'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎410v] (825/1278)

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HAW-HAW
flocks in and around Hawizeh and Shu’aib and the marshy ground north of
these centres, the rest, probably the majority, migrate to the date gardens
of the Karun and the Shatt-al-Arab where like our hop-pickers in Kent,
they find employment for the summer months, returning after the date
harvest at the end of September or early in October to make preparations
for their winter camp. The nomads appear to number 60,250 souls.
The chief exports of the district are rice, fish and a certain amount of the
plumage of birds.
Frontier and Jurisdiction.—To the eastward of the village of Shu aib, or
rather of the marsh on the edge of which it is situated, and southwards as far
as human occupation prevails or is possible, there is not the slightest sign of
Turkish influence or jurisdiction nor of Turkish status. The marsh is
clearly a natural boundary. The Bani Salih and Bani Sekain tribesmen who
exclusively inhabit, and, where possible, cultivate, the triangular tract
above referred to have belonged from time immemorial to Hawizeh which
has been a recognized district of the Persian Province of Khuzistan or
’Arabistan for, at any rate, four centuries. They pay revenue to their
tribal Shaikhs, who formerly passed it on in tribute to the “ Maula, ruler
of Hawizeh, who in turn paid, or did not pay, the Central Government, until
1902, at whi h juncture, fortunately for the Persian Government, the
Shaikh of Mohammareh assumed responsibility for the district, since when
the tribesmen have paid revenue and become definitely submissive to him.
The point of vital importance is that Hawizeh and the “ Hawizeh district
should remain with Persia in its ent rety, the reason being that it has always
formed an integral' part of the province, and that the possession of it is
strategically essential for the security of ’Arabistan.
As at present constituted, the Hawizeh district is very securely protected on
the north and west by geographical features, and this fact relieves the Shaikh
of Mohammerah, as Warden of the Marches, of a great measure of anxiety
in regard to the frontier in this direction. It is clearly important that these
conditions should endure, and should be fixed on the basis of the natural
features existent.
Since 1902 the Shaikh of Muhammareh has assumed responsibility for the
revenue of the district, and Hawizeh has been included in the administra
tive division of Southern ’Arabistan .—[ Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908
Resident's Report, 1912.)
HAWIZEH (Town)—Lat. 31° 24' N. ; Long. 48° 9' E. ; Elev.
A town in Southern ’Arabistan, situated about 40 miles west by noith
of Nasiri in the centre of the Hawizeh district, of which it is the capital.
Formerly a large town, it was ruined by the bursting in 1837 of the dam at
Eahr Hashim on the Karkheh river, which upset the whole irrigation system
of the district, caused the main stream of the Karkheli to take a more north
erly course, and reduced the town, which stood on the left bank of its former
bed, to comparative insignificance.
Hawizeh whatever it may have been in its palmy days, is, at the
present time, a dilapidated and squalid settlement of mud-built dwell
ings. The resident population is about 2.000 souls. Signs of the foriher
more extensive settlement are still of course plen iful. in the shape of
ruined houses, and compound walls, while numerous imams or shiines