296 
SERASKEND. 
we had an extensive view over a country broken into small volcanic 
hills of arid surface, in the most distant horizon of which we discovered 
the snowy summits of Savalan, bearing N. 48° E. 
' The difference between a northern and a southern aspect, was very 
remarkable upon the surface of the mountain of Sahand, the one being 
covered with snow, from which the other was entirely free. 
Our stage was to have been at Gultapeh, distant a fursung farther on, 
but we found that it had been lately abandoned by its inhabitants, who, 
following a common custom in Persia, when oppression is more severe 
than ordinary, departed in a body, and settled themselves elsewhere. 
At Chigeen we found a river called the Karangou, whose waters are 
reckoned the finest in Aderbigian. It flows from west to east, and falls 
into the Mianeh river, and then into the Kizzil Ozan. It was remarked, 
that we had crossed more rivers during this journey than in any of our 
former excursions, for each valley has its stream, upon the borders of 
which we constantly found great quantities of water fowl. 
From Chigeen we went to Seraskend, and as we passed Gultapeh we 
had a fine view of Sahand, surrounded by other high lands. From this 
place, we struck into a succession of hills, all of an admirable soil for 
the culture of corn, until we reached a valley covered with villages, of 
which we saw five within the space of as many miles. Through this 
bottom ran another stream which like the Karangou flows into the 
Mianeh, and takes its rise in Sahand, being the fifth which we had crossed 
of those arising in that mountain. We here learnt, that at six fursungs 
from Bilkabad, is an ancient ruin called Takht Suleiman, but of what 
age or class we could not learn from the indefinite manner of the Per¬ 
sians in their description. 
Seraskend is the chief place of the district of Hasht rood, or Eight 
Rivers, so called from its abundance of water; and it is said that all the 
eight flow into the river of Mianeh. This district was one of the finest 
that we had seen; rich in corn and well peopled, for villages were situ¬ 
ated in most parts of it; the slopes of the hills were in general covered 
with cultivation, which was particularly remarkable in the view that 
opened itself to us upon our arrival at Seraskend. The government of 
