'Military Report on South-West Persia, Including the Provinces of Khuzistan (Arabistan), Luristan, and Part of Fars' [‎190] (191/466)

190
R oute N o. 1 — contd.
From Mtihammerah to Tehran, tyc. —contd.
,£2 6C
0 02
^5
Time.
Names of towns, villages, &c,
Distances iif
MILES.
Interme
diate.
P. M.
5-25
5-40
5-45
Total.
Eemarks.
lime and stone.
A few <£ ber" trees passed ; mounds
give cover; road here 25' broad, hard
and good ; conntry undulates.
Passes throngli a cutting, 20' broad, 5 r
to 10' deep.
Cross the Pul-i-Sbab-Ali (bridge) over
a canal, of 4 arches, in all 50' long and
12' broad ; the bridge is constructed of
over a hard slippery conglomerate rock.
Descent to the bridge difficult.
Cross The Pul-i-Lashkar (bridge), over the Ab-i-KMrd, of 8 arches [see sJcetch).
Descends over hard conglomerate rock, and follows the broad road passing the Imamzada
Abdiila and leading to the Gargar gate.
7
6-0
S hustae (elevation
21
137
For a description of Shustar,see Revised
400'.
Gazetteer of Persia.
Long. 48° 42' E.; Lat-
32° 2' N.
General Bemarks. —From Band-i-Kir to Daulatabad the road is good ; and
can be readily widened and improved.
Between Daulatabad and SMstar it is narrow and bad. Following generally
the line of the Ab-i-Gargar, it is cut up by canals and ravines; the former
are crossed by rough log or fascine bridges^ 2/ to 3'- wide. No bridging mate
rial, beyond the rafters of the nearest hiits, is available on the spot.
Had the swamp not intervened, the better road would lie in the direct line
between Band-i-Kir and Shustar. This road would be impassable after rain.
The above road is known as the Bam Kaid Hassan Khan.
An alternative, but longer, road keeps to the left bank of the river, crossing
the Gargar by the Pul-i-Boleiti, and is called the <c Bani Daudi " road [see
page 330),
To the south of Shustar the population is Arab. The Arab dress, the
" aVa " and " ka^ba/"' are chiefly worn by the chiefs of the town ; the lower
orders wear blue cotton trousers and tunics girded round the waist. They do
not wear the kefiyeh or camels^ hair turban, that being worn by true Arabs
onlj ; the Persian felt hat is worn, or else an ample puggerie. The prevailing
. ,. colour of the dress of the lower orders is blue,
ommumca ions. From Shustar roads lead to Isfahan, 1% or 15
stages of 275 miles {see Road Report No. 4). To Behbahan, 6" stages of 130
miles, and thence to Shiraz, 9 stages of 170 miles [see page 332), and to
Karmanshah, 10 stages of 245 miles, insecure on account of its proximity to
the Turkish frontier [see pages 207, 209). For roads to Gulpaigan, see pages
256, 259; to Hamadan, see pages 207, 209, 220, 225.
For comparison of trade routes^ &c., see page 330 and Part III.