BOIjAN PASS EXPEDITION, 
Report of the March from Bet to Mustoong of the Jacobahad Mountain Train , on Escort 
with Major Sandeman , on Special Duty. 
Name of 
halting 
place. 
Remarks on road 
Made or unmade, cart or cattle, 
good or bad, &c. 
Remarks on camping 
ground:— 
High or low, open 
or confined, clean 
or dirty. Supplies, 
water, forage, &c. 
Remarks as 
to time and 
place of ap¬ 
pearance of 
cholera, fe¬ 
ver, or any 
other di- 
Apr. 
Doozan. 
A.M. 
4.30 
A.M. 
9.30 
Apr. 
26th 
and 
27th. 
Mustoong. 
P.M. 
3.0 
26th 
P.M. 
2.30 
27th 
Apr. 
28th 
to 
May 
1st. 
Halted at 
Mustoong, 
After descending to river bed, proceed up 
it northwards, and pass a gorge 300 yds. 
wide. The cliff (150 ft. high) can be crowned 
from the south. The gorge is half a mile 
long. Beyond, the river makes a sweep to 
the right. The track is nearly straight over 
a plateau. At 2 miles again descend into 
and cross bed of river (Bolan) : shallow run¬ 
ning water. Then for several miles over 
another plateau. To the right, lofty lime¬ 
stone ranges, distant 4 miles; to the left, 
the river, running in a deep bed, beyond 
which is a high mountain (Mahomed Ghuz- 
nee). At 6| miles again reached river bed, 
which is here the head spring of the Bolan 
river (Sir-i-Bolan), issuing from a rock to 
left of track. Here the route turns west¬ 
erly, and at 7\ miles becomes a defile, at 
first 80 yds. wide, between perpendicular 
cliffs 150 yds. high. These can be easily 
crowned before entering the defile. The 
ground above appears to present no diffi¬ 
culties to the movement of infantry. The 
defile is very narrow, lessening to 10 yds. or 
less, the containing walls being 300 ft. high. 
At 11 miles the pass forks—that to the left 
being the Bolan proper, the other leads to 
Doozan. The pass is here 150 yds. wide, but 
it soon narrows again. A winding defile of 
1| miles leads to the Duzan valley. At one 
spot this is almost choked by huge blocks 
of fallen rock. The marching being chiefly 
over loose shingle, was fatiguing. Guns 
carried on mules’ backs. 
From Doozan over the hill into the Bolan. Des¬ 
cent very steep. Field or horse artillery 
would have to unhook, and run guns down 
by hand. Next 4 miles narrow and winding, 
but heights accessible. Then a narrow 
valley, 500 yds. wide, lying S.W. and N.W. 
to W. This is bounded by a low range 
dividing from Dusht-i-beh Dowlet. This is 
crossed at a low part near further extremity 
of the valley. At 6 miles, Karlaki Kotal. 
The ascent is steeper than the descent, but 
it is not difficult. From hence the route lies 
over broad alluvial soil—the Dusht-i-beh 
Dowlet plain—quite flat, and capital march¬ 
ing. The plain is of very irregular shape, 
and divided by two ranges which nearly ap¬ 
proach each other. Route lies through gap 
between them. At 10 miles, Darwaza. Near 
here is an old well, called Outram’s Well. 
It was dry. Passing here, the track to Mus¬ 
toong lies S.W., that to Sir-i-ab and Shawl 
(Quetta) N.W. At 11 miles, arrive at foot 
of range which closes plain to W. Before 
reaching it, there is to the left, about 
1000 yds. from the track, a well 115 ft. deep, 
with a good supply of water. A few hundred 
yards beyond, is a small mud fort, belonging 
to Alladuna Koord. Two paths lead over 
the range: on this occasion the troops 
passed by the southernmost—which is ex¬ 
tremely difficult, and quite impassable for 
other than mountain guns. The other path 
(not known at first) was used by some of the 
baggage camels, and is much easier. Having 
crossed this range, the route lies nearly due 
S., down a narrow valley about 3 miles long; 
it then turns rather to the W. and enters the 
veryextensiveplain of Mustoong. The march¬ 
ing is now over alluvial soil and sand, and 
heavy in parts. The town of Mustoong, sur¬ 
rounded by gardens and orchards, is quite 
invisible till nearly reached, as it lies at a 
low level. The road skirts the fields and 
gardens to the camping ground, which is 
S.E. of the town. 
The Doozan valley is n ear¬ 
ly 2 miles long by f mile 
broad. Immediately be¬ 
fore entering it, there is 
a small stream of run¬ 
ning water from a spring 
situated in a narrow 
ravine to the right. The 
water only runs a short 
distance,and disappears 
under the shingle. 
There is sufficient open 
ground to camp a large 
force; but it is very 
stony, and cut up by 
small dry water-courses. 
The valley is surrounded 
by high hills. To the 
south, however, there 
is a less elevated part, 
over which a path leads 
direct to the Bolan, 
about a mile distant. 
Water from the spring 
abundant and good. 
Forage for camels plen¬ 
tiful. Grass on the 
hills in tolerable quan¬ 
tity. 
Fire wood less scarce than 
at the two previous halt¬ 
ing places. 
Mustoong is a consider¬ 
able walled town, said 
to have a population of 
6000. In it is a citadel 
( miri ) in which the 
Khan of Khelat resides 
when visiting the place. 
The works are of the 
usual mud-wall type, 
flanked with towers. 
They are in tolerable 
repair, but are of no 
strength naturally or 
artificially. 
The valley is well culti¬ 
vated: there are thou¬ 
sands of acres of wheat, 
barley, Lucerne grass, 
&c. It is studded with 
hamlets, thickset with 
walled gardens and or¬ 
chards. 
It is difficult to find a 
good camping ground 
near the town; all the 
level ground being used 
for crops and culti¬ 
vated. That used on 
this occasion was not 
very convenient, and 
quite unsuitable for a 
large force. 
Supplies abundant. For¬ 
age plentiful. Water 
abundant and very 
good. Firewood rather 
On the 25th 
& 26th Apr. 
fever and 
diarrhoea 
slightly less 
prevalent. 
From 27th 
April to 1st 
May, fever 
still preva¬ 
lent; diar¬ 
rhoea less 
so. 
Several days 
of some- 
dust storms 
and high 
winds. Some 
heat during 
the day, 
but nights 
chiefly. 
