'Lord Curzon's Notes on Persia' [‎571v] (1144/1386)

8
PERSIA.
the Shateit and Boleiti (Gargar).and close to the large village of
Band-i-Kir. From its roof I had a good view of the flat country
all round, and the dense jungles on the banks of the three
streams. These thickets are said to be full of large and small
game, including the maneless lion, spotted deer, hog, and
francolin partridge. The lion is described as of skulking,
cowardly habits, and unequal to the African animal in size and
fine appearance.
Shuster I observe great patches of oil-smooth water floating down the
petruleum. Karun from the Shateit branch. These were oil-spreads from the
petroleum springs near Shuster, which always give a large overflow
after much rain. There had been a heavy fall a few days before,
followed by the usual flush into the river, which Captain Plant,
of the “ Shushan,’" told me he had found at many places smelling
strongly of petroleum.
Ahwaz (60 1 reached Ahwaz on the 16th, slept on board the “ Susa, ; and
Primsshstr landed next morning. I was received by the Arab Sheikh of the
village of Ahwaz, attended by a mounted following, and was also
met by mounted officers of the Faridan regiment of infantry, who
conducted me to their camp, where, after tea and pipes, the
regiment marched past. The men were neatly dressed in grey,
looked well fed, and altogether made a good show. The Sartip
of the corps, Haji Mustafa Khan, is a well-to-do landowner of
Chadagan, an elevated, well watered, fertile tract in the Faridan
district, near Ispahan. He exercises civil charge as well as
military command at Ahwaz, and is assisted by a Karguzar. He
keeps up good style and lives in camp with his men. The men
with their donkeys (almost every Persian infantry soldier has a
donkey) find remunerative enployment in transporting goods
between the steamer landing-places below and above the rapids,
and in the building work now going on.
Good barracks have been built for the artillery and two
companies of infantry, immediately under a well-planned Govern
ment house, with telegraph and other offices attached.
Government This building is commandingly situated on the highest part of
House the river bank between the upper and lower landing-places. It
has upper rooms, from the roof of which flies the Persian Hag.
The rest of the infantry occupy a well-pitched camp on the slope
from Government House along the river bank.
Muyin ut- At Ahwaz I met Haja Mahomad, the Muayin-ut-Tujjar of
‘Tujjar. Bushire, who is the representative partner of the Nasiri Company,
a trading corporation of Persians, who own the tramway, the
uncultivated land along the outside of it to a depth of ill yards,
and the lower half of the ground between the river and the tram
way, the Persian Government holding the upper half. The new
Government House has been built on the company’s land, but I
understand that a further grant of ground at the upper or lower
landing-places will be given in compensation.
Caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). The Muayin-ut-Tujjar is at present the moving spirit of
and tramway, private enterprise at Ahwaz. Seven months ago he commenced
building a caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). , which is now finished, in as far as it is fit