"الجغرافيا الشرقية لابن حوقل، رحّالة عربي من القرن العاشر" [‎١‎٠‎٢] (٣٨٨/١٥٥)

( 102 )
on account of its vicinity to Istakhar, during the war* The city
was at that time built i it extends about one farsang, and has not
any walls. Here is a ^ Divan (Court of Revenue, Tribunal,
&c.) and the Collectors of the Revenue go there.
b" Karzein is a small town, about the size of Istakhar,
and the best in that Koureh. The town called iXjC Mekeh\
is situated near the borders of Yezd and Aherkouh,
and near the territories of Kirman; and Herieh goes be
tween from the Shek of Kirman and the borders
of Isfahan J. Mekeh is situated on the skirt of the desert : it is
a pleasant town, and well supplied with provisions. There is a
town with a castle and two iron gates; one called j ^ j I l - j I j Bah
Ahrow, the other uj I j Bah al Mesjed. Here is a
mosque; and they drink water conveyed in trenches or canals;
and there is a stream also which flows from the castle. In this
village there is great abundance of fruit, and many trees and
edifices.
Aberkouh is a plentiful town, about the same size as
* The war which gave the Mussulmans possession of the Persian empire, in the
middle of the seventh century of the Christian aera.
t Probably for Katta.
The reader must recollect, that I have only undertaken, in the present volume,
a mere translation. The numerous obscurities of the text, I shall endeavour to illus
trate in a future work, of which I have given an outline in the Preface.