Hence the
correspondence with Polo's description, as far as the descent to the
Garmsir, or Reobarles, seems decidedly better by this route. It is
admitted to be quite possible that on reaching this plain the two routes
coalesced. We shall assume this provisionally, till some traveller gives
us a detailed account of the Bardesir route. Meantime all the remaining
particulars answer well.
[General Houtum-Schindler (l.c. pp. 493-495), speaking of the Itinerary
from Kerman to Hormuz and back, says: "Only two of the many routes between
Kerman and Bender 'Abbas coincide more or less with Marco Polo's
description. These two routes are the one over the Deh Bekri Pass [see
above, Colonel Smith], and the one via Sardu. The latter is the one, I
think, taken by Marco Polo. The more direct roads to the west are for the
greater part through mountainous country, and have not twelve stages in
plains which we find enumerated in Marco Polo's Itinerary. The road via
Baft, Urzu, and the Zendan Pass, for instance, has only four stages in
plains; the road, via Rahbur, Rudbar and the Nevergun Pass only six; and
the road via Sirjan also only six."
Marches.
The Sardu route, which seems to me to be the one
followed by Marco Polo, has five stages through fertile
and populous plains to Sarvizan . . . . . 5
One day's march ascends to the top of the Sarvizan Pass 1
Two days' descent to Rahjird, a village close to the
ruins of old Jiruft, now called Shehr-i-Daqianus . . 2
Six days' march over the "vast plain" of Jiruft and Rudbar
to Fariab, joining the Deh Bekri route at Kerimabad, one
stage south of the Shehr-i-Daqianus . . . . 6
One day's march through the Nevergun Pass to Shamil,
descending . . . . . . . . . 1
Two days' march through the plain to Bender 'Abbas or
Hormuz . . . . . . . . . . 2
-
In all . . . . . . 17
The Sardu road enters the Jiruft plain at the ruins of the old city, the
Deh Bekri route does so at some distance to the eastward.
