‘Gazetteer of Persia, Part III, including Fārs, Lūristān, Arabistān, Khūzistān, Yazd, Karmānshāh, Ardalān, Kurdistān’ [‎281r] (566/686)

539
SHI—SHI
subject the reader is referred to the Route-book and to Mr. Mackenzie's
Memorandum of March 1883 and Wells of 1882. {Durand.)
The following observations (March 1885) by Mr. Odling, M.It.C.S.,
regarding Shiraz and district are very useful from a sanitary point of
view:—
“ From Dasht-i-Arjan to Khana-i-Zanian the road first leads over a
mountain range; on this good water is procurable, then down to Khana-
i-Zanian river, which it more or less follows for 2 farsakhs, the water
here is plentiful, and the climate bracing, though in the middle of
the day in the summer months the sun is very hot, and all travel
ling should be done either early in the morning or late in the even
ing. Three farsakhs after leaving the river good tvater is again pro
curable, and from this to Shiraz every few miles you find a plentiful
supply. This district has a very small population. I know of no
diseases special to the district. Intermittent fever, dyspepsia, and
ophthalmia are the most prevalent; small-pox is probably never absent.
“ Shiraz (4,750 feet above the sea) is situated on the right bank of
a river, in a fertile and well watered valley, about 7 miles wide. The
river, which has often a large volume of water from December to
April, is dry for the rest of the year, the water being used for irri
gation. It empties itself into the salt lake, the upper margin of
which is perhaps 12 miles from Shiraz in a south-easterly direction.
Five miles south of Shiraz, the valley is separated from an extensive
marsh by a low range of hills. Shiraz has probably a population of
35 000; it is irregularly circular in shape and is about 5 miles in cir
cumference. The streets are for the most part narrow and winding, and
until recently were ill-paved, but the present Governor has in this
respect made a decided improvement; all the principal streets have
by his orders been repaired. The refuse from the houses is carried
away by donkeys, but much remains to be done; dead cats, dogs,
and other putrid matter often remain in the streets for weeks to
gether. In each house is a privy, connected with a hole, 8 or 10 feet
deep, which is usually in the street; this is covered up, and into it
the excrement finds its way; a good deal of the liquid soaks into the
surrounding ground; this hole, when full, is emptied, and the contents
carried away. Nearly the whole soil on which Shiraz is built is thus
impregnated. The water-supply is brought to the town by means
of kandts, and is carried to the different quarters by water-courses,
about 2 feet deep; these are in some places open, but are generally
covered with stone; but even then the crevices are not carefully filled
in so that refuse often finds its way into them, and in wet weather
they are the only means for carrying off the surplus water. This
forms the drinking supply for the greater portion of the inhabitants,
though many have their drinking water carried from the toot ot
the mountains, where it is excellent. , , . ,
“ The climate of Shiraz is, on the whole, dry, though heavy dew
falls in the spring,
and during the cold weather there is a moderate
rainfall. The winter, lasting from the beginning of December to the
middle of February, is usually mild. There is often frost at night,
and snow sometimes falls, but on the plain seldom remains for more