'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎320v] (645/982)

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LUR—LUR
from all parts, notably the Bakhtlari, who find their market later on in the
neighbourhood of Isfahan, while the Behbehanls purchase for the Shiraz
market.
“ (b) Bairdnawand and DiraJcwand. —With these tribes there is for the
present difficulty in having any dealings : nor is it prudent for a European
to enter Luristan from the south for the time being. This state of affairs is
not likely to improve in the near future, unless some energetic action is
taken by the British Government, in reference to the arrangements lately
entered into for the opening up of a road from Dizful to Kirmanshah by
the new British Road Company.’’ (For further details, vide this Gazetteer,
’Arabistan—Northern.)
Naphtha. —While the streams in all the highlands of Persia are of sweet
and pure water, the sandstone and gypsum ridges, which intervene between
the alluvial plains on the west and the mountain ranges leading on to the
elevated plateau land, produce streams, with few exceptions, of a brack
ish or sulphurous nature ; and in these streams are found pools of naphtha
or petroleum. There are indications of this in the Beawut and Tumtumeh
districts. Between Kaleh Qasim and the Diz river, there is a short, isolated
ridge, with broken ground intervening between it and the main ridge. The
latter tract is known as Qir Ab, and has an outcrop of naphtha and bitumen
which is reputed to be large. It is evident that the naphtha belt runs the
whole way along the foot of the western ranges of Persia, extending from
at least as far north as Qasr-i-Shirin to a point east of Ahwaz. Nothing has
been done within the limits of this province to exploit this possible source
of wealth ; and it must await its turn with the other possibilities connected
with the recrudescence of the prosperity of Persia.
Communications. —No communications other than by road exist through
Luristan : the rivers such as the Ab-i-Diz and the Karkheh partaking too
much of the character of torrents, at least within the limits of the province,
to be of any utility as a means of communication. The u°e of the term
“ road ” is also merely used in its general sense, as they may be said not
,to ex’st and should rightly be called “ tracks.” Even as such they are
mostly execrable, as in other parts of Persia. The principal “tracks, ”
therefore, are—
1. Dizful to Deh Bala (Pusht-i-Kuh), 14 stages, 184 miles.
2. Dizful to Zurbatiyeh, 14 stages, 162 miles. (Most of the route tra
versed by this road is in Turkish territory).
3. (a) Dizful to Burujird, via Juqar and Khurramabad, 18 stages,
220 miles.
(6) Dizful to Burujird, w'dPul-i-Tang and Khurramabad, 16 stages,
231 miles.
4. Dizful to Pul-i-Kul, 8 stages, 78 miles.
5. Ab-i-Zal to Chimishk, 4 stages, 24 miles.
6. Khurramabad to Kirmanshah, via Harsin, 7 stages, 110 miles.
7. Khurramabad to Deh Bala (Pusht-i-Kuh ) via Pul-i-Madian Rud,
12 stages, 130 miles.
8. Deh Bala to Sar-i-Pul Zuhab, 8 stages, 77 miles.