1852.] Ibn HuohiVs Account of Seestan. 367 



enclosure of reeds and wood-work higher than the heap and make a 

 narrow entrance, — the wind enters and carries up the sand like a 

 whirlwind as high as the eye can reach, — no injury is thus sustained. 



Report says, in the days of the Persian empire, there existed a great 

 city between Kerman and Segestan, lying from the citadel in the 

 direction of Rasek, on the left of the road to Kerman, at a distance 

 of three marches ; some houses and buildings are standing in these 

 days ; — it was call Ram Shuhrestan ; the Segestan canal ran to it 

 from a bund on the Helmund, — but its banks were destroyed and cut 

 up into breaches ; the waters escaping, it became useless. The po- 

 pulation migrated and built Zurunj. 



The Helmund is the chief river, springing behind the country of 

 Ghoor: it flows by Kundahur Zumeendawur and under the walls of 

 Bost, to Seestan, where it joins the Zuruh Lake. 



This lake is a large expanse of water, increasing or diminishing 

 according to the seasons. The length of the lake is about thirty 

 fursukhs from Kuweed on the Kohestan road, to the bridge of Kerman 

 on the road to Fars ; while its breadth is about one march, the water 

 ever sweet abounds in fish and reeds. Round the lake except on the 

 side of the desert are situated villages. 



The Helmund flows from Bost unto a march's distance from Sees- 

 tan ; different portions of its water are turned off at various points. 

 The first canal is called the Tam, it flows to the villages and ends in 

 the district of Meeshuk. The next canal is the Bashtrood water- 

 ing many hamlets ; next is turned off the Seyarood, which runs 

 within one fursukh of the capital, and by that canal come down the 

 boats from Bost, but only in the season when the rivers rise. All the 

 various smaller canals of the city are derived from this Seyarood. 

 The Helmund flows on until the Shabuh rood watering thirty villages 

 is turned aside, after which the Meelan canal is taken, to water 

 much cultivation. What is left of the water is carried in to the canal 

 called Burg. Sometimes a bund is built on this canal to prevent 

 any water running into the Zeruh Lake, until arrives the season of 

 the river's rising, when the bund is cut and the surplus water allowed 

 to run into the lake. 



At the gate of Bost, a bridge of boats is built over the Helmund, as 

 is the custom over the rivers of Erak. 



The surplus waters of the valley of Furruh and surrounding country 



3 a 2 



