'Notes on Persian Seistan' [‎31r] (66/142)

NOTES ON PERSIAN SEISTAN,
51
.FwTfo.—Along the main tracks in Seistan, there are fords through all the
P 0rcig canals which are too wide to be bridged by
local methods. The absence, however, of
stone and gravel, and the soft nature of the soil, which becomes very slippery
when wet, would make it preferable to bridge all but the smaller watercuts,
it any considerable amount of traffic was required to pass.
Fud .—Except to the east of a line drawn from Shahristan Hill to
Fuel# Jelalabad, no fuel is to be found. The fuel
* for other districts is carried from Miaukangi
on donkeys, and, m the western districts, is an expensive commodity in winter.
Consisting as it does of roots and small branches of tamarisk, a large amount
would be necessary for military purposes.
Tamarisk wood is heavy and does not float, so that some arrangement would
have to be made with skins or otherwise to float it down the river or canals.
Water. The water of the Helmund resembles that of the Nile, in that it
Water for drinking purposes. contains feitilising properties, though in a
much lesser degree. It consequently would
not be so injurious to the health of British troops, except during the time of the
first flood. Then, especially after a low Helmund, the river brings down a
large amount of filth of all sorts, besides alluvial deposit, and would probably
cause dysentery and kindred complaints.
The water of the canals in Seistan is seldom really clear owino- to the
constant minor irrigation operations, and to the traffic passing throiTgh the
numerous fords.
Filters .—It would probably prove advantageous to make arrangements
Filters. ^ or Altering water for British troops, as was
done in the Soudan in 1898.
Wells. Water can be found practically throughout Seistan at a depth of
from 5 feet to 15 feet below the surface of the
ground, and wells can be quickly dug owing
to the softness of the soil. The well-water, however, is nearly always muddy.
CLIMATE.
A description of the climate of Seistan resolves itself into an account of
the local winds, which are almost incessant, of extraordinary violence, and
uniformity as regards direction.
Both the summer and winter gales blow practically from the north always,
and their regularity may he gauged from the fact that all the trees slant at
a considerable angle towards the south, while no opening is ever made on the
north side of a house in Seistan.
In the summer time one usually sees everyone walking, heeling over
against the wind, as on board ship in a storm, wffiile the shrill and piercing
voices of the inhabitants, who invariably shout to each other from quite
close even on a still day, are undoubtedly due to the difficulty experienced in
making themselves heard while the Ci Bad-i-sad-o-bist-roz blows.
This name, which is applied to the summer gales, is calculated to give
_ ,. _ , . anyone, who has not been in Seistan for any
gaies." i sa "°’ lst * roz, or summer length of time, the impression that the gales
only last for 120 days. The summer wind,
however, which usually continues from early in June to mid-October, is
succeeded after about six weeks by the not much less formidable “ Bad-i-
zamistan,^ or a winter wind/'