'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎73r] (150/1278)

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ARA—ARA 6t
of October tbe excessive beat and the absence of shelter render marching
in the plains very trying for troops.— (Official, 1907.)
In February rain in scarce, in March and April heavy thunder showers
occur, but of a local character.
The desert near Muhammareh, being a sort of clay, becomes difficult to
traverse after a day’s heavy rain. Farther up, where there is an admixture
of sand, it soon dries.
Winds .—During the summer the prevailing wind is north-west, dry and
fairly cool in June, but later is a hot wind ; and where it comes off a sandy
desert, as is the case along the Karun after roughly the first 50 miles from
Muhammareh, the dust carried by it is very trying to the exposed parts
of the body.
Heat. Nights near Muhammareh are seldom oppressive near the Karan
river, the water of which is fairly cool, being 8° less than that of the Shatt-
al-’Arab.
At Ahwaz the nights during the hot weather are, as a rule, cooler than at
Muhammareh, and the climate there is dryer ; but owing to there being no
trees in the neighbourhood it is exposed to the full force o± the hot winds
during the day. After the beginning of September it is sometimes damp
and the heat is no longer excessive.
Cold. There is usually frost in the mornings between 27th January and
4th February and in some years in December or early January.
During wet weather fever and dysentery often attack natives.—(Mc-
Douall, 1907.)
People —The inhabitants of Northern Arabistan are of a mixed type. The
most important of the Arab tribes is the A1 Kathir,'at present divided into
two factions : one occupying both banks of the Ab-i-Diz above the country
of the Anafijeh, and thence westwards as far as Ajairib ; while the other is
located farther west towards the Karkheh. The powerful Bait-Sa’d also
dwell upon both banks of the Ab-i-Diz, while higher up the Karkheh m the
neighbourhood of Shush is found the Surkha tribe. To the west of the Kar
kheh and still within Persian territory are the numerous Bam Turut. Ihe
Mian-ab, the country between the Ab-i-Shatait and Ab-i-Gargar also con
tains some miscellaneous tribes of Arab extraction. _ The inhabitants
of Dizful and Shushtar are of mixed and somewhat mysterious origin. They
are considered to be of Assyrian descent with a large and now preponderat
ing admixture of Persian blood. Other inhabitants of Northern Arabistan
are Lurs and Bakhtiari. The former, who are wholly nomadic, come down
from their native mountain fastnesses at certain seasons of the year. Oi
these the Sagwand at the present time (1906) are most m evidence ; the
other two remaining powerful divisions, the Biranawand and Dirakwand
beino- more or less at open warfare with the Persian Government. Ihe
Bakhtiari may also be considered nomadic, for although Khan own most
of the land to the north between Shushtar and Dizful, they merely visit the
district to collect their revenues and to administer their property. I lie
Arab tribes are all nomadic, except those settled in the Mian-a b , and
they as well as the nomads of other races are avowedly predatory. Hie
town population is quarrelsome, and disturbances are especially frequent
in Shushtar. The language of the country is formed from the various