494 
MARAGA. 
did not occupy more than four hours and a half; at the expiration 
of which we entered the gate of Maraga, distant twelve miles 
from the kindly village of the Eelauts. 
Maraga is considered the second city of the province of Azer- 
bijan, and about the middle of the thirteenth century was a 
favourite residence with the Mogul monarchs of Persia ; Halukoo, 
the conqueror of Mesopotamia and Syria, having made it his 
capital, and founded a school of astronomy on one of its hills 
for the celebrated philosopher and astrologer, Nasir-a-deen, his 
prime-minister. At present, the exterior of the city presents 
nothing particularly imposing, the walls and gates being in a 
woeful state of dilapidation, and some adjoining heights shewing 
the traces only of wider defences. At the western extremity of 
one of these commanding situations, stand the remains of a 
circular building, pointed out to the traveller as part of the 
observatory erected by the philosophic minister, and where he 
constructed the famous astronomical tables called Eel-Khannee, 
useful even to this day in travelling the interior of Persia. The 
latitude of this place lies in 37° 207 The town itself is supposed 
to be of great antiquity. Its present walls embrace a large 
extent of ground, containing about 4500 houses, many with 
gardens or planted courts ; and a population, Mahomedans, Jews, 
and Christians, estimated at 20,000. They are well supplied 
with water by the river Subzee, which washes the western side of 
the city, and is crossed by two substantial bridges. Maraga has 
long been noted for excellent sun-dried fruits, particularly raisins, 
which are accounted the best in the empire. It has.also a glass 
manufactory of various colours, a favourite fashion in the win¬ 
dows of the opulent Persians; the poorer orders are content 
with oiled paper for- their medium of light. I saw founderies 
