É. Apor (ed.): Stein, Aurel: Old Routes of Western Iran. (Budapest Oriental Reprints, Ser. B 2.)

Chapter I.—In Westernmost Färs

Sec. iv] QAL'A-SAFlD 27 That after reaching the rim of the plateau on the Bolsöru saddle the line for Alexander's turning movement lay to the right, i.e. south-east, is seen from the map. Finally the references to deep-cut ravines and thick tree-growth encountered on this latter portion of the march are fully in keeping with what our journey from Bijeshki up to Gör-espld had allowed me to observe of the hill chain southward. We have now followed Alexander over ground where nature had threatened to baffle him by difficulties greater than any that had faced him in the course of his victorious advance from the Aegean to the heart of the Persian empire, and greater perhaps than any he and his brave Macedonians were ever to encounter thereafter within Iran. The triumph here gained by his tactical genius and his men's endurance may well have served to inspire his veterans with that amazing pluck and confidence which they were called upon to display years later when besieging Aornos far away on the Indus, or at the hazardous crossing of the Hydaspes before the battle with Porus. SECTION IV

—QAL'A-SAFID AND THE FAHLIÜN VALLEY After leaving the gorges of the Tang-i-khäs and Tangi-Gerrau behind further progress along the ancient route was bound to seem invitingly easy. But before starting on it a visit had to be paid to the high table mountain known as Qal'a-safid, ' the White Castle '. It rises as a great isolated massif of limestone to the south of the debouchure of the Shash-pir river. Local belief identifies this great natural stronghold with the Diz-i-safid of the Shäh-nämeh,