'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎138r] (280/1278)

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BAN-BAN 131
jTra^e.—The rise of Nasiri on the Karun river has adversely affected
Ma 'shur, and has taken from it the greater part even of the Ramuz export
trade, of which it had formerly a monopoly,. The staple export is wheat,
but the quantity available varies greatly, as elsewhere in ’Arabistan, from
season to season. There is also some exportation of barley. In a good
year the amount of wheat passing through the port may amount to 600,
and that of barley to 50, local kdrehs. From 20,000 to 30,000 fleeces of
wool, valued at from 15 to 26 tumdns the hundred, are exported in each
year. Some beans, sesame, and oak-bark also are shipped from Ma’shur,
but it is stated that gum arabic and linseed no longer follow this route as
formerly.
Imports, which are mostly of Indian origin, are received through Kuwait*
Bushire and Muhammareh. The chief articles imported are qand or loaf
sugar, about 200 cases a year ; shakkar or granulated sugar, about 300
bags per annum ; also piece-goods, tea and spices. The piece-goods are
mostly from Muhammareh. The prices of imported goods depend on the
prices at Bushire and are greater by the amount of freight and other transit
charges and by the commission of the local merchant, which is at the rate
of 5 to 10 per cent. The price of qand is thus 8 to 10 tumdns for a case
containing 32 to 36 cones.
There are only 2 merchants of consideration at Ma’shur. Both are Beh-
behams by origin and both have now their headquarters at Kuwait. There
is no bazar Ma’shur and all business is transacted in private houses.
The weights in use at Ma’shur are the following :—
1 tvaqieh — 1 Bushire man or Vf lbs. English,
13 „ =1 Khalafabad man or 124 „ ,,
32 „ — 1 Hashim man or 248 „ „
100 Hashim mans = 1 Kareh or 24,800 „ „
The waqieh is divided into rub’ or quarters, and nlm or halves.
The unit of linear measure is the zar’-i-shdh of the Persian coast.
Port and Shi'p'pinq .—The creek has banks of shelving mud, and at low
tide holds 3 feet of water with a width of 15 feet. On high tides it is some
50 feet wide. The landing-place for goods is more than 2 miles from the
village, and the path connecting the two becomes difficult in bad weather.
Only about 10 trading boats are owned at Ma’shur and 4 fishing boats of
size : of the former class 5, belonging to one owner, are capable of making
voyages to Kuwait and even to Masqat. Numerous vessels from other ports
call at Ma’shur, and in a year of large wheat export as many as 600 visits
may be paid by strange craft : these are mostly Mdshuwehs, Ghunchehs
and Baqdrehs, but sometimes they are Ballams and occasionally Baghalehsi
All vessels must sail or drift up Khur Musa to Ma’shur as, from the nature
of the banks, there is no possibility oftowing them.
The journey from Ma’shur to Kuwait by sailing vessel ordinarily
occupies about 24 hours, but in favourable circumstances it may be per
formed in half that time. About 24 hours is the time usually required
to reach Fallahieh town from Ma’shur by water via Khur Ma’shur and
Khur Dauraq. From the Ma’shur landing-place west to the Dauraq canal
the sea is reported to be unapproachable, the shore along the north being
low and swampy and flooded by tides far inland.