'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III.' [‎415v] (835/982)

SHA-SHA
820
southward Kut-ul-Mihdi is passed , on the left bank at 20 miles. Here
the Shavur bends south-south-east towards the Diz river, passing Khair-
abad at 55 miles and Deh-i-Saiyid Musa at 60 miles, both on the right bank.
Thenceforward the river curves more and more to the east towards the
river Diz, and begins to leave the river Karkheh which soon afterwards
bends south-west towards Hawizeh. Passing within 2_ miles of Deh-i-Pir
Muhammad on the right bank at about 64 miles, the Shavur joins the river
Diz by two branches above Band-i-Qir after a course of about 75 miles by
water, or of 60 miles neglecting bends. These two branches separate at
Plawizch and enter the larger river 38 and 26 miles respectively by water
above Band-i-Qir. The former of these branches is named the Snarish and
the latter the Kharur ; both contain water at all seasons of the year, but
the Kharur is the more important. Originally the Shavur flowed into the
river Karun from the north-west a little below Wais_and,-at a later period,
near Ahwaz. After deserting this bed it adopted a more southerly channel,
joining the main river near Ahwaz. Later again it struck northwards,
and at the time of Bayard’s and Selby’s explorations in 1842 was found
entering the Ab-i-Diz at a point 12 miles above Band-i-Qir. This channel
appears to have been more or less maintained until the present day (1905).
The history of this river, whose various channels can be distinctly traced,
is typical of all the rivers of this district, including the Karun itself.
The Shavur is of canal-like appearance, its course is winding, and its
width of 25 to 30 yards is fairly uniformly maintained. At least in some
of the upper reaches, the banks are high (6 to J 2 feet above the water)
and the river in some places is unfordable ; but taking it throughout its
length, the stream is sluggish, its banks and bed soft and of alluvial soil,
and it can be forded at frequent intervals, the fords being generally girth-
deep. The banks are lined almost throughout with low tamarisk jungle
and, in its higher reaches, with thorn trees, and abound with wild boar,
hysenas and small game. The lands upon the Shavur, especially those of the
’Ajairib tract, are fertile, and the banks are clothed in spring with luxuriant
herbage.
Throughout its course a number of canals diverge from the river, some
of ancient and some of modern construction, and the river is largely drawn
on for irrigation, at the low season its waters being practically exhausted
for this purpose. The principal canals which leave the Shavur on its left
bank are, in descending order, the following.—the Khairabad, the Taraifi,
the Qumat. the Ishareh (near Jajls on the Diz) and the Hawasiyeh ; of these
the Taraifi and Hawasiyeh benefit the ’Anafijeh tribe, and the remainder
water the lands of the Bait Sa’ad. In some places it forms marshes, which
are tenanted by pastoral Arabs and cultivated with rice. There are several
Arab settlements upon it, of which the most important appear to be Qumat
and Khairabad, both now in the possession of Shaikh Haidar of the A1
Kathir tribe. Qumat was called after one Saiyid Qumat, who is now re
presented by his grandson, Saiyid Taghir Qumati, but the name of the
settlement, which consists of four camps, is said to have been changed,
and Qumat is probably the present Kut-ul-Mahdi. The ’ Anafijeh for
merly occupied both banks of the Shavur, as the Bait Sa’ad and A1 Kathir
still do, and until 1905 the Bani Lam extended up to its right bank below
Khairabad. In Bayard’s day the Shavur at Qumat divided in winter into