b o o k j , Gurief is Iituated upon the mouth of the Yaik or Ural,
. v l~ -» at a little diftance from a bay o f the Cafpian : it is a fmall,
but ftrong fortrefs, which guards the frontiers o f the Ruffian
empire towards the territory o f the Kirghees Tartars. The
place contains fcarcely an hundred houfes ; and, except the
o-arrifon, has no inhabitants but a few merchants from Aftra:-
can, who drive an inconfiderable trade with the neighbouring
Tartars *.
a. The fortrefs of Kiilar ftands near the Eaftern coaft,
and covers the frontiers towards the limits o f Perfia.
Veffels bound for this place formerly entered the Southern
branch o f the Terek ; but as the mouths o f that river áre
now choaked up, the merchandize is landed in a fmall bay
about the diftance o f 34 miles from the fortrefs. Kiilar
draws from Aftracan the European commodities neceffary for
the Perfian traffick, and alfo a large quantity o f corn and
provifion for the Ruffian colonies upon the Terek, and for
the inhabitants o f the neighbouring chain o f Mount Cauca-
fus. Befide the goods which are difpofed of at Kiilar, and
fent from thence to the Perfian ports, the inhabitants carry
on a contraband trade to Shamakee, Derbent, and even Tifiis
in Georgia, which is exceedingly precarious from the numerous
banditti who pillage the caravans.
II. Before I enumerate the principal Perfian havens, it
would be neceffary to acquaint the reader to whom belong
the provinces of Shirvan, Ghilan, Mafanderan, and Aftrabad,
in which countries the ports reforted to by the Ruffians are
iituated; if, in the prefent unfettled ftate o f Perfia, and the
civil wars which continue to harrais that divided empire, it
were poffible to afcertain that point. In general, the above-
mentioned provinces are governed by their own khans,
* Pallas R c ife I . 424, & c .
who,
who, though tributary to the fophy, render themfelves oc- c it^ p-
-cafionally independent whenever a favourable opportunity*—
offers: continually at variance, and frequently at war with
each other, their governments are the feat o f almoft perpetual
hoftility, rapine, and devaftation. Meanwhile, the trade
flouriihes or diminiihes in proportion as the exadtions o f the
fovereigns are more or lefs frequent and exorbitant.
The Perfian havens are as follow:
1. Derbent is the worft port in the Cafpian, i f it may be
called a port, where veffels can feldom approach the ihore,
on account o f fands and ilioais, but are generally obliged to
lye at anchor at the diftance of at leaft three quarters o f a
mile: from this circumftance, joined to the inconfiderable
degree o f commerce carried on with the inhabitants, it is at
prefent but little frequented. Derbent .*,* which ftands in the
province o f Shirvan, is a Perfian fortrtfs, furrounded by high
brick walls : the inhabitants are chiefly Perfian s, Tartars, and
a few Armenians. Two or three Ruffian ihtps are annually
bound for Derbent; they are ufually laden with oats and
rye ; and they carry iron, fteel, and lead for the Lelgees and
other Tartar nations, who inhabit the Eaftern -chain o f the
Caucafus. The neighbourhood o f Derbent produces" fome
corn; but not fuffieient for the confumption o f the place.
a. Niefovaia Priftan, or Niezabad, mnft be mentioned,
becaufe it was formerly the port moft frequented by the
“ T h i? c i ty o f D e rb en t is an an tien t “ g ian s , y e a , u n to the p r in c ipa l c ity th e re -
u towne, having an o k le caftle therein , litu - ** o f, named T ew fliih j w h ich w a ll, th o u gh
“ ated upon an h ill called C a llow , bu ild ed “ it be now rafed , o r o th erwife decayed,
“ all o f free-ilone mu ch a f te r o u r b u ild in g , “ y e t tike foundation remaine th, and th e
the walles v ery h igh and th ick e , and was M w all w a s made to the in ten t that th e in - ‘
" nrlLere&ed by k in g A le x an d e r th e G r e a t , hab itan ts o f th at c o u n t r y ,- th en n ew ly
u w a r red againft th e Perfians * n d “ conqu ered b y th e faid A le x an d e r , fliould
Medians, an d then hec made a w a ll o f a “ not lig h t ly flee , n o r his enemies eafily
u Wo®^der fu ll h e ig h t and th ickn efle, ex-. w invade.*^ H a c k lu y t , vol. I . p . 345.
tending from th e fame t y to th e G e o r -
L 1 2 Huflians;