74 
BOLAN PASS EXPEDITION (pAET II.) 
Mr. Furnivall (Under Secretary to Government, Railway Department), 
joined our camp. He has been up the Bolan Pass and down the Moola 
regarding a railway, and appeared to prefer the Moola. 
17^ November , 1876.—At 6.15 a.m. commenced our march to Pir 
Chutter; distance 7 miles. Halted on the road a quarter-of-an-hour, 
and arrived at 9.30 a.m. We descended 225 ft., which brought us down 
to 645 above sea level, having started from 7100 ft. Directly on starting, 
the road entered a narrow defile about 15 yds. wide, though it increased 
afterwards to some 150 yds., over very heavy shingle and large boulders, 
and crossed the river eleven times. The water in this defile is fed from 
all the hill streams, and rushes like a mill race. In some places it was 
up to the mule girths, and the ammunition boxes only just escaped. 
This defile extends for about 3 miles, narrowing again at the end, 
with which ends the Moola Pass proper. The road then ascends to the 
right, over a plateau of stones, for another mile, when it descends to 
the river bed, when the Moola river is crossed for the last time (soon 
after, it disappears entirely underground). The road then ascends 
another plateau to the left, and runs partly over stones, sometimes over 
cultivated ground, round low hills, about 3 miles to Pir Chutee. The 
encamping ground is very pretty, containing numerous palm trees, and 
it is covered with green grass (the first we have seen) and my mules 
cropped it eagerly. The water is supplied from a running brook, clear 
and good. There are a few huts about, but no supplies. Near the 
camping’ ground is a mosque and tomb, also a tank full of fish, fed by 
the priests. The trout fishing ended at Nowlung. After breakfast, 
Mr. Furnivall and Captain Wylie (Political Assistant), rode on to 
Gandava, to meet Major Sandeman. 
18^ November, 1876.—At 6 a.m. commenced our march to Kotree; 
distance 8 miles. Halted on the road half-an-hour, and arrived at 
9.30 a.m. The first 3 miles of the road lay over low ranges of 
stony hills, past a mosque with a tomb and grave yard (all to the right), 
after which the route descended to the plains, and wo traversed a low 
jungle to Kotree—which is a large town, fortified with a mud wall and 
towers at the corners. Supplies of all kinds are procurable. The 
encamping ground is open, with a few bushes and palm trees scattered 
about; soil sandy, and good water from a running brook. We found 
some mess stores awaiting our arrival, and very welcome they were. 
We descended 110 ft. 
19 Hi November, 1876.—At 6.5 a.m. commenced our march to Gandava; 
distance 7 miles. Halted a quarter-of-an-hour on the road, and 
arrived at 8.20 a.m. The road lay all the way through a jungle,, over 
hard sandy soil, and we crossed the Nane river. Gandava is a large 
town, full of supplies, and the camping ground is large, dry, and open—- 
some 2 miles from the town. The elevation is only 10ft. lower than 
Kotree. On arrival, we found Major Sandeman encamped a mile from 
our camp. 
20 Ik November , 1876.—Halted at Gandava* 
