20. Ab-i-Khurmah (21 miles 3 furlongs—258 miles).—Water from a spring not very wholesome; ground very irregular; fuel scarce; forage for camels sufficient. For 14 miles the road traverses a hard stony level plain; it then enters among low hills, and follows for some time the bed of a mountain stream.
21. Chah-i-Jahan (17 miles 2 furlongs—275 miles 2 furlongs).—Water tolerably good from spring; forage for both camels and horses abundant; vegetation in the bed of the watercourse very luxuriant; no villages or cultivation near; the road rough and stony.
22. Aisabad (20 miles 1 furlong—295 miles 3 furlongs).—Abundance of water. The plain is rather marshy; forage for both horses and camels abundant; fuel scarce.
23. Left Bank of the Adraskand (21 miles 2 furlongs—316 miles 5 furlongs).—Water from the river; forage and fuel abundant; no signs of cultivation or inhabitants near the river, nor are any villages seen between the valley of Sabzawar and that of Herat, a fatiguing and difficult march. High peaks rise to the eastward, the summits of which are judged to exceed 10,000 feet in height above the level of the sea. The table-land is 2½ miles across, where there is a further slight ascent, the elevation reached being considered 1500 feet above the level of Sabzawar. The descent into the valley of the Adraskand is steep, rocky, and tortuous.
24. Robat-i-Shah Bed (22 miles 2 furlongs—338 miles 7 furlongs).—Forage for camels and horses abundant; no supplies of any description procurable. For 19 miles from the Adraskand the road ascends among hills, the elevation being 6500 feet above sea-level. Forage and water procurable the whole way. The road stony.
25. Rosabagh (21 miles—359 miles 7 furlongs).—Good water from numerous artificial channels. Road attains elevation 7200 feet above sea-level falling further 2000 feet, and is good the whole way from the foot of the hills. The Rosabagh is a Royal garden planted with Scotch firs, now of great size and beauty.
26. Right Bank Hari Rud (4 miles 4 furlongs—364 miles 3 furlongs).—Water good. This spot is but 3 miles from Herat and within reach of the bazaars of the city. The road fords the Hari Rud river running in several channels over a wide shingly bed.
27. Herat (3 miles 180 yards—367 miles 3 furlongs).
III
KANDAHAR TO HERAT BY GIRISHK, FARAH
AND SABZAWAR (the Southern Route).
As far as Girishk (7 marches, 75 miles 4 furlongs), see route II. page 331.