'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎136] (189/905)

136
SHIRVAN—MOUNTAINS AND PLAINS. [CHAP. VII.
Civii govem- their neighbours. Up to a recent period, this people sold as
slaves the captives taken in war, and occasionally their own
children; and this practice is even now followed in some of
the Caucasian districts. The civil government of Daghestan
is regulated by the Koran ; the sons of a family inherit
equally, enough being set apart to give to each of the daugh
ters half a share; and hence the proverb that one man is
worth two women. 1
Extent of With the dependencies of Talish and Sheki, the adjoining
territory of Shirvan occupies the space between the Caspian
Sea, Daghestan, Elizabethpol, the river Kur, and Azerbaijan.
From the last, in 38° 31' north latitude, it extends about 135
miles, to the limits of Daghestan, in 40° 44' north latitude ;
and from the river Kur, eastward, about 110 miles to the
Caspian Sea, in 40° 20' north latitude.
Including the district of Salian, it has a superficies of
10,386 square miles; 2 and on the eastern side it consists of
plains, whilst towards the west it is very mountainous. The
latter portion is traversed from north-west to south-east by
the abutments of the Caucasus, from which other branches
run southward to the Kur, and again along the western side
of Talish: the culminating points are the crests of the Cau
casus, the Baba Tagh, Fite Tagh, Boz Tagh, Akhdib and
Khanabat Taghs; 3 all of which are of granite resting upon
limestone, with some flint and clay towards the plains. 4
Face of tbe The eastern side consists of an extensive plain, having the
bifurcation of the Aras (the island of Salian), and the banks
of the lower part of the Kur in its centre: from thence it
spreads northward, along the shores of the Caspian, to the
district of Baku, and southward almost to the extremity of
Talish. Towards the west there are also some level tracts,
but of limited extent, such as the plateau of Aftaran, the
1 Aper<ju, &c., p. Ill to 129.
8 14,500 square versts in Shirvdn, 9000 square versts in Sheki, and 8000
square versts in Tdlish.—Aperqu des Possessions Russes, &c., Tome III.,
pp. 36, 115, 176, and 323, &c.
3 Ibid., Tome III., pp. 31 to 41, and 324 to 333.
4 Ibid.