'Central Asia. Part V. A contribution towards the better knowledge of the History, Ethnography, Topography, and resources of part of Asiatic Turkey and Caucasia' [‎77] (92/360)

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Zobaia. Besides these there is a built-up gateway about the centre of the
south face. But thoug-h these are the actual gateways the principal means
of ingress and egress to and from the town is by a canal which runs from
the river right to the inhabited portion of the enclosure. This is defended
by bastions at the entrance.
Basrah is perhaps without exception the filthiest town in the east, the
streets are exceedingly narrow, and the stench of the privies, which are every
where exposed to view, is intolerable. The houses are meanly built, partly
of sun-dried and partly of burnt brick, and the bazaars are miserable structures,
not arched as in Baghdad and the cities of Persia, but covered with mats
laid on rafters of date trees, which hardly afford any protection from the
scorching rays of the sun. The town has ' Khans' without number,
a great many coffee-houses, a few wretched baths, and upwards of forty
mosques, of which however only one is worthy of the name.
The number of houses is said to be 6,000, but this number is certainly
not habitable. The Governor's residence is situated in the city on the bank
of the canal and opposite the grain market, which is an open space about 200
yards square. Further up the canal is the French Consulate, and formerly
the British Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. stood below the Custom-house, which is close to the east
of the Governor's house. Below the old Residency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, established in the provinces and regions considered part of, or under the influence of, British India. is a caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). . On
the bank of the river there is a small fort, the residence of the Capitan
Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , in which the arsenal is placed.
Kinneir estimated the number of inhabitants at 60,000, but now it is
said not to reach more than 12,000, of whom not more than 300 or 400
are Turks, the rest being Arabs, Indians, Persians, Armenians, and Jews, the
Arabs constituting the majority of the community. Almost every inhabitant
of Basrah is engaged in trade in some way or another. Labour is, however,
very expensive on account of the evil reputation of its climate, no stranger
caring to risk the fever which is so prevelant, unless well remunerated.
The town of Basrah would afford abundance of supplies of all sorts;
the country round, besides rice, wheat, barley and five kinds of dates, yields
various sorts of fruits and vegetables. Among the former are apricots,
apples, figs, olives, pomegranates and grapes, and of the latter, cabbage, brocoli,
lettuce, onions, peas, beans and truffles in vast quantities. Towards the month
of November inconceivable swarms of fish enter the river, and swarms in every
canal. These are caught and cured and sold for one shilling the hundred
weight. For six months the natives live on nothing else; besides the supply
of dates is practically unlimited.
The trade of Basrah is very extensive and consists of the export of dates,
salt, horses, and the import of rice and wood. It is said that upwards of 150
"buggalows" come annually to Basrah for cargoes of dates. These average
about 60 tons each, and as their cargoes may be valued at about £400
the value of the date export trade would be about £60,000. Large quantities
of corn from the neighbourhood of Suk-es-Shiok is brought here and re
exported. There is also a very large number of horses exported annually to
Bombay and also some to Calcutta.
Basrah was formerly the centre of the commerce in pearls obtained by
fishing at Bahrein and in the Gulf; these are, however, now mostly sent to
Bombay direct.
Colonel Pelly states that the total value of the goods, consisting of piece-
goods, pepper, sugar, miscellaneous, imported into Basrah from Bombay