288 RAWLINSON ON SOUTHERN PERSIA. [Feb. 9, 1857. 



Kariin. You have lately heard from Mr. Loftus, some interesting 

 disquisitions upon that river. I have only to observe, in refer- 

 ence to it, that, if we were to occupy Mohamrah, and if there was any 

 occasion to press farther upon Persia, then the natural course would 

 be, to ascend the Kariin into the open country of Susiana, instead of 

 attempting to mount the impracticable passes between Bushir and 

 Shiraz, which have been described in General Monteith's paper, and 

 which I venture to say, are not to be forced by any army in front of 

 an enemy. With respect to the physical geography of these passes, I 

 consider General Monteith's description to be very accurate. When 

 I saw them first, and still more when I first ascended them, I 

 thought they were quite impracticable to any army ; but after 

 having been a good deal about Persia, and having taken guns up 

 passes still more difficult, both there and in Affghanistan, I was 

 satisfied as to the possibility of conveying artillery anywhere — 

 provided there is no opposition. By putting a regiment to a gun, 

 you may drag it anywhere by sheer force — up the Himalaya or the 

 Andes ; — and you may thus, of course, take it up these Persian passes ; 

 but the operation is not to be attempted in front of an enemy. I 

 observe that Mr. Eich, a very good geographer, has the same idea 

 that I have, as to the passes on the route to Shiraz. He says the 

 roads in Persia are bad, but not nearly so bad as in Kurdistan ; 

 that the passes between Bushir and Shiraz are bad, but the passes 

 between Senna and Sulimanieh are much worse. There is no occasion, 

 however, I conceive, to attempt to force these passes. Another mode 

 of attack would be far less difficult and equally, if not more, effective. 

 The whole country to the north of the Gulf is perfectly open. The 

 river Kariin from Mohamrah is navigable almost up to Shuster ; 

 one of our steamers, indeed, has already made the ascent. Of 

 course, at that time the steamer went up for the mere prosecution 

 of geographic science, and without the slightest expectation that 

 the knowledge obtained would ever be turned to political account ; 

 but I see that we do not get credit for disinterestedness; on the 

 contrary, in a paper which was published in the last number of the 

 " Revm des Deux Mondes,^' there are statements from which it would 

 really appear, that the continental nations are disposed to think, 

 that all our previous explorations, and travels, and wanderings in 

 Persia, have been undertaken for the express purpose of preparing 

 for this present war. I find it stated, indeed, that a friend of mine, 

 whom I am glad to see present (Mr. Layard), and who at that time 

 was travelling about the Persian Mountains for the purpose of 

 copying inscriptions and acquiring geographical knowledge — I find 

 it stated that his travels were carried on at the expense of Govern- 



