'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎72] (107/466)

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Its affluent here from the Kuh-i-Sabz is roughly bridged by a wicker
bridge. The Karun is bridged about 20 miles below
Karun. God-i-Balutak ; at the latter place, altitude 2,480 feet
it can be crossed by means of kalaks or rafts of reeds and inflated goat's
skins j mules and horses swim across; goats, sheep, and donkeys are swum
over in pairs, aided by a man supported by a mussuk or inflated skin. Tlie
river is here 40 yards wide with a s^ift current. Its banks show a rise of 10
feet to 12 feet during spring floods, when its breadth would be 60 yards. The
river is here admirably adapted for a flying bridge ( W ; ells), — see page 322.
From the Susan valley the Karun winds amongst lofty hills, receiving
, many minor tributaries, mountain torrents, all fordable
except after heavy rain, and enters the plain of Alnli by
a narrow gorge, the hills on either side of which are crowned by the Kal'a-i-
Hustum (right bank) and the KaFa-i-Dukhtar (left bank), ruins of castles of
the Sasanian epoch.
The shortest road to Isfahan from Shustar leads through this goro'e
(seepage 197). For 10 miles, a broad and tranquil stream, it traverses
the plain of Akili. Receiving as tributary the large salt stream of Baitawand,
{Shur-zan-i-murda), it shortly afterwards forces its way through the Kuh-i-
Fedelak, the outer range of limestone and sandstone hills, running parallel
to the main ranges [see page 327).
A road has with great labour been excavated through the gorge on its
left bank. The course of the river after it enters the plains of iVrabistan is
fully described later on {see pages 41, 185, 194).
Dizful rivpr For description of the Dizful river, see pages 187.
196, 199,201, 223, 255.
Shawur river tributaries are the Kemendab {see 'page 255)',
the Shawur or Shapur, which, rising near Kala Hajji Ali
from springs in the plains, after flowing parallel to the Karkhah for some
miles, falls into the Dizful river, about 8 miles above Band-i-Kir. Its waters
are largely drawn off for irrigation ; its bordering lands are rich and fertile,
growing excellent cereals* In the spring, the grazing
along its course is good. Its bed is deep and narrow; it
is generally fordable; current, moderate. In winter it frequently forms small
marshes.
The country between the rivers Dizful and Karkhah appears to have
been once densely populated, and detached mounds and ruins abound.
The former importance, both politically and commercially, of the country
through which the river Karun flows, as evidenced by the extensive ruins of
towns and cities of the Kayanian, Sasanian, and ante-Muhammadan eras at
Shustar and its vicinity, Band-i-Kir, Wais, Ahwaz, &c., &c., is referred to on
page 73.
The importance of the ruins along its course in the mountains, as
indicating also that a once practicable caravan road existed between Shus
tar and Ispahan, has there also been hinted at. Lurdigan is supposed to
occupy the site of the ancient capital of the Bakhtiari mountains. The most
important of these, however, are those of Susan, a small valley surrounded by
lofty and precipitous hills. The river Karun enters and leaves it by difficult
and deep gorges. The right bank of the river as it enters the valloy
from the north-east is strewn with ruins known by the Lurs as the
Mal-i-Wiran (wealth in ruins), who preserve a tradition as to the existence ^
a large and celebrated city in this place. They are probably of the Sasanian