394 ADDITIONAL NOTICES. [June 27, 1859. 



sends a vessel every year to survey the coasts of the Caspian, as the soundings 

 are continually altering ; their sailors are made to serve alternately in this sea 

 and in the Baltic. 



The Caspian is considered a stormy sea ; and there is no doubt that a great 

 deal of the rain and snow with which Ghilan is at certain seasons deluged 

 comes from seawards ; but to such vessels as navigate the Caspian almost any 

 boisterous weather must be perilous. 1 understand that some Russian officers, 

 who a short time since were employed to ascertain the relative heights of 

 the Caspian and Black Seas, found that the former was 96 French feet lower 

 than the level of the latter. The observations which I took of the baro- 

 meter at the Caspian did not give this result, but the instrument had got 

 out of order on the journey, and, though 1 repaired it, there was not much 

 dependence to be placed on the observations made with it. The waters of 

 this sea, which I tasted at various parts of the coast, appeared to contain 

 very little salt. This may have arisen in part from the vicinity of many 

 small streams, but I believe that it is not in any part very briny. 



Enzilli contains 300 to 400 houses and shops, and is the only seaport on 

 the coast of Ghilan. It is situated on the extreme point of a singularly 

 narrow and long strip of sand, which, with one of similar shape advancing 

 from the east and nearly joining it, almost separates the lake or backwater 

 of Enzilli from the Caspian, leaving a passage between them of about 200 

 yards wide. The western tongue on which Enzilli stands is about 15 miles 

 in length, of various widths, but in some parts not above 150 yards across ; 

 it is covered with swamp and jungle. The anchorage is within this tongue 

 of land, and between it and a long island in the lake, the intermediate channel 

 being deep enough to admit of ships of 250 tons burden, when partly laden, 

 lying close to the shore, and people can step from it on board. There is 

 ample accommodation for all the vessels which visit this port, but the larger 

 class are obliged to discharge part of their cargoes into boats at sea before 

 they can cross the bar at the entrance of the lake. Many sandbanks reaching 

 almost to the water's surface very much obstruct the passage to the anchorage. 

 There appears to be very little depth of water in the lake, and probably not 

 in any part above 6 fathoms. The surface is not often much ruffled by storms, 

 but the boats of Enzilli, being of slight build and small beam, do not ven- 

 ture on it in blowing weather. The extent of the lake is called 6 agatches 

 by 4, or 27 by 18 miles, but I should think it was more. Its saltness is 

 scarce perceptible, and indeed the boatmen commonly drink it. It swarms 

 with fish of various kinds, particularly the mahee selfeed (a species of carp, I 

 believe). 



Enzilli, the seaport of Ghilan, through which a considerable traffic is 

 carried on, possesses not a single caravanserai or other fit place of accommoda- 

 tion either for goods or passengers. A stranger arriving there without friends 

 or recommendations to people would be exceedingly ill off", particularly in 

 winter, where he might be detained by stress of weather (if on his way to 

 Besht) ; for several days he would scarce find a shelter for himself, and pro- 

 bably none for his horses. 



I could not obtain an exact account of the vessels which frequent the port 

 of Enzilli. Of the largest, measuring from 100 to 250 or 300 tons, there are 

 said to be about 10 or 12 annually from Astrakan. From B4ku, Salian, and 

 Lankeran, the greater part are large boats of various rigs ; and I was told that 

 from 50 to 60 of these visit Enzilli during the year. I should have thought, 

 however, the number would have been greater ; for when I was at Enzilli 

 there were between 20 and 30 vessels of all descriptions in the harbour ; and many 

 may be supposed to make more than one trip in the year to this port, though 

 there is no account kept of them, and the people seemed to have no exact 

 notion of their real number. The greater part come from Baku, laden with 



