INLAND NAVIGATION OF ASTRACAN. 
427 
Herat, and the apprehension being that it 
is the policy of Russia to occupy Persia be- 
fore a force is pushed forward to invade 
India, the campaign will be opened by hav- 
ing the eastern frontier of Persia or the city 
of Herat as the basis of operations. Those 
of our readers, who belong to the profession 
of arms,will be glad to have a description of 
the place. Herat is described as standing in 
a fertile plain, watered by a river, crowded 
with villages, and covered with fields of corn. 
The town contains 100,000 inhabitants. 
“ It holds a central position, at almost 
an equal distance from the cities of Rsr- 
man, Yezd, lubbus, Toorsheez, Mushed, 
Bokhara, Balkh, and Candahar. It is one of 
the greatest emporiums of the commerce or 
Asia, and could draw supplies from all the 
places we have enumerated, and from many 
more of minor importance- The city itseli is 
placed in a fertile and well watered valley, 
and is surrounded by extensive gardens and 
pastures. It enjoys a fine climate, it is amply 
stored with provisions at all times ; it could, as 
we have stated, draw supplies from all the 
countries around it, and it is capable of fur- 
nishing every article which these coutitnes 
afford. If any place is worthy to be designa- by vessels drawing from 9 to 10 feet water, 
ted, ‘ the key to India,’ it certainly is Herat." There are extensive fisheries on it, which 
interfere should be shewn by the Tartar tribes 
on the banks of the Oxus. The Persians have 
an hereditary and inveterate hatred towards 
the people of that country, and would readily 
accept the assistance of Russia, to be enabled 
to revenge themselves for former insult. 
Supposing, then, it became the policy of 
Russia to forego the conquest of Persia, and 
to purchase her co-operation by promises of 
future rewards, an army destined to invade 
India would proceed to the occupation of 
Herat by this last named route passing 
through the province of Khorassan. 
By means of the Volga, the Caspian Sea 
communicates with the heart of Russia, the 
inland navigation from Astracan, which lies 
at the mouth of that river, goes over a tract 
of 1434 miles, and passes through the most 
fertile regions of the empire. There is also 
a water communication between Astracan 
and St. Petersburgh, by means of the cele- 
brated. canal of Vishnei Voloshok.* Astracan 
is the great staple of the Caspian commerce, 
and is readily supplied with European mer- 
chandise from the ports of the Baltic. In the 
fourteenth century Europe was supplied with 
the produce of India, through the Caspian 
Sea and Astracan, and a direct communica- 
tion with India has continued by the same 
route, which is that we are about to inquire 
into. The Caspian Sea, which has a length 
of 640 miles, and a breadth of 200, is navigated 
We are also told that a considerable number 
of horses are bred in the Cabul dominions, 
and those of Herat are very fine. Camels are, 
however, on the whole, the animals most 
employed for carriage. The ox is used to 
plough, except perhaps in Balkh, where 
horses are so common.’'^ 
Having arrived at this favourable position, 
distant from the Indus between 700 and 800 
miles, over roads that are in constant use tor 
caravans, it is necessary to remark that Herat 
is accessible from Russia by another route, the 
greater part of which passes through a fertile 
country, that lies between this city and the 
south of the Caspian Sea. It will be exa- 
mined, before we proceed to enquire into the 
nature of the intervening country between 
Herat and the Indus. The line of advance 
from the Caspian to Herat, is the second 
alluded to in the beginning of this enquiry. 
There can bo little doubt but it would be the 
one adopted by a Russian army, and it will 
be found about 600 miles in length. The 
distance will therefore be no more than be- 
tween 1300 and 1400 miles from the Caspian 
Sea to the Indus; the bare possibility ot its 
practicability ought to be considered with 
attention. . 
Whether Persia is or is not occupied, 
there would be a body of irregular horse of 
that country, at the command of Russia, to 
keep open the communication between the 
Caspian and Herat, in case any disposition to 
cause numerous vessels to be employed. 
Such facilities of conveyance formed to com- 
municate with St, Petersburgh, and other 
cities of the empire, would render the trans- 
portation of an army to the opposite shore of 
easy accomplishment, whilst the uninterrupt- 
ed navigation of the sea by Russia would also 
ensure a regularity of supplies. At Astracan 
there is a large and commodious harbour, 
with a dock yard and spacious quays. In 
July 1723, Peter the Great assembled an 
army at the city of Nijnei Novgorod, at the 
confluence of the Occa and Volga. From 
thence they proceeded down the latter river 
to the Caspian, and 33,000 men were landed 
at Daghestan, on the west side of the sea. 
He took the city of Derbent from the Per- 
sians, and extended his possessions, after 
which he returned to Astracan in October." 
At the south extremity of the Caspian, 
the bay of Astrabad admits of a secure 
haven, and may average a week’s sail from 
the opposite port of Astracan. Astrabad is a 
walled town, having 2 or 3,000 houses ; the 
surrounding country is scarcely surpassed 
for richness and beauty. At this place a 
dep6t could be formed,and the army assem- 
bled for further operations in their progress 
towards Herat. 
•Account of the Kingdom of Cabul, by the 
Honourable Mountstuart Elphinstone* 
'‘Coxe’s Travels in Poland, Russia, &c, 
