‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎226v] (451/949)

Here, as everywhere else, we were well received and every assistance given
us. r l he authority of the Sheikh of Mohamraerah appears to be firmly ost ab-
lished in this country, which a few years ago was independent of him. jhe
Arab sowars he had sent with us, who were men of good standing, appeared to
be able to get anything they wished done without hesitation.
I was informed that the raids of the Kuhgelu tribes had been entirely
stopped for some years by the Sheikh of Mohammerah: apparently some
quarrelling still goes on between the Bakhtiaris and Arabs. The Sheikh of
Mohammerah is joint owner of Zeitun with the Bakhtiari Khans. 1 ic
tendency no doubt will be for him and the Bakhtiaris to absorb everything that
lies between their respective jurisdictions. And unless the Persian Government
is alarmed, the Sheikh of Mohammerah and the Bakhtiaris will acquire the
whole of Arabistan outside the towns of Shuster and Dizful and the villages
owned by the richer men of those towns in their vicinity.
Mashur was, previous to the arrival of the Belgian Customs administration,
the chief place of import for the arms trade in Arabistan, which is now stopped
apparently at this point.
The Mashur creek is ascended by small boats to within two miles of the town,
and by large sea-going buggalows to within 2 ^ miles. The drainage of the
desert to the head of the creek skirts the west side of the town and crosses the
road to the creek souih of it, which consequently becomes very heavy after
rain. The landing place and approach to it from Mashur can and would have
to be improved if used for the disembarkation of troops. I have put a note of
this in my description of the route Bam Hormuz to Mashur.
Prom the Mashur landing place, west to the Dorak canal, the sea is reported
to be unapproachable, the shore along the north of the Khor Musa being low
and swampy and flooded by tides far inland.
The Jerrahi River from its point of nearest approach to Mashur and the sea,
turns west towards Fellahieh, and maintains its canal-like appearance, but its
banks gradually diminish in height till the plain becomes capable of irrigation.
Some miles east of Fellahieh the river is divided into three main arms or canals
which flow toUmusakha, Fellahieh, and Buzia, respectively: this latter only,
as the Dorak canal, reaches the sea. From these main streams a multitude of
canals of all sizes spread over the plain, and water the fields and the large palm
groves in which the chief villages are situated.
The Chaab tribes, if attacked, are accustomed to retreat to Fellahieh and
the adjacent district, and, by cutting the canals, to flood the country: their
action under these circumstances is well elucidated by Layard. But these
tribes could be subjugated by their own methods by seizing the point where the
Jerrahi first divides above Janjireh : the water could then be turned in any
required direction, and the streams gradually descended, guarded, and con
trolled. Canals of the largest size are dammed quickly with earth mixed with
brushwood : we saw this in operation at several places. After the flooding of
the country, moreover, a blockade would inevitably reduce the tribes to sub
mission in a shorter or longer period, according to the season of the year.
From Janjireh we pursued a tortuous course to Buzia, where we took boats
to Fellahieh : ordinarily boats should be taken at Janjireh.
The Sheikh of Buzia is named Bazaij and is a man of very fine appearance
and physique : he sent his sons to guard us at night and visited us himself the
next morning. He is one of the ruling Sheikhs of the Chaab tribe who
guarantee the payment of the yearly revenue : his two brothers were shot,
some time back, while in a boat at the point where we embarked for
Fellahieh. The houses and groves of Buzia run along two parallel canals, of
which the eastern one is bridged and runs to the sea. Near the bridge, to
which fair-sized buggalows ascend, is established the Belgian Customs House.
I heard that boats bringing arms deposited them lower down the canal,
which is apparently insufficiently watched : the Belgian Customs will, however,
wffien they introduce steam-launches to watch the creeks from Hindian to the
Bahmeshir and gradually extend their hold over the coast of Arabistan, largely
put a stop to this and other smuggling.