File:Scottish geographical magazine (1885) (14783896032).jpg

Identifier: scottishgeograph18scotuoft (find matches)
Title: Scottish geographical magazine
Year: 1885 (1880s)
Authors: Scottish Geographical Society Royal Scottish Geographical Society
Subjects: Geography
Publisher: Edinburgh, Royal Scottish Geographical Society
Contributing Library: Robarts - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Toronto

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ovegroundin parts, and then flow underground, which has the advantage of savingimmense loss by evaporation. Further inland the characteristics of the country are to a consider-able extent similar to those of Southern Persia, except that the altitudeof the mountain chains is not so great. As cultivation depends onirrigation, the absence of ranges sufficiently lofty to serve as store-houses for snow results in the encroachment of the Lut much furthersouth. Indeed the eastern border of the Kerman province is separatedfrom Baluchistan by a section of this desert some 200 miles inwidth, which is again an important factor in the history of SouthernPersia. I now turn to the Helmand delta (see Map), concerning the variablelower course of which I gained some interesting details when foundingthe consulate in Sistan nearly four years ago. Before describing thisinteresting example of what may be defined as the effect of histoiyon geography, I propose to make a few remarks on this famous province.
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Stale of £ngli;«li Miles~$> ioo i C4E0GRAPHY OF SOUTHERN PERSIA AS AFFECTING ITS HISTORY. G21 Sistiin, that is to say, the lake and delta formed by the discharge ofthe Helmand and other less important rivers, was at some remoteperiod one vast lake. Land was formed by the detritus brought downby the various rivers (of which the Helmand is by far the most im-portant) along the northern portion of this lake, but this is now desert,while inhabited Sist.in to the south was formed by the drying up of thelake itself owing to the decreased volume of the river, and perhaps alsoby the use of the water for purposes of cultivation. Sistan of to-day has water on three sides for part of the year, theHelmand forming its eastern boundary, while to the north and west liesthe hdmun or lagoon (see Fig.). To the south-east of inhabited Sistan issituated the Gaud-i-Zirra or Hollow of Zirra, which is connected with thelagoon by the Shela, a watercourse 350 yards wide, with banks 50 feethigh, where I c

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