'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎142r] (288/1278)

BAN—BAN
135
Population. —The inhabitants number about 2,000 souls ; they are a
mongrel breed in whom Arab and Lur blood predominate. Persian, modi
fied by the Lur dialect, is the language spoken. The people are cultivators,
boatmen, sailors and traders ; they are reputed peaceable and not fana
tical, but they are fairly well armed with Martini rifles, about 3 to every
house. They are Shi’ah Muhammadans, but traditions survive of a time
when some of them were Gabrs. Can produce 450 fighting men.
Trade and Swppfes.—Bandar Rig is a fairly prosperous port, dealing
principally with Bushire and Kuwait, and serving the considerable district
of Haiat Daud, and a part of the district of Shabankareh. The bazar con
tains about 50 shops and trade has increased during the last few years ;
the monthly imports are said now to average 100 packages or bags of sugar,
5 cases of tea, 50 bags of Indian rice, 100 cases of kerosine oil, and 50 bales
•of Manchester prints, all from Bushire. There is also a considerable im
portation of camels from Kuwait. Exports are wheat, barley, gum, wool
and cattle, all to Bushire except the wheat, of which the bulk is sent to
Kuwait, Bahrain and Masqat. The Persian lerdn is the basis of the currency,
but rupees Indian silver coin also widely used in the Persian Gulf. and dollars also circulate. The unit of weight is a Hashim
man equal to 20 Tabriz man of Bushire, and consequently different to
the Hashim man of that place, which is equivalent to 16 Tabriz man of the
same town. The standard of length is a qaz of 8| inches.
Resources and Communications. —Water is obtained from wells, and
some wheat, barley and straw are locally procurable. About 50 horses,
100 camels and 150 donkeys, also 100 cattle and 600 sheep and goats are
owned in the town, and there are 8 bums besides 10 mdshuvehs and 15 fish
ing boats. A Pers an post office wa opened here about 1901, and a tele
graph office about 1904 ; but very little use is made of the latter, which is
intermediate between Borazjun and Bandar Dilam on the Borazjun Ahwaz
branch line. There is frequent communication with Bushire by sailing
boat.
Administration. —Bandar Rig is the residence of Haidar Khan, the here-
d tary local Government of the Haiat Daud district. The system of ad
ministration is described in the article on that district, vide this Gazetteer.
The Imperial Persian Customs established an official here with two subor
dinates about 1904.— (Petty — Bell — Curzon, 1889— MacGregor, 189o ;
Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908 ; Chick, 1910.)
BANDAR SHUZA— Lat. 26° 49' N.; Long. 56° 10' E.
r A bay on the coast of Qishm, 12 miles from the point of Qishm. To
the west it is fronted by two or three rocky islands, on the largest of which
there is a reservoir for water. Inside there is a fathom and a half, and
2 fathoms at low tide ; native vessels take shelter here in blowing weather.
The village of Shuza, where a few cattle and poultry may be procured, is
2 miles farther to the west.— (Brucks — St. John.)
BANDARUN (Kirman)—Lat. 31° 21' N.; Long. 54° 58' E.; Elev.
A small village near the boundary between Yazd and Kirman, 44 miles
from the former, on the road to Bandar ’Abbas.— (MacGregor.)