'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia: About 1889-1890' [‎704r] (1428/1486)

9
duce crops of wheat, barley, and indigo, capable of
being increased to an indefinite extent. With regular
communication by means of river steamers between
Shushter and Mohammerah a great incentive would be
given to increased activity in the agriculture of those
districts, and gradually to the cultivation of extensive
areas now absolutely deserted. The plains within
easy distance of Shushter and Dizful are the winter
and spring quarters of several large nomadic tribes or
Eeliauts, the produce of whose numerous flocks, such
as butter, wool, and hides, would by means of the
Karun navigation be brought within easy reach of the
markets of India and Europe. Once an impetus was
given, the gradual resuscitation of this naturally rich
and formerly populous province could hardly fail to
follow. When one sees the amount of labour and
money so often expended in Persia to but little pur
pose in bringing scanty supplies of brackish water to
irrigate patches of poor soil, one feels that the re
sources of the Karun plains have only to get a start to
attract an industrious population from other less
favoured parts of the country. One great inducement
would be the excellence of the water for drinking pur
poses as well as its abundance for irrigation. A very
full and interesting description not only of the Karun
but of the whole province of Khuzistan is given by
Sir Henry Layard in vol. xvi. ( 1846 ) of the Journal of
the Royal Geographical Society.
Immediately to the north-east of Shushter, and
lying between it and the central plateau on which the
chief cities of Persia are situated, comes a belt of
rugged mountainous country which must be passed
before the upper plains are reached, at an average