Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/473

 EXPEDITION TO AHWAZ. 453 of an old stone wall. Close to Ahwaz is a natural barrier of sandstone, which stretches across the river and renders impossible the ascent of vessels drawing more than a very few feet of water : indeed the strength of the current makes the ascent of any boats a matter of difficulty. The Karoon is at this point from ninety to one hundred and forty yards in width, while the banks of the river are so high and the water under them so deep that vessels can lie close to the side. It is the more necessary to describe the condition of the Karoon river somewhat minutely, since Sir James Outram has been censured for rashness in permitting a small flotilla to ascend to a point so far away from the main army, with the possi- bility of its being attacked by the Persian batteries at any turn of the stream. It would seem, however, that even had the Persian commander endeavoured to intercept the return of the British vessels, he would have been unable to interfere with their free progress, since they would have been favoured by the rapidity of the current and by the height of the river banks.* As the flotilla approached Ahwaz the Persian army was discovered occupying a ridge to the left, a few hundred yards distant from the Karoon, and situated in a projecting angle, round which the river winds. The steamers were brought to anchor at about a mile and a half below the Persian position, and some horsemen, whose curiosity prompted them to approach the ships, were warned by a rifle-shot to keep at a distance. It was determined by the officer in command of the expedition to carry the town of Ahwaz, which the river, was in command of one of the ships of the expedition, and acted as guide.
 * Captain Selby, of the Indian Navy, who had surveyed the Karoon