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880 COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA.
Hinzellee *. Thefe regulations, however, cannot prevent the contraband trade which
is carried on at Shamakee, and the other inland towns of Perfia, by the Armenian
merchants; who, from their knowledge of the country and language, underfell the
Rutlians.
Aftracan, fituated on an ifland in a branch of the Volga, is the great ftaple of the
Cafpian commerce; and, by means of that river, is readily fupplied with European
merchandize from the ports of the Baltic 7. Although Aftracan is only in the 47th
degree of latitude, yet the cold is extremely intenfe in winter; and for two months
the Volga is generally frozen fo hard as to be paffed over by heavy-laden fledges f.
Large tracts of foreft on the banks of that river, in the province of Kafan, furnifh fuf-
ficient oak and timber for the conftruction of veffels for the Cafpian fea.
The Cafpian is fix hundred and eighty miles in length, from Gurief to Medfhetifar,
and in no part more than two hundred and fixty in breadth. It has no tide; and, on
account of fhoals is navigable only by veffels drawing from nine to ten feet water; it
has {trong currents, and, like all inland feas, is fubjet to violent ftorms §, which the
Ruflian veflels, wretchedly conftruted, weather with difficulty : the waters are brackifh.
The Uralian Coffacs enjoy the right of fifhing on the coaft forty feven miles on each
fide of the river Ural; and the inhabitants of Aftracan poflefs the exclufive privilege
on the remaining fhores belonging to Ruffia. The roe of fturgeons and beluga fupply
large quantities of caviare; and the fith, which are chiefly falted and dried, form a con-
fiderable article of confumption inthe Ruffian empire. The Cafpian abounds with fea-
dogs, which are hunted and caught in great numbers |].
The ports of the Cafpian may be divided into Ruffian, Perfian, and Tartar.
The Ruffian ports and trading places are, 1. Gurief; 2. Kiflar.
1. Gurief, fituated on the mouth of the Yaik or Ural, near a bay of the Cafpian, is
a {mall but ftrong fortrefs, which guards the frontiers of the Ruflian empire towards
the territory of the Kirghees Tartars. The place contains fcarcely a hundred houfes,
and, except the garrifon, has no inhabitants but a few merchants from Aftracan, who
trade with the neighbouring ’Tartars . 2. The fortrefs of Kiflar ftands near the eaftern
coaft, and covers the frontiers towards the limits of Perfia. Veflels formerly entered
the fouthern branch of the Terek; but as the mouths of that river are now choaked
up, the merchandize is landed ina {mall bay at the diftance of thirty-four miles. Kif-
lar draws from Aftracan the European commodities neceflary for the Perfian traffic, to-
gether with corn and provifion for the Ruffian colonies on the Terek, and for the neigh-
bouring diftri& of Mount Caucafus. Befide the goods which are difpofed of at Kiflar,
and fent to the Perfian ports, the inhabitants carry on a contraband trade to Shamakee,
Derbent, and even Tiflis in Georgia, which is exceedingly precarious from the numerous
banditti who pillage the caravans.
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 Aftra-
bad, in which countries the ports reforted to by the Ruffians are fituated. But the
unfettled ftate of Perfia, and the civil wars which continue to harrafs that divided em-
pire, render it difficult to afcertain that point **. In general thofe provinces are governed
by
* Guldenftaedt, p. 248. + Hanway, p. 141. { Gmelin, vol. ii. p. 84.
§ Hanway, vol 1 p. 393. | Jour. St. Pet. p.253; S. R.G. vii p. 525. Fora lift of the fih
inthe Cafpian, fee Gmelin, vol. ii p 246. q Pallas Reife, I. 424, &c.
** On the affaffination of Nadir Shah, in 1747, various competitors prefented themfelves to fill the va-
cant throne ; and in lefs than two years eight fovereigns had reigned, been depofed, or affaffinated ; sare
erim
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