"دليل بلاد فارس، الجزء III، وهو يتضمن محافظة فارس، لورستان، عربستان، خوزستان، يزد، كرمانشاه، أردلان، كردستان" [و‎‎٢‎٩] (٦٨٦/٦٢)

35
throughout the year, and its breadth from 60 to 120 yards. This ca
pability of navigation for steamers extends from Band-i-Kir to the
village of Khuramabad, where boats to and from Shustar load or un
load ; though Lieutenant Selby ran a steamer to within one mile of
the town, where the passage was finally closed by a natural ledge of
rocks reaching right across the river, with only a small opening, about
10 yards wide, through which, however, boats of 20 tons can, and
do, pass into the very heart of the town, to which therefore troops
or goods from England could be transported. Good wood for steam
ing purposes is plentiful along the banks and on the small islands in
the centre of the stream, but, as the distance between Band-i-Kir and
Shustar is so short (only about eight hours), no intermediate wooding
station would be necessary. This canal has been mistaken for the main
stream of the Karun on account of its greater width and depth, but
Layard remarks with reference to this mistake, “ It is difficult to
conceive how any person who had examined the entrance of this branch
could suppose it to be the natural bed of the stream.”
This canal is navigable at all seasons for vessels drawing 6 feet of
water. (Champ ain — Layard.)
Schindler says the origin of the word is doubtful. It may be a word
imitating the sound of the waters gurgling through the tunnels of
the dams. One author says it was so called from people having come
and settled at Shustar from Gargar in Azarbaijan, and that the
quarter of the town they inhabited became called Gargar, and hence
the river also.
He further describes the construction as given above, adding that
the pavement to which the river was raised is called Shadurvan. The
present bridge over the Gargar on the dam is of modern construction.
Below Band-i-Klr the Gargar is 50 yards wide, and exceedingly deep.
Horses and mules swim across the placid stream without difficulty.
( Wells — Schindler.)
AB-I-GARIN—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river of Khuzistan, which, joined with the Karsan river, forms—to
the south of Falat—the Ab-i-Burs. (Layard.)
AB-I-GARM—Lat. Long. Elev. 1,950'.
A little stream in Luristan running into the Karkhah river, crossed by
the road from Dizful to Zohab, at about 139 miles from the former
(Uawlinson). Rivanegra made a stage at the Abigarm, 93^ miles
from Khuramabad, and 63 miles from Dizful. No supplies; water
plentiful. (Rivanegra.)
AB-I-JARGAH—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river in Khuzistan, crossed by a bridge 20 miles from Shustar on
the road to Mangasht. (Rawlinson.)
AB-I-KASHGHAN—Lat. Long. Elev.
A river of Luristan, which rises in the Bakhtiari mountains, and flows
south-west for over 100 miles to its junction with the Karkhah. It is
a deep and impetuous stream and apparently not fordable. It is