'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎571r] (1143/1386)

TEHRAN.
7
and continues to remain, untilled. This has caused an annual loss
of 4,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. in taxes. The loss of this canal irrigation has
told heavily upon the population of the place, the great majority
of whom depended for their living on the irrigated area. A
large number of the inhabitants emigrated into neighbouring
Turkish territory, where watered lands were available. The
Governor told me that he considers Shuster to be now held
together as a town mainly by the presence of the troops and the
people connected with them, and the Government, whose wants
create a demand which employs the inhabitants and enables them
to live.
In 1886 the Ihtisham-us-Sultaneh, then Governor of Atterpted
Arabistan, tried to repair the bridge. A weir was thrown across ridge,
the river to turn it, and the bank and broken arches were partly
rebuilt, but there was a fatal delay in completing the work, and
the usual spring-time floods demolished all that had been done.
The present Governor then made the attempt in 1888. A weir
was again thrown across the stream, and the rebuilding commenced,
but he does not appear to have got as far in the work as his
predecessor; at all events, the arches were not reached. The
bricks and cement, still piled in great heaps on the unbroken part
of the bridge towards the town, show that they were preparing
for the brick arching when the spring floods again overtook them
and swept away the new erections. Want of energy in prose
cuting the work when once begun appears to have wrecked all on
each occasion.
The Nizam-us-Sultaneh is strongly of opinion that Ahwaz deatrfment
should be made the seat of Government. He said that there the
Governor would be in closer touch with the rich and important
districts of Howizah on the west, Janiki and Ram Harmuzon the
east, and Mohamrah in the south, whereas at Shuster he is too
far off for quick and satisfactory work.
The Ab-i-Boleiti, or Ab-i-Gargar, and the Karun, or Steamer com-
Ab-i-Shateit, are navigated by steamers to within 6 and 12 miles munication
respectively of Shuster. The " Susa," a steel launch of 20 tons, W1
belonging to the Persian war-vessel “ Persepolis,” runs on the
former, and the (l Shushan,” of 30 tons, a stern-wheeler (Nile-
boat pattern), presented by Messrs. Lynch to the Shah, plies on
the latter. Both of these run regularly with cargo and
passengers between Ahwaz and Shuster, and do the distance
(about 60 miles) in 9 or 10 hours down, a little longer up. The
“ Susa’s" smaller size enables her to navigate the short, sharp
turns of the tortuous Boleiti (Gargar), while the " Shushan " has
to keep to the Shateit. It has now been found practicable to take
the “ Susa " to within 3 miles of Shuster.
I dropped down the Gargar on a skin raft and went on beard
the “ Susa,” which on the run down stopped at Band-i-Kir, the
point of junction of three streams, the two already mentioned,
and the Diz.
A well-built small serai, with telegraph office and guard Band- Kir.
accommodation, is now being completed there, standing between