'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎32v] (69/820)

52
AST-AST
The soil yields ten for one and almost the whole depends on natural irriga
tion. On the coast they have a fishery, which is frequented by Russians
only, who pay to the Governor of Astarabad 100 iumans annually for the
liberty. Seven or eight small ships are employed in this fishery, which
consists of sturgeon, from which they extract the caviare.
The most direct route from Baku to India would pass by the bay of
Astarabad. This gulf in its shallowest parts has a depth of at least 14 feet,
and is therefore accessible to ships drawing 10 feet of water. All parts of
the coast from the village of Saluka northwards to the river Kara Su, and
even farther, are suitable for the establishment of landing stages for troops.
The climate of Astarabad is, as statistics show, very unhealthy ; but the
fatality that exists may be chiefly attributed to the faulty construction of
the houses, to the indolent and filthy habits of the inhabitants, to their
gorging themselves in the season with unwholesome fruits, such as water
melons and green figs, and to their habit of using water from the gutters
that flow from house to house, gathering an ever-inceasing absorption of
abominations.
The temperature inside the British Consulate from April to the end
of October 1881 varied from 100° as a maximum to 49° as a minimum.
It is probable that troops located on the heights overlooking the city
to the south, or in gardens inside the town, would have no unusual amount
of sickness, provided all needful sanitary and dietary precautions were
observed. Water-supply from 2 qundts and the Ab-i-Khwaja Muzaffar.
The difference between Astarabad and Meshed in November is very
great. In Astarabad orange and lime trees are in full fruit, and the oaks
only have not yet shed their leaves. The sun by day is hot at times, and
yet, a few hundred feet up, the hill sides are all covered with snow.
The country is wonderfully green all round, and, though the town is
deep in mud, the temperature is pleasant, and were it not for the mud
the place might be an agreeable winter residence.
A telegraph line connects Astarabad with Tehran. From Astarabad there
is a telegraph line to Ak Kaleh and another to Meshed-i-Sar, but these are
purely local Persian lines. There is another to Chat and so to Russian
territory. (Kinneir ; Fraser', Chesney', Holmes', Stuart; Monteith; East-
wick; Napier; Baker; MacGregor; Lovett; HExploration; C. E Yate;
Trade Report, 1909.)
ASTARABAD-I-RGSTAK—
One of the seven sub-divisions of the Astarabad province lies to the
north and east of the town extending to Sang-i-Divi, and has 41 villages.
There is some open ground and pasture land towards the Kara Su, but the
greater portion is under forest. Naudeh, one of the principal villages,
13 miles east from the town, has 200 houses. The surface of the country is
slightly higher and far less swampy than the sub-division to the west.
The Nm Buluk or half district of Fakhr Imam-ud-Dm, with 8 villages
belongs to it.—[Eapier.)