'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎670v] (1361/1486)

16
THE KARUN RIVER AND THE COMMERCIAL
north from Burujird, whence there already exists a well-worn mnlo
track by Khonsar to Ispahan, a distance of 210 miles.
While writing this paper, I have heard from Ispahan that the
merchants of that place are looking forward with sanguine anticipation
to the completion of this new road. I do not see that, as regards
distance, it will help them much for merchandise coming from the sea,
as the distance from Ahwaz by road to Burujird and thence to Ispahan
will be about the same as, if not a little more than, the present distance
via Shiraz from the Gulf, viz. 500 miles; although being, according to
present intentions, a wheeled track, the Burujird road ought to provide
both a speedier and safer transit than do the horrible kotals or rock-
ladders between Bushiro and Shiraz. In any case it must facilitate tirade
distribution in the interior, and, as a branch of a great system, will
contribute to the success of the whole ; whilst, in later days, a Bakhtiari
caravan road may perhaps follow.
Returning to Shushter, I will now trace the main line of through
communication to the western and northern provinces which will
shortly be opened out in connection with the traffic on the Kanin. The
only publication, in English, available to the general reader, in which
this route is explained and described by a competent authority, is the
series of admirable articles contributed by Colonel Bell to ‘ Blackwood’s
Magazine,’ in April, June, and July, 1889. To them may safely be
referred any student of the question, or even any would-be shareholder
in the new venture that will shortly be submitted to the public. The
information therein contained, dating from the year 1884, I am able to
supplement by details communicated to me when in Persia by travellers
who had themselves made the journey in the past year.
From Shushter the road, crossing the Karun—or rather, at the present
moment, not crossing it, for the famous Bridge of Valerian is broken
down—runs over a level plain for 36 miles to the important town of
Dizful, which is situated on the left bank of the river, already alluded
to as bearing the same name. Dizful resembles Shushter in many
respects; in its architecture, its population, its possession of a fine
ancient bridge, its general neglect of trade and tillage, and its universal
and incorrigible decay. As an illustration of what the new route by the
Karun may here be expected to do, I may mention a fact, which I have
nowhere seen stated, viz., that the import and export trade of Dizful,
which might easily bo doubled or trebled in volume, is at present
conducted by an overland track from the Turkish landing-place of
Amarah, on the Tigris, merchandise being brought up the river from
Busrah, and despatched by mule caravans starting twice a month
for Dizful. Now, all goods passing this way have to pay customs
dues to Turkey as well as to Persia; from which may bo inferred the
advantages of a-new route which shall avoid both Ottoman territory
and Ottoman officials—a tribe whoso victim is of all men the most