'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.' [‎145] (200/905)

CHAP. VII.J NAKHCHIVAN, ITS PRODUCTS, ETC.
145
surface : it is altogether the best climate of the trans-Cau
casian provinces, and is so fertile that it has been called the
earthly paradise. x
Besides the Araxes, it is watered by the Ghilan-chai*, the
Oustoukan-chai, and three other small rivers.
There are five magals constituted by the valleys of Urd- Town of
abad, Ailis, Dastine, Tchalanape, and Believe; the first 0 f Ur(UMd -
which contains the capital, Urd-abad, and eight villages.
The town has 615 clay-built houses, usually of two stories,
an Armenian church, six mosques, and two karvanserais.
The inhabitants of the district are principally occupied with
the care of silk-worms, with their orchards and vineyards, and
with a limited cultivation of wheat, Indian corn, flax, and
hemp. Including fourteen villages, the population amounts
to 3883 Tartars, and 1806 Armenians of both sexes.
Three-fourths of the surface of Nakhchivan is mountainous. Features, &c.,
and the remainder slopes towards the left bank of the Araxes. of Nakhchiv * n -
The principal rivers, in addition to the last, are the Arpah-
chai, the Nakhchivan-chai', and the Alindja-chai. The cli
mate is good in the higher grounds, but the plains are
unhealthy. The wild and domestic animals are nearly the
same as in Karabagh. The vegetable productions are wheat,
barley, cotton, millet, &c., with an abundance of fruit and
forest trees. The minerals are lead, silver, alum, copperas,
and an abundance of salt. The province contains the four
magals of Nakhchivan, Alindjine, Kho'i, and Daralaghez.
On the left bank of the Araxes stands the modern fortress of
Abbas-abad, and four miles northward is the capital, consist
ing of four different quarters, in which are an Armenian
church, two mosques, two karvanserais, and some baths. It
has a population of 3388 Tartars and 1779 Armenians.
In former times the city contained about 40,000 houses. Town of
and was one of the most important belonging to the kingdom
of Armenia; and tradition connects its foundation with
Noah's descent and first habitation. 1 There are in the four
magals, and in the different villages of the district, 10,854 2
1 Nakh, first, and itchivdn, habitation.
8 Including those brought from the Turkish provinces in 1828.
VOL. I. U