‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎11r] (26/470)

3
Mizal, however, is on terms of intimate friendship with Mr. Robertson and
well disposed towards the British, and by his aid 1 was at once enabled
to entertain mule carriage, and commence the journey to Shustar. Two
hundred and fifty krans* were paid for seven mules to Dizful.
The importance of the Port of Muhammerah and of the Karun river is
dealt with in the detailed report, Part III, and pages 41, 178.
Leaving Muhammerah on the 24th March, following tracks across the
plain bordering the right bank of the Karun, Ahwaz, on its left bank, a
distance of 82 miles, was reached on the 27th, the river being crossed at
Umer-t-Merh in a small ferry boat, the horses and baggage mules swimming
across. In this distance there are no villages and the party camped nightly
with one or other of the Arab tribes met with en route ; the Arab guide giving
out that I was in charge of property belonging to the Zil-ul-Suitan, ruler of
Arabistan, ensured for me, if not in all cases hospitably, at least the power
to purchase supplies at high rates.
The country traversed is a treeless mud flat, without wells; drinking
water is obtained from the river and ponds; firewood is supplied by the low
tamarisk bushes, which, in certain localities, grow plentifully.
The country, for the first 30 miles to the north of Muhammerah, produces
little grazing, and is uncultivated beyond Gisbah, where the growth of the date
palm ceases; within this radius floods are frequent both in the spring, from
rain, and later on from the melting of the snow ; beyond it the grazing is
good; the soil is of excellent quality, capable of growing cereals largely; but
such is the unsettled state of the country that these rich lands are lying
almost idle, and produce spontaneously nothing but grasses, wild flowers, and
sweet-scented herbs which give out a delicious perfume when trodden upon.
But a few wandering tribes were met with; these acknowledge either
the authority of Shaikh Mizal of Muhammerah or that of Shaikh Molah of
Hawizah, a district lying to the west of the Karun and within 30 miles of
it [xee page 49 ). My guide did not consider it safe that any of the party
should go amongst them unaccompanied by himself, as they are fearless robbers.
The wealth of the Arab nomads consists in their flocks of sheep, which are
numerous; of stoats, less numerous, and of their herds of
donkeys, very numerous; horses and mares are not very
plentiful; cows and cattle generally are scarce. Sheep are the most esteemed
of their possessions on account of the value of their wool and milk; the former
supplies the materials for their black blanket tents and rough blanket cloth
ing, &c., and the latter in its various forms of butter, milk, cheese, curds, &c.,
is a staple article of food, and in the form of ghi a valuable article of
commerce.
They are generally badly clad in shapeless dresses of home-spun blanket
material with slits on either sides for armholes and seem wretchedly poor, a
poverty only to be accounted for by government extortion or to the fear of
attracting attention by the possession of wealth [see pages .9, 99, 174).
The head-dress consists of the usual coloured handkerchief, bound round
the temple with bands of camel hair cord, worn by all Arabs.
At Ahwaz was encamped the Ihtisham-ul-Sultanah, the deputy of the Zil-
- , ul-Sultan, the eldest son of the Shah, who rules Arabis-
tau as well as Isfahan and its dependencies (see
page 21 ).
# A kran = 8c7. Two and one-half krans go to the rupee.