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MINAR AT NATENS (PERSIA).

TRAVELS

IN

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN..

BY

THE BARON C

. A. DE BODE.

VOL.

11

“ 11 n'y a point de description de voyage sans défaut, ni aucun voyageur exempt

de tout préjugé, ainsi le parti le plus sage c’est de ne pas défendre ses opinions avec

opinidtreté.”—NIEBUHR,

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==

ILIYATS MILKING THEIR SH

EEP AND CHURNING BUTTER.

LONDON :

J. MADDEN AND CO., 8, LEADENHALL STREET.

1845.

CONTENTS OF VOL. 1I.

CHAPTER XVI.

ADVENTURES AMONG THE BAKHTIYARI MOUNTAINS.

Arrival at the encampment of the Bakhtiyari Chief at

I\Izﬂ—A|nfr.—-l{v(:vption made me by Muhammed

Taghi-Khan.—Leave this Chief with the intention

of returnming to Isfahdn over the Bakhtiyari moun-

tains.—First day’s journcy.—Meet with the Gover-

nor-in-Chief.—TImpossibility of penetrating further

into the

mountains

on

account of the advanced

season.—Retrace my steps to Mal-Amir, in company

of the Modtemid.—State of his forces and those of

the Bakhtiyari Chief.—The Persian artillerymen.—

Jaddehi, or causeway of the Atabegs (the probable

ladder-road of Diodorug-Siculus).—Istak-bal, or re-

ception made to the Governor-in-Chief by Muham-

med Taghi-Khan. — Bakhtiyari

horsemanship. —

Arrival at the tents

.

.

CHAPTER XVIL

ANTIQUITIES OF MAL-AMIR.

Situation of the plain of Mal-Amir, in which remains

of antiquity are found.—Cave of Shikafti-Salmin.—

YOL.

11.

[

v

CONTENTS.

Yage

Sculptures in the interior of the cave.—Tablet with

arrow-headed inscriptions.— External bas-reliefs on

the face of the rock.—Ruins of houses from the

caves down to the plain.—Cave of Salmin.— Con-

Jecture about the locality of Eidej.— Cascades in the

mountains of Persia.—Shishin.— Other remains of

antiquity said to exist in the Bahktiyari mountains.

—Description of the Jaddehi-Atabeg, or causeway of

the Atabegs.—Comparison with the stone pavement

of Shah-Abbas, in the Persian provinces of the

Caspian Sea.—Improbability of the Jaddehi-Atabeg

being originally constructed by the Seljuk chiefs of

Luristdn Bizlrg. — Line of communication with

Isfahdn.—Comparison between the route pursued by

the Author and that of Mr. Stoqueler, across the

mountaing, — Possibility of Jaddehi-Atabeg repre-

senting the climax megale of Pliny, as well as the

ladder-road deseribed by Diodorus Siculus

v

.

29

CHAPTER XVIIIL

ON THE SITE OF THE UXIAN €CITY.

On the probable site of the Uxian city besieged by

Alexander the Great on his way from Susa to

.

47

Persepolis

CHAPTER XIX.

ACCOUNT OF THE BAKHTIYARI TRIBES.

Account of the Bakhtiyari tribes of Luristin-Bazirg.

~—Division of the country into Luristdn-Bazirg and

CONTENTS.

Page

Luristdn-Kuchtk.—Known to the ancients as the

country of the Cosseans, Uxians, and Elamites.—

Traces of

its ancient civilization. — Ibn Batuta’s

account of Xl-Lur under the Atabegs.-—Communi-

cation between India and Central Persia. — No

caravans cross it at present.—A short historical

account of the Bakhtiyari—A colony of this tribe

divided

into

in Afghanistin. — The

Bakhtiyari

Chehar-lang and Heft-lang. — Muhammed

Taghi-

Khan.— Anecdote concerning him, &c.— Annual tax-

ation of the Bakhtiyari Chehar-lang. — Bakhtiyari

Heft-lang.—Sub-division of the tribe.—Geographical

aspect of the country to the north of the Alvend

range.—Sedentary and nomadic Bakhtiyari.—Taxa-

tion.—Feuds between the Bakhtiyari Chehar-lang

and Heft-lang.—Their predatory habits —Tenets.—

Character.—Occupations.—Produce of the country.

—Their sheep brought to the market of Isfahdn.—

Arab horses.—Features and external appearance.—

Dress.— Ghiveh.

61

CHAPTER XX.

ROUTE FROM MAL-AMIR TO SHUSHTER.

Quit Mal- Amir.—Different roads leading to Shshter.

—Travel in company with the mountaineers of the

Janeki tribe.—Come to an understanding with the

brother of the Bakhtiyari Chief at parting.—Bridge

of Harah-Zad.—Aspect of the country along the

course of the Shah-Riben. —River of Dirto.—Pass

a comfortless night at an encampment of the Tembi

tribe.— Interior of their tents.— Account of the Cha’h

Rp—

V1

CONTENTS.

Page

Arabs.—Became partially known in the last century.

—Capture two English

vessels.— Approximative

limits of the tribe at the commencement of the

Sefevi dynasty.— Encamp near Haviza.—Encroach

on Datrak.—Repulsed by Shah-Abbas the Great.—

The Vali of Haviza or Arabistin, a vassal of the

Persian Crown.— Treacherous conduct of the Arab

Vali during the Afghdn invasion into Persia.—The

Cha’b Arabs again encroach on Dairdk and expel

the Afshars during the wars of succession in Persia.

—Sheikh

Suleyman. - Kerim-Khan

Zend grants

Hindiydn to the Cha’b Arabs.— Connexion with

Persia during the reign of the late and the present

Shah.— Cause of the expedition of the Pasha of

Bagdad against Muhammereh.—The Sheikh declines

the offer of assistance of the Bakhtiyari Chief.—The

Sheikh deluded by his kinsman.—Amount of the

losses sustained by the Shashteri

merchants, —

Muhammereh might have been easily defended.—

.

.

.

.

102

Notes

CHAPTER XXI.

CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY.

Continue the journey over a hilly country.—Valley of

Murde-fil inhabited by the Arab-Gomish tribe.—

Sulphurous spring at the foot of the Asmari hills,.—

Ruins on the plain of Gulgir.—Disappointed in my

antiquarian researches.—Our appearance frightens

away some Iliyat women.— Leave the place to escape

an attack.— Cultivation of the fields at Gulgir.—

Arrive at the encampment of the Janeki.—Ihori

CONTENTS.

Vil

Page

Shiitur-Zar.—Scenes of Iliyat life.—Comparison

between the agriculturist and the shepherd.—Opinion

of Lord Bacon on the subject.—An Tliyat woman

enjoys more freedom and is more rvespected than

the women who lead a sedentary life in Persia.—

Anecdote of a Kurdish amazon.—Division of the

Janeki tribe.—Resume my journey.—Arrival at

Beitavend.—Deserted village.—Contrast between the

highways of Europe and those of Persia.—Descrip-

tion of Beitavend.— Give battle to an army of mice.

—Repent of my victory. — Proceed to Shishter

124

CHAPTER XXII.

ARRIVAL AT SHUSHTER.

Reach Shashter.—Entertained by Mirza Sultan ’Ali

Khan,—Syrup of dates and syrup of grapes.—

Arrival of an Arab Sheikh.— Remove to the citadel.

—Dyke of Shushter constructed by Shaptar Dhu-

lektaf.—Description of the town.—Artificial irri-

gation of the Meand’ab.—Taxation.—Productions.—

Water communication with

the

Persian

Gulfi—

Former

sugar

plantations

at Ahviz.—Alleged

reasons for

their destruction.—Ophthalmic com-

plaints,— Quickness of the Shiishteri.—Improvisatori.

—A Shushteri

blind diviner.—Loose morals of

the inhabitants

.

145

CHAPTER XXIIL

JOURNEY FROM SHUSHTER TO DIZFUL.

Departure from

Shishter to

Dizfal.—My young

Persian fellow-traveller. — Some

account

of the

viii

CONTENTS.

Page

bridge of Dizfl.— Aspect of the road.—Seized by

a fit of drowsiness.—Village of Kahnek.—Ruins of

Shahabéd supposed to be Jondi-Shaptr.—Incon-

veniences

of FEastern

travelling.—Reception by

Zohrab-Khan, Chief of DizfGl.—My host Mustafa

Kuli-Khan.—-Suspicions attached to him.—Jnfor-

mation concerning the sect of the Sabeans, generally

known by the name of the Christians of St. John.—

Their aversion to blue colour mentioned in Tavernier.

—Similar antipathy observed among the Yezidi sect,

who worship the devil.—Ceremony of the fowl

among the Sabeans, Jews, and the Ali-Ildhi Gurani

of Kermanshah

162

CHAPTER XXIV.

VISIT TO THE RUINS OF SUSA.

Visit to the ruins of Shush, or Shus (ancient Susa).

—Account of the Arab Iliyats.—The tomb of the

Prophet Daniel.—Wonderful property attributed to

a black stone in the interior of the chapel.—The

den of lions.—Jealousy of the Arabs of strangers

touching any of the marble fragments at Shush.—

Rivers Shaver, Dizfal, and Kerkhéh.—The great

mound.—The ruins of Ivani, Kherkh, and Shaptr.

—Anecdote of an Arab boy meeting two lions.—

The Beni-Lam, Mutefij, Alakesir, and Ala-Chetir

Arabs.—Indigo of Dizfil

186

CONTENTS.

1X

CHAPTER XXV.

THE AUTHOR LEAVES DIZFUL AND PENETRATES INTO LURISTAN-

KUCHUK.

Page

Departure from Dizfal.—Aspect of the town.—River

and bridge of Dizful.—Deserted palace of Muham-

med Ali-Mirza.—¥Encampment

of the

Segvend

Tliyats.—Night passed in their tents.— Arrival at

Kilab.—Scene with

Mirza Riza

Nuri.—Anecdote

of Safar Ali-Khan Jelilevend.—Various roads to

Khorremabid.—A hint to travellers in the East

201

CHAPTER XXVI.

CONTINUATION OF THE ROUTE.

Quit Kil-ob.—Ruined fort of Kal’eh-Riza.—Graves

of Dirikavend robbers.—Affecting custom among

the Lur women.—Arrival at the encampment of

the Boérekevend tribe.—Use of the ob-i-dGgh.—

Inside of an Iliyat tent during a wet night.—

Difference between travelling in the Kast and in

the West.—Leave

the encampment.—Cross the

Ob-i-Zal.—Pass the night at Ob-i-Gherm.—Family

scene.—Resume my journey.—Bid adieu to the

Kerkhéh river and to the mountain of Kabir-kah.—

Beautiful sight of the mountainous region beyond

Joider.—Passage over the Kashgén river.—Scruples

of my guide on the occasion.—Iliyat naiveté.—

Remains of Pul-i-Kuréh-Dokhter, or Shapfir-bridge.

—Expostulation with my host, a Yussufvend Tliyat.

—The two English travellers, Captains Grant and

Fotheringham,

murdered

m

Luristdn. — Carpet-

CONTENTS.

Page

weaving.—Resume the journey, and arrive at the

encampment of Hajji-Mullah Ahmed Governor of

Luristan

. 216

CHAPTER XXVII.

CONTINUATION OF THE ROUTE, AND ARRIVAL AT

KHORREMABAD.

Forces of Hajji-Mullah Ahmed in camp.— Defects in

the organization of the Persian regular troops.—

Nomadic life of the

Chief of Khorremabad.—

Departure from Madianra.—Stop for the night

at Haiyat-Gheib.— Description of the place.— Various

roads from MadianrG to Khorremabad.—Desert of

Chle-Hal.—Departure from Haiyét-Gheib.—Valley

of Dilber.—Woody country inhabited by the Chin-

giini.— Plain of Khorremabad.—Black stone with

Cufic inscriptions. — Arrival at Khorremabfid.—

Divan-Khaneh of the Kedkhtda in my apartment

242

Ci{APTER XXVIIL

ROUTE FROM KHORREMABAD TO BURUJIRD.

Description of Khorremabéd.—Trade of the town.

—Garden of Cypresses.

Superstitious belief attached

to them.—Khorremabdd destroyed by Timur.—

For some time in possession of the Pasha of Bagdad.

—Black monolite with Cufic inscriptions.—Depar-

ture from Khorremabdd.—Arrival at the village of

Resh.—Mode of baking bread.—Stability of Eastern

customs,—Passage over the high chain of the Alvend

— Arrival at Bardjird

.

254

X1

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXIX.

ACCOUNT OF THE LURISTANIL

Page

Deseription of Luristdn-Kuchk.—Limits.—Pish-kuh

and Pusht-i-kuh.—The Alvend and Taughi-Girrah

chains of mountains.—Reasons for considering the

former the loftiest of the two.—Parallel system of

the

mountain-ridges

observable

in the

Zagros

chain. — Rivers. — Luristan-Kuchtk

anciently in-

habited by the Cossmans.—Traversed by Antigonus.

—Later by the Arabs,—Timur’s expedition into Lu-

ristan during the reign of the Atabegs.—The Valis

of Luristin, Gurjistdn, Kurdistdn, and Arabistdn.

—~Conduct of the Vali of Luristdn during the

Afghén invasion

into Persia.—Recent

intrigues

among the members of that family.—Division of

the tribes of Luristdn-Kuchtk.—Pishi-k(h tribes.

—The

Silasilé.—The Dilftins.—The

>Amaldh.—

The Bald-Gheriveh.—The Pisht-ktth tribes.—The

Feili, &c.—Taxation.—Produce of the country.—

Character, rveligion, and customs of the Lurs.—

Burning incense at the approach of a guest.—A

gimilar custom

mentioned

in Ferdausi’s

¢ Shah-

nameh?” as existing among Arabs in the early ages

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

269

of the world

CHAPTER XXX.

DEPARTURE FROM BURUJIRD AND RETURN TO TEHERAN.

Arrival at Barajird.—Theological controversy.—Ra-

mazén fast.—Deseription of the provinee of Bardjird.

VOL.

11,

b

x11

CONTENTS.

Page

—Revenue.—Manufactures of the town.—District of

Tasarkan.—Khozrov-Mirza, the blinded Prince.—

Various routes to Teherdn.— Departure from Bara-

of

jird.—Hissar.— Description

Kéros.—Shehr-nd,

or Sultanabid.—Feraghén.—Birth-place of the late

Kaimacan.— Some account of the life of this Minister.

—Mountainous country of Mahalat- Aga-Khan, Chief

of the Izmaeli sect.—The Helej of Kim.—Opinions

of the Persians concerning this people.—Saliyan.—

Kim.— Arrival at Teherin.—Summary of the dis-

tances between the principal places visited by the

.

.

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.

author.— Conclusion

.

.

.

.

298

BT A S AP PSEs LV LB R

OBSERVATIONS ON THE MArcH or TiMURr, rroMm

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LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

e e it

CHAPTER XVI.

Arrival at the encampment of the Bakhtiyari Chief at

Mal- Amir.—Reception made me by Muhammed Taghi-

Khan.—TLeave this Chief with the intention of returning

to Isfahdn over the Bakhtiyari mountains.—First day’s

journey.—Meet with the Governor-in-Chief.—Impossi-

bility of penetrating further into the mountains on

account of the advanced season.—Retrace my steps to

Mil-Amir, in company of the Moétemid.—State of his

forces and those of the Bakhtiyari Chief.—The Persian

artillerymen.—dJaddehi, or causeway of the Atabegs (the

probable ladder-road of Diodorus-Siculus).—Istak-bal,

or reception made to the Governor-in-Chief by Muham-

med Taghi-Khan.—Bakhtiyari horsemanship.—Arrival

at the tents.

Ox arriving at the encampment, [ proceeded

with my fellow-traveller from Kal’eh Tual to

VOL. II.

B

2

TRAVELS IN

the tent of the Bakhtiyari Chief, whom we had

previously apprized of our coming. I found

Muhammed Taghi-Khan surrounded by the

different chieftains of the Arab and Lar tribes,

who were assembled in Méal-Amir, in expecta-

tion of the Governor-in-Chief of Laristain and

Arabistan.

The tent was crammed full ; how-

ever, room was made, and I sat myself down

at the side of my host.

After the first saluta-

tions were over, I inquired what news there

was of the movements of the Moétemid, and

whether he was soon expected. In his answers,

however, Muhammed Taghi-Khan was very

laconic, and I soon perceived that I was not

welcomed with the cordiality to which I had

been hitherto accustomed in Persia.

At first

I could not account for Muhammed Taghi-

Khan’s strange reserve towards me ; but the

mystery was afterwards unravelled.

Not finding my host very agreeable in his

monosyllabic humour, I soon took my leave,

expressing a hope that the Khan would give

directions to have me accommodated with a

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

3

tent.

I found, however, that my new acquaint-

ances, the Bakhtiyari, were not very hospitably

inclined ; nor were they half so civil as I had

invariably found Persians, even those of Beh-

behan and the rude Mamaseni, to be.

Had it

not been for the kind exertions of my fellow-

traveller, who, from having lived several months

with Muhammed Taghi-Khan, seemed to be

more at home, T should have waited long

before the tent destined for my reception was

cleared of all intruders.

I had in the meantime sent the guide, to

whose care Mirza Kamo had intrusted me on

leaving Behbehéan to Muhammed Taghi-Khan,

with a request that I might be furnished with

fresh horses, as I wished to set out the next

morning to meet the Governor, and as I had

been obliged to send back those that had

brought me from Behbehan, at Kal'eh Tul.

I had taken, moreover, the precaution to bring

a written order from Teheran, addressed to the

provincial authorities, requesting them to fur-

nish me with cattle when called upon.

B 2

TRAVELS IN

The guide soon returned with the answer,

that Muhammed Taghi-Khan was averse to

my going, and had refused to give the horses

required.

I well knew, that without his consent

nobody in the camp durst venture to lend me

any, whatever sum I might offer for their

hire.

His refusal, however, rendered me more

anxious to depart; and I let him know, that

if T could procure no horses, I would proceed

on foot; but that the Moétemid would pro-

bably be surprised at my mnovel mode of

travelling in Persia, and would certainly inquire

into the cause.

I do not know whether these

reasons, or any other considerations, had the

desired effect of changing the Chief’s mind, but

the horses were furnished the next day, and T

set out on my journey.

I afterwards learned why Muhammed Taghi-

Khan did not wish me to see the Moétemid.

It appears that the Khan is not on the best

.

of terms with Mirza Kamo, the Governor of

Behbehan.

The Bakhtiyari Chief has made

several encroachments on the territory of the

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

5

latter, and has received under his protection

some tribes who have deserted Mirza IKamo.

It was suspected, on the other hand, that

Mirza Kdmo had connived at the recent attacks

which the Arabs had made on Ram-Hormuz,

a place belonging of right to him, but at

present in the possession of ‘the Bakhtiyari

Chief.

All these reasons combined made Muhammed

Taghi-Khan apprehensive T had been requested

by Mirza Ktimo to intercede in his favour with

the Moétemid, and, in particular, to solicit the

restitution of the town of Ram-IHormuz.

These

suppositions of Muhammed Taghi-Khan were

merely the hallucinations of his own brain,

for Mirza Kiéamo had never

broached the

subject to me, although he may, for what I

know, have given instructions to that effect to

the guide who accompanied me and who was

one of his confidential servants.

In going to join the Moétemid I had

several objects in view. In the first place,

I was not satisfied with the reception made

PR R AR GBI

6

TRAVELS IN

me by Muhammed Taghi-Khan, and did not

wish to remain any longer his guest.

Besides,

the Governor of Isfahdn, and of the country

in which I was then travelling, was advancing

on the same road by which I intended to

return to Isfahan,

and, therefore, in going

to meet him, I was not turning out of my

way; and, lastly, as my time was precious,

I had completely given wup the -cherished

project of visiting Shtshter, Dizful, and the

ruins of Stsa.

I had been apprized, it is true, that the

road I

in order

to

reach

meant to take,

Isfahdn, was impracticable at this advanced

season ; but I concluded, that if the Governor

of that province had contrived to overcome

the obstacles attending the passage of the

mountains with an army, and even a train

of artillery, surely a few individuals, lightly

mounted like myself, could, with greater ease,

surmount the natural obstructions of the ground.

My first day’s journey took me across the

plain of Mal-Amir, nearly in a direction east,

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

£

and then over several steep shoulders of the

Bakhtiyari mountains by a stone pavement.

This causeway, although much impaired by

time, and in several places scarcely passable,

from the huge stones which have been dis-

joined by the rushing of torrents from the

heights overhanging the road, produces still

in its dilapidated state, a grand idea of the

man who had conceived and executed the

vast pltoject of carrying a stone road, worked

in mosaic, across stupendous mountains, which

otherwise would have remained as nature had

formed them, insurmountable barriers to the

traveller, whereas now it is, and has been

for ages, the high road for caravans.

No

man, however little inquisitive he may be,

can visit this stone causeway without asking

himself the question, By whom was it con-

structed ?

Has the past left us no records con-

History, which in general is so

cerning it?

prolix in commemorating events that carry in

their train devastation and destruction, has it

set apart no page whereon to inscribe the name

T S S S S L e ————

8

TRAVELS IN

of the man who has deserved so well of poé-

terity ?

The causeway, it is true, goes by the

name Jaddehi-Atabeg, or the high road of the

Atabegs; but can it be possible that the petty

chiefs of Luristan, who bore that appellation

from the 12th to the 14th century, should have

left behind them a monument which might

do honour to Imperial Rome?

They may

have repaired what time and the elements, those

two inveterate foes of the works of man, had

conspired to destroy; but it is not likely that

they should have been the original conceivers of

that vast enterprise.

In remounting the stream of time, and in

following up the anmnals of Persia, we arrive

at the glorious age of the Sasanian monarchs.

The grand scale on which the causeway before

us was planned and executed, might well

harmonize

with

the

grcat

shadows

that

the Ardashirs and the Shapﬁrs cast before

them,

and serve

as a counterpart to the

massive granite dykes at Shashter, which made

a Malcolm exclaim with joy, that he had

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

9

found at least one monument of ancient Persia

which had for its object public utility.

Had the

noble-minded Thistorian of that

empire visited the Jaddehi-Atabeg, he would

have found another oasis on which to rest his

mind, after traversing the mazes of war, rapine,

with which the

and destruction,

pages of

FEastern historical lore abound.

But although a causeway of the nature of

the Jaddehi-Atabeg was an enterprise commen-

surate with the power of the Sasanian poten-

tate, still we possess no historical evidence that

it was the work of their hands; whilst we learn

from the Greek and Latin writers, that the

followers of Alexander, in their frequent

marches and countermarches through the hilly

country between Susa and Persepolis, had

already met with stone pavements in the

mountains, to which they applied the Greek

name of Climax Megale, or, the Great Ladder-

road.

Had Alexander been the constructor of

those causeways, his historians, who have enu-

merated all the cities of which he laid the

10

TRAVELS IN

foundation, would not have passed over

11

silence a work of such vast dimensions.

The Jaddehi-Atabeg, therefore, I infer

18

older than the age of Alexander.

Was it then erected by the sovereigns

of

the Kaianian dynasty, to serve as a line

of

communication between their western capitals

and Persepolis, the cradle of their race?

But

is it probable that the monarchs who could

elevate such lasting monuments, should at the

as

we learn from

same time be obliged,

history, to pay tribute to the mountaineers

for a free passage through thgse very moun-

tains,

over which they had constructed a

royal road for the greater convenience of

travelling ?

We are thus carried back from age to age,

until the extended thread of Ariadne escapes

our grasp, the feeble dawn of history is

lost

in

the

shadows

of might,

and we

should be thrown into utter darkness, were

not the leaves of the sacred book unfolded

before us.

There we read that in the youth-

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

11

ful ages of mankind, at the time when the

merciful covenant was passed between God and

his faithful servant Abraham, Elam possessed

already her kings, (perhaps the Pishdadians of

Persian romance, ) before whom other kings bowed

their knee; whilst at a later period an inspired

prophet again mentions Elam among the con-

quering nations which spread terror in the

world.

An impatient and inquisitive reader, with

the provoking ¢ Ah! passons au deluge” on

his lips, might put the question to me, ¢ Do

you, then, pretend to say, that the Jaddehi-

Atabeg was originally constructed under the

reign of Chaderlaomer, king of FElam, whom

the holy Scriptures mention in the fourteenth

chapter of Genesis?”

My answer would be

short—¢ I do not know.”

But can any learned

antiquary of your acquaintance prove the con-

If he can, I shall feel particularly

trary ?

obliged to him for the information.

In the meanwhile, I feel great pleasure in

thinking that I am treading on the same pave-

12

TRAVELS IN

ment, where, for thousands and thousands of

years back, Chaderlaomer had marched his

troops to join his Royal confederates, of Shinar,

of Ellasar, and Tindal, King of Nations, to

make war upon the kings of Sodom and Go-

morrah, before the wrath of heaven had fallen

on those wicked cities.

Where history refuses to lend her torch, the

imagination of a traveller in the wild and

unfrequented haunts of the Bakhtiyari, may

be allowed free scope to roam, without requiring

any leading-strings.

Yes, that is all very well ;

but, in giving way to my fancy, I have likewise

slackened the bridle of my pony, and, as the

ground on which T am travelling is not very

even, I must rein in both my chargers, in order

to preserve myself from the flights of the

one and the stumbling of the other, for both

might bring me down, and, as I have yet a

long journey in prospect, je dois ménager ma

monture.

On stopping at the ruined karavanserai of

Chehar-Deh, or Kal’eh-Medresseh, in the midst

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

13

of the mountains, I found great preparations

going on for the reception of the Moétemid,

who, I learned, was expected the same day. Not

giving implicit credit to these reports, I still

pressed on, but the road became so intricate

among the hills, covered with forest wood,

and in parts blocked up by the approaching

host from Isfahian; our horses were likewise

so knocked up, the rain also coming down

in torrents, that I was obliged to return to

the encampment at the karavanserai, where

a small tent was procured for me, and another

for my attendants, by a younger brother of

the Bakhtiyari Chief, named Ali Naghi-Khan,

who came to make the necessary preparations

for receiving the Governor.

The Moétemid, however, did not arrive till

the next day, and then halted a day longer

to allow the artillery carriages to come up.

He was greatly surprised to find me among

these mountain fastnesses, and especially in

company of the Bakhtiyari, and was no less

curious to know how I had succeeded in pene-

14

TRAVELS —IN

trating through the country of the Mamaseni,

He recollected the rendezvous he had given

me, when we parted at Isfahin, to meet again

at Shtshter, an invitation I accepted at the

time, but he had imagined, that on arriving

at Shirdz, I should have been dissuaded from

undertaking the journey on account of the

uncertainty of the road.

I told him when a

Frengi gives his word he considers himself

bound to keep it, at least as far as circums-

stances (over which man has not always the

control) will allow of it; that the impedinients

were far from being such as could have war-

ranted me in backing out of the fulfilment of my

promisé ;

On the contrary, I had been received

everywhere with hospitality, and treated with

kind attention, with one solitary exception. But

now that we had met, I begged to decline

his offer of accompanying him to Shishter,

as I had little time left at my disposal, and

wished to return by the shortest way to

Teheran.

The Moétemid assured me that I must give

~

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

1

[24

up the idea of penetrating to Isfahén by the

way he had just come, because since his cross-

ing the main chain of mountains deep falls

of snow had completely choked up the avenues

leading in that direction, so that even foot-

paths did not exist, and that at present his

only means of communication with the seat

of government at Isfahin was over Bar(jird,

where the great chain of Zagros presented a

considerable falling off.

This was the only

practicable route for me to follow, if I did

not wish to retrace my steps by the road I

had already travelled.

In this dilemma I had

no choice left but to decide

between Shiraz

and Barajird; and as the distance to Teheran

was nearly the same, I preferred the latter,

as being the more novel of the two, and as it

would enable me to see Shtshter and Dizful,

although I had to encounter in this direction

the wild tracts of Luristin Kachtk. I there-

fore accepted the Khan’s invitation to accom.

pany him, at least as far as Mal-Amir, where

he intended to make some stay.

Thus a part

16

TRAVELS IN

of the road between Stsa and Isfahén, which

latter town the Rev. Mr. Williams

identifies

with Ecbatana, and supposes the mountainous

tract leading to it to be replete with interesting

monuments of antiquity, still remains a terra

incognita.

The forces of Manucher-Khan, the Moétemid

Daulet, consisted of one regiment of serbazes,

or regular infantry (the fauj-Khoi, from the

province of Aderbeijan) of 1,000 mounted

gulams, a well-armed cavalry, and of three

field-pieces (I think six-pounders), with 150

artillerymen.

His whole moving camp may

have mustered about 2,500, with 3,000 horses

and mules, the carriage cattle included.

This

display of military force in the wild and tur-

bulent part of the country in which we now

were, was the argument best suited to impress

on the minds of the inhabitants the neces-

sity of obeying the orders of the Shah, and

the surest means of enabling the Governor to

collect the taxes.

The Bakhtiyar Chief was not backward in

17

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

making a parade of his forces, in order to show

his means of resistance according to circum-

stances.

nerve to

He had strained every

collect around him all his adherents, or all

such

as feared to disoblige him.

It was

asserted that he had above 5,000 under his

orders at Mal-Amir, but I doubt the fact.

Independently of his own clan, the Janeki and

the Bakhtiyari Cheharleng, some of the Khogilt

tribes, the Bakhmei, and the inhabitants of

Ram-Hormuz had flocked to his standard.

The reception which Muhammed Taghi-

Khan gave to the Moétemid was really very

splendid.

The Governor-in-Chief broke up his camp at

Chehar-deh, or Kal’eh-Medresseh, on the 5th of

February, as soon as he had received intelligence

that the artillery train had cleared a difficult pass,

and was in the van of the moving columns; we

then mounted our horses and followed them.

It was not long ere we overtook the guns, as

they were advancing very slowly on account

of the bad road.

The topchi, or artillery-men,

VOL. II.

C

18

TRAVELS IN

experienced great difficulty in getting them

up the paved ascent of the hills, which

formed part of the causeway of the Atabegs.

The huge stones had been detached from each

other in the course of time by the mountain

torrents, which had quite swept away many;

while others lay scattered along the high-

road, impeding the progress of wheel car-

I cannot proceed without paying a

riages.

just tribute of praise to the Persian artillery-

men

The Persian artillery is by far the most

efficient corps of the whole army.

1

am

aware that this is not saying much, as both

the regular and irregular forces of the country

are in a most deplorable state; still less do

it with the

superior

I mean to compare

organization of this branch in the different

states of Europe, because the Persians are

completely ignorant of the scientific part of

artillery. The praise I wish to bestow relates

only to the artillery-men, who form the most

hardy, the most active, and the most intel-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

19

ligent corps in the whole army.

It is quite

a subject of wonder to see over what moun-

tains, and through what intricate passes they

carry their guns, without any previous pre-

paration for facilitating their march, as the

Persians never employ engineers to ascertain

previously the nature of the ground they are

to traverse, when engaged in their military

expeditions.

To give the guns time to move on, the

Moétemid

reined

in,

fond

of

and being

sporting

ordered his men to beat about the

bushes in quest of game: while he himself

with his party rode up an eminence attended

by his falconers.

As soon as the red-legged

partridges* were forced to quit their hiding-

and

were

places among the craggy rocks,

making a sweep down into some more secluded

glen, a hawk was loosened from the string by

which it is held on the hand, and pounced

on its prey as swift as an arrow. Some of

* Francolini, as Marco Polo calls them.

02

20

TRAVELS 1IN

these poor fear-stricken partridges

suffered

themselves to be captured with the hand

without offering to fly away, for as long as

they see the hawk hovering above them in

the air they will not stir.

This kind of pastime reminded me of olden

times, when our Russian Boyars,

and the

proud Barons of feudal Europe, thought it their

noblest occupation, after that of war, to spend

their leisure hours in the sports of the field.

In this respect, as in many others, Christian

civilization has

taught men to turn their

minds

to

more

serious

and more rational

pursuits.

In order to descend into the plain of M4l-

Amir we had again to proceed along a stone

causeway, which, at the summit of the hill,

branches off in two directions, and unite again

at its foot, leaving a deep ravine in the interval

between them.

In going to meet the Moé-

temid, T had followed one of these roads, I

now chose the other;

but I found it in a

much more dilapidated state than the former,

21

LU' RISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

and in some parts so abrupt, so narrow, and

with the stones so completely dislodged, that

it was as much as I could do to drag the

horse after me, at the risk of tumbling along

with it down the precipices.

I am inclined to think that this must have

been the more ancient road of the two; per-

haps the very one alluded to by Diodorus

Siculus,

as the ladder-road over the moun-

tains.*

It is probable that when the pave-

ment had become out of repair, the Atabegs

of Luri Bztrg in the middle ages caused

a more convenient road to be made up the

same hill close to the other, but with more

circuitous turnings,

in order to break the

steepness of the ascent.

Hence the name of

Jaddehi-Atabeg, or high road of the Atabegs,

which it retains to this day.

The two little sons of Muhammed Taghi-

Khan were sent on before by their father

to make their bow to the Moétemid, while

* See chapter xvii. for more ample information on the

subject.

22

TRAVELS 1IN

he himself met the Governor-in-Chief near to

the place of encampment; just in the same

manner as twenty centuries back Abulites, the

Governor of Susa, sent out his son to welcome

Alexander beyond the Choaspes (the Kerkheh

river ), and afterwards came himself to greet

that monarch.*

The Moétemid embraced the boys, and said

a few kind words to each, as they were lifted

off their saddles by their lalas or tutors.

The

elder brother, a boy of eight or nine years

old, was a quick, intelligent lad, and performed

his part remarkably well.

Children in Persia are generally taught at

a very early age to affect in public all the

reserve and stiffness of grown-up persons ; and

although it may give pleasure for the moment

to see them so well behaved in society, the

thought is not less painful when we consider

that all these studied manners, while they

* See Quintus Curtius, lib. v., and note at the end of the

chapter,

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

23

cramp the natural elasticity of youth, only

produce deceit and falsehood.

Muhammed Taghi-Khan came next, accom-

panied by a numerous train of horsemen, well

armed and well mounted. Kach man had

three pistols, a matchlock, and a sabre.

The

horses were well broken in, and singly went

through the different evolutions of the Persian

manége admirably well, doing credit to them-

selves and their riders.

I mnever saw a more

splendid show of beautiful Arab horses than

on that occasion.

The cavalry was filed in

one line, and discharged a volley as the Moé-

temid came up. On the ridge of a hill to

the left, and close to the road, Muhammed

Taghi-Khan had placed his Tufengchi,

or

musketeers,

who

saluted the

Governor

m

the same manner.

After the cavalry came

all

a motley crowd

of people on foot,

stationed in a row,

in order to extend the

line as much as possible.

Most of them were

armed with clubs, but a few had firearms.

At the approach of the Moétemid they gave

P e

24

TRAVELS IN

a loud cheer, or it will, perhaps, be more

true to nature, if I say they set up a hideous

yell, and their wild accents were caught up

and repeated by a grumbling echo in the

mountains.

They produced likewise a strange

loud noise by clapping their lips with the

palm of the hand.

These were the rough

mountaineers of Libristan Bazarg, the worthy

offspring

of those Uwians

who exacted of

Alexander the same tribute which their own

kings were wont to pay them whenever they

crossed through their country. |

A frantic troop of wild Bakhmei now rushed

on our sight, brandishing their naked swords

and striking them in cadence against small

shields, a performance very similar to the

Affghan war-dance.

While they were twist-

ing and turning before us like the very whirl-

wind of the desert, Kara-ghuzli (the Eastern

Punch) with his associates the lutis (buffoons),

was cutting capers to the infernal music of the

Shiushteri performers.

As the plain spread out before us, the young

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

25

Bakhtiyari showed off their skill in horseman-

ship, and in throwing the jerid, a short stick,

which in galloping they cast before them on

the ground with great force, and catch it

as it rebounds in the air.

Sham fights and

desultory firing lasted till we reached the camp

at Mal-Amir, where the Moétemid was met by

his farashes, or tent-pitchers, with long elastic

rods to clear the way before their master as they

preceded him, dealing blows right and left,

unmindful whom and where they hit.

The

greater the noise they raise, the louder the lashes

resound, the greater importance is attached to

the character of the personage to whom they

belong; and as the importance of the master

is reflected on the servants, 1 leave it to the

reader to decide whether the farashes in such

cases are sparing of their manual exercise.

Independently of this class of menials, the

Shah, when he goes out, is preceded by a whole

troop of executioners, or nasakchi, dressed in

red, and the felekchi, or administrators of the

bastinado, all of them armed with the weapons

of their respective offices.

26

TRAVELS IN

In this manner was the Governor conducted to

his tents, followed on foot by all the chiefs and

great men of the place who did not receive their

murahas, or leave to depart, until the Moétemid

was seated in his tent.

The reception made to Manucher-Khan was,

according to Asiatic ideas, not wanting in any

essential point; for even sheep, cows, and

buffaloes were slanghtered on his way, as a

kurban, or sacrifice offered up to the great

man

As soon as all these ceremonies were over,

I hastened to the caves of Shikafti-Salmdn,

which I had visited for the purpose of drawing

the bas-reliefs on my first arrival at Mal-Amir.

I now wished also to copy the arrow-headed

inscription in the cave, but T soon found that

task utterly impracticable, the characters were

so close to each other, and so much effaced by

the effects of damp, the water oozing through

the rock, that after a few attempts I gave it up.

I then applied to the Moétemid for the means

of visiting Shashan, which lies in the mountaing

about four farsangs to the north of Mal-Amir,

21

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

in the country of the Dinaruni, and ‘to which

Major Rawlinson has drawn the attention of

the learned world by the ‘opinion he entertains

that Shashan is the palace where the Prophet

But here again I met

Daniel had his vision.*

with obstacles, all the horses of the Moétemid

were too much fatigued, and the cattle Muham-

med Taghi-Khan sent me and my party were

so lean and miserable that they never could

have carried us across the steep mountains.

As 1 could not tarry any longer, I was obliged

to relinquish my project, much disappointed.

* Journal of the R. G. S., vol. ix. p. 85.

L,

NOTE TO CHAPTER XVI

Page 22.—This ancient custom, which has been so faith-

fully preserved unto the present day in Persia, might serve

when in connexion with other proofs, to

as an argument,

show that the

Choaspes is the present Kerkheh, and not the

Kurén stream, and therefore thai

t Susa occupied the site of

the ruins of Shus, an

d not the town of Shushter. For if it

were the latter, Abulites would have met the conqueror at

the river Karen running close

the very gates of the town,

to its walls; whereas the Ke

rkheh, although not far, is

28

TRAVELS IN

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

still sufficiently distant from the high mound of Shis, to

have allowed the act of Abulites to pass as a mark of

Had he

deference and respect to the Macedonian hero.

done less, he would have laid himself open to censure, for

having committed, according to Kastern notions, a breach

of etiquette, in not advancing sufficiently far to greet his

noble guest ; an affront which Alexander was not a man

tamely to brook, nor Abulites, probably, in his critical

position, over-anxious to offer.

I believe the very circumstance of Quintus Curtius

mentioning that the son of Abulites conducted Alexander

to the river Choaspes, where he was met by the Governor

of Stisa, proves that the river was at some distance, else

the historian would rather have named the town to which

his hero was led, than the river which happened to lave

its walls.

In the presence of the principal object all

secondary ones fall into the shade; for it was more than

probable that Alexander was

indifferent to the waters of

the Choaspes, notwithstanding

that they formed “the drink

)

of none but kings ;’

although

it may have been otherwise

with him in respect to the treasures of the Persian kings,

which were hoarded at Stsa.

CHAPTER XVII.

Situation of the plain of Médl-Amir, in which remains of

antiquity are found.—Cave of Shikafti-Salméin.—Sculp-

tures in the interior of the cave.—Tablet with arrow-

headed inscriptions.—External bas-reliefs on the face of

the rock.—Ruins of houses from the caves down to the

plain.—Cave of Salmin.— Conjecture about the locality

of Eidej.—Cascades in the mountains of Persia.— Shishdn.

— Other remains of antiquity said to exist in the Bakh-

o, or

tiyari mountains.—Description of the Jaddehi-Atabe

t-1]

causeway of the Atabegs.—Comparison with the stone

pavement of Shah-Abbas, in the Persian provinces of

the Caspian Sea.—Improbability of the Jaddehi-Atabeg

being originally constructed by the Seljuk chiefs of

Lristdn Bhzirg.—Line of communication with Isfahan.

—Comparison between the route pursued by the Author

and that of Mr. Stoqueler, across the mountains.—

Possibility of Jaddehi-Atabeg representing the climax

megale of Pliny, as well as the ladder-road deseribed by

Diodorus Siculus.

Tue plain of Mal-Amir (Commander’s wealth )

is above two farsangs in length from south to

north, and in some parts nearly two farsangs

in breadth.

It is surrounded by hills, the

30

TRAVELS IN

highest chain of V;hich lies to the north-east,

and extends in a southern direction to the

Mungasht mountains.

Mal-Amir has fine green

meadows, and is watered by mountain-streams.

Tt has also two lakes, called Shatt-bend, one on

the north-west, and the other on the east side

of the plain; but I was told that they are

sometimes dried up. Zakharya Kazvini speaks

of a lake in these parts, which he calls Hom-

al-Bawab.*

On this plain are several artificial mounds,

of different sizes, one of which may be com-

pared in height with the grand mound at

Shash, near Dizfal.

It lies three-quarters of

a farsang to the east of some natural caves in

the hills; the intervening space, both in the

plain and up the slope of the mountain, bearing

traces of former habitations.

In these caves I

found some very curious remains of antiquity.

The lesser cave to the right has some huge

stones cemented together, which may have

served for the base of an altar.

I shall pre-

* Uylenbroke’s “ Irace Persica Descriptio,” &ec., p. 31.

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(PERSIA).

BAS-RELIEF OF SHIKOFTI-SALMAN,

AT MAL-AMIR

31

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

sently explain the reason which makes me

think so.

In the more spacious cavern on the

left of this one, are two colossal figures, sculp-

tured on the wall, but nearly obliterated by the

water constantly oozing through the crevices of

the rock, and the excessive dampness of the

cave.

An immense inscription, which takes up

nearly the whole space between the figures, has

suffered equally from the same causes.

One of

the figures is represented in profile, and looks

towards the smaller cave, (where, I presume,

the altar must have stood,) with his hands

clasped, and in what seems to be an atti-

tude of adoration.

The outlines of the figure

are in good proportion, and I could discern

some

arrow-headed

characters on

his

short

The figure to the left is less

garment.

graceful, and has its face turned full to the

beholder.

It has a long beard, ending in two

curls, and a lock of hair falling down the right

shoulder, somewhat in the Hebrew fashion.

We read in the Pentateuch the following

passage :—

32

TRAVELS IN

“ All the days of the vow of his separation

there shall no razor come upon his head: until

the days be fulfilled in which he separateth

himself unto the ILord, he shall be holy, and

shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow.”

(Numb. vi. 5.)

The inscription I have just alluded to con-

sists of thirty-three lines, from eight to ten

feet in length. The slab with the cuneiform

inscription at Shash has the same number of

lines.

It is in arrow-headed characters, but

so much injured by the water penetrating

through the rock and dripping down the side

of the wall, that, though I scrambled up to

have a nearer view of it, I was obliged to relin-

quish the idea of making a copy.

On the opposite side, or to the right of the

smaller cave, are two more bas-reliefs on the

external face of the rock, and these are in a

much better state of preservation than the

former, owing to the harder texture of the

The

stone on which they are sculptured.

foremost consists of the figures of a man and

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

33

woman, with a child between

them.

Their

arms are folded, and their faces, but not their

whole bodies, turnc.. in profile towards the

altar. The man 1% broad-shouldered, and has

a beard; he wears an angular cap, and is

dressed in a tunic, which does not reach below

the knee,

with

short sleeves,

like the felt

coats worn at this day by the Bakhtiyar

Tliyats.

The head of the female is carefully and taste-

fully worked out : the features are delicate and

regular, and the head-dress somewhat resembles

the chaste style of the Grecian statues.

The mnext bas-relief has in front the figures

of two adult males and two children, and in

the rear the figure of a female.

They are

all turned the same way, pointing, apparently,

The

with their fingers towards the altar.

foremost is dressed nearly in a similar fashion

to the male figure in the previous group: the

second has a round cap, such as 1s worn at

the present day by some of the Bakhtiyari,

and made of felt.

The head-dress of the female

VOL.

IT

D

34

TRAVELS IN

resembles the high turban of the Jewish women,

projecting forwards.

This spot bears the‘name of Shikafti-Salméan,

among the Mussulmans, from a third cave, in

which are

interred the mortal remains of

Salman, the tutor and friend of Hezreti-’Ali.

According to the doctrine of the Ali-Illahi

sect, both tutor and pupil are associated in a

joint incarnation.

Ram-IHormiz, fourteen or fifteen miles distant

from the caves at Mal-Amir, is supposed to be

the native place of Salman.*

In the area before the caves, and on the

slope, which extends down into the plain, there

are numerous remains of habitations.

The

houses

must have been crowded one above

the other.

I had observed a similar appear-

ance at Kal'eh Gebr.

I do not remember to

* Tavernier, speaking about Ram-Hormuz, which he

writes Rem-Hormous, adds,—* Les Persans disent que ¢’est

dans cette ville que naquit Selmon, qui fut Pére nourrissier

& Aly gendre de Mahomet, qu’il éleva tendrement, le portant

entre ses bras en son enfance.”

(See Tavernier, “ Voyage

en Perse,” &e., liv. iii., page 404.)

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

35

have seen any bricks: all the buildings are

of freestone, cemented with a very hard whitish

plaster. On the plain fragments of this stone

and mortar lie scattered about to a vast extent;

and if the town of Eidej was mnot situated on

the banks of the river Halegn it may have

stood here.

In spring, and during the rainy season, a

beautiful cascade rushes down from the top of

the hill between the two external bas-reliefs,

Similar

and must present a splendid spectacle.

cascades are to be seen in the Albtrs Chain.

There is one at Pas-Kaleh in the Shemiran

mountains, not far from Teheran, which the

late Fet'h-Ali-Shah used to visit in summer to

enjoy the coolness, as well ‘as the beauty of

Another waterfall occurs between

the spot.

the mountain villages of Kand and Soleygan,

four farsangs north-west of Teheran. There is

likewise a splendid cascade on the road to

Mazanderan after descending the Gadilk pass,

and one or two more on the w

ay from Isfahan

to the districts of Chehar-Magal and Fereidan,

D 2

36

TRAVELS 1IN

in the Dalan-Kuh chain of the Bakhtiyari

mountains.

Four farsangs to the mnorth of M&l-Amir,

beyond a high range of mountains, is Shushén,

on the river Kuren, in the district of Dinartin ;

but as time did not allow me to visit that

interesting spot, and as Mr. Layard has given

a description of it, I shall not dwell on this

subject.*

I have only to observe, that on my return

to Teheran I was informed by a Bakhtiyari

Chief of the Heft-leng tribe of the existence of

a cavern in a rock, one day’s march west from

Shushan, and two from Shtshter.

At the entrance of this cave, or labyrinth,

are some sculptured figures to the right and

left of a long inscription, which, according to

the description of my informant, must be in the

arrow-headed characters.

Causeway of the Atabegs.—As the causeway

generally known by the name of Jaddehi-

Atabeg, or the highroad of the Atabegs, is in

* See note at the end of the chapter.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

37

the vicinity of Mal-Amir, and has been in part

visited by me, I may venture here to offer

some remarks in addition to those I have pre-

viously given.

The great line of communication which

formerly existed between Susiana and central

Persia lay across a chain of mountains, which

is a continuation of the Zagros and the Alvend;

but as the road presented many difficulties on

account of the ruggedness of the country, it is

natural to suppose that this circumstance must

have early attracted the attention of the ancient

rulers of the land, and suggested the propriety

of rendering it more practicable.

We con-

sequently find that the steepest ascents and

descents of the mountains are paved with huge

blocks of hewn stone.

The pavement may be from eight to nine

feet in breadth, and between every fifteen or

twenty blocks broad slabs of stone are laid

across

the way to keep the

intermediate

masonry firm.

These are,

as it were, the

ligatures of the causeway.

Although

this

38

TRAVELS IN

pavement is now in some places much dilapi-

dated, it is, on the whole, in better preservation

than the much more modern causeway of ’Abbas

the Great in Mazanderan; and it can be easily

accounted for.

The pavement of ’Abbas has

given away more rapidly on account of the

more yielding soil on which it was erected, and

the greater moisture near the Caspian.

The colossal character of the causeway named

Jaddehi-Atabeg, induces me to refer its construc-

tion to a remoter period than the Seljuk domi-

nion in Persia.

The Atabegs of Luri Buazarg,

we learn from Ibn Batuta,* were only petty

rulers in this district, under the Sultans of Irak,

and therefore not likely to have been the authors

of so vast an undertaking.

Possibly they may have repaired the road,

having to use it whenever they went to pay

their court to their liege lord at Isfahan;+

hence it may have been called the road of the

Atabegs.

I have already observed in a pre-

* See Chap. vii. translated by Professor Lee.

t Ibn Batuta, Chap. vii. in Lee’s Translation,

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

39

ceding chapter that the ascent from the plain

of Mal-Amir has two paved roads, of which

the better pavement, and probably the more

modern, may possibly have been constructed by

the Atabegs.

I obtained from the brother of the Bakhtiyari

Chief, Ali Naghi-Khan, who had conducted the

Moétemid across the mountains, the following

list of stations at the Jaddehi-Atabeg, between

Mél-Amir and Isfahan.

The road, although

very difficult in many places, was still found

practicable by the Governor of Isfahan, who

brought with him across the mountains two

field-pieces, six-pounders.

From Mal-Amir to Chehar-deh, or Kal’eh-

Medresseh; to Dehi-diz; to Revaz; to HeltGsad;

to Armen; to Lurdegtin; to Felad; to Semiran;

to Kari, or to Kumishéh; and from thence, by

the usual road, to Isfahan.

In comparing this itinerary with the route

which Mr. Stocqueler followed from Behbehan

to Isfahan,* we find that both these roads meet

* See the note at the end of Chapter XIL p. 325,

40

TRAVELS IN

at a place

called Felad (Pellaut, in Mr.

Stocqueler’s journal), and from thence follow the

same direction till Kumishéh, on the direct road

from Shirdz to Isfahan.

Mr. Stocqueler further

adds, that from Pellaut (Felad), there is a

beaten road which leads to Shiraz.

This cir-

cumstance is of great importance, as it shows

that the Jaddehi-Atabeg not only served as a

line of communication between Susiana

and

Media, but likewise connected directly Susiana

with Persis Proper.

May it not, therefore,

answer Pliny’s description of the Climax-Megale,

which, according to this author, was in one

of the interior districts not far from Media,

and leading by a narrow passage towards

Persepolis.*

* This passage in Pliny, lib. vi. cap. 31, runs thus in the

French version, by Sivry, Histoire Naturelle, &c., Pline le

Jeune :—

“Dans un canton de lintérieur (du pays des Perses) vers

les Médes il y a un lieu appelé d’un nom grec (Climazx-

Megale) ou Pon monte avec peine, et au moyeu d’ échellons,

sur une montagne escarpée au haut de laquelle était une

issue étroite pour arriver i Pcrséplolis capitale du Royaume

détruit par Alexandre.”

41

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

The Climax-Megale rof Pliny could not have

been in the mountains between Shirdz and

Kazertn at Kateli-Dokhter (asserted by some

authors), as that would be much too far from

Media.

If the Ladder-road of Diodorus Siculus be

identical with the one just mentioned in Pliny,

then the probability of its being represented

by the Jaddehi-Atabeg becomes still greater.

The direction pursued by Eumenes from the

Pasitigris (Kdren) to Persepolis, and the in-

dication Diodorus gives of his route, both

militate in favour of this conjecture, and

agree with the features of the Atabeg road.

The passage in question, which I translate

from the French version of Diodorus by Miot,

is as follows:—

« Fumenes, after his victory over Antigonus,

raised the camp which he had established on

marched across

Persia

the Pasitigris,

and

towards the city of Persepolis, one of the

royal residences, from which he was at the time

distant 'about twenty-four days’ march. The

42

TRAVELS IN

first part of the road to the place called the

Ladder, lay along a hollow way exposed to

the excessive heat of the season, and unpro-

vided with any means of subsistence; but for

the next, which ascended over the mountain,

it enjoyed a perfectly salubrious climate, and

abounded in provisions of all kinds.

This

portion of the route, intersected by frequent

valleys of great beauty, and furnished with a

pleasant shade, presented many richly cultivated

gardens covered with trees, grouped by nature,

and irrigated by numerous rivulets of water,

affording to travellers spots as agrecable to

the eye as they are favourable to repose.

The country abounded in great herds and

flocks

of all Kkinds,

which the people,

at

the request of Peucestes, brought into the

camp.”*

* “Kuménes (apres sa victoire remportée sur Antigone)

leva le camp qu'il avait sur le Pasitigre, et se dirigea &

travers la Perse vers la ville de Persépolis, une des

résidences royales dont il se trouvait pour le moment éloigné

de vingt-quatre jours de marche.

La premiére partie de

la route jusqu’ au liéu nommé, Les Echelles, suivait un

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

43

One cannot give a more correct or concise

description

of the Jaddehi-Atabeg, than by

calling it * Les chemin des Echelles,” or the

Ladder-road, because it is chiefly composed of

This

steps paved up and down the hills.

latter part of the road, compared with the

routes which lie south of the Great Chain, is

reckoned much cooler, as it passes through a

high mountainous country, and through the

valleys which intersect it.

The hills are like-

wise covered with thick forests, and number-

less streams flow from the snowy range of

—d

ke

-

chemin Creux, exposé & la chaleur excessive de la saison,

et depourvu de moyens de subsistance, mais pour le reste

sélevant sur les montagnes jouissait d’un air parfaitement

salubre et abondait en vivres de tout genre.

Cette portion

de la route coupée fréquemment de vallées agréables et

ombragées, offrait quantité de jardins riches en agriculture,

couverts d’arbres groupés naturellement et arosés pas de

nombreux cours

d’eau,

de

maniére a4 présenter aux

voyageurs des lieux aussi fiants i la vue que favorables

au repos.

La contrée nourrigsait de plus grands troupeaux

de’ toute espice que les habitants sur la demande de

Peuceste amenérent au camp,” &e., &c.

(See vol. vi., liv.

xix., chap. 21, p. 4, in Miot’s translation of Diodorus.)

44

TRAVELS IN

mountains, of which the Zardeh-KGh and

whilst the

lower

the Ardekan form part,

southern hills have few trees and much less

water.

I offer these suggestions with diffidence,

as they are at variance with some high autho-

rities, who have treated of the subject; but

as this part of the country has been for

many ages a complete ferra incognita, and even

at present is but partially known, it is not

surprising there should have existed a diver-

sity of opinions

founded

only on ancient

authorities, which are mnot always clear and

precise.

S ——

NOTE TO CHAPTER XVIL

The reader may, perhaps, feel interested to have an

account of Sushdn from an eye-witness, I therefore extract

a passage of Mr. A. H. Layard’s communication to the

Royal Geographical Society of London, on the subject :—

“ The plain of Mel-Amir is separated from the valley

of the Kuran by a ridge of hills of considerable height.

There are two roads across these hills to Susan.

The

I had

distance may be between fifteen and twenty miles.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

45

much difficulty in reaching Susan, the neighbourhood of

which is inhabited by a tribe of the Dinaruni, notorious

for their predatory habits.

Unfortunately I was robbed

on my way thither of my watch, compass, and many

other things, which would have proved exceedingly useful

to me.

I have experienced the difficulty of obtaining

correct information as to things and places from Persians ;

and I am not surprised that Major Rawlinson should

have been

At Susan

misled by their exaggerated accounts.

there are

scarcely any remains which would indicate the

site of a

large city ; and those ruins which do actually

exist are

all confined to the northern bank of the river.

I do not

doubt, however, that a large city did once exist

here ; but there are no mounds of any size, or columns,

or even hewn stones and bricks.

On either side of the

river, which enters and leaves the valley of Susan by

narrow and almost impassable gorges, there are the remains

of ancient roads, and the river was formerly spanned by

a bridge, four buttresses of which remain and attest the

The tomb of Daniel

stupendous nature of the building.

is neither of white marble, nor are there any sacred ﬁs}l:

it is a comparatively modern building, of rough stones,

It is regarded with great

containing two apartments.

veneration, and is always known by the name of Gebr

Daniel Akbar, or the Greater Daniel, in contradistinction to

the one at Shus.

There is an inscription near the tomb,

which, however, from the extreme jealousy and suspicions

of the people, I was unable to see.

The story of the black

stone of Shus had reached them, and they conceived that T

I trust, however, to be

wished to carry off their talisman.

46 TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN,

The

able to visit the place under more favourable auspices.

river Kuran is here a fine broad stream, the water of ex-

quisite clearness, and remarkable throughout the country for

I found it fordable in one place only. I

its good qualities.

hear of another place called Susan, in the mountains, to the

north-east of the place I visited. There are also here, I am

told, the ruins of a large city, and adjoining a very extraor-

dinary work : a mountain known by the name of Koh Kai-

kou, is said to have been cut through to afford a passage for

a considerable stream, which formerly formed a lake.

I am

also informed that there are numerous cuneiform inscrip-

tions in the neighbourhood.

Making considerable allowance

for exaggeration, it is probable that there are ruins and

This Susan is known

works at this place worthy of a visit.

as Susan Sir Aub, to distinguish it from the other place of

the same name, and is situated upon a considerable stream

running into the Kuran.”

(See ““Journal of the Royal

Greographical Society,” vol. xii. p. 103—4.)

CHAPTER XVIIL

On the probable site of the Uxian city besieged by Alexan-

der the Great on his way from Susa to Persepolis.

On~ re-perusing Quintus Curtius’ description of

the march of Alexander the Great from Susa

to Persepolis, I am struck with the resemblance

which the description of the situation of the

town of the Uxians, besieged by the Macedonian

Conqueror, bears to the vicinity of the caves

of Shikéfti-Salmén, in the country of the

Bakhtiyari.

The country of the Uxii lay

between Susiana and Persis,

east of the

Pasitigris (the Kiren) and west of the Oroatis

(either the Kirdistan or Abi-Shirin river).*

The southern part of this district is a flat

plain ; the northern a mountainous region.

The town of the Uxians was situated in a

hilly country, consequently we must look for

* See Arian, b. iii. c. xviii, and Pliny, lib. vi. ¢. xxvii.

48

TRAVELS IN

it in a northern direction.

We learn from

Quintus Curtius the number of days Alexander

took to reach the left bank of the Pasitigris

from Susa, but he does not mention how many

days more were required for him to reach the

town of the Uxil.

The

distance, however,

could not have been very considerable, else

surely some of Alexander’s historians would

have alluded to it, whereas they are silent on

the subject.

In the absence of positive infor-

mation, perhaps the safest plan is to examine

whether any part of the country answers the

description ancient authors give of the situation

of this town, and whether any ruins exist on

that spot.

Both these conditions are fulfilled

on the plain of Mél-Amir.

I shall, in the first place, quote the passage

in Curtius, in which the situation of the town

of the Uxii is indicated.

“ Individuals,” says Curtius, ““of local know-

ledge, apprized Alexander that there was a

by-track through the defiles leading to the

back of the city, where a small light-armed

49

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

detachment might climb an eminence command-

This counsel approved, and

ing the enemy.

those who had imparted it selected as guides,

the King directed Tauron, with 1,500 mer-

cenaries and about 1,000 Agrians, to penetrate

in that direction after sunset.

Alexander on

his part broke up the camp at the third watch,

Having

and at daybreak had passed the Straits.

cut materials for hurdles and rolling frames, to

cover those who should advance the engines, he

began to besiege the town.

All around crags,

rocks, and precipices obstructed access.

The

soldiers, therefore, wounded in numbers, were

repulsed, for they had to conflict, not only with

Again they

their enemy, but with the place.

moved up, rallied by Alexander, who stood

among the foremost. ¢Are you mnot ashamed,

having conquered

so many fortified cities, to

waver in the siege of a s

mall obscure castle?’

The King was now attacked with missiles, he

could not be induce

d to withdraw, and the

a tortoise with their bucklers to

soldiers formed

protect him.

At length Tauron appeared with

-

VOL.

1T

I

50

TRAVELS IN

the detachment above the fort. 'This display

caused the enemy to droop, and the Macedo-

nians to fight with augmented vigour.

The

inhabitants of the town were pressed by two

divisions, of which the assault was irresistible;

many were solicitous to fly; a great number

escaped nto the fort, hence they sent out

deputies to Alexander, to implore quarter.”

Further on the author adds, that messengers

were likewise sent to Sisygambis to solicit her

intercession with Alexander in behalf of the

inhabitants, and Alexander granted, not only

amnesty to Madates, but liberty and immunity

both to the captives and the inhabitants, surren-

dering, the city he left untouched, and the inha-

bitants permitted to cultivate their lands tax

free.*

Arrian’s account of the siege may also be

referred to with advantage.t

* See Pratt’s Q. Curtius, chap. iii. book v.

t I use Chaussard’s translation :—

“ Alexandre part de Suse avec son armée, passe le

Pasitigre et entre dans de pays des Uxiens, ete.

Il prend

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

51

“ Alexander leaves Susa with his army, crosses

the Pasitigris and enters the country of the

Uxians, &ec.

He takes with him his guards,

the Hypaspists, and eight thousand men from

avec lui ses gardes les Hypaspistes, et huit mille hommes

du reste de I'armée, et se dirigeant de nuit par un chemin

détourné ayant pour guides des Susiens, il franchit en une

marche des défilés inaccessibles, pénétra dans un bourg des

Uxiens,

les surprend, plusieurs sont tués dans leurs lits,

les autres se dispersent dans les montagnes. Le vainqueur

fait un butin considerable.,

I1 marche précipitamment vers

les gorges, ou il avait donné rendezvous aux Uxiens pour

recevoir le tribut.

“ Craterus, qu'il a detaché en avant (Curtius mentions

Tauron) & d occuper les hauteurs pour fermer la retraite

i Vennemi ; lui-méme il double le pas, g'empare des défilés,

range ses troupes et fond sur les barbares, avec tout I'avan-

Consterné de la rapidité d’Alexandre, privés

tage du lieu.

du poste sur lequel ils comptaient, les barbares fuyent sans

en venir aux mains.

Une grande partie périt sous le fer

des Macédoniens qui les poursuivaient 5 une autre dans les

p/l'écipiccs 3 le

plus grand nombre se sauvant sur les mon-

” %

yancée yregoivent la mort.

tagnes, out Craterus les a dé

IREES

SESIPSCEE

PSS AE S

seventeenth chapter of the

* This passage occurs in the

third book of Arrian’s ¢ Anabasis.”

52

"

2

2

TRAVELS IN

the rest of the army, and choosing by night a

circuitous road, guided by certain Susians,

crosses in one march some almost inaccessible

defiles,

and penetrating

into the

town

of

the Uxians, takes them by surprise.

Many

are killed in their beds, the rest dispersed

among the mountains.

The conquerors acquire

considerable booty.

He then marches hastily

towards the defile where he had given ren-

dezvous to the Uxians in order to receive their

tribute.”

¢« Craterus, whom he had sent on Dbefore,

had received orders to occupy the heights in

order to cut off the retreat of the enemy.

Himself marches rapidly, seizes the defiles,

puts the troops in order, and falls upon the

barbarians with all the advantage of position.

Alarmed at the rapidity of Alexander, deprived

of the position on which they had reckoned,

the barbarians fly without coming to blows.

A great part perish by the sword of the Mace-

donians who pursue them; others meet their

death among the precipices; whilst the greater

J

3

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

number, escaping into the mountains, fall in

with Craterus, and by him are slaughtered.”

On the map, which serves to illustrate the

present narrative, it will be observed that there

is a narrow passage connecting the plains of

Halegtin and Mal-Amir, through which the

river of Shah-Ruben takes its course.

It is

the only approach that T am aware of to the

latter plain from the south-west, the direction

from which Alexander marched.

I think this

pass represents the defiles mentioned in Arrian

and Quintus

Curtius,

and

which

1t

was

Alexander

to

secure

before

necessary for

he could enter on the plain where the

Uxian town stood. With the exception of this

strait, Mal-Amir is encompassed by mountains;

on the western face of which, in a recess, are

the famous caves of Shikafti-Salman.

These cavern

s are not at the foot, but on

the declivity of the hills, and the passage

leading up mnarrows as it

approaches them ;

or. if we look from above the ravine, at the

: |

head of which the caves are situated, appears

54

TRAVELS IN

to be spread out like a fan till it is lost in

the plain.

The whole ravine is strewed over in every

direction with stones, mortar, and clusters of

ruined houses, scattered among the rocks, crags,

and projecting masses of stone.

Stupendous

rocks rise above the caves and this ruined

town, and, during the rainy season, a cascade

gushes down from the heights.

The breadth of these hills from east to west,

or from the caves of Shikafti-Salmén to the

valley of Shah-Ruben, which forms their western

boundary, may be about ten miles, and it is

over this tract of hilly country that Tauron

had to march before he appeared above the

heads of the amazed inhabitants of the besieged

town, who little expected to be attacked from

that quarter,

Curtius, in stating further that a great

number of the inhabitants escaped into the

fort, proves that the town besieged at the hills

was not the only fortified place in the neigh-

bourhood. The expression likewise, that Alea-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

55

ander left the city untouched, 1 think, cannot

be applied to that which he had just captured,

putting the inhabitants to flight and to the

sword.

It was also from this fort that a deputation

was sent to Alexander to implore quarter, and

that messengers were despatched to Sisygambis,

beseeching her to intercede in favour of the

inhabitants.

Now we learn from Diodorus, as

well as from Curtius, that this Princess was

left at Susa with other female members of

Darius’ family.* So that the messengers had

to travel there and back: and, allowing the

utmost expedition, an answer could hardly have

been received before the expiration of three or

four days; the distance in a straight line being

no less than 100 miles.

‘What was Alexander

about in the meanwhile ?

If the intercession

of Sisygambis was deemed necessary, it appears

that Alexander intended to pursue hostilities ;

but, as his historians do not mention their

renewal, he was most probably recruiting his

* Diod. Sic., 1ib. xvii.,, c. Ixvii,, and Q. Curt,, lib. v, e. ii.

56

TRAVELS IN

troops after the hot reception they had met

from the Uxians, and preparing to lay siege to

the fort, which must have been of some strength

to require such preparation.

Now, in the middle of the plain, about three

miles to the east of the caves, rises an immense

artificial mound, the dimensions of which are

certainly not less imposing than those at Shish

and Babylon.

It is surrounded by broken and

uneven ground; but a luxuriant carpet of

green grass conceals its structure from the

inquisitive eye.

Its external form and appear-

ance resembling the Susian and Babylonian

mounds,

and

the circumstance

of cuneatic

inscriptions being found in its vicinity, be-

speak the high antiquity of the place, and

afford a strong argument in favour of the

existence here, in former times, of a consider-

able fort, corroborqting my impression that

Mal-Amir is the site of the® Uxian town be-

sieged by Alexander.

With regard to what Arrian says of Alex-

ander’s destroying the small villages and dis-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

57

persing the inhabitants before he entered the

strait, this may relate to the plain of Halegtn.

I found some ruins not far distant from the

pass which leads to Mal-Amir, which T at first

was inclined to attribute to the Sasanian, or

even to a later period.

Little stress can, how-

ever, be laid upon this circumstance, for the

same stones may have been used by the

Elamites, the Uxians, the Sasanians, the Arabs,

or the At

abegs of Lir, as they succeeded each

other,

It serves only to show that these straits

were ~ formerly guarded,

and explains the

apparent neglect of Madates to secure them

otherwise than by intrusting them to the in-

habitants of the villages.

If the position of the town of the Uxii can

be considered as established, it will serve as

a collateral proof that the Pasitigris is no

other than the Abi-Kfren, for this river could

never:be to: thok east: of this place ; and the

historians of Alexander do not mention his

having passed any other considerable stream in

his advance, from the time he had crossed the

58

TRAVELS IN

Pasitigris, on entering the territories of the

Uxii.

As there are remains of other ancient towns

in the country of the Bakhtiyari, besides the

ruins found at Mal-Amir, I have examined

whether any of such known at present, could

serve as a representative of the city of the

Uxil.

This examination has only tended to

confirm me in my former impression, that it

can be represented by no other ruins than

those close to the caves of Shikafti-Salman.

The places I allude to are Shushan, Manjanik,

Kal'eh Gebr, and Tashiin.

Shushan, although

in the vicinity of the caves just adverted to,

cannot have been the Uxian town in question,

because, as it lies on the right bank of the

Kuren, in the mountains, four farsangs to the

north of Mal-Amir, Alexander would have

had to cross that river, or in other words,

to recross the upper course of the Pasitigris,

before he could reach that town, a circum-

stance of which his historians make no men-

tion.

Neither can Manjanik be regarded as

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.‘

59

the town of the Uxii, for it does not stand

at the foot of any considerable hills; and accord-

ing to Arrian and Quintus Curtius, the city

was overhung by precipices, from the top of

which Tauron attacked the inhabitants, while

The ruins of

Alexander pressed from below.

Kal’eh Gebr, near the river Tezeng, are scattered

partly on a plain, partly on a rising ground,

backed by a chain of mountains; but these

mountains are so high and steep, that although

means may perhaps exist of attaining their

summit from behind, the inhabitants of the

besieged city could in no way have scaled

them in front while trying to escape from

Alexander.

Moreover, the rising ground or

bank, which runs along the foot of the moun-

tains, and on which the ruins are scattered,

would have presented no material obstacle to

the advance of Alexander’s soldiers.

I need scarcely allude

to the town of

Tashtin, for independently of its topographical

situation,

not

answering

Curtius’s

descrip-

tion of the Uxian city, it may be seen, by

60

TRAVELS IN

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

reference to the map, that it is not far distant

from the river Tab, which formed the boundary

line between Susiana and Persis, at the pro-

longation of the Zagros chain; whereas we read

in Curtius that Alexander, after leaving the

Uxian town, required three marches to arrive

My reasons for con-

at the latter province.

Tab or

Kurdistan

river

the

sidering the

ancient limit between Susiana and Persia must

be reserved for a subsequent chapter.*

* See ¢ Kssay on the Marches of Timdr and Alexander,”

&c., at the end of this volume.

CHAPTER XIX.

Account of the Bakhtiyari tribes of Luristdn-Buztrg.—

Division of the country into Luristin-Buzirg and

Luristdn-Kuchik.—Known to the ancients as the country

of the Cosswans, Uwxians, and Elamites.—Traces of its

ancient civilization.—Ibn Batuta’s account of Ei-Lir

under the Atabegs.—Communication between India and

Central Persia.—No caravans cross it at present.—A

short historical account of the Bakhtiyari—A colony of

this tribe in Afghanistan.—The Bakhtiyari divided into

Chehar-lang and Heft-lang.—Muhammed Taghi-Khan,—

Anecdote concerning him, &c.—Annual taxation of the

Bakhtiyari Chehar-lang.—Bakhtiyari Heft-lang,—Sub-

division of the tribe.—Geographical aspect of the country

to the north of the Alvend range.—Sedentary and nomadic

Bakhtiyari.— Taxation.—Feuds between the Bakhtiyari

Chehar-lang and Heft-lang.—Their predatory habits—

Tenets, — Character. — Occupations. — Produce of the

country.—Their sheep brought to the market of Tsfahdn.

—Arab horses.—Features and external appearance,—

Dress.— Ghiveh.

Tue mountainous region extending from the

Turkish frontier on the west, to the depend-

ences of Behbehdn on the east and south-east,

62

TRAVELS IN

is known by the name of Luristan (the country

of the Lur tribes), which is divided into the

greater and the lesser, or Luristin-Buzirg and

Luristan- Kuchtk.

The largest rivers of Persia—the Kerkheh,

with its tributary, the Kashgan ; the Kuren,

with the Dizful river,

and the numerous

affluents forming the 7ub, or Kurdistin,—all

flow through this part of the country, fertilizing

the soil ; so that Laristan might be one of the

most favoured spots in the world, were the

mountaineers who inhabit it of a less tur-

bulent

or

the

of

the

disposition,

power

Persian Government more efficient to keep

them within proper bounds, and more anxious

to encourage agriculture and trade in the

empire.

According to ancient writers, it would appear,

that since the remotest ages of the world, these

mountains have constantly been the seat of an

uncouth and warlike race of men, who set at

defiance the authority of the Medes and the

Persians, and in whose fastnesses, Alexander

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

63

of Macedon on the eastern extremity,* and, at

a later period, Antigonus on the western

boundary,t met with such unforeseen impedi-

ments and strong opposition at the hands of

the mountain clans.

Still when we look upon the remains of

ancient towns and other monuments of anti-

quity in eastern Luristan, or Luristin-Buztrg,

which have been described in the preceding

chapters, such as at Petek, at Baghi-Malek,

(Manjanik), at Mal-Amir, at Tenghi-Satlek, at

Tashin, &c., with the massive causeways in

the mountains, we must come to the conclu-

sion, that there was a time when these portions

of the globe had attained a much greater

degree of civilization, than that which it now

offers.

History, however, is more or less

silent or unsatisfactory on the subject, and

does not furnish us with positive data, so as

to enable us to judge by whom those cities

were founded, nor in what age they flourished.

But so far at least we know, that we must

* See Q. Curtius, b. v., e. iii.

t Pliny, b. vi., c. xxi.

64

TRAVELS IN

look to this region for the site of ancient

Llymais.*

The first pages of the Holy Serip-

tures teach us that the land of Elam was a

powerful and warlike kingdom under Chedor-

laomer, in the early period of the world, at

the time when Abram tended his flocks

1mn

the plain of Mamre,t whilst we learn of its

final fate and destruction in the prophecies

of Fazekiel, who held Ilam to be among the

conquering nations, which spread terror in

the world, but which were soon to be brought

down to hell.

¢ There

is Hlam and

all her multitude

round about her grave, all of them slain,

fallen by the sword, which are gone down

uncircumcised into the nether parts of the

earth, which caused their terror in the land

of the living; yet have they borne their shame

with them that go down to the pit.”}

* See Pliny, book vi. cap. xxvii.

t See Moses in Genesis xiv. 1, 5, 9, 13.

1 See Ezekiel xxxii. 24. Note. The holy Bible some-

times makes allusion to Zlam, in connexion with Media

and Persia. (See Isa. xxi. 2 ; Ezra iv. 9 ; Dan. viii. 2, &c.)

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

65

It is in the fastnesses of the Elymites that

Diodorus

Siculus, Justin, and Pliny place

the rich temples dedicated to the Goddess

Anaitis, which tempted the cupidity of the

Seleucidee and of the Parthian monarchs;* but

it must have been chiefly during the Sasanian

period that the land of Elymais rose to wealth

and prosperity.

If the presence of bas-reliefs with arrow-

headed inscriptions, are certain signs of anti-

quity, the cave of M4l-Amir and the ruins of

Shushan{ have a claim to that title, especially

if we take into consideration that the dress

of one of the figures in the cave of Shikafti-

Salman bears traces of cuneiform inscriptions.

The great German writer, Heeren, in speaking

of the bas-reliefs at Bisitun (which he attributes

to the times of Cyrus), adds:

“ Fven the circumstance of an inscription

occurring on a dress of one of the figures (of

which no example is to be found elsewhere),

* See Diod. Sie. fr. lib. xix.

t See note in chapter xvii.

YOL. 11,

F

66

TRAVELS IN

appears to argue a remote era in the history

of the art,”* &ec.

In chapter eighteen of the present work I have

endeavoured to establish the identity of the

mounds formed on the plain of Mal-Amir with

the city besieged by Alexander the Great, while

the greater part of the other ruins appear of a

posterior date, and, to judge by the style of the

architecture, seem to denote a Sasanian origin.

On the bas-reliefs and inscriptions at Tenghi-

Sadlek 1 abstain from giving any opinion; but

as they are so different from all the other

antiquities I have met with in Persia, I hope

they may attract the attention of some learned

antiquary who will favour the public with the

result of his researches on the subject.

and fourteenth

In the twelfth,

thirteenth,

centuries the Bakhtiyari country was under

the sway of chiefs known by the name of

* See Heeren’s Historical Researches, &e., vol. i, chap. i.,

p. 227,

I believe among the ruins of Hadramaut, in

Arabia, some figures with cuneatic inscriptions on them

have been lately discovered.

LURISTAN

AND

ARABISTAN.

67

Atabegs of Luristan Buzrg, the founder of which

dynasty, according to De Guignes,* was a certain

Abutaher, who was sent by Sancor, a Chief of

the Salgurian Turkomans, to conquer that land.

Ibn Batutd, the Arabian traveller who tra-

versed this country in the fourteenth century,

gives a very favourable account of it.

« After leaving Toster (the present Shushter),

says the author, I then travelled for three days

over high mountains, and found in every stage

in these countries, a cell, with food for the

accommodation of travellers.

I then came to

the city of Idhaj (Fidij), which belongs to the

Sultan Atabek

Afrasiab.

With these people

the word atabek means any one governing a

district.

The country is called El-Lur.

It

abounds with high mountains, and has roads cut

in the rocks.t The extent in length is seventeen

* See De Guignes Hist. gle. des Huns, tom. i., liv. vii.,

art. x., p. 410, and, in a note at the end of this chapter,

an extract concerning Luristdn {rom Sir John Malcolm’s

History of Persia.

T See

for

the

description of the Jaddehi-Atabeé,

Chapter xvii.

I

2

68

TRAVELS 1IN

days’ journey, in breadth ten.

Its king sends

presents to the King of Irak, and sometimes

comes to see him.

In every one of the stations

in this country there are cells provided for the

religious inquirers,

and travellers ;

and for

every one who arrives there are bread, flesh,

and sweetmeats.

I travelled for ten days in

this country, over high mountains, with ten

other religious, &c.”*

We may infer from this passage that Luristan

Buzurg, during the government of the Atabegs,

must have enjoyed a great degree of security,

and even prosperity, since such facilities were

afforded to caravans of pilgrims and travellers

passing through their country.

Ahvdz, which was formerly the capital of

Khazistan,t kept up a brisk trade with India,

The merchandise from HHindustan, instead of

being carried to Aba-Shéhr (as is the case at

* See Lee’s Translation of Ibn Batuta, chapter vii.

t Ahvdz was for a time the winter residence of the

Arsacid monarchs, who spent their summer months at

Tsfahén.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

69

present), was brought to Ahvéz, up the river

Kren;

from thence transported to

Toster

(Shushter), partly by water and partly by land

carriage.

From the latter place

A

straight

caravan road led to lsfahan over the moun-

tains, and thus through Savéh to Kazvin and

Abhar,

and

later

to Sultanieh,

that

great

commercial mart of Central Persia in the middle

ages.

This line of communication between Isfahan

and the Persian Gulf, near the mouth of the

Shat-al-Arab no longer exists; Ahvaz is fallen ;

and, although the trade might still be kept

up in some measure between Khuzistin and

Irak-Ajem, no caravans dare at present cross

through the country of the Bakhtiyari for fear

of being plundered.

Muleteers, who traverse

Persia in all possible directions, are seldom seen

in Luristan.

Luristin Buzurg is occupied by the strong

tribe of the Bakhtiyari.

To judge by their

language, which is a broken Persian, with

many old words and expressions now obsolete,

TRAVELS IN

70

or what the Persians call the Farsi-Kadim,

one may infer that the Bakhtiyari are the

ancient occupiers of the soil.*

This dialect,

with some modifications, is said to be common

to all the tribes of the Zagros range.

The

principal tribes to which I refer are ‘the Lurs

(of whom the Bakhtiyari form part),{ the Leks,

and the Kurds.

These three great stems represent probably

* There is a passage in Pliny which may be applied

to the Bakhtiyari; and, although it be difficult to point

out the exact situation of the country of the Bactrians he

alludes to, it could not have been very far from their present

haunts.

He says, that the nearest neighbours of Susiana

to the east, were the Cossians; to the north of whom, at

the foot of Mount Cambalide, a branch of the Caucasus, was

situated the district of Mesabatene, which affords a less

rough passage than elsewhere, leading into the country of

the Bactrians.

(Pliny, lib. vi., c. 27.)

t Mr. Rich, in his « Narrative of a Residence in Kir-

distin,” expresses his opinion that the Bakhtiyari are

Kurds, owing to the similarity of their languages, which

is a dialect of the Luristan Kurdish.

(See vol. i., chap. iv.,

page 130.) Although the Lurs and the Kirds make now

a distinction between their tribes, still, as the language

they use is common to both, it is evident they proceed from

the same stock.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

e

the kernel of the original Zend race, settled

1m

these mountains from time

immemorial,

before the country was overrun by the Arabs

from one side and by the Tatar hordes from

the other; although we learn from history that

the land of Irin, since the remotest antiquity,

was seldom exempt from the encroachments of

the Semetic races from the south, and the

Seythians, or the Tirani, from the northern

and the central parts of Asia, from whence

the Zend tribes themselves originally came.*

In modern times we find the Bakhtiyari

often appearing as actors on the political stage

of Persia, and performing a conspicuous part

in the history of that country.

We read in Hanway,t that at the time of

the Afghéan invasion of Persia, in the be-

ginning of the last century, Kassim-Khan, a

Bakhtiyari Chief,

left his

mountains

with

* See note at the end of the chapter, about the gypsies.

t See Jonas Hanway’s « Account of the British Trade

over the Caspian Sea,” &c., vol. ii,, part vii, chap. ii,

p. 168, ed. 1764.

2

TRAVELS IN

12,000 horse

to

tender

his

services

to

Shah Sultin Husein,

and moved

towards

Isfahén, but was met and defeated by the

troops of Amanullah-Khan Afghan; 2,000 of

his men were killed and the rest fled.

The

above-cited author is of opinion,

that had

there existed a better understanding at the

time between the Bakhtiyari and the Vali of

Luristan, the Afghans might have been repulsed

and Isfahan saved.*

During the Afghin occupation of Persia,

the Turks made considerable inroads into the

western provinces of this empire, and whilst

Akhmed-Pasha, of Bagdad, was taking posses-

sion of Luristan-ICuchtk, the Pasha of Mosal

made an incursion into the country of the

Bakhtiyari.

Seffi (or more likely Shefi) Khan,

one of their Chiefs, who offered some resistance,

was defeated, and fled into the mountains.

Notwithstanding this check, the Bakhtiyari

* See Jonas Hanway’s “ Account of the British Trade

over the Caspian Sea,” &c., vol. ii., part vii., chap. ii.,

p. 169, ed. 1764.

73

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

still continued. to annoy the enemy by frequent

skirmishes, and succeeded at last in driving

them out of their country.*

During the reign of Nadir-Shah the Bakhti-

yari rebelled; and it was not until their Chief

Ali-Murad had been executed, and the king

had removed several thousand ZLwrish families

into Khorasan, that tranquillity was for a time

restored.t

It proved, however, not of long

duration, for 2,000 Bakhtiyari families found

means

to escape

from that province and

returned to their native hills, where rallying

a considerable number of their countrymen in

their cause, they raised once more the standard

of rebellion, and Nadir Shah had great diffi-

culties to contend with in order to stifle a

general rising of the whole tribe.$ Those

Balkhtiyari who accompanied him in his expe-

* See Jonas Hanway’s “Account of the British Trade

over the Caspian Sea,” &c., vol. ii., p. 238.

t Sir J. Malcolm’s “ History of Persia,” vol. ii., p. 67.

1 See M. Otter’s “Voyage en Turquie et en Perse,”

’

tom. ii., p. 187.

14

TRAVELS IN

dition to India, distinguished themselves most

particularly at the siege of Herat,*

It is very likely that a part of this tribe

settled at the time in Afghanistin, for we

read in Mountstuart Elphinstone’s work on

that country, that “the Miankhail are about

3,000 families, of which number one-fourth is

composed of Bakhtiyaris of this tribe, which

is said to have come originally from the

banks of the Tigris, and which is very numerous

in the south-west of Persia; there are about

700 or 800 families at Deranbend, and about

500 at Murgha.” +

During the anarchy which ensued after the

death

of Nadir-Shah, Al-Merdan-Khan,

a

Bakhtiyar Chief, took possession of Isfahén,

where he reigned for some time, jointly with

Kerim- Khan-Zend, until the latter contrived to

put him aside, and assumed the title of Vakil.}

* See Sir J. Malcolm’s ¢ History of Persia,” vol. ii.,

p. 67.

t See Elphinstone’s “Mission to the Court of Cabul,”

p- 376.

1 See Sir J. Malcolm’s “ History of Persia.”

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

5

Notwithstanding the hostages whom the late

a

Fet’h-’Ali-Shah

kept

at 'Teheran, where

separate mahdleh or quarter was allotted for

them, the Bakhtiyari still continued to be

very troublesome to their neighbours, and in

consequence of their predatory habits, the

roads in southern and central Persia became

very insecure. At the time M. Morier passed

through Isfahén,* the town was in a continual

state of alarm lest Assad-Khan, a fierce Chief

of the Heft-lang Bakhtiyari should take it by

a coup de main.

Fven those families who were settled near

the capital, on the high road from Teheran

to Hamadan, in order that Government should

be enabled to have a better eye on them,

plundered travellers in open day with im-

punity.+t

* Qee M. Morier'’s ¢ Second Journey through Persia,”

&c., chap. ix., page 156.

t On a journey to Hamadén in 1837, I passed over some

broken hilly ground between the first and second station of

Teheran, which was pointed out to me as the spot where

the Bakhtiyari used to waylay travellers.

76

TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

If the effects of their marauding propensities

have been less felt of late years, it is owing

partly

to their bloody feuds

which

have

weakened them, and partly to the strong arm

of the Governor to whose charge the Bakhtiyari

tribe have been committed.

The two principal tribes of the Bakhtiyari

The

are, the Chehar-lang and the Haft-lang.

latter were formerly reckoned the stronger of

the two, but in consequence of intestine wars

they have been much reduced; whilst the

former have acquired new possessions, and

gained with them greater power.

The Taifeh, or tribe of the Chehar-lang, is

subdivided into #réh or shafts, which will be

found enumerated in the accompanying table,

together with the description of their summer

and winter residences, the names of the different

petty Chiefs, &c.

There is likewise a small viliage inhabited by Bakh-

tiyaris, close to Shah-Abdal Azim, in the neighbourhood

of Teherin.

.

Division of the Tribes

Subdivision of the Tribes.

Names of the Chiefs, or

Winter E

8,

or

or

OBSERVATIONS.

!

Rish-Sefid.

|

Germesir.

Serhad.

Kumursi

creesceenasaae

.

Suhtni

Shefi-Khan

Muhammed Taghi-Khan

Kaléh-Tdal ........

Although the different tribes

Glghir

Near the sources of the

haveeach their petty chiefs,

Muhammed Saleh

Muhammed Mehdi-Khan )

Andekot

the greater part of them

I"‘

fa.

Miighui

ssseeseceesssa

Hajji Abas-Khan

Zoyénderud in Zar-

are dependant of Mu-

(¥

hehar-Lang {

Buskhok ..

sese

Muhammed Kerim-Khan

dah-Kih; Fereidan

Adudilvend

Hajj’ Nasir-Khan

Sardasht,

on

the

and partly in Che-

hammed Taghi-Khan.

Zalaghi

cecseccncoasnn

Ali Naghi-Khan-Sarder

har-Mahal.

Fuladvend

cececcssanns

Kasim-Khand and

miz and Shishter

plains of Ram-Hor-

Ali Muhammed Khan

;

Dareki

§ Direki

|

¢ Babadi.. ..

1

| Mamivend

Kelb-Ali- Khan, whose chief | Sardasht, and near

Chegshir,

Silahdr,

BAKHTIYARI

Zalaghi

cecacecsaans

|

place is at Kaléh-Diz, or

Dizful.

LUR TRIBES

Lek

P S P G CPR L e

Burburud, Jopelah,

and Chehar-Mahal.

The Bakhtiyari Haft-Lang

Haft-Lang. . {

Ashtiraki

cesenecend

are under the jurisdiction

Burburudi

cesenanans

l Diz-Shéhi.

|

of Birgjird.

cere e

Jafar

ll

| Balthtiyarvend

Kuli-Khan,

whose | Lali and Diz-Malekan. | Zari,near the sources

principal fort is Diz-Ma-

of the Kuren river,

lekan,

in Zardah-Kih.

|

Bawai

According

Koribo Dinar. (Bazuft,| Major Rawlinson divides

| Dindrdini

.. | Urak and

to Major

Desfort-Shushan.

them into Janneki-Gar-

Saluh

%

Rawlinson.

son.

according to Rawlin-

mestr and Janneki-Sar-

|

| Gugirdi or Gulgiri

Khari-Shitir-Zar and | Hills of Mungasht.

dasir, and adds, that in

| Junaki

ceesen

Makavendi

Gulgir.

Gan,doman’ and Lurda-

both these divisions half

Jaurn, near Tatleh.

gan.

the number are Deh-

Arab Gomish

“eadweea

Between Mal-Amir and

Nishins, who do not emi-

¢ | Muhammed Taghi-Khan.

Glgir.

grate at all.

Mimbéni

Near the Snowy Hills

and the Kuren.

Bulveisi

teeresseaane

Near Kal’eh-Tul.

Zenghinéh. . ..

e ceacctsesrcasssaas

Petek and Manjanik.

TheZenghanéh areaKurdish

DEPENDENCIES

Gundazlu .

tribe from Kermanshah.

Gilgir and Baitavend.

The Gundizlu are Afshars,

|

of Turkish extraction.

78

TRAVELS IN

The same table gives the divisions and

subdivisions of the Haft-lang, and the other

tribes which form the dependencies of the

Bakhtiyari.

Muhammed Taghi-Khan is at present the

most powerful chief among the Chehar-langs.

Independently of this tribe, (of which a great

part recognise his authority, as well as the

Dinarini and all the Janéki,) Muhammed

Taghi-Khan is in possession of the strong fort

of Mingasht, which formerly belonged to the

Chief of Behbehan.

The Bakhmei tribe, who

were likewise under the sway of the latter,

have now sought the protection of the Bakh-

tiyari Chief, who since a few years exercises

also an authority over Ram Hormuz, the former

dependency of Mirza Kamo, of Behbehdin.

In

the Mahal of Fereiddn, which forms part of

the province of Isfahan, and where the Bakh-

tiyari have their pasture-grounds in summer,

Muhammed Taghi-Khan possesses several vil-

lages, the inhabitants of which are agricul-

tural.

Muhammed Taghi-Khan (who is allied

79

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

to the Janék: through his mother, and descends

in direct line from Ali Merdan-Khan, who

reigned in Isfahdn after the death of Nadir-

Shah,) owes his present - greatness chiefly to

his own abilities.’

It is true he never was over

and above scrupulous as to the means he em-

ployed to attain his ambitious views, and in

this respect—be it said to the shame of hu-

manity—he does

not stand alone.

Thus he

treacherously put to death his kinsman, Hasan-

Khan, and Fet h-ullah-Khan, and took possession

of their territories.

The sons of the deceased,

Ali- Kiza- Khan, Asdd-Khan, and their two

younger brothers, have sought protection with

his enemy, the Haft-lang Chief, Jafir- Kili-

Khan, who resides at his fortified castle of

Diz-Mdalekan.

In his younger days, Muhammed Taghi-

Khan was accustomed to lead his countrymen

on plundering expeditions, where he reaped

great renown for personal bravery and address.

I was told an anecdote of him, which, if it

does not redound to his honour, at least does

80

TRAVELS IN

credit to his inventive genius.

Being one day

on a foray with his followers, at some distance

from their mountain fastnesses, they fell in

with a rich caravan of merchants, who were

proceeding from Isfahan to Teherin.

The

Bakhtiyari soon succeeded in capturing them,

and taking possession of their goods; but,

apprehending lest a pursuit should be set on

foot against them before they could gain their

mountains, if they allowed their captives to

depart, and fearing, also, that putting them to

death would equally lead to detection, Mu-

hammed Taghi-Khan had recourse to the fol-

lowing

stratagem : — Among

the

plundered

articles there happened to be a great many

chadders, a thick stuff for veils, with which the

women of Persia cover themselves from head

to foot when they go out.

Muhammed Taghi-

Khan had the merchants dressed in this novel

apparel, and replaced, hand-cuffed, on their

own horses; they were then given in charge

to his men, with strict injunctions that should

any of them dare to speak a word when any

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

81

stranger was in hearing, he should be shot

through the head.

Thus the party *journeyed

on for several days, keeping, as much as

the nature of the country would allow, off

The

the high road, and avoiding villages.

country people who passed them never sus-

pected that there was any foul play going on,

but imagined it was a caravan of pilgrims

going with their wives and families to Ker-

belah or Mecca, and even kept aloof from a

feeling of decorum, when they saw so many

women in the party.

When the Bakhtiyari

had gained their mountains, and saw them-

selves out of reach of pursuit, they released

their prisoners and left them to shift for

themselves, as well as they could, whilst they

made off with their booty to their families,

elated with their success, and exulting in their

chieftain’s sagacity.

Muhammed Taghi-Khan is probably a man

of forty or forty-five, strongly built, and of a

pleasant exterior.

His younger brother, Al

Naghi-Khan, is veckoned to be more subtle

VOL. 1I.

G

82

TRAVELS IN

and cunning. He was kept some time as a

hostage at Teheran, but found means to elude

observation, and one fine morning took to his

heels and sought for refuge with the Moé-

The latter obtained for

temid at Isfahan.

him the forgiveness of the Shah, and after-

wards took him with him into the Bakhtiyari

mountains; where I met this Ali Naghi-Khan

following obsequiously in the train of the

Governor of Isfahén.

On my return to Tehe-

ran, after leaving Luristan, I learned that

brothers

had

offered resistance to

both the

the Moétemid ; Muhammed Taghi-Khan was

soon defeated and taken, but Ali Naghi-Khan

fled towards the Arabs of the desert.

The Chehar-langs are taxed at 15,000 tomans,

but it is rare that this tax can be regularly

levied, for it is only by main force that they

can be compelled to pay it.

We have seen that the Bakhtiyari Chehar-lang

occupy the south-eastern valley of the Zagros

range, from Dizfil and Shashter to the ter-

ritory of Behbehén ; to the north and north-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

83

west of them live the Bakhtiyari Haft-lang.

Their territory to the west extends to the

river of Dizf(l, and one of its tributaries the

Cesar* river, which separates Luristin Buzurg

from Pish-Kuh in Luristan-Kuchtk.

the tribes of the

Like their neighbours,

Haft-lang, are divided into tireh or shafts, and

possess at present two principal chiefs? who

are not in harmony with each other.

These

are Kelb-Ali Khan, in his stronghold of Kal'eh,

or Shahi Diz, on the DizfGl river, between

the town of that name and Burujird; and

Jafar Kili Khan, whose principal fort is Diz-

Malegan at some distance from Shﬁshém, near

the Kurén river.

As many of the places mentioned in the

subjoined table, forming the

summer

and

winter residences of these

Iliyats, are not

marked on any map, it may not appear super-

fluous to point out here their geographical

* The Cesar river joins the Dizfal somewhat lower than

the spot where the Piri Shah Zade Akhméd is situated,

a place of pilgrimage among the Lurs.

G2

84

TRAVELS IN

position, the more so as the accompanying

maps in illustration of my journey do not

embrace the northern declivities of the Alvend

chain.

From Burujird, eastward, extend the plains

of Silakier and Burburid, along the northern

skirts of the great chain, to the cool yelakhs,

or summer residence of Ushtwrdm-kih, the

highest point between the Alvend and the

Zerde-kith, with its copious springs and rich

pastures of Fehtabad. Further on is the fertile

valley of Jopeldg,* studded with numerous

villages, which joins with the plains of Fereiddn,

Chehar-mahal, and Chemén-i-IKeviz, in the pro-

vince of Isfahan.

It is in Fereidan that the famous grazing

plains of Ghendumein are situated, where the

* Ag the French traveller, M. Otter, does not mention

his having passed through the town of Gulpeigan, in the

narrative of his journey from Burujird to Hunsdr, on his

way to Isfahdn, it is likely that he followed the northern

skirts of the Alvénd chain, through the valleys of Silahr,

Burburdd, and Jopelig.

(See Otter, “Voyage en Turquie

et en Perse.”)

g

R S e

I

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

8

J

late Fet’h-Ali-Shah was accustomed to spend

part of the summer months.

The above-named plains run between two

mountain ranges ; those to the south being the

continuation of the Alvend chain, whose heights

appear always to be covered with snow; and

those

to

the

north forming

a

secondary

range,

like

a

series

of outworks.

This

latter chain, though much lower than the

former,

18

still

and,

m

sufficiently lofty,

some parts, very rugged;

it goes by the

name of Rosvend, a word which sounds very

much like some of the old Zend names of

mountains.

To the north of this lower range are spacious

and fertile jﬂle‘ys, bounded in their turn, to

the north, by other mountains of lesser altitude,

and separated from each other by spurs of hills,

which shoot from the Rosvend across the valleys.

These latter, taken in succession from north-

west to south-east, form the districts of Kezos,

Kemereh, Gulpeigan, and Hunsdr ; while to the

north of them, beyond the third range of hills,

are, Meloir, with its chief town Daulet-abad

86

TRAVELS IN

(formerly Chemin); Charra, Shehr-nd, or Sul-

tanabad, Feraghdan, and Mahalat.

The succession of these Alpine chains, running

parallel to ecach other, and lowering as they

recede to the north from the principal chain

of the Alvend, is pretty nearly repeated on the

southern side of the same chain, where the

secondary mountains diminish in height as they

approach the Persian Gulf.

The Bakhtiyari Haft-lang are under the

government of Burujird.

Those who lead a

wandering life are not less wild than their

rival clan of the Chehar-lang ; but many have

adopted a sedentary life and occupy villages,

especially in Burburid, where they till the

ground and are assessed by Government like

the other cultivators of the soil.

Thus the

195 villages of BurburGd are taxed by the

Divin

in

cash

and

530

at 7,873 tomans

harvars of grain; whilst the Iliyat Bakhtiyari,

who are morxe numerous, only pay 3,600 tomans.

Some of the IHaft-lang chiefs farm from

Government whole districts ; for instance, that

of K”mf”_'f_/," with all its villages, was leased a

-

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

&7

few years ago to a Bakhtiyari chief for the

annual sum of 12,000 tomans.

There exists a great animosity between the two

tribes of the Haft-lang and Chehar-lang, and their

conflicts, which originate chiefly on account of

their grazing grounds, often terminate in blood-

shed.

It has been seen that the Chehar-langs

have their summer pastures at Iereiddn, while

those of the Haft-langs are in Chehar-Mahdal.

In order to reach them, both tribes must cross

the chain of Zerdeh-Kih, the former coming

from

the

south-west

to

north-east,

and

the latter from north-west to south-east.

It is

at the points where the paths cross each other

in the mountain passes, that the rival clans

come to blows, each trying to capture as many

On the

sheep as they can from the other.

plains of Fereidin and Chehar-Mahal they both

become the scourge of the Tovts, or peasants of

these two bulks or districts.

Formerly there

were a great number of villages, especially of

Armenian and Georgian settlers, from the time

of Shah-Abbas the Great, as the ground is very

fertile, the usual increase of grain being from

88

TRAVELS IN

twenty to thirty fold. The plains, likewise, are

well watered ; but since the Government has

neglected or become unable to restrain the

plundering habits of the Bakhtiyari, the villages

have been in a great measure ruined, and the

inhabitants reduced to poverty.

Out of the

thirty-six large Armenian villages in Chehar-

Mahdl only five remain; all the rest having

been destroyed by the Bakhtiyari.

These wild tribes profess outwardly the Mu-

hammedan creed, and are of the Shidh sect, like

many other Persians.

But, with the exception,

perhaps, of a few of their chiefs, the greater

part appear to be even more ignorant and

indifferent to matters of religion than the gene-

As

rality of the Nomadic tribes of Persia.

they live chiefly in tents, and lead a wandering

life, they have few or no mosques, but go some-

times in pilgrimage to the shrines of their Piri,

or holy men, such as Shah-Zadéh Akhmed,

Shah- Rubén, and others.

The women pay more

attention to religious observances than the male

part of the population.

Some curious and interesting superstitions

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

89

undoubtedly exist among the Balkhtiyari; but I

must own that I have not been fortunate enough

to become acquainted with them, owing to the

very short time I was among them.

The Bakhtiyari bear a very bad reputation

among the Persians.

Although the latter are

themselves not over and above scrupulous as

regards veracity, they are outdone by the

Bakhtiyari in duplicity and bad faith.

The feuds which exist between the different

clans create inveterate hatred, and keep up an

unquenchable thirst for revenge, which senti-

ment is bequeathed as a sacred legacy from

father to son, from tribe to tribe, and ex-

tinguishes all feeling of humanity in their

breasts.

To this

already sufficiently dark

picture of their character, must be added,

that they are such

notorious

thieves and

robbers, that the name of Bakhtiyar is become

synonymous with both these words.

The chief occupation of- the Bakhtiyari, like

those of all Nomadic tribes, consists in tend-

ing large flocks of sheep, which forin their

90

TRAVELS IN

chief support and greatest source of wealth.

These flocks, during the winter season, retire

to the warm plains of Arabistin, and on the

approach of spring are driven, by slow marches,

over the mountains into the plains of Fereidén

and Chehar-Mahal.

Independently of the ad-

vantages the Bakhtiyari reap from the wool

and the milk of their flocks, the sale of their

sheep is an abundant source of revenue to

them in summer, for it is they who, together

with the Kashgai (a powerful Turkish tribe from

Fars), furnish the markets of Isfahén with

mutton during four months in the year.

The cattle necessary for the consumption of

Isfah4dn is brought from distant parts of the

country.

Thus Kermanshah, Meloir, and Kur-

distan (Ardelin), supply this old capital (which

even now reckons from 70,000 to 80,000 inha-

bitants) with mutton during two-thirds of the

year, and the Lurs and Turkish tribes of Iars

the remaining one-third.

Although the sheep from. IKermanshah and

Kurdistin are excesssively lean when they

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

91

arrive at Isfahin, and require some time to

be brought into condition, still they are pre-

ferred in winter to those of the Bakhtiyari

and the Kashgai, because, as coming from a

more mnorthern climate, they stand the cold

better than the sheep which spend their winters

in the warm pastures of the southern districts of

Fars and Khiizistan.

Even the bazaars of Teheran are stocked

with Kurdistin mutton, the sheep from this

part of the country being of a larger size

than the ordinary species, and fetching a higher

price.

The country of the Janeki Serhad and

G'hermestr grows much tobacco, which supplies

the bazaars of Shtshter and Dizfl. The woody

parts of Liristan produce the wild cherry-tree

called Beroline, which is used for chabaks,

and forms a considerable article of commerce,

although the trade in it might be still more

extensive.

The Bakhtiyari have a hardy race of horses,

of a middle stature, about the usual size of

92

TRAVELS IN

the Arab horse, and a good deal of the blood

of the latter runs in their veins.

They are

exceedingly fleet, sure-footed, and soft-mouthed ;

very manageable also, and capable of climbing

up mountains with the agility and fearlessness

of mountain-goats.

Among the richer Bakh-

tiyari I met with many Cha'b Arab horses,

which are taller than the Nejd-Arab, and

resemble more those of the island of Balrein.

The Cha’b Arab horse is justly prized in Persia.

In fact, I never witnessed a greater display

of beautiful Arab-blood horses than on the

plains of Mal-Amir at the camp of the Bakh-

tiyari Chief, Muhammed Taghi-Khan; for at

the Court of the Shah of Persia the Turkoman

horses are preferred to the Arab; and among

the former the Tekéh breed is the most esteemed

for its size, power, and faculties of endurance.

The horned cattle of the Bakhtiyari are much

praised ; their mules are likewise held in great

estimation, but I met with very few of either

in the course of my excursion through the

country, because the cattle were at that time

93

LURISTAN AND ARA IHST{U;I.

of the year driven to their winter pastures in

the south.

In appearance the Bakhtiyari look rather

fierce, owing, probably, to the mode of life

they lead ; the features of their face are cast

in a rough mould; but although coarse, they

are in general regular.

Their black eyes look

wild and expressive.

The complexion of their

face, as well as the other parts of the body

which happen to be exposed to the sun, is

exceedingly dark, with some nearly of a ma-

hogany colour,

The two black tufts of hair

behind their ears give them, if possible, a still

darker appearance.

The Bakhtiyari are mus-

cularly built,

and are chiefly of a middle

stature.

The usual upper dress of the common Bakh-

tiyari is a felt coat with short sleeves; and

as the stuff is very stiff, the lower part of the

coat stands out.

The round cap is of the same

The

material, and worn close to the head.

lower garment consists of a short cotton shirt,

and trowsers; the legs are sometimes laced in

94

TRAVELS IN

leather gaiters.

These Iliyats wear knitted

cotton sandals, with broad leather soles to them,

rising in front like the point of a skate, to pre-

serve the toes from the ruggedness of the

mountain paths.

/|

i

]

/‘/

Tt

Il

i

|

’n\\)

il

h

(1l

) /)/)J)}*

it

ARNWA)

Ghiveh or Sandals of the Mountaineers.

These shoes, which are called ghivéh, are

very useful in climbing up the mountains,

In my frequent rambles over the hills of Persia

in quest of herbs, or on visits to the ruined

Gebr forts, I have always found the ghivéh

not only more convenient than our Furopean-

fashioned Dboots, but even safer in the slippery

and dangerous parts of the rocks.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

95

NOTES TO CHAPTER XIX.

Page 67.—Extracts from Sir John Malcolm’s ¢ History

of Persia,” concerning the Atabegs of Laristdn :—

¢ The Attabegs of Laristan, though their power was

more limited than those of Fars, nevertheless merit to be

briefly mentioned.

That wild and mountainous country

had been inhabited from the most early ages by rude

barbarians, whose submission has hardly ever been com-

plete, even to the most powerful monarchs of Persia.

Most

of the tribes of Laristan are an aboriginal race, and the

language at present spoken in that province is a dialect of

the Pehlivi.

The Turkish conquerors of Persia had little

temptation to invade their mountains ; and if they had done

80, it is probable they would not have been successful ; for

the hardy inhabitants cherished an independence, which

Nature had made it easy for them to defend. Accident,

however, rendered this proud and savage race subject, for

a considerable time, to chiefs of foreign descent.

“In the various migrations of the tribes of Tartary,

several of them have, at different periods, either come or

been brought from the plains of Syria into Persia: a

hundred of one of these tribes had been welcomed to the

mountains of Laristan.

We are informed, that at a great

feast given by a Chief of that country, some youths of the

Syrian tribe were present ; and the steward of the enter-

tainment carried, by mistake, the first dish to a Syrian,

called Abul Hussein, upon whose mind this incident made

a deep impression ; and he observed to his friends, that he

felt assured what had occurred was an omen of that great-

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TRAVELS IN

-

ness which his family was destined to attain.

This inter-

pretation of the mistake of the steward was rumoured

abroad, and occasioned some jealousy between the tribes.

It happened, a few days afterwards, that Aly, the son of

Abul Hussein, had a quarrel with some men of the opposite

tribe, when in the hills where they were feeding their

flocks.

The men of Laristan fell upon him, and beat him

till they conceived he was dead, and then threw him into

a cave.

His dog, unable to defend his master, retired to

a distance, but watched the murderers as they returned ;

and, seeing the man stoop who had been the most active

in the assault, flew at his throat, and tore it in so desperate

a manner that he instantly expired.

After taking this

revenge, the animal ran howling to the tents of his master’s

family, who, observing it without Aly, instantly anticipated

some misfortune : and in this they were confirmed by the

dog turning round, and, while it continued to howl, running

off towards the mountains.

They followed it to the cave

into which the unfortunate Aly had been cast.

e was

found in a dreadful state, but not dead, and lived to relate

all that had happened. A feud between the small tribe of

Syrians and that of Laristan was the consequence of this

ocecurrence.

The first result of this feud was the departure

of the family of Aly to the province of Fars, where his

But his grand-

eldest son acquired great fame as a soldier.

son, Abou-Taher, became still more renowned; and the

valour he displayed in an attack on Shuban Karrah (a small

fortified village in the district of Deishestan, situated a few

miles from Abusheher) pleased Attabeg Sunkur so much,

that he desired him to demand what he chose,

¢ Give me

AND ARABISTAN.

97

LURISTAN

a horse,” said the youth, ¢ that will bear me proudly on the

day of battle.

¢ Ask again,” said Sunkur.

¢If you do not

deem it improper,” said Abou-Tahir, ¢ ereate me an Attabeg.

¢ Ask again,” was the reply.

“Then grant me some troops,

and I will reduce to your authority the tribes of Laristan.’

The Attabeg complied with all these requests, and the young

soldier marched with a force of 5,000 men, into the country

from which his grandfather had been compelled to depart.

His fame and courage, aided by the support of his tribe,

and by that impression which the most trifling circumstance

often makes upon ignorant and superstitious minds, gave him

complete success ; and that fortune which Abul Hussein had

anticipated for his family, was realized in the person of his

grand-grandson, Abou-Tahir,

Gratitude, however, does

not appear to have been among the virtues of the fortunate

young chief, whose first act, after his power was confirmed,

was to throw off his allegiance to the ruler of Fars; and

we are told that he left his son Hasar-Asp, the independent

rule of the whole of Laristan.

And that prince, by his

courage and wisdom, not only raised that rugged province to

as great a state of prosperity as it has ever enjoyed, but

added to the possessions of his family by the conquest of

several neighbouring districts. He invited a large body of

his own tribe, of Emiks, from Syria ; and their settlement

in Laristan added greatly to the strength of his govern-

ment.

Hasar- Asp was succeeded in his authority by

his son, Tokhlah, who was Attabeg when Hulakoo-Khan

Tokhlah unfortu-

overthrew the empire of the Caliphs.

erful sovereign,

nately fell under the displeasure of that pow

and carried to Tabriz,

by whom he was made prisoner,

VOL.

11

H

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TRAVELS IN

leaving Laristan to his brother, Oulub Arghoun, who, with

Lis descendants, became officers of the Moghul Prince of

the house of Chenghiz.

It is needless to recapitulate their

names.

The most renowned of them was Yusuph Shah

Bahander.

The title of Bahander, we are informed, was

given to this chief by Sultan Abaka, on account of the

great valour he displayed at the head of the troops in

Laristan, in a campaign in Ghilan.

He received a still

more substantial reward for these services, by being ap-

pointed governor of several rich provinces, adjoining to

that which he had inherited,” &c.

(Vol. i. page 390, and

following of the 4to. edition, 1815.)

Page 71.—Dr. Trithen, the eminent Sanscrit and Zend

scholar, has kindly pointed out to me a passage in a recent

German work of Dr. Pott’s, concerning the gipsies in Europe

and Asia,* wherein the author seeks for an identity between

that tribe and the Luri or Lurs of Persia.

His supposition

rests, I believe, on the authority of Pottinger, who estab-

lishes a similarity between the Luris of Beluchistdn and the

gipsies in Kurope.t In adverting to this subject, I beg

leave to observe, that the Karachi, Kaali, and Susmani,

under which appellations the gipsies are known in Persia,

are perfectly distinct from the Luri or Lur tribes.

The gipsies in the northern parts of Persia, where they

S

* See “Die Ziegeuner in Kuropa und Asien,” part i,

page 62.

t “Travels in Beloochistan and Sinde,” &c., chapter x,

page 153.

R RT

99

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

lead a wandering life, but always aloof from the other

erratic tribes, go by the name of Karachi, from the Turkish

word kara, meaning black.

They exercise the trade of

tinkers, and are consulted at times as horse doctors; but

they are in general looked down upon by the inhabitants

settled in towns and villages, and even by the other Nomadic

tribes.

In Kermanshah and Kurdistan, where their number

is very considerable, they also lead a vagabond life, and

are known by the denominations of Swusmani and Kdali.

In Ardeldn, which is the Persian Kurdistan, there is a large

village, near Senneh, inhabited solely by the Susmani.

The morals of these people are anything but strict ; the

women are like the Indian Bayadires, and dance at the Persian

mejlis, or assemblies, to the music which their husbands

perform on some stringed instruments. The latter are at

the same time the collectors of the money their wives

happen to earn.

In Persia they are generally reckoned a

degraded set; a belief is even current that they are the

children of the devil, or at least that they are outcasts from

heaven, since the Kauli consented to dance and make merry

before the trunkless bodies of the first Imams, when they

were beheaded by order of Yezid, at a time when the

faithful Shia Mussulmans were plunged in bitter grief.

In a note at page 26, of the same German work we have

quoted, it is mentioned that many gipsies are established

As

near the Castle of Wittgenstein, in Sassmanhausen.

we have seen that the gipsies in Persia are called Swusmani,

or Susmaniha (in the plural), may not Sassman-hausen

originally have derived from them its name, meaning the

abode of the Swussmani ?

H 2

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TRAVELS IN

There are several Iliyat tribes in Persia, the sound of

whose names bears some resemblance with 7zigane, as the

gipsies are called in Russia.

These are the Zengheneh,

once a very considerable, and until now reckonegl a very

noble, Kurdish tribe of Kermanshah. A branch of them

was also transplanted by Nadir Shah into Luristin, where

another tribe of the same name of Zengheneh, though

of Lurish origin, is established.

In a woody part of Luristdn Kdchik, near Khorremabad,

1 met some miserable Chinganeh tribes settled in villages,

and was told they had nothing in common with the other

inhabitants of the country of Lur origin.

The Chinganeh

perhaps may have some affinity with the gipsy race, but

I can say nothing positive on the subject, as I saw but

little of them.

In conclusion, I may add that a quotation in the German

author before us, from Popowich, who speaks of the gipsy

apple as a small black fruit unfit to be eaten, reminds me of

fruit which was shown me in the forests of the Zagros

mountaing, on the road from Kermanshah to Bagdad.

The

natives call it Anguri-Kaali, or the grapes of the Kdauli.

It is a bunch which grows on the mdzu or gall-tree, of a

yellowish transparent colour ; the fruit cannot be eaten,

but, on account of its glutinous property, it is sometimes

used as glue.

This habit of connecting the idea of gipsies with things

that are reckoned of small or no utility whatever, may

proceed from the low estimate in which their race is held

in Europe as well as in Asia, and explains the saying Dr.

Seetzen found generally existing all over Syria, “that

|

101

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

there are seventy-two religions and a-Aalf in the world,

that half being the religion of the gipsies.”

In a recent work on Bokhara, published in the Russian

language, Mr. Khanikoff, the author, alludes to three tribes

established there, which, he thinks, belong to the gipsy

race, as well on account of the similarity in their outward

appearance with that people, as in respect to their mode of

life.

They are called Jughi, Mezeng, and Luli, and though

outwardly professing Muhammedanism, seem to have no

religion at all.

CHAPTER XX,

Quit Mal-Amir.—Different roads leading to Shéshter.—

Travel in company with the mountaineers of the Janeki

tribe.—Come to an understanding with the brother of

the Bakhtiyari Chief at parting.—Bridge of Harah-

Zad.—Aspect of the country along the course of the

Shah-Ruben. —River of DarGo.—Pass a comfortless

night at an encampment of the Tembi tribe.— Interior

of their tents.—Account of the Ch&’b Arabs.—Became

partially known in the last century.—Capture two

English vessels.— Approximative limits of the tribe at

the commencement of the Sefevi dynasty.— Encamp near

Haviza.—Encroach on Déﬁrék.—Repulsed by Shah-Abbas

the Great.—The Vali of Haviza or Arabistdn, a vassal

of the Persian Crown.— Treacherous conduct of the Arab

Vali during the Afghéin invasion into Persia.—The Ch#’b

Arabs again encroach on Ddarik and expel the Afshdrs

during the wars of succession in Persia.—Sheikh Suley-

man, — Kerim-Khan Zend grants Hindiyén to the Chd’b

Arabs.—Connexion with Persia during the reign of the

late and the present Shah.— Cause of the expedition of

the Pasha of Bagdad against Muhammereh. —The Sheikh

declines the offer of assistance of the Bakhtiyari Chief.—

The Sheikh deluded by his kinsman.—Amount of the

losses sustained by the Shushteri merchants.—Muham-

merch might have been easily defended.—Notes.

TRAVELS IN

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

103

February 1.—1I left the camp of the Governor

of Isfahin and of the Bakhtiyari Chief at

a-quarter past twelve, and proceeded by the

plain of Mal-Amir, in a southern direction,

for three-quarters of an hour; then turning

to W.S.W. by west, I went in that direction

three-quarters of an hour more, as far as the

river Shah-Raben, which I had crossed before

on my way from Kal’eh Tl

Two roads lead to Shashter, one from Kal'-

eh-Tal, over Twilah and Gulgir; the other by

a straight cut over the mountains.

I preferred

the latter, partly because I could gain a day

by it, and partly because Major Rawlinson

had already described the former.

The Moétemid had furnished me with a

letter to Zorab-Khan, his deputy over Shishter

and Dizfal, and with another to Hajji Mullah

Akhmed, a Chief likewise acting under his

control, at Khorremabad in Luristan-Kachak,

with recommendations to facilitate my safe

passage over the snowy ridge of Zagros to

Hamadén or to Bhrtjird, whichever road might

prove most advisable.

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TRAVELS IN

I was to have gone in company with a

mustofi

of Shshter,

or

Secretary

in the

financial department, named Aga-Kérim, who

was proceeding to that city, but as he was

encumbered with tents and loaded mules, T left

him to follow the lower road, and set out myself

with some of the mountaineers, who were re-

turning after the parade at Mal-Amir to their

encampments at Gugird or Glgir.

They were

the dependants of the younger brother of the

Bakhtiyari chief, Ali Naghi-Khan, who came

out to bid me farewell, and accompanied me

part of the way.

I availed myself of the oppor-

tunity of telling him that I had reason not to

be much satisfied with the conduct of his elder

brother, Muhammed Taghi-Khan towards me;

that I was perfectly aware of the unfounded sur-

mises he entertained as to my intention of pre-

judicing the Governor-in-Chief against him in

the interest of Mirza Kumo, the Hakim of

Behbehan.

I requested 'Ali Naghi-Khan to

tell his brother, that although I was in no way

accountable to him for my actions, still, for my

10

J

A

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

own satisfaction, I wished him to know that it

never had been my custom to meddle in other

persons’ affairs ; and that my journey to Shashter

and Dizfal, undertaken to satisfy my own curiosity

and thirst for travelling, would certainly not

induce me to change for any one the principles

"Ali Naghi-

by which my conduct was actuated.

Khan, who, during the time he was a hostage

at Teheran, had learned the language of cour-

tiers, made many excuses for his brother, b.ut

spoke more of his own devoted loyalty to the

Shah, and unbounded respect and gratitude to

the Moétemid, with many similar protestations,

which made me suspect his sincerity. He soon

took his leave and returned to the camp.

On the left bank of the river Shah-Rtben,

I found some brick-masonry, probably the

buttresses of a bridge.

The insignificant ap-

pearance of the stream made me doubt at first

whether so stupendous a bridge as Zakhariyi-

Kazvini describes that of Jirzad or Harah-Zad

to be, could have been necessary; but this

author's observation, that the river swells to

106

TRAVELS IN

a great extent during the rainy season, and

when the snow melts in the mountains (a fact

which was confirmed to me by the natives),

reconciled me to the idea that the bridge of

Jirzad might have stood here.*

This supposition acquires a still greater degree

of probability, from the consideration that the

great

caravan

road between Susiana and

Media must have passed this way.

Close

to_ the remains are the ruins of Halegtn.

Here the road turns, first to the W.N.W., and

then to west; whilst the river flows in a north-

west direction

towards

Piuri-Shah-ricben mal

Seyidi, a place of pilgrimage for the Lirs, re-

ported to contain some ancient ruins.

I believe

that by following the course of the river Shah-

ritben to its confluence with the Kiren, the

inquisitive traveller would find objects that

would amply repay him for the pains; because

the valley in which it flows appears green and

fertile, as far as the eye can reach, and must

have been at all times a favourite resort, from

* Sce note at the end of the chapter.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

107

the contrast it affords to the barren rocks that

surround it.

To the left of Natergi is the village of

Ablah.

Close to the road we passed by a square

building, called Kuruk, and a burying-place,

full of white lions,

which serve for tomb-

stones.

After traversing a hilly country, and crossing

the river of Duruo, said to empty itself into

the Kren, we struck to the south-west, and,

following the direction in which a flock of

sheep were driven by some highland shepherds,

alighted for the night at a Bakhtiyari encamp-

ment of the Tembi tribe, having travelled three

or three and a-half farsangs (eleven miles).

The tent into which we were ushered was

crammed with the various articles appertaining

to an Iliyat family, consisting usually of a

great number of bags of all dimensions and

descriptions, in which their whole property is

stowed away.

Sacks filled with wool occupied

one part of the tent; lesser ones, with dried

108

TRAVELS IN

curds, lay in another corner.

Goat-skins, with

the hair inside, were filled with sour milk;

the mixture

of

others

inflated with water ;

both these fluids with a little addition of salt,

being the favourite beverage of the Iliyats.

Black cauldrons for boiling the milk, and

leather bags suspended on long poles for

churning butter in, obstructed the passage,

and completed the picturesque disorder of the

scene before us.

In a word, the tent was as

full and as dirty as possibly can be imagined ;

nor was it any the warmer for it.

The night was bleak, and the wind on this

elevated spot blew mercilessly through the holes

in the canvass, and especially from below.

To

place me as far as possible out of its reach, I

was seated on a wool-sack, while the rest, less

fortunate, remained on the ground-floor; and

from the piercing cold to which they were

exposed, looked very miserable. The fire, it

is true, burnt on the hearth, but did not

extend its influence in the same proportion as

the dense smoke, which nearly smote our eyes

ARABISTAN.

109

LURISTAN AND

with blindness,

and choked our respiration,

before it found its way into the open air.

There was not the remotest chance of comfort,

and instead of throwing off my travelling

apparel to ease the limbs, T was obliged to put

on as many cloaks as I could muster, and thus

equipped, I tried to console myself with the

reflection that the miseries of life are only for

a time.

Speaking of time, people often complain that

it hangs heavily on their hands;—they know

not what to do with it.

Oh! had I been then

within reach of such persons, how thankful I

should have been to them for the loan of all

their hours of ennui, which 1 should have

known how to turn to account !

For, in laying

them out into days, I should have been enabled

to visit the neighbouring Ch&’b country; a trip

which, but for want of time, I was forced to

relinquish.

But what attraction, some may say, can a

country have of which little or nothing is ever

heard ?

As that would be casting a reflection

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TRAVELS IN

on the volumes before you, and as travellers

are not less sensitive than other mortals, T

hasten, in self-vindication, to observe, that the

very circumstance of a country being little

known is already a strong inducement to

become better acquainted with it.

But inde-

pendently of this reason, which is founded on

the innate inquisitiveness of man, there is

another, in favour of the Cha’b Arabs, to which

I shall presently allude.

After this prelude, I suppose I may introduce

to you those wandering gentlemen of the desert

without further ceremony.

The name of the Ch&’hb Arabs became, I

believe, first known in this country about the

latter part of the last century, in consequence

of their piratical exploits on the Persian Gulf,

and their having captured some English vessels

sailing in those latitudes.*

Their name, how-

ever, soon sunk again into oblivion, and would

probably have remained so in Europe, had not

* See Dr. Vincent, on “ The Commerce and Navigation

of the Ancients,” &ec., vol. i., page 427, fourth edit. 1807.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

1%

attention been awakened by the late expedi-

tion of the Pasha of Bagdad against the Cha’h

Arabs and the destruction of Muhammerch,

the capital of their sheikh; an event which

has given rise to the discussion between the

Courts of Teheran and Constantinople, as to

whether Muhammereh lies on the Persian or

on the Turkish territory.

Without pretending to decide the question

either way, T shall mere

ly give a few detached

remarks on the Cha'b Arabs, being the result

of the information I obtained from various

persons, apparently well-informed on the sub-

Ject, and aided by what can be gleaned from

history.

The country which the Cha'b Arabs now

occupy, appears to extend, on the north,

as

far as the territories of Shishter and Ram

Hormtiz ; to the east it is limited by Behbehn ;

and, including Hindiyan in their possessions,

the Cha’b Arabs spread on the south along

the head of the Persian gulf; touching at

their south-western extremity on the territory of

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TRAVELS IN

Basra. Their frontier, on the west, is very

insufficiently defined, for they meet with other

wandering Arab tribes, but I doubt their ex-

tending at present beyond Haviza, if, indeed,

they reach so far.

This part of my information ~concerning

their limits, is partly corroborated by what

Niebuhr says, namely, that at the time he

visited Arabia and the adjacent countries, the

Cha@’b or the Kiab Arabs extended on the

north to Haviza, on the east to Hindiyan

inclusively, while, in the opposite direction,

they even penetrated far into Arabia.*

The greater portion of the country just

described, watered by the 7a@b with its nume-

rous tributaries from the east and north-east,

and the Karen on the west, was known to the

Arab geographers by the name of Dadarak.

At the commencement of the Sefevi reign,

and before the Cha’b Arabs had begun their

* See Niebuhr’s “ Voyage en Arabie et en d’autres Pays

de I'Orient,” tom. ii. chap. v. page 160, Swiss edition, 1780,

in 8vo.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

113

encroachments on Datrak, they were known

to encamp in the neighbourhood of Haviza,

on the Kerkheh stream, south of Dizfal.

But

during the unsettled state into which Persia was

thrown after the death of Shah Tamasp I., son

the founder

of the

Sefevi

of Shah Ismail,

dynasty, the Cha’b Arabs began to encroach on

their neighbours the Afshérs, who were estab-

lished to the east of Haviza, and succeeded

in dislodging them and taking possession of

their places of encampment.

They did not,

however, long remain peaceful occupiers of the

land they had seized; for at the accession of

Shah Abbas the Great to the throne of Persia,

Imam Kali-Khan, Governor of Fars, headed an

expedition against the Cha’b Arabs, and forced

them to return their former possessions to the

Afshars, compelling them, moreover, to pay a

certain tribute to the Crown of Persia.

Persia was at that period at the zenith of its

power; and among the numerous vassals who

recognised its Shah as suzerain were four Valis,

Wwho, although exercising an independent sway in

VOL. 11,

I

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TRAVELS IN

their own states, still owed allegiance to the

Hence the title of the

sovereigns of Persia.

latter of Shah in Shah, or king of kings.

One of these four great feudatory lords was

the Vali of Haviza or Arabistan, who, with

the other three, namely, the Valis of Gurgistan,

or Georgia, of Luristdan, and of Ardelan, or

Fastern Kurdistan, had a right to a seat on

state occasions in the presence of the Shah.

From that period until the invasion of Persia

by the Affghans, the monarchs of Iran had

always Arabian cavalry in their service.

The Vali of Arabistan performed even a con-

spicuous, although not a very honourable, part

during the siege of Isfahan; for it was chiefly

owing to his treacherous conduct that the city

fell into the hands of the Afghans.*

Taking advantage of the disorders which

attended that invasion of Persia, and profiting

by the

state of anarchy which

succeeded

the Cha’b Arabs

the death

of Nadir-Shah,

* Hanway, Otter, Picault, and several Catholic mis-

sionaries give detailed accounts of this affair.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

15

repossessed themselves once more of the country

of Datrak, forcing the Afshars and other

Turkish tribes, such as the Bayat and Kakavend

to decamp.

A part of the Afshars retired to

Kengovar and Assadabad, between Xerman-

shah and Hamadan ;

another portion settled

a few established

at Urumia in Aderbeijan;

themselves in the neighbourhood of Shishter

and Dizfal, where they still continue to live,

and bear the name of Gandazlu.

Niebuhr, who visited Arabia and Persia in

the latter part of the last century, speaks of the

power which the Cha’b Arabs had attained under

their enterprising chief, Sheikh Suleyman, and

the wars in which they were incessantly engaged

with the Persian and Turkish authorities.!

About the same period Kerim Khan-Vakil,

in acknowledgment for the signal services

these Arabs had rendered to his troops during

the siege of Basra, bestowed on them the

town of Hindiyan with its dependencies, some-

what in the nature of a feudal tenure, on con-

dition of their paying 1,000 tomans to the

T2

TRAVELS IN

116

Governor

of Fars

for

the

enjoyment of

Hindiyan.

Whenever the Sovereigns of Persia felt them-

selves strong, and could enforce their authority,

the Cha’b Arabs were regular in paying their

tribute ; but as soon as the latter thought they

could withhold their allegiance, they never

failed to do so.

At the commencement of Fet'h-Ali-Shah’s

reign, the Arabs of Cha’b kept aloof, but,

towards the end, they are said to have paid

tribute to the Ferméan-Ferma of Fars, partly

in cash, and partly in a stipulated number

of their noble breed of horses, as a peshkesh,

or present, which an inferior offers to a superior.

At the accession of the reigning Shah to the

throne, and while the Governor of Fars, Manu-

cher-Khan, was besieging the forts of Gdli-

G@l4b, then in the hands of the Mamaseni

tribes, the Sheikh Ché&’b, whose possessions of

Hindiydn happen to be in the vicinity, was

summoned by the Governor of Fars to provide

The

the troops of the Shah with provisions.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

117

sheikh gave answer, that as there existed no pre-

cedent of the Cha’b Arabs ever having procured

sursdt, or provisions for a Persian army, he could

not comply with the demand; but after the

fort had surrendered he changed his mind, and

in addition to the required supplies, paid several

thousand tomans to the Governor of Fars.

The expedition of the Pasha of Bagdad against

the sheikh of Cha’b originated in consequence

of the latter having declared his town of Mu-

hammereh a free port, and thrown it open to

all the vessels sailing in the Persian Gulf.

The advantageous position of Muhammereh,

situated, as I was told, near the junction of the

Jerahi (Tab) with the Kuren, affords the

vessels sailing up the gulf the possibility of car-

rying their goods thither without going to

Basra, which lies higher up the stream of the

Shatt-el.’ Arab.

The high duties which merchants had to

pay before they could clear their goods at

Basra, induced them to resort to Muhammerch.

This caused a great diminution in the custom-

118

TRAVELS

IN

house revenues, not only of Basra, which were

very considerable, but likewise of Bagdad;

the income of the Pasha was affected by it,

and it is but natural to suppose that Ali

Riza Pasha could not remain long blind or

indifferent to the increasing diminution in his

receipts.

Hence the expedition.

The calamity which befel Muhammereh

might perhaps have been averted, had the

Cha’b Sheikh been less actuated by a spirit

of parsimony, or had evinced greater caution

and foresight.

‘When the news spread that Ali Riza Pasha

had left Bagdad, and his hostile intentions

against Muhammereh became apparent, Muham-

med Taghi-Khan Bakhtiyar was directed by the

Moétemid, the then Chief of Kermanshah,*

Luristan, and Arabistan, to offer the sheikh

the assistance of his cavalry, 2,000 strong,

provided the sheikh furnished the troops with

* And not of Fars, as mentioned in M. Fontanier’s

recent work, “ Voyage dans I'Inde et le Golfe Persique,”

&e

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

119

the necessary supplies ort their march, and as

long as he might require their aid.

The sheikh replied, that he had no appre-

hension that the expedition of the Pasha was

directed against him, and, therefore, declined

the offer.

The fact is, he had been lulled into this

false security by a kinsman of his, whom the

Pasha had gained by holding out the prospect

of procuring for him the government of the

Chéa’b country in case of success.

This treacherous kinsman succeeded in per-

suading the sheikh that the military expedition

of the Pasha of Bagdad was directed against

Basra, and not against him.

The consequence

was, that the sheikh was taken so completely

unawares, that he had only time to save his

own life by escaping to Felahi, (the former

capital of Cha'’b after that of Daurik,) and

from thence to Ram-Hormuz.

The loss which

the Persian merchants of Shashter alone sus-

tained at the destruction of Muhammereh is

said to have exceeded 60,000 tomans, or about

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TRAVELS IN

30,0007.

I have heard it affirmed by persons

who have visited the place, that had the sheikh

been apprized of the Pasha’s hostile intentions,

even a short time before the attack took place,

he might have rendered the approaches to

Muhammereh impassable to the enemy, by

breaking down the dams and flooding the

country around it.

This mode of defence reminds us of what the

ancient writers mention concerning the nu-

merous canals which spread like a network over

the country, along the lower courses of the

Tigris and Euphrates, and served the purpose

of irrigating the fields, but were also used by

the natives as means of defence for inundating

the country at the approach of an enemy.

NOTES TO CHAPTER XX.

Page 106.—Pons quoque ibi invenitur inter mundi

miracula

relatus,

qui a matre regis Ardeschiri pons

Harah-Zad vocatur, et super fluvium siccum exstructus

est

Huic enim fluvio aqua deist, nisi quando multa

ceciderit pluvia, quo tempore maris instar fluctibus agitatur,

121

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

et, qua per terra superficiem patet, ultra mille cubitos

qua in profundum abit, centum et quinquaginta com-

plectitur., Hunc vero pontem sic extruxit (Hazah-Zad), ut

lapides plumbo ferroque inter se conjungantur, et inter-

vallum inter locum unde humo exsurgit, alterumque, ubi

iterum in terram descendit.

Profunditas autem est ulnarum

centum et quinquaginta.

Quo altius adscendit substructio

eo fit angustior.

Spatium vero inter latus torrentis pon-

temque, in altum sergentem ad quadraginta circiter cubitos

a terr superficie, ferri scoriis fuso plumbo in massam com-

pactis implevit, quibus, molibus pons innititur ita ut summus

Sic igitur omne

illius vertex supra terram suspendatur.

intervallum inter duo latera torrentis, et pontis structuram

plumbo, aeris (¥) ramentis intermixto, oppletum est.

Pons

hic constat una arcu, est que mirabili structura firmeter que

inter se compacta insignis.

Eundem postea rupit Mas-

maeus (?) neminique per longum tempus integrum fuit, sub-

structionem restituere.

Quee res haud parum molestiz

viatoribus creavit.

Interim accol® eo pergentes in plumbo,

quod ad structuram sustinendam in fusum erat magna cum

vi extrahendo omnem modum excesserunt; donec opus

ibn

Ahmed

al

reparavit Abou-Abdallah Mohammed

Ammi (?) Vesirus Al Hasani ibn Bouyz.

Hic enim

operas geometras que conduxit, omnesque nervos facultates

que suas in illud negotium intendit, opifices que ex

summo ponte canistres impositos ope trochlearum funium-

que suspendit (7); nec tamen arcum nisi multis post amnis

absolverunt. Jam vero prater mercedem operarum, quarum

major pars ex ipsa ditione Idadji et Isfahane ad hod opus

peregendum vi adacta fuit in illud erogata sunt trecenta et

|

|

122

TRAVELS IN

Structuree ad nostrum

quinquaginta millia aureorum.

usque tempus servatac contemplatio et

inspectio con-

siderantes

in admirationem

rapit.

(See Uylenbreek’s

“Irace Persice Descriptio,” &c., p. 31.)

Page 110.—La tribu Arabe de Kiab, ou suivant la pro-

noneiation des Persans 7siab, habite lextrémité des cites

du Golfe Persique.

Elle était peu considérée avant le

régne de son Scheick actuel Soliman, dont la renommé

parvint jusqu’ & 'Europe, & l'occasion de ses. querrelles avec

les Anglais, auxquels il prit quelques vaisseaux.

Ce

Scheick sut profiter des troubles de Perse, et des vices du

Gouvernement de

Basra.

I commenga par soumettre

ses petits voising indépendans ; fempara ensuite de plu-

sieurs grands districts en Perse, et promit un tribu aux

Khans, qui se disputaient le trone de ce malheureux royaume.

Aucun ne lexigea que Kérim, qui se contenta d’une petite

somme.

Soliman étendit alors ses conquétes du c6té de

Basra.

Il rechercha Ilamiti¢ des Ajals qui sont les

chefs du peuple dans ces contrées, et comme les prin-

cipaux ne

perdaient pas

avec lui, il parvint & se

rendre maitre de toutes les iles entre les embouchures de

I'Euphrate, ou du pays appelé communément Schat-el-

Arab.

Ayant poussé ses conquétes jusqu’ aux fleuves

En 1758 il btit

navigables, il pensa former une marine.

son premier vaisscau, et en 1765 il en avait déa dix

grands et soixante et dix plus petits.

Cette méme année en 1765, Kerim-Khan envoya contre

lui une si forte armée, qu’il ne put resister.

11 transporta

ses trésors et ses troupes d’ ile en ile, jusqua Pouert de

Schat-el- Arab.

Les Persans ne pouvant le poursuivre

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

123

faute de vaisseaux, furent obligés de se retirer, alors le

Pacha de Bagdad donna des ordres d’attaquer Soliman, qui

évita les Turcs, en se sauvant par les iles comme il avait

évité les Persans.

Le territoire de la tribu de Kiab s'étend

depuis le désert de I Arabie jusqu’ au pays de Hindian,

et vers le nord jusqu’a la principanté de Hawvisa.

Il est

arrosé de plusieurs petites et grandes rivieres ; il abonde en

dattes, en ris, en graines et en paturages.

Ses villeg prin-

cipales sont Daurek, située déja en Perse; Hafar, et

Ghoban, résidence du scheick, prés d’une embouchure de

PEuphrate. (Niebuhr’s “ Voyage en Arabie et en d’Autres

Pays de I'Orient,” tom ii., chap. v., p. 160, edit. in 8vo.,

1780, in Suisse.)

CHAPTER XXI.

Continue the journey over a hilly country.—Valley of

Murde-fil inhabited by the Arab-Gomish tribe.—Sul-

phurous spring at the foot of the Asmari hills.—Ruins on

the plain of Gulgir.—Disappointed in my antiquarian

researches.—Our appearance frightens away some Iliyat

women.—Leave the place to escape an attack.— Cultiva-

tion of the fields at Gulgir.— Arrive at the encampment of

the Janeki.— Khori Shatur-Zar.— Scenes of Tliyat life.—

Comparison between the agriculturist and the shepherd.—

Opinion of Lord Bacon on the subject.—An Iliyat woman

enjoys more freedom and is more respected than the

women who lead a sedentary life in Persia.— Ancedote

of a Kurdish amazon.—Division of the Jéaneki tribe.—

Resume my journey.—Arrival at Beitavend.—Deserted

village.—Contrast between the highways of Europe and

those of Persia.—Description of Beitavend.— Give battle

to an army of mice.— Repent of my victory.

Proceed

to Shashter.

February 8.—Next morning we started at a

quarter past six, a.m. The road led west over

very steep hills, partly barren, partly covered

with oaks and the kih-nar.

An hour brought

TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN. 125

us to a precipitous descent into the valley of

Murde-fil (the dead elephant), in which some

patches of ground are cultivated by the Janeki

of the Arab-Gomish

tribe ;

the rest

is all

slaty rock, the country wild and mountainous.

At nine we reached another valley, with some

springs of fresh water, as also a mineral spring.

Several fragments of stone and mortar were

scattered here and there, and some gravestones

denoted that this place had once been inhabited.

A few natural caverns were likewise pointed

out to me in the rocks, at some elevation.

After partaking of a scanty breakfast, which

consisted of cold eggs hard boiled, and some

dry bread, we crossed the Duruo (likewise

called Murde-fil,) several times.

Its water is

brackish, in consequence of its flowing through

the limestone hills.

Near at hand on the left

were the lofty and precipitous heights of the

Asmani hills, formed principally of black slate.

Two hours more brought us to the mnorth-

western extremity of this chain, at the foot of

Having no

which is a sulphurous spring.

126

TRAVELS IN

thermometer with me, I could not ascertain

its degree of heat; but I found the water

pleasantly warm for bathing, and the immersion

afforded great relief to my weary limbs.

The opposite,

south-eastern,

extremity of

Kihi-Asmari T had seen from Manjanik, so

that the whole extent of it, from south-east

to north-west, may be estimated at from five

to six farsangs (twenty-two and a-half miles).

It is distinguishable from the surrounding

mountains by its height and black colour, being

almost entirely of slate, while the other hills

are calcareous. A plain, bounded at its northern

extremity by a snowy range of mountains, lay

on our right.

On turning the angle of Kahi-Asmari, we

entered on the plain of Gugird (Gulgir in

Major Rawlinson’s notes), and, advancing in a

soon arrived at some

south-west direction,

ruined buildings of freestone, with vaulted

rooms, probably of the Sasanian era.

To the south of this spot, at the distance of

a farsang, 1 descried another building in the

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

127

plain, and was told by my companions that I

would find there the ruins of an ancient

temple, with white marble columns, together

with inscriptions and carvings on stone. With

the cheering prospect of such a rich anti-

quarian harvest before me, I did not mind

making a great detour, though my new ac-

quaintances would not consent to accompany

me. Only one of their party, on seeing me

depart alone with my servant, joined us

, in

order to serve as ciceroni.,

My illusory anticipations were soon dissipated

on a nearer inspection. T found only a deserted

Imam-Zadeh, some gravestones with Arabic

inscriptions, and a considerable space of ground

strewed over with stone and mortar ; the relies

of some small town or extensive village, which

was now crumbling into the dust, to which its

former inhabitants were already reduced.

Our approach frightened away some Iliyat

women who had come with their jugs to draw

water from a neighbouring spring.

The en-

campment of their tribe was seen at some

128

TRAVELS IN

distance at the foot of the Asmari hills; but

no assurances on our part could induce them to

slacken their pace as they fled in the direction

of their tents.

It is a melancholy spectacle in

these barren wastes, and a sad thought to

dwell upon, that the sight of a stranger always

creates a feeling of mistrust, and the object a

man dreads most to meet in the wilderness is

the form of his own fellow-creature, as if the

curse of Cain was still upon the land.

We, on our part, did not tarry long among

the tombstones, on perceiving some bustle at

the encampment, and the men saddling their

horses, but went off at a quick trot, and,

crossing the plain in a diagonal line, soon

rejoined our party.

The soil of the plain of Gugird is clayey,

and produces wheat, which is sown in Decem-

ber and reaped in Marc¢h, before the vernal

equinox.

When the rains are abundant the

harvest yields from ten to twelve grains for

one

The road leading from Tauleh joins that

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

129

along which we were travelling at the foot of

some gypsum hills at the extremity of the

plain, which is about two farsangs (seven miles)

in breadth.

These hills are not steep, and are

the continuation of the Kiuahi-Gech, which I

had crossed before arriving at Manjanik. Their

direction

is from

south-east to mnorth-west,

parallel to the Asmari ridge.

We cleared these hills in three-quarters of an

hour, and forded a mountain stream full of

reeds, and flowing from north to south. My

travelling companions now looked about them

for the tents of their families, which during

their absence had been removed to another place

of encampment.

The roving Iliyat, when absent from his family,

has no fixed hearth to which his imagination

13

sweet home.”

may turn when thinking of

His abode is the vast expanse of the desert

plain, or some valley of the mountain, as he

alternately folds or spreads his tent, now here

now there, for the better accommodation of his

flocks.

VOL. IT,

130

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‘We éoon found what we looked for; and

1 took up my quarters for the night at the

hospitable tent of an old Janeki, who, with his

tribe, was encamped in the plain of Khéri-

Shitur-Zar.

He was one of the party in whose

company I had travelled from Mal-Amir, and

one whose silver beard and noble figure I had

often admired, together with -the beautiful

chesnut Arab mare he rode.

The return of the Jancki created great glee

and animation in the camp, and many were

the endearing scenes I witnessed on the occa-

sion.

Mothers came out to greet their lords

and masters, holding up their little offsprings

in their arms to be caressed; the children, it

is true, were dirty and half naked, but they were

not the less hugged and kissed by their fond

parents.

The women and the boys took charge

of the horses, while the travellers threw off

their boots and war apparel and took their

places on the threadbare carpets of their tents.

But during the hurry and bustle of arrival,

the kids and lambkins had found means to

AND ARABISTAN.

151

LURISTAN

upset their enclosures, and, in the joyful sen-

sation of freedom, spread over the plain, skip-

ping and prancing in wanton sport, while pur-

sued by the younger branches of the com-

munity with the faithful shaggy guardians of

the Iliyat camps.

All were curious to learn the news of the

movements at Mal-Amir ; and, when I alighted,

I found my old Janeki host surrounded by his

children and grandchildren, and seemingly very

happy, whilst his own presence created gladness

around him. What pure and blissful joys has

the Almighty infused into the heart of man!

and why should we seek abroad for comforts

and delights when we can possess both in the

bosom of our own families !

Although the agriculturist stands a step

higher in the scale of civilization, I am inclined,

from what has fallen under my notice in the

Fast, to join in the opinion of Lord Bacon,

that the state of the shepherd is, in some

respects, preferable.*

* I shall take the liberty to quote the whole passage

X2

132

TRAVELS IN

Among the Iliyats I have found more sim-

plicity and frankness than among the inha-

of the author in his own words, as there is in them much

curious matter :—

“ After the creation was finished,” says Lord Francis

Bacon, “it is set down unto us, that man was placed in

the garden to work therein ; which work so appointed to

him could be no other than work of contemplation ; that is,

when the end of work is but for exercise and experiment,

not for necessity, for there being then no reluctation of the

creature, nor sweat of the brow, man’s employment must

of consequence have been matter of delight in the experi-

ment, and not matter of labour for the use.

Again, the

first acts which man performed in Paradise consisted of the

two summary parts of knowledge ; the view of creatures,

and the imposition of names,

As for the knowledge which

induced the fall, it was (as was touched before) not the

natural knowledge of good and evil, wherein the suppo-

gition was, that God’s commandments or prohibitions were

not the originals of good and evil, but that they had other

beginnings, which man aspired to know, to the end to make

a total defection from God, and to depend wholly upon

himself. To pass on: in the first event or occurrence after

the fall of man, we see (as the Scriptures have infinite

mysteries, not violating at all the truths of the story or

letter) an image of the two estates, the contemplative state

and the active state, figured in the two persons of Abel

and Cain, and in the two simplest and most primitive trades

AND

ARABISTAN.

133

LURISTAN

bitants of villages.

Being less bound to the

soil than the tiller of the ground, the Iliyats,

in their roving habits, are not so cramped

in their movements, and evince a greater spirit

But what establishes, more

of independence.

than anything else, their decided superiority

over the settled inhabitants of villages, and

even towns, is the degree of freedom their

women enjoy when compared with those of

the latter.

They are not doomed to that

seclusion which spreads such a gloom over

Muhammedan society, but mingle freely in the

company of the other sex.

The confidence

which is placed in the virtue of the Iliyat

woman raises her in her own estimation, while

her own dignity gains her the respect of those

S SR S S e e

of life ; that of the shepherd (who, by reason of his leisure,

rests in a place, and living in view of heaven, is a lively

image of a contemplative life) and that of the husbandman,

where we see again the favour and election of God went to

the shepherd and not to the tiller of the ground.” (See Lord

Francis Bacon, “Of the Proficience and Advancement of

Learning,” pp. 63, 64.)

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TRAVELS IN

around her, and makes her a more fit com-

panion for man.

We must not expect, how-

ever, to find among them those gentle and

refined qualities of the heart which so emi-

nently characterize the true Christian woman.

No; the female inmates of the tent are rude,

ignorant, and often as wild as their lords;

but still they are not deficient in self-abnega-

tion and devotedness to their families.

Inured

to hardships from their infancy, and, moreover,

bold riders, it is not seldom that they show great

courage and martial spirit.

When I was once on a visit to Kermanshah

1 found a branch of the Kalhtr tribe, which,

during the minority of their chief, was governed

by his mother.

I was told that this lady used

to place herself at the head of the regiment

which the clan was required to furnish for the

state, and even offered to conduct the troops in

person to the capital for the inspection of the

Shah.

An anecdote was related to me about this

Amazon, which, if it does not tally with our

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

135

notions of right and wrong, shews at least that

she was a woman of no common spirit. When

yet a spinster, she used to dress in mens’

clothes, saddle her horse, and, armed with a

lance, would sally forth into the desert, there to

waylay travellers.

An elderly Kurd, who was

for some time my companion in that part of the

country, related to me, that crossing one day an

unfrequented tract, he was suddenly attacked

with great impetuosity by an armed horseman,

and it was not until he had inflicted some severe

wounds on his assailant in self-defence, that he

induced the robber to retreat,

He had likewise

been wounded, and towards the close of day

sought refuge at an Iliyat encampment. The

chief of the tribe, in whose tent he was lodged,

washed and dressed the wounds for his guest,

lamenting at the same time that he could not

command the help of his daughter, who had

been herself that morning roughly handled by a

stranger Kurd.

This intelligence awakened the

curiosity of my narrator, and on inquiring into

the nature of her wounds, he was strengthened

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TRAVELS IN

in his suspicion that the daughter of his host

was the very person who had attacked him in

the desert.

In order, however, to ascertain

more fully the fact, he expressed a wish next

morning to see the invalid, to which the father

made no objection.

They met and recognised

each other; but as both were wounded and had

fought valiantly, they were quits and parted

friends ; nor did the old man evince any resent-

ment against the Kurd; the latter having,

moreover, acquired a claim to his protection,

having tasted of his salt, and rested under the

shadow of his tent.

As this anecdote was told me without any

wish to produce an effect, but simply as an

occurrence which had taken place, I have no

hesitation in believing it to be genuine, the

more so as it is in perfect keeping with the

couleur locale.

I learned from my host that the Janeki are

divided into the following tribes :—The Gugirdi,

at Khari-Shatar-Zar, and Gugird; the Maka-

vendi, at Jart, near Tauleh; the Arab-Gomish,

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

137

between Mal-Amir and Gugird ; the Mumbeni,

near the snowy range to the north; and the

Bulveis, near Kal’eh-Tl.

Tauleh lies six farsangs (twenty-two miles)

south-east from Khari-Shatar-Zar ;

and

the

river Kiren a day’s journey to the north.

9th. We proceeded to Beitavend, seven far-

sangs (twenty-six miles), at first due west, and

then north-west. An howr’s journey brought

us to the boundary of the Janeki country and

Shishter.

To the right of the line of road was

a chain of the Kahi-Gech, and to the left K{hi-

Siyah.

Behind the latter range dwell the Arabs

of the Mesi-Beni.

The Génduzli, an Afshir

tribe, also cross to that side in winter, and

approach the valley of the Karen in summer.

After three hours’ march from Khari-Shatar-

Zar, we left on our right a road which leads also

east across Khi-Gech to Gugird; and passing

the cultivated ground of Sheker-ab (sugar-

water), we forded the river Shirish-ib several

times.

The country is undulating.

We next

went along an elevated ground, covered with

138

TRAVELS IN

kah-nar, and passed a tepeh or mound, sur-

rounded with some old tombstones.

This

district, as well as Sheker-ab, belongs to the

Gndazla tribe.

At Beitavend, which we reached after a

march of seven hours, we found the village

deserted, the inhabitants had fled into the

mountains, as soon as they learned that the

Governor of Isfahan was to pass with his

troops in that direction on his way to Shishter

and Dizful.

In like manner, and from similar motives,

a great number of villages situated on the

high-road between Teheran and Tabriz have

been completely abandoned, and the peasantry

have sought for more secluded places to settle

in, whilst their former habitations fall to the

ground.

In civilized countries,

wherever a

thoroughfare exists, we usually meet with a

greater mass of wealth and affluence, than in

less frequented localities; it is not so in Persia.

The richest villages are generally situated in

some retired valley of the mountains, or far

139

LURISTAN AND. ARABISTAN.

from the high-roads;* hence the desolate ap-

pearance and

absence of social life,

with

which a TFuropean is

struck on travelling

through the country along the caravan route,

and hence likewise the incorrect notions some

are apt to form of the country in general.

Beitavend is situated at the foot of gypsum

hills, and surrounded by green fields and

meadows, through which runs a rivulet coming

from the mountains to the right, which I had

crossed in approaching the place; the water

is brackish. The village consists of about one

hundred neat and clean houses, with an Imam-

Zadeh on the top of a hillock.

Thither I

proceeded to admire the western sun, as it

was lowering its course in the heavens, and

at last sunk behind the distant plains of

Arabistan.

* In the book of Judges, we read that a similar state

of things prevailed in the East, in the old days before us.

“In the days of Shamgar, the son of Anath, in the days

of Jael, the highways were unoccupied, and the travellers

walked through by -ways.” (Judges v. 6.)

140

TRAVELS IN

I learned from an old dervish that Meschedi

Solyman- Kulchuk,* mentioned by Major Raw-

linson, is four farsangs (fifteen miles) distant

from Beitavend, on the right of the road

leading to Shuashter, and that it has some

white columns and slabs of stones;

but I

could not command sufficient time to verify

the fact.

Major Rawlinson is of opinion that

it represents one of the ancient temples of

Elymais. |

On returning from my evening walk, I

found that although the village was deserted,

my lodging was not void of inhabitants; for

no sooner was my supper served for me on

the ground, than a whole army of mice made

* The lesser mosque of Solomon.

t “The fire temple,” says this author, “dedicated to

Anahéd, which was supposed by Strabo (p. 744) and Dio-

dorus (Diod. Sic., Fragm. 34, book xxvi.) to be sacred to

Jupiter, and which, in the Maccabees (2 Mac. i. 13—16), is

named, more properly, the temple of Nanae, may be repre-

sented by the ruin in the plain of Beitdvend : it was here

that Antiochus the Great lost his life,”

(See “Journal of

the Royal Geographical Society,” part i., vol, 9, p. 85.)

LURISTAN

AND

ARABISTAN.

141

their appearance—famished ¢ comme des rats

d’ Eglise.”

It was hunger which made them

forget fear, and lose all sense of decorum; for

without any invitation on my part they made

free with several dainty bits from off the

board ;

while others

from behind jumped

over my shoulders into

the dishes, as I lay

reclining on my elbow

on the couch, in the

old Roman fashion at

meals.

Their freaks

amused me at first,

but afterwards they

took too many liberties, and so at length my

choler rose, and in my impatience I threw

boots, slippers, books, and other missiles, at

them. Some retreated limping, others remained

on the spot to rise no more, and I was

But now

relieved from further annoyance.

my conscience smote me; I was sorry for

what T had done, and felt ashamed at my

victory. Poor little things! they were starving,

and came to implore for a few crumbs to

keep body and soul together, and T had not

only grudged them that trifle, but had deprived

them of life which, in their simplicity, they

142

TRAVELS IN

thought I came to restore.

I felt my con-

duct had been cruel, unmanly, and unchris-

tian!

I almost wished they would return, but

I had forfeited their

how could I expect it?

confidence, and a little dumb animal, guided

only by its instinct and warned by experience,

preferred to die of hunger in its little hole,

rather than trust itself again in the dangerous

presence of man—that sullen, imperious lord

of the creation!

And we boast of humanity!

February 10.—From Baitivend to Shashter is

called a distance of four farsangs (fifteen miles).

We started at half-past four, a.m. For the first

hour we travelled south-west by west, through

cultivated fields.

After crossing the river

Sharish-ab, we turned, at half-past five, a.m.,

to the We§t, and went over broken hills of

sandstone.

At half-past six, a.m., the bearing of the

road was W.N.W., it retained that direction,

with trifling variations, till we reached Shshter.

We passed on the way many ruined villages

and old bends, or dykes, which formerly h‘ad

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

143

served to form reservoirs, as fresh water is

scarce here,

The country, as we approached

Shashter, becomes more level and better culti-

vated.

We are now in the district of Pir-

chistén, or Pishistan.

At half-past eight, a.m., the plain of Arabi-

stan opened to our view, and the river K{ren

was seen issuing from the hills to the right

and taking a S.S.W. course towards Shiishter.

The river Shirish, flowing in a N.N.W. direc-

tion, joins it at the village of A#kili, near the

mountains.

On approaching the town, the road passed

close to the ruined mosque of Piri-Shemsu-d-

din, perched on the summit of a steep hill,

from the top of which I obtained a command-

ing view over the whole country, which to

the south and south-west is a flat plain, with

From

the exception of a few undulations.

this elevated spot I attempted likewise to take

a bird’s-eye sketch of the town of Shishter,

which appears to become more ruinous the

further it ‘extends into the plain to the south.

144 TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

On nearing the Imam-Zadeh S&hib-Zeman, a

very pretty place, we were greeted by an old

Kaliyanchi, who, in his guttural Arab dialect,

offered us a kaliyan to smoke, and some ice-

cold water to slake our thirst.

At length we entered Shushter at eleven,

a.m., from the east, over a low stone bridge,

which serves as a bend to distribute the waters

that flow from the Kiren in this direction,

into various channels for the wuse of water-

mills. The water which escapes falls down in

beautiful cascades into the artificial channel of

the Kuaren.

CHAPTER XXIL

Reach Shiishter.—Entertained by Mirza Sultan ’Ali Khan.—

Syrup of dates and syrup of grapes.—Arrival of an Arab

Sheikh.— Remove to the citadel.—Dyke of Shashter

constructed by Shaptr Dhulektaf.—Description of the

town.—Artificial irrigation of the Meand’ab.—Taxation.—

Productions.— Water communication with the Persian

Gulf.—TFormer sugar plantations at Ahvéz —Alleged

reasons for their destruction.—Ophthalmic complaints.—

Quickness of the Shishteri.—Improvisatori.—A Shish-

teri blind diviner.—Loose morals of the inhabitants.

I was at first brought to the house of Mirza

Sultan *Ali-Khan, the head of one of the prin-

cipal native families of Shashter, and a de-

scendant of one of the holy Muhammedan

Imams.

Although he had not received any intimation

of my comin

5

o. and was a perfect stranger to

me, still he received me with great cordiality.

Large trays were soon brought in with various

sorts of fruits, fresh cakes of wheat flour,

L

YOL. II.

146

TRAVELS IN

honey, an omelet, and some bunches of fresh

aromatic herbs, such as mint, astragon, and

many others, for which I am at a loss to find

an equivalent name in English ; although that

does mnot prevent the Persians from relishing

them.

Among other dainties, I must not omit to

mention a bowl with a thick syrup of dates.

It is prepared from the juice of the ripe fruit,

pressed out, and is excellent, resembling in

taste the juice of the unripe grape, after it is

boiled to syrup, and is formed into a solid mass

like congealed honey out of the comb. *

While I was busily employed in emptying the

dishes and listening to my host, the arrival of an

Arab sheikh was announced, and we soon saw

him enter the yard with his followers, mounted

on small Arab mares.

They were presently

* To the honey of raisins the Persians give the name of

shiré; and it was known to the ancients, as we learn from

the following passage of Ezekiel xxvii. 17 :(—

« Judah, and the land of Israel, traded with thee (Tyre);

corn of Minnith, koney of raisins, (in some editions koney

alone,) oil, and balm gave they to thee for thy wares.”

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

147

ushered into the apartment where we sat, and

The Arab sheikh

took their respective places.

was an eclderly man, dressed in an abbah, a

white flowing cloak, with broad black stripes,

flung carelessly over his shoulders, and a black

shawl twisted gracefully round his head, with

the extremities hanging down in fringes.

After a few words exchanged with my host

in Arabic, of the most guttural 'intonation,

the sheikh rested his arms on the hilt of his

hanjar stuck in his belt, and preserved a

dignified silence until I took my leave, although

he inpC&l‘Od to have come on business to

Mirza Sultan ’Ali-Khan, who exercises a great

influence over the wandering Arab tribes of

He is not Chief, however, of

the plain.

Shishter, the civil administration of which

town, with the adjacent country, is intrusted

to Aga Muhammed Ali Bashi, the deputy of

Zorab-Khan, who himself resides at Dizfal.

Intelligence was sent to the former of my

arrival, and a lodging immediately prepared

for

or,

I

should rather

me at his house,

i

148

TRAVELS IN

say, at the mansion-house of Shushter,

m

which Aga Muhammed Ali Bashi resides.

This fine building, which is a strong fort

surrounded by massive walls, stands on an

eminence overlooking the broad and rapid

Kiren.

We soon found that we were old acquaint-

ances, having met three years previously and

spent a few days in the black tents of the

Kermanshah Iliyats, visiting together the holy

shrines of the Ali-Illahi sectarians.

My new

host took me to sce the great dyke called

the Bendi-Kaiser, at the eastern arm of the

Kiren.

It is above 600 paces from bank

to bank, and is formed of large granite stones,

joined by iron clamps.

The general breadth

of the dyke is fourteen paces, but it is not

same.

The depth

of the

everywhere the

river, close to this dyke, is said to be from

twenty-five to thirty Persian zdr (a zar being

equivalent to three and a-half feet).

Narrow

openings are left in the bend to allow a free

passage for a part of the water, which at the

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

149

time I visited Shushter, was nearly level with

the dyke itself; at the scason of the swelling

of the river, the water covers the dyke com-

pletely. *

Shishter was formerly a very populous city,

but the plague and the cholera morbus of the

years 1831 and 1832 made great ravages among

its inhabitants, the number of which is said

not to exceed at present 4,000 or 5,000 souls.

A considerable number of families have removed

likewise to the town of Dizfal, since it has

become the chief place of the province, instead

of Shushter, which was the former capital of

Khtzistan.

In consequence of these various

causes, many houses, still in tolerably good

condition, stand empty without owners.

The

The aspect of the town is original.

dwellings are generally two stories high, with

spacious terraces surrounded by parapets. In

the interior of the courts, lofty covered passages

The

run along the walls of the buildings.

vaulted cells of the houses are deep and capa-

* For further details, see note at the end of the chapter.

TRAVELS IN

150

cious ; thither, in summer, the inhabitants retire

during the heat of the ddy, resortiqg to their

high terraces at the approach of night.

The ark, or fortress, stands apart on a rising

ground facing the Kiaren, which, lower down,

passes under a stone bridge of forty-four arches,

built by the Sasanian monarch, Shapr D’hu

Laktaf, which serves likewise the purpose of

a dyke. In modern times this:bridge has been

repaired by the late Muhammed Ali Mirza, son

of Fet’h-Ali-Shah, and, still more recently, by

Mantcher-Khan, the present Governor-General

of the province.

The right bank of the Kuaren, opposite the

castle, is covered with brushwood, which, when

compared with the surrounding barren plains

and mountains, looks very picturesque.

In order to procure water for the irrigation

of the fields to the south of the town, a tunnel

has been carried from the Kiren, somewhat

above the stone bridge, over the main branch

of the river and below the Bendi-Kaiser, on the

east side of the town.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

1

J

~

1

This subterranean canal passes under the

fortress, and reappears near the gate leading

to Dizfil. The water procured by this means

serves to irrigate a spacious tract of land of

nine farsangs, called the Miand 'ab (Mesopo-

tamia), namely the space comprised between

the two branches of the Kfren, and which,

had it not been for this artificial means, would

have remained a barren waste, as the two

arms of the river which embrace it are very

deeply imbedded in their banks.

Shéshter, with its several districts, is taxed

by Government to the amount of 20,000

tomans, or about 10,0007, which is distributed

in the following manner :—

Tomans.

The farming of the waters of the Miand

’ab produce

3,

30

Fourteen villages belonging to Mirza

3,250

Sultan ’Ali Khan, and that of Ahili

The Gundiazla-Afshars

1,500

The village of Jalakin

250

The village of Gutvénd .

750

152

TRAVELS

IN

Tomans.

The village of Deimché

250

The village of Kavnek

400

9,930

Or, in round numbers

. 10,000

The town taxes amount to

. 10,000

Total

. 20,000

Absminnis

We may here add that—

The land tax on winter corn, which the

Persians

call

shatvi, consisting of

barley and wheat, amounts to

3,350

The tax on the summer products, or

seifi, under which head cotton, sesam,

rice, &c., are comprised, amounts to

6,550

9,900

Or, in round numbers

10,000

market

The Indian products which find a

at Shtshter, are sugar, spices, and

cotton.

They are brought by sea to Muhammerch, a

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

153

free port on the Kiren, near its confluence

with the Shat-al-Arab and the Kurdistin river,

and in the possession of the sheikh of Cha'b.

From thence they are carried up the Kiren

in small Arab craft to within two farsangs of

the town of Ahvéiz, at which latter place

they are taken out and transported by land

carriage, on account of some ledges of rock

which traverse the bed of the river.

Further

on, the goods are again replaced in boats,

and approach within three farsangs of Shushter :

here they are once more laden on mules and

thus brought to the city.

Shashter had in former years large cotton

plantations, and furnished the raw materials for

its own looms; but since the introduction of

foreign cotton stuffs, this branch of rural

industry has been nearly suspended, and the

cotton looms are at a stand-still.

Formerly the sugar-cane likewise flourished

here, and more especially at Ahvdz,* but the culture

of it is now completely abandoned. Oninquiring

* See Yakuti, in Notices et Extraits des Manuscrits de

la Bibliothéque du Roi, tom. ii., p. 425.

154

TRAVELS IN

into the reason of it, T was told that many years

back an Inglis (an Englishman), settling for a time

at Ahvax, had bought up at a very high price all

the sugar-cane that could be collected, root and

all, which he gathered into a large storehouse.

When he had entirely drained the country of

this article, he set fire to the magazine, and the

whole stock of the sugar-cane was thus con-

sumed. Since that period the inhabitants of

Ahvaz have never resumed their sugar plan-

tations.

I cannot at present recall to memory the name

of an old European traveller in the East, who

mentions this circumstance, but attributes the

act to the Dutch.

The lovers of the marvellous give another

version of this tale.

It appears, according to

their statement, that Imam-Riza, one of the

twelve holy successors of Muhammed, and

whose shrine is visited by the devotee Mussul-

mans at Meshhed in Khorassan, had a sweet

tooth ; for while residing at the town of Tis,

in the neighbourhood of Meshhed, he conceived

a great longing for some of the Ahvaz sugar;

~

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

1

J

5

but the parsimonious inhabitants of that ecity

thought fit to reject his request; upon which,

faithful to the Mussulman creed of retaliation,

the holy man breathed a prayer that the

sugar-cane should no more grow at Ahviz.

His prayer was granted; and in order that

his vengeance might appear the more striking

and appalling, all the sugar-canes were turned

into scorpions.

The best possible evidence that

this story is true is, that Ahvaz is said to

abound in scorpions.

The inhabitants of Shuster complain greatly

of the heat during the summer months; and

this reminds us of what Strabo mentions on

the faith of Aristobulus about Susa, where the

heat was so great in summer, that lizards and

serpents could not crawl across the streets at

mid-day without being burnt.*

As the Persians during the summer months

usually have their suppers served on the flat

roofs of their houses, the town becomes illu-

minated. Candles are placed on high candela-

* Strabo, lib. xv., c. iiir

156

TRAVELS IN

bras, and covered either with glass caps open

at the top, or sheltered by wooden frames, the

sides of which are of fine muslin.

Servants are

then seen moving about with immense lanterns,

and casting their black shadows before them.

These lanterns are made to spread and fold,

and consist of white starched linen; the lid

as well as the bottom being made up of white

copper.

They are often from two and a-half

to three feet in diameter, and from three to

four feet when spread out.

The present

inhabitants

seek

shelter

m

the daytime, as already mentioned, in the

deep vaulted cells of their dwellings, which

become suffocating towards evening; and in

order to catch a breath of air, the whole popu-

lation rush to

the terraced roofs of their

houses, where they spend the night.

Although .ophthalmic complaints are preva-

lent all over Persia, still nowhere have T met

with more numerous cases of persons suffering

from sore eyes than at Shashter and Dizfal.

Many lose their eye-sight completely; others

1

2]

-4

|

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

have only the use of one eye.

This peculiarity

I have likewise repeatedly observed in persons

coming from the borders of the Persian Gulf,

and especially from Mascat, on the Arabian

coast.

The natives think this proceeds from

the fact that when occupied they are in the

habit of straining one eye more than the

other, in consequence of which, it becomes

weaker and more exposed to inflammation,

which is usually brought on during the heats

by the perspiration running down the fore-

I do not

head, and entering into the eyes.

know how far this interpretation may satisfy

the exigences of medical science, but the

frequent loss of eye-sight is thus accounted for

by the sufferers.

The inhabitants of Shuashter have the reputa-

tion in Persia of being very quick and witty

in their repartees, and resemble in this respect

the Isfahani.

I was witness one day at Ker-

manshah of a contest between a Lati (buffoon)

of that city, and a lad not more than fourteen

years old from Shishter, which of them could

"

1

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TRAVELS IN

best advocate the cause of his native.town,

and depreciate that of his rival.

The contest,

which lasted a considerable time, was carried

on with great spirit, each attacking and parry-

The victory was

ing in swift succession.

unanimously awarded to the Shishteri boy,

although the other was no mean performer.

As the inhabitants are of a gay, lively cha-

racter, the town abounds in buffoons, dancers,

musicians, and jugglers of all descriptions.

Among the latter, I met with an old blind

conjurer in the Shah’s camp at ITamadan in

1840, who certainly acquitted himself with

great ingenuity, and succeeded in imposing on

many credulous persons.

But if the Shishteri are remarkable for their

wit, they are no less so for their profligacy,

and although the Persians in general cannot

boast of paying great attention to strict morality,

the inhabitants of Shushter are reckoned to be

more than the rest deficient in that respect.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

J

NOTE TO CHAPTER XXII.

Page 149.—On the dyke at Shashter, by Major Raw-

linson :— It would appear that Ardashir-Babéyan, or his

son, Shéphr, after having founded Shdhster, upon the

left bank of the Kuran, in a bend of the river, excavated

a deep and wide canal to the east of the city, and

thus divided the waters of the river.

The artificial

stream was derived from the Kuran, immediately above

the town ; and defending it upon the eastern face, as the

original bed did upon the western, it rendered the position

one of extreme strength ; but the city, situated on a rising

ground, between the two arms, could have been but

indifferently supplied with water, and a further under-

taking, therefore, was necessary to remedy the defect.

A massive band, or dyke, accordingly was thrown across

the original bed of the river, at the distance of about half

a mile from the mouth of the canal, narrow outlets, or

sluices, being left for the passage of a certain portion of

the water. The consequence of this was, that the great

body of the river was forced back into the artificial

derivation.

Another band was then thrown across the

mouth of the canal, forming, as it were, a continuation of

the line of the original bank, and raised precisely to the

same height as the lower dyke. Here, too, the passage of

the water was regulated by sluices ; and the entire bed of

the stream being now formed, as it were, into a vast

reservoir, the mouth of a tunnel was opened into it, which

had been excavated directly through the hill of sand-rock

forming the left bank of the river between the two bands,

TRAVELS IN

160

and below the level of the water thus artificially elevated ;

a copious stream, of course, immediately flowed into the

tunnel, and sufficient water was thus obtained for the

supply of the town, and the cultivation of a vast tract of

country extending to the south of it.

Before either of the

bands, however, were undertaken, and when the whole

body of the river must have flowed in the artificial canal,

the mouth of which had probably been deepened for the pur-

pose, that part of the original bed between the two dykes,

which was intended to form the great reservoir, was paved

throughout with massive hewn stones, fastened with metal

clamps, to prevent the further deepening of the river, and to

give additional strength and security to the whole work.

Such, as far as I can gather from Oriental authors, and

a minute personal examination, has been the general design

of the stupendous hydraulic works of Shuster.

The course

of the river has constantly changed, as either of the dykes

o

has given way and yielded a free passa

?

e to the waters,

and in that case, the level of the water in the great re-

servoir having fallen below the orifice of the tunnel, it has

become, of course, altogether useless. When I was at Shuster

a part of the lower band had given way with the breaking

of the bridge above it; and the level of the river having

thus sunk several feet, the supply of water in the tunnel

became reduced proportionably, and the lands south of

Shiister were thrown entirely out of cultivation.

The

band, however, has been since repaired ; and T now under-

stand that the tunnel or Nahri-Dariydn, as it is properly

called, is quite full.”

When the author visited Shister he found both the bands

LURISTAN ANXD ARABISTAN~

161

in perfect repair, and the tunnel of Nahri-Dériyén filled

with water, which could be seen through the aperture of a

deep well sunk into it, in one of the courts of the fortress.

On leaving the tunnel the water flowed through the town,

and from thence into the country, for the irrigation of the

fields to the south of it called the Miandab.

VOII-

11,

M

CHAPTER XXIII.

Departure from Shashter to Dizfal.—My young Persian

fellow-traveller.— Some account of the bridge of Dizfil, —

Aspect of the road.—Seized by a fit of drowsiness.—

Village of Kahnek. —Ruins of Shahabid supposed to be

Jondi-Shapir.—Inconveniences of Eastern travelling.—

Reception by Zohrab-Khan, Chief of DizfGl.—My host

Mustafa Kuli-Khan. — Suspicions

attached

to

him, —

[nformation concerning the sect of the Sabeans, generally

known by the name of the Christians of St. John.—Their

aversion to blue colour mentioned in Tavernier.—Similar

antipathy observed among the Yezidi sect, who worship

the devil.— Ceremony of the fowl among the Sabeans,

Jews, and the Ali-Ilahi Gurani of Kermanshah.

I verr Shashter at midnight in company with

a very intelligent young Persian nobleman,

who tried to keep me awake by his vivacity,

his jokes, and the ready wit of his lively

repartees.

I am sorry that his name has

escaped my memory, especially as he seemed

anxious that I should commit it to paper, as

soon as he learned that I kept a journal.

He

TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN. 163

was in the Shah’s military service, had been

an ¢léve of Colonel Stoddart, and had come

the whole way from Teherdn to receive his

pay in barats, a species of Exchequer-bills,

which the Government draw on the Chiefs of

provinces, which these, however, do not always

honour, or, at least, drag on the bearers of

them for months and years before they pay

them.

On leaving the town we crossed the bridge

of Dizfal, which spans the river Kiren, and

The construction

consists of forty-four arches.

of it is attributed to ShapGr Dhulactaf; but

in the lapse of time, some arches having given

way,

the passage over the bridge became

impracticable, till the late Muhammed Ali-

son of Fet’h-Ali-Shah, and Governor

Mirza,

of Kermanshah, Luristan, and Arabistan, had

repaired it, together with the other bend or

dyke, which had likewise yielded to the im-

petuosity of the current.

It was ten years

before the Prince could accomplish this difficult

and expensive undertaking, which cost 120,000

M 2

164

TRAVELS IN

tomans (about 60,0001.), exclusive of the day

labourers’ work employed in the construction

of it.

The success of the enterprise is entirely

owing to the persevering character of that

Prince, for the old King had more than once

declared it an useless and extravagant enter-

prise, and had often refused to grant further

supplies for the work to be carried on.

But as nothing human is lasting, a few years

ago (in the spring of 1832) the bridge of

Dizfal again gave way to the impetuous rush

of the

waters of the Kiren.

The present

Governor, Manucher-KKhan, has had it re-

paired.

The

distance from Shishter

to Dizfal

18

reckoned between nine and ten farsangs.

The

road took us over a plain in a direction due

west.

Sandy hillocks were visible to the right,

and behind them the elevated plain of Serdasht,

with the high mountains in the distant horizon.

To the left extends a level and barren plain ;

at least so it appeared to me, as [ strained

my eyes to pierce through the uncertain twilight.

LURISTAN

AND

ARABISTAN.

165

I have generally found, when obliged to

travel through the night, that one feels the

greatest inclination to sleep a short time before

the first dawn of morning.

As T had been

the whole of the previous day either on horse-

back, or moving about Shashter, T was so

completely knocked up, and to such a degree

drowsy, that for a wink of sleep T would wil-

lingly have given up my birthright, as Fsau of

old had sold his for a mess of pottage. My young

companion perceiving that his jokes had lost

their effect on me, proposed that we should stop

in the midst of the road and rest awhile, which

we accordingly did.

A little carpet was spread

on the ground, and, stretching myself on it,

I was soon wrapped in profound sleep.

When

I

awoke,

the three bright stars

which usually appear in the east before the

approach of morning, were already losing their

effulgency at the appearance of dawn, and

soon melted

in the skies

as the sun rose

majestically above the horizon.

On arriving at the village of Kihnek, five

166

TRAVELS

IN

farsangs' from Shtshter, we stopped to ungird

our horses, and as the place has some patches

of cultivated ground, with a stream of water,

we found grass for them, whilst the villagers

supplied our party with sheep’s milk.

On resuming our march, the road branched

to north-west, and N.N.W. in the direction of

the Keilun mountains, which lie beyond Dizftl.

Two farsangs further brought us to the ruins

of Shah-abad, with the Imam-Zadeh Abdul-

Kazim.

The Persians attribute the erection

of this city to a certain King, whom they

name Dakianus,* and attribute to him the

* T have never been able to ascertain whom the Persians

mean by Dakianus, but his name seems always to be con-

nected with very remote antiquity.

T recollect some Kurds

mentioning to me, at the time of my trip into their country,

that the lake of Zeri-bar, between Sullymanieh and

Sennenduj (Senneh), occupies the site of the ancient capital

of Dakianus, who, as a punishment for his wickedness, was

swallowed up with his city by an earthquake ; and that in

very calm weather, the remains of the latter are still

discernible at the bottom of the lake,

Mr. Rich gives a

somewhat similar account of this lake.

(See “Narrative of

a Residence in Kurdistan,” &ec., chap. vii.,, p. 186.) The

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN,

167

legend of the seven sleepers, which seems to

be spread all over the Fast.

According to more credible anthorities, Shah-

abdd is supposed to represent Jondi-Shapir,

built by Shaptr, son of Ardashir Babegan, and

enlarged by ShapGr Dhu-l-Aktaf.

But however interesting the spot may be

for archwmological researches, I found that I

could not make my jaded horse sensible that

we were moving over such classic ground, as

the poor animal had already walked eight

farsangs, and was obliged to carry me two

farsangs further before it could rest for the day.

Such are the inconveniences a traveller fre-

quently meets with in the East, without having

i

—

—

e ——

=

word Zeri-bar, reminds us of what the learned Burnouf

observes concerning the lake Zéreh, in Seistan, into which the

Helmund flows.

¢« Zarayo,” says he, “signifies a lake in the

ancient Zend language ; and Zaré is its equivalent in the

Pehlevi dialect.”

(See note Q, p. 97, to his Commentaire

sur le Yagna.) May not the Russian word ozero (03epo),

meaning lake, be of Zend origin, so many other words

of the same language being thence derived.

168

TRAVELS IN

the means in his power of applying a remedy, and

he may, therefore, claim some indulgence from

the inquisitive reader, when his researches

remain incomplete.

However, a short ride over some part of

the ground to the left of the road, and a

cursory view of the plain, convinced me that the

town must have been extensive; broken walls

in masonry scattered here and there, red

bricks and tiles strewed about the fields; a

line of mounds, and traces of aqueducts, with

others still extant, is all that meets the eye

at Jondi-Shapur, together with the Imam-Zadeh

Abdul-Kazim, just mentioned.

I also strained, to no purpose, my eyes and

my imagination, to find out traces of the gate

on which the skin of the impostor Mani, the

propagator of the Manichean sect, is said to

have been hung for an example and a lesson

to all who saw it.*

Like the ruins of Rhey, close to Teheran,

* See Mirkhond’s ¢ History of the Sasanian Kings,”

translated by the Baron S. de Sacy, p. 296.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

169

Jondi-Shapar lies among ploughed fields, be-

longing to the village of Siyah-Manstr, as if

the tiller of the ground passed his plough in

derision over the spot where a city once reared

her

proud head,

in

retaliation for all the

haughtiness with which her citizens were wont

to look down on his more simple, and humbler

walks of life.

The road leading to Dizfl passes through

a plain strewed with stones and pebbles.

The Chief of the town, acting under the

command of the Governor-General of all these

provinces, is Zohrab-Khan, of Georgian ex-

traction.

As he was an old acquaintance of

mine, [ was received in a very friendly manner

by him.

After spending a few hours together,

and imparting such news as most interested

each of as, I was shown to my lodging, a

house of very spacious dimensions, and built

in the same style as the dwellings at Shiishter ;

the peculiarity of which consists in the lofty

apartments under-ground, and the broad ter-

races in the upper stories.

170

TRAVELS IN

This house had belonged to one of the

hereditary Chiefs at the head of the Arab

nobles of Dizfal, whose life had been lately

secretly made away with, while the poor man

was in his bath. Neither the reasons for this

murder, nor the perpetrators of the act, had

been discovered, although suspicion fell on a

near kinsman of the deceased,—Mustafa Kali-

Khan, who had never lived on friendly terms

with him, and who had now stepped into the

possession of his landed property, which was

very considerable, and become master of the

house in which I was quartered. As I had

become his guest, Mustifa Kali-IChan soon

made his appearance, with the usual compli-

mentary phrases, that the house was mine

( Khaneh male shuma’st), and that my place had

been empty (joi shuma hali bud), &c.

But before his arrival, the carpets of the

rooms were covered with large trays, on which

were placed pyramids of various sorts of fruits,

heaps of sweetmeats, and dishes with pre-

serves ; all sent from Zohrab-Khan and my new

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

7

host.

There were oranges of the sweet and

sour kind (naringhi and marinj), citrons and

sweet lemons (/imi tursh and limé shirin), pome-

granates, and fresh dates in profusion. I found

my host a very agreeable and well-informed

man; and I hope that the suspicions which

rest on him are unfounded. HHe proffered the

services of his younger brother to accompany

me the next day to the ruins of Shitsh, and

promised, in the meanwhile, to apprize the

Sabeans of Dizfal that T wished to see them.

I may here give the information I gathered

at Shushter and at this place, concerning this

sect, who go by the name of the Christians of

St. John, or by that of the Mendai Yaghia.

The Persians call them Sabi.*

* Tt is generally supposed (although T know not why) that

the present Sabeans, ov Christians of St. John, ought not to

be confounded with the ancient Sabeans who worshipped

the host of heaven in the times of Abraham, and to whom,

among other passages in Scripture, that of the Prophet Joel

probably refers :—¢ And I will sell your sons and your

daughters into the hands of the children of Judah, and they

shall sell them to the Sabeans, to a people far off) for the

Lord hath spoken it.”—dJoel iii. 8.

1

or

I

2

TRAVELS 1IN

On my arrival ::Lt Shashter I had made

inquiries concerning the Sabeans, and in the

evening, while sitting with the Governor of the

town, some individuals of this sect were intro-

duced.

Mullah-Hater, who appeared better

informed than the rest, volunteered to satisfy my

curiosity concerning the doctrines of their faith.

I learned from him that the Sabeans recognise

the divinity of our Saviour, and believe in the

Holy Trinity. According to their creed, God,

whom they call Khei-reb, or the Great God,

although one in his essence, is formed of three

persons, Khei-reb Kadmoi, or High and Almighty

God ; Khei-tenioni, (which Mullah Hatir trans-

lated by the word Naib, or Acting-Assistant),

and Khei-Telithoi, God the Creator.

The last

bears

sometimes the name of Khivel-Zivos.

The learned Mullah then went on to relate the

history of the first man and the first woman,

Adam and Hevve, likewise of their son Shithel

(Seth), who appears to be the most conspicuous

person in their book on the creation.

The Sabeans make, likewise, the sign of the

o

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

(

3

cross, beginning from the right to the left

shoulder, then touching the forehead, and lastly,

the pit of the stomach.

I repeat only what I

heard from Mullah-Hatir, without vouching for

the truth of his statements, as I am aware they

do not coincide with the opinion which the

late Baron Silvestre de Sacy entertained of the

religious tenets of this sect, founded on their

sacred books.

Among the number of the

highly

instructive

and

interesting

articles

inserted by this learned and much lamented

Orientalist in the Jowrnal des Savans, we find

some curious researches relating to the Sabeans,

in which the author expresses himself in the

following manner :—

« The name of Christians of St. John is quite

as little founded in reason, since their doctrine

(that of the Sabeans) has nothing in common

with Christianity, to which they are greatly

averse.

This name has been bestowed on them

erroneously by certain missionaries and travel-

lers,

who fancied

they had discovered, in

certain of their religious ceremonies, resem-

174

TRAVELS IN

blances with some of the rites of the Christian

religion.” *

The Sabeans recognise St. John the Baptist

as their greatest prophet, whom they call

Peiyhamber Yaghia, and hence their name

of the followers of St. John.

As the Mussulmans believe in the existence

of Mehdi, the twelfth Imam, so the Sabeans

are of opinion that St. John (Yaghai) is still

alive, although invisible, and that he inhabits

Syria (Sham).

He

18

expected to

return

among them with Shethel (Seth, son of Adam),

who, for his virtues, is supposed to have been

taken up to heaven, and at their appearance

the reign of the Sabeans is to commence.

They offer as a reason for the profound

* Le nom de Chrétiens de St. Jean est tout aussi peu

fondé en raison, puisque leur doctrine (des Sabéens) n’a rien

de commun avec le Christianisme qu’ils ont en horreur ; il

ne leur a été donné que par la méprise des missionnaires et

des voyageurs qui ont cru <voir dans certaines pratiques de

leur culte, des rapports avec quelques rites de la religion

Chrétienne. (See Journal des Savans, 1819, second article,

page 646.)

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

175

veneration they bear him, that not only the

Virgin Mary paid her devotion to her cousin

Elizabeth, on account of her being at the

time with child of Yaghia, but that even

Christ in later years was baptized by St. John

in the waters of Jordan.

They usually perform their prayers at the

water

side ;

and if I rightly recollect, this

custom prevails in commemoration of the cir-

cumstance, that St. John baptized with the

waters of the river Jordan.

For this reason

they prefer having their

habitations along

the banks of some river.

The chief places

the

Sabeans

are

to be found

at

where

present are at Basra, on the Shat-el-Arab;

near Basra ;

at Shuashter and

at Sukuchuk,

on

the Kren;

at Dizfil,

on the

Ahvaz,

viver Diz; and at IHavizeh, on the Kerkheh

stream.

Sabeans of Shushter

and

Although the

Dizfal have their own priests, they are still

obliged to go to Havizeh whenever a young

couple is to be married, as it is only their

176

TRAVELS IN

chief priest or sheikh, residing in that town,

who can perform that ceremony.*

Independently of their book of Adam, the

Sabeans have two other works:

the one con-

tains the life of Yaghia, and the other is

their ritual.

The first, which they call the

thousand

Sidra,

18

said to contain twelve

questions, with appropriate answers, on all

abstract matters, and more especially on the

study of the heavens.

This fact may lead us

to suppose that there exists some connexion

between the disciples of St. John and the

ancient Sabeans, who worshipped the host of

heaven, and are reckoned among the oldest

nations of the world.

I was fortunate enough to procure from the

Sabeans of Dizfil a copy of the Tarikhi-

Yaghia, or Iistory of St. John, written in

their own language; the characters of which

* See M. Raymond’s letter to M. de Sacy, wherein he

mentions that there are some sheikhs who can only per-

form the marriage service on virgins, others on widows.

(“Journal des Savans,” 1819, page 351, first article.)

LURISTAN AND ARABiSTAN.

177

resemble the Syriac or Chaldean.

I thought

the work was complete, but have learned

from my friend M. Fugéne Boré, to whom

I offered this manuscript, that the Sabeans

had only furnished me with a fragment.

We find a curious passage in Tavernier

concerning the aversion of the Sabeans to

blue; and as there exists a similar antipathy

among the Kurdish sect of the Yezidi (who

appear to have been once Christians) for that

colour, grounded on a different, although not

less absurd reason, it will mnot be found,

perhaps, uninteresting if I here mention the

circumstances.

The French traveller says:—*

* ¢« Avant que de finir le discours de la religion de ces

Chrétiéns de St. Jean, il faut remarquer encore la grande

aversion qu'ils ont pour la couleur blewe appellée indigo

puisqu’ils ne la veulent pas méme toucher,

La raison

quils en donnent est que certains Juifs eurent en dormant

une vision, qui leur fit entendre que leur loi devait étre abolie

par le baptéme de St. Jean.

Ce que les autres Juifs ayant

appris, et voyant que St. Jean se préparait i baptiser Jésus

Christ, poussés de rage ils apportérent quantitée d'indigo

qulils appellent #il en langue du pays, et qu'ils jettérent

dans les eaux du Jourdain.

Ils ajoutent que ces eaux

VOL. II.

N

178

TRAVELS

IN

¢« Before concluding the account of the re-

ligioh of these Christians of St. John, I must

point out the great aversion they entertain for

the blue colour called indigo, which they will

not even touch. The reason they adduce is,

that certain Jews whilst asleep saw a vision,

in which they were informed that their law

would be abolished by the baptism of St. John.

The other Jews having learned this, and seeing

that St. John was about to baptize Jesus Christ,

were filled with rage, and gathering together a

quantity of indigo, which they call #il in the lan-

guage of their country, threw it into the waters

of Jordan.

They add that the water remained

impure for some time, and that the baptism

restérent immondes pour quelque temps, et qu’elles eussent

empéché le baptéme de Jésus Christ, n'eut été que Dieu

miraculeusement fit apporter par les anges un grand vase

quil fit remplir des eaux prises du Jourdain avant que

les Juifs y eussent jetté cet indigo, et qu'ils enleverent

le vase au ciel et que lorsque St. Jean baptisa Jesus Christ

les mémes anges apportérent le vase ol était 1'eau de la-

quelle St. Jean se servit pour le baptéme ; en suite de quoi

Dieu donna sa malédiction & cette couleur,

%

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

1%9

of Jesus Christ would have been prevented,

had not God wmiraculously caused the angels

to go with a large vessel, and fill it with water

taken from the Jordan, before the Jews threw

the indigo therein, which they took up to

heaven, and that when St. John baptized Jesus

Christ, the same angels brought the vase in

which was the water which St. John used in

this baptism; after which God cursed that

colour.”

The Yezidi, who worship the Devil (Sheitan),

have so great a respect for him that they dare

not, under the penalty of death, pronounce his

name.

In the same manner they avoid the

use of all such words as by their sound bear

any allusion to the name of Sheitan; and

as the blue colour in their dialect is Shin,

they not only never pronounce it, but care-

fully abstain from wearing any apparel dyed

blue.

Satan with them goes by the name

of Melik Tuds, the peacock angel, or the proud

angel.

I learned these particulars during my ex-

N 2

180

TRAVELS IN

cursion into Kurdistan in 1837, from a young

Kurdish Chief, who had lived some time among

the Yezidi.

Tavernier makes mention of another pecu-

liarity of the Sabeans, and calls it the Cere-

mony of the fowl, which their priests alone have

the right to kill;* but it is to be regretted

that he does not explain in what this ceremony

consists, in order that one might judge whether

it has any connexion with a custom prevalent

among the Gurani tribe which I met with in

the Zagros chain, between Kermanshah and

Zohab. The Gurani, who are all Ali-Tlahi,+

or believers in the divinity of Ali (the cousin

and son-in-law of Muhammed), have a yearly

festival, which they call the Feast of the Fowl.

It consists in the following :—In every village,

* See “ Voyages de Tavernier en Perse,” page 299,

1

11

t Mr. Rich is, I believe, mistaken when he classes the

Ali-Ullahees (Tlahi) among the abominable sect of the

See

Cheraghi-Sonderans (extinguishers of the light).

“ Narrative of a Residence in Kurdistan,” &c., p. 46.

181

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

each head of a family brings a fowl to their

sheikh or priest.

When the contribution is

thus collected, and the fowls killed and cleaned,

they are thrown into a large kettle and boiled.

As soon as they are ready, the people assemble ;

a cloth is thrown over the kettle, which is

placed before the priest, 'who dips his hand

into it, and taking it out piecemeal, presents

a morsel to each person present in rotation.

The individuals to whose share falls the head

of the fowl, is supposed to be more favoured

than the rest by Ali, during the course of the

year.

As it is supposed, and perhaps with some

foundation, that the Ali-Ilahi are of Jewish

extraction,* this ceremony of the fowl may

proceed from the Rabbinical custom of sacri-

ficing a cock once a-year on the eve of the

Day of Atonement, although nowhere counte-

* See “ Journal of the Royal Geographical Society of

London,” vol. ix., p. 36.

And Benjamin of Tudela’s

“TItinerary,” by A. Asher, vol. i, p. 1213 and vol. ii,

p- 158.

182

TRAVELS IN

nanced by the law of Moses.

The following is

the accou}xt of this custom :—

“ Order of the Atonement.

“On the eve of the Day of Atonement the

custom is to make atonements.

A cock is

taken for a man, and a hen for a woman; and

for a pregnant woman a hen and also a

cock, on account of the child.

The father

of the family makes the atonement for him-

self; for the high priest first atoned for

himself, then for his family, and afterwards for

all Israel.”

The order is as follows :—

“ He takes the cock in his hand, and says

these verses:

“ The children of men that sit

in darkness and the shadow of death, being

bound in affliction and iron, he brought them

out of darkness and the shadow of death, and

broke their bonds in sunder.

Fools, because

of their transgression and because of their

iniquities, are afflicted.

Their soul abhorreth

all manner of meat; and they draw near unto

the gates of death.

Then they cry unto the

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

183

Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them

out of their distresses.

He sendeth his word,

them

and healeth

them,

and delivereth

from their destruction.

Oh, that men would

praise the Lord for his goodness, and for

his wonderful works to the children of men.’

(Psalm cvii.)

« «If there be for him an angel, an inter-

cessor, one among a thousand, to show unto

man his uprightness; then he is gracious unto

him, and saith, Deliver him from going down

to the pit; I have found a ransom.’

(Job

Xxxii. 23.)

“ Whilst moving the atonement round his

head, he says, ¢ This is my substitute, this is

my commutation, this is my atonement.

This

cock goeth to death; but may I be gathered

and enter into a long and happy life, and into

peace.””

at

the

He

then begins

again

words,

«The children of men,” and so he does three

times.

Then follow the various alterations

that are to be made when the atonement is

184

TRAVELS IN

for a woman, or another person, &ec.

Then 1is

added—

“ As soon as one has performed the Order

of the Atonement he should lay his hands on

it, as the hands used to be laid on the sacri-

fices, and immediately after gives it to be

slaughtered.” *

This similarity of custom between the Jews

and the Ali-Tlahi explains why the latter offer

the figure of a cock on the shrine of their

holy men.

I found several of these cocks, some carved

in wood, others made of porcelain, placed on

the top of the tombs of their Piri in the

mountainous districts of Holivan and Zohab,

among the Gurani tribes, and have even brought

away from thence a curious specimen of one

of the cocks in porcelain, which a young Ali-

Tlahi (it appears wm esprit fort among them)

* See the ¢ Old Paths; or, a Comparison of the Prin-

ciples and Doctrines of modern Judaism with the Religion

of Moses and the Prophets,” by the Rev. A. M<Caul,

No. 36, p. 143.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.,

185

made me a present of from the shrine of Baba-

Yadgar; but I perceived that he got chided

for it afterwards by the more bigoted part of

the sect.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Visit to the ruins of Shush, or Shus (ancient Susa).—

Account of the Arab Iliyats.—The tomb of the Prophet

Daniel.—Wonderful property attributed to a black stone

in the interior of the chapel.—The den of lions.—

Jealousy of the Arabs of strangers touching any of the

marble fragments at Shush.—Rivers Shaver, Dizfil, and

Kerkheh.—The great mound.—The ruins of Ivani,

Kherkh, and Shaptr.—Anecdote of an Arab boy meeting

two lions.—The Beni-Lam, Mutefij, Alakesir, and Ala-

Chetir Arabs.—Indigo of Dizfil.

I rose early the next morning, feeling great

impatience to visit the site of ancient Susa.

Zohrab-Khan kindly supplied me with his

own horse, and I set off on this expedition

with a few attendants, and the promised guide,

the brother of my host, who, although only

with one eye, proved a capital ciceroni.

The ruins of Shusk lie four hours’ hard

riding from DizfGl, in a direction S.S.W.,

on the right bank of the river Dizfal, which

.

187

TRAVELS IN

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

we crossed by a bridge on leaving the town.

The most conspicuous object is a lofty mound,

which is discernible at a great distance before

we arrive at the spot where the ruins com-

mence.

About a farsang from the town we passed

the village of Shaban, and a farsang more

brought us to the Balaridd stream, which we

forded not far from the spot where it dis-

charges itself into the Dizfal river.

The left

banks of the latter are under extensive fruit

gardens.

Although we went at a pretty brisk trot,

we were still outstripped by a turbaned old

Arab, riding on a donkey at a swift amble,

with a thick iron nail in his

hand, with

which he urged the animal onward by pricking

it under the mane.

He greeted our party

in a very friendly manner as he passed on, and

Ilearned that it was the Mutaveli, or guardian

of the tomb of the Prophet Daniel, anxiously

hurrying on before us to do the honours of

the place, and reap the benefit.

188

TRAVELS IN

On approaching the ruins, we overtook several

groups of Arab families, who were hastening

in the same direction (it being their jumma,

or day of rest—Friday) to the shrine of the

Prophet Daniel, whose supposed tomb, sur-

mounted by a white conical roof, similar to

the section of a honey-comb, was discernible

through some very graceful palm-trees.

On

arriving at the gate, we found the platform

swarming with men, women, and children,

from the neighbouring black tents—all pressing

forward to enter the inner court, which was

likewise full of people.

The scene was highly picturesque, and would

have proved an interesting subject for an

artist.

The white turbans negligently twisted

round the heads of the men, contrasted boldly

with their dark complexions and jet black hair;

while their broad striped abbas, or clpaks, hung

loosely on their shoulders in graceful plaits.

The women and girls, who appeared with their

faces uncovered, wore black turbans, and were

dressed in very gaudy coloyrs ; red, yellow, and

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LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

189

dark blue, however, predominating. The broad

trousers of the more opulent were invariably of

the latter dye, with passe-poz'ls below of another

colour.

The children ran about in red shifts,

without any other apparel.

These Arabs ap-

peared to be more opulent, or at least more

attentive to their dress, than the generality of

the Tliyat tribes of Persia.

My appearance excited some curiosity among

them; and as they stopped to gaze on the

strange Frengi, and even flocked around to

have a nearer sight, I had an opportunity of

I

examining them with greater attention.

The

found them a very fine set of people.

countenances of the men bespoke a spirit of

independence perfectly in harmony with the

state of their tribes, whose submission

political

to the authorities of Dizfal rests on a very

Some of their women, espe-

slender tenure.

cially the youthful portions, notwithstanding

their dark-brown complexions, might be reck-

oned very beautiful, on account of their regular

and delicate features, and the superior lustre of

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TRAVELS IN

their sparkling black eyes, which far surpass

those of the gazelle, to which the Eastern

poets are wont to compare them. Their features

as they grow older become more marked and

pointed ; and as nature is fond of contrasts, it

is among these Iliyats that we meet with the

most hideous-looking old women.

The Arabs made no opposition to my entering

the chapel in which the coffin of Daniel is said

to be deposited, on learning that Christians, as

well as themselves, who are Mussulmans, ac-

knowledge him to have been a prophet.

The building is of modern architecture, and

has nothing to carry us back to remote ages,

except some fragments of marble pillars, with

the leaves of the lotus carved on them, probably

of the Susian date.

In the interior of a four-

cornered cell stands the coffin; a high box of a

dark sort of wood, surrounded by a railing

somewhat similar to the tombs of Esther and

Mardochi, T had seen at Hamadan.

Hanging

up against the grating are several boards with

Arabic quotations from the Koran, which the

191

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

devout Mussulmans press to their lips as they

pass round the coffin.

The guardian of the temple showed me a

flat black stone in the recess of the window,

which appeared to be an aerolite, weighing

several pounds, and let me into the secret of

its wonderful properties, namely, that of being

propitious to mothers who wish to be blessed

with a numerous family, and who, on pressing

it to the heart, must recite some prayers.

This peculiarity bears some resemblance to

what is told of the temple of Halgah-Baal, at

Emessa, on the Orontes, in Pheenicia.*

The aerolites have in general played a con-

spicuous part in the early religions of the

Semetic nations.

Under a broad vaulted portico near the entry

of the tomb, I took my luncheon with my

Dizfal ciceroni, while the guardian of the

temple—the same who had been racing with

* Gibbon’s ¢ History of the Decline of the Roman

Empire,” vol. i., ¢. vi,, p. 148 ; and I believe in Dr. Russel’s

work on the ¢ Connexion of Sacred and Profane History.”

192

TRAVELS IN

us

that morning—was

descanting on the

wonders and the sanctity of the place, as well

for my information as for the edification of

the multitude who had assembled around us.

Concerning the black stone bearing inserip-

tions, I heard the same story of which Major

Rawlinson makes mention,

namely, that it

was blown up with gunpowder by a certain

Frengi, who could not contrive to take it

away in any other manner, and that, in con-

sequence of this

event, the country was visited

with the plague

I have found, however, this

belief prevalent,

not only here, but in many

other localities,

where remains of antiquity

are to be found.

It would appear that the natives, although

themselves ignorant of, and otherwise indif-

ferent to,

the ancient monuments of their

still hold

country,

it as sacrilegious that

strangers should come and deprive them of

the only memorials left them of the pristine

glory of their father-land ; and a Lord Elgin

would not have had the

same chance

of

193

LU RISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

carrying off the marble fragments of Susa, as

he had of bringing away those of Grecce.

Since this event, the Arabs of Shis, it is

said, have become very suspicious

towards

strangers, and I certainly did observe that they

narrowly watched my movements whenever I

approached or touched any of the marble

fragments which lay about on the ground.

Beneath the apartment which contains the

tomb of the Prophet is another vault, the

entrance into which is from the outside of

the court, and is said to represent the den

of lions into which Danicl was cast by the

order

of Darius,

King of the Medes and

Persians. *

The western wall of the edifice is close to

the left shore of the Shapwr, or Shéver river,

probably the KEuleus of the profane writers,

and the Ulai of Scripture.t It is not a broad,

* ¢« Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel,

and cast Zim into the den of lions.

Now the king spake,

and said unto Daniel, Thy God, whom thou servest con-

tinually, he will deliver thee,” &c. (Dan. vi. 16.)

Tt “And I saw in a vision ; (and it came to pass, when

VOL. I1I.

O

TRAVELS 1IN

194

but a deep stream, with high banks, and is

navigable to its junction with the Ktren river,

near the town of Ahvéz.

Close to the water’s

edge are three white marble fragments; the

one is the capital of a column, with chiselled

ornaments, in the form of the lotus leaf. The

other is a slate, with arrow-headed inscriptions;

and the bas-reliefs of the third consist of a

human figure, together with two lions, very

roughly sculptured, and evidently intended to

commemorate, at some subsequent period, the

events mentioned in the book of the Prophet.

The ground about Shésh is very uneven,

and numerous mounds, or fepehs, are scattered

in different

directions to a considerable

dis-

tance ; some of them being partly covered with

brushwood.*

The highest tepeh among them, of which

I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in

the province of Elam ;) and I saw in a vision, and I was

by the river of Ulai,” &e. (Dan. viii. 2.)

* See “Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,”

for 1839, vol. ix., part i,, p. 68.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

195

Major Rawlinson gives rough measurements,

in’ his notes on Khzistan, lies to the ecast of

the Shéver stream, but very near it, and to

the west of the river Dizftl, which is dis-

cernible at some distance, plying its course

to the south-east.

This mound, which may be

the palace where the Prophet Daniel had his

vision, (for I see no objection to the contrary,

although'much has been written to that effect,)

commands the whole country. From the top

of it are seen the ruins of Ivani- Kherk, beyond

the river of Kherkheh, about a farsang and

‘A minar,

a-half (perhaps less) to the west.

or column, with the ruins of Shapir, are

likewise discernible, in a north-westerly di-

rection, on the right side of the above-named

river.

An oblong white slab, with inscriptions in

arrow-headed characters of thirty-three lines

stamped on it, lies on the slope of the great

mound, and a few more marble fragments

are found at the foot of it, nearly covered with

grass.

0.2

TRAVELS IN

196

I learned from the Arabs who accompanied

me, that old coins, tombs, and blocks of marble,

are often found in the adjacent country; but

they could give me no particulars concerning

them. TLions are likewise said to frequent the

thickets and the high reeds which grow along

the banks of the Shover, the Kherkheh, and

the Dizfal rivers.

An old man of our party recounted to us

how he once fell

into

in glowing terms,

company with several lions in the very neigh-

bourhood of Shush.

It would be difficult to

give an idea of the vehemence of gesture and

expression which accompanied his narrative, but

the story ran thus:—

“When a mere lad, of eight or nine years old,

I was sent,” he said, ¢ one day by my parents

to scare birds from a plantation belonging to us,

which lay close to the river.

As T was sitting

in a frail hut of rushes, I suddenly espied a

lioness making her way towards my place of

concealment.

My liver melted into water at

the sight (jighe ab shid), and I became like one

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

197

transfixed.

The animal stopped short, then

couched, and rolling on the sand appeared quite

unconscious of the presence of an intruder.

Although I trembled like a leaf, this afforded

me some respite ; but presently I became aware

of the approach of another lion through the

rushes, by the tremendous roaring which pre-

ceded him.

They met, and apparently on very

friendly terms, and for some t'ime they gam-

bolled like dogs together.

But I felt my

situation was not the better for it, as their stay

might be prolonged.

I was more dead than

alive, expecting at every instant that they would

discover me in my hiding-place, and one stroke

of the paw was more than sufficient to bring

down the hut.

I was afraid to breathe, lest the

sound should reach their ears, yet I could not

prevent my teeth from chattering quite audibly.

But whether it was that they were too much

occupied with their own concerns, or that they

are deficient in scent, I do not know ; suffice it

to say, that after a short time, which to me

appeared an age, they separated, each taking a

198

TRAVELS IN

different direction, and were soon lost in the

high grass.

“ It is many years since that event took

place,” added the old man in conclusion, “ and

still T never can think of it without a shudder.”

And if T understood him right, the mental anxiety

he underwent at the time, had the effect of

changing the colour of his hair into grey

ever since.

To me this narrative had a peculiar

interest, as I was standing on the very spot

which the traditions of the Fast point out as

the scene where, twenty-five centuries ago,

Daniel had his miraculous eseape, and could not

but contrast the calm confidence of the P}'opllet,

with the agitated state of the Arab youth, who

had not yet learned to place complete and

implicit reliance on his Heavenly Father.

The

Arabs

of the

Beni-Lam,* and the

Muntefij, or Muntefik tribes, live beyond the

Kherkheh, and are said to be under the Turkish

sway, although it is very doubtful whether

* The Beni-Lam are subdivided

into Naméh and

Maskar.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

199

they recognise the authority of the Sultan.

These tribes are numerous and strong; they

might prove very troublesome neighbours to

the inhabitants of Dizfdl, were they not con-

stantly embroiled in bloody feuds amongst

themselves.

The Arabs, on the left side of

the Kherkheh, who nominally recognise the

Persian authorities of Dizfal, are the Ala-IK¢sir

and Ala-Chétir.

The days being short, I could delay no

longer to examine the remnants of this once

celebrated capital of the Babylonian, Median,

and Persian monarchs.

On our return to Dizfil we passed by

several villages and well-cultivated fields, with

channels for irrigation.

My guide took me

over a considerable indigo plantation, and a

manufactory for preparing this drug, which

has only of late years been established by the

Moétemid,

I learned that this plant has from time

immemorial been

cultivated

in Khuzistan,

especially in the neighbourhood of Shishter,

200

TRAVELS IN

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

and that the indigo of this town is well known in

commerce.

It is, or at least has been of late

years, inferior in quality to the indigo of the

province of Kerman ; whilst the same drug im-

ported from India has always been, and is

still preferred to any produced in Persia.

However, since a new mode has been intro-

duced in the preparation of it by an Armenian,

now engaged in the service of the Moétemid,

of the. Dizfal

the price

indigo has risen

considerably in the market, and it is expected

by those embarked in the trade, that it will

soon compete with that brought over from

India.

As the wnil-rengh, the name given to

this dye by the Persians, is in such general

requisition all over the country, this new

establishment at Dizfal will be of considerable

importance to Persia.

Of the native estab-

lishments of indigo at Dizfal, there are seventy

in number, but the dye is of a very inferior

quality.

-

CHAPTER XXYV.

Departure from DizfGl.— Aspect of the town.—River and

bridge of Dizfil.—Deserted palace of Muhammed Ali-

Mirza.—Encampment of the Segvend Iliyats.—Night

passed in their tents.—-Arrival at Kilab.—Scene with

Mirza Riza Nuri.—Anecdote of Safar Ali-Khan Jelile-

vend.—Various roads to Khorremabdd.—A. hint to tra-

vellers in the East.

O~ the 13th of February, before quitting my

hospitable host, Zohrab-Khan, I repaired once

more to his balcony, which commands an exten-

sive and most beautiful view of the town, the

river, and the adjacent country in the direction

of the ruins of Susa, the high mound of which

is discernible through a telescope.

Dizfal is situated on the left bank of the

river.

A few straggling houses only are seen

on the opposite

shore.

The style of the

buildings is similar to those of Shashter,

the houses generally being very lofty and

spacious.

The river, which runs close under

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TRAVELS IN

the Governor’s palace, is not so broad nor so

deep as the Kiren at Shashter, but is no less

rapid.

A number of water-mills project far

into the stream, and are built on rocks which

run across the river and produce rapids.

These

little islets are united by narrow bridges, and

at the approach of night, when the millers

trim their lamps, there is a perfect illumination

on the river.

The bridge I traversed on leaving Dizfil,

at eleven, a.m., consists of twenty-two arches;

the Persians attribute the construction of it

to Husheng, one of the ancient kings of the

Pish-Dadian race, and their first legislator

before Zoroaster; but Major Rawlinson is, I

believe, nearer the mark in supposing that it

was built at the time when Shashter

and

Jondi-Shaptir rose into note during the Sasanian

period.*

At a short distance from it stands

* See ¢ Notes on a March from Zohdb to Khzist4n,”

by Major Rawlinson, in the ninth volume of the ¢ Journal

of the Royal Geographical Society of London,” for 1839,

p- 73.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

203

the isolated palace of the late Muhammed Al

Mirza of Kermanshah.

This edifice is one of

modern architecture, consisting of two stories,

with a belvidere and terraces, from which the

town is seen to great advantage on the opposite

shore with the high Imam-Zadeh of Shah-

Riben, on the northern extremity of Dizful.

The direction of the road was to N.N.W.,

with the mountains of Dumbenon before us,

bearing somewhat to the right. At half-past

twelve we passed Kal'eh-Muhammed Saleh-

Khan, surrounded by a high wall and ditches.

At half-past three we crossed the river Balarid,

which is a confluent of the Dizfdl river, and

the same we had forded lower down the pre-

ceding day on our way to the ruins of Shish.

Our course then turned to N.W. by N.N.W.,

until we arrived at the encampment of the

The Chief,

Segvends of the Bajelan tribe.

Muhammed Husein-Khan,

(who has the not

very creditable reputation,

even among these

mountain clans,

all more

or less that way

inclined, of being a great

robber,) came out

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TRAVELS IN

to meet me. IHe was at this time courting

the favour of Zohrdb-Khan, and, having pro-

bably learned that I had been well received

by the Chief (in fact, Zohrab-Khan had apprized

him of my coming the day before), he was very

assiduous in paying me all possible attentions

in the Iliyat style.

It appears that his tribe had committed some

depredations in Iari-Kachik; and in order

to escape pursuit, had taken refuge on the

Dizfdl territory, and sought the protection of

Zohrab-Khan.

The day had been rainy and raw, and I

was glad to find a blazing fire in the middle

of the black tent into which I was ushered

on my arrival at the encampment.

Fresh

fagots of wet wood were heaped on the hearth ;

but, unluckily, the top of the tent could not

be uncovered on account of the rain, and the

smoke nearly suffocated us before it could find

its way out through the mnarrow aperture

intended for a doorway. It poured during the

whole night, and I learned to my cost that

20

J

r

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

the black goat-hair tents of the Tliyats do

not preserve their inmates from the inclemency

of the weather, as is generally supposed; for

I had continually to shift quarters in order to

avoid the rain dripping down on my couch

from the roof of the tent.

February 14.— Notwithstanding that the

heavy rain still continued, I was obliged to

proceed on my journey. My host accompanied

me part of the road, which took us first to

the north-west, to a place called Dashti- Lir,

then turned into the plain of Husein, to the

north-east.

Having descended into the valley

of Balartd, formed Dby the river which bears

that name, and which we shortly afterwards

crossed, proceeding in a northern direction,

we soon reached the high road, from which

we had deviated the preceding day, in order

to visit the camp of the Segvend Chief. ~After

descending towards some black tents of the

same tribe, we came to a cultivated plain, from

which we soon gradually ascended a long ridge

of gypsum hills, extending from north-west to

206

TRAVELS IN

south-east, the usual bearing of the secondary

range, which runs parallel to the great chain

of the Zagros mountains.

We next descended

into the plain of Kilab, watered by a rivulet

of the same name, which joins the Balardd

lower down, at the foot of Mount Dumb-kah

(tail, spur, or extreme point of a mountain),

on the left bank of the Balarad.

For fixing the distances with greater accu-

racy, I shall note down that I left my night’s

halting-place at nine in the morning, forded

the BalarGd at eleven, crossed the Kiéh-i-Gech

or lime-hills at one, and reached Kiléb at

half-past two; in all five and a-half hours’

march.

Kilab has some stone ruins near the river

side, and two burying-grounds; Major Raw-

linson places here the colony of the Greek

Erethryans of Ardericca.

Here are also some wells of bitume malt,

and the climate is reckoned very unwholesome

in summer.

Kilab, otherwise called Balah-

Geriveh, is the place of encampment of the

i

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

207

Diri-kavend tribe.

At the time of my visiting

the spot, it was occupied by the tents of

of

Mirza- Riza-Nuri,

the Naib,

or deputy,

Hajji Millah Ahmed, who, in his turn, rules

over Luri-Kach(k as delegate of Manucher-

Khan, the Governor-in-Chief of Isfahan, Ara-

bistan, and Luristan.

Notwithstanding my balapush, or great coat,

and the bashlik, or head covering, which

serves likewise to preserve the shoulders, the

rain had penetrated, and I entered the tent

of the Mirza with my clothes wet through.

This ought to have awakened in

him the

feeling of hospitality (a feature so

universal

amongst the Nomads), but on the

Mirza it

seemed to produce a contrary effect

I knew

that Mussulmans reckon

Christians doubly

unclean when they have wet clothes on, but

on the present occasion I refused to attend

to this absurd prejudice; so that when I

heard my host giving directions to the servants

in the Lurish dialect to shew me and my

party the way to the tents of the Iliyats,

208

TRAVELS IN

some distance off, I stopped him short, by

announcing that he appeared rather uncivil,

and that T should therefore waive all ceremony,

adding, in plain language, that as it was

raining, and I was wet and fatigued, I pre-

ferred remaining his guest for the night, and

expected that he would

have

some tents

arranged for myself and party.

I was induced

to treat this man rather cavalierly from the

very outset, knowing that he had the reputa-

tion of being very rough and imperious in his

manner.

I have invariably found among Per-

sians of his stamp, that the more condescension

we show to them, the more we expose ourselves

to their impertinence, whilst, if we assume a

firm and imposing demeanour, we very soon

bring them to their right senses.

Mirza-Riza looked rather astonished, but

when he saw that I was determined to remain,

he gave way, and a small tent was fitted up

for me, into which I retired.

My host having probably learned in the

meanwhile, from my guides of Dizfal and my

209

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

Persian servant, that I was on friendly terms

with the Moétemid (who is more feared and

respected in these parts than the Shah himself),

became very anxious to pay me a visit and

make amends for his past conduct.

Having,

therefore, waited my pleasure, he came to me

accompanied by a Persian Khan, with whose

brother, Safar-Ali-Khan (a Chief of one of the

Cazvin tribes, the Jelilevend), 1 was well

acquainted.

I cannot refrain from giving here an anecdote

of the latter, which may serve to throw some

light on the true character of the Persians,

and show how deeply rooted the spirit of

revenge is in the breasts of these Iliyat tribes,

who are

still lamentably ignorant of the

sublime precept of the Gospel—to forgive and

to forget.

At the time Persia was in a state of ferment

after the death of the late Fet’h-Ali-Shah, and

whilst the throne was disputed by his son Zeli-

Sultan and Muhammed-Shah, the now reigning

VOL.

1I

13

210

TRAVELS IN

sovereign; Imam-Verdi-Mirza,* a half-brother

of Zeli-Sultan, espoused the cause of the former,

and having marched against Muhammed-Shah,

his troops committed great ravages in the

neighbourhood = of Cazvin.

Safar-Ali-Khan

Jelilevend was among those who had suffered

with their families and kinsmen, from the

lawless acts of Imam-Verdi-Mirza, because of

their fidelity to the young Shah.

When the

star of Zeli-Sultan grew dim, and Imam-Verdi-

Mirza could no longer hold the field, at the

approach of Muhammed-Shah towards Teheran,

the Persian capital, he felt anxious to make

it up with his nephew, and requested the

Ministers of Russia and England, who accom-

panied the young King from Tabriz, to be

the mediators

of their reconciliation.

The

meeting between the Prince and the repre-

sentatives of the two FEuropean Courts, took

* The same who afterwards fled to Constantinople with

Zeli-Sultan and Ali-Nagi-Mirza, and from thence went to

Mecca, and lastly to Bagdad.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN,

211

place in an open field, and it was agreed that

Imam-Verdi-Mirza should await the Shah at

the station where his Majesty was to encamp

for the night.

In the meanwhile, Safir-Ali-Khan, who had

already come over to the Shah with his Iliyat

cavalry, insinuated, and perhaps with truth,

that it was pride alone which made Imam-

Verdi-Mirza loth to acknowledge his allegiance

to the King in public, and extorted from the

Shah an order for the Prince to appear before

him on the high road.

He begged as a favour

to be intrusted with this order, and enjoyed

the mortification it gave to the Shah-Zadeh

when he delivered to him the King’s message.

When the interview took place he could not

hide

his exultation on

seeing Imam-Verdi-

Mirza get off his horse, and make a low and

prolonged bow at the approach of the Shah,

The

accompanied by his numerous retinue.

vindictive heart of Safir-Ali-Khan felt satisfied

at this public humiliation of his foe.

I had reason to be satisfied that matters had

P 2

212

TRAVELS 1IN

turned out so favourably, for I had to consult

with Mirza-Riza as to my further progress, and

to learn something about the state of the wild

country in which I then was; because it would

have been rash in me to venture onward before

I had acquired a better insight into the diffcrent

tribes through whose territories I was going to

pass.

I have experienced more than once, in the

course of my rambles among the Nomad tribes,

that I owed a kind reception at their hands

to my knowledge (although very scanty) of the

different clans with whom they were in peace

or had feuds, of the various divisions and sub-

divisions of the tribes, their kishlaks and yelaks,*

&e

Their vanity (the great lever of the

human heart) was flattered at the idea they

since

even

acquired of their

importance,

the Frengi (Europeans) had heard of them.

By appearing to take interest in their con-

cerns, (which, in respect to myself, I did

in reality,) an Furopean traveller gains much

* A Turkish expression for winter and summer encamp-

ments ; the same as serhdd and germesir, in Persian.

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

213

more information, and, what is of greater

importance at the time, better accommodation

from these rude children of nature, than if he

were to bewilder them with an account of our

wonderful inventions, or descant on the supe-

riority of European civilization.

Two roads lead from Kil-ob to Khorremabad,

the chief place of Liri-Kachak; the first, or

Rahi-Anart, the shortest of the two over the

mountains in a northern direction, is the same

which Major Rawlinson followed on his return

from Dizftl to Kermanshah.

The second, or Rahi Chieshkin, the more

circuitous route, passes by Joider to the north-

west, where Hajji Mullah-Ahmed, the Chief of

Turistdn, was supposed to be then encamped.

As my time was precious, T was inclined to take

the former, but Mirza-Riza strongly dissuaded

me from it; as well on account of the steep and

difficult mountain passes, especially at that

advanced’ season of the year when they are all

covered with snow, as of the turbulent spirit

and predatory habits of the wandering tribes

214 TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

who occupy the valleys, and can with difficulty

be brought to any sense of subordination.

Such being the case, prudence suggested to

adopt the more practicable and safe course;

and I consoled myself with the prospect that I

should have, at least, to pass over some ground

unexplored by European travellers, as the tract

of country between Joider and Khorremabad is

still, T believe, a terra incognita to geographers.

CHAPTER XXVIL

Quit Kil-ob.—Ruined fort of Kal'eh-Riza.—Graves of

Dirikavend robbers.—Affecting custom among the Lur

women.—Arrival at the encampment of the Boérekevend

tribe.—Use of the ob-i-digh.—Inside of an Iliyat tent

during a wet night,—Difference between travelling in

the Kast and in the West.—Leave the encampment.—

Cross the Ob-i-Zil.—Pass the night at Ob-i-Gherm.—

Family scene.—Resume my journey.—Bid adieu to the

Kerkhéh river and to the mountain of Kabir-kGh.—

Beautiful sight of the mountainous region beyond Joider.

—Passage over the Kashgin river.—Scruples of my

guide on the occasion.—Iliyat naiveté.—Remains of Pul-i

Kuréh-Dokhter, or Shaptr-bridge.—Expostulation with

my host, a Yussufvend Iliyat.—The two English tra-

vellers, Captains Grant and Fotheringham, murdered in

Luristdn.— Carpet-weaving.—Resume the journey, and

arrive at the encampment of Iajji-Mullah Ahmed,

Governor of Luristan.

Tue next day, the 15th of February, the

weather clearing up, I resumed my journey.

My Dizftl guides, who were Gulams of Zohrab-

Khan, took leave of me to return to their

216

TRAVELS IN

master, and I was given in charge to another

Gulam, a messenger, who was on his way back

to Hajji-Mullah Ahmed at Madian-ra.

Leaving my tent at half-past ten, a.m., I

proceeded in a W.N.W. direction, having the

chain of Chenaré to the right, and the Gypsum

hills to the left, beyond the river Kil-ob,

which is soon lost sight of, pursuing its course

through them towards the DBalardd stream.

We passed by several encampments of the

Dirikavend tribe. At half-past twelve the road

inclined to the north-west, leaving the moun-

tains of Tengovan to the south-east, and we

saw before us to the left, the Kabir-kih (or

great mountain) at a considerable distance.

The ground was strewed with stones and flint.

At three-quarters past one we came to a

copious spring of water, and, close to it the

ruined fort of Kal'eh Riza, erected by Husein-

Khan, a predecessor of Hassan-Khan, the late

Feili Chief of Pusht-Kih.

This Husein-Khan was the first Vali of

Turistan in the reign of Shah Abbas, as the

219

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

f(zrmer Chiefs of ILiari-Kachtk bore the title

of Atabeg, in like manner as the Atabeks of

Luri-Buzirg, in the Bakhtiyar country, the

Atabegs of Tars, of Aderbeijan, &c., during the

Seljuk sway.

Not far from the fort I went to examine the

tombs of eleven Dirikavend robbers, who had

been executed the preceding year by order of

the former Governor of the province, Mirza

Buztrg, for having been guilty of plunder, and

were buried near the high road to serve as a

warning to their own and other wandering

tribes who frequent these parts. But although

the punishment may have been merited, still

the sight of these sad memorials of humanity

was not the less affecting.

Whitewashed grave-stones were laid hori-

zontally over some raised earth which covered

their remains, and at the head of each grave

another flat stone was placed in a vertical posi-

tion, from which hung down tressesof women’s

hair.

On inquiry I learned that it was a

custom among the Lur mothers, wives, sisters,

218

TRAVELS IN

daughters, and other near female relatives, to

part with their locks of hair, and hang them

round the tombs of their deceased male rela-

tions, as a token of their grief.

By the colour of the hair, I thought I could

judge of the age, and almost of the degree

of parentage, of those who were thus bereft

of a friend.

The desert breeze had entwined

the silver locks of age with the jet black

tresses of the girl or the matron, and the

auburn ringlets of the orphan child, in the

same manner as grief was probably mingling

at that time, in some secluded nook of the

hills, the tears of the forlorn and disconsolate

survivors.

I do not remember ever to have

read any epitaphs' half so eloquent as this

simple expression of genuine feeling, which

the devoted affection of woman could alone

have devised.

A somewhat similar practice prevailed on

the Island of Delos, as we read in Herodotus,

that “In honour of the virgins from the

Hyperboreans, who died at Delos, both the

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

219

young women and men of the island cut their

hair; the former, previously to their marriage,

cut off a ringlet, which they twist around a

distaff, and place on their tomb (for the tomb

is within Diana’s precinct, on the right as you

enter, on it an olive-tree has sprung forth);

the young men among the Delians, on the

other hand, twist a lock of their hair round

some herb,

and likewise

place

it on the

tomb.” *

At half-past two I arrived at the encamp-

ment or Kiuren, as it is called here, of the

Boérekevend tribe, situated in a narrow valley,

between high mountains.

I was received very

hospitably, at which I was not astonished, as

I had been previously apprized that the Lur

Iliyats on this part of the road, are a more

hearty people than their neighbours who

inhabit the valleys between Kil-ob and Khor-

remabad.

The women immediately set about cooking

* See Herodotus, translated by Laurent, volume i.,

P. 284,

220

TRAVELS IN

some rice-pillau, while the master of the tent

killed a lambkin and dressed it on an iron

spit.

I found the supper delicious and the

beverage very refreshing.

The usual

drink

of the Iliyats consists of buttermilk weakened

with water; a little salt is added to it, and

it is then called ob-i-dhug.*

It is generally

sour.

There is nothing so efficacious for the

purpose of slaking thirst on a hot summer’s

day, as this ob-i-dhdg.

Before supper was over, the rain re-com-

menced, and in order to preserve my riding-

horse from getting wet, I was obliged to take

him inside my tent and close to my couch,

there being no other place for his accommo-

dation, as the remaining part of the tent,

separated only from my bed-room by a low

* In the French work, entitled “L‘Inde Frangaise,” &e.,

edited by Burnouf and Jacquet, I find the following

passage :— Les Indiens prennent rarement du lait frais

mais recherchent extrémement le caillé, appelé Dhwui, alteré

du Sanscrit Dahdé.” 'The ab-Dhig of the Persian Tiyats

may probably be of the same origin, or, perhaps, a Zend

word, the latter being a sister language of the Sanscrit,

)

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

&~

1

partition of plaited reed, was filled with the

numerous members of the family and my

servants, and a whole lot of young lambkins

and kids, in separate cages or pens of plaited

reed.

The latter kept sneezing and bleating

the greater part of the night.

It may be

more easily conceived than

expressed what a poisonous atmosphere there

must have been in a tent of this descrip-

tion, the inclemency of the weather making

it necessary to keep it closed; and yet this

is one of the least inconveniences to which a

traveller is exposed in travelling among this

primitive' people. If we were to establish a

comparison between the comforts, nay, the

luxuries, to which FKuropeans are accustomed

when travelling in their own land, and the

inconveniences and privations of Eastern loco-

motion, it would be a constant figure of anti-

thesis. But the approciation of these relative

wants of mankind, ought at the same time to

teach us two great truths, which we are ever

too prone to pass unheeded, namely, that our

222

TRAVELS IN

real wants in life might be brought within a very

small compass, and that we ought to feel there-

fore doubly grateful to our God when we enjoy

case and comfort, at a time when thousands

of our fellow-creatures are deprived of both.

Independently of the rain, I had another

reason for securing my horse inside the tent,

as these wild sons of nature, however tenacious

they may be about their own property, are

not very scrupulous in appropriating to them-

selves that of their neighbours.

February 16.—1 left the encampment at

seven, a.m., and proceeded on my journey,

the rain pouring in torrents nearly the whole

of the way; but as it was the scason of the

periodical rains in this part of the country, I

could not expect that nature would change her

laws for my accommodation.

At a quarter-past seven I returned to the

road from which I had deviated the preceding

day from Kal’eh Riza, and went in a direction

north-west.

At a quarter-past eight we came

to the Ob-i-Zal, which, in consequence of the

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

223

copious rains, had swelled to such a volume, and

was so rapid, that my guide despaired of our

being able to cross it; but as I would hear of

no stoppage, the passage of the torrent was

risked by us, and we happily forded, although,

I think, not without some danger to those

who were mounted on smaller and less vigorous

horses than the one I rode.

We then had to

ascend a steep hill on the opposite bank.

The river Zal, which has been erroncously

confounded with Ob-i-Dizfil, takes its rise in

the mountains of Ghird, to the right of the

line of road near Pul-i-I#l, and not far from

the direct road leading from Dizfil to Khor-

remabad.

It 1is

reckoned one of the most

rapid streams of this hilly country. We con-

tinued our way along a high table land, having

to our left the eastern extremity of Kuh-i-

Kabir, called Dumb-Shah, on the summit of

which stands an isolated Imam-Zadeh of Piri-

Shah-Akhmed, to whose shrine the devout Lurs

go on pilgrimage, especially women who desire

Further

0 be blessed with many children.

224

TRAVELS IN

on the road becomes more rugged; lime and

chalk hills press upon either hand.

At a quarter-past nine I took the bearings of

the compass: our road lay W.N.W. by N.W_;

the pass of Keilun N.W. to our right, while

the Kerkheh river flowed to our left, at the foot

of the Kabir-Kh.

At a quarter to ten we descended to the

Kerkheh stream, and went along its left bank,

after having stopped for three-quarters of an

hour to rest and partake of the remains of

yesterday’s pillau and roasted lamb.

At twelve we came to Pul-i-Teng, mentioned

by Major Rawlinson, with some scattered ruins.

At half-past one we crossed the boundary-line

between the possessions of the Boiragvend and

the Hasanavend tribes.

At two we came to Cheshme-Gherdon, a

pleasant meadow.

At a quarter-past three we turned to the

W.S.W., and reached, at 11a1f-past three,

the river of Téal-ob at its junction with the

Kerkheh, and which we were to have crossed ;

2

2

7]

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

but we found it swelled to such a degree, and,

besides, so impetuous, that after several fruit-

less efforts we were forced to relinquish the

attempt, and to turn to the north in the direc-

tion of the Keilin hills, in order to secure

quarters for the night among the Hasanavends.

Their tents were pitched at Ob-i-Gherm, close

to the pass of Tengi-Leilan, from whence the

Tal-0b issues.

We arrived at their encamp-

ment at four in the afternoon, having travelled

In this

from seven to eight farsangs this day.

dreary and desert region I could make no other

observations than just mark down the direction

of my route, a subject not very gratifying to

the reader, although it may arrest for a moment

the attention of the geographer in his anxiety

to reap some information on the physical features

of these unfrequented tracts.

The rain, our faithful companion for many

days past, having ceased, our wardrobe and

travelling apparatus were spread on the ground

to dry. My last lump of sugar had melted in

the Khijins, (or travelling bags, thrown across

VOL. II.

Q

~

9

26

TRAVELS IN

the pack-saddles in a journey,) and the syrup

made great havoc among my linen, books, and

papers, presenting altogether a most pitiable sight.

After laying down to dry myself and

clothes in the sun, I was warned to take refuge

in a tent, as the rain had again commenced.

The family of my host consisted of himself,

a young man, his wife, and his aged mother.

I seldom met in the Kast with more genuine

affection than was exhibited by the old woman

towards her son, and by the young woman

towards her husband.

In all they did they

seemed anxious to please him, while the young

man appeared to take their attentions as a

matter of course.

The next morning, when

I signified my desire to take my host part of

the way, that he might show me the most

practicable ford, his wife immediately ran to

saddle the horse for him, which she soon

brought up to the tent, and, holding the

bridle with one hand and the stirrup with the

other, helped him to mount.

At parting

the old mother entreated me most parti-

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

~

9

27

cularly to take care of her son, as though he

had a long and hazardous journey to perform.

But such is in general a mother’s love ;—she

ever apprehends danger for the child of her

heart.

Of all the affections of this world, a

mother’s love is, I believe, the most constant,

and certainly the most disinterested.

I must

own that this endearing scéne de famille was

very gratifying to my feclings, after the tales

of strife, plunder, revenge, and murder, which

had been continually ringing in my ears since

I had left Shiraz.

It came like the sacred

music of Pollock’s harp* to calm the mind,

troubled and excited by the scenes in “ Man-

fred,” or the ¢ Corsair.”

The morning was promising, and with light

spirits we. commenced our journey at half-

past six, first to N.N.W., and then crossed

the bed of the 7Tdl-ob in its upper course,

not far distant from ZTengi-Leildn, in which

* The work alluded to is Pollock’s poem on the ¢ Course

of Time ;” one of the sublimest productions of the British

muse, in my humble opinion.

Q 2

228

TRAVELS IN

pass the tribe of Baba-Yusufi dwell.

The

guide stripped of the greater part of his

clothes,

entered the stream in search of a

convenient ford to take us across.

The water

had fallen during the night, and I found the

Tal-ob less deep than the Obi-Zal, although the

rapidity of its current was quite as great.

On parting with my guide, I put an extra

picce of money into his hand, not so much

for his own sake, because the services he

had to render

were

not so great;

but 1

thought of his aged mother at the time, and

was

sure she would feel pleased that the

merits of her son had been duly appreciated.

To our left, the hill of Kabir presents like-

wise a pass called 7Tengi-Mojin, which leads

to Seimerreh.*

Having

traversed the ground of Mulk-

Kuresan, and the valley of Tale-Kels, we

crossed another river at a quarter-past eight,

* See Major Rawlinson’s description of the ruins of this

Sasanian town, in the “ Journal of the Geeographical Society,”

for 1839, No. ix.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

229

which issues from the pass of Féani, and runs

in a direction W.N. W.

The mountains between the passes of Leildn

To the

and Fgni are called Kith-i-Pesidari.

left of this line of road stands the chapel of

Piri-Saleh, at the foot of Kith-i- K abir.

At a quarter-past nine we passed Guri-

Jaouder, and a small lake between hills in a

most romantic spot, with a IHasanavend en-

campment retlected in its waters, and flocks

of sheep and goats scattered about the slopes

of the mountains, and along the margin of

the lake.

We continued our march along a

hilly country to N. N. W,

At half-past ten we ascended a steep hill

in a direction due north, taking leave of the

valley of the Kherkheh stream, and bidding

likewise farewell to Kidh-i-Kabir, the summit

of which capped in snow remained behind us.

At eleven we commenced the descent into

the plain of Joider.

The sight from the

heights on which we moved was truly mag-

nificent,

The meadow of Joider, watered by

230

TRAVELS IN

the Kdashgdn river, which issues from a rocky

cleft in the mountains, spread its green carpet

under our feet, whilst a terraced wall of three

successive ranges of hills with their number-

less ramifications receded before us to the

north. The foremost of the group are the

Dalijé, after them the Peru-Periz, and, lastly,

the Sefid-Kiah (white hills), with their snowy

summits, towering high and far off, closed

our

visual horizon.

These latter are the

Alvend range of mountains.

A road strikes off from hence straight to

Khorremabad, in direction N.N.E. by N.E.,

over a wild and mountainous region, called

Clidcle-Hil, and passes by Kal'eh-ob-serd, (cold

water fort,) where a few wandering Judaki

families of Nasr-Khan reside.

At three-quarters past eleven we passed by

some ruins, said to represent the site of the

former town of Joider.

At twelve we descended

a sloping declivity along a marshy country

towards

Gri-hoshkz.

Half an hour more

brought us to the spacious meadow of Joider,

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

231

with ruins here and there, and some tents of the

Hasanavends.

So far I had gone nearly over

the same ground which Major Rawlinson had

trodden from Joider to Kal’eh-Riza, on his way

from Zohab to DizfGl; but henceforth begins

the terra incognita, or, at least, a country of

which, to my knowledge, with the exception of

Khorremabad, no particular account has yet

appeared.

After stopping for half an hour, we resumed

our march at one o’clock, and in another half

Here we had

hour reached the Kashgan river.

the same difficulties to encounter as those we

had met with the preceding day.

Ten athletic men from the neighbouring

hamlet came to tender their services, and show

us a passable ford over the river. The Kashgan,

at the spot we had to cross, presented two

charmels, having nearly in the middle of the

stream a long strip of land, or marrow island.

Our new guides, stripped off their clothes, and

uttering loud yells ( Yellah! or Ya-Allah! God

help us!) soon cleared the first channel, we

232

TRAVELS IN

following on horseback ; but when they came

to the second, which was the broader and

deeper channel of the two, they declared it

impossible to cross.

The guides who ventured,

soon got into the deep beyond their reach, and

losing their footing were swiftly carried down

the stream; while others with great difficulty

gained the opposite shore.

At length, however,

by dint of perseverance, they found out a ford,

There was no

although still a very deep one.

time to lose, the water was visibly rising, as is

generally the case after noon with rivers that are

fed by the melting snow in the mountains. My

gulam, seeing the hazardous nature of the enter-

prise, began strongly to remonstrate, observing

that 1 had been committed to his care, and that

he was answerable for my safety.

I plainly

saw, however, that it was more from anxiety for

his own than my safety, and proposed that we

should change parts for the occasion, as in case

of emergency, I could swim, and perhaps help

him, which he probably could not, owing to

his manifest aversion to the watery element.

233

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

After disengaging ourselves, therefore, of part

of our apparel, which we tied on our heads or

kept loosely on the saddle, so as to be less

to the

encumbered

in

swimming

if put

test, we plunged into the rapid stream, and

in safety gained the opposite shore; not so

dry as the Israelites of old, but still, better

off than Pharaoh’s host, since, happily, none

of us were drowned.

Although no visible

miracle was performed on this occasion, I felt

that the hand of Providence was outstretched,

and that it was owing to Divine mercy that we

were preserved.

When the time came to remunerate my Iliyat

guides, for their trouble and exertion, with gold

coin, I found they were ignorant of the value

of that metal, and preferred a few silver sahib-

corans,* which 1 had about me, though greatly

inferior in amount.

This trait reminds us of what Pliny says

about the town of Babytace (on the northern

arm of the Tigris, 135 miles distant from Susa,

* A sahib-coran is rather less than a shilling.

234

TRAVELS IN

and, therefore, not very far from the neigh-

bourhood where we now were), the inhabitants

of which were the only people in the world

who had an aversion for gold, and that to such

a degree that they buried it under-ground, in

order that no one should profit by it.*

At three-quarters past two we resumed our

journey in a northern direction, and at three

crossed another branch of the same river, from

whence we soon arrived, by a narrow and stony

path (having rocks on one side and the bank

of the river on the other), at the magnificent

remains of a bridge over the Kashgan, which

is considerably narrower at this spot than on

the plain, but excessively rapid and deep, being

hemmed in by two projecting rocks.

The

bridge bears the name of Pul-i- Kuréh-Dokhter,

or, the bridge of the youth and damsel, to

which an amorous legend is attached.

It is,

however, the bridge supposed to have been

built by Shapar, son of Ardashir-Babegan,

* See Pliny’s “ Natural History,” translated into French

by Sivry, tom. ii., liv. vii.,, chap. 27, page 803.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

235

or Artaxerxes, the founder of the Sasanian

dynasty.

The rapid current of the river -has under-

mined and swept away the greatest part of it,

notwithstanding the solidity of its construction ;

but still enough remains to testify what a

splendid construction it must have been when

entire, for even the ruins of the two bridges

over the Kurdistan river, near Arrejan, men-

tioned by me in a former part of these notes,

and which Ibn BatGtd describes as the wonder

of the world, can hardly compete with the

massive buttresses still extant of the bridge of

Shapﬁ}'. I am sorry that time would not allow

of my taking a sketch of it, and of the pic-

turesque country around ; but so it is when

travelling in the Kast, and I cannot repeat it

too often.

Something or other always happens

cither to impede our progress or to compel us

to proceed, against our will and inclination.

In the present instance, I was mnot sure of

reaching any of the Iliyat encampments before

dark; and T was warned not to tarry long on

236

TRAVELS IN

the road, and be overtaken by the night in

this lawless and freebooting country of TLu-

ristén.

At half-past four we turned to the N.N, W,

and winding up an easy ascent, came, at five,

to the encampment of Siroser Beni- Yusufvend

of the Silasile tribe, spread in the form of

a fan, at the base of a high hill, and sur-

rounded by a wood of oaks.

A scuffle between my Gulim and an old

Yusufvend, in whose tent I had established

myself, had well-nigh induced me to leave the

encampment and resume my journey, notwith-

standing the night was fast approaching, and

the rain had set in.

I expostulated with my

host, who seemed much incensed against my

conductor, and very vehement in his gesticu-

lations, which is usually the case with these

rough sons of nature, when worked up into

passion, as they are taught no restraint.

I received in answer, that as to myself T

was very welcome, but that he owed a grudge

to that fellow, pointing to my guide; there

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

237

existing, as it appeared, a family feud between

them, of which I was not previously aware.

I declared, however, that as he was in my

service for the time being, I would not allow

a hair of his head to be touched, and that, if

the old gentleman was sincere in his pro-

testations of welcome to me, he must extend

his hospitality to the whole of my little party,

otherwise I would leave him, and thereby

bring shame on his grey hairs; for even the

children of his tribe would point at him as

one who had driven a stranger from his

hearth.

This appeal to his hospitality (a feature so

deeply rooted among the wandering tribes of

The old

the Kast) wrought the desired effect.

sheikh was quickly brought under the influ-

ence of better feelings; a reconciliation took

place, and I spent the rest of the evening very

agreeably, in conversation with the cheerful

old man and some of his aged friends, whom

curiosity had attracted to ilis tent, and hos-

pitality retained.

TRAVELS IN

238

On some of the party expressing surprise

why so few Frengi, or Europeans, visited their

country, I answered that they themselves were

the cause of it, as the only travellers who

had ventured among them had been trea-

cherously murdered.

(These were the two

Englishmen, Captains Grant and Fothering-

ham, of whom Sir John Malcolm speaks in

his « History of Persia,” vol. ii., page 438.)

On this one of the old men present observed,

that he remembered the circumstance perfectly

well,

for he was an eye-witness

of their

execution ;

but then,

added he,

Kelb-Ali-

Khan, by whose order the deed had been

perpetrated, was yaghi, or in open rebellion

against the authority of the Shah.

1 likewise learned from my newly-acquired

Lur friends, that Ridbar, with some ancient

ruins, lies seven or eight farsangs to the west,

and is now known by the name of Ruari Lidlor.

In a corner of our tent, stood a high

wooden frame, at which three of the Iliyat

women were seated a-breast, busily occupied

239

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

in weaving a very handsome carpet of diffe-

rent shades of wool, producing a very com-

I have

plicated pattern from fancy alone.

met with even still greater ingenuity among

the

Turkoman

woImeiIl

to the east of the

Caspian.

February 18.— We left

£

Hasanavend

and moved

acquaintances

at half-past

SiX,

along the banks of the river Kashgan in a

direction N.N. E., till we reached the moun-

tain of Peri-Periz, from whence another road,

stretching to the north, leads to Madian-rid,

by a pass called Tengi-Tili- Kesh.

Proceeding on our journey at half-past seven

there is a turning of the road to N.N.W.,

near which place another joins it, coming

from Joider, along the left bank of the Kash-

gan

The upper course of the river in a

north-eastern direction

18

soon lost

sight

of among the mountains, after receiving an

insignificant rivulet on the right; then the

road winds in a direction N.W. by N. N. W.

At three-quarters past eight we ascended a

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TRAVELS IN

steep hill to the north-west by a zig-zag path,

and in half an hour attained the summit of

it, covered with groves of oak trees, where

we found the atmosphere considerably cooler

than in the valley below.

At ten we left the julgeh or valley of Bidla

to our left, with a stream of water running

through it.

As we proceeded onward, the

mountains of Vézenior- Kuh became visible, rising

on our left, whilst the snowy heights of the

Kabir-Kih behind us became likewise apparent.

After half an hour’s halt, we commenced at

half-past eleven the descent to the camp of

Hajji-Mullah Ahmed, and in the course of

an hour arrived there.

It was situated in the

spacious valley of Madian-ri‘, or Madian-rid,

in Iih-i- Desht.

In Hajji-Mullah Ahmed, by whom I was

cordially greeted, I found an old acquaintance,

for we had met some years

before on the

borders of the Caspian Sea.

Whatever may

be the foibles and vices of the Persians in

general (and where is the mortal who is

241

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

exempt from them), there are likewise many

redeeming qualities in their character, and it

would be ungrateful in me were I not: to

acknowledge that, with very few exceptions, 1

have always met with attention, kindness, and

hospitality from them.

After some hours spent in pleasant chit-chat

with the Hajji, I retired to rest, much fatigued

by the day’s exertions, although I had not

made more than five farsangs.

I learned that, from Madianra to the Sasanian

ruins of Rudbdr, the Lurs reckon ten or twelve

farsangs in a south-western direction.

VOL.

II

R

CHAPTER XXVIIL

Forces of Hajji-Mullah Ahmed in camp.—Defects in the

organization of the Persian regular troops.—Nomadic

life of the Chief of Khorremabdd.—Departure from

MadianrG.—Stop for the night at Haiyat-Gheib.—

Description of the place.— Various roads from Madianra

to Khorremabid.—Desert

of Chale-Hal.—Departure

from Haiydt-Gheib.—Valley of Dilber.—Woody country

inhabited by the Chingfini.—Plain of Khorremabdd.—

Black stone with Cufic inscriptions.—Arrival at Khor-

remabid.—Divan-Khaneh of the KedkhaGda in my apart-

ment.

TrE camp of the Hajji wore quite a military

appearance.

There was the 6th fadj or Regi-

ment of Tebriz, under the command of Jemshid-

Khan; the next regiment, 1200 strong, was

composed of the natives of Luristin, of the

Delfan tribe.

This military force, assembled

to check the turbulence of the mountaineers,

would have proved of little avail to Hajji-

Mullah Ahmed, had the different Lur tribes

been actuated by a spirit of unanimity, for

TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN,

243

there existed very little discipline among his

own troops.

The command of the first-named regiment

was committed to an upstart youth of sixteen,

because his father was patronized by the Prime

Minister.

The youth’s head seemed quite be-

wildered by the adulation of the sycophants

who surrounded him, and therefore little order

could be expected among the soldiery. Hence

the grand failure of the Persian military organiz-

ation; for it is not by regular gradation, or

through personal merit that high stations in the

army are obtained ; it is mostly through court

favour and intrigue.

Another custom likewise

prevails here. As the army is recruited chiefly

from the Nomadic population of the country ;

each tribe in offering its contingent, chooses out

of its own clan a chief to command it; his

nomination, however, requires the sanction of

the Shah.

It often happens that a mere child

is placed at the head of a regiment because his

father rules the tribe; and in many instances

the colonelcy even becomes hereditary.

"2

244

TRAVELS 1IN

I learned from the Hajji that the governors

of Luristan-Kuchik sometimes remain during

the summer at IKhorremabad, and sometimes

spend it on the high table-land, and among the

valleys of the Zagros, where the Iliyats usually

feed their flocks during the hot season.

In

winter they follow them to their germesir, or

winter pastures, and encamp at Kah-Dasht and

Joider, both very spacious plains surrounded by

mountains, with fine grazing grounds, and

plenty of wood.

It is policy which induces the

governors sent by the Shah to rule over Luristan

to follow the movements of the wandering

tribes, in order to keep a watchful eye on them

otherwise they would find it a still heavier

task than it already is, to maintain anything

like order amongst so wild a population.

In consequence of the Moétemid’s letter,

Hajji-Mullah Ahmed supplied me with horses

and a guide to Burujird. I had likewise taken

the precaution, on leaving Teheran, of providing

myself with an order, or ferman from the Shah,

for the governors, and all kedkhidas, or chiefs

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

24

J

of villages, to furnish me with horses, in such

places where no post stations were established.

The following morning, the 19th of February,

I left the camp at a quarter-past eight, a.m.,

under a very heavy rain, and proceeded in a

direction north-east.

At a quarter to nine I

crossed the river of Madianré, the source of

which lies two farsangs to the north; three

farsangs lower down to the south-east it flows

into the Kashgan river.

At a quarter-past

nine we ascended a hill, and went along heights

covered with oak, in a direction due east.

This part of the country of Kah-Déasht is

chiefly inhabited by the Dilfén tribe and the

Azad-Bahkti, who belong to the sect of the

Ali-Tlahi, or the worshippers of Ali, whom they

recognise as one of the incarnations of the

Deity.

At a quarter-past eleven we mounted another

hill, and soon came down to the bed of a rivulet

full of cascades.

After two hours’ march,

we turned to the south-east, and crossed several

times another insignificant stream, the Kaliab,

246

TRAVELS IN

which proceeds from Kht-Dasht, close to the

Imam-Zadeh of Daoud-Resh.

At a quarter-past

two we arrived at the village of Hayat-Gheib

with a Piri, or Imam-Zadeh of the same name,

a stone building, with a medresseh, or college,

The village is

in a very dilapidated state.

inhabited by the Kulivend of the Silasile tribe,

consisting chiefly of Seyids, or descendants of

the Prophet; and therefore nothing was to be

procured for ourselves or our -cattle.

The

dwellings are partly thatched with reeds, partly

covered with coarse cloth of goats’ hair, a

strange mixture of settled and camp life, but

retaining

only the

disadvantages of both.

The river Kashgémn flows close to this village.

From the camps of Madianra three roads lead

to Khorremabad.

The first, to the north, crosses the Pil, or

bridge of Kashgan, over the river of the same

name.

The second leads over Hayat-Gheib, where

the Kashgan river can be forded; and

The third, to the south of the latter, is

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

247

said to

pass,

by a mnatural bridge, over

the same river at a place called Pul-i-Kali-

Hurt.

Between Pul-i-Kali-Hurt and Pul-i-Kuréh-

Dolkhter, or the bridge of Shapir, are the ruins

of a town, which among the Lurs goes by the

name of S}aehr-i-Lut, or the town of Lot. It

This is

is situated in the desert of Chulé-Hul.

not, however, the only spot where the Persians

suppose that the remains of such a town are

to be seen.

In the Great Salt desert beyond

Kum it is also sought for.

Chulé-Hul is an extensive tract of country,

partly barren, partly covered with oak.

It is

only partially inhabited in winter;

but in

summer it is perfectly desolate, being nearly

destitute of water.

February 90.—On leaving Hayat-Gheib the

next morning at a quarter-past six, we forded

the river Kashgan, and immediately’ rose by

a serpentine, and in many parts, difficult

ascent, until we reached, at a quarter-past

seven, the summit of the Bogheld hill, at the foot

e

248

TRAVELS IN

of which the beautiful valley of Dilbér spreads

its green carpet.

The Persians themselves

seem aware of the loveliness of the spot, as

the word Dil-bér means captivating the heatt.

The river Khorremab4d flows through it, and

empties itself into the Kashgan, which comes

from the north-east, and runs impetuously

through a narrow pass in the mountains before

it re-appears at Hayat-Gheib.

The extremities of the black and craggy

hills of Yaftah, at the foot of which stands

the town of Khorremabad, shoot in an eastern

direction.

On turning round, I found the

hill T had passed the preceding day bearing

to the west, and behind it, inclining to the

south-west, the position of the camp of Hajji-

Mullah Ahmed was pointed out to me, although

it was itself hid from my sight.

This hill is

called Kinrét Shirab, and is partly covered with

SNow.

The Sefid-Kih, or snowy hills which con-

stitute the great chain of the Alvend, stretch

from north-west to south-east; but between

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

249

them and the heights on which I moved extends

the Yaftah-Kiuh range.

I now gradually descended, and passed

through a woody and uneven country, which,

however, must be a beautiful spot in spring and

autumn, until T reached, at a quarter to eleven,

the river Ob-i-tel, running from S.S.E., and

discharging its waters into the river of Khor-

remabad.

At eleven I stopped at the village of Chingini,

situated on a rising ground, and consisting of a

few hovels, similar to many other hamlets which

I saw scattered about this woody district, which

goes by the name of Sahrai Chingoi.

The Chingtni people looked very miserable,

and complained of being much oppressed.

They appear to be aliens in these parts, though

I could not make out from whence they origi-

May they not be of the gipsy

nally came.

race ?

After stopping here half an hour 1

resumed my journey.

At a quarter to twelve we crossed the river

Shiir-ob, which likewise falls into the river Khor-

250

TRAVELS 1IN

remabéad.

And at

half-past twelve I fell

into the main road,

leading straight from

Joider over

Chule-H#l, in a direction from

south-west to east, while to the south-east, on

the brow of the mountain, is seen the tomb

of Piri-Shahin-Shah, close to the road coming

from Kil-ob and Dizfal to Khorremabad, the

one by which Major Rawlinson returned from

Khtzistan to Kermanshah, and very probably

the same traversed by the retreating army of

Antigonus after his discomfiture by Fumenes.*

I

I shall now note down some villages

passed on the plain of Khorremabad, before I

entered the town.

At a-quarter-past one, the village of Chamo-

kirdth, situated on both sides of the river

Khorremabad, the town of the same name

becoming visible to E.N.E.

At half-past one, the rivulet of Bedrabad,

and, to the left, the village of Jaldan, the pro-

* See Diod. Sic., translated by Miot, vol. vi., lib. xix.,

chap. 19, page 42.

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LURISTAN

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perty of Seyd-Azis, lying on the opposite shore

of Khorremabéd river.

At threc-quarters past one, to the right, the

village of Piri-Bozar, a little further, that of

Musim and Masid.

At two o'clock, to the left on the opposite

shore, the village of Ghileveran stretched at

the foot of the Yaftah Kith.

At a-quarter past two, a bridge and ruins of a

town, with a mutilated minar, and close to it

the remains of some extensive buildings.

I thus minutely note down these different

places, however insignificant they may be,

because the plain of Khorremabad is not

much known, and Furopean travellers seldom

venture in this direction.

A short distance from the ruins first men-

tioned, close to the high road, at the foot

of a hill, is a four-cornered black stone with

Cufic inscriptions on each face of it.

Before entering the town of Khorremabad

(which is nearly opposite to it on the right

bank of the river), I stopped to take a copy,

252

TRAVELS IN

and it was not until it became dusk, that T

left the spot, without being able to finish the

task to my satisfaction, the characters being

materially damaged by time.

As Khorremabad lies on the right banks of

the river, I had to cross a low stone bridge,

close to which is a cypress grove.

No lodgings

having been secured before my arrival, T was

first taken into the fort (situated on the top of

an isolated rock) by a very steep path. Here

no spare room was to be found, and I had to

retrace my steps down again.

Atlast a room was

procured in the house of one of the kedkhtdas

of the town, who had been charged with the

administration of it during the absence of

Hajji-Mullah Ahmed; but

scarcely had I

taken possession of my apartment before it was

filled by the Lurs who had followed the master

of the house, .and established themselves com-

fortably round the walls.

For several hours

I was

doomed

to

answer the

inquisitive

kedkhtida and

his

company.

After

that

a

Divan Khanéh,

or

court

of

regular

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

253

justice was established in the same room.

Crowds pressed in and out; complaints were

lodged ; differences were settled ; appeals were

heard. At length my patience was exhausted,

and I thought it my turn also to appeal to

my host, who sat in judgment there.

I told

him I felt much edified by the distribution of

justice at his ‘tribunal ; but nevertheless, as it

was waxing late, and I had to rise early the

next day, I hoped he would not take it amiss

if T were to retire into my bed-room. The

audience hall being destined for that purpose,

my host took the hint, and one by one the

company made

their exit, to my no small

relief.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Description of Khorremabid.—Trade of the

town.—

Garden of Cypresses.—Superstitious belief attached to

them.—Xhorremab4d destroyed by Timr.—For some

time in‘ possession of the Pasha of Bagdad.— Black

monolite with Cufic inscriptions.—Departure from Khor-

remabdd.—Arrival at the village of Resh.—Mode of

baking bread.—Stability of Eastern customs.—Passage

over the high chain of the Alvend.— Arrival at Bari-

jird.

I smarn take the liberty to extract here from

Rawlinson’s

notes,

Major

already so often

quoted, the passage which gives a faithful

account of the town of Khorremabad :—

“ Khorremabad,” says the author, “is a

singular place, a range of rocky }1ills stretching

across the plain, in the usual direction of north-

west and south-east, has been suddenly broken

off to admit the passage of the river for the

space of about three quarters of a mile, leaving,

in the centre of the open space,

a solitary

in circum-

rock mnearly a

thousand yards

255

TRAVELS IN LUﬁlS’l‘AN AND ARABISTAN.

ference ; the rock is very steep, and near

This

its summit is a most copious spring.

is the fort of Khorremabad.

It is surrounded

by a double wall at the base, and the summit,

where the palace is built, is also very strongly

defended. The palace, which was erected by

Muhammed Ali-Mirza,

18

a very elegant

building.

A magnificent reservoir, sixty yards

by forty, which is fed by the spring, has

been formed within it, and there is also a

garden of some extent. The fort contains ex-

clusively the palace and its depending buildings.

“ The modern town, which is small, con-

taining not more than one thousand houses,

is built below the fort upon its south-western

face.

The river,

a broad shallow stream,

passes along to the south-east of the fort and

town ;

the banks are covered with gardens,

and among them are to be seen the remains

of the old town, the capital of the Atabegs

of Luri Ktachtk.”*

* These are the ruins, mentioned in the preceding

chapter, on the left bank of the river.

B

256

TRAVELS IN

In offering here a sketch I drew of the

town and environs, I may add to the above

description,

that

Khorremabad has

four

mosques, eight public baths, and a separate

quarter assigned for the Jews, the number of

whose houses may average from forty to fifty.

The fort is defended by six cannons, which

have been there since the time of Muhammed

Ali-Mirza,

and were not removed,

as the

greater part of the guns were, from

the

different Persian towns, by order of Muhammed

Shah, soon after his accession to the throne,

to be concentrated in the capital.

It was a

precautionary measure, at a time when the

newly-established Government was not sure

whether it could rely on the fidelity of the

provincial towns of the empire.

The heights of Yaftah Kih, frowning over

Khorremabad, are surmounted by a tower, in

which two brass cannons are placed, commanding

the town below.

Khorremabad carries on a trade in chabuks

for pipes; in otter-skins, as this animal is found

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KHORREMABAD CHIEF TOWN IN LURISTAN KUCHUOK.

London Published by J. Madden &C°

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

5

1

in all the rivers of Luristan and Kurdistan ;

in the juice of the pomegranate, the produce

of its gardens, where fine grapes likewise

grow.

On the left side of the river is a spacious

garden with rows of splendid cypress-trees.

There exists a current belief among the super-

that

these

are

stitious

Persians,

cypresses

endowed with a supernatural power.

They

say, that on a certain day in the year, namely,

on the 10th of Moharem (which is the ruz-i-katl,

or the day when their holy Imam-Hasan, son

of Ali, was slain by the orders of Yezid, and

at the time when the faithful Shia-Mussulmans

are bewailing his fate), these trees begin to

be agitated and tremble all over, however

calm the air, and without any external cause

to produce their shaking.

It is unnecessary to dwell on the supposed

antiquity of Khorremabad, or on its probable

ancient appellation.

Those who are interested

in the subject are referred to the valuable

notes of Major Rawlinson.

VOL. 1I.

S

258

TRAVELS IN

In comparatively modern times we find men-

tion of the name of Khorremabad in oriental

authors,

about the close of the fourteenth

century, namely, in 1386, Sheref-u-din, the

annalist of Amir Timar’'s campaigns, writes,

that this conqueror, in order to chastise the

Lurs for the assaults

committed by them

on Mussulman pilgrims, took posscssion of

Khorremabad,

and

levelled

1t

with

the

ground.*

It appears, however, that either the town

soon rose from its ashes, or was not totally

destroyed, for we find that eight years later

(in 1394) TimaGr marched once more into the

provinces of Luristan and Khuzistan, and made

himself master of Marvan, Kion, and Kkorrema-

bad,t .

During the Afgh4an sway over part of Persia,

the Pasha of Bagdad took possession for a

time of this town, which he found empty, the

* See De Guigne’s ¢ Histoire Genérale des Huns,”

tom. iv., p. 22.

t Ibid, p. 33,

259

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

inhabitants having left it, after their Vali, Al

Merdan-Khan, had retired to Khuzistan, at

the approach of the Turks. *

the

next

Before

resuming my journey

morning, I returned to the monument with

the Cufic inscription, in order to finish, as

well as I could, the copy of them.

I do not

know how far these copies can be deciphered

by those who read the Cufic character, owing

to the great difficulty I found in making out

the letters.

This monolite, measuring twelve spans in

and

eleven

11

height, thirteen

in length,

breadth, must have been extracted from

a

quarry in the neighbourhood, as the nature

and colour of the stone resemble the strata of

which the surrounding mountains are formed.

It is not so black, nor is the grain so fine,

as the Persepolitan stone, though it partici-

pates, I believe, in the same nature, being

t See Jonas Hanway'’s ¢ Account of the British Trade

over the Caspian Sea,” &c., vol. ii,, part X., p. 238, London

edition, 1764.

s 2

260

TRAVELS IN

a formation of limestone with the presence of

carbon. *

The northern face of the stone contains four

lines; on the first or uppermost the letters

appear to be more ornamented than on the

other parts of the stone.

Under the inscrip-

tion are some strange characters, with sharp

edges, but greatly defaced.

They represent,

perhaps, the date of the inscription.

The tablet on the western side consists of

six lines, that to the south of five, and the one

to the east of only four; but they extend nearly

The lower lines

are so

the whole length.

close to the ground that I was obliged to lie

down to copy them.

I was told by my guide, as a fact known to

the

inhabitants

of Khorremabad,

that this

monument stands on a raised platform, con-

sisting of seven steps (like those of Mirgab),

but ¢hat, in the course of time, the lower part

has been covered with earth, swept from the

* See Mr. Ainsworth’s © Researches in Assyria, Babylon,

and Chaldea,” p. 234.

LURISTAN

AND

ARABISTAN.

261

mountains ; a circumstance which can easily be

admitted from what we see at Persepolis, where

a deep crust of earth now hides from the

inquisitive eye many a curious relic of antiquity

in that magnificent pile of buildings.

roads lead from Khorremabad to

Several

Bargjird ; but at this season of the year great

obstacles to travellers present themselves on

account

of the

deep

sSnow

which

cover

the valleys and the high range of mountains

separating Luristan from Irak-Ajem; although

the distance in a straight line does not exceed

twelve or thirteen farsangs.

The general direction of the road is north-

east, with a few deviations of the compass.

My first day’s march took me through a

hilly country, intersected by valleys, of which

Hiru is the most spacious.

I crossed thrice the river of Khorremabad ;

the first time on leaving the town, the next

not far from it to the east,—both times over

stone bridges,—and the third in the plain of

Nemekelan, separated from IHtru by a narrow

26

9

~

TRAVELS IN

belt of the R#mili hills.

I found on the road

some crumbling remnants of a wall, called

the

Turkish wall,

and said to have been

erected by the Turks during the distracted

state into which Persia was thrown

in the

last century by the Afghans.

The rain accom-

panied us until our halt for the night, in one

of the miserable hovels of the village of Resh,

situated on the banks of the Khoshki-rit,* which

falls into the Kashgan river.

We had now quitted the wooded part of

Luristan, and the fuel allotted for my con-

sumption consisted of dried manure, fashioned

into cylindrical cakes, such as are used in

many parts of Irak, where wood is scarce.

In burning it emits a thick smoke, but the cakes

have the advantage of retaining the heat for a

long time.

The hut had no chimney; a round hole in

the middle of the room served in lieu thereof,

into which the kiziks (as these cakes are called)

were introduced; and as the door could not be

* Khoshki-r(, or rd, meaning a dry river.

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

263

kept open, because of the bleak weather, the

smoke first visited all the corners of the room

before it found vent through the aperture in

the ceiling. When the kiziks had burnt out,

leaving hot coals at the bottom of the pit, and

its sides well heated, the wife of my host, a poor

woman all in rags, came to bake bread in it.

She first took a piece of the kneaded paste, and,

spreading it into a thin leaf in the palm of her

hand, in the form of a pancake, applied the paste

against the inner walls of the oven, first baking

one side then the other.

The Iliyat women like-

wise bake their bread on the hearth. This mode

of preparation carries us back to the days of

Abraham, when he treated the three strange

guests in his tents.

« And Abraham hastened into the tent unto

Sarah, and said, Make ready quick three mea-

sures of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes

upon the hearth.” (Genesis xviii. 7.)

The traveller wandering in the Fast meets at

every step with some illustration of what is written

in the holy Scriptures; and passages which

264

TRAVELS IN

formerly may have puzzled, now strike him by

their fidelity to nature.

The customs and

manners of these pastoral tribes have remained

the same, or have undergone few alterations,

since the commencement of the world; because

they are founded not on the fictitious, but on the

real wants of man, and are in harmony with

the nature of the country they occupy.

The meal cakes were quickly baked, and the

housewife performed her task very ably, twisting

them in her hands, as she took them hot out of

‘When

the oven, without burning her fingers.

this part of the ceremony was over, the next

difficulty was that of eating the cakes; for,

however great was my hunger, I had to over-

come my reluctance to swallow them, having

been witness of the whole manipulation, and

(entre mous soit dit) the hands of the swarthy

dame were not of the cleanest.

On waking the next morning we found that

the rain had changed into snow, and it was

doubted whether we could succeed that day

in crossing the high chain.

However, eight

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

265

stout peasants were procured to lead the way,

by treading the snow under-foot, and thus

opening a path for the horses, there being no

road.

Fortunately for us the weather cleared up

as we were ascending the mountains; but the

difficulties and the fatigues we had to encounter

during our progress beggar all description.

Notwithstanding the efforts of the men to pre-

pare a beaten track, the snow was not suffi-

ciently solid, and it was so deep that the horses

were continually sinking up to their girths,

still unable to arrive at any solid footing.

There was no possibility of keeping one’s saddle,

so our party dismounted, each leading his horse ;

man and beast were continually stumbling,

falling, sinking, and plunging, in order to

extricate themselves from this abyss of snow.

The country around presented one uniform

white sheet, not spread over an even surface,

but over one upon which the convulsions of

nature had been most busy, and where they

had left indelible traces of their passage.

It

TRAVELS IN

266

was the lofty chain of Alvend. Mountains

overhung mountains, behind which still higher

mountains reared their heads, the whole group

clad in the same silvery mantle.

It was a chilling sight to look at these regions

of eternal snow and ice, and yet our party was

far from feeling cold.

The perspiration ran

down our faces, while a column of steam rose

from our panting horses, and the white foam

from under the saddles showed plainly how

strenuous were their exertions.

‘When a school-boy, I had read with interest

the march of Hannibal across the Alps and the

Appennines ; in later years I had followed with

no less anxiety, Napoleon over Mount Cenis,

but

Mount St. Bernard, and the Simplon ;

however faithful the narratives of their annalists

may be, my imagination had fallen short of the

severe hardships their armies had to encounter

until personal experience taught me their full

extent.

On arriving at the summit of a hill, my

rustic companions announced that the greatest

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

267

difficulties had been overcome, and as my

guide from Madianr was acquainted with the

country, they begged leave to return home.

A

few ducats made them very happy; with light

hearts they retraced their steps, while we pro-

ceeded along the crest of the hill where the

snow was less deep, but still without the least

vestige of a road.

The wind in these elevated

regions was so strong that we ran the risk of

being swept down.

The descent into a glen

soon sheltered us from the bleakness of the

weather, but the slope of the hill was so preci-

pitous that had it not been for the snow which

covered the face of the rock, and into which our

feet and the horses’ hoofs sunk as we advanced,

we never could have attempted it.

On issuing out of the glen we came, not like

the Carthaginians of old, into the lovely plains

of Lombardy, but into a valley watered by a

mountain stream, and stopped at the village of

Bizihdl, in which a colony of Lars are settled.

Here we rested awhile, partook of some refresh-

ment, and then continued our road across a

268 TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

secondary range of mountains of a clayey and

chalky nature.

On leaving them we descended into the plain

of Burtjird, studded with villages, and having

plenty of pasture ground. On approaching the

town the gardens increased in number and size;

we only entered the gates of Bardjird after

sunset. The distance from the preceding night's

halting-place may be reckoned about eight

farsangs, although my fatigue and the intricacy

of the road prevented me from keeping a

minute account of the day’s march.

CHAPTER XXIX.

« Property is there the creature of power and not of

law, and possession forms no security where plunder is the

preferable right.” — Dr. Keith, Of the Evidence of the Truth

of the Christian Religion.

Description of Luristén-Kuchtik.—Limits.—Pish-kuh and

Pusht-i-kuh.—The Alvend and Taughi-Girrah chains of

mountains.—Reasons for considering the former the

loftiest of the two.— Parallel system of the mountain-

ridges

observable

in the Zagros

chain.—Rivers.—

Luristédn-Kuchtk anciently inhabited by the Cosswans.—

Traversed by Antigonus.—Later by the Arabs.—Timur’s

expedition into Luristdn during the reign of the Atabegs.

—The Valis of Luristin, Gurjistdn, Kurdistdn, and

Arabistin.—Conduct of the Vali of Luristin during the

Afghén invasion into Persia.—Recent intrigues among

the members of that family.—Division of the tribes of

Silasilé.—

Luristdn-Kuchak.—Pishi-kth tribes.—The

The

Dilftins.—The

>Amaldh.—The Bald-Gheriveh.—

The Pusht-kth tribes.—The Feili, &c.—Taxation.—

Produce of the country.—Character, religion, and cus-

toms of the Lurs.—Burning incense at the approach of

270

TRAVELS IN

a guest.—A similar custom mentioned in Ferdausi's

¢ Shah-nameh” as existing among Arabs in the early

ages of the world.

Luristan-Kvucuuk is bounded on the north

by Burgjird and Kermanshah ; the river Dizfal

separates it on the east from the Bakhtiyari of

Luristan-Buzurg, but the boundary line on the

south and west is much more uncertain, as the

in their winter

Lurish tribes,

migrations,

disperse with their flocks over the plains of

Dizfal, lying to the southward of their moun-

tains, and meet with the wandering Arabs on

the Turkish frontier on the west in the vast

Assyrian plains.

Luristan-Kuchik has two principal divisions,

Luristan Pish-Kuh, and Luristan Pusht-i- Kuh,

or Cis and Transalpine Luristan. The former

lies east, and the latter west, of the great Zagros

chain.

The town of Khorremabad, the chief place

of Luristan-Kuchik, is situated in Pish-Kih,

which has likewise many villages, whose inha-

bitants lead a sedentary life, whilst those of

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

271

Pusht-i-KGh have no other habitations than

their black tents, and wander from place to

place.

Luristan is, perhaps, one of the most hilly

countries in the Persian dominions, not except-

ing Kurdistan.

Independently of the great

chain which proceeds from the pass of Taughi-

Girrah and separates Pish-Kah from Pusht-i-

Kuh, there is another lofty range of mountains

to the north-east, projecting from the Alvend,

and whiQh, passing between Khorremabad and

Burajird, follows, like the former, a south-

easterly direction.

It is at the northern foot of this latter

range, which may be called the Alvend range,

that the valleys of Silahar, Jopelag, and Ferei-

dan extend, as noticed in chapter xix.

The mountain-chain proceeding from Taughi-

Girrah, and known by the name of Zagros, is

generally looked upon as the principal range

which extends from Kurdistan to the shores

of the Persian Gulf.

But if we derive our

reasons for assigning a principal place to moun-

212

TRAVELS IN

tains from their altitude, the chain of the A/vend

(the Orontes of the ancients), which runs in

the

same direction,

ought to have prece-

dence,

inasmuch as it is the loftiest of the

two

There we likewise meet with the highest

points, such as Alvend, near Hamadan, Ushti-

rim-kuh, near Barajird, Zardeh-kith, not far

from Isfahén, and the mountainous country of

Ardekén, in Fars.

I am ignorant of the actual

relative heights of these two chains ; the reasons,

however, on which I found my supposition as

to the greater altitude of the Alvend are the

following :—

On crossing the mountains from Khorremabad

to Buarajird, I found them covered with very

deep snow,

not only on the

heights, but

descending the face of the mountains to a con-

siderable extent, whilst on those which I passed

at Keilin and Joider a few days previous, I

found none, or hardly any snow, excepting to

the west of the line of road, and a few patches

on the summits of the Kabir-kih, although

this was in winter, in the month of February.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

213

In the second place, several of the great rivers

which flow through Luristan have their source

in the Alvend range, and not the Taughi-Girrah,

such as the Dizftl river, and the Kashgan, while

the main branch of the Kerkheh, the Kara-Si

river, takes its rise in the Kurdish mountains, still

more to the north.

The Karen and the Jerahi,

or Tab river have likewise their source in the

same chain which constitutes the continuation of

the Alvend.

The declivity of the country from mnorth to

south is very perceptible, and may easily be

ascertained by the rapid current of the rivers

which run in that direction,

Lastly, the difference in the clbiwsitie.sins

likewise very sensible, and T might compare this

change of atmosphere between the Alvend and

the Taughi-Girrah, with what I felt in the ter-

raced heights of Fars, between Kutel-i-Piri-

Zen, and Kitel-i-Dokhter.

In the system of the Zagros (using the word

in its extensive meaning) there exists a parallel

succession of mountain chains, of which the

VOIL

IT

T

274

TRAVELS IN

Alvend forms the spine, while

the others

gradually lower as they recede to the north and

to the south of this principal chain.

The Alvend as well as the Taughi chain,

branches out in various directions, which consti-

tates Luristan a perfect net-work of mountains,

intersected by valleys, and watered by some

considerable rivers.

These latter are the fol-

lowing:—

The Dizfil river, or Diz, which takes its

rise near Burajird.

It is formed by the junction

of two mountain-streams, after which it preci-

pitates its waters through a very rugged and

hilly country till it enters on the plains of Dizfal.

Here, having passed through the town of the

same name, and approached the ruins of Shush,

it turns abruptly to the south-east, and joins

the Kuren at Bendi-kir.

The Balarid is a tributary of the Dizf(l river

on its right, as well as the Shapir, or Shéver

river, both of which run close by the ruins of

ancient Susa.

The Kerkheh is formed of several consider-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

275

able streams which have their different sources

m

the

provinces

of Nehovénd, Hamadan,

and Persian

Kurdistan,

or

Kermanshah,

Ardelan.*

This river likewise assumes different

names in the different places through which

it flows;

thus,

in Kermanshah it is known

under the appellation of Karast ; lower down

it is the Gamasab; and near the ruins of Shtsh

it bears the name of Kerkheh.

Its principal

confluents in Luristan are the Kashgan (with

its tributary the Khorremabad river) and the

* In the year 1837 I visited the principal source of the

Kara-su where there is a small town built at the very foot of

the mountain, out of which the waters of the Kara-sii rush

with impetuosity from the apertures of the hill between its

The volume of water is so considerable,

different strata.

that just below the town all the streams from the different

streets join, and form a very respectable river, which, under

flows along the plain before it enters

the name of Kara-su,

that of Mahidasht, near Kermanshah.

I regret that I am unable to produce at present a sketch

map of the course of the different rivers of Kurdistan

direction of the mountain

and Luristdn, together with the

chains, which were drawn for my information by the united

kindness of several of my Kurdish friends.

)

276

TRAVELS IN

Ob-i-Zal, both very rapid streams, which cut

through the mountains of Pish-Kuh.

Luristan has always been looked upon as one

of the most unruly provinces of Persia.

The

mountainous nature of the country, its distance

from the seat of Government, its vicinity to the

Turkish frontier, and, above all, the wild cha-

racter of its inhabitants, have rendered the

authority of the Persian sovereigns at all times

very precarious.

Among other instructions

which Mangi-

Khan gave to his brother Hulagit, on sending

him to govern Iran, was that of exterminating

the Lurs and Kirds on account of their plun-

dering on the high roads.*

In ancient times we find that Luristan-

Kuchik was inhabited by the Coss@ans, and

they were at that time already described as wild

and plundering mountaineers by Strabo, Arrian,

Q. Curtius, and Diodorus.

I feel more inclined to embrace the opinion of

#* See in Collection Orientale—Raschid-el-Din’s « Histoire

des Mogols de la Perse,” tr. par Quatremére, tom. i., p. 143.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

277

Major Rawlinson, who thinks that Antigonus

passed throngh this part of the country after

the defeat of his army by Eumenes,* than to

follow the routes which the Rev. F. Williams

has traced out for him in his ingenious researches

on the probable site of Ecbatana;+ but it

would be foreign to our subject to discuss that

point.

But this is not the only instance in which Lu-

ristan has been visited by invading armies. At the

commencement of the Arab conquest of Persia,

we read that the Basori (Boseri) Arabs, who had

established themselves in Ahvaz, entered Media

under the command of Noman Ibn-Makran,

who marched from Khazistin up the Kerah

(the Kerkheh), and defeated the Persian army

at Nehavend; whereas another Arab Chief,

named Ibn-Abdallah, had not been able to

* See “ Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,”

vol. ix. p. 91.

t See the Rev. F. Williams’s “ Two Essays on the Geo-

graphy of ancient Asia,” 1829, p. 45 and the following.

218

TRAVELS IN

succeed in forcing the passage across Mount

Zagros, at Taughi-Girrah.*

In Mirkhond’s “ History of the Sultans of

the Bayah Dynasty,” we find that Merdawidj,

with the help of Abu-Shija, the Deilemite,

joined Luristan to the other possessions which

he had wrested from Macan, Prince of the

Samanian family ;

but it appears that this

province did not remain long in his posses-

sion, for soon 'after, the sons of Buyah or

Abu-Shuja forced Merdawidj to content him-

self with Ghilan and Deilem,

whilst they

became masters of the southern and western

and

provinces

of Persia,

supplanted

the

Samanian dynasty at the Court of the Caliphs

of Bagdad.|

From the eleventh to the end of the six-

teenth century, Luristan was governed by its

* See page 236 of the Rev. T. Williams’s « Essay on the

Geography of the Anabasis,” where he quotes Golius,

p- 226.

t See Mirkhond’s ¢ History of the Sultans of the Buyah

Race,” tr. by Fred. Wilken.

2719

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

own Atabegs, of the dynasty of the K hivrshids,

but so little is known, that any information

about them

is uncertain.

D’Herbelot in his

¢ Bibliothéque Orientale” actually makes no

mention of this dynasty.

We learn from Timar's military expedition

into

Persia,

that

this

conqueror

marched

against Luristdn, in order to punish its in-

habitants for plundering caravans passing to

and from Mecca.

The passage we allude to

in De Guigne’s « History of the Teymurids,”

runs thus:—

“In 1386, Timur having assembled his whole

army, crossed the Gihon and proceeded to

Féruz-kah, from whence, at the head

of a

body of troops, he marched against Azeddin,

King of the ZLor country (more correctly

Lur), who, with his subjects, committed great

outrages against the Mussulmans, and had plun-

Timir proceeded

dered a caravan from Mecca.

in haste towards Loristdn (Luristan), took pos-

session of Buroudjird (Birdjird), and Khor-

the

robbers

had

remabad,

to

which

place

280

TRAVELS IN

retired.

He destroyed this latter town, and

had a great number of them precipitated from

the summit of the mountains.

After con-

quering this country, Timir joined his main

force in the plain of Nehovend,” &c.*

In the sixteenth century, Shah Abbas the

Great, who introduced so many innovations into

Persia, abolished the title of Atabeg in Luris-

tan-Kichtk, and conferred that of Vali on the

chief of this province, which denomination has

been retained ever since by the descendants of

Husein Khan, the

first who received that

title.

We have already mentioned,

on a

previous occasion, that there existed formerly

four Valis, who were reckoned the chief vassals

of the Shah, and had a right to sit in his

presence.

They were, the Vali of Gurjistin

or Georgia; the Vali of Kurdistan or Ardelan ;

the Vali of Luristdn; and the Vali of Arabistin

or Havizaa.

Of these tributary princes, two

only,

namely,

the Vali

of Kurdistin and

* See De Guigne’s “ Histoire Générale des IHuns,”

tom. iv., lib. xx., page 22.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

281

Taristin, have retained their titles, although

they do not possess any longer that degree

of independence which they formerly enjoyed.

I believe the last Vali of Arabistin, mentioned

18

the ome who treacherously

11

history,

betrayed into the hands of the Afghans the

crown of Shah Sultan Husein, that unfortunate

Prince of the

Séfevi

dynasty.

As to the

Valis of Gurjistan, weakened by the bloody

invasion of Aga Muhammed-Khan,

in the

latter end of the eighteenth century, and

unable to resist the incessant attacks of the

Turks and Persians, as well as their other

inveterate enemies the Mussulman tribes of the

Caucasus, they gave themselves up to Russia,

to which they were already linked by the tie

of the same religious faith.

At the time of the Afghan invasion of

Persia, the Vali of Luristan re-appears on the

stage of history in a very favourable light.

Previous to that event, Ali Merdan-Khan, the

Vali in question, had been banished to Kerman

through some court intrigue, and his younger

282

TRAVELS IN

brother was named Vali in his stead; but

when the Afghans laid siege to Isfahén, Shah

Sultan Husein, aware of the great abilities of

this nobleman, re-called and named him Com-

mander-in-Chief of all the Persian forces, who

were to assemble at Ihdnsar; and Persia at

that critical moment might still have been

delivered from the enemy, had not the Gover-

nors of the provinces sacrificed the welfare of

the State to their personal pride, by refusing

to serve under a Turish Chief,

Single handed, Ali Merdan-Khan still con-

tinued to show his zeal and devotion in his

country’s cause; he found means to collect a

great store of provisions for the besieged inha-

bitants of Isfahan, who were already suffering

the horrors of famine; and was on the point

of introducing these stores into the city, at

the head of 6,000 of his Lur vassals, when his

young brother, jealous of the glory which the Vali

would reap from such an achievement, thwarted

his

designs.

Profiting by the momentary

absence of Ali Merdan-Khan, he rashly attacked

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

283

the Afghans with his Lur troops, was routed,

3,000 of his men killed, and the rest put to

flight.

We find, at a later period,

though still

during the Afghan dominion over Persia, that

the Vali of Luristin, unable to resist the pro-

gress of the Turks, who were making inroads

on the western provinces of Irén, retreated

for a time to Khuzistin with 15,000 men,

while Ahmed-Pasha, of Bagdad, entered Luris-

tan, and took possession of Khorremab4d. In

order, however, to draw the Turkish army out

of his country, the Vali, with the Khans of

Ahvaz and Shishter, invaded the territory of

Bagdad, and by this able manceuvre, forced

Ahmed-Pasha to retrace his steps and evacuate

Luristan.*

During the lifetime of Muhammed-Ali Mirza,

son

of Fet’h-Ali-Shah,

Kermanshah, with

Turistan, were under his dominion, and as

he was a man of great energy, order was

* See Jonas Hanway’s ¢ Account of the British Trade

over the Caspian,” &e., vol. ii., p. 238.

284

TRAVELS IN

in these

maintained

provinces.

But

after

his death, Luristan returned to a state of

insubordination, and great disorders were com-

mitted.

Hasan-Khan Feili, the representative

of the Vali family, would not recognise his

allegiance to the Shah, and, for a considerable

time, acted as an independent Chief.

The

Persian Government, like all feeble states when

they cannot enforce their authority, strove by

intrigue to weaken the power of the Vali, by

sowing the seeds of contention among the

members of his family.

A misunderstanding

took place between Hasan-Khan and his sons

in consequence of a letter which the late

Governor of Luristan, Mirza Buzirg, is said

to have forged under the hand-writing of Ali-

Khan, the eldest son of the Vali, addressed

to his younger brother, Ahmed-Khan, in which

he engaged the latter to enter into a con-

This letter was

spiracy against their father.

intentionally dropped in the tent of the old

man, who, on learning the contents, had his

sons immediately secured. Ali-Khan and Ah-

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

285

med-Khan soon found means to escape, and

sought protection with Mirza Buzirg, who

espoused their cause.

A contest ensued, the

consequence of which was, thdt the old Vali

was forced to fly towards the Arabs of the

desert.

A reconciliation was afterwards brought

about between the father and the sons, and

during his life Hasan-Khan continued in Pushti-

Kiah to defy the Persian authorities.

Since his

death the sons have disagreed with each other.

The pretensions of Heider-Ali-Khan, the third

son of the Vali, to inherit the title of his

father, are upheld by the representatives of the

Shah in Luristan, while the elder brothers,

Ali-Khan and Ahmed-Khan have taken refuge

with

the

Assyrian Arabs on the Turkish

frontier.

A short time before I visited Luristan-K-

chiik, the country was in a perfect uproar; all

the Nomads were in a state of excitement ;

and it was only the report of the near approach

of the Moétemid, the Governor-Greneral, with

a military force and a train of artillery, which

286

TRAVELS IN

kept them somewhat in awe.

The arrival,

likewise, of a few regiments of regular troops,

allowed Hajji-Mullah Ahmed (the Deputy of

the Moétemid in Luristin,) to seize on six or

seven Tushmals, or petty chiefs of the Lurs,

who were held as pledges for the regular pay-

ment of the Government assessments.

We have

seen

that Luristan-Kachuk

15

divided into Pish-Kuh and Pushti-Kuh.

The principal tribes who occupy the former

are the following :—

1. The Silasilé,

} Lék tribes.

2. The Dilfan,

3. The Amalah,

4. The Bala Gheriveh,

} Lar tribes.

Fach

of these tribes has

its subdivisions,

which may be seen in the table Major Raw-

linson has given of them, in vol. ix. of the

Royal Geographical Society’s Journal, and

which I take the liberty of introducing here,

as it is a very satisfactory, interesting, and, I

have no doubt, a very correct statement of the

inhabitants of Luristan.

I find only some

2817

LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

difference in the number of the K hanehvar,

or families of the several tribes, but readily

admit that I cannot vouch for the accuracy of

my own figures, as I had not the opportunity

of verifying them.

Numbers of Families.

Residence.

Assess-

ment of

REMARKS.

Great Divisions.

Tribes.

Sub-divisions.

Of each

Of each

‘Winter.

Great

Tribe.

- | Division

Summer,

Divisions.

Kakawand ..

escessecsevncone

..|Hulilan

esscreccsscsann

The Yéwetiwands and Mumindwands

(

Yéwetiwand. ..

Hulilan, Dujali, and

supply at present a body of 350 in-|

Muminidwand .

Khawah

EEER R

K}'xh-Dés t

fantry to the Crown.

Dilf

an

PR

Raisawand....

15000

...... S ok ua o oide | ROGDEE

cescccscscencan

Harasim .,

..... Charddawer

cecsscncns

L

Chuwari

Bijinawand ...

j:}

Khawah ..

Terhin cacccccocevees

Alishter

scaseceses

Joidar

Hasanawand ..

Séimarrah

cesecseccccn

Kuliwand

15000

Silasilé ... {

Yusufawand...

)

|

Khawah

Pushti-kah

Tafnear Khorremabad

Saki

Reshnuh....

Abistan

PR

ceessecren

6000] - 38000|Sar Kara

}

Kir-a’b, & Plain of Lur -

40000 The distribution of this sum of 40,000i

|

Papi

Kerki, Mangerrah, and

tomans varies yearly, and it is impos-

T’ish-kﬁh .o W Bala Giriwa.

Dirikawand

Kahi-Haftad-Pehli. .

Plain of Reza

.

|

|

sible, therefore, to give the details.

These tribes are Dih

The *Amalah tribe, however, who are

( Kushki

Ziwahdar

offsets of all the other tribes, and

Nishins, who culti-

were employed by the former Walis

Umrai ...

vate the Khalisah, or

at

as their immediate servants, are very|

Mirakhar

Crown

lands,

’Amalah ....

Katirji

2000|

Khorremabad, Séi-

lightly charged, the cultivation of the

Gholam

marrah, Terhan, and

Crown lands being accounted in lieu

Mo’-timid ....

Kah-Disht.

The

of taxation.

Riakrak

do not migrate at al

i

{ [Zulah

PR

Kard

Yailaks

of

the

‘The Wali of Pushti-kah has the sole

Shanhun......

shevle el e

range of Kébir-

Sirwan, Jistan, Bad-

direction of his own revenues, and|

Pushti-kih ... |Faili ......

Mehaki

1200

120

2000

kiah, both on the

rai, and Plains of]

15000

claims to account personally with the]

north-east

and

A’bladani

Kirméanshih Government for the as-|

Chahar Sitan..

[

south-west faces. .

sessment of his distriet.

{[Dinariwand ... )

PR

Dalwand

900

200

Plains of Sts, and be-

These tribes are refugees of the last cen-|

Bajilan

Sagwand *

1100

4500|Hura

yond the Kherkheh

2000

tury, from the vicinity of Mdsul. They

Aliwand

S

ceseseen

11500

to Deh-Luran

are lightly taxed, having to furnish a

Bairanawand {

Dushiwand. .

{1000

} )

body of 1,200 horse to the Crown.

O’smanawand ...

Dependencies

Jalalawand

PR

These tribes are now usually included

|

Dajiwand .......

|

EE.8

200

3500

in Kirmanshah. They furnish 500

{Hulilani ....

100

1500, Hillsadjoining Hulilan Plains of Hulildn

infantry.

Ba

awand . .

}jg

|

Surkhéameri

eesen

200/ )

60500,

56000

* This is the only tribe of Luristin in whose name any similitude is to be detected to the Sagafeni of Strabo ; but as the Sagwand is a stronger tribe, no weight can be attached

to the resemblance of the titles.

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

289

The Silasilé and Dilfuns, who belong to the

Lek race, amount to about 80,000 khanchvar,

or families, of which the latter constitute the

greater half, although the former are reckoned

the more powerful of the two; probably also

the more unmanageable.

The ’Amalak were formerly very numerous,

but have been much reduced since Aga Mu-

hammed-Khan, the founder of the present

Kajar dynasty, transplanted them into Fars.

After his death, it is true, the greater part

returned, but their force was broken.*

They

occupy chiefly the villages surrounding Khor-

remabad, at Kih-dasht, Rudbar, &ec.

As they

lead a sedentary life,. they are, more than the

others, under the immediate sway of the Persian

authorities, and are, therefore, looked down upon

with contempt by their more independent neigh-

bours.

An old Silasilé Iliyat sneeringly ob-

served to me, that the ’Amalahs are jabr-perest

* T found a portion of the ’Amalak Iliyats encamped at

the foot of Mount Istakhr, in the plain of Persepolis.

( SCC

vol. i., chap. v.)

VOL. II.

290

TRAVELS IN

(i.e., worshippers of violence), who always

submit tamely to any sort of authority, good

or bad; whereas the other Lur tribes cannot

Their number is held

easily brook oppression.

to be between 2,000 and 3,000 families, but it

appears to us rather underrated.

The Bdald-Gheriveh, although not strong in a

numerical point of view,as they donot exceed 4,000

families, are reckoned a very troublesome tribe.

The ’Amalah and the Bdla-Gheriveh belong

to the great division of the Lur family.

The Pusht-i-K#h tribes, who bear the name

of Feili, are less numerous than those of Pisk-

Kiah ; Major Rawlinson estimates them at

12,000 families.

They consist of Kurds, Dinar-

vend, Shuhén, Kalhar, Badrai, Maki.

Independently of the tribes mentioned in

Pish and Pushti-kih, there live in the plains

of Huru, between BarGjird and Khorremabad,

the Bajilans * and the Beiranevend, who belong

to the Lek family.

* The Bajildn I met at Zohab, are, T believe, of Turkish

extraction, and profess the Sunni faith,

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

291

The taxation of Luristin, in 1837, was fixed

at 60,000 tomans, but since that period it has

been raised to 80,000, out of which Pushti-kth

is aésessed at 20,000, and Pish-kdh at 60,000.

The inhabitants complain that they are over-

charged, and their complaints are, perhaps, not

ill-founded, for, independently of the Crown

taxes, the Governor and their own Thshmals,*

or petty Chiefs, oppress them whenever they

can do so with impunity, and it is, therefore,

not to be wondered at, that the Lurs showed

such a strong spirit of opposition, whenever they

feel themselves in a situation to resist.

Produce

of the

country.—Excepting the

vicinity of Khorremabad, "Kth-dasht, Hurg,

and a few other places, the land in Luristin

is not much cultivated, as the inhabitants lead,

* Tushmal appears a stray word from the Mogil

language, and was probably introduced at the conquest

of Luristin by the Mogfls, as, to my knowledge, it is

not used in any other part of Persia, having for its

equivalent the words kedkhida, sheikh, rish-i-sefid, and

ak-sakal, according to the language spoken by the tribe

by whom these terms are respectively employed.

2

292

TRAVELS IN

for the most part, a pastoral life, and subsist

chiefly on the produce of their flocks.

The

country furnishes the bazaars of Barajird,

Nehavend, Hamadan, and Kermanshah, with

mutton, cheese, and butter, from their numerous

flocks, and with a large quantity of charcoal,

which is prepared in the woody parts of Luristan,

and transported on -the backs of oxen and

donkeys.

The TLurs likewise derive a con-

siderable income from their breed of mules, which

are known all over Persia, although those of

Shtshter and Dizful are preferred to them.

The

Iliyat women are very skilful in the manufacture

of carpets from the wool of their flocks, and of

felt coverings for horses.

They also manufac-

ture the coarse stuff with which they cover their

black tents, and which consists of goats’ hair;

the same is made into bags, and used by the

muleteers of Persia for transporting goods all

over the country; and the Lurs themselves

make use of them for carrying their charcoal

to market.

The forests of Luristan, as well as those of

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

293

the

Bakhtiyari,

produce

wild

cherry-trees,

which are cut for chabiks, or pipe-tubes, and

exported to Bagdad and other parts of Turkey ;

the interior of Persia is likewise supplied with

and the bladder

them. Otter-skins,

of the

animal, form likewise an article of trade.

Character —The Lurs, (or Luristini as they

are sometimes called,*) like their Bakhtiyar

neighbours, are greatly addicted to plunder,

but in a less open manner than the latter;

nor do they go out in such strong bodies.

They likewise differ in the mode of attack,

as they generally perform their assaults on

foot; whilst the Bakhtiyari proceed on their

forays on horseback.

In consequence of this it is reckoned very

unsafe to travel in Luristn, perhaps more so

than in any other part of Persia.

Such, I

repeat, is the received opinion.

However, as

* The inhabitants of Kermanshah give them this latter

appellation, in the same way as they call the natives of

Persian Kurdistdn or Ardeldn, Kurdistani, reserving the

word Kurd to the tribes of that race who inhabit their

provinee.

294

TRAVELS IN

far as I am concerned, I must do the TLuris-

tani the justice to say, that I have no reason

to complain of them, for although I never had

more than three or four men with me, I never

was molested by any of their tribes; on the

contrary, wherever I went I met with hos-

pitality.

It is true that I passed through the

country at a propitious moment, when the

Governor-in-Chief was expected; and the in-

habitants might therefore have felt reluctant

to commit themselves by outrageously assaulting

an FEuropean traveller, although this would be

allowing too great foresight and caution for

such wild unruly tribes, who usually act on the

impulse of the moment.

On my route to Kermanshah in 1837, tra-

velling with few attendants, I was warned not

to remain out late, as the Luristani, on their

return to their mountains from Hamadan and

Nehavend, where they carry charcoal, waylay

travellers, and, in an unguarded moment, assault

them with their massive clubs.

After passing Asadabad in the dusk of the

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

295

evening, we overtook a party of that description,

who requested us to slacken our pace, and

allow them to join us, as the country (they

observed) was unsafe; but my guide, as we

passed them at a brisk trot, counselled me not

to heed their prayer, as they were just the sort of

persons against whom we had to be most on our

guard.

They oftener, however, lie in ambush

near the road in some narrow defile, and, before

you are aware of their presence, or prepared to

resist, make a spring upon you like beasts of

prey.

Religion and Customs.—1 was too short a

time among the Lurs to gather any accurate

information concerning their religious tenets;

but in general they appeared to be in a great

measure ignorant of, and sufficiently indifferent

to, the doctrines established by the Arabian

Prophet, whose religion they outwardly profess,

being the sectarians of ’Ali. In respect to their

customs and habits,

the

Turs resemble the

generality of the Iliyat tribes of Persia, who

lead a pastoral life, attending to their flocks, and

296

TRAVELS IN

changing their places of encampment according

to the seasons.

As the Lurs seldom see KFuropeans among

them, I found them very inquisitive, even to

rudeness, and much less shy than the in-

habitants of villages, but always ready to oblige

and accommodate the traveller, whom chance

might lead into their encampment.

Indeed,

notwithstanding the bad character they bear as

being notorious thieves and highwaymen, I

shall always

remember with a feeling of

gratitude the hospitality with which they used

to welcome me to their hearth; a feature too

much effaced in Furope by the boasted polish

of civilization.

Often on approaching an Iliyat encampment

you are met by the women of the tribe, who

burn aromatic herbs in honour of the stranger

guest, and as a token that you are welcome to

their hearth.

Mzr. Rich observed a similar

practice among the Chaldeans in Kurdistin.*

* « At the village of Teliskof,” says the author, ¢ inha-

bited by Caldeans in Kurdistdn, we were met at a mile from

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

297

This custom must be very ancient, for we find

Ferdausi alluding to it in his description of the

early heroic ages of Iran.

We read the passage in question in the nar-

rative of the journey of the three sons of

Feridan, XKing of Iran, when they went to

choose wives for themselves among their Arab

neighbours.

“ Lorsque,” says M. Mohl, the French trans-

lator of the Shah-Nameh, or Book of Kings,

“les trois princes entrerent dans le Yemen,

tous les habitans, hommes et femmes sortirent,

tous verserent sur eux de I’'ambre et du safran,

tous melérent le vin et le muse,” &ec.

(Fer-

daussi-Shah-Nameh-Feridoun, 185.)

o

e A

it i

the village by the Kiahya, and an old woman wanted to burn

incense before me, but my horse would admit of no such

familiarity.” (Narrative of a Residence in Kurdistan, &e.

vol. ii., chap. vi., p. 101.)

CHAPTER XXX.

Arrival at BirGjird.—Theological controversy.—Ramazin

fast.—Description of the province of Birijird. —Revenue.

—Manufactures of the town.—Distriet of Tastrkan.—

Khozrov-Mirza, the blinded Prince.— Various routes to

Teheréin.—Departure from Brgjird.—Hissar.— Descrip-

tion of Kézos.—Shehr-né, or Sultanabid.—Feraghéin.—

Birth-place of the late Kaimacan.— Some account of the

life of this Minister.—Mountainous country of Mahalat-

Aga-Khan, Chief of the Izmaeli sect.—The Helej of

Km.—Opinions of the Persians concerning this people.—

—~Saliyan.—K@m.— Arrival at Teherin.—Summary of

the distances between the principal places visited by the

author.—Conclusion.

I AnicaTED at the

house of the ruler of

Bartjird, placed over the town and province

by Behmén-Mirza, second brother of the Shah,

and who usually resides at Hamadan.

The room was soon crowded by the inqui-

sitive, as was usually the case wherever I

arrived, and I had to attend for some time to

the theological disputations of the learned com-

ol

TRAVELS IN LURISTAN AND

ARABISTAN.

299

pany, who were of different opinions, as to

whether Moses had preceded or followed the

Patriarch Abraham, and whether David was

not prior to both of them.

They at length

appealed to me, to tell them how it stood in

the Enjil, or Gospel.

I answered, that although

the three named personages are often men-

tioned by the Evangelists, still that the account

of their lives was to be sought, not in the

New, but in the Old Testament, and took

some pains to set them right in respect of

the times when Abraham, Moses, and David,

appeared on the stage of Biblical history ; but

with the exception of one individual, who,

from the beginning of the contest, differed

from the others, and who now acquiesced in

the justness of my statements, the rest remained

unconvinced, and so we parted for the night.‘

The modern Persians are as fond as were

the Greeks ‘of the Lower Empire of spending

their time in theological controversy, and it

is astonishing what a number of absurd fables

have been mixed up with the simple truths

300

TRAVELS IN

of the Holy Bible, and, from being sanctioned

by the Kiaran, are universally accredited in the

East.

February 23.—Although the morning was

far advanced when I got up, I found no one

some time

moving in the house.

I waited

longer in expectation of breakfast, but in vain ;

and at last learned from my attendants, that

it being the first day of Ramazin, all were

still asleep, and that there was no fire in the

kitchen.

The Ramazén, or Mussulman Lent, lasts a

whole month ;

and as the Persians are for-

bidden to eat until the appearance of the first

star after sunset, they contrive to shorten the

day by prolonging their sleep in the morning.

Very little public business is performed during

the time the Ramazan lasts; and the Persians,

who are in general inclined to saunter away

their time in idleness, are glad to have this

excuse for doing nothing. Towards the close of

the day they often become even disagreeable.

For such as are accustomed to the chtbtik and

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

301

the kaliyan (the ordinary and the water-pipe),

the privation is doubly felt, as smoking is like-

wise forbidden; and I have often heard the

Persians acknowledge that they can support

with greater ease the want of food and drink

than the deprivation of the luxury of smoking

in the course of the day—a proof that habit,

when long indulged in, becomes for a time

more imperious than the cravings of nature.

Some of the most notorious smokers, and,

such as are reckoned freethinkers among them,

contend that the pipe was never forbidden by their

Prophet, for the best of all possible reasons,

because the use of tobacco was not yet known

at the time; but for fear of scandalizing the

more rigid observers of the law, and of letting

loose against them the Mullahs, they cunningly

resort to the house of some European friend,

where they taste of the forbidden fruit, ren-

dered so much the sweeter from the circumstance

of its being enjoyed by stealth.

It is amusing to see the Persians at the close

of the evening with their kaliyans in hand,

302

TRAVELS IN

waiting, with the tube directed towards the

mouth, in panting expectation for the signal-

gun, which allows them to break their fast, and

then inhaling with glee the fumes of the

narcotic plant.

The women are in this respect

not more backward than the men.

The night is often spent in carousing until

the first dawn, when another signal-gun informs

the followers of the Arab Prophet that the fast

is to re-commence, at the sound of which,

after some prayers, they repair to sleep.

Bardgjird, lying out of the line of the high

road between the capital and the principal

cities of the kingdom, is seldom visited by

Furopean travellers; it may, therefore not be

superfluous if I give a brief account of it.

"Together with the provinces of Meloir and

Hamadan (Kalemrd), it falls under the juris-

diction of Behmen-Mirza,* the second brother

of the reigning Shah.

* Since my visit to Barjird, Behmen-Mirza has been

appointed to the government of Aderbeijén, on the demise of

his younger brother, Kahraman-Mirza, and the provinces

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

303

The province of BarGjird (often named

Urﬁghird"") is bounded on the mnorth-west by

Meloir and Nehavend, and extends along the

northern skirts of the great chain in a south-

east direction.

The districts which belong to it

have been partly noticed in our description of

the Bakhtiyari tribes.

They are:—

Silahtr, Sarlek, Ashnahir,

Barbarad and

Jopélag

touching, on the south-eastern ex-

tremity, the mahal or district of Fereidan,

which belongs to Isfahan.

The secondary

range, which runs parallel with the great

above-mentioned have separately fallen under the adminis-

tration of other Chiefs, much to the regret of the inhabitants,

who were particularly well treated by that just and upright

prince.

* It appears, by what we read in Sanson, who was a

Catholic missionary in Persia during the reign of Solyman-

Shah (1683), that Bardjird, or, as the author calls it,

Ouriguerd, was formerly under the jurisdiction of the Vali

of Lurist4n-Kachik, who resided at Kourmabat (Khorrem-

abad).

(See Voyages ou Relation de I'Etat Présent du

Royaume de Perse, p. 45.)

304

TRAVELS IN

chain, divides these districts on the north from

those of Kezos and Kemereh. They are mostly

occupied by the Bakhtiyari tribes, of whom

many are settled in villages.

The number

of villages, great and small, in the province of

Bargjird, is

386,

and

the yearly

income

derived from them by the Crown, together

with the town taxes, amounts to 50,304 tomans

(about 25,0007) in cash, and 3,832 harvars in

grain, of which one-half is barley, and the

other wheat.

A harvar of barley is usually

estimated at one toman by the Crown; a harvar

of wheat at two tomans.

Reducing, therefore,

the assessed quantity of grain into cash, we

obtain the sum of 5,748 tomans, which, added

to

the

50,304

tomans,

raise

the

annual

amount of the taxation of Burajird to 56,052

tomans.

The town of Buarajird is renowned for its

manufacture of printed chintzes, which although

inferior in quality to those of Isfahan, are

nevertheless much in request all over Persia,

and find their way into the Mussulman pro-

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

305

For chintzes

vinces of the Russian empire.

of superior quality, the manufacturers prefer

the foreign white calico, imported from Kurope

and

by way of Constantinople, Trebizond,

Tabriz ; for those of inferior quality, they use

cotton stuffs from their own looms.

The latter

likewise consists of two sorts; the better sort

of cloth, called kadek, is chiefly prepared at

Isfahan, and resembles our nankeen; the in-

ferior sort, named kerbas and fafti, is woven

in all parts of the country.

The chintzes,

printed on FKuropean calicoes, are known in

the market by the name of kalemkar, whilst

those of their own cotton cloths are called

chitt.

The dyes used by the manufacturers are

chiefly the production of their own country,

partly imported from abroad. A red dye, for

which there is a great demand, although it

is not of a bright nor clear colour, is pro-

duced from the root of a plant which grows

wild in the fields.

The natives call it remgi

rinos. One méan Barajirdi (or three mani T'a-

VOL.

1T

X

306

TRAVELS IN

brizi), equal to twenty-four pounds of this root, is

worth five shillings.

The blue dye mostly in use

is the nil-reng, or indigo, brought from Shishter,

Kerman, and India.

The yellow dye is obtained

from the rind of the pomegranate; the green

from the same, mixed with indigo.

Cochineal,

called kirmiz by the natives, is imported into the

country by means of the Russian trade.

Bargjird has fifty establishments for printing

cotton stuffs, which are all in the hands of

private individuals, forming a separate corpo-

ration.

The yearly revenue of the crown from

these manufactures is 2,000 tomans, paid by the

person who farms it of Government, whereas

the manufacturers satisfy him in kind, by paying

one piece of cloth out of every sixty pieces.

The size of the pieces depends much on the

use for which they are destined.

Table-cloths,

or Sufreh, spread on the carpets during meals

are broader and longer than such as are used

for kneeling upon during the namdz, or prayers.

'The derre-perdeh, or curtains hung before doors,

require a particular size and pattern.

The stuffs

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

307

fdr arhalitks, or light under dress of the men

and women, differ, likewise, both in the design

and size of the cloth.

At Buargjird, as at Isfahdn, they print cotton

stuffs with a hand stamp cut out in wood.

A considerable supply of the cotton used at

Bargjird is grown in the ninety-four villages

of the rich district of Tésdrkan, which lies

between Burdjird, Nehavend, Kengover, Assa-

dabad, Hamadan and Meloir.

It is to this

district

that

the

two unfortunate princes,

Khozrow-Mirza, and Jehangir-Mirza, (who were

blinded at the commencement of the present

reign for their political intrigues,) have been

exiled with their families, and receive out of

the revenue of Tustrkan 6,300 tomans, (3,1501.)

for their yearly maintenance.

However culpable they may have been, (and

unfortunately positive evidence admits of no

doubt as to their having been guilty of high

treason,) still the mode of punishment inflicted

on them is so horrible, so revolting to humanity,

that we forget the crime to commiserate the fate

% 2

308

TRAVELS

IN

of the victims.

According to our Furopean

notions, we believe that no punishment can

equal the loss of sight; death itself seems less

frightful.

The natives of the Kast have very

different notions on the subject.

Is it that the

reflection that none can with confidence reckon

themselves beyond the reach of a similar danger

that renders them at last callous to the thought?

or is it that men in the Fast are prone to a more

contemplative life than our restless activity will

allow us to enjoy, and can therefore dispense

more easily than we can with the blessings

of sight?

I know

not,

but

so much [

may venture

to

say,

that

the

Persians

can

speak

coolly on

this

subject ;

that

they reckon the loss of their eyes a much

lesser evil than that of life;

and when de-

prived of sight, soon become reconciled to their

fate.

At Shirdz I met with a Persian nobleman,

who, notwithstanding that he had been blinded

by the former ruler of Fars for his fidelity to

the father of the reigning Shah, was named

¢

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

.

309

Governor of a district, and administered it in

person.

I learned, likewise, from one of the frontier

Chiefs of Asterabad, that the Turkoman whose

father had murdered the father of Fet’h-Ali-Shah,

although deprived of his sight by that Sove-

reign, and then turned into the desert, still

continued as he had done before, to lead his

countrymen on plundering expeditions

into

Persia.

These two instances are certainly not brought

forward as illustrations of a contemplative life ;

but they serve to show that, even thus situ-

ated, men are not debarred from pursuing an

active life, and are not always so helpless as

might be supposed.

Khozrow-Mirza himself, after remaining a

Thstrkan

under surveillance,

few years at

made all at once his appearance at the gates

of Teheran, to the no small surprise of the

Shah and his

Ministers.

He had come all

that distance, conducted and accompanied by

one trusty servant, to lodge a complaint before

310

TRAVELS IN

Muhammed Shah against certain collectors at

Thstrkan, who were in the habit of appro-

priating to themselves the revenues of several

villages, which had been allotted for the sup-

The Shah had

port of the fugitive princes.

the case investigated, the Prince righted, and

severe orders given that similar malversations

should not happen in future.

The King ex-

tended so far his solicitude towards the poor

blind Prince, as to grant his ready concurrence

to the marriage of Khozrow-Mirza with a

cousin of his, a Kajar Princess, on whom

his Majesty bestowed a handsome dowry.

The stoppage we met with at Bargjird, in

consequence of the drowsy propensities of my

host and his servants, was the cause that we

could not arrive in time at the station, and

were overtaken by the night.

As mnone of

our party seemed well acquainted with the

country, we soon lost our way. After much

wandering in the dark, however, we were at

length fortunate enough to come to the village

of Hissar, where we passed the night.

R e o

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

311

Three roads lead from Buargjird to Teheran.

The one through Hamadan I declined on

account of the distance, and because I had

already traversed it the preceding year.

The

next has the following stations:—

Farsangs.

From Buarajird to Hissar

to Shehr-né

to Megan

to Savéh

to Zarrend

to Robah(t-Kerim

to Teheran

(E;;;

Total

42

—

Along this road, although the shortest of

the three, no post is established; I therefore

chose the third, namely, by way of the town

of Kém, the most easterly road, passing by

the following stages :—

Farsangs.

.

6

From Barajird to Hissar

to Shehr-no

6

312

TRAVELS IN

Farsangs.

From Buarajird to Tbrahim-abad

6

5

to Roghird

to Kim

8

to Teheran

20

—

Total

ol

—

The first part of the second day’s march was

over a ground I had already trodden in the

summer of the preceding year, when crossing

the country from Isfahan to Hamadan, by way

of Bartjird.

I was once more in the rich

district of Kezos, which forms, in all probability,

part of the ancient Paretacena which belonged

to Media.

It is now under the jurisdiction of

Shehr-né, or Sultanabdd, at which place I

arrived

on the

second day,

after leaving

Birdjird in a north-eastern direction.

Kezos is bounded on the west and south by the

possessions of Birdjird, namely, the high hilly

country of Seribénd on the west, the valleys of

Silahtr, Sarovend, Barbtrad, and Jopelag, on the

south, and to the south-east, Kemereh, which is,

e

e e - et e

e ———

e o o

e

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

313

likewise, at present a dependency of Buarajird.

To the north and east Kezos is bounded by the

district of Charré, and the immediate depend-

encies of Shehr-né.

The chain of Rosvend, running parallel to the

Alvend, divides Kezos into two parts; this

range of rugged and precipitous mountains

presents in

several places considerable

de-

pressions, allowing an easy passage through

them.

Kezos is divided into four bualtks:

Sédeh,

Karkeriz, AstGneh, and Fer, separated from

each other by mountain ridges.

As I have limited the maps in illustration of

my journey to the southern side of the great

chain, it will, perhaps, be as well to abstain from

entering into more minute details, and reserve

the description of this part of Persia, little

known as yet, to a future period, when I hope to

give an account of the provinces lying on the

northern skirts of the

Alvend chain, from

Isfahan up to Hamadan, serving as a counterpart

to the countries I have endeavoured to delineate

314

TRAVELS IN

in these volumes, lying to the south of the same

great chain.

The town of Shehr-nd is situated in a plain,

after the traveller has emerged from a valley

with three villages, to which the town itself

owes part of its population.

and was founded

It is a modern town,

by the father of the Sepehdar,* who was

with

the

late Fet’h-Ali-

in great favour

Shah.

In order to be more secure from the

incursions of the Bakhtiyari, he built this city,

surrounded it with a high wall, and gave it

the name of Sultanabad.

It is likewise known

by the name of Shehr-nd, or the new city.

" A number of families, from the three neigh-

bouring villages, were removed into the town;

people from other quarters also sought refuge

in its walls, it being a place of greater security

than the open country, at that time exposed to

the plundering incursions of the mountaineers;

* Sepehdar was a title usually conferred on one of the

grandees at the Court of the Shah, but has now lost its

importance. The Indian word Sepoy, belongs to the same root.

-

~

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

31

)

and thus Shehr-né became peopled. At present

it is the seat of local government, holding under

its jurisdiction the districts of Kezos;, Charrd,

Feraghén, Mahalat, and the country inhabited

by the Heléj of Kam and Savéh.*

The Sepehdar, during the reign of the old

King, was at the head of 10,000 men, which

he was obliged to bring into the field whenever

the Shah might require their aid.

This part of the country is now under the

control of Khan-Baba-Khan, a kinsman of the

Prime Minister, and married to a sister of the

reigning Shah.

On leaving Shehr-ng, T travelled over an

even plain, having to my left the district of

Feraghdn, celebrated in Persia for the fine

large carpets that are manufactured in its

numerous villages.

It is likewise reckoned

the nursery of the Persian Mirzas, or the civil

employés in every department of the State,

into whose hands Persia is at present fallen.

Feraghan boasts, above all, of being the

* See note at the end of the chapter.

316

TRAVELS IN

bir-th-place of the late Kai-macan, a man

of great intellectnal powers,

who,

to

the

of a first-rate

qualities

statesman,

added

the talents of a poet.

For many successive

years he distinguished himself in the service

of ’Abbas Mirza, the father of the reigning

Shah; and although at times he fell under the

displeasure of that Prince, his abilities were

such that they always paved the way for his

return to favour.

The means he employed

to gain his end were as original as they were

daring, considering the atmosphere in which

he breathed.

He usually spent the intervals of his disgrace

in writing the most bitter satires against his

former master and his administration ;

which,

spreading abroad, gained for the author much

popularity, whilst they served to discredit the

character of the

Prince ;

and,

as the heir

presumptive had many

competitors

to the

throne of his father, the tenure by which he

held power rested as much on public opinion

as on the favour of Fet’h-Ali-Shah, and ’Abbas

317

I.I:RISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

Mirza, therefore, usually found it expedient

to stop the mouth of his ex-Minister by re-

admitting him to his councils.

In later years, the Kaimacan played the

most prominent part at the accession of Mu-

hammed Shah to the throne; but his immo-

derate ambition and overbearing behaviour, in

respect of the Shah and the other members

of the Royal family, hastened his downfall, and

terminated the eventful career of his life in a

tragical manner,—by strangulation.

On my right hand, to the east, was the

mountainous district of Mahalat, where a rem-

nant of the Ismaeli sect, the descendants of

the followers of Hasan-Sabah, or Sheikh-Jabal

(the old man of the mountain), are said still

to exist.

Tt is currently believed that their

Chief, Aga-Khan, is likewise looked upon by

the Ismaeli sectarians of India as their head,

and considerable donations in money are made

over to him yearly by them as a mark of their

allegiance.

This individual, on being appointed, a few

318

TRAVELS IN

years ago, to the Government of Kerman,

rebelled against the Shah, and, when he could

no longer resist the forces sent against him,

retired to the strong place of Bomm, on the

confines of Beltchistan, rallying around him a

strong party of his sectarian followers.

Continuing my progress in a north-eastern

direction, I next entered the territory of the

Helej of Kitm, so called, to distinguish them

from the Helej of Savéh.

This tribe

is of

Turkish origin; at least Turkish is the lan-

guage spoken by them.

They have not the

reputation of being very bright, and the Per-

sians, who pride themselves on their ready

wit, their polite and easy manners, tax the

Helej with being very uncouth and heavy.

The low estimate they form of their mental

and social capabilities, is best exemplified by

the short though significant sentence with which

the name of Helej is associated. The Persians

say in common parlance, Har, Hirs, Helej—

meaning a donkey, a bear, and a Helej.

By what I saw of this people, I found no

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

319

particular reason why this illiberal judgment

should fall so heavily on the Helej; it has

only left on my mind the impression, that

men often indulge in wit at the expense of

truth. *

On approaching Kim, the country becomes

once more hilly, the ground void of vegeta-

tion, because deprived of water, and the moun-

tains appear barren and dreary.

At Salian,

only about five farsangs before reaching Kiim,

there is a source of brackish water, which

supplies the wants of the few families who

reside at that place, and serves to irrigate the

melon-fields, and some gardens with pome-

granate-trees, and the vine grown on beds.

From Kam I travelled over the same ground

* My friend, Baron Tornau, who was thrown amid the

Helej of Savel, at the critical period which followed after

the death of Fet’h-Ali-Shah, when all the Nomadic tribes

of the interior were either in a state of fermentation or

actual warfare, has collected curious and highly-interesting

materials concerning that people. I am confident that his

friends, as well as the enlightened public, would feel grateful

to him, if he were to favour them with an insight into the

customs and manners of the inhabitants of Helejistan.

320

TRAVELS IN

by which I had commenced my journey, and

arrived at Teheran on the 28th of February,

1841, after an absence of sixty-seven days, of

which forty-six had been spent in actual tra-

velling, and the remaining twenty-one days

either in resting at Isfahan, Persepolis, and

Shiraz, and examining the curiosities of those

cities and their neighbourhood, or else visiting

the country around Behbehan, Mal-Amir, and

Dizfal.

Having thus come to the close of the journey,

we may cast a retrospective glance over the

trodden ground,

and sum up the distances

between the different towns visited by the

way,—were it merely for the benefit of the

future traveller, towards whom our own pil-

grimage in distant lands, and wayfaring life

during many years, have taught to extend a

brotherly feeling.

The distance is reckoned :(—

Farsangs.

From Teheran to Isfahan .

58

From Isfahan to Shiraz

3

LURISTAN

AND ARABISTAN.

321

Farsangs.

From Shirdz to Behbehan.

68

From Behbehin to Shiishter, by the

circuitous way of Mal-Amir

50

From Shushter to Dizfal .

10

From DizfGl to Khorremabad

50

From Khorremabad to BarGjird

13

From Burdgjird to Shehr-né

12

From Shehr-né to Kiim

19

From Kiam to Teherin

20

Total

353

Or 1,235, in English miles.

On dividing these 1,235 miles by the number

of days of actual travelling, we have twenty-

seven FEnglish miles, the average distance of

each day’s ride.

This calculatjon is not offered here with the

view of making a show of hard riding; for

I am perfectly aware, there is as little merit

in riding quick as there is in riding slow;

but this rapid progress through the country

will be accepted, perhaps, as an excuse for the

VOL. 1II.

b ¢

322

TRAVELS IN

imperfect, and often superficial, information

which is contained in these pages.

NOTE TO CHAPTER XXX,

Page 315.— Marco Polo mentions a singular legend

attached to this place, which is thus related by the English

translator of his ¢ Travels,” in note 156, page 76 :—

“In the Italian Epitomes,” says Mr. Marsden, “ at this

place (after chapter ix. of the English version), two chapters

which have not been admitted in the other editions,

mention is made in the first of a city of Persia named Saba,

from whence the three magi took their departure when they

proceeded to adore the infant Christ at Bethlehem, and

where they were afterwards buried in magnificent tombs ;

but that he, Marco, was not able to obtain in that city any

satisfactory information on the subject of these three royal

personages.

“ In the second chapter he is made to state, that at the

distance of three days’ journey from Saba there was a

castle named Kalasata-Perinsta, signifying the castle of those

who worship fire as their divinity,” &c. *

With respect to the above-mentioned town, the learned

translator and commentator of Marco Polo adds, ¢ The

name of Saba, which is certainly not to be discovered

amongst the towns of Persia, may be thought to have a

reference to the doctrine of Sabaism, so nearly connected

with those of the Gebrs.”

e

LURISTAN AND ARABISTAN.

By what precedes and follows in the narrative of the

Venetian traveller, we must infer that Swbe was situated

between the towns of Kazvin and Isfahdn ; and as the

present town of Savék lies in a direct line between those

two cities, and is still visited by the caravans that go from

Tabriz to Isfahdn, without turning out of their way to

Teherdn, there is little doubt of Sawék being identical with

Saba.

In corroboration of the fact, we find in the old

French version of Marco Polo’s travels, published in the

¢ Recueil de Voyages et de Mémoires,” &ec., vol. i., chap.

xxxi, p. 27, that the town in question is actually named

Sava.

“ En Persie,” it is said there, “est la cité qui est

appelé Sava.”

It appears that Savék has the honour of being connected with

more than one important event in the great book of history ;

for there exists another tradition concerning it among the

Mussulmans of the present day, namely, that at the birth of

the Arab Prophet the lake of Savéh was dried up. (See

likewise Yakdti, in vol. ii. of the * Notices and Extraits des

Manuscrits de la Bibliotheque du Roi,” art. 67, Saava.)

The word Kalasata-Perinsta, which Mr. Marsden very

justly observes, can have no other meaning than Cal'ek

Atash-Peristan, or castle of the fire-worshippers, is more

correctly given in the French version of Marco Polo, above

alludgd to, in which we find Cala Ata-Peristan (atr, ader,

or azr, signifiying fire, in the ancient Parsee language).

X2

OBSERVATIONS

ON

THE MARCH OF TIMUR,

FROM TOSTER (SHUSHTER) TO KALEH SEFID;

AND ON THE

PROBABLE COURSE PURSUED BY

ALEXANDER THE GREAT,

ON HIS EXPEDITION FROM SUSA TO PERSEPOLIS.

BY THE

BARON CLEMENT AUGUSTUS DE BODE.

OBSERVATIONS,

ETC

A ¥

UntiL very recently great uncertainty prevailed

as to the geographical features of Khazistan, or

Arabistan (the ancient Susiana), and more

especially respecting the system of the rivers

which flow through that country, together with

those "‘more to the east, which fall into the

Persian Gulf.

This circumstance has, conse-

quently, thrown more or less obscurity over the

different accounts handed down to us by ancient

writers concerning the expeditions of Alexander

the Great, and other conquerors in the Kast.

The graphic description of Major Rawlinson’s

journey from Zohab to the fastnesses of Mun-

gasht in the Bakhtiyari mountains, together

328

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

with the lucid map in illustration of his narra-

tive, published in the Journal of the Royal

Geographical Society of London,* have, in a

great measure, dispelled the gloom which hung

over those regions of Persia, and furnished the

means of comprehending more distinctly the

accounts of the ancient writers who treat on

these matters.

Having lately gone over the same ground, I

felt half inclined, also, to venture upon giving a

few observations on the comparative geography

of the rivers in the neighbourhood of the ruins

of Shash, as, likewise, on the probable site of

the ancient city of Susa; but as so many

learned dissertations, have, from time to" time,

appeared on the subject, and as it was also

taken up only a short time ago by Professor

Long, and ably handled by him in an article

on Khizistan, published in the ““Journal of the

* See Art., “Notes on a March from Zohdb to Khuzis-

tan,” in No. ix. of the “Royal Geographical Society’s Journal ”

of 1839, part i., page 26.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

329

Royal Geographical Society,”* 1 thought it

would be an act of supererogation in me to

dwell any longer on this topic, and the more

so, as I perfectly concur in the view that

learned gentleman has taken as regards the

locality of Susa, the names of the different

rivers, and, in particular, as to the identity

of the Euleus with the present Shapitr, or

Shéver river.

This last river has been, it is

well known, the main stumbling-block to all

the commentators who have tried to reconcile

the apparent, and, at times, real contradictions

we meet with in ancient writers, on the

campaigns of Alexander and his officers, respect-

ing the geography of this country. But if this

portion of Susiana, up to Shushter, has become

less obscure, I fear the regions east of the

Kiren river are still immersed in darkness ;

and as I have been fortunate enough to succeed

in my endeavours to skirt the southern face

of the Zagros mountains, beginning from

Kizerin, through Naubenjin (now in ruins),

Faliyan,

Behbehan,

Shushter,

Dizfdl,

and

* See vol. iii., p. 257.

330

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Khorremabad, and then crossing over that lofty

chain to Burdjird, I may, perhaps, be permitted

to make a few observations concerning the

course of several rivers which take their rise

in the snowy range of these mountains; con-

necting them, as far as my limited abilities

will allow, with the march of Amir Timur

from Shashter to Kal'eh Sefid.

A

closer

acquaintance with the country will also enable

us to trace, with some degree of probability,

the route followed by Alexander on his march

from Susa to Persepolis.

Few of the ancient geographers whose works

have been handed down to us, have written

satisfactorily on this part of Asia.

Nearchus,

the commander of Alexander’s fleet, has given

little more than a bare catalogue of the rivers

which flow into the Persian Gulf, as cited in

Arrian’s Periplus. Pt(;lemy and Pliny are more

or less obscure on this subject, and it may be

questioned whether there exist any records of

Hephestion’s march from Caramania to Susa,

on Alexander’s return from India.

The Oriental writers throw occasionally some

331

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

glimpses of light on that benighted country,

but unfortunately they only serve, in the words

of Milton,

« To make darkness visible,”

since the gleam of light they cast is more apt

to lead astray, than to guide one in the right

path.

Owing to this scanty stock of information,

our modern maps are as yet very defective

and incorrect; few travellers having penetrated

sufficiently far into the interior on account of

the insecure state of the country. The only

itinerary we possess of an Furopean traveller

from Shuashter to Shiraz, through Behbehan,

is that of Major-General M<¢Donald Kinneir,

and contrary to his usual exactness, this route

is very superficial, and far from being correct.*

Sherefi-d-din ’Ali, of Yezd, the historian

of Amir Timdr, is the only one to my know-

ledge who speaks with any precision of the

different streams that were crossed by the

* « Memoir of a Map of Persia,” by M‘Donnald Kin-

neir, p. 456.

332

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

army of the Tatar Chief on his way from

Shishter to Kal’eh-Sefid.

It will be, therefore,

my province to determine in the present in-

quiry, as far as lies in my power, the relative

position of the rivers mentioned by Sheréfu-

d-din, and to show that they are those laid

down in the accompanying map of my route;

and also to identify some of them with the

rivers mentioned by other authors.

However, before we follow up Timur’s route

step by step, it will be proper to cite the

passage of Sheréfu-d-din, referred to.*

“ The

25th

of Rabi’ul-Akhir,

AH. 795,

Timar

left

Shishter

(March,

A.p. 1393,)

(Téster), and marched in haste towards Shiréz,

&e

“ On the 27th he crossed the river

Dud-

dngeh, and in two days more encamped on

the banks of the river Shart-Khan-Kendeh.

¢ The 1st of Jumadi-l-avvel he halted at

Ram-Hormz, &c.

* SQee ¢ Histoire de Timiar-Bee,” par Cheref-eddin Ali

d’Yezd, traduite par M. Petis de la Croix, vol. ii., p. 183.

333

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

“ TimGr, after granting an audience to the

Atabeg Piri-Mohammed,

of Luri

Buzurg,

mounted his horse about noon, and crossing

the river of Ram-Hormtz, encamped on the

opposite bank.

“The 2d of the same month his camp was

pitched near the river Fei.*

“ The 3d, after a night’s march from Jdizan,}

he pitched his tents on the plain of Zahrah.}

“The 4th, Timur passed Kurdistan, crossed

the river Abergun (Abi Arghun), and stopped

at Behbehan.

“The 5th, he crossed the river Abi-Shirin,

and encamped on the plain of Lachter.§

“ The 6th, he passed Kejje (Kaj) Havas,

and rested near the source of the river Khan-

Bédak.

* Mei, according to the MSS., No. 851, in the possession

of the Fast India IHouse, consulted by the Rev. Mr.

Renouard.

t Tayizam, in MSS., No. 851, same authority.

t Zumrah, in MSS., No. 851, same authority.

§ Tuster, idem,

e AP L T N S L

334

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

“ The 7th, he encamped at the village

Julalah.

¢ The 8th, he passed through Basht,* crossed

the river of Ab-chaub (Abi sha’b), and encamped

at Ml- Emir-Khal.+

“ The 9th, he crossed the river Cavedan

(Khaviran, or Khavéin, in the above-mentioned

MSS.), where he made enquiries concerning

Kal’eh Sefid, and then marched to Naubenjan,

where he fixed his quarters.

“ The 10th, he mustered his troops for

battle, and, having marched from Naubenjin,

encamped at the foot of Kal'eh Sefid, one of

the strongest fortresses in Asia.”

By this account it will be seen that Timir

required nine days to reach Behbehan from

Shishter, a distance of about thirty-six far-

¥ Pasht, in the above-named MSS.

t Mél Amir Shél, idem. This latter version is far more

probable, as Timir had entered already on the territory of

Shalistan, or the country of the Shals.

Mal-Amir Shal, or

Shél, would mean the estate or property of the Amir of

the Shol tribe.

TIMUR AND

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

335

sangs ;* and, therefore, each day’s march, taken

one with another, will be four farsangs, all that

an Fastern army, on a long march, can be

expected to perform.

From the brief statement Sheréfu-d-din makes

of Timtr's march during the first five days,

and the no less short itinérary of Sir John

M‘Donald Kinneir's “ Journey from Shushter

to Ram-Hormz,” it is difficult to arrive at

any certainty whether they did or did not follow

the same route.

But as the English traveller

speaks of the country as being barren, and,

for the greatest part of the way, destitute of

water, I am inclined to suspect that Timur pre-

ferred the upper road, as being cooler and

better provided with water and grass for the

cattle.

If that be the case, he must have

crossed the Shdrish-ab, which may be the

Diiddnghel mentioned in his journal on the

second day’s march, which, had it not been

for this circumstance, I should have identified

* 86 farsangs = 32 miles x 36 = 135 miles.

(See Sir

William Ouseley’s « Travels in Persia,” vol. i., p. 11.)

336

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

with the artificial branch of the Kuren river,

or

the Abi-Gargar, or the eastern side of

Shushter, on account of the name of Didan-

gheh*

The next river, Shartikhan-Kende, which he

crossed two days later, may correspond with the

Abi-Zerd, if it join the Jerahi somewhat lower

down than is noted in the map of Major

Rawlinson’s route through Susiana.

Or the

Shivriikhan- Kende may represent the river I met

* Perhaps it will not be reckoned superfluous if I

mention that a custom exists in Persia of dividing not only

fields and villages, but, in some localities, whole districts,

into six parts, which are further subdivided into two

unequal parts, the one containing four parts, chehar-dangheh,

and the other two parts, du-dangheh. 'The same rule is

observed, also, with water for irrigating the fields, it being

intimately connected with the division of landed property.

As the main branch of the Kuren, flowing on the west

side of Shashter, contains a greater volume of water than

the artificial stream on the east side of that city, hence it

had the appellation of chehar-dangheh ; from which it

might be inferred that the latter, or the Abi-Gargar, ought

to represent the du-dangheh.

t Sir John M‘Donald is mistaken in placing this river

to the east of Rém-Hormiz.

See his map of Persia.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

337

with in the plain of Khari-Shttur-Zcr, running

in a direction from north to south, although it

appeared an insignificant stream, covered with

rushes; but as I did not go by the lower road

I can only speak by conjecture.

One thing,

however, is positive, that there are mountain-

streams to the west of Ram-Hormuz.

The first of Jumadi-l-Avvel, Timar left the

town of Ram-Hormiuz, or Rimiz, as it is now

styled, and encamped on the opposite shore of

the river Ram-Hormuz.

That the Abi-Tezeng, or Alai, is the repre-

sentative of this river, I have the authority of

the present Chief of Ramiz, Abdullah-Khan, in

whose company I travelled part of the way

from the Bakhtiyari camp at Mal-Amir to the

ruins of Haleghun, where we parted, my course

leading to the west and his to the south-east to

Kal’eh-Tul, from thence to Manjanik, and down

the valley of the Tezeng, which was to bring

him to Ramiz.

The names of these places

are laid down in my itinerary map of Luristan-

Buzirg. Mr. Layard, if I am not mistaken,

VOL. II.

Z

338

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

pursued the same course over Réam-Hormuiz

and up the valley of the Tezeng on his return

to Kal’eh-Tul from the island of Kherk, in the

Persian Gulf.

The second day brought Timur to the banks

of the river Fei, or Mei, which is the Alar, or

Abi-Talkh (so called on account of the brackish

taste of its water), it being the next river to

the east of Abi-Tezeng, or the Alai river.

The

Alar is a considerable stream, enclosed between

high banks, and flowing through the plain of

Petek. Both these rivers take their rise beyond

the Mungasht mountains.*

* I must not, however, omit to mention the following

circumstance, which might induce one to identify the river

Alai, or Tezeng, with the Mei of ShérefG-d-Din, and not

the Aldr, or Abi-Talkh :—There is a large village on the

right bank of the Tezeng or Alai, one farsang to the west

of Sarila, which bears the name of Mei-Dovid, or Mei-

Dovud.

Now there are several places which go by the

name of David (corresponding in Persian with David) ;

Méi may have been prefixed-to it, in order to distinguish

it from the rest; just as we are in the habit of saying

This

Frankfurt-on-the- Oder, and Frankfurt-on-the-Maine.

is nothing more, however, than a simple conjecture, to

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

339

I have no other observation to make on the

course pursued the third day, than that the

Jaozan, mentioned 4n ShérefG-d-din,

18

the

Jdaozin, marked in the itinerary I obtained at

Behbehén (eight farsangs distant from that

town), the difference being only the Shirazi

In Kinneir’s

pronunciation of the same word.

route it is styled Jarsoon.

On the 4th, Timar passed by Kurdistan,

crossed the river Abergun, and encamped at

Behbehan.

The Abergim,

or

Abi-Arghun (river of

Arghtn),

18

the

Kurdistan

river

of

the

present day, and the 7a@b of the Arab writers.

I crossed it on leaving Behbehan one farsang

(three miles and three-quarters) to the north-

=

=

RIS ARt S

-

i

i

e

which T shall add another.

Meh, according to Sir William

Ouseley, (Vol. i, page 116, of his ¢ Travels in Various

Countries of the East”) meant great or mighty, in the

ancient language of the country; Méi-Davud, or Meh-

David, may therefore be equivalent to the Great David ;

as there happens in the same country the Great and the

Little Daniel.

7.2

340

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

west, and not far from the village of Kurdistin,

from whence the stream probably borrows its

name, having a ford theré.

The village is on

the right bank of the river.

I shall have to return to the latter presently ;

let us first conduct the army safe over the Abi-

Shirin, which Timar crossed on the 5th, and

pitched his tents on the plain of ZLashter.

It will be found that the Abi-Shirin corre-

spdnds with the Kheirabad* stream of my

Journal, although the former appellation is, I

should say, more appropriate, because the waters

of this river are fresh (Ab'i-Slri'rén meaning

sweet or fresh water in Persian), while those

I had crossed after leaving Shapur were gene-

rally brackish.

Abi-Shirin is a broad and noble stream.

It

is likewise called the Hindiyan river, from the

town of Hindiyan near its mouth. But there

is no conmnexion between this river and the

* This name is probably derived from the large village

of Kheirabad, now in ruins on the right bank of the river,

close to a ford.

341

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

Kurdistan or Tab just mentioned ; nor does

it form a continuation of the Abi-Shir, which

passes

near the foot of Kal'eh-Sefid,

as

18

incorrectly represented in most of our modern

maps of Persia ; an error which, I suspect, must

have arisen from Kinneir’s Itinerary.

The plains of Lashter* or Lishter, retains

its name to the present day, and is an exten-

sive meadow, where a part of the numerous

studs of the former Ferman Ferma of Farst

were kept.

There exists much obscurity in respect to

the two last-mentioned rivers, occasioned by

the superficial and inaccurate account which

has been given of them by the few travellers

who have penetrated so far into the country.

I shall endeavour to clear up the point in as far

as I am able, from what has fallen under my

notice, and show that the Ta¢b and the Hin-

diyan, which are often blended in one, are two

* The Rev. Mr. Renouard finds in one of the MSS.

Sahrai Tuster, or plain of Tuster.

t The late Husein-’Ali-Mirza, son of Fet'’h-Ali Shah.

342

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

perfectly distinct rivers, the 7Twb being the

Kurdistan, or Jerahi river, (the Abi-Arghén in

Timur’s march,) and the Hindiyan being no

other

than

the

Kheirabad,

or

Abi-Shirin

river.

Let us first examine what the Fastern geogra-

phers have written on the subject.

The Arab writer* whom Sir W. Ouseley has

translated, in enumerating the rivers of IFars,

says :—

“ The rivers of Pars which are navigable

for

boats

are,

the

Nehr-Tab, Nehr-Shirin,

&ce.’t

We find in the same author the following :—

“The river Tab issues from the mountains of

Ispahan near Burj, and being joined by another

stream from the same quarter at the village of

Mes, or Mos, proceeds to Arjan, and passes

* Khordadbah, and not Tbn-Haukal, as was at first sup-

posed.

(T owe this note to the obliging suggestion of the

Rev. Mr. Renouard.)

t See page 84, in Sir W. Ouseley’s Translation of

Khérdadbah, entitled Ibn-Haukal's Geography.

343

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

under the bridge called Dekan, and affords water

to Pars, and Khuzistan, and Rustai-Zém, and

falls into the sea.”*

In a previous part of the same work, we

read :(—

“ The eastern boundaries of Khuzistan are

Between the

the borders of Pars and Spahén.

borders of Pars and Spahan there is a certain

river called Nelr-Tab in the vicinity of Mdhi-

Riyan, from that the boundary is between

Daurek and Mahi-Riayan towards the sea-

side.”+

We find in M. Jaubert’s French translation

of « Idrisi’'s Geography :”—

“ La riviere de 7@b qui sert de limite entre

le Kouzistan et le Fars baigne la partie méridio-

nale de cette derniére province dont toutes les

eaux se jettent dans la mer aupreés du port de

Mahrotian non loin du port de Mehdi.”}

In M. Hammer-Purgstall’s Persia, translated

t See page 72.

* See page 96.

1 See “Recueil de Voyages et de Memoires par la

Société de Géographie,” tom. v., page 380.

344

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

by the Baron de Nerciat, we read the following

passage :—

“ Suivant le texte du Djéhén-numé, le 7Tub

s'élance des montagnes du Lotiristan,* se grossit

des eaux du Mos, ou Mes, sépare le Khotzistén

du Fars et se jette dans la mer auprés du

village de Choutour.

Le manuscrit du géo-

graphe Persant (sous le No. 433), dit que les

montagnes ou ce fleuve prend sa source, sont

celles de Chémiran et de Takht.”§

The learned Uylenbrock in his Inace Persice

* Pres de Merj est ajouté par le Djéhdn-numa.

(Note

of the Rev. Mr. Renouard.)

t De la Bibliotheque Impériale et Royale de Vienne,

dans le quel se trouve & ce que suppose M. de Hammer un

extrait du Noz-hatu-l-kooloub de Hamdu-Uah Mestofifi,

qu’il appelle le geographe Persan.

(Note of the Rev. Mr,

Renouard.)

1 Chémiran, or Semirin, is a rich and populous district,

under the jurisdiction of Isfahdn, the revenues of which

were for some time fixed on the late Minister for Foreign

Affairs of the Shah, Mirza-Massud.

§ « Recueil de Voyages et de Mémoires,” &e., tom. ii.,

page 324.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

345

Descriptio,

page 79,

quotes

the following

passage from Abu-l- Fedd :—

“ Fluvius Thab, &e.

. teste Ibn-Haukalo,

oritur juxta Al-Mardj ex montibus Tspahanis,

&e

His fluvius Thab postquam alium

Masn dictum in se recepit, ulterius procedens

juxta portam Ardjanis preetertubitur.

Prope

Schiniz denique in mare exonerat.”

Further on (page 96) the same commentator

gives us the passage of Ibn-Haukal himself,

extracted from his travels, and which we take

the liberty of transcribing before we notice

Uylenbrock’s comment upon it :—

“ Ad fluvios Persidis,” says Ibn Haukal,

‘““ quod attinet habet bonas aquas Orientes in

confiniis Ispahan® ejusque montibus et appa-

rentes in regione Al Sardan postquam transie-

runt tractum Al Bordj sese exonerant in fluvium

Masen qui itidem extractu Ispahane versus

illum Sardani procedit.

Cunjunguntur prope

vicum Masen dictum ; neque desinit aqua fluere

uberius quam incolarum necessitates postulant,

usque ad portam ad Radjan sub pounte Tsakan ;

346

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

qui pons inter Persidem et Khouzistan exstans

paucos sibi pares habet, ita ut, me quidem

judice, opere preestantior sit ponte Cordube

et ex

laudatissimis

Persie

rebus.

Rigat

pagum et urbem, deinde incedit in mare prope

confina Schiniz.”

M

adds,

Uylenbrock

that although the

Arabian traveller does not mention the name

of this great river, still it can be no other

than the

T hab,

the

description of which

AbG-l-Feda states,

that he

drew from Ibn

Hankal.

In respect to Abi-Shirin, we find, that

according to the Jeham-Numd, this river is

only nine farsangs (thirty-three miles and three-

quarters) in length, and takes its rise in the

mountains of Dinér.

It

is a considerable

river, and is crossed with difficulty on horse-

back.*

In AbG-l-Feda we read:—

“ Fluvius Sechirin oritur e monte Dainowar,

* See “ Recueil de Voyages et Mémoires,” &e., tom. ii.,

page 271.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

347

qui est in tractu Bazarnog et pervagatus Per-

siam incedit in mare apud Gonnabam,” &e.*

The Journal of Sherafu-d-din fixes the posi-

tion of the Abi-Shirin, which we have seen

is the Kheirabad river, in my route.

It remains,

therefore, to ascertain whether it be likewise

identical with the Hindiyan.

To prove this, we

must have recourse to Kinneir, who crossed

the Hindiyan river near its mouth, close to

the Persian Gulf; though, at the same time,

it is essential to observe, that he mistakes it

for the Tub

The passage runs thus:—

“ Of the rivers of the province (Fars), the

Tab (ancient Arosis) is the most considerable.

It is formed by the junction of two streams

within a few miles of the town of Zeitoon.

Both these streams take

their rise

in the

recesses of the mountains of Fars, the first

at the foot of the high hill of Kamaran, and

the other near that of Ardicoone, twelve far-

* See Busching’s “ Magazin fiir Historie et Geographie,”

tom. iv., page 170.

348

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

-

sangs north-west of Shirauz.

(This branch of

the Tab is evidently the river mentioned by

Arrian, in the ¢ March of Alexander.’

It is

necessary to cross it twice between the Kela-

Sefeed and Shirauz.) It divides Fars from

Khuzistan, and passes through the centre of

the town of Endian, where, when T crossed

it in the month of February, it was eighty

yards wide and navigable for boats of twenty

tons burthen.

Nine miles above the town is

a ford, and, sixteen below it, the Zub falls

into the sea.

When the river passes Zeitoon,

the waters are perfectly sweet, but in its course

over the hills, towards Fndian they become

corrupted, and at that place are so brackish

as hardly to be fit for use.”*

In another portion of the same work, the

author mentions,

that this river lies to the

east of the plain of Behbehan.t

Without stopping to refute here, what in our

* See Major-General M‘Donald Kinneir’s « Geographical

Memoir of the Persian Empire,” page 57

t Idem., page 72.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

349

humble opinion appears to be an error of the

author, who holds this river to be the 7Tub,

or his

evident

mistake

in connecting the

southern branch of it with the river of Kal’eh-

Sefid, or the Abi-Shitr, it is sufficient for our

present purpose to point out that his descrip-

tion of the northern branch, laid down in his

map of Persia, corresponds with the position

of the ADbi-Shirin

in Sheref-d-din and the

Kheirabad of our Journal.

At Behbehan 1 was told that the town of

Zeitin is not more than five farsangs distant

from it, and that it is situated on the river

Kheirabad, as well as Hindiyan, from which

latter town the

river probably derives its

appellation of Hindiyan in its lower course,

the rivers in the East often changing their

names according to the places through which

they flow.

The

bare circumstance of

1ts

waters becoming brackish, as Kinneir observes,

from Zeitun

down to the

sea,

must have

induced

the natives to designate the Abi-

Shirin (which means fresh or sweet water)

350

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

by some more appropriate appellation in its

lower course.

We have now to examine what river will

best correspond with the course which the

Arab and Persian

writers

ascribe

to the

Tab.

Sir John M*‘Donald Kinneir, in enumerating

the rivers of Iars, says :—

“The river Jeraki (the ancient Pasitigris?)

which, next to the 7ab, is the largest in

Fars, (the author had mentioned before that

the Tab formed the boundary between Fars

and Khuzistan,) descends from the mountains

immediately behind Behbehén,

and passes

within a few miles of that city, runs through

m

the vale of Ram-Hormuz to Old Dorak,

Here the

the country of the Cha’b Sheikh.

Arabs have erected a dam, the water of the

river is dispersed in various directions, for the

purpose of agriculture, having two principal

branches, which flow, the one on the outside

and the other through the centre of the town

of Dorak.

Most of the lesser branches ter-

TIMUR AND

ALEXANDER THE

GREAT.

351

minate, and in fact occasion, the marshes in

the vicinity of this town ;

and

of the two

one enters

the Karoon

principal branches,

above Sabla,

and the other flows

into the

sea at Goban.

The Jerahi, in' its passage

through the valley of Ram-Hormuz is very

considerably increased by another river, which

flows with great rapidity from the mountains

about six miles east of the town of Ram-

Hormuz.*

This

is the river alluded to in

the march of Timur, and although its course

is short, it contains a great body of water,

and is not to be forded after the melting of

the snows.” |

In a subsequent passage, the same author

mentions that the town of Behbehan lies three

miles east of the ruins of the ancient city of

Aragian, which may be seen on the banks of

the Jerahi.}

* The Tezeng or Alai river of my Journal.

1 See Kinneir’s « Geographical Memoir of the Persian

Empire,” pages 58, 59.

1 Idem, page 72.

352

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

If we now turn to the Arab geographer,

translated by Sir William Ouseley,* and to

Abu-l-Feda,t in the passages above quoted, we

find that it is the 7ab which passes by

Arjan, and we glean moreover from the former

that the Tab is in the vicinity of Mdahi-Riyan,

and that from thence the boundary is be-

tween Daurek and Mahi-Riyan towards the

sea.}

Now, the French traveller, Tavernier, in the

table he gives of the longitudes and latitudes

of the principal cities of Persia, alludes like-

wise to Mehrouyon, which, he adds, is com-

monly known by the name of Behbehdn (* Meh-

rouyon appelé vulgairement Behbehan”).§ There

can be no doubt as to Dauwrak being identical

with Dorak, which is in the country of the

Cha’b Arabs.

* See above, page 342

t See above, page 345

1 See above, page 343

§ Tavernier’s

“ Voyage

en Perse,”

&e.,

liv

iii.,

p. 403.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT,

353

Mr. Stocqueler, who crossed the mountains

from Behbehan to Isfahdn, gives to the river

now under consideration, the name of Jerahi

in its upper course,* while Major Rawlinson

does the same in respect to its lower course,

adding, that the Jerahi is formed from the

junction of the Abi-Zerd with the Kurdistan

river, in the plain of Ram-Hormuz.t

M

Ainsworth, who accompanied Colonel

Chesney on his FEuphrates expedition, and

visited the mouth of the Jerahi, gives a very

detailed account of its lower course, which

corroborates, in a great measure, what Kinneir

had already written on the subject; but as the

exploration of that part of the country by

Mr. Ainsworth is quite recent and very valu-

able, I shall quote here the passage of his

work which relates to the Jerahi,

notwith-

standing its length :—

* See Mr. Stocqueler’s ¢ Fifteen Months” Pilgrimage

through Khizistdn and Persia,” &c., vol. i,, p. 102.

t “ Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,” vol. ix.,

p. 79.

VOL. II.

354

ON THE

EXPEDITIONS

OF

“ The Jerahi,” says the author, * originates

from several rivers which flow from the Bakh-

tiyari mountains.

The

united

streams

flow

past Ghuraibah, in the longitude of Hawaz,

into the territory of the sheikh of Ka’b. Here

the waters begin to be drained by numerous

canals which take their departure from the

right bank; while the main river flows on-

wards to Asdyi, within about eight miles of

Dorak, or Ielakiyah, and where the waters

from the east sweep round to the south-east.

From this convexity six various canals take

their departure; the most southerly loses itself

in rice-grounds and marshes.

The next unites

with two other canals, after their waters have

been diminished by irrigation, to form the

canal of Dorak.

The others lose themselves

in the marshes of the same place, called IHjr

Dordak.

The sixth and most northerly divides

into two branches, forming seven canals in all.

On these various canals are many villages,

surrounded by date-trees; the inhabitants cul-

tivating rice and grain, and pasturing cattle.

TIMUR

AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

355

The Jerahi in its continuation, loses itself in

marshes ; from which part of the waters are

said to re-unite, to form the Lusbah river,

which empties itself into the Gulf.

“The Dorak canal, flowing past Felahiyah,

sends off a canal of irrigation at about a mile

from the town, while the main channel, after

losing itself partly in marshes, continues its

course, as previously mentioned, into the Karin

el "Amah, by which it empties itself into the

Kartn.”*

Mr

Otter, a French traveller of the last

century, when at Basra, also makes mention

of this river, which he calls the Afitab (sun

in Persian), as coming from Kiouh-Guilan (the

country of the Khogila). t

To this host of authorities, which tend to

establish that the Jerahi, the Kurdistcin, and

the Tdb, are one and the same river, I shall

* See Mr. Ainsworth’s « Researches in Assyria, Baby-

lonia, and Chaldaa,” 1838, p. 200.

t See Otter’s “ Voyage en Turquie et en Perse,” &c.,

tom. ii., ¢. iv., p. 46, Paris edition of 1748.

AAX

3

ON THE EXPEDITIONS

o

3

56

take the liberty to add a few facts which have

fallen under my own notice, and the information

which I gathered on the spot respecting this

river.

When T visited the ruins of Arrejan, scattered

on the banks of the Kurdistan, I was told that

this river takes its rise at Serhad-Chendar, some

distance to the north or north-east of Behbehan,

in the mountains which separate this district

from the province of Isfahan.

In its upper

course it passes by Deh-Dasht, the summer

residence of the Governor of Behbehan, eight

farsangs from that city.

Near Behbehan it is

now known as the Kurdistin river, probably

from the village of Kurdistan, at which place

there 1is a ford.

It then flows into the plain of

Ram-Hormz, to the south of the town of that

name, and, lastly, joins the Kurén river above

the town of Muhammereh, in the country of

the Cha'b-Arabs.

Its name of Abi-Arghiin

(waters or river of Arghun), in Shéreft-d-din’s

Journal, may well be accounted for from the

circamstance that it flowed by the walls of the

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

357

city of Arrejan (or Arghtn); and it is not

unlikely that it continued to be known under

the same name long after the city of Arrejan

had been destroyed.

The fact of Sir John M¢Donald Kinneir’s

omitting to mention that he had crossed the

Jerali . before he arrived at Behbehan led Pro-

fessor Long to conclude that he did not cross it ;

and as Timur had previously pursued the same

route, that he likewise had no necessity of

crossing the Jerahi*

But from what has been

stated above, and by reference to the map

annexed to vol. 1., it is clear that both Timur

and Kinneir could not have avoided the Jeraki

(in other words, the Kurdistan, or Abi-Arghtn

river) on their march from Shuashter to Persis

Proper.

Before we quit this subject it will be in-

teresting to ascertain whether Alexander or any

of his generals crossed the same river on their

way to Persia, and to determine, if possible,

* See “Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,”

vol. iii., p. 262.

(3]

Q

58

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

under what name it was known to the ancients;

as it is not natural that the historians of that

monarch, as well as the geographers who have

treated

of his expedition, should have left

unnoticed, or passed over in silence, so consider-

able a stream.

We have endeavoured to establish elsewhere*

that the plain of Mal-Amir is the site of the

ancient city of the Uxians; and as it was

there that Alexander, according to his his-

torians, divided his forces, we must likewise

take our departure from thence, and follow

him along

the

mountains,

while Parmenio

with the main army, is marching over the

level country.

We must be allowed here to quote our

authorities.

The passage in Quintus Curtius is

the following : —

“ Dividing his army, he (Alexander) com-

manded Parmenio to march through the level

country, while he, with the light armed forces,

traversed the mountains, which extend in a

* See vol. ii., chap. xviii.

TIMUR AND

ALEXANDER

THE

GREAT.

359

continuous chain to Persis.

Having ravaged all

this tract, he, on the third day, reached Persis,

and on the fifth entered the straits, called Pyle

Suside.” *

In Chaussard’s French translation of Arrian

the passage runs thus :—

“ Alexandre renvoya ensuite en Perse par

la grande route les bagages, la cavalerie Thessa-

lienne, celle des alliés et des étrangers et les

troupes pésamment armées sous la conduite de

Parmenion.

“ Prenant avec lui l'infanterie Macédonienne,

la cavalerie des hétaires, celle des éclaireurs,

les agrianiens et les archers, il s'avance rapide-

ment par les montagnes.”

The line of communication, or high road

for waggons, between Shishter and Shiraz, is

the more southern of the two, and leads, as

is now known, by Ram-ITormiz and Behbehan

close to Kal'eh ISoﬁ'd.

This is the road, there-

fore, which Parmenio must have taken, com-

mencing by Ram-ITormz, as the nearest spot

* Q. Curtius, translated by Pratt, book v., chap. iii.

360

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

on the plain after leaving the town of the

Uxians (at Mal-Amir), and subsequently passing

through the defile at the foot of Kal'eh Sefid,

which is the site of one of the Pyle Persice.

Or else, to avoid the difficult passage through

the straits of Kal’eh Sefid, he may have taken

a more circuitous

route over the DPuri-Zen,

leaving Kitel-i- Dokhter to the right; a road

which, in my itinerary, I have shown to be prac-

ticable even for wheel carriages and artillery.*

But whether Parmenio chose the one or the

other route, is not at present the question:

it is sufficient to know, that from Réam-IHormiz

up to Kal’eh Sefid, he must have marched over

the same ground as Timur and Sir John M*‘Donald

Kinneir, for there is no other practicable road

to the south for a great army that I am

aware of.

e must, therefore, have crossed,

as they did, the river Jerahi.

In fact, since

it has been ascertained that this river takes

its rise in the snowy range to the northward

of Behbehén, and only joins the Kurén stream

* See chap. ix., page 221.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

361

at the Delta of the Shat-al-’Arab by an arti-

ficial canal, and the Persian Gulf by its own

original bed, consequently flowing in a diagonal

line across the whole country from north-east

to south-west, it becomes clear, that any one

travelling to the south of the Zagros chain,

between

Shtishter

and Kal’eh Sefid,

must

unavoidably cross it.

It next behoves us to find out the route

pursued by Alexander, which his historians

themselves say was along the mountains, and,

therefore, to the north of the road which Par-

menio had taken.

Had he been in less haste to arrive at Perse-

polis, or of a less adventurous spirit, he might

have chosen the route known at present by the

name of the Jdddehi Atabeg (the road of the

Luri-Baztrg Chiefs near Mal-Amir from the

twelfth to the fourteenth centuries), but which

we hold to be far more ancient, being the

straight line of communication between Susiana

and Media.*

* See chap. xvii., page 40.

362

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

In a stratagetical point of view, this course

would, perhaps, have been the more advisable,

as the enemy opposed to him at Persepolis

would in that case have been hemmed in by

Alexander in front, issuing from Media,* and

by Parmenio in the rear, from the side towards

Persis.

It remains, then, to ascertain whether there

exists any other road along the mountains

between the J z’uldehi-Atz’mbog and the route of

Timur.

The celebrated German geographer,

Professor Ritter, expresses his doubts whether

any passage be practicable in this direction,

on account of the stupendous range of moun-

* In this point of view, the conjecture of Bongarsius,

that instead of “ per medium iter,” we ought to read « per

Mediam iter,” is not so void of plausibility as the English

translator and commentator of Quintus Curtius, Mr. Peter

Pratt, seems to think ; although it be necessary to observe,

that Alexander, when he consulted the guides, was no

longer in the Uxian territory (Mal-Amir), but near the

Susian Straits, which we reckon to be, as will be seen

hereafter, near the town of Arrejin. (See the letter C.,

in the additional notes to Q. Curting, vol. ii,, page 518,

by P. Pratt.)

363

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

tains which runs from north-west to south-east,

and divides the sources of the Zoiyende-rud*

from those of the Kurén and Jerahi rivers;t

but since my recent excursion from Behbehan

to M al-Amir, it has become evident that there

does exist such a route, and from what has

fallen from the pen of Quintus Curtius, there

appears great probability that it was the very

* Zoyende, born, from the verb Zoiden, to be born ; for

the Zoyende-rud, according to the natives, is independent of

its source at Zerdeh-kuh, formed of many springs, which

bubble up to the surface from the bowels of the earth.

t M. C. Ritter says :—* Eine dritte communication ist

uns nicht bekannt geworden, auch scheint sie nicht zu

existiren, weil zwischen dieser Bergroute und derjenigen die

wir frither von der Ebene Merdescht bei Persepolis iiber

Moin nordwiirts als sommer-strasse nach Yezdehast kennen

lernten, die gewaltigste Bergmasse des Grenzgebirgszuges

im miichtigen Gebirgstock des Kuhi-Zerd sich erhebt, welche

bisher ganz unbesucht Clieb, auf welcher die wilden Bach-

tiari-Stiimme hausen von dessen Snechihen gegen N.O.

die Quellen des Zoyenderud hinab gen Isfahan strémen, wie

gegen S. die des Jerahi nach dem Perser Golf und des

Kuren zum

Delte

des

Schat-ul-Arab.”

(See Ritter’s

ses ae

Erdkunde iii., Buch, West Asien, Band iii. ii., Abtheilung iv.,

Abschnitt § 19, page 133.)

364

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

same Alexander followed from the Uxian town

to the frontiers of Persis.

To render the subject more perspicuous, we

must be allowed to refer again to the passage of

Curtius before quoted, and comment on it as we

go on.

“ Dividing the army,” says the Roman histo-

rian,

“ Alexander

commanded Parmenio to

march through the level country, while he, with

the light armed forces, traversed in a continuous

chain to Persis.

Having ravaged all this tract,

he, on the third day, reached Persis, and on the

fifth entered the straits called Pyle Suside.”

The road from Mal-Amir to Behbehan leads

between the second and third parallel ranges

of the Zagros chain, running from north-west

to south-east, or, in the words of Alexander’s

historian, the mountains which extend in a con-

tinuous chain to Persis.”

This hilly country

is intersected by numerous streams, which flow

through some pleasant and fertile valleys ; such

as Baghi-Maltk, Baxi, Petek, Bilferiz, and

Teshiin.

Inhabited villages are even now met

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT,

365

with oﬁ this tract, while considerable ruins

attest that formerly these valleys were still better

peopled than they are at present.

That they

were inhabited at the time of the Macedonian

conqueror of Asia may be inferred from the

above quotation, in which Curtius mentions,

that Alexander ¢ ravaged all this tract.”

The

same author goes on to say, that Alexander

reached Persis on the third day after leaving the

town of the Uxians, which perfectly answers

the distance from Mal-Amir to the Kurdistan

(the Jerahi, or Tab) river, which we have seen

forms the boundary line of Khuzistin and

Pars.

It is about twenty-three or twenty-

four

farsangs (seventy-five

to

seventy-eight

miles,) a distance which Alexander, owing

to his anxiety to reach Persepolis, may have

traversed in three days with his light Mace-

donian troops without great exertion, especially

if he allowed his infantry in marching to make

use of the cavalry horses during part of the

day, making his troops walk and ride cach in

their turn.

366

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Q. Curtius lastly observes, that Alexander

only entered the defile called Pyle Suside on

the fifth day. From the ford near the village

of Kurdistan,

to the foot of the mountains

from whence the river issues,

there are not

more than three farsangs (eleven and a-quarter

miles); but it would be idle to dwell long

on conjectures as to the probable reasons which

may have deterred Alexander from advancing

to that pass sooner.

Very trivial obstacles

often serve to impede the march of an army;

and, in the present case, very plausible motives

might be adduced.

The troops required at

least a day’s rest after their forced march,

before they could grapple with new hardships.

It is equally natural to suppose that Alex-

ander wished to await here the arrival of the

main army, in order to concert with Parmenio

the plan of attack on Persepolis, before he

ventured further into the mountains, as at this

place the level road from Persia, and the

mountain-road from the Uxian country, meet

in the plain of Behbehin, through which the

TIMUR AND

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

367

Tab pursues its course, after leaving the pass.

Alexander had likewise the guides to consult

as to his further progress.

We believe, then, that Alexander penetrated

into Persia by the pass of the 7u«b, which in

that case becomes the Pyle Suside, or Pyle

Persice, a name by which this defile could

be indiscriminately called, as serving to form

the boundary between the two provinces of

Susiana on one side, and Persis on the other.

In order to prove what we advance, it is

first of all requisite to ascertain whether there

exists or not a practicable passage across the

snowy range of mountains separating the valley

of the Tab from the waters of Persepolis.

While on a visit to the ruins of Persepolis,

my guide, the Kedkhida, or Chief of the

village of Husein-abad, in conducting me up

the isolated hill of Istakhr (about two and

a-half farsangs north-west of the ruins of

Takhti-Jemshid), assured me, that were the

scason less advanced (it was the beginning of

January), and I felt inclined, he would have

368

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

taken me across the mountains to Behbehan,

without my going by the circuitous road of

Shiraz.

He pointed in the direction W.N.W.,

from whence the river Araxes* or Bend Amir

of our maps, but known on the spot by the

name of Kium-Firdz, was directing its course

from the snowy range of the Ardekan moun-

tains.

We have therefore an assurance, founded on

native authorify, of a possibility of crossing

the mountains in the intervening space between

the valleys of the Td¢b and the Arazes, and

that was more than sufficient for Alexander,

who courted nothing so ardently as to surmount

such obstacles as to others would have ap-

peared impossibilities; and we reap from his

commentators an account of the innumerable

difficulties he had to contend with, and the

hardships he had to undergo, before he could

reach the plain of Persepolis.

We must bear in mind, that the latter part

* The river crossed by Alexander on approaching Per-

sepolis.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE G KEA"F.

369

of Alexander’s route to Persepolis is geogra-

phically established, namely, that the Arawes,

which he crossed after descending the snowy

chain, and before he reached the Persian city,

is the Kir, or, more correctly, the Kim-Firiz

of the present day.

This undisturbed point will facilitate us in

tracing the previous march of the Macedonian

conqueror, and lead us to determine the ancient

name of the Tab.

.

Since the country of Khizistan is become

more known,

the

relative position

of the

different rivers enumerated by Strabo, which

flow

with

their tributaries

into the Persian

Gulf, seem to have been more satisfactorily

determined, with the exception of one river,

namely, the Agradates.

The

passage

of

Strabo here referred to,

Tuns

m

the

Trench

version

of his

thus,

work by MM. de

la Porte

du Theil

and

Coray :—

¢« Il (Alexandre) passa un plus grand nombre

de fleuves qui traversent le pays, et qui se

VOL. II.

B

B

370

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

déchargent dans le Golfe Persique* car aprés

le Choaspe vient le Coprates, ainsi que le

Pasitigre qui a sa source dans le pays des

Uxii.

On y trouve encore le flewve Agradates,t

nommé depuis Cyrus} par le Roi (de ce nom);

Strictly speaking

it would be more correct to say,

“Et qui se dirigent vers le Golfe Persique,” as they do

not all reach the sea; although in ancient times that

may have been the case, in respect to the greater number

of these rivers ; as Pliny observes that the lower part

of Elymais was under water, and the country so low,

that in order to gain the shores of Persis the mariner was

obliged to stand off to sea, and that nowhere do the rivers

bring down so much sand and slime as those which flow

through the above-named country.

(See Pliny, lib. vi,

c. 27.) We learn the same from the voyage of Nearchus,

sap. x1., ¢ Arriani Historia Indica.”

t In respect to the river Agradates, M. Gossellin, in a

note to the French translation of Strabo, above quoted,

makes the following observation :—

“ Jignore le nom moderne de ce fleuve, nous manquons

de bonnes cartes pour suivre dans cette partie de la Perse

la marche &’ Alexandre.” (Geogr. de Strabon., lib. xv., p. 120.)

t Cyrus, which I believe was the Grecian word for

khor, meaning sun in the old Persian language, reminds

us of Afitab, by which appellation Otter says the river

T'ab was called in his day, and meant the sun, according to

the modern signification of Afitab in Persian.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER

THE GREAT.

371

il traverse la partie de la Perse connue sous

le nom de Ceele-Persis aux environs de la ville

de Passargades.” *

The classification of these rivers, or the order

in which they follow each other, is evidently

from west to east, the course Alexander took

on leaving Susa for Persepolis; the Choaspes

corresponding with the Kerkheh, the Coprates

with the Dizfitl river, and the Pasitigris with

the Kidrén of the present day.+

The Agradates, the most eastern of all these

rivers, seems to answer the position of the

Jerahi or Tab river which lies east of the

Kiren.

* Strabo, lib. xv.

t Strabo has omitted to name the Euleus, between the

Choaspes and the Coprates, the present Shover river, which

runs close to the foot of the great mound at Susa ; but

Strabo’s intention may probably have been to mention only

It will be

the larger rivers of the province of Susiana,

observed from the above, that we have adopted partly Major

Rawlinson’s, but more particularly Professor Long’s system

of classifying the rivers of Susiana, which appears to us,

more satisfactory than all the former systems.

B8 2

372

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Strabo, as if to distinguish it from the

streams which flow from the Bakhtiyari moun-

tains in Luristan-Buztrg, adds that the Agra-

dates comes from Cewle-Persis in the neighbour-

hood of Passargade.

Now, if the locality of Passargade were

fixed, there would be little difficulty in deter-

mining the position of the Agradates, but since

opinions still differ on that question, we must

have recourse to other means in order to settle

the point.

There is a passage in Pliny which, though

it may itself require some explanation, will

nevertheless help us in our present research.

After enumerating several rivers on the coast

of Persis, as the Greek fleet sailed up the Gulf,

Pliny adds, on the faith of Onesicritus, the

pilot of Nearchus, the following :—*

“ Au milieu de la longueur du Golfe Persique

se jette le fleuve Hyperis propre i porter des

* See “Iistoire Naturelle de Pline,” &e., in the Irench

version by Poissenet de Sivry, liv. vi. chap. 23, pages

755—757.

TIMUR

AND ALEXANDER

THE GREAT.

373

batimens de charge; le fleuve Sitiogade qui

conduit anx Passargade en sept jours de navi-

gation ; I Herathemis aussi fleuve navigable ;

une ile sans nom ; le fleuve Iranis, qui ne

porte qui des batimens mediocres et qui traverse

la Susiane,” &c.

According to the Arab geographers, the Tub

and the A40-Shirin are the only navigable rivers

of Fars.

The fleet on sailing up the Gulf came

first to the latter, the same which Kinneir calls

the Hindiyan river, and says is navigable for

boats of twenty tons burthen.

From what has just been said, we think

ourselves

m

that

the

justified

concluding,

Hiperis of Onmesicritus can be no other than

the Abi-Shirin of the Oriental geographers ; and

as the next river to the west of Ab-Shirin is

the Twb, that this latter must, therefore, fairly

stand for the Sitiogadus of Pliny.* Nor do we

know of any river east of the Kiren (the river

of Shashter) which would answer the descrip-

* Or Sitiogagus of Arrian, the river by which provisions

are brought up.

274

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

tion of Sitiogade better than the 7Tub (the

Jerahi), or be more suited to so lengthened a

navigation.

On comparing Pliny’s account of Sitiogadus

with Strabo’s Agradates, we are struck with

the remarkable resemblance they bear to each

other ;

for both these rivers, in their upper

course, are said to pass by the neighbourhood

of Passargade, and both flow into the Persian

Gulf.

In a previous part of this work* we pointed

out the possibility of placing the Asylum Per-

sarum in the valley, watered by the Zu@b in

its upper course, where ruins of considerable

towns still exist ; it is, therefore, not unlikely,

that they represent Passargadee, the strongholds

of the Persians, though not the city with the

tomb of Cyrus.

If the points of resemblance be such as to

identify the Sitiogadus with the Agradates, and

serve to prove that the former, as has been

shown, can be no other than the 7ab, it

* Kee vol. i., chap. xii

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER

THE GREAT.

375

follows that the Agradates must, in like manner,

represent the said river Tab.

We must not be surprised if the same rivers

are often differently called by different authors;

nor ought we to confound into one river such

as are distinct, although bearing the same

name. In the Fast this confusion is of daily

occurrence, and was probably the same in

ancient times.

But since this part of Persia

has become better known of late years than it

was for many centuries, instead of attaching

ourselves to names merely,* it becomes more

important to inquire whether the relative posi-

tion and courses of those rivers coincide with

the fluvial system of the country; for it has been,

in a great measure, the ignorance of its topo-

graphical features which perplexed the com-

mentators of Alexander’s march through Susiana

and Persis.

* Were we to be guided merely by the sound of the

names, we might be induced to seek the Agradates, o

Cyrus river, in the Kuren, and the Fuleus, ov Ulai, in the

“ Alai,” or Tezeng river.

v

.

376

ON

THE

EXPEDITIONS OF

We are not aware tbat there exists any

ancient authority to

circumseribe the limits of

Cwele-Persis to the

plains of Merdasht and

Murgab, with the

ruins of Persepolis and

Ccele-Persis

have

the city of Cyrus

may

extended

further

west

into

the

moun-

tainous

country,

intersected

by

valleys,

which

the

Agradates

pursued

1ts

through

course.

If, then, the Agradates represents the Tab,

as we believe it does, Alexander must have

crossed it, because Strabo mentions the Agra-

dates among the rivers traversed by the Mace-

In

donian King on his march to Persepolis.

his narrative, the Araxes was the next river

which followed the Agradates, but he omits

to give any description of the intervening space.

We have that deficiency supplied by Quintus

‘urtius ; according to whose account it con

sisted of a rugged chain of mountains, difficult

of access, the western acclivities of which were

covered with forest, the summits capped in

snow, and the eastern declivity broken into

TIMUR

AND ALEXANDER

THI

GREAT,.

377

deep ravines;*—a faithful picture

of the

Ardekan chain which separates the basins of

the Tab and the Kim-Firaz between Behbehin

and Persepolis

The continuation of the passage in Strabo will

further elucidate the subject.

£ Alexandre,”.he says, ‘ passa aussi '’ Araxe

prés de Persepolis, residence magnifique surtout

par les riches trésors qu’elle renferme. Ce fleuve a

sa source dans la Paretacene et regoit le Medus

qui vient de la Médie.

I un et I'autre traversent

une vallée extrémement fertile qui touche de

méme que Persepolis a la Caramanie vers

1 Orient.”

The mountainous country, then of Ardekdn,

where the Tab and the Kam-Firtz take their

source, forms the ancient Paretacene, or Para-

takena, of the Greeks.

Thus we find that, with

the single omission of the initial letter, the

name has not changed since the time of

Alexander, Ardekdn retaining the consonants of

Aratakena, which is all one can expect from

* Q. Curtius, lib. v., cap. iv.

378

ON THE EXI’I‘JI)I’I‘IOA\;S or

the genius of Oriental languages, where the

signs of the vowels are not always manifest.

Herodotus informs us that Artei* or Ardei,

was the proper name for Persians; Awrdekdn

therefore designated the seat of the Persian

race; and this appears to offer a further proof

that the mountainous region stretching from

Persepolis to Behbehan, and of difficult access

at all times, would be the fittest spot to place

the Asylum Persarum.t

* Polymn. 61.

t I am tempted to throw out a few more conjectures

respecting Ardekdn, although I fear they are not well

digested, and crave therefore the indulgence of my judges,

in case these suggestions happen to be at variance with

the etymological construction of the old Zend and other

Eastern languages of which I am ignorant.

Major Rennel, in his valuable commentary on Herodotus,

is of opinion that the Artei may originally have oceupied

the country of Ardestin to the north-cast of Isfahdn,*

Without prejudicing in the least the propriety of such a

suggestion, we wish to throw out a similar conjecture in

favour of Ardekan.

The wandering tribes of Persia,

* See on the Geography of Herodotug, vol, i., p. 378,

Y

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

3

(

9

If the interpretation we have. given to the

above-stated passages of Strabo and Pliny,

together with the account of Quintus Curtius,

o

PR S et

belonging to one clan and bearing the same name, are now,

and were probably the same in ancient times, scattered over

various parts of the country.

The sound ard, or perhaps more properly ar, in the word

Ardekan, seems to constitute the root of the Zend race,

and was sprinkled all over the countries of the east, com-

mencing fromthe hightable land of central Asia, and spreading

westward. *

Then we meet with Articane and Arid in the

locality of modern Herat, and another Artacane more to

the west, near Rhages, as well as several other places bear-

ing the same name.

If the word Dekan be equivalent to Dagyn, which,

according to M. Burnouf’s interpretation, mecans province,t

then Ardekan, ov Ardagyn, the province or country of the

Ar people may form a counterpart to Lur-Dagyn, or Lur-

Dagan, the country of the ZLuwur, who are also a tribe of the

PPN

* Fyven the Indians called themselves Arya, or the

excellent, while in the Arab Geography, translated by Sir W.

Ouseley, we read that the Hous (the Russians) were divided

into three tribes, of which one was called Arthai, whose

capital was Artha, near Bulgar.

See Ouseley, p. 191.

t See “Commentaire sur le Yagna,” p

Ixii,, and C.

Ritter’s “ Erdkunde,” part viii., p. 18.

380

ON THE

EXPEDITIONS OF

be correct, we necessarily arrive at the following

conclusions :(—

1. That the Agradates of Strabo, and the

Zend race.

This Lur Dagan is at present a large village,

or, according to Major Rawlinson, it may be called a town,*

and lies to the north of Ardekan, in the possession of the

Bakhtiyari, who are of the Lur race.

But are not the Artwi, or the Ar people, the same as the

Paras,t under which name the country, as well as the

inhabitants of Persia are mentioned in the Holy Serip-

tures 7 the same as Pars and the Parsi of the Arab

writers,§ or Fars of the present day ? Farsi being now

“Journal of the Royal Geographical Society,” vol. ix.,

p. 103.

T The Parga of the Persepolitan Zend inscriptions.

(See Lassen, Die Alt Persischen Keil-Inschriften von Per-

sepolis, pp. 49 and 60.)

t “ Paras (Heb.) Persia Collect. Persiw.”

(Ezech. xxvii.

10; Esth. i. 8; Esr. i. 1, 4, 5, 199 ; Dan, v. 28 ; vi. 12.)

Al. Pers. (\wj\_e : L,,,}L;, \m)j), i. e., Zend, Splendus, nitidus,

clarus (Wahl Asia, p. 225—19. Heeren, Ideen, &c., b. i.,

p. 627).

See Lexicon

Manuale

Hebraicum et Chaldaicum

m

Veteris Testamenti Lilros, &e.

§ We find even the Parsi and Parsia close to Artacune

and Aria in Ptolemy’s Geography, tabula ix,

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

381

Sitiogadus of Pliny, represent the 7db (Jerahi,

or Kurdistan, ) river.

2. That the Pyle-Suside, or Pyle-Persice, is

the pass of 7Tengi-Tek-6; and therefore that

here was the boundary between Persis and

Susiana.

3. That the Paretacene mountains are iden-

tical with the Ardekdan chain.

4. That one of the Passargade ought to be

sought in the upper valley of the Tab.

And, lastly, that Alexander crossed the Tab,

and traversed the pass of Tengi-Tek-6.

On fixing thus the boundary-line between

used only to designate the language of the Parsians, but not

the people.

Therefore, without the necessity of removing the letter

P from the word Paretacene, we still find it identified

with Ardekan, as being the country of the Paras, the Ardi,

or Ar, who were one and the same race.

I believe there is a passage in Nearchus where the

Mardi are blended with the Paretace, and occupying the

very locality now under consideration.

If so, that would

be water to our mill in identifying Ardekan with Parc-

tacene.

382

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Persis and Susiana at the Téab river, near Beh-

behan, we are enabled to determine with some

degree of precision, the site of the Uxian city,

and have thus the means in our power of

deciding whether our previous views on the

subject were correct or not.*

Curtius informs us that it was three days’

march before the frontier of Persis was reached,

and that it was, moreover, in the mountains.

This distance suits perfectly the position of

the ruins on the plain of Mél-Amir, in the

hilly country of the Bakhtiyari; whilst we have

endeavoured to prove elsewhere that the same

plain answers likewise, in other respects, the

topographical description of the city of the

Uxii, besieged by Alexander.

Tt remains to show, that the defiles passed

by Alexander on his march to Persepolis, could

not have been those of Kal'eh-Sefid, which,

agreeably to the received opinion, represent

the Pyle-Suside.

To prove this, it will be sufficient to notice

* See vol. ii., ¢. xviii.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

383

that Kal'eh-Sefid lies twenty-four farsangs south-

"mye

east of the

a

b; and nearly the same distance

separates the latter river from the plain of

MAal-Amir, situated in the mountains to the

north-west.

We have seen that it was only by forced

marches that Alexander could reach the boun-

dary of Susiana in three days, before he

entered the Pyle-Suside, which we identify

with Tengi-Tek-0, at the Tab river; but if the

Pyle-Susidee are to represent the defiles of

Kal’eh-Sefid, then the troops of Alexander

must have performed double the distance in

the same space of time—a thing utterly im-

possible.

It was, we believ;:, the idea that the Arosis

of Nearchus laved the foot of Kal'eh-Sefid,

which led to the erroneous notion of placing

the Susian defiles so far inland, if we are

allowed to make use of this expression ; for

Kal'eh-Sefid lies at a considerable distance in

the interior of the province of Persis, far from

the boundary of Susiana.

2384

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

A serious objection may be raised against

the Agradates forming the frontier of Persis,

because the Oroatis, which geographers identify

with the

Arosis,

constituted the boundary

between that province and Susiana.

If the Arosis and the Oroatis were two

distinct rivers, the difficulty might perhaps be

in some degree obviated, by -allowing the

Abi-Shirin to represent the Arosis, and by

assigning the Tab for the Oroatis; but not-

withstanding some ambiguity which hangs over

thre scanty information * concerning the Arvosis

and Oroatis in ancient writers, the impression

is, that they were intended for the same river.

Tt will therefore remain to ascertain whether

the distance, as given by Strabo, Pliny, and

Arrian, which separated the frontier river of

Persis from Pasitigris (which we Dbelieve 1is

now admitted to be the Kiren), is to apply to

the 7'ab, or the Abi-Shirin.

Our ignorance of the true position of the

* See (Gosselin’s Note to Strabo, in the French version

of M. de la Porte du Theil, &c., liv. xv,, p. 119.

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

385

mouth of this latter river, as well as that of

the original bed of the Tab, will not allow us

to decide the question; but we may entertain

the hope that the late surveys of the northern

coast of the Persian Gulf, by the Euphrates

Expedition, will ere long enable geographers

to settle this long pending point.

Before we quit the subject, we shall take the

liberty of stating the motives which prompt us

to identify the Oroatis, or Arosis, with the 7ub,

in preference to the A bi-Shirin.

In the first instance, this belief is founded en

the observations of Strabo and Nearchus them-

selves, who mention that river as the largest

in Persia;* an honourt which undeniably

belongs to the Tab, for its depth, and the

length of its course, when compared to the

ADbi-Shirin.

In the next place we have seen that the

highland

tribes,

who lived between Persis

Proper and Susiana, such as the Mardi and the

Parwtace, are to be traced to the valley of the

* See Strabo.

t See Arrian.

VOL. IT.

386

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Tab, in the mountainous region of Ardekan,

and not to the ADbi-Shirin,

These Mardi and

Parztace were neighbours of the Uxii, who

occupied the mountains to the north and north-

east of Susiana, and a reference to the map will

plainly show that this can in no way suit the

position of the Abi-Shirin.

The earliest Mussulman writers who have

treated of this part of the country are unani-

mous in assigning the Tab to be the boundary

of Khuzistan (Susiana), and Pars (Persis).

The Arabs must have found it existing on their

taking possession of the country, for it is

nowhere stated that the conquerors had any-

thing to do with fixing this line of demarcation

between the two provinces.

The same limits

prevail to this day,- Behbehan with its de-

pendencies falling under the jurisdiction of

Fars.*

* In the map of our route from KazerGn to Shashter,

published in the thirteenth volume of the transactions of

the Royal Geographical Society of London, the Arosis is

identified with the Abi-Shirin, the Brisane with the Shemsi-

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER

THE

GREAT.

387

After this long, though indispensable digres-

sion, we resume Timur’s march.

The sixth he passed to Kej-Hawas, and

encamped at the source of the river Khan-

bidak.

The first considerable river we arrive at, after

quitting the plain of Lishter, is the Shemsi-

"Arab, and it is, I suspect, the same stream in a

hilly country, the windings of which are crossed

several times on the way to the karavanserai of

Daghtmbezin ; but I cannot be positive on the

point, having traversed a part of the road during

the night.

At all events, Timur could not have

halted further than two and a-half, or, at the

utmost, three farsangs (eleven and a-half miles)

to the east of Lishter, the army having a hilly

tract to pass, and the country in front being

without water for

a considerable distance.

Moreover, if Shemsi-'Arab is not the same as

IRC———————

o

Arab, the Rhogonis with the Abi-Shur, and the Granis

with the present Shapur river ; but as we did not follow

their respective courses down to the Persian Gulf, we could

only trace them conjecturally on the map.

cc?

388

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS OF

Khéan-bidak, surely Shérefi-d-din would have

made some mention of the army having crossed

the former, the Shemsi-’Arab being no mean

stream.

As Khan-bidak means the karavanserai of ithe

little willows, it may be the same that I found in

ruins close to the banks of the Shemsi-'Arab,

and situated in a lovely grove.*

1t is the custom with eastern armies, when on

If the Shemsi-’Arab does not empty itself into the sea,

but joins the Abi-Shirin, it may in that case be the

Hara river, of which Baron Hammer, of Purgstall, makes

mention, on the authority of a Persian MS. in the Imperial

Library of Vienna, No. 433.

According to its author,

the river Hard, coming from the mountain of Khoun-

Kan, unites with the Abi-Shirin before it falls into the

Persian Gulf, and is eleven farsangs in length.

(See

“ Recueil de Voyages et de Memoires,” &ec., tom. it,, p. 271.)

In the mountains to the north of the karavanserai of

DaghtGmbezin is a fort or village, bearing the name of

Arit, ov Ard, which is the chief place of the Borahmet

tribe, from which the river Hard just mentioned may derive

its name.

There is another mountain river between Shemsi-

'Arab and Abi- Shirin, marked on my route ; but in com-

parison with the latter two, it appeared an insignificant

atream.

389

TIMUR AND

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

their march., to rest Jongest in such places as

afford grass for their cattle; it is therefore not

improbable that Timur halted longer in the

plain of Lishter, and made only a short stage

that day; the more so as his army had, as

already observed, to encounter next day a

long and fatiguing route through a tract of

country destitute of water.

On the Tth Timur stopped with his troops at

the village of Julahah.

At present there is no place of the name in

the valley of Daghmbezan.

I passed, however,

the ruins of a considerable village and kara

vanserai, with remains of old kanantd, or sub-

terraneous watercourses, at a spot about four

farsangs (fifteen miles) distant from Timur’s

previous halting-place ; he consequently may have

stopped there.

The 8th he moved to Basht, crossed the river

of Ab-Sha’b, and encamped at Malemir-Shol.

The fort of Bdasht,* now the residence of a

petty Khogili Chief of the Bovi tribe, is about

* P4asht in MSS. 851.

390

ON

THE EXPEDITIONS

OF

five farsangs (eighteen miles and th'ree-quarters)

from the ruined village and karavanserai just

mentioned ; two farsangs further on is the A4bi-

Sha’h, or the Abi-Shir river, as I was told by

my native guides, which forms the limits of the

Mamaseni and Khogili tribes.

A fort not far distant belongs to one of the

Mamaseni Chiefs of the Rustemi tribe.

It 1is

situated on an eminence, and surrounded by

the hovels of the natives, who call it Kal'eh-

ser-abi-Siyah (black water head castle), which

name is likewise given to the whole swampy

valley leading from thence to Fahliyan.

It was probably at this fort that Timur rested

for the night, after a forced march of nearly

seven farsangs (twenty-six miles and a-quarter),

as the word Malemir, or Mal-Amir-Shél, is not

a proper name, but means the property of the

Chief of 8%, or Slil, a tribe which occupied

this part of the country before and at the time

of Timut’s expedition.

(See vol. i., chap. xi.,

p. 265.)

In respect to the river Sha'b, to which in

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE ‘GREAT.

391

MSS. 851, examined by Mr. Renouard, the

word Bevan is affixed, shows that Sha’b-bevan,

which at present is limited, I believe, to the

plain of Behram and the valley of Fahliyan,

must formerly have extended further west in

the direction of Behbehan.

“The 9th -he crossed the river Khavidin*

and, having collected the necessary information

concerning Kal'eh Sefid (to which the enemy

had retired), fixed his head quarters at Nau-

benjan.”

We are

now once more on well-known

ground.

From Abi-Shir, or Ab-Sha’b, there

are three farsangs to Naubenjan.

The river

Khavedan can be no other than the Sheker-ab,

or Abi-Shir, which flows through the valley

of Fahliyan, having its source in the Ardekan

mountains,

and after flowing

through

the

narrows of Kal'eh-Sefid to the northern side

of that hill fort,t traverses the beautiful valley

* Abi Khaviran and Khavan in MSS. 851.

t And not to the south of it, as it is marked on Kinneir’s

Map of Persia.

392

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

of Sha’b-bevdn, one of the four terrestrial para-

This river, it will

dises of the Kastern poets.

be seen by the annexed map, does not flow

through the valley of Ser-abi-Siydh, or join

the Hindiyan (Abi-Shirin river), but is lost

between the mountains behind Fahliyan.

I failed to ascertain whether the river Abi-

Shitr (Sheker-ab) reaches the Gulf, but accord-

ing to the configuration of the country, I am

inclined to suppose that it joins the Abi-Shar,

and that the united waters of the two rivers

flow into the Persian Gulf.

Not having followed the courses of these

rivers to the beach, we abstain from comparing

them with those the admiral of Alexander

met on the Persian coast as he sailed up the

Gulf. Nevertheless an important fact is ascer-

tained, that the Journal of Nearchus is not a

fiction, and that there are rivers close to the

mountains which may correspond with those

enumerated in his list.

They may also serve,

perhaps, after a little closer investigation, to

unravel the apparent discrepancies we meet

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER THE \GREAT.

393

in Ptolemy, Marcianus, Pliny, and Nearchus,

as to the number of those rivers.

The Abi-Shér, so called on account of its

brackish water (ab, water, and skir, brackish),

is not fordable in every part, and, I presume,

Timur crossed it near the hill of Kal'eh Siyaih,

where a ford exists, or over the stone bridge,

if then entire, as at present only some broken

buttresses indicate the place where it formerly

stood.

Naubenjan is two farsangs to the south of

it, beyond a low ridge of hills which must

be passed before you enter the plain of Behram.

We have now accompanied Timir through

the whole of his march, as the rock of Kaleh-

Sefid stands about two farsangs north-east of

the town of Naubenjan, and comparing his

with my own route from Kazerin up

to

Behbehan, and further on to the north-west,

I find that Shérefa-d-din's account of it cor-

responds perfectly with my own observations

as to the topography of this country.

In the interval between Abi-Shir and the

394

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

river Shapir there is only one insignificant

stream, namely, the Belrdm river in the plain

of Naubenjan, or Sahrai-Behram;

its north-

western direction evidently shows that it falls

into the Abi-Shir behind the mountains to the

south of Fahliyan.

Lastly, as I know of no other considerable

river to the north of Kazerin and Biashehr,

the Shaptr river seems to answer satisfactorily

the course of the Granis, according to Arrian’s

Periplus.

‘

We have no account of Hephestion’s march

inland, up the Persian Gulf, and to Susiana

on Alexander’s return from India, at the same

time that the King followed the road by

Passargadee; but I think Dr. Vincent in his

valuable work “On the Commerce and Navi-

gation of the Ancients,” &c., is perfectly correct

in his supposition, that Hepheestion did not go

along the coast, but more inland, and may

therefore have pursued the same tract I took

from Kazertn to Naubenjan, and thence fol-

lowed the route we have just

been

tra-

TIMUR AND ALEXANDER

THE GREAT.

395

velling with TimGr, only in the opposite

direction.*

The road along the coast is reckoned barren,

sultry, and void of habitations, whilst the one

nearer to the mountains is cooler and well sup-

plied with water and pastures.

Before we leave this subject, I may be allowed

to advert to a passage in Dr. Vincent's work,

so often quoted.

The author, in treating of the

rivers enumerated by Nearchus, says :—

“ With every assistance, however, that can

be obtained, it is not in my power to give

the course of the rivers with that correctness

I wish; and though D’Anville has performed

a great service in showing that the rivers of

Persia beyond the mountains never reach the

sea, but are lost in lakes, exhausted upon

agriculture, or absorbed by sand; and that he

has likewise proved, that the rivers which fall

into the gulf are all derived from the range

which runs parallel with the coast, and forms

* Dr. Vincent ¢ On the Commerce and Navigation,” &ec.,

vol. i,, p. 490.

396

ON THE EXPEDITIONS OF

the back-ground of the Germesir, or hot level

country next the sea,—he is still undoubtedly

mistaken in the course and names he gives to

some of those in the upper part of the gulf,

and I am not fully furnished with materials

to correct his errors.

The cause of this is in

Of

the mnature of the journals themselves.

these I have consulted a great number, but

every one of them takes its direction from the

point where the author landed to Shiraz, or

from Shirdaz to the coast; and there is not

one that goes along the Gemesir below the moun-

tains, nor perhaps ever will be one, for it is a

matter of doubt whether any Kuropean, except

Hephastion and the forces he commanded, ever

trod the whole extent of the ground; and as

this is the only route which could cut the

streams from the wmountains at right angles,

the

and afford the means of Cstablishing

order in which they succeed, it will be long

before this desideratum in geography can be

supplied.

“ Pietro della Valle went from Mina to Lar; but

TIMUR

AND

ALEXANDER THE GREAT.

397

from north-west to the Arosis, or Indian, there

is no method of continuing the line but by

fragments of routes from Fl-Edrissi, or by enu-

merating the principal places which lie in that

direction.”

I flatter myself that a part of the difficulty of

which Dr. Vincent complains has been removed;

the rivers flowing from the mountains have been

cut at right angles, and show that some are not

merely winter torrents, but perennial rivers,

because at the time I passed through that

country (in January),

the periodical

rains

had not yet commenced,

and the thaws in

the snowy range could not have been consider-

able ;

yet,

notwithstanding

this,

I found

some difficulty in fording several rivers, whilst

in other places there were no fords at all.

It is, therefore, more than probable that they

reach the Persian Gulf, and correspond with

the mouth of those rivers,

which have been

noticed by the Grecian navigator along the

eastern coast of that Gulf.

398

ON THE EXPEDITIONS, &C.

To identify them, however, it would be

necessary to follow the course of each river

from the spot at which I crossed it, down to

the beach.

FINIS.

MACINTOSH, PRINTER,

GREAT REW STREET, LONDON.

DIRECTIONS TO THE BINDER CONCERNING

THIE PLATES.

S

Prates iv VoLume L

Frontispiece. Ruins of a Bridge over the Tab, near

Arrejan.

Page 298,

Royal Pavilion at Finn, near Kashdn,

Page 31.

[<1]

Royal Kiosk at Finn, near Kashin,

Page 32.

Bas-relief of Nakshi-Behrim, in the country of the

Mamaseni.

Page 225,

(<]

Black Stone Monolite, with Bas-reliefs and Inseriptions, at

Tenghi-Sailek. Page 353.

Second bas-relief on the same stone.

Page 355.

Third bas-relief on a rock at Tenghi-Satlek. Page 336.

Sasanian toli-gate in the Bakhtiyari mountains. Page 390.

[Nelio IR e

Two Inscriptions at the entrance of the Kar. of Meshedi

Murgab.

Page 87.

10. Inscriptions on a Black Stone Monolite at Tenghi-

Saulek. At the end of the volume.

At the

11. Map of the Route from Shiriz to Shishter.

end of the volume.

Prares ix Vorume II

Frontispiece. Minar at Natens.

Page 35.

Bas-reliefs at Shikofti-Salmén in the plain of Mil-Amir.

Page 31.

Tomb of the Prophet Daniel at Siisa.

Page 188.

View of Khorremabad, chief town in Luristin-Kichik.

Page 256.

Cufic Inscriptions at Khorremabad. Page 251.

Map of the Route from Shiishter to Biirdjird. At the

end of the volume,

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