"دليل بلاد فارس، المجلد I ويشمل محافظات أستراباد، شاهرود-بوستان، خراسان، وسيستان" [ظ‎‎١‎٣] (٧٢٢/٣١)

10
Karakan, Damn, Gokeha, Babkrzan, Murclia, Snncbah, Archiman, Burmali,
Bami, Kizil Chashma, Yangi, Zan, Koch, Kizil-Arvat.
With regard to commerce, a great effort is being made not only to
extend Russian trade by the occupation of the Akhal country, but also to
monopolize that of Khurasan. But Colonel xAminoff, in 1882, considered it
very doubtful whether a lucrative trade could be established, at any rate
until a good road was made from Daraghaz to Mashhad. Camel and mule
transport is very expensive. Askabad is the capital of the Akhal district
and Russian cotton goods of Moscow manufacture, sold cheap in its bazar,
are already popular, red, yellow, and green colours being particularly an
attraction to Turkman tastes. The trade is now being extended to Marv by
the instrumentality of the Akhal Turkman. Many Persians are now em
ployed in the.Akhal, and Askabad is frequently visited by merchants from
Lutfabad. With the introduction of a good system of irrigation and im
proved communications, the resources of the Akhal country are capable of
being greatly developed.— {MacGregor, Napier, Stephen.)
AKHlB-KTJH (Or Last Mountain)—Lat. , Long. ; Elev.
A high peak a few miles north-east of Bujnurd, so called because
westwards and northwards as far as the outer Atak ridge and Kara Killa
there is nothing visible but a wide expanse of comparatively low broken
country formed of ridges and plateaux cut up by innumerable ravines.—
[Napier, MacGregor.)
AKHLAMABAD,* or AKHLtJMAD— Lat. 36°42' 0", Long. 58° 42'
Elev. [Napier).
A village in Khurasan, 45 miles north-west of Mashhad, containing 100
houses. It is situated most picturesquely on the spurs of the Binalud moun
tains enclosing a glen. A circle of high cliffs enclose a basin in which lies the
village and a great extent of terraced vineyard and gardens. A crag within
the basin is crowned by a ruined fort built by Mamish Khan of Chinaran.
The cornlands lie above the cliffs and out "of sight of the villao-e. Pour
miles below the village is a fine masonry dam, 250 paces in length, 28 in
width at the top, and 50 feet in height, closing the mouth of the
gden and retaining the water of a small stream from the mountains.
Four wells of solid masonry built within the stone work of
the dam provide for the escape of flood water through tunnels at
the base. the dam was the work of Bai Sanjur, son of Shah
Taimur, and was disused after the famine, the villages in the plain formerly
watered by it having bpen then destroyed.— [Namer.)
AK-KALAf— Lat. 30° 56' 40", Long. 54° 24' 30"; Elev. 7 (Napier).
A fort on the south side of the river Qurgan in Astarabad, 101 miles
from the town^ of Astarabad, and about 35 miles from the Atrak. The
river at Ak-Kala is crossed by a 4-arehed bridge with a 10-foot road
way, the depth of the river at this point being 15 to 16 feet. The fort is
a rectangular work of about 500 feet sides. It is of no military value
whatever.. The bridge can be surprised at any moment, and not a gun
can be trailed on to command its approach by many degrees. It is sup
posed to be ay but as the bridge is left quite unprotected on
the north bank, it can hardly be said to fulfil its functions. It is said
that this defect has been brought to the notice of the Shah, who directed
* The “ City of Friends,”
f The “ White Fort."