'MILITARY REPORT ON PERSIA. VOL. IV, PART II.' [‎33v] (71/212)

54
Bandar Big.
The population is from 1,000 to 2,000 souls of the Behbehan.
tribe and is entirely Shi ah ; all are Persian-speaking, but about
one-third of them can talk Arabic as well. Some are culti
vators in the surroundinu Liravi district, others are sailors
or fishermen, and the remainder merchants or shop-keepers.
The resources of the place are inconsiderable ; drinking water
is scarce and indifferent : it is brought from Tunub, about
1 mile distant. About 20 horses, 200 donkeys and f'OO sheep
and goats are owned by the inhabitants. 1 here are do sailing
vessels, chiefly bums, average tonnage 15 20 tons, also some 20
small fishing boats.
Bnadar Big.—The port and chief town of the Haiat Baud
district, 30 miles north-north-west of Push ire. It stands
upon a low sandy coast, which runs north and south. 1 here is
a creek at the town, fronted by two sand banks, inside which
native erait lie aground at low water. On the north and south
the town is adjoined by cultivated lands belonging to
adjacent \illages, and on the east, at about 2 miles distance, is
a cham of low sandhills, which screen it from the view
of the traveller as he approaches on that side. r Lhe only
defensive work is the loop-holed, semi-fortified residence of
the Khan, built of stones and mud. The village possesses a few
date trees and two unimportant shrines.
The inhabitants number about 2,000 souls; they are a
mongre, breed in whom Arab and Lur blood predominates.
Persian, modified by the Lur dialect, is the language spoken.
The people are cultivators, boatmen, sailors and traders: they
are reputed peaceable and not fanatical, but they are fairly
well armed with modern magazine and Martini rifles in about'
equal proportions. Few of the male population are without a
rifle of their own. They are Shi’ah Muhammadans, but tradi
tions survive of a time when some of them v r ere Cabrs.
Water is obtained from shallow wells, about 10 in number,
some 2 mile north-east of the village. It is of excellent < uality
but hardly more than sufficient for the req uirements of the
inhabitants. A force of 100 men could probably be provided
for without difficulty. The water from the wells in the
village itself is brackish. About 50 horses, 100 camels and 150
donkeys, also 100 cattle and (0) sheep and goats are owned
in the town and there are 35 sailing craft, chiefly tudshaict hs with
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