56,000 families, composed of the Fa'ili, the Dilfun, and other
nomadic tribes of Lurs, who enjoy partial independence with
much domestic comfort.1
The province is subdivided into the districts of Luri-
Kuchuk and Luri-Buzurg: the former is westward of the
Dizful river, and near the plains of Khawah and Alishtar,
on the borders of Assyria.2
The Wall (anciently the Atabeg) resides in Khorram-
abad, which is the seat of his government: here a fort
occupies the crest of an isolated rock, which rises in the
centre of a precipitous pass ; and the town is on the southwestern
face, near the commencement of the rich plain.
This place probably represents the Diz Siyah, or Kuh Siyah,
which originated the title Cosscean. 3 The latter, or Luri-
Buzurg, is generally known as the Bakhtiyari country;
which, like the other portion, was subject to the Atabegs,
whose fastness, Mungasht, occupies a detached mass of
scarped rock, which is deemed impregnable.4 This part of
the country contains two grand fire-temples; one near the
ruins of Manjanik,5 and the other, called Masjedi-Sulei'mani-
Buzurg, on the river Karun,6
It contains also the ruins of several cities; such as Manjanik
(near Mungasht),7 Mai Amir, or Eid'ij, and Susan, on
the Karun;8 and among the ruins is an abundance of arrowhead
inscriptions. The last mentioned town is supposed to
represent Elymais, or Sosirate,9 the capital of the province
from whence the hardy Cosssei spread their conquests over
Susiana and the districts eastward.10
1 Major Rawlinson: Vol. IX. Part I., p. 109, of the Royal Geographical
Journal. 8 Ibid., p. 49.
8 Ibid., pp. 97, 98, 99. ‘ Ibid., p. 80.
5 Probably that of Marin, and the story of Ahraliam and Nimnid is
traditionally linked with this spot.—Ibid., p. 81.
6 One of the temples of Diana.—Pliny, lib. VI., c, xxvii.
7 Probably representing Seleucia.—Rawlinson: Vol. IX. Part I., p. 86,
of the Royal Geographical Journal.
8 Shushan; and also called Danieli-Akbar.—Ibid., p. 82.
8 Pliny, lih. VI., cap. xxvii.
10 The Elymseans inhabited Mount Zagros, which is on the southern confines
of Media, and overhangs Babylonia and Susiana.—Strabo, XI., pp. 522,
524; and XVI., p. 744.
Touching the eastern side of Khuzistan is Pars,1 Fars, or
Farsistan, from which the modern name of Persia has been
derived.2 Although considered the second, it is, in reality,
the most important province, being favoured by nature, well
cultivated, and containing more places of historical interest
than all the rest of the Shah’s dominions. It lies between
27° 20' and 31° 42' N. latitude, and between 49° 20' and
54° 20' E. longitude, and has the shape of a quadrilateral
figure, each side of which is nearly 220 miles long. It has
Kirman and Laristan on the east, the Persian Gulf on the
south, Khuzistan on the west, and ’Irak Ajemi on the north;
with a superficies of about 44,335 geographical miles square,
or nearly one-third of France.3
At its south-eastern extremity a high chain of mountains,
forming the continuation of the Jebel-abad range, runs
W.S.W. between this and the adjoining territory of Laristan
; and, nearly at a right angle with this, there is another
great chain, which bisects Fars nearly in the centre; its
direction being from N.E. to S.W.4 Through this portion
of the Persian Apennines5 there are several routes converging
on the ancient capital; such as the passes of Jarun and
Fer ash bund towards the east; those of ■ Gouri-Sefid, Tenk-i-
Kumarij, and Deh Dasht (probably the Pylae Persicse),
which lead from Susiana towards the west; and, finally, the
remarkable route from Abu-Shehr to Shiraz.
Throughout a distance of almost 80 miles,6 the chain
separating the plain of the sea-coast from the upland of
Shiraz, presents a succession of those singular defiles and
1 From the Hebrew Paraschim, and the Scythian Chorsari (horsemen).
2 Ouseley’s Epitome of the Ancient History of Persia, from the Jihdn Ara.
London, 1799.—Preface, p. 2.
8 Chardin says, equal to this kingdom; therefore it is probable that he
included some of the territory northward and eastward of Firs within its
limits.
* See p. 73. 8 Ainsworth’s Assyria, &c., p. 224.
8 Ascending from Dalakl to the kdrvdnserdi of Khaist 15, to the village
of Kumdrij 11, to Kdserun 21, to the village of Diish ’Arjun 18, and
descending from thence towards the KMn-i-Zemind 14 miles; in all 79.—
Ainsworth’s Assyria, p. 236. But in my case this distance consumed
upwards of 32 hours, though mounted on an Arab horse in good condition.