1800.] 
termine the pofition of Sera, becaufe there 
are a mech greater number of cities on the 
Hoang-ho, than on the Etziné, where D’ An- 
wille placed it. After long refearches, M. 
Klaproth at laft. found out the true place 
which the ancients called Sera : jit is name- 
ly the prefent Lan.t/cheu in 360 824." N. 
lat. and 1220 6’ 30” E. long. from Ferro. 
Under the dynafty Towg-han, which reign- 
ed over China till the year 220 after the 
birth of Chrift, this city bove the name of 
Kin t{cheu, or the \Gold-city. This word 
the Thibetans rendered by Ser, which in 
their language likewile fignifies gold. And 
thus originated the name Sera, which we 
find in the writings of the ancients. By 
this difcovery the fituation of the outermott 
point known to the ancients towards the 
Eat is determined, and an hypothefis over- 
thrown which has fo long been adopted as 
true. Phe geographical notice relative to 
- the ancient name of Laz-tf/cheu was drawn 
from the Chinefe Geography- entitled 
Kuang-yu-tu-ki (lib. 9. p. 9+), of which 
there is in the royal library at Berlin an 
edition printed in the laft century. All 
doubt on this fubjeét might perhaps be 
removed by -confulting the Chtnefe map in 
the pofleffion of the French National In- 
ftitute, and-which was prefented to the 
Royal Academy of Sciences by the Duke 
of Efcalone, This map, which was drawn 
by a native of China, contains the amcint 
and modern names of the principal cities of 
that kingdom. See Hi/?. del’ Acad. R. des 
Scremces, 1718, p. 71, and p. 794. 

For the Menthly Magazine. 
DESCRIPTION 9f. the WARDISH-GAME, 
or PUBLIC GYMNASTIC EXERCISES 
of the PERSIANS; by M. VON HAB- 
LITZ’L, of PETERSBURG.* 
| HAD fome time ago an opportunity 
here in Aftrachan, of being prefent at 
a Perfian fpectacle; which I recolle& to 


* This défcription is an extract of a letter 
from M, von Haguitz’r, then refiding in 
Aftrachan, toM. Parzias, by whom it was 
communicated to the editors the Ally. Geog. 
Epiem, M. von Hablitz’1, who is at prefent 
actyal couhcillor of ftate to the emperor ef 
Ruiia, knight of the order of Wladimir third 
clafs,.and member of the government at Pe- 
terlburg, accompanied Gmelin, as affiftant in 
his refearches relative to natural hiftory, in 
his journey to Perfia; afterwards refided in 
Aftrachan ; and was employed by Prince Po- 
ternkin in an expedition againft Perfia, which 
proved unfuccefsful. In the fequel he was 
appointed vice-governor of Tauria; and after 
tat government was incorporated with the 
government of Ekatempollaw, was called to 
Defer iption of the Wardifh Game. 
543 
have before feen in Mafanderan, but not 
fo perfeé& 5 and which Gmeliz, for what 
reafon [know not, has not all mentioned in 
his Travels; I therefore take the liberty 
to fend you a defcription of it, which I re- 
queft you will communicate to the Aca 
demy. 
Wardifh is the name which the Perfians 
give to this fpeétacle; and as it confifts 
merely of pretty fevere bodily exercifes,, 
the word is faid to fignify the fame as game 
of labour. ‘This game is played not folely 
for diverfion, but rather for the preferva- 
tion and corroboration of health ; and may 
therefore be very well compared to the 
gymnaftic exercifes, which for the fame. 
purpofes were cuftomary among the Greeks ~ 
and Romans. The Wardifb-game, then, 
is not folely exhibited by performers whofe 
profeflion it is, or who are kept for the 
purpofe; on the contrary, people of dif- 
ferent ranks and conditions play it when- 
ever they choofe; and we find inall the cities 
of Perfia public buildings ereéted on pur- 
pofe for the exhibition of it, in which the 
amateurs are accuftomed to affemble, and. 
which are called Wardi/b-Chana. Thefe 
edifices confift in general of only one large 
hall, the floor of which is covered with earth 
or fand, and which hasfew or no windows, 
and is thrfore lighted by zaphtha-lamps. 
In the infide of this hall, there is again 
one wall araiied place or eftrade of boards, 
with a curtain betore it ; where the War- 
difh-players undrefs and drefs themfelves. 
Againit the oppolite wali, another fimilar 
fiage, but without any curtain, is ereéted, 
on which the muficians fit. Along the 
other two walls the {peétators fit, or more 
ulually ftand. Such Wardifb Chanas are 
fupported by the Chans in the cities, or 
likewife by private perfons. In the firft 
cafe, the-players as well as the fpectators 
have free admiffion: but in the latrer cafe, 
‘every one pays a certain price for admif- 
fon. \ 
The Wardifh players ufually affemble 
very early in the morning; and as foon as_ 
a fufficient number is arrived, the exercifeg 
commence. ‘Ihe players, having previoufly 
{tripped themfelves quite naked, and put 
on a pair of wide breeches reaching no lower 
than the knee, ftep forth to the found of the 
mufic into the middle of the arena; and 
then their gymnattic exercifes begin in the 
following manner: They frit all place 

MM. 
. S 3 « 
Pallas now lives on his own eftate at hwicr~ 
Jchet in the Crimea; where he continues with: « 
already owes him fo much, one valuable lice= 
tary prefent after the other. : 
A ie Yh them. 
