K huzistaN'j in consequence of its connexion with Babylonia,
and from being the most ancient province of Persia, deserves
to be noticed in the first place. Its name is properly Khor-
istan, or the country of Khors, so called on account of its
numerous inlets from the sea, and its fresh-water lakes, to
both of which the term is equally applied.1 This ancient
territory occupies the space between Fars, Luristan, the
pashalic of Baghdad, and the Persian Gulf; stretching from
the last,2 for about 120 miles northward, to the mountains
of Luristan;3 and again, from the pashalik of Baghdad,4
nearly 220 miles eastward, to the borders of Fars.5
It has a triangular form, and consists principally of a rich
alluvial plain, the superficies of which is 25,677 square miles.
It is bounded by the Zagros chain, which, under the name of
Luristan, terminates the province towards the north ; whilst
the Bakhtiyari, or Cossaeian range, forms the boundary to
the north-east.
The low coast to the eastward of the Bah-a-mishir is
remarkable for a succession of deep inlets, which, like that
river itself, were at one time supposed to be so many different
mouths of the Euphrates : the first is the Khor Seledge, and
the second that of Busaf; both near the termination of the
old Karun. Khor Musa, which is still deeper, follows;
then that of Lus-bah, which is close to the Jerahi; and,
finally, there is one near Sarema, on the banks of the Indian,
rather westward of the borders. The inland hors are
those near the towns of Dorak and Mohammerah: one still
more extensive is formed by the overflowing of the river
Kerah at the town of Hawiza; and, lastly, the Samidah
marshes above Kurnah, which appear to be part of the
ancient Chaldean lake.
In addition to these inlets and lakes, this fine province is
abundantly watered by four considerable rivers, the Kerkhah,
the Karun, Jerahi, and Indian; which, with their numerous
tributaries, fertilize the country, by intersecting it in almost
1 In the latter case it is written Hdr, a marsh or lake.
8 In 30° 5' N. latitude. 8 In 32° 26'. N. latitude.
4 In 46° 20' E. longitude. 5 In 51° 50' E. longitude.
every possible direction. But as the affluents, like those of
most other countries, are known by names different from
those of the trunks to which they belong, it is desirable to
give, from the examinations made in 1831 and 1836, as well
as from other materials, a brief notice of the leading streams :
in so doing, it will be convenient to commence on the
western side, as this may assist in removing some of the
misapprehensions respecting them , into which both ancient
and modern writers have fallen.
One of the most important of these water-courses is the
Kerkhah, or Kerah, which begins to flow in three branches,
all springing considerably eastward of Kirman-shah. The
first, and most inconsiderable, has its commencement about
25 miles west of Hamadan.1 The second has three springs
on the side of Mount Elwand, or Orontes, six or eight miles
south of that place. The latter runs south-westward till it
meets the former in the plain of Maran, about 10 miles
south-west of Kangawar; and, at a spot nearly 10 miles
south of that place, it is joined by the third, or chief
branch of the Kerkhah, which comes from the Guran
mountains by a N.W. course of about 40 miles.
The trunk of the three united streams, under the name of
the Gamasab river (of which the second above-mentioned
may, from its northern and central position, be considered
as the main branch), winds for nearly 30 miles in a general
westerly direction to Bisutun,2 chiefly along the Guran
mountains. At this celebrated spot the Gamasab receives
the Abi-Denawar, coming from the north; and again, after
a course of about 12 miles nearly S.W., another stream,
called the Kara su, passing through Kirman-shah at about
20 miles N.N.W.3 of that place. The direction of the main
trunk is nearly south, until it receives, at a few miles from
1 Major Rawlinson’s March from ZoMb to Khiizistdn.—Vol. IX. Part I.,
of the Royal Geographical Journal.
8 Baghistane of the Greeks.—MS. of Mr. A. Staunton; also Major Rawlin-
son: see Journal of the Royal Geographical Society, Vol. IX. Part I., p. 82.
As the Kard sii forms part of the Kerkhah, it was very naturally considered
to he identical with it, until the point was cleared up by Major
Rawlinson, during his march along the Zagros, to Susiana, &c.
VOL. I. ; o