'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎188] (243/905)

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CHAPTER IX.
PERSIA PROPER.
COMPARATIVE GEOGRAPHY OF THE PROVINCES OF KHUZISTiN,
luristan, and fars.
General Limits of Persia Proper.—Mountains and Rivers.—Province of Khu
zist^n.—Rivers Kerkhah, SMpur, Dizful, and Kdrdn.—Ancient Communica
tions of the last with thre Sea.—Courses of the Jerdhi and Tdb.—Comparative
Greography of the Province.—Supposed identity of the Choaspes—Coprates
—Eulaeus—Hedyphon and Oroatis of the Ancients.
T he Shah of Persia retains the central part of the ancient
monarchy, and his territory takes the shape of a triangle, the
base of which is along the western side of Afghanistan, and
the apex at Mount Ararat. It has the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. and
Shatt el Arab for its southern, and the Turkish territory
along the Zagros, for its western limits ; whilst the northern
borders touch the river Attruck, the southern shores of the
Caspian, and the Russian provinces on the river Araxes. It
occupies about 12° of latitude 1 and 17° of longitude; 2 so that
the superficies of the twelve provinces 3 of which it consists con
tains nearly 395,846 square geographical miles, or nearly
43,982 square leagues, chiefly lying between the Persian
Gulf and the Caspian Sea. This rather exceeds the sur
face of Afghanistan, and is equal to about half of that of
Arabia. It resembles the latter country in many particulars,
as in its limited population, its scarcity of water, and the
consequent restriction of cultivation; but above all, in the
* From 26° 25' to 38° 10' north latitude.
s From 44° 18' to 61° 20' east longitude.
3 KMzistdn, Luristdn, Fdrs, 'Irak Ajemi, Ardeldn, Kirmdn-sMh, Gilan
Mazanderdn, Azerbaijan, Khordsdn, Aster-abdd, and Kirmdn, including La-
nstdn. 8