'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎311r] (626/982)

such a description would place the region of Pusht-i-Kfth outside of its
limits, for the sake of convenience, as well as the close ties which knit that
district to the Pish Kuh> it is preferable to consider the two regions as a
whole*.
Boundaries. —In this sense therefore its boundaries may be read as fol
lows :—On the north it marches with the province of Kirmanshah from
a point some 35 miles south of Khaniqin, more or less identical with the
34° of latitude, until it makes a bend south-eastwards to Hulllan and crosses
the Kara Su river. Thence it strikes north-eastwards along the left bank
of that river until its junction with the Gam Aslab, and works up the left
bank of the latter stream, until it strikes the rugged mountain range which
divides the district of Khava from the valley of Nihavand and later that
of Silakhur. On the east its boundary is the latter valley, the district
of Faridan and the Bakhtifrl country. On the south it is again the Bakh-
tiari country, the Ab-i-D:z, and the plains of Northern ’ Arabistan. Finally,
on the west its boundary from Mazra’-i-Salihabad, 10 miles north
west of Dizful, is conterminous with the undemarcated Turco-Persian
frontier ; which may be said to run along the foot of the Hamrin moun
tains, flanking the plain on which are found the tents of the Bani Lam,
and beyond the great waterway of the Tigris, as far as Mandall, and thence
northward to meet the 34° of latitude once more.
Physical Geography.—By this definition of its boundaries, it is observed
that the territory ruled over by the Bakhtiari Khan is cons dered outside
the limits of this province : and warrants the discarding of such distinctions
as Lur-i-Buzurg (Bakhtiari) and Lur-i-Kuchak (Luri'stan), which still,
however, have their local significance. Luristan, as above defined, is divided
into two districts. That portion to the south and west of the lofty range
of the Kabir Kuh is known as Pusht-i-Kuh : while the regions to the
north and east of this range, which, as far as it is affected by the jurisdiction
of the Persian Governor may be taken to represent Luristan proper, is known
as Pish Kuh.
Mountains and valleys. —Both districts are a mass of, for the most part,
lofty and rugged mountain ranges running in parallel lines in a south-east
erly direction : with a superficial area of some 19,500 square miles. The
ancient title of Zagros was, it would seem, applicable to at least the whole
of this mountainous tract, rather than to any particular one of its ranges :
and may even have included the length and breadth of the mountainous
country between Urumieh and ’Arabistan. The mountain ranges of this
province, the highest peaks of which are perpetually snowclad, reach
ing to an elevation of some 15,000 feet above sea-level, are interspersed
with fertile valleys, which are well watered’and possess a generous soil. In
them considerable crops of wheat and barley are raised, and they afford
excellent pasture lands for sheep and cattle.
Pasture lands and plains. —To the south-west, on the lower slopes of the
mountains, are found the principal grazing-grounds merging with the plains
of Northern ’Arabistan to the west of the Ab-i-Diz ; while the only plains
of any extent within the true boundaries of Luristan are those of Sllakhffr,
Alishtar and Khurramabad. The first named, which is a broad valley
rather than a plain, extends from the town of Burujird in a south-easterly
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