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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



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Photograph by Hon. John B. Jackson 



A STREET SCENE IN BAKU 



point as early as the sixth century, Baku, 

 which is now a town of nearly 250,000 

 inhabitants, did not become a Russian 

 possession until a little more than a hun- 

 dred years ago. The upper part of the 

 city, corresponding to the back rows of 

 an amphitheater, is the picturesque Tatar 

 quarter, with numerous narrow lanes and 

 oriental bazaars. The most striking 

 architectural feature of the place is the 

 massive Kis Kale, or Maiden's Tower, 

 a monument of the Byzantine period, 

 which rises to a height of nearly 150 feet. 



Centuries before the wealth of the 

 Baku oil fields was realized, Persian fire- 

 worshipers discovered natural gas issu- 

 ing from the fissures of rock in this 

 vicinity, and a few miles from the mod- 

 ern city there may still be seen the ruins 



of an ancient temple where these burning 

 jets from the lower regions were the ob- 

 jects of adoration. 



Aside from its importance as the Tam- 

 pico of Europe, Baku had several thriv- 

 ing industrial establishments at the out- 

 break of the war, such as tobacco fac- 

 tories, flour mills, and sulphuric-acid 

 works. Its trade with Persia and the 

 Transcaucasus territory is active in peace 

 times, the principal articles of commerce 

 being raw silks, cotton, fruits, wines, and 

 rice. 



In addition to its advantages as a sea- 

 port, Baku has in recent years enjoyed 

 railway connections both with Batum, 

 560 miles to the west by way of Tiflis, 

 and with Rostov-on-the-Don, 818 miles 

 to the northwest. 



INDEX TO THE SOCIETY'S MAP OF THE WESTERN THEATRE OF WAR 



Attention of readers is directed to the INDEX to the Society's MAP OF THE WESTERN THEATRE 

 OF WAR which may be obtained from the headquarters of THE NATIONAL, GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY, 

 1 6th and M streets northwest, Washington, D. C. The index is especially valuable in quickly locating any 

 of the 15,000 places near the battle lines in France and Belgium shown on the remarkable map published 

 in the May number of the Geographic. Practically every place mentioned in the news dispatches is clearly 

 shown on this highly detailed map and may readily be found by the index. Additional copies of the map 

 (26*4 x 31 inches) on paper are 75 cents (including index); on linen $1.50 (including index); index alone 

 25 cents. Postpaid in the United States. Foreign postage 25 cents extra. 



INDEX FOR JANUARY-JUNE, 1918, VOLUME READY 

 Index for Volume XXXIII — January-June, 1918 — will be mailed to members upon request. 



