In the evening I returned to Bánviz, with charming weather, when it became a question whether to proceed by night or by day, in consequence of the dangerous state of the road. I should have preferred the former, but my people were all so urgent that I should wait for daylight, saying that, if we were to be attacked, it were better to be by daylight, that I yielded to their wishes. November 17.-We set out early for the perilous stage, my baggage accompanied by an escort of fifteen matchlock-men, the direction at first on a bearing of 100°, and we had proceeded only a few hundred yards from the village when my greyhounds gave chase to a herd of eight antelopes. After travelling 3+ miles on the Nu Gumbez road, the direction altered to 110°. This plain appears greatest in extent from S.E. to N.W., in both which directions there is a clear horizon, showing that the level country extends far beyond. Its breadth N. and S. is likewise considerable. The road by Arakán (now a ruined place) lies about 6 miles S. of the one we were on. At 5 miles we reached a spot where two roads occur; one leading to Nu Gumbez, about 6 miles off, in a direction 70°; and the other, which we took, leading in a direction 120°: this latter is called the Jádeh Hadji Abdulleh, and is rather more direct than that by Nu Gumbez. At the 10th mile we alighted to breakfast, at a small stream covered in with brickwork, and flowing towards Nu Gumbez; and proceeding again, in direction 130°, we passed the ruined hamlet of Chehar Basheh, situated at the foot of the hills, some 7 miles S. of the road. At 10 miles the road gradually inclined to the E. to 115°, and soon afterwards we traversed an uneven tract, crossing at the 14th mile a little streamlet of intensely salt water, flowing N., and leaving a thick deposit of brine in its course. This point is considered the most dangerous on the road, and only five days previously a party of 25 Bakhtiari horsemen had carried off five laden camels belonging to some unfortunate villagers. Thence our direction was 135°, and soon after, dismissing our guard, the path varied between the above point and 120°. At the 19th mile the direction became 130° for 1 mile. 100 to 120° for 1 mile. (Here an Ab Ambar, or cistern, was passed 90° to 110° for 2 miles. (Here we passed a mile S. of a large brick 125° for 13 miles 110 for 13 } Kevvir or Salt Desert. 125 for 33 are two date trees. reach the Mezrach called Shehrabad, where there 125° for 23 miles, reach Aghdá. The distance is therefore about 33 miles. The caravanserai and village alluded to above as being unoccupied, were erected by the late Governor of Yezd, Hussein Khan, for the convenience and protection of caravans and travellers, in this otherwise deserted and dangerous tract of country, but his successors have allowed the place to become untenanted. The plain we have travelled over is a hard, dark, gravelly tract, more or less clothed with tufts and low bushes, and abounds in parts with game. Antelopes are numerous; the wild ass is also frequently observed; and we found the Hobara bustard and red-legged partridge. We alighted at a large new brick-built caravanserai, situated outside the small fort of Aghdá; a very ruinous, mean-looking place, around which a few date-trees are observed. It contains about 300 very poor families; but the adjacent ruins proclaim it to have been a place of more importance in former times. It lies nearly 2 miles north of the mountains bounding the south of the plain. It possesses a few gardens and fields; but the plain is so ill supplied with water, that under present circumstances it appears impossible that cultivation can be carried on to a greater extent, and the aspect of this little place and its environs is wretched in the extreme. The district of Aghdá appears to contain only two other places entitled to the name of village: these are Shemshabad, and Seyed Mahomed, near Aghdá, on the E.; and it has about 12 inhabited mezraehs. The productions are wheat, barley, cotton, excellent pomegranates, figs, grapes, peaches, plums, apples, water and musk melons, and cucumbers. Its revenue is 500 tomans. The people of Aghdá say that within the last eight months they have had three encounters with Belúch plunderers, and two with Bakhtiaris. About 40 days previously a fight had taken place at Seah Kuh, between 45 Tufenkchee matchlock-men of Aghdá and about the same number of Belúch, though the latter had about 100 men in reserve. The Tufenkchees had possession of a hill when they were attacked by the Belúch, four of whom they killed, and the head of one of them was brought in to the governor of Yezd, who gave a toman (9 shillings) for it. The other three were carried off by the Belúch, as is their custom whenever they are able. We proceeded from Aghdá on a bearing of 110°, passing at the 2nd mile the village Shemshabad, situated on the road-side to our left. At the 7th mile we passed two mezraehs, situated at about 1 mile distant, and 1 mile to our left, both called Sáv, and from this point the hamlet Arjenan bore S.E., distant some 7 miles. Thence the bearing of the road was 100° till the 10th mile, when we alighted to breakfast at a ruined mezrach called Chifteh, which consists of some enclosed cultivation of wheat and cotton, with fig and mulberry trees; thence 110° to the 11th mile, when we passed between Arjenan, situated 1 mile S., and two mezraehs, at about as much N. of us. VOL. XXV. с The road then varied, for of a mile, between 120° and 90°, over low hills; then on a general bearing of 100°, over smooth ground, for mile; 1 mile 130°; 2 miles 115°; from which point, in a direct line south, the mountains we had on our right since quitting Bánviz, terminated in a point; and another range a little south of them extended eastwards, at the time partially covered with snow. To the N., at the distance of a fursack, a tract of salt extends over a space of some miles. We continued on the last bearing one mile, the plain becoming perfectly bare, hardly a tuft being visible on it; then mile 110°, 2 miles 100°. The large village of Feruzabad lies about 2 miles to the N., and at about 7 miles in the same direction is the town Ardekan, to which there is a direct road from Náin. At the 21st mile was a small, square, deserted fort by the road-side; and at the 22nd mile the bearing was 105° for a mile, with the village Meyjerd 2 miles distant on our left. We then passed near extensive gardens, and at 23 miles reached Bideh, a village situated on an elevated part of the plain, and possessing a fine tract of field and garden land, on the former of which cotton and green barley were standing. A mile beyond, in direction 110°, brought us to the caravanserai of Meybut. Though I cannot estimate the distance travelled to-day at more than 24 miles, it is usually reckoned at 9 Arák fursacks. Meybut is a small walled town, containing some 300 to 400 houses, and about 40 shops; it has a ruined ditch, four gates, and a small ark or citadel within it; but it is less ruinous in appearance than either Náin or Aghdá, and within its walls there are many gardens. It is the second place in the district; Ardekan, distant 2 fursacks, being the first in importance-a small but flourishing town, inclosed by a wall, and possessing, as I was told, some 600 houses. This fine district, which is termed that of Ardekan and Meybut, belongs to Yezd, and appears to possess 17 villages and 8 hamlets, besides the two principal places above described. The revenues amount to 6500 tomans. Snow does not remain long on this part of the plain; but in winter a dry cold of considerable intensity is experienced. In so arid a country, the heats of summer must be oppressive. November 19.-Quitting Meybut, we proceeded about a mile, on a bearing of 140°, and then south, through fields of cotton and wheat, for another mile, 130°, which brought us to the hamlet of Shemshabad. One mile beyond, in the same direction, we passed the village of Bedrabad, occupying with its gardens a considerable space. The soil of the plain, for miles past, had altered from a hard dark gravel to a light soft mould, altogether barren, excepting where it is cultivated. At this part it is intersected by numerous water-courses, which give life to the various villages around. Direction, at the 5th mile, 120°, and at the 6th mile 140°, when we reached the village of Mahomedabad, and left the district of Meybut for that of Rusták. Here the plain is a sandy desert, the sand lying in high banks against the walls of the houses, and in small mounds in every direction. At the 8th mile we again reached a cultivated tract, where the labourers were strewing earth, taken from old mud walls and banks, over the fields to improve the soil. At the 9th mile we passed Ibrahim-abad, a small village to our right. The plain had narrowed considerably for some miles back, and was here of no great width. At 81 miles the direction altered to 135°, and of a mile beyond to 140°, the sand increasing in depth and extent, and ruins of villages which have been overwhelmed by it. At 9 miles we passed the village Shemshabad, lying a little to our left, and proceeding on a bearing of 120°, reached that of Izzabad at 10 miles. The village of Izzabad is gradually undergoing the change which the other villages of this plain have experienced from sand-drifts. On its southern side, the gardens and houses have been buried for the space of above 100 yards in breadth, and to the height of 15 to 20 feet, in a sand of the finest grain. It is now about ten years since the village has been exposed to this calamity, which by degrees is driving the inhabitants in the opposite direction to the drift. Houses are covered to their roofs on one side with sand, but on looking into them one finds them still inhabited. When the wind is strong the people close their doors and windows, and the nearest object becomes invisible outside. The district of Rusták, likewise belonging to Yezd, yields a revenue of 6080 tomans, and seems to contain about 22 villages and hamlets. It extends about 5 fursacks in length by 2 in breadth, and its productions are similar to those of the adjoining district of Meybut. The land, when sufficiently attended to, is very productive, the crops yielding from 5 to 30 fold; but water is very scarce, and the depredations of the insect sinn frequently thwart the labours of the husbandman. From Izzabad* we proceeded on a bearing of 160°, and presently got off the sand, on to the high road we had quitted yesterday, when the direction became 120°, the way leading through wellcultivated land belonging to villages on our right. At the 4th mile occurred the caravanserai of Hemmet-abad, the village itself lying off the road a little to the right; we then traversed sandy desert again, in which sand-hills of considerable size occur. At the 7th mile we passed through the large village of Ashkezer, situated amid sand-hills, and possessing extensive walled gardens; but I could perceive little other cultivation-the sands having also encroached on one side of this village. Thence the road passed over a hard tract again, the plain still decreasing in width as we advanced, and is probably not more than 15 miles across at this part. Towards the 9th mile was the village Zauch, situated a mile to our left, and having near it a remarkable hill called the Takht-e-Jemshid. Its sides are abrupt, and the summit level. Here I was told the district of Rusták terminates. After this sandy desert is again traversed. Beneath the sand is a firm indurated soil. After travelling 113 miles, we alighted to breakfast at the caravanserai of Gherdfilumerz, or Ghitfilumerz, a village with much neatly-cultivated land amid sand-hills. The preparation of the ground for cultivation in these parts appears to be generally performed with the spade, the soil being soft, fine, and almost destitute of stones, but it requires to be well manured. The productions are such as I have recently noticed. A jerib or khafiz of land is 90 square Persian yards. One muns and a half shahi of grain suffice to sow this space; and the produce is from 15 to 35 muns, or 10 to 23 fold, if the land be properly manured; otherwise, it will not return even the seed sown. Ata mile from Ghitfilumerz we passed a small square fort with double wall, belonging to the village Abrendabad, which extends eastward from it, and soon afterwards got upon a hard tract of plain, passing at the 15th mile the village Merdabad, a little off the road to our left. At the 16th mile was the village Kehnu, and that of Nussrabad immediately after, both likewise off the road to the left. On the S.W. and S. side, and almost adjoining the town of Yezd, are the villages Kucheh Beeák, Sere-Du Rah, Aristan, Khorem Shah, and Ab Shah; on the E. is Muriabad. I was met by an Istakbal, headed by the LieutenantColonel and other officers of a regiment sent out by the governor to escort me into Yezd,* which city we entered at the end of the 17th mile. 3. Route from Yezd, by Báfk and Zerend, to Kermán. December 7.-I proceeded from Yezd this afternoon, after calling on the Lieut.-Governor, Agha Khan, to thank him for his My previous Report to Her Majesty's Government contains a full description of the city of Yezd. |
