'Notes on Tours in Persia in 1881: the natural obstruction to the Navigation to the Karoon River at Ahwaz as seen 1st December 1881' [‎133v] (2/4)

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ever, two openings, each of 50 yards in width, in the low wall of rock, and
through these the water pours at ordinary times, having a tall of, say, - feet
6 inches in a length of 30 yards.
12. No. 2 group crosses the river 1,100 yards below No. 1, the river
having turned 15° to the east to avoijl the numerous rocks which crop out
from the left hank, hut do not extend right across its bed. Considerable
accumulations of silt have collected on tlie rocks on the left, but they do
not ioin the bank. Water channels have been cut in rock between them
and the bank for the purpose of turning mills {vide plan), and then direction
marks the course of a considerable flow of water in flood time. It was along
the rid-eof group 2 that the ancient band was built by the Sasamans (?).
Remains of this massive structure are still visible, but only high and dry, far
out of the present course of the water, which is m a rapid stream between
depressions in the rock, and impassable for boats.
The ancient band was adapted to the configuration of the rock to the left
hank, where the sandstone is high above the river. A loop in the band took
in these high rocks, which are pierced by tunnels and sluice channels tor
diverting, probably, the water into canals for irrigating t.m country.
13. Between group 1 and group 2 a small ferry boat now plies, but has
difficulty in avoiding the shallows and rocks.
14. No. 3 group is 200 yards below group 2. It is of low flattish rock, and
causes rapids. By below is meant down stream.
15. No 4 group is 200 yards below group 3. It is of the same character
as No 3 Below this group an island has been formed of silt (marked I, 2
on plan), and it divides the river. This island extends down stream over and
beyond group 5.
16. No. 5 group causes rapids in the two branches, formed by the island
above mentioned, throughout their whole width.
17 Below group 5 the river is narrowed by rocks to a width of 165 yards.
Here it becomes deep, and from this point to its mouth is easdy navigable by
large boats.
18 It would, no doubt, not be difficult to blow out passages in the above-
named ridges of sandstone, and leave an uninterrupted way for the river, hut
it is impossible to predict what effect thus letting loose the pent up water of
the Upper Karoon would have on the whole bed of the river.
10 I calculate roughly that, from the narrows down stream to the island
ah™, group No 1, the' river falls from 8 to 10 feet. It may be conceived
what a torrent would flow from No. 1, were a free channel out for the water
from it to the narrows.
20 The whole of the rocks, &c., within the present limits of the river
hanks are liable to he swept by floods. Therefore, supposmga canal were
cut in the rock in the direction shown in dotted lines, thus — — fui
which would be the least expensive way as regards excavation, yet the
difficulty of protecting the lock gates from damage at the up stream end, and
the difficulty and cost of protecting the canal with masonry from |»mg s t
up bv the spill of the river in flood tune, would, I think, make this plan
inadmissible, besides more than two locks would he required.
21. The best plan, in my opinion, would teto dig a canal from the
narrows at (A) to the pool above Ah war at (B), following the red line on
plan. Two locks would be required, viz., one at A and one at B, and no
doubt sandstone would be met with for the greater part of the length (2,3o0
yards), vet, once the work executed, these same sandstone walls to the canal
would be of the greatest benefit, and would never he a cause of expense, i
the hanks of most navigable water ways. Again, the sandstone would form
excellent walls to the locks, and greatly lessen the cost of their construction,
as the locks could he placed wherever the rock was best, and need no
necessarily be at A or B.