国立情報学研究所 - ディジタル・シルクロード・プロジェクト
『東洋文庫所蔵』貴重書デジタルアーカイブ

vinced me that there was no hope of proceeding with my programme of research
as originally planned. But there remained the chance of a modification of the
order being secured through the proper channel from Bushire, such as would
permit of those researches being extended to ground removed from the dis-
turbed area. This consideration supplied a special reason for accelerating the
journey to Bushire, where early contact might be obtained with the authorities
concerned. Accordingly a start was made up the coast on February 14th, as soon
as the condition of the tents and other baggage after the deluge of the preceding
day allowed it. No time could be spared for a visit to some ruined walls reported
on a low sandstone ridge some distance to the north of Daiyir. The specimens of
glazed pottery brought thence (see Daiyir. 6, 8; Pl. XXVII) showed distinct
similarity to ware found at Sīrāf, and the description of the ruined walls as being
built with mortar also pointed to occupation in Muhammadan times.
The day's short march took us first past a series of curious mesas, composed
of strata of clay overlain by calcareous sandstone, so fantastically undercut and
eroded as to suggest action by sea-water at a period not very far distant. This
suggestion seemed to accord with the local belief that most of the absolutely flat
ground west of Daiyir, stretching away from the present shore to those terraces,
was covered by the sea in comparatively recent times. After crossing this poorly
cultivated stretch we came, at a distance of about 5 miles from Daiyir, upon a
considerable debris area known as Bībī-khātūn, from a ziārat marking the sup-
posed burial-place of a holy lady. It extends for fully a mile to the west of a
small hillock of calcareous sandstone by the sea-shore, up to a wide khūr or creek.
This is apparently still accessible for small boats, and is likely to have afforded
shelter to craft on an otherwise exposed stretch of the coast. The site is covered
with completely decayed remains from structures built with rough pieces of
stone and mortar, just like those of Sīrāf; and the plentiful fragments of glazed
ware, much of it relief-decorated, to be picked up among the ruined low walls,
suggested occupation approximately of the same period. Some 6 miles beyond
this site we halted near the small village of Betāneh, the name of which local
popular etymology derives from būt-khāneh ('house of idols').
The next two marches carried us over ground of singular uniformity to where
the Mānd river rising in the mountains of Fārs debouches into the sea. The
route led all the way over flat stretches of ground from ½ to 1½ miles in width,
separating the foot of a sandstone hill chain from the sea-shore. Great mud flats
extending beyond this for miles seemed to indicate that here also the sea had
been receding. Plantations of date-palms and scattered small hamlets were
passed most of the way, but no old remains could be traced either here or on the
wide alluvial plain through which the Mānd river makes its way to the sea.
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