'The Transactions of the Bombay Geographical Society. From January 1863 to December 1864. (Edited by the Secretary.) Volume XVII.' [‎249] (424/524)

THE IS LA IS D OF K1SI1M, &C
249
to Yezd, and not consumed in the neighbourhood, find their way towards
Isfahan, and probably compete with the Tabrecz and Shiraz and Bu-
shire trade on the Tehran line. To this rule, however, there is at pre
sent one exception. Sugar, which used to be imported from Batavia
or Mauritius via the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. for refinement at Yezd or other
Persian markets, is now unable to compete with the so-called Russian,
but probably in reality, French Beetroot loaf Sugar imported via
Tabreez.
27. So far as I can ascertain only one caravan per annum of
three or four hundred animals comes from the north-east of Khorasan,
vid Eerjoon and Kerman, bringing silk, carpets, and miscellaneous
articles. The road through Khorasan, as far south as Y r ezd or Ker
man. is considered unsafe, owing to Belooch or other plunderers, but
from Yezd and Kerman to Bunder Abbass little danger is apprehended.
The carpets brought from Berjoon are very similar in make and
pattern with those which are commonly called Persian carpets. 1 hey
contain, however, more cotton and less wool, are adapted to the Per
sian taste, and principally exported to Yemen 1 '.
28. Apart from the date trade of Minao already alluded to, and
a trade in mats from the same district, (mats sometimes used by us in
India in lieu of China matting,) Bunder Abbass seems to have few com
mercial dealings eastward along the coast line towards Mekian. Ihe
province extends indeed some twenty fursacs beyond Koh-i-Moobarek
near Cape Jask, and the Sheikh has a fort in that direction, but perhaps
2,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. per annum collected as date revenue from the Belooeh
tribes along that shore, and another 2,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. collected from dates
and fruits in the districts between Minao and Bunder Abbass, are all
that is collected from all to the eastward, and these 4,000 tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. are
considered as covering to the customs contractor, including cost of
collection.
29. As to population Bunder Abbass and its neighbourhood may
contain 8 or 9,000 inhabitants, but a portion of this number being mu
leteers and carriers fluctuate of course daily- I do not find
present any very large caravans start together, loimerly,
incst carpets I have seen in Central Asia were those at Herat. They
"wool -throughout, and very durable. Those of Kerman m web and
* By far the finest
were of hair 01
woof arc of wool and'coftoii respectively