214 Defeription of the Couitries adjoining the Cafpian Sea. [April 3, 
vivers which take their rife in the molt 
elevated ridge of the Lefgian mountains, 
lies Tarki, the capital, on the declivity of 
the mountain towards the plain. This 
city contains about 10,c0o inhabitants, 
among, whom are many Armenian and 
Georgian merchants. Another lefs con- 
fiderable city Buinacki (Bozzak). is fitu- 
ated on-a rivulet of the fame name, where 
3t flows forth from the mountains. 
z. The territory of the Uzmey, between 
the Urufai-Bulak and the little Darbach, 
is for the molt part mountainous, about 
eight German miles in length along the 
coat, and equally broad. It is watered 
by three pretty confiderable rivers, the 
Chamrafeni; ithe great Buam (Buamp), 
and the great Darbach, which are divided 
into {mall canals for the purpofes of irri-’ 
gation; and by feveral brooks, the Intiché, 
Balchli (Barfchi), the little Buamvor She- 
riff-river, &c. This tract of coun:ry 
produces wood and corn in abundance, 
and is well-inhabited. “The Uzmey (U*¢- 
zumm) refides in Bafchli, a. imall town 
. fituated on the brook of the fame name at 
the diftance of four German miles from 
the Cafpian fea. On the Intfché lies the 
city of Ortemifch, and many villages on 
the mountains. The inhabitants along 
the banks of the Buam are Kaidaks 3 on 
the Darbach, Karakaidaks ; and-between 
the mouths of the great Buam and Dar- 
back, Berekozes. 
3. The territory of Derbent (Derbend) is 
very inconfiderable in extent, being only 
four German miles in length on the fea- 
coaft, and extending from one and a half 
to two miles inland ; and owes its imper- 
tance folely to the advantageous fituation 
of the city of Derbent. The Darbach 
and Rubas form the northern and fouthern 
boundaries: between thefe rivers lies a 
broad and partly marfhy level, interfected 
by many fmall brooks; on this plain we 
here and there meet with beautiful and 
well cultivated corn-fields. The city of 
Derbent forms an oblong fguare on the 
declivity of an eminence, and is furrounded 
with a wall built of hewn ftone, which is 
at leaft five fathoms high, in many places 
zo feet thick, and fortified with a num- 
ber of round and fquare towers. On the 
higheft point lies the fort, Narin Kale 
( Nariun Kalafi) which is feparated by 
an uncommonly narrow and almoft. per- 
pendicular cleft in the rock from an emi- 
nence which commands the city. The 
walls of this caftle are every where fix 
fathoms, and the towers eight fathoms 
high. ‘ The walls of Derbend,’’ fays 
Reineggs, * are built for eternity, and a 
4 
bold piece of architecture,” ——and {peak= 
of Narin Kalé: “© The fort and its con- 
ftruction is indeed worthy of the attention 
of the atchiteét and engineer: buec it here 
never an{wers the purpofes of a regular de- 
fence, -as it lies too high to defend the city, 
and too far diftant to cover the harbour.” 
According to the lateft obfervations Der- - 
bent is fituated in 41° 52’ northern lati- 
tude ; and on the 16th of June’'1796 the 
variation of the magnetic needle was there 
11%; 41' 20” to the eaft. 
4. Labafferan (Tabajaran) lies between 
the Darbach and Rubas, towards their 
fources; extending about fix German 
miles. inland from above the territory of 
Derbent as far as the higheft ridge of the 
Lefgian mountains, which is here very 
rocky and woody. Reineggs calculates 
the itrength of the different tribes inha- 
biting Tabafieran, who befides the Tar- 
tarian fpeak another language peculiar 
to themlelves, at about 10,000 families ; 
and according to him the reigning family 
have held the fovereignty over the country . 
for more than fix hundred years. - 
Schirwvan is more extenfive and impor- 
tant than the two preceding divifions: 
and therefore deferves to be more fully 
defcribed. It is about 43 German miles 
in length from the mouth of the Rubas 
to that of the Kur; the breadth, from 
the fea-fhore, 1s vatious: on the Rubas 
3% German miles, in the neighbourhood 
ot Kuba 84, from the mouth of the rivu- 
let Ata above 11, from the point of the 
peninfula Abfcharon to the Kur, where 
the road from New-Schamachi: leads 
acrofs it to the city of Ganfcha, about 34 
miles; and thence along the Kur to the 
mouth of that river it gradually becomes 
narrower. 
With regard to the zatural ftate of the 
country, Schirwan may be divided into 
four diftri€ts : 1, the plain at the foot of 
the mountains, between the Rubas and 
the Ata; 2, the dry and naked ridge of 
mountains from the Attatfchai* to the 
plain on the left bank of the Kar; 3, the 
plain on the Kur; 4, the more elevated 
mountainous region which bounds the 
three other diftriéts.——With regard to its 
political divifion, Schirwan comprehends, 
1, the territory of the Chan of Kuba; 
2. the tra&t of country conquered by thie 
Chan of Kuba on the other fide of the 
Atatfchai; 3, the territory of Sallian ; 
4, the territory fubjeé&t to the Chan of Ba- 
ku; 5, the territory of the Chan of Scha- 
> 
* Tichai fignifies a rivulet; dtat/chai 
therefore is the Rivulet Ata. 
machi 3 
