'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.' [‎221] (284/905)

CHAP. X.J ANCIENT GEOGRAPHY AND PEOPLE.
221
Notwithstanding its decayed state, 1 Tabriz, as the com
mercial depot of Northern Persia, enjoys a considerable trade
with Constantinople, England, and Russia, by way of Tiflis;
and it has a commercial representative of the first class from
the two latter nations.
In summer the heat of the province is considerable, and Temperature of
during winter the cold is intense ; for, although nearly in the province -
the latitude of Athens, the elevation of the country causes
the snow to remain on the ground for many weeks, during
which time a severe frost prevails; the climate is, however,
healthy.
This province represents Media Atropatene, which bordered Its ancient
Media Magna along the line of the Amardus, now the Kizil name '
U'zen, or Golden river, and included the tract northward of
that river, as far as the Araxes; it also extended from the
Caspian to the same distance westward of Lake Urumiyah. 2
Near the last were the Matiene, and, more eastward, the
Cadusians and the Caspians, together with some nomadic
tribes. 3 The lake (says Strabo) is on the east of Armenia
and Matiene, and is on the north of the latter, as well as
of great Media. It lies also towards the south of the people
living at the corner of the Hyrcanian Sea. 4
The capital was Gaza, 5 the Azata or Azaga, of Ptolemy. 6 and capital.
It is now called Shiz and Takhti-Soleiman, and is the Atro-
patenian Ecbatana of Rawlinson. 7
It would, however, appear, that at a remote period this
province was designated Southern, or greater Media ; 8 the
first country of the Arii at the foot of the Caucasus being
Northern Media. The name Media, therefore, had been
successively applied to each of the subdivisions 9 at different
1 Chardin estimated the population at 500,000 in 1686.
2 Lake Spauta.—Strabo, lib. XL, p. 523; and K'habodan of the Armenians.
—St. Martin, Mt^moires sur I'Arm&iie, Tome IL, p. 371.
8 Herodotus, lib. III., cap. xcii.
4 Strabo, lib. XL, p. 522. s Ibid., p. 523,
6 Lib. YL, cap. ii.
7 Vol. X. Part L, of the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society.
8 Ogilby's Asia, p. 21.
# La M&lie etoit divisee en trois grandes provinces—1'Atropatene au