‘Military Report on ’Arabistan (Area No. 13).’ [‎27r] (58/366)

right bank. These were destroyed in 1916, when the bridge was
repaired, but more mills have since been built under the bridge
and by the left bank. Below the bridge 40 more mills are to be
found. A permanent canal, known as the Nahr-i-Kilmilak
leaves the river on the east batik below the bridge. (Outside the
town are 40 brick kilns, the price of bricks today being 40 krans
per thousand.)
The only edifice on the right bank of the river is the palace
of Kushk of the Persian Governor-General of ’Arabistan. It is
of modem construction and consists of a rectangular enclosure
500 feet by 300 feet, in which are several buildings. The high
enclosing wall is of brick and has no pretensions as a citadel.
The ground about here affords the best camping-ground, of an
area practically unlimited. The aerodrome is situated here
wde Chapter VIII. At the present time the palace is inhabited
by Sagwand suwars, a bodyguard of the Governor-General ■
the number of these suwars is at present 70.
(b) Inhabitants.—The population of Dizful is estimated at
between 50,000 and 60,000. It has absorbed many heteroge
neous elements and some of the groups into which the inhabitants
are formed, bear names' indicative of foreign origin JXev
the]ess, they have now become fused in one common communitv
and homogeneity of language, customs and dress and mav he
said to constitute a type of their own. No Lurs, Kurds or Arnhc
reside within the town. The most prominent sections of the in
habitants are the Sayids, numbering some 15,000 : the merchant
who are 500 households; the Mashaikh, or under priests the
wear white turbans in contrast to the Sayids, who wear black
and number some 250 houses ; and the Khavanin, or notables of
whom there are some 100 families. The lower orders belomT/o »
poor type; they are dirty, discontented, unhealthy and ill
favoured m appearance ; many of the better classes are resnect-
able and well mannered. The only religion is the Shi’eh fm'+h
m its standard form, and there are no Babis or ’Ali Uah7« or-
avowed infidels. Although bigotted and fanatical in reeard to
their particular form of religion, they show no signs of hostilitv
towaras strangers—in somewhat marked contradistinction to the
attitude of the inhabitants of Shushtar. Though Dizful ic
directly under the rule of the Governor-General of ’ Arabistan nr
his deputy Governor, when the former resides in Shushtar th*
real control of the town is in the hands of the Sayids of whom th«