Correspondence and Papers on Persia [‎165r] (83/245)

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Geo.—Sykes—First Proof.
Off Bushire we again experienced rough weather, but when once we
entered the lovely Shat-el-Arab, the moist heat was overpowering.
At Mohamerah we found that the fortnightly boat was not due to
start up the Karun for another week, so we continued our journey to
Busreh, where Captain Whyte, Her Majesty’s consul, received us most
hospitably.
Before entering the valley of the Karun, I would mention that that
river was opened to the commerce of the world in 1888, and that ever
since Messrs. Lynch Brothers have maintained a fortnightly service,
in spite of much hostile intrigue on the part of the local officials, who
did their best to thwart the Shah’s policy. However, the extraordinary
tact of Messrs. Lynch s agents has overcome much obstruction, and
every one is now alive to the advantages that they have conferred upon
the district, so that we may soon hope to see this system of mutual
advantage placed on a thoroughly sound and solid basis.
It is but 117 miles from Mohamerah to Ahwaz, but this occupied
the best part of two days to accomplish, as we anchored at night.
At Ahwaz, where a few years ago there were but a few wretched
huts, warehouses and caravanserais of imposing appearance now line
the bank, while great activity was everywhere visible.
After spending a few days with Messrs. Lynch’s agent, Mr. Parry,
in his company I proceeded up to Shuster in the s.s. Shmhan, the larger
boat not being able to proceed above the natural barrage that crosses
the river in five separate reefs.
This is the crux of the Karun question, as, if the ancient dam were
repaired, there would be water enough to fertilize millions of acres
which now lie idle and useless. At Shuster, one of the dirtiest, hottest,
and most fanatical towns in the world, we lived in cellars for the greater
part of the day, as at 8 a.m. the thermometer regularly registered 108°
Fahr., while at noon 129° was the average reading.
As may be supposed, we were only too glad to return to the compara
tively cool climate of Ahwaz, where July was spent. In August, I was
so weak from fever and pleurisy that I had to seek medical advice at
Busreh, and enjoyed every luxury at the consulate. The moist heat
was, however, so trying that the doctor ordered a sea voyage, so that
early in September we returned to Tehran by the roundabout way of
Bombay, Aden, Brindisi, and Constantinople.
I was, however, very anxious to have the Ahwaz-Ispahan road
properly mapped as far as its junction with the Shuster route, as, until
quite recently, Ahwaz did not exist, and so there was no road running to
it shown on the map.
Here the great value of my faithful plane-tabler came in, as I was
able to send him in charge of my caravan through the Bakhtiari country
and feel quite confident that when we met again at Tehran, he would
have an excellent route report to give in, in which hope I was not
disappointed.
The winter was again spent at Tehran, where I saw H.I.M. Muzzufur-
i-din Shah more than once, and his Majesty took much interest in the
photographs that I had taken on the Beluch frontier. Moreover, I had
the opportunity of making the acquaintance of the leading Persian
statesmen, one of whom, His Excellency the Nasir-ul-Mulk, is here
to-night, having returned to England the moment his official duties
on thecontinent were finished.
In conclusion, I would mention that, after travelling for many
thousand miles in Persia, listill wish to travel there again, and, although
perhaps the free open-air life and the glorious.climate have something to
do with this, I cannot but help feeling that it is also owing to the
Persians themselves being so hospitable and friendly a race.