'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎148r] (300/1278)

•-JUi«SPi
BAN—BAN
Ml
Division.
Sub-division.
Habitat of sub-division.
Fighting
strength.
Sarkhah .
Hajjaj
• '
• ■
On the west of the
Karkheh crossing also
to the Shaur between
Aiwan-i-Karkheh and
Shush.
200
'7 ; 7 f / t " f
Do. .
Kharsan ,
*
Do.
300
Do. .
Labaibat
*
*
Do.
200
. - l
Do. .
Mahur
•
-i-
Among the Kathir at
Husainiyeh between
the Diz and fehaur.
100
Do. .
Qasman
As for Barais
200
Do. .
Rawaishid .
.
Do. _
boo
Do. .
Shabaikah .
•
J
Do. .
300
In regard to the Lawaimi above it may be remarked that they have
not any apparent political connection with the main body of the tribe.
The Sarkhah are not of very much importance.
The number of fighting men of the tribe in ’Arabistan is thus approxi
mately 8,000 including those of the tribe in ’Iraq, the fighting strength of
the whole tribe is probably about 15,000 men and their total number 45,000
souls.
Mode of life and re sources.—The majority of all sections of the tribe are
agricultural and live by growing cereals. The tribe has not, however, as
a whole abandoned a nomadic life for no houses are found among them, but
only hair tents, and they migrate towards the hills in the cold weather and
are on the move from February to June.
Wheat, barley, oats, maize, mash and lentils are among their crops, but
they have not much rice ; their cultivation is shifting and desultory. The
camels and horses of the Bam Lam are among the best in ’Iraq. They
have also buffaloes, cattle, sheep and donkeys. The horses possessed by
the portion of the tribe which lives in ’Arabistan are estimated at 1,500
and their camels at 3,000.
Political 'position and military importance.—The tribe are with a few
exceptions Shi’ahs ; by some of them Persian is spoken as well as Arabic.
Blood feuds are rigorously prosecuted. The tribe are blindly submissive to
their Shaikhs both in peace and war, and they do not fail to combine against
outsiders. Their present head is Ghadhban. In Persia the tribe give much
trouble to the authorities and seldom pay any revenue. The tribe are noted
for their predatory tendencies, but in reality they live for the greater part
a peaceful and respectable life. In Persia it is the Khasraj that give the
most trouble, and the Kinanah also are said to raid in the Dizful district.
The Bani Lam are now well supplied with modern rifles, chiefly Martinis,
and are considered to be good shots, especially from the saddle. It is
estimated that on the Persian side about one-third of the fight ing m^n are