at issue. But the question of
a railway from the Mediterranean to Baghdad at least, is one which, while
it is of real strategical value to our position in India for all times, would
indirectly, yet very sensibly, influence the action of Russia in this ques
tion. A glance at the map will show what a power such a line would
give us, to act offensively either from England or from India on Russia's
still precarious conquest the Caucasus.
I have said the advantage of the measures which I have proposed
is that they do not commit us to a war with Russia. For though
that is a contingency which is not impossible, we have many more
rounds to fire before we need resort to the cold steel of this question. No
one can seriously question our perfect right to send officers to Herat,
or to acquire trading stations for the promotion of our commerce, or to
cultivate more friendly relations with Persia, and least of all can
Russia. These measures, though doubtless likely to be most disagree
able to that Power, are strictly defensive, nay, even precautionary. The
most rabid Anglophobist could not term them aggressive, and if the
Russians do not like them, even they can be stopped, not by promises,
for these we are weary of seeing broken, but by the agreement of
Russia to what alone can be to us a sufficient guarantee, viz., her
withdrawal from the east coast of the Caspian south of Krasnovodsk, of
her cessation of operations against Merv, and her acceptance of the
Persian frontier from Krasnovodsk along the Kara Koom desert, north of
all the water of the Tejund and Moorghab and the extension of the
Afghan frontier to Kerkee.
If the Russians really accepted these proposals, in which there is
absolutely nothing that the proudest nation on the earth could object to,
we too ought to fulfil our part. I have said the time for standing apart

APPENDIX. 259
is past, our smug complacency has brought us very near a great danger,
but now let us be roused, and let us not relapse. Our interest in and
support of Persia, our efforts for the demarcation of this frontier must
not be spasmodic but continuous. Therefore I say we must fulfil our part.
The pacification of the Toorkmuns by the Russians, is no doubt quite
feasible ; but it is objectionable, as placing them in an offensive position of
great strategic importance against India. For this reason, we desire
they should not undertake the subjugation of these people. Yet the fact
remains, that these scoundrels must be reduced to order. Not only Russian
convoys must be safe to come and go, but all merchants must traverse
the once dreaded Dusht-y-Toorkmun with safety, and slavery must cease.
The case stands thus : the Russians may not do it, the Persians and
Afghans cannot, therefore we must. This is our work, and surely though
it may be difficult, though much of it may be rough, it is one from
which no English officer would shrink, and which I trust no Englishman
would think ignoble. It would be the crowning of the efforts we have
made elsewhere for the extinction of slavery, for here is still a spot in
the world where it flourishes, and who could more properly undertake its
extinction than Britain P
Undertake to control the Toorkmuns ! I can hear echoed in tones of
dismay by those who have not sufficiently studied the subject. Yes, I say,
it is quite feasible to turn even these scoundrels into peaceable beings.
And firstly, the regeneration of the Toorkmuns has already begun.
Already has Russia, by the noble act of releasing thousands of Persian
slaves, and cutting their kidnappers off from the markets of Toorkistan,
forced them to foresee the day when they must give up all their former
habits, and a Persian child may pass unquestioned through their midst.
By closing the markets which made kidnapping so profitable a specula
tion, Russia has given the slave trade its death-blow, and we have
not now to deal with the vice in its full vigour, but only to crush out its
remaining sparks of life. Nature too is on our side to help us. The
Toorkmuns are not like some of the tribes on our north-west frontier
forced to this life in order to live. They have other ample means
of livelihood, and all Mervees, Akhals, and Gamoods in the unrivalled
fertility of the Moorghab valley, in the wastes along the Tejund, in the
beautiful but now desolate valleys of the Attock range, and on the banks
of the fertilizing Attruk and Goorgan, can find room for ten times their
number to live in affluence. Besides in the manufacture of their beautiful
carpets, house furniture and tent fittings, and in the fabrication of the
excellent camel-hair cloths for which they are famous, and in the
rearing of their unrivalled breed of horses, they have other and very
lucrative means of subsistence.
Still, though all this is true, though there is no need for living the
devils' life they do, we must not expect them to desist from it, unless
also it is made too dangerous to continue it.
Indeed this is the case with us all. We often will not give up bad

260 APPENDIX.
habits, even though it be proved to be our advantage to do so, till
fear of the law, or dread of public opinion can be added to the incen
tive supplied by self-interest. We must in fact make the Persians and
Afghans on the Toorkmun frontier adopt strong measures, and see
that they apply John Jacob's motto for the Sind frontier. " Parcere
subjectis et debellare superbos." The first step towards this is to
delineate the northern frontier of Persia and Afghanistan, that we
may see clearly where the responsibility lies. I will therefore now
shortly consider this subject in connection with the only three sections
of the Toorkmuns about which there would be any question, viz.,
Gamoods, Akhals and Mervees. The Gamoods lie partly to the north
of the Bulkhan range, and partly to the south, while to the east they
extend as far as the Sumboor River. The former belong to the section
generally known as the Khivan Gamoods, the latter to that which may be
termed the Attruk Gamoods. But if once a frontier hne were delineated
it would matter little to what section they belonged ; as clearly all to
the north would belong to Russia, all to the south to Persia.
Even if it were reasonable, which it is not, it would be useless to
expect the Russians to give up their establishment at Krasnovodsk or
their claims to the route by the old bed of the Oxus to Khiva, and
therefore it is clear that the frontier must be drawn south of these points.
This is fortunately easy to accomplish, as between the Little Bulkhan —
which is a continuation of the Kurendagh and Attock range — and the great
Bulkhan, which belongs to another system of hills, lies a well-defined
hollow, which affords a perfectly clear frontier line at this point. This
should, therefore, run from a point on the coast opposite the Island of
Chelehen, to the north foot of the Little Bulkhan range, thence it
should continue along, about lat. 39° 15', outside or north of the point
where the Moorghab is lost in the desert, from which it should run
south of all the Ursaree camps and north of those of the Kara and
Alich Toorkmans, to the Oxus below Khoja Saleh.
Now this would place half the Gamoods in Persian territory, and half
beyond it, but this, though apparently an objection, is really not so, as the
Toorkmuns are not united by any tribal ties, and as all the ground near
old debouchure of the Oxus is very barren ; once the Gamoods saw that
their old raiding must cease, the two natural divisions would instinctively
draw away from each other, and concentrate for the sake of the water
and the better soil on the Oxus and Attruck respectively.
With reference to the Akhals, the whole of their camps are situated
well within the frontier line sketched above, and the peaceful habits
which they would be forced to adopt, would tend to induce them to occupy
and cultivate the fine valleys, of north Khorassan and draw them more
and more from the Attock.
The settlement of the Merv Tukkehs I consider a different question,
and I will therefore for the present, confine myself to the foregoing
sections. The problem before the Persian Government is the suppression

APPENDIX. 261
of the lawless habits of the Attruck Gamoods and of the Akhals, and
this I have no hesitation in saying that they are quite competent to do,
provided only the ample means at their disposal were guided by the
clear head, firm will, and unbiassed mind of an English officer.
The whole strength of these Gamoods does not consist of more than
10,000, and there can be little doubt that the Shah could, from the war
like Muzanduranees, from Astrabad, and the chiefships on the Goorjan,
from friendly Gamoods and Goklans, from Shahrood, Bostam, Jahjurm,
Nurdeen, raise more than sufficient forces to coerce the irreconcileable
atoms which compose this people, who, though formidable to helpless
travellers, are not in the least so to properly armed men, and are con
temptible to a homogeneous force guided by a skilful chief, with better
arms, and backed by artillery, of which the Toorkmuns have a decided
dread. The same may be said of the Akhals. The Shah, from the Koords of
Kullat, Madan, Durraguz, Koochoon, and Boojnoord, the Huzaras of
Isfurayeen, the inhabitants of Subzwar, and Nishapoor, could raise a
force which, backed by regular regiments and batteries of artillery,
would soon render all resistance on their part futile.
So that the fact is, the settlement of this part of the Toorkmun frontier
is feasible, nay, almost easy, provided only we give the officers necessary,
and advance such money and stores as may be required to start the
expedition. The result of these measures would not be long in showing
themselves if commanding military positions were selected in the Toork
mun country. If everything was done as far as possible to lead them to
give in willingly, I should expect our officers in six months after com
mencing operations to be able to report very considerable progress.
The feasability of bringing these Gamoods and Akhals into subjection
is shown by the fact that formerly they were distinctly under Persian rule,
as is proved by the remains of the old Persian frontier, rightly reported
by Valentine Baker to run along the outer skirt of the cultivable ground
on the north of the Attock range, the whole way from Kizzil Urvat to
Surrukhs, and this line might easily be re-occupied.
The Russians themselves have moreover acknowledged the perfect
feasability, if proper measures were taken by the Persians, of reducing the
Toorkmuns into order and making them good subjects.
The position of the Merv Tukkehs is somewhat different. They are
further removed from Persian territory, their hostility to their Sheea
neighbours is more pronounced ; they are more powerful and more united,
and besides, they do not, like the Gamoods and Akhals, occupy territory
which must belong as a necessity to Persia. Merv is separated from the
culturable land belonging to Persia, by a desert 100 miles in breadth, but
their lands are continuous with, and inseparable from, those of the
Afghans. In this, therefore, lies the solution of this difficulty ; their sub
jugation by the Persians would be difficult, because they would resist
strongly, and they hate them as Sheeas most bitterly, but thetr absorption

262 APPENDIX.
into the territory of their Soonee neighbours, to whom they have already
offered allegiance, would be easy and natural. It is to be expected that
a firm, yet kindly English officer, would gradually wean them from their
lawless habits ; but if not, they could be far more easily and effectually
coerced from Herat than from Mushudd.
Therefore the rectification of the Afghan boundary which should be
made in this direction, ought to be such that it would take in the whole of
the culturable land watered by the Moorghab, and run south to the
right bank of the Tejund opposite Surrukks, and east to the point on
the Oxus, north of its present limit, Khoja Salih.
It may be said that this solution of the difficulty would commit us to
too great interference and responsibility in the affairs of Persia and
Afghanistan. But I would remark that, however we may strive, we can
not with any due regard to the position we have taken up in Asia, shirk
our responsibility in these countries. We are losing daily, indeed, we
may almost be said to have lost, our influence in Khorassan, and as
surely as we continue to neglect our interests as we have hitherto done,
so surely will the blight of doubt in our power spread eastwards till it
eats into the hearts of our subjects in India, as it has into those of our
former friends in Khorassan.
This solution may commit us to interference, but it must be remembered
that by no lesser interference can we secure the desired end, that by
altogether abstaining from any we force Russia to play her game to our
own detriment ; while even if we failed quite to suppress the Toorkmuns,
we should at least have done some good, and be better off to that degree
than we are now.
It will be seen that all I have written hitherto, has been directly in the
interests of a peaceful solution of the difficulty now before us. I have
recommended that a courteous request should be made to the Russian
Government to withdraw from a position which, while it is causing
uneasiness to us, is not necessary to her honour to uphold, and is quite
injurious to her best interests to maintain. I have shown that as the
" vox et preterea nihil " policy has failed, it will be necessary to back up
this note by acts perfectly within our competence to perform, and quite
compatible with the maintenance of friendly relations for us to undertake ;
and as it cannot be expected that all the advantages, and none of the
difficulties should be ours, I have proposed that we offer to undertake
part of the latter to show our determination not to shirk our share.
Now we come to the second part of the question. Of course Russia
may refuse to do what we wish. In one of those masterpieces of
sophistry which her mouthpiece, Prince Gortschakoff, knows so well how
to pen, she may protest that nothing can be further from the minds of
His Imperial Master and the Russian people, than any act of hostility or
even unfriendliness against us ; but the irrepressible lawlessness of the
Toorkmuns jplaces it out of their power to accede to such a step as the
abandonment of a strong position for their control, and the withdrawal

APPENDIX. 263
from the east coast of the Caspian. Her Majesty's Government need be
under no apprehension ; Herat lies far beyond the zone of Russian inter
ference, and is moreover separated from Merv by an impracticable range
of snow-clad mountains. This, or such as this, may be the reply. But
let us not heed its length, its protestations, but look only to the facts, and
let us understand them. Such a reply would mean, in a few words, that
Russia had ulterior designs beyond Merv, and meant to take advantage of
every opportunity that our supineness or the force of circumstances gave
her. Then let .our Government be no longer inert ; let them then take up
the glove thus thrown defiantly in their faces, and reply, first by an act
which would place beyond all doubt our determination that no absorption
of the territory of our allies should take place, an act, recommended by
our greatest authority, Sir H. Rawlinson, the military occupation of
Herat; and secondly, by a note, still courteous, but plain. The note should
be to the effect, that while unwilling to discuss the necessity of an act
which had been accomplished, and most anxious still to maintain friendly
relations, we could not but regard any further step towards Herat, or
towards the annexation of more of Persian territory, as an open rupture
of such feelings, and take such further steps as circumstances might
dictate. There is, I know, a very strong belief on the continent that England's
power is a thing of the past ; there are, I regret, some Englishmen who
would have us act as if this were a matter for congratulation. This is
not the place for us to inquire at whose door lies the decadence of
England's name ; suffice it if we now believe that the country we are all
proud of, may still be a very formidable enemy to any one who succeeds
in that lately rather difficult feat of rousing the British Lion.
And if Russia threw down the gauntlet to us in Asia, she, particularly,
would find this to be the case. The numerical strength of the Russian
army no doubt must appear at first sight as immense as ours must
appear small. But this is not the question. Large as the Russian
army is, a very considerable portion of it must always be taken up for
the defence of her own frontiers, and but a small portion could ever be
sent to act offensively in Asia. I think it may be doubted if Russia could
keep more than 100,000 troops in the field in Central Asia, and secure her
wide-spread possessions at the same time. And if it were a war about
India, there is no reason why any European state should join her, while
it is undoubted that she ought not to have a single ally in Asia.
There can be no question also that we could, with the resources of
India and England, place in the field forces aggregating a much larger
total than the above, and if I add that nothing but the most blundering
diplomacy or the most culpable negligence could prevent Turkey, Persia,
Afghanistan, and Beloochistan, with all their wealth of wild warriors,
from being heart and soul on our side, I think it must be allowed that as
far as forces go we need fear nothing.
I will not enter into a needless comparison of the resources of England

264

APPENDIX.

and Russia, for no one can doubt that while we could easily bear the
strain of such a war, Russia would probably break under the burden.
Nor need I seek to show what incalculable damage we could do Russia
at sea, while she could not return the compliment in the slightest
degree. There is one other point where she might strive to weaken us, and
that is a point where it must be acknowledged we are weak. I allude to
attempts to sow disaffection and create rebellion in India. But as long
as we keep her from Herat, and as long as we continue our present wise
policy of conciliation in India, she could not do us much harm in this
respect. And let us not forget that two can play at this game. If
India is to a certain extent open to the seeds of disaffection, is not
Mussulman Russia one hundred times more so P Let Russia think well
over this. She knows better than we can surmise, what would be the
effect in Daghistan, Kheeva, Bokhara, and Khokund of a rehgious war,
a cry from the Commander of the Faithful, or of only a few English
agents jingling bags of gold near her frontier.
Thus, I submit, we have no cause to fear a war with Russia in Asia;
and I firmly believe that if our pohticians show they share this belief,
and that if it is provoked it shall be war to the knife, they will succeed
in preventing any war at all.
There is no doubt in my mind that the real danger lies in our per
mitting the Russians to concentrate unopposed at Merv, which is quite
within coup de main distance of Herat ; and it is in this fact, and this
alone, that the value of Merv to the Russians lies. Once place Herat
beyond the possibility of a coup de main, and I cannot imagine the astute
statesmen of Russia persisting in the occupation of an isolated spot in
the desert, the maintenance of which must cost a great deal.
I have also no hesitation in saying that Herat can be rendered secure
from a coup de main. To put such a place in a defensible state, at
least sufficient to enable it to withstand a siege, it is evident that the
services of a few well selected British officers, knowing the people and
the country, with sufficient money, the necessary amount of which Major
Sanders estimates at £65,000, would be all that would be required.
And as such officers are easily procurable, and money attainable, and as
the road to Herat through Persia is open to them to ride over any day
they please, it is clear that only the acquiescence of the Amir of
Afghanistan is necessary to put this part of my plan in hand at once.
And if a sufficient number of officers were sent, there are several other
points to which they might devote their energies, and which would all
tend to the same end. The first would be, the selection of points on the
north frontier of Afghanistan, which, if strong forts were erected, would
aid indirectly in the protection of Herat. Of course, without having
gone over the ground, it is impossible to say exactly where these should
be, but it would probably be desirable to select a post lower down the
Hurree Rood than Kohsan, to protect the road in the direction of Sur-

APPENDIX. 265
rukhs, and also at some point near Ak Tuppeh to command the Moor
ghab route. It would also be advisable to repair the defences of
Kohsan and Ghorian to the north-west, and of Bala Moorghab and the
Saraband pass to the north-east.
Secondly, it would be quite a feasible operation to seriously impair if
not altogether to destroy, the value of Merv, by inducing the Toork
muns to abandon that place and settle and cultivate higher up the valley
in Afghan territory, thus, at least, preventing as much water as was
required for their fields ever reaching beyond that point. That this
can be done, I have seen in the case of the Tejund, where there is
no doubt that if the Mushudd and Herat valleys were cultivated to
nearly the full extent they are capable of, no water would reach to Sur
rukhs except in floods, and it is evident that with the want of water, the
present importance of the position of Merv would be much lessened.
The occupation of Herat by a British force, to use Sir H. Rawlinson's
words, " may appear to some wild and extravagant." Visions will arise
of murdered envoys, imprisoned ladies, decimated legions, loss of honour,
defeat, bankruptcy, ruin. And I agree with him that it is time all such
nonsense should be relegated as fitting food for those who, to save some
of England's money, would drag England's honour in the dust.
The occupation would doubtless be a serious matter, and I have there
fore recommended the trial of other measures before proceeding to this
last. But surely now that we have recovered from our fright in regard to
Afghanistan, we may see something else than bogies ; our visions need
not be dimmed for ever by the fatal incompetence displayed at Kabul ;
the clouds have cleared off, and while there is much for us to be ashamed
of there, can we not see Outram coolly blowing up Ghilzai forts with
a regiment of Sepoys, Nott easily holding his own at Kandahar, and
Pollock with 5,000 men making his own way easily wherever he listed,
despite the resistance of by far the most warlike of the Afghans P And
should not all this prove to us that the occupation of Herat is a per
fectly feasible operation.
I must however record my dissent from any plan which goes further
than a purely military occupation, and I certainly would consider any
attempt to interfere in the political management of a single Afghan
district as but a return to the system from which we reaped so much
disaster in '42. Had our operations in Afghanistan been limited to a
strictly military occupation of the main strategical points of Kandahar,
Kabul, Ghuznee, Kullat, Ghilzai, and Jellalabad ; and had we not flooded
the whole country with young politicals burning to distinguish
themselves, there can be little doubt that we should have retired from
the country, if not without fighting, at least without disaster, or with
out leaving behind us as we did, a hatred which burns fiercely to this
day. It is true, if we could secure such cool heads and clear judgments
combined with tact, as are possessed by Henry Rawlinson and George
Macgregor, we might perhaps hope that the disadvantages of interfering

266 APPENDIX.
with the Afghans would be reduced to a minimum ; but we should not
commit ourselves to such a step in any such delusive hope ; and I dis
tinctly say, I should regard it as a very great blunder to have anything
to say to the political management of a single Afghan district. No,
the occupation of Herat is a purely military precaution, and should,
therefore be carried out in a purely military manner. The force intended
for the occupation of the necessary points in Afghanistan should be
marched from our frontier in one body, the strictest discipline being
everywhere maintained, and no precaution being anywhere neglected.
Each post, each town occupied, should be held on purely military con
siderations, and as if in an enemy's country. Depend upon it if this was
done, and no attempts made to interfere with the Afghans ; if every
thing were paid for liberally aud promptly ; if discipline were maintained
not less with reference to the marauding of the men, than to the
philandering of the officers, we should go further to make the Afghans
friendly, than if every post had its political agent, every detached
military officer his diplomatic adviser.
From my experience of Afghans there is not, I say, a shadow of
a doubt that if you are not prepared, so to speak, to knock them down
and jump on them, the less you have to do with them the better.
Whatever is required from the people in the way of assistance, whether
it be supplies, information, or men, can be better procured by the
judicious jingling of a bag of gold, than by all the political manage
ment in the world, and it seems to me that the right persons to procure
the first is the Commissary, and the second the Quarter Master General
under the direction of the General.
The number and constitution of the force may safely be left to the pro
per military authorities to determine, and the General should not be ham
pered by directions which would interfere with his military judgment. In
deciding on the lines of communication which should be adopted, certain
considerations must receive their full weight. There are three lines open
to us, one of which would start from Dera Ishmael Khan, by the Choud-
wan route through the country of the Kakurrs and the Zhob valley ; and
then through that of the Doorannees to Kandahar ; the second from Dera
Ghazee Khan, first through a fringe of wildBaloches, next through wilder
Kakurrs, to the Pisheen valley ; and the third from Jacobabad by the
Bolan. Of these routes the second seems in most respects the preferable,
its base lies on the Indus, navigable so far ; it is within thirty-two miles,
of the railway, and forty-three miles of Mooltan, whence all its military
stores would be drawn. It is also the most direct. On the other hand,
it is not so well known as the Bolan route, and the tribes on it are so
lawless that they would probably occasion great difficulties to the com
munications. But as both the other routes share this defect in at
least an equal degree, and are much further off railway communication,
besides being longer in the aggregate, it may be allowed that the centre
line is the one to adopt.

APPENDIX. 267
As a necessary sequence to such a step, it follows that a support
must be pushed as far forward as may be, and as we have the right to
occupy Quetta, and we should be less likely here to get into complica
tions with the tribes, this place would be better suited for this purpose
than any other.
This, therefore, brings my subject to an end. As yet I have proposed
no measures which need provoke a war with Russia, yet it is un
reasonable to suppose they would be without their effect on the
Government of that country. I have said the great danger to which
we are now exposed, lies in the chance of Russian troops being per
mitted to advance within striking distance of Herat, while we ourselves
are far away, smiling complacently on the reports of those whom we have
so long termed alarmists. If the measures I propose are adopted,
Herat will be safe from anything but a long siege (which of course
argues open war) ; further, if steps are taken to bring about a closer
rapprochement with the Persian Government, to raise in that country a
corps d'armee devoted to our interests, and finally to open out the im
portant routes from Shoostar and Bundur Abbass, by which we can act
on the flank of the Russian communications which must start from the
Caspian, we shall place ourselves in the best position for conducting
that war to our own advantage.
The question for Russian statesmen will then become, What is now
the use of Merv to us ? It now scarcely promises us the possession of
Herat, while it entails on us a large present expenditure of men and
money ; may lead us on to further attempts, which were all very well in
the belief that the English were sleeping, but which can hardly bring us
advantage now. In this dilemma let them take the advice of one who
wishes as little to be their enemy as the rest of his countrymen, and
that is, " Retire from Merv, covered by a host of the pretty fireworks
your diplomatists know so well how to let off, and absorb elsewhere."

THE END.

Woodfall and Kinder, Printers, Milford Lane, Strand, London, W.C.

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