![‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎198r] (402/722)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002d7/Mss Eur F112_376_0408.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎198r] (402/722)")
‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [198r] (402/722)
The record is made up of 1 volume (384 folios). It was created in 1886-1895. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
Tlie only military value of the Gurgan is as a water-supply to a force
The Atrak and Gur- landing at Astarabad and advancing up its course. The
gan. plain at the mouth of the river is marshy, and its Water
brackish for 3| miles upstream.
In the south, the river Kanin, which falls into the Shatt-ul-Arab at
Rivers flowing into Muhammarah, is navigable for small steamers as far as
the
Persian Gulf
The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
. Shustar. Near its mouth the fertile delta of Khuzistan
The Karun. j g inhabited by turbulent tribes of Chaab Arabs; and
the mountains above Shustar are the homes of almost independent Bakhti-
varis. Along the gulf there is no unfordable stream, except in the rains,
between the Shatt-ul-Arab and the Indus.
The great central plateau being saucer-shaped, its few streams, after
Streams of the .great having most of their water carried away by canals in
central plateau. the early part of their course, either lose themselves
in the sand or form salt marshes ( f kavir ? ), owing to the saline contents of
the gypseous strata they flow through.
The climate of Persia, except in the Caspian provinces, is very dry and
healthy, but exhibits extremes of heat and cold. In
Climate. summer the heat of the gulf is almost intolerable. The
Caspian provinces are damp and relaxing ; fever being common in December
and January. The Kurdistan mountains enjoy a climate resembling that of
Switzerland. Generally, for military operations, May, June, September,
October, and November, are the best months. At other times there is either
excessive heat, or the roads are impassable.
Communication with The communication between Persia and neighbouring
neighbouring countries, countries is carried on—
in the north,—(a) by the roads from Tihran to Julfa ferry on the
Araxes ; (d) by Russian steamers from Astarabad and Anzali to the
Russian ports on the Caspian :
in the north-east,—by the caravan routes from Mashhad to Marv, Char-
jui, and Herat:
in the east,——by the caravan routes from Karman via Sistan to Kandahar :
and
in the south,—from Bampur, through the desert north of the Mashti
or Mach mountains, to Kalat; and from Bampur over the Zamiran
mountains to Kaj,—for a fuller description of which, see Routes
in Persia —
From the Persian ports of Muhammarah, Bushahr, and Bandar Abbas,
to India and England,—by British steamers.
Finally, in the west,—by the caravan routes converging at Dizful and
Karmanshah, for Basrah and Baghdad, and in the extreme north of
the Turko-Persian frontier, from Tabriz to Van.
The intervening Kurdistan mountain chain is crossed by the following
passes, which, though without exception difficult, are worth mentioning,
owing to the part they are likely to play in case of a Russian invasion of
Persia :
About this item
- Content
This volume is Volume I of the four-volume Gazetteer of Persia (1886 edition). It was compiled for political and military reference by Lieutenant-Colonel Charles Metcalfe MacGregor, Assistant Quarter Master General, in 1871, and brought up to 31 July 1885 by the Intelligence Branch, Quarter Master General’s Department in India. It was printed by the Government Central Branch Press, Simla, India in 1886.
The areas of Persia [Iran] covered are Astarabad, Shahrud-Bustan, Khurasan [Khorāsān], and Sistan. The boundaries of the areas covered by Volume I are as follows: the Afghan border from the River Helmand to Sarakhs in the east; and from there a line north-west to Askhabad, due west to the Atrak, which it follows to the Caspian Sea; then along the sea coast to Ashurada Island; then in a straight line to Shahrud; and from the latter south-east to Tabas hill, Sihkuha, and the Helmand, from where the river first meets the south-east border of Sistan.
The gazetteer includes entries on human settlements and buildings (forts, hamlets, villages, towns, provinces, and districts); communications (passes, roads, bridges, canals, and halting places); tribes and religious sects; and physical features (rivers, streams, springs, wells, fords, valleys, mountains, hills, plains, and bays). Entries include information on history, geography, buildings, population, ethnography, resources, trade, agriculture, and climate.
Information sources are provided at the end of each gazetteer entry, in the form of an author or source’s surname, italicised and bracketed.
The volume includes the following illustrations: ‘VIEW OF AK-DARBAND.’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 12v]; ‘PLAN OF AK-KALA.’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 14]; ‘ROUGH SKETCH OF ASTARÁBÁD, FROM AN EYE-SKETCH BY LT.-COL. BERESFORD LOVETT, R. E., 1881.’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 24]; ‘ROUGH PLAN OF BASHRÚGAH’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 40v]; ‘ROUGH PLAN OF BÚJNÚRD’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 48]; and ‘BUJNURD, FROM THE S. W.’ [Mss Eur F112/376, f 49v].
It also includes the following inserted papers (folios 51 to 60): a memorandum from the Office of the Quartermaster General in India, Intelligence Branch to Lord Curzon, dated 6 December 1895, forwarding for his information ‘Corrections to Volume I of the Gazetteer of Persia’, consisting of articles on the Nishapur district of the province of Khorasan, and the Shelag river.
- Extent and format
- 1 volume (384 folios)
- Arrangement
The volume is arranged as follows from the front to the rear: title page; preface; list of authorities consulted; and entries listed in alphabetical order.
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence (used for referencing) commences at the front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 388, these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [198r] (402/722), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F112/376, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100107690763.0x000003> [accessed 28 November 2024]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100107690763.0x000003
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100107690763.0x000003">‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎198r] (402/722)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100107690763.0x000003"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002d7/Mss Eur F112_376_0408.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001452.0x0002d7/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F112/376
- Title
- ‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’
- Pages
- front, back, head, tail, spine, edge, front-i, 2r:12r, 13r:13v, 15r:23v, 25r:40r, 41r:47v, 49r, 50r:195v, 196ar:196av, 196r:357v, back-i
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence