TABRIZ. 
287 
I had some conversation with a native of Mazanderan, who extolled 
the virtues of his countrymen, and complained of the ill-conduct of 
their rulers, in equal proportion. He himself had been despoiled of 
his property, and reduced almost to beggary; but, as he added, 
many from his province had gone to India, and by their abilities on a 
more favourable ground, had realized fortunes. 
He told me that there were two entrances into Mazanderan; one, by 
the Pile Rud-bar , the road through which leads off the bridge over which 
we crossed the Kizzil Ozan ; and the other, by the way of Resht on 
the borders of the sea. The Jungle , or wild woodland, is so impene¬ 
trable, that, according to his illustration, an arrow discharged from a 
bow cannot force it, but strikes on the exterior reeds. The Pile Rud- 
bar is perhaps the ancient Fauces Hyrcanice; and the accounts of 
Olearius, and other modern travellers, as well as the intelligence that 
I received, confirm the original tremendous descriptions. I had been 
told at Teheran , that men are stationed at different intervals to give 
notice to travellers of the approach of others in an opposite direction; 
for in the narrowest part two mules cannot pass, nor can they turn 
back. I was further told at Tabriz , that the great causeway built by 
Shah Abbas, is falling into total decay; and in some places is so 
much ruined, that though mules and horses may still travel upon it, 
camels can no longer be used. The avenues therefore to Mazanderan 
might be successfully guarded by twenty expert fusileers, against any 
force that could be brought. The people indeed had frequently peti¬ 
tioned their government to repair the causeway; but it has been the 
policy of the court to leave it in its present state, that in case of any 
necessity the King might retire there in safety, and defend himself 
in the inaccessible fastnesses which the condition of the province thus 
opposes to an enemy. 
The vessels which navigate the Caspian, are (according to the same 
authority) very rude and ill-built, being planks put together without 
any caulking to their seams; the people are therefore obliged inces¬ 
santly to bail the water off in buckets; for they have not learnt the 
