"كتيّب بلاد الرافدين. المجلد IV .١٩١٧" [و‎‎٢‎٣‎٠] (٥٣٠/٤٦٤)

■^o
VAN 455
way below. Barracks which before the war usually contained 200
men are also situated in the citadel.
Climate. —The climate is said to be very cold in winter and hot in
summer. The town is malarious and unhealthy in autumn. Slight
earthquakes are frequent, and serious shocks sometimes occur.
Supplies, —The plain of Van is well cultivated with corn, vege
tables, and fruits. _ _ . _ ^
There is no further information as to supplies. Besides the
bazaars in the walled town there are others in the more important
garden quarters. The largest of these is at Erekh. The principal
exports from the Vilayet of Van are dye-stuffs, furs, sheep and goats
and their products, silver work, tobacco, and walnut logs, but the
unsettled state of the country and indifferent communications were
against commercial development even before the war, and trade was
small.
For drinking-water the walled town is supplied from 4 copious
springs, besides the one already mentioned at the W. end of the
rock; but the water from these is not very good. In the gardens
the principal supply is from the harez (see above), being obtained
from their mouths or from the holes at intervals of their course.
The best are at the E. end of the gardens, where water can be
obtained without contamination from houses. Elsewhere all the
lid)'('z' are more or less contaminated. The Shemiram canal-water
contains sulphate and carbonate of lime, but it is drunk by the
poorer people. The water in the Qurubash Chai above Qurubash
village is good ; so also is that in the Quru Chai above the gardens.
In the border hills are numerous springs. The water of the lake,
which is impregnated with carbonate and sulphate of soda, is
undrinkable. 1 .. ,
Petroleum is reported near Korzot, but has not yet been exploited.
Inhabitants.—In 1899 it was estimated that about two-thirds of
the population were Christians (Armenians) and one-third^ Moslem.
In 1914 the Moslems were estimated at 10,000, the Christians at
25,000. The Moslems are principally Kurds, but there are a few
influential Turkish families. The Armenian population left the
town when it was evacuated by the Russians early in August
Many Armenian villages in the neighbourhood w r ere sacked by the
Turks, and the inhabitants fled or were massacred. ^
The Government officials and the merchants lived m the garden
quarter, and went every day to their offices or shops in the walled ci y.
Before the war there was a very flourishing American Mission
*and Orphan School for Armenians at the E. end of the gardens.
There was also a French Dominican Mission with schools for
Armenians.