'MILITARY REPORT ON PERSIA. VOL. IV, PART II.' [‎27v] (59/212)

42
Harbours
Bushire.
At Bush.ikan in Shihpur sulphur is found deposited by $
spring and there is salt of the best quality in the hills to the north
east of the town. J
' Mules and horses of a good stamp could be bought during
the cold weather from the nomad tribes, and a few are often
available in the town itself.
The climate is reckoned by Persians to be the best in Fars. It
'is warmer than Shiraz in summer, but not oppressively hot.
Mosquitoes are less prevalent than in Shiraz.
Bus' ire .—A torpedo-shaped promontory lying parallel to the
coast of the Persian district of Tangistan at a distance of 4 or
5 miles ; the intervening space is occupied by a swampy mud
plain, across the middle of which runs a caravan route to the
mainland.
... The peninsula measures exactly 12 miles from its north
west point on which stands the town of Bushire, to Ras Halileh
at the opposite end. The maximum breadth at about mid
way is about 3£ miles. The peninsula^ is bounded by the sea on
the north, west and south ; on the east it is bounded by the
swampy mud plain or mashileh. This latter would in wet weather
form a serious obstacle to an advance from Bushire and to the
-maintenance of communications. Moreover when once wet it
takes a long time to dry, and a portion of it is liable to be Hood
ed at high tides, especially whe these arc combined with strong
southerly winds. The soil is clay mixed with gypsum ; in con
sequence, though it would riot be difficult to make a road across
it, any such road would be most expensive to maintain, if
subjected to heavy traffic. Throughout December, January
and February it is useless for military purposes to count upon
this as a road to the Bushire Hinterland. For 0 months of the
year, however, it makes an excellent road; the surface gets
packed, and cars can drive oveFit at high Speed. The railway
which was laid to Borazjfm had its worst trouble here, and the
line was washed out on two occasions.
The water level on the mashileh is at 0 feet.
During the three winter months mentioned above an alter
native route to the interior which is frequently used is from
-Bushire across the Harbour by boat to Shif and thence to
Borazjun.
There is a local staked road "to Gurak which gives compara
tively good going even during the floods.
The
sea, but
runs acr
low stri]
the pepi
• elevatioi
is a stpel
and aga
ithe peni
Aftei
odd plai
1 and an
in and a
small da
mashileh
Most of
outcropp
palms es
layer of
and fig t
The !
water to
Bush
in a nort
| part of t
part of
occupied
Inhai
Road,
with an i
has a de
The two
of water
room foi
ployed (
|5,000 tor
roOm foi
is marke
light, wh
is moorei