‘Military report on south-west Persia, including the provinces of Khúzistán (Arabistan), Luristán and part of Fars.’ [‎188v] (381/470)

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the spring' is probably true (altitude of Tel-Espid 2,830 feet). 1 el- bspid plain
is similar to that of ChaU-Moreh in character, only more circular than oblong,
which is the shape of the former. One’s attention is attracted by the square
mud towers of the Lur inhabitants, all placed on artificial mounds command-
in- the tents or huts at their feet. These Lur people stay here all the year
round but prefer not to build houses for fear ot the tax-gatherer getting a
firmer hold of them by means of their fixed residences.
The road all day had been stony, but by no means bad.
From Te 1 -Espid to Kazran there is a road down the valley of the Shapur
river (he Mow). This Tel-Espid plain is watered by the Fahhaa river, as
I prefer to call it (after the principal village and tribe of the Lel-Fspnl plain).
It is shown as Ab-i-Shur on St. John’s map, and as the Endian river and
Tan-.i-Khast or Shashpir on my sketch. Itice fields seem to absorb the whole
of the rapid stream, for not a drop could we see in the water-course which leads
from the plain to the south-west; but numerous irrigatron channels were to be
traced, notably the one leading to the head o£ the Sar-Ab-i-Siah valley.
Ftihlidn to Kdzrdn.
Fabliau is situated at the northern base of the range of hills beyond which
lies Nurabad. The soil is here very fertile and water abundant Uee lieviaed
Gazetteer of Perdu ). Irrigated fields yield from 25 to 40 fold of the winter
crops. The yield of rice is' 1 50 fold, and of sesamum fkunjud) 100 fold.
In the winter months the narcissus grows in wild luxuriance.
The road to Kazran takes a southerly direction along the heights separat
ing the Sha’b-Bevan valley, in which lies Fabliau, from Sahra-1-Bahrain, and
then over the plain to Nurdbad. The plain is 12 miles long, east and west,
by 8 miles br< ad. The Kal’a-l-Safid lies 8 miles to its north-east [»ee Rerued
Gazetteer of Persia). Passing Nurahad with its small fort flanked by four
bastions and the ruins of ISlaubenjan, Naksh-i-Bahram, surrounded by trees,
water, and verdur 0 , is reached. Crossing the Muna-Nahl, the boundary be
tween the districts of Kazran and Fabliau, Chenoshejan, a plain of some
extent, is reached. Oak trees abound here. This plain communicates with
the Dasht-i-Ber, below the PiT-i-Zan and the Shapur plain, forming a part of
the vale of Kazran; and if this horse-shoe line diversion be followed, the
difficult pass of the Kotal-i-Dukhtar is avoided. Crossing the valley of the
Dasht-i-Ber or Kuhmarah, the Shapur river is forded, and the Maidan-i-
Kazian, 12 miles long and 3 broad, traversed to Kazran (DeBmle).
btage 10, December 14th. —We followed the Tel-Espid plain to north-east,
and went straight to a steep rugged kotal (altitude
If l-Espi l to Piil-i- g ggQ f e(; t). Obviously there must be a better line for a
road where the river enters the plain. Having descended
the other side of the kotal, we are by the river side again; and two miles fur
ther up stream, we are at the foot of the precipitous hill named Kal a-i-Safid,
from the white colour of its rocks, and its being used as a stronghold in time
of disturbance. There is only one way to the top, and that no easy one. The
sides are scarps of perpendicular rock. This hill should be on the left hank,
it is marked on the wrong side of the river in St. John’s map. Just by
Kal’a-Safid the Fabliau river is joined by the Sul stream from the north,
the main stream from the east bein— here called the Taug-i-Khast river. It is
18 yards wide and three feet deep, flowing very rapidly. It gets the name of
the Tang-i-Khast stream from a narrow gorge, through which it flows. Ibis