'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.' [‎195] (252/905)

CHAP. IX.]
THE RIVER SHAPUR.
195
Gamashan, the Kerkhah receives the Abi-Garm, a smaller
stream, coming from the north; and, at about 33| miles S.E.
from thence, is Puli-taug, a very remarkable bridge over a
chasm, which is here 150 feet deep, and so narrow, that a
Kurd actually leaped across it, in the presence of Major
Rawlinson. 1
Having overcome this obstacle, the river resumes its The Abi-zai.
ordinary size; and, eight miles lower, it is joined by the
Abi-zal, which enters it after a course of about 50 miles from
its source in the fastnesses of the Kali-Asped and Anarah-rud.
Their united streams now quit the direction of Dizful,
and take a more southerly course for about 40 miles, to the
ruins of Twani-Kerkh. 2
A little south of this spot, where there are the remains of The Kerkhah
a bridge, and at one mile and a half from the celebrated ruins shatt d'Arab.
of ancient Sus, the Kerkhah bends a little west of south, 3
and continues in this direction through the rich plain of
Khuzistan, passing through the extensive marshes which
surround Hawizah, a commercial town of about 12,000 in
habitants; from thence it winds S.W., and falls into the
Shatt el Arab, below Kurnah, after a course of upwards of
500 miles.
A little way on the eastern side of the Kerkhah is the The shapur.
Shapur, or Shawer, which is supposed to rise in the rich
plains between that river and the Abi-Dizful, at about 10
miles north of Sus ; 4 and, instead of entering the Karun below
Awaz, as in the earliest times, or about one mile and a half
below Wais, 5 as is said to have been the case at a later period,
it makes its way, according to the accounts of the natives, 6
through marshes, immediately into the upper part of the
river Diz.
1 Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. IX. Part I., p. 62.
2 The Carhoe of Major Rawlinson.—Ibid., p. 88.
8 Unfortunately this part of its course was not examined by the officers
of the Expedition.
4 Major Rawlinson's Notes: p. 70, Vol. IX. Part I., Journal of the Royal
Geographical Society : but its springs are more likely to be in the high ground
northward. 5 See Map.
6 Collected by Captain Estcourt; also during my journey in 1831.
2 c 2