‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎197v] (401/722)

The Valleys of Azerbaijan present alluvial slopes furrowed by torrents
features of Azar- Forests are numerous and extensive, and part of the
^‘3^ province—as, for instance, the basin of Urmia is ex
tremely fertile. As they recede from the east and north, the intervals
between the ridges are wider, and the rainfall smaller, till grassy slopes are
replaced by the gravelly deserts and shifting sands, with mere occasional
patches of green oases.
The Caspian provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran are described as Utterly
Features of the Cas- neglected, but presenting perhaps the most fertile belt
plan provinces. of country in the world. The northern mountain slopes
are fringed with valuable forests of oak, walnut, and box ; whilst coal and
iron are found on the southern plateau.
The lowlands, where not choked with thorny jungle, produce rice, cotton
Nature of the south- und sugarcane. Astarabad used formerly to be rich in
ern _ shore of the cattle; but owing to incessant Turkuman raids, and the
Caspian- general disadvantages all farming-labourers are under
from the present mode of Persian taxation, their numbers have of late
years greatly decreased. The Alburz chain to the south of these provinces
is crossed by few passes, all presenting considerable difficulties, except
that from Rasht vm Manjfl to Tihran. There is no safe anchorage
or good landing-place between Astarabad and Anzali.
In the north-east of Persia the river Gurgan fertilises a plain 3 miles
The valley of the wide on both its banks, which abound in splendid crops
Gurgan. f or a considerable distance.
The large and important province of Khurasan is diversified by plain and
_ The province °f upland, and there is considerable cultivation in the
Khurasan. neighbourhood of Bustan, the Kurd states, Mashhad,
and Herat.
The valley of the Hari Bud is fertile; but the rest of the eastern frontier,
Distribution of fer- with the exception of the province of Sistan proper,
consists of gravel plains, desert, and kavir.
The shore of the gulf is a sandy waste, unbroken
except by an occasional grove of date-palms. The
., sma11 d . elta o£ Persian Arabistan (Khuzistan), situated
near the head of the gulf, is on the other hand extremely fertile.
There are also some extensive cultivated tracts, artificially irrigated, round
Karmanshah, and in the valley from Hamadan to Shiraz.
Good pastures, with occasional patches of arableland, are found on the
slopes ot the Kurdistan mountains ; and the nomad shepherds who inhabit
(hem are, within certain limits, supposed to be subject to Persia.
ibe Caspian watershed contains the following considerable streams in
. St, y ai “ s of the C&a- Persian territory, commencing from the west,—-the Kizil
aTTiT' T!,. A l zd \ Haraz ' BabiI > Talar < Ta i™. Guvgm, and
Atrak The Araxes on the north-west frontier Region of British India bordering Afghanistan. of Persia is navigable for
nntVf ltS C 7T A S lt ’. ll0wever > only forms the frontier of Persia, it can
not be regarded as belonging to that country.
The mouth of the Atrak is only 2 feet deep; and as far as 3 miles out
there are only 9 feet of waterfall along this coast. Hence
the value to Russia of Ashurada, under cover of which
Astarabad ba ' troo P s and stores can be disembarked in any weather in
tility on the eastern
frontier, on the Per
sian Gulf, and in the
tvest of Persia.
Value of Ashurada
to Russia.