'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎341r] (686/706)

ZCHAB
669
this part of the Zagros range. Fevers are very prevalent, caused by the
marshy nature of the district ; and excepting amongst the nomad tribes,
but few individuals wear an aspect of health. During the summer,
the heat is excessively oppressive, and the myriads of annoying insects, that
infest the locality, are represented as almost beyond endurance. A cooler
atmosphere can, however, be reached in a few hours, and that luxury,
ice, is attainable all the year round by sending to the mountains above.”
Cultivation : wheat and barley, ddimi. (Rawlinson ; Jones.)
ZUHAB.—
DISTRICT or Buluk —
The largest district of the provir.ce of Kirmanshah and formerly a
pashaliq under Turkish rule.
The Bajlans occupy the territory which extends from Qasr-i-ShlrTn
(north) to the frontier. South of Qasr-i-Shirm, extending up to Luristan
are the garmsirs of the Kalhurs, and nearer to Qasr-i-Shirin the garmsWs
of the Sinjabis.
The plain of Zuhab is practically deserted. There are but few villages ;
some of them, such as Bishkan, are inhabited by Bajlans, and others, such as
Zuhab, by Jafs.
North of the plain of Z' hab is the plain of Sarkaleh, v/hich is the
gams r of the two branches of Jafs who are under the Gurans. Rich speaks
of a village named Sarkaleh, 9 miles east of Zuhab, but the plain has no
village in it now. North of this plain are the plains of Hurii and Shai-
khan, inhabited by Sharafbainis. These plains extend up to the front'er.
The greater part of the Zuhab plain up to Sar-i-pul is turned into rice
fields. The plai>\ of Sarkaleh is no more under cultivation. The plains
of Hurln and Shaikhan are very well irrigated, and yield a large supply of
grain and rice.
The whole district is in constant fear of invasion by the Jafs. Against
the Jafs Qadir Agha Bajlan has a post of 50 horsemen at Bishkan, a col
leading from the north of the plain of Zuhab to the plain of Sarkaleh.
’Aziz beg Sharafbaini receives monetary subsidies from the Government of
Kirmanshah to maintain 100 horsemen, and ’Aziz Khan Bajlan is posted at
Quratu with 100 horsemen.
Of the district of Zuhab Rawlinson said : “ It is bounded on the north
west by the course of the River Diala, on the east by the mountains, and on
the south by the stream of Hulvan. It formed one of the 10 pashaliqs depen
dent upon Baghdad until about 60 years ago, when Muhammad ’All Mirza,
prince of Kirrr.anshab, annexed it to the Crown of Persia. By he treaty
concluded between Persia and the Porte in 1823 it was stipulated that
the districts acquired by either party during the war should be respectively
surrendered, and that the ancient frontier line, which had been established in
the time of the Safavi monarchs, should be restored. According to a sub
sequent treaty Zuhab ought certainly to have been given up to the Turkish
authorities, but Persia had neither the will to render this act of justice,
nor had the Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. of Baghdad the power to enforce it, and Zuhab, although
still claimed by the Porte, has thus remained to the present day in posses
sion of the Government of Kirmanshah.