a great degree by high ridges of mountains and fandy deferts, a circum-
ft^nce Which has been repeatedly productive o f great difafters to th b
wide- ;If a more central feat of government had been, originally
feleCbed, for example near the fea of Zorn, or Arian lake of antiquity,
k is probable that induftry might have effected much Sia fertilizing the
central diftriCts j and the-power o fth e ancient AfTyrians, or of the Ara*
bian ehaMv could, not have effected fuch hidden conqiiefts of the empire.
But during its utmoft extent to the Mediterranean fea, the weftern
provinces had been fcleQed as the feats of empire, which became fixed
by opinion and prejudice.
This natural feparation has occafioned great dbfeurity in the ancient
hiftory of Perfia, the eaftern half remaining a diftinCt and independent
country, of the fame general name with the weftern, hut with limits
and hiftory totally diftinCfe. The ferifes of events after the Mahometan
conqueft ; the kingdoms of Corafan, Samarcaad, and Qhizni j and in
recent times that of Candahar; may lead to fafe eonqlufions concerning
a fimilar divifion in remote periods.
The beft materials concerning the kingdom of Candahar feem to be
thofe collected by Rennell; and they are, if poffible, yet more fcanty
than thofe concerning the weftern half.- Ahmed Abdalla, firft. king o f
Candahar, was originally the chief of an Afgan tribe, conquered by
Nadir Shah, on whofe death he fuddenly appeared among his former
fcbjeCts, and foon ereCted n confiderablekingdom in the eaftern part of
Perfia, including moft o fth e Indian provinces ceded by the Mogul to
Nadir. He eftablifhed his capital at Cabul, at a fecure distance behind
the mountains of Hindoo Rob ; hut the deplorable anarchy of weftern
Perfia formed a fufficient fecurity in that quarter.
Ahmed died about the year 1773, and was fucceeded by Timur, who
continued to reticle at Cabul; but the monarchy has been ftyled that of
Candahar from a central province. The fucceffor of Timur was Ze-
maun, who probably ftill rules thisefxtenfive country, which has happily
been free from the inteftine commotions which have defolated weftern
Perfia.. Since the great battle of Panniput, fought; by Ahmed Abdalla
againft the Marattas 1761, the kingdom of Candahar feems to have remained
in a pacific ftate, and the government is of applauded lenity.
§ The
The fur theft extent -Of; this monarchy on tRe'eaft comprifes Cafhmir,.
which was probably fubdued abojat' 1754.* In the weft, aéeóïding to
the opinion of Rennell,* it extends 40 <t-he vicinity of the city ofTerfhiz,
or Turftiiz, in the-fandte lineof longitude with Meftiid, a length of about
goo B. miles. The province o f Sindh, at the mouth ofthe Indhs, is
alfo fubje£t to Zemaun, with the weftern part of M'oultan; hut the remainder
on the eaft bank of that river, and the wide and fertile, province
o f Lahore, are poffefied by 'the Seiks, a warlike nation. The
other proyinces are Kuttore, Cabul, Candahar, and within the Perfian
houndary Segiftan, and probably Mekran* with the eaftern part o f
Corafan, and the province o f Gaur, the medial breadth being probably
about 500 miles. The ^remainder o f Balk and Great Bucharia belong
to independent Tatary.' The chief fubje&s o f Zemaun are the Afgan s,
or people of the mountains between Perfia and Hindoftan-, who may be
confidered as the founders • o f the empire; the others are Hindoos,
Perfians, and a few Tatars.. I f weftern Perfia continue;united, it is
probable that a violent conteft may arife between the two fovereignties.
C H A P T E R IL
P o t i t i c A t G eo g r a phy .
Religion.— G overnment.—Population. Army.— Navy.— Revenues.— Political
Importance and Relations
TH E religion of Perfia is well known to be the Mahometan, which
was introduced by the fword, and has been followed by its
ufual effects, the deftru£tion and depopulation of the country. Yet
the Perfians adopt a milder fyftem of this creed than is followed by the
Turks and Arabs. Their native good fenfe, and benignity of manners,
* Forflcr, ii. 14. V Page TOijS
E astern
P e r s ia .
Religion,
led