'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎198r] (400/982)

necessitates care ic crossing with laden animals. The average depth here
is from 3 to 4 feet, and the current running afc 34 to 4 miles an hour over a
firm, shingly bottom. In February, however, Lieutenant-Colonel Bell found
it hard to cross. He says : “At this season the river is both deep and rapid
and it is necessary to pass up stream about 3 miles and to ford it to the
south-west of the village Sardasht, where it flows in three channels; its
right banks are low and pebbly; its bed is covered with boulders ; its
width is from 600 to 800 yards ; the deepest channel is about 3 feet
6 inches deep ; it must be forded with care ; its right bank is fringed by
a belt of low bushes ; its left bank is elevated 20 to 30 feet above the
stream. There are a few huts and a little cultivation close at hand on
the left bank near the ford.’ 5 The valley hereabouts is well cultivated,
wheat being the staple product ; a considerable quantity of rice is also
grown. Cham Zaidan is situated ^ mile north of the right bank of
the river.
The villages and other notable places in the Zaidan plain are given in
the article ‘ ‘ Zaidan, 5 5 vide this Gazetteer.
Cham Zaidan is at present (1905) the head-quarters of the representative
of the Shaikh of Muhammareh in this district. The total population of
the valley is 3,000 souls, distributed in small hamlets containing from 50 to
200 inhabitants each, the chief being Zaidan, Sardasht, and Askari, the
latter being situated close to the confluence of the two streams form
ing the Hindian river, and some 6 miles east of Zaidan. Opposite Lanjir,
which is on the left bank of the river some 14 miles below Cham Zaidan,
the river throws off an artificial canal, which, circling round to the west-north
west and then to the west-south-west, passes the villages of Cham Char-
ata, Upper Gargari, Lower Gargari, and Asib ; and reaches Suvaireh,
there to be absorbed by numerous small distributaries, when on the
point of rejoining the main stream.
The Lower or Hindian course of the river begins between the village of
Ghuleh and the Hindian village of Shirabad. It is doubtful whether Ghuleh
belongs to Hindian or Behbehan. The stream now, turning the north end
of Funnel Hill, emerges on the open plains of the Hindian district. From
Shirabad it runs first for 5 miles west-north-west to Suvaireh ; it then turns,
and its average direction from Suvaireh to Hindian village, a distance of
22 miles in a straight line, is due southwards. Passing Kut and Deh
Mulla, 4 miles below which are a village and a small boat-ferry, the river
continues southwards until Hindian town, which stands on both banks of
the river, is reached. At Hindian town the river is unfordable, the breadth
in February being about 8 yards. It can, though, be forded 9 miles above
the town. From here its course becomes winding and, after all but reaching
the sea at a place 10 miles south-south-west of Hindian village, it meanders
due westwards for another 9 miles, keeping within 2 or 3 miles of the coast
the whole way, and eventually attains the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. at a point 16 miles
south-west-west of Hindian village as the crow flies, but double that distance
from it by water. At its embouchure the Hindian cuts its way through
mud-flats, and its mouth is difficult to discover from seawards ^ owing to
the flatness of the coast. The entrance has not been examined since 1836,
112 I B. 3 C