File 1356/1912 Pt 1 'Turco-Persian Frontier:- negotiations at Constantinople.' [‎277v] (564/885)

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siderable stream in the neighbourhood of the former
place.
A preference has been generally accorded to the
waters of the Karun over those of the Tigris and
Euphrates on account of their superior purity,
lightness, and sweet taste. The waters of the
Tigris and Euphrates are subject, it is said, to the
influence of the atmosphere, becoming warm or
cold according to the state of the weather, whilst
those of the Karun, on the contrary, are always
comparatively cool. During the great heat of
summer, indeed, the water of the Tigris and
Euphrates is only drinkable during the night,
whereas above the junction of the Karun with the
Euphrates the former stream may boast through
out the year of the peculiarly cool and agreeable
flavour of its water, the inhabitants of the country
affirming that they never feel the want of ice, and
acknowledging that all the best qualities of a good
water are to be found united in the stream of the
Karun.
As Bagdad has different quarters on either side
of the Tigris, so also Mohammerah is divided into
two parts by the Karun. The northern quarter
used to be very populous and surrounded with
cultivation, and it contained also the bazaar which
is now in ruins.
In the southern quarter were situated a fort,
with various buildings and mosques, and the popu
lation was composed of Arabs of the tribe of Keab.
The parties sent periodically by the Arab sheikhs
of the Keab tribe to gather in the produce of the
date groves had established many depdts on the
banks of the Shatt-el-Arab for storing the fruit.
Sheikh Fariss, nephew of Sheikh Thamir Khan,
was entrusted with the direction of the affairs of
commerce, while Sheikh Jaaber acted as the
political Governor of Mohammerah. Had not this
country been under the rule of the Keab it would
have arisen into great celebrity—the only draw
back to its prosperity consisted in its subjection
to the Arabs.
It contained about 6,000 houses, which were
scattered along the borders of the Karun. Persians
from Shuster, Dizful, Howiezeh, Bebahan, and
Kazeroon. and others emigrating from Bunder
Bushire and its dependencies of Bunder-Big,
steamer at ebb tide can just traverse the interval in two
hours.
Mohammerah is on the Hafar Canal and not on the Karun.
At ebb tide the former channel is certainly filled from the
Ivarun, but at flood the current is reversed, and formerly
the natural flow of the waters was in this direction, from
west to east. ^^
On the contrary, the Karun between Weis and Ahwf
100 miles above Mohammerah, is very much larger than the
Hafar at the latter place.
The excellence of the waters of the Karun and Kerka,
“ the drink of kings,” has been proclaimed by the consentient
voice of all antiquity and attested by the result of all
modern experience. There ha» been much geographical
confusion it is true, in consequence of one river being mis
taken for the other, but this question of distinction or
identity appears to have the least possible connection with
the disputed right to Mohammerah.
The name of Mohammerah certainly applied originally to
the northern and southern quarters of the town on the
Hafar Canal, but for the last twenty years at least it has
been restricted to the northern division, the southern quarter
having been designated as the Koot-el-Sheikh (the sheikh’s
castle) from its being the usual residence of the next heir
to the chief ship of the Chaab tribe. Sheikh Jaaber, the
Q-overnorof Molmmmerah, having rebelled against the chief
of Felialiiah, there has been constant fighting between the
inhabitants of the two towns separated by the Hafar Canal.
Mohammerah being on the mainland while Koot-el-Sheikh
was on an island, and thus affording greater facilities for
the dispatch of merchandise into the Turkish and Persian
territory, was generally visited by traders in preference to
the southern quarter.
When the Chaab possessed the territory from the sea to
Grirdelan their storehouses for dates -were no doubt
established upon the Shatt-el-Arab along the entire line, but
at present 1 know of no depots belonging to the tribe upon
the river above the Hafar.
Sheikh Jaaber being in rebellion in Mohammerah, Sheikh
Fariss was sent from Fellahiah to Koot-el-Sheikh to hold
him in check, they never were associated in a common
government, but each ruled independently in his own
quarter; Sheikh Jaaber, however, addicting himself to
commerce, while Sheikh Fariss was chiefly occupied in
collecting the date produce of the island of Abadan.
No doubt Mohammerah possesses natural advantages of
some consequence, being situated in a fertile tract im
mediately between the two large navigable rivers of the
Shatt-el-Arab and Karun ; but the population of the
countries through wdiich these rivers flow must be multiplied
tenfold before the demand and supply can be such as to
entitle the port to be ranked amongst the great emporia
of eastern trade.
Personal examination and extended enquiries enable me
to state positively the following factsregarding Mohammerah.
In its most nourishing state it never contained at the utmost
computation above 500 houses, probably not more than 400
of these, be it observed, were almost exclusively reed huts
plastered with mud; there were four caravanserais and three
temporary sheds used as coffee houses. Sheikh Jaaber
once brought a boat load of burnt bricks from Bussorah
which he made use of in laying the foundations of his ow r n