1857.] Account of the Lower Deraj at. 203 



mineral springs, as also a little drinking water and a few trees. 

 The pass through it leads into the Khorasan route, but it is difficult. 

 It is about fifty miles from this to the Black Eange, and to Hasan Shah 

 ke Kotlah, the nearest hamlet in the British territory, which is 

 peopled by a few Suyeds, is a distance of thirty miles. 



As we proceed further south the country becomes more broken, 

 and the lower range is not so well defiued as hitherto, being in 

 many places much lower than that which we have passed on our 

 way south. The first valley south of Gandrusi is called Tahani 

 from a small river flowing through it, which rises on the western 

 slope of mount Gendari (referred to in a subsequent paragraph) 

 and is distant from the last valley nine miles. It can scarcely 

 be called a valley, for the ground all round is very much broken, 

 and rises on all sides, in mounds and bluffs which are generally 

 of considerable height. There is a road through it along the 

 stony banks of the river when full, and along its bed when its 

 waters have somewhat subsided. It crosses the Harrand route, 

 and enters that leading into the Afghan country through Tall 

 and Chotiali, but it is difficult and tedious. The Black Eange 

 is thirty miles distant from this Darrah and the nearest village to 

 the east is Badli belonging to the Mazaris, distant eighteen miles. 



The Zangi Darrah, so-called from a river of this name rising 

 on the eastern slope of Mount Gendari, which forms the pivot, \i 

 I may be allowed to use a military expression, on which the Surukh 

 Eange turns directly west, and at right angles to its former di- 

 rection. It proceeds thus for about sixty or sixty-five miles, 

 and parallel to the Black Eange on the north in its bend to the 

 west, the two forming a long and extensive valley which runs up 

 almost to Sarwod to the north of Lehri in Kutch Gandawah, and 

 in which, about half way up, lies Kuhun the chief town of the 

 Mums. The Pass of Nufiisk is in the southern or Surukh Eange. 



The Ziingi valley, which is very stony and much broken, contains 

 but one small hamlet belonging to the Bughtis named Ali Khan, 

 and the only water procurable in the valley is bitter. The road 

 leading through it is steep and difficult for some distance, but im- 

 proves as the traveller proceeds westwards to Kahun, which i* 

 eight stages distant from this valley. The different halting-places 



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