  We show that parton confinement in the final state generates large $1/Q^2$
corrections to Bjorken scaling, thus leaving less room for the logarithmic
corrections. In particular, the $x$-scaling violations at large $x$ are
entirely described in terms of power corrections. For treatment of these
non-perturbative effects, we derive a new expansion in powers of $1/Q^2$ for
the structure function that is free of infra-red singularities and which
reduces corrections to the leading term. The leading term represents scattering
from an off-mass-shell parton, which keeps the same virtual mass in the final
state. It is found that this quasi-free term is a function of a new variable
$\bar x$, which coincides with the Bjorken variable $x$ for $Q^2\to\infty$. The
two variables are very different, however, at finite $Q^2$. In particular, the
variable $\bar x$ depends on the invariant mass of the spectator particles.
Analysis of the data at large $x$ shows excellent scaling in the variable $\bar
x$, and determines the value of the diquark mass to be close to zero. $\bar
x$-scaling allows us to extract the structure function near the elastic
threshold. It is found to behave as $F_2\sim (1-x)^{3.7}$. Predictions for the
structure functions based on $\bar x$-scaling are made.
