'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOL. III. PART I: A to K' [‎520r] (1044/1278)

KAR—KAR
51$
distance of about 50 miles between the Karkheh and the Shaur rivers, and
has an average breadth of 5 miles.
Irrigation and villages. —The waters of the river are used for irrigation
to a large extent. In places it dissolves into a network of canals. The
only village of importance on the Karkheh above the point where it enters
the Hawlzeh district appears to be Khairabad, which is on the left bank
below Shush. It has 80 houses.— { Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. Gazetteer, 1908.)
KARMlZ KUH—
A range of hills in Laristan, running roughly east and west, about 1|
miles north of the town of Girash.^— {Butcher, 1888.)
KARMUSTEH—
Kuh-i-Karmusteh, a cliff , a few farsakfis south of Lar, once mined for iron
and sulphur, but now no longer exploited for the purpose.— {Wilson and
Cruickshank, 1907.)
Karmusteh is a valley some thirty miles long by twelve miles wide, lying
to the south-east of Lar.
To the north it is bounded by the Kuh-i-Gach, a high range of mountains,
which are well-wooded on the higher slopes. The range derives its name
from the white cliffs on its crest, which are a conspicuous object in the land
scape. The western spur of this range known as the Saihtak Bala, has
three salt-mines, as well as sulphur mines. A considerable export trade of
sulpher is carried on. A lower spur to the east is known as the Cheha
Behmishk, from the numerous springs which rise in these hills.
To the south, the valley is shut in by a high range of mountains knoon
as the Kuh-i-Burh or “ high- hills. ” This range is covered with forest.
Its highest point is the Kuh-i-Chan-i-Shur, said to be some 9,000 or
10,000 feet high and to consist of jagged and unclimbable cliffs of salt. It
throws off two big spurs ; that to the north forms the eastern boundary of
the valley and is known as the Kuh-i-Badini ; that to the south forms the
eastern boundary of the Dehuntal [probably the same as Dehun (</.v.)}
valley, and apparently eventually merges into the lower slopes of the Kuh-i-
Rudbar range to the south.
Both these lower spurs of the Kuh-i-Shur are wooded.
The Kuh-i-Badini gradually falls away to the north. It is crossed by the
Bandar ’Abbas-Lar road at the Bazan pass, so called from its sinister
reputation for raids, from the Sarhad mountains to the east.
To the east of Karmusteh is an isolated range of salt, about three miles
long, and known as the Siahtak-i-Zar. Both sulpher and salt are Worked
from this range.
The road from Badini to Karmusteh is said to be fit for wheeled artillery.
There are no villages en route for the first 15 miles, but shortly after passing
the karizes of Birkeh Gilu the outskirts of the Karmusteh cultivation are
reached.
Karmusteh is dwindling in importance owing to its exposure to raids^
The inhabitants used to own about 500 camels, but Owing to raids, the
majority of camels have been taken elsewhere.
The valley has outlets to the west via Hormuz and Zuruvan and to the
north-west via the Sanikhud pass to Lar. All these villages north of the
Kuk-i Burh acknowledge Saiyid Haji Baba of Lar as their head. The
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