'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.' [‎143] (198/905)

CHAP. VH.j SOCIAL STATE OF THE PROVINCE.
143
Shushi, the only town, is situated on a rock 400 feet above its town,
the Caspian, and contains 1698 badly-constructed houses.
It is inaccessible on three sides, and the fourth is fortified.
The population consists of 5289 Armenians, and 4572 Tartars.
Though the fisheries of the Araxes and Kur are good, the
flocks numerous, 1 and the vegetable productions abundant,
Karabagh being without manufactures, it has no commerce,
unless the local interchange and sale of commodities may be
so called. The villages are very inferior, and the houses,
besides being badly constructed, are dark, and usually filled
with smoke.
The inhabitants of the province consist of Tartars, Ar- and inhabitants,
menians, Kurds, and Boscha (gipsies), numbering in all
98,614 souls ; of whom 25,137 are Tartars. Here, as in
Daghestan, the Tartar and Armenian languages prevail; but
the Nestorians use a particular dialect, and the Kurds
another, called Kourilien, which is a compound of Tartar
and Turkish. Syriac is also in use.
The religions are the Muhammedan and the Christian: of
the former, besides the Shi'ahs and Sunnies, there is a third
sect, called the All Ilahiyah ; 2 and of the latter, the followers
belong to the Armenian and Nestorian (locally called Nass-
ran) churches. 3
The people consist of nobles, begs, and agas ; priests, the Character of
maas (individuals who, for services, have been exempt for a tlie pe()pU "
certain period from taxation), and peasants or townspeople.
Abandoned, for the most part, to listless idleness, the inha
bitants only differ from other northerns by their black hair,
and tall, handsome figure. 4
The Kurdish nomades are fierce, courageous, and inclined
to drunkenness. The Tartars and Armenians, on the con
trary, are sober, but not particularly courageous: the former
are inclined to theft, the latter to trickery and imposture;
and both are so economical as to be often clad in tatters. 5
1 20,000 horned cattle, 100,000 sheep, with goats, horses, camels, &c.—
Aperqu &c., Tome III., p 281 to 301. 2 See p. 88.
3 Apercju, &c., Tome III., p. 266 to 287.
4 Ibid . 5 Ibid.