‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎14r] (32/470)

7
of population, the rivers without traffic, the canals falling into disuse, &c., &c.,
to iudge of the extent of the decadence of a once well populated and fertile
re<;ion%nd to attribute it to the misgovernment so loudly and openly com
plained of by men of all classes and professions, even in the presence of the
rulers responsible for the downfall of their country [seepages 122, 174). “ If
the Shah robs, why should not we ” ? is the question asked by the extortionate
Khans and Wizirs who oppress the agriculturist, and the hill robbers who
plunder the caravans. The locust blight of Moslem misrule has converted a
o-arden of Eden into a desolate wilderness.
& r pi ie party was now fully equipped and consisted of myself, orderly,
Madras cook, one Persian personal attendant, and two
Servants. Persian grooms in charge of four horses, besides two
muleteers, eight mules and two runagates, who, for their own purposes,
attached themselves to the party; one was a deserter from the Persian army,
the other, a thorough scoundrel, who was eventually ejected for attempting to
commit sodomy. The grooms were soldiers, belonging to regiments recruited
from the district of Khoramabad. Without pay for months, they had pawned
even their percussion muskets, government property. 1 hey, as well as the
personal attendant, were taken out of pawn. The wage of a groom on the
march is one kran a day. In quarters they receive about 20 krans a month
(10 krans = Rs. 4 = 6-v. 8^.).
The Persian style of dress is worn at Dizful; it consists of a high or low,
felt or lamb’s skin hat, a frock coat, pleated at the waist,
I)i ' es8 ‘ with a stand-up collar and buttons down the centre ;
the trowsers are wide and of cloth, much resembling pyjamahs in shape.
Black and blue are considered to be the most respectable colours.
An itinerary of the route taken from Muhamraerah to Dizful is given
below :—
Date.
Stages.
Distances.
Remarks.
March 24th
Muhammerah
Miles.
Guest of Shaikh Mizal ; good
Gisbah
7
quarters.
Accommodated in a grass hut ;
„ 25th
Arab camp, six miles
south of Sab’a.
Arab camp
30
very poor quarters.
Bivouacked.
„ 26th
24
Accommodated in an Arab tent.
„ 27th
Ahwaz (220')
21
Accommodated in a village hut;
,, 28th
Halt
very poor quarters.
" 29th
B^nd-i-kir
Shustar (400')
23
Accommodated in a village hut ;
„ 30th
32
very poor quarters.
Quarters in the house of the
,, 31st
Halt
Governor of Shustar ; excel
lent quarters.
April 1st
Ab-i-bid
18
Tents. Guest of the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. .
,, 2nd
Halt
,, 3rd
Dizful (680')
18
Quarters in the Prince’s resi-
173
dence ; unsalubrious.
(See page 200.)
General Remarks.— Traverses the plain extending from the hills to the north of Dizful to
the Gulf.
Flies abound everywhere and settle in thousands on man and beast.
No ill effects result from exposure to the sun at this season. The nights are cold (55°) ; the
day temperature not over 85° in the shade. Heavy dew falls at night.