1801.]  Defcription of the Countries adjoining the Cafpian Sea. 
machi; 6, the territory of the Chan of 
Scheki. 
, NATURAL DIVISION OF SCHIRWAN. 
Plain between the Rubas and dtat{chai. 
THIS plain extends about 18 German 
miles in length along the fhore of the Caf- 
pian fea; in breadth about feven miles ; 
and is inclofed in the form of a bow by the 
high ridge of mountains which from Der- 
bent gradually recedes from the coaft, and 
at the mouth of the Alatfchai again ap- 
proaches it. The numerous little woods 
and thickets, and the villaces inter{perfed 
between them, and furrounded with the 
$i Ric: 
moft beautiful orchards and vineyards, 
and fine plantations of mulberry-trees, 
give a moft pleafing afpe& to this part of 
Schirwan; which is watered by a number of 
rivers that take their rife in the neigh- 
bouring'ridge of mountains, whofe fum- 
mit is throughout the year covered with 
fnow. On leaving the mountain, thefe 
rivers which are rapid and impetuous in 
their courfe, and impregnated with fine 
earthy particles in folution, branch ont 
into feveral arms: but their beds are of no 
great depth, and filled with large frag- 
ments of rock. The moft confiderable of 
them are: the Gurgeni, fomewhat more 
than two German miles diftant from the 
Rubas ; the Samur, fomewhat more than 
one mile diftant from the Gurgeni, which 
rifes very high and flows with great rapi- 
dity in fummer ; and lias this remarkable 
property, that its depth and the force of 
its current varies according to the different 
times of the day ; and moreover that at 
a confiderable diftance from its bed, in 
places fituated higher, hollows and 
‘ditches are frequently on a fudden filled 
with water, though not a trace of it was 
there to be feen a moment befcre. About 
two miles farther fouth, feveral arms of the 
Kefartfchai flow at various diftances, 
‘through a traét of country about two Ger- 
man miles broad. From the fouthern 
branch or proper bed of the Kefartfchai 
there is a diftance of more than three 
Englifh miles to the Deli: on the right 
bank of the iatter, at its efflux from the 
mountains, lies Kubain 41”, 24' north la- 
| titude ; and at its mouth the village INi- 
' zabad with a {mall and inconvenient har- 
bour. Then follow, at intervals of from 
four to five Englifh miles, the Aktfchai, 
_ Karatfchai, Dichagidfchich ; three En- 
glith miles from the laft, the Belboh ; and 
) at anequal diftance from it the Schabran, on 
'-whofe left bank formerly food the im- 
215 
portant city of the fame name: but of 
which only a few ruins.are now vilible. 
Then follow, at the diftance of about ro 
Englith miles.agd a half the rivulet Ewit- 
{ché; eighteen miles farther the rivulet 
Guyjen, and about ro miles from it the 
Atatfchai. 
The dry and naked mountainous Region from 
the Atatfchat to the Plain on the Kur. 
THE weftern boundary runs over the 
more elevated ridge, covered with trees 
and abounding with fprings, which varies 
but little in its whole courfe through 
Schirwan. Thenceto the Cafpian fea the 
breadth of this tract is very confiderable 
in many places, where the fhore projects 
in the form of a promontory: é. g. above 
14. German miles from the mouth of the 
Seguité or Kofutfchai to the heights near 
New-Schamachi. In length it is about 
17 German miles. The tract neareft to 
the fea is the moft fterile and arid, efpe- 
cially in the neighbourhood of the city of 
Baku, where the argillaceous foil is ims 
pregnated with falt, petroleum and naph- 
ta. To Baku however this is a fource of 
wealth: as it draws a confiderable reve- 
nue from the fale of the naphta, petroleum, 
and falt.. This city is fituated on a pe- 
ninfula-called Abfcharon, on which there 
are not only the moft numerous and beft 
fources of naphta and: petroleum, and falt- 
lakes; but the furface is almoft every 
where inflammable. Of all the rivers in 
this mountainous tract the Pirfagat only 
falls into the fea to the fouth of Baku: all 
the other rivulets which take their rife in 
the more elevated ridge fall into the Kur. 
Plain on the Left Bank of the Kur. 
It ftretches up the Kur 283 German 
miles; and its oreateft breadth is from 
eight to ten milcs. The above-defcribed 
mountainous tract, and farther inland a 
part of the more elevated ridge, encom- 
pafs this plain. In the vicinity of the 
river, the land is fubjet to inundations, 
and overgrown with high reed-grafs: to- 
wards the fea it is brackifh and barren ; 
but fertile towards the mountains. About 
14 miles upwards from its mouth the Kur 
receives from the right the Aras, and 
there on the left bank is fituated a large 
village named D{chawat, After its junc- 
tion with the Aras, the Kur is above 70 
fathoms broad, and only fo far navigable: 
the rocks in the bed of the river obftru€ting 
the navigation higher up. At about 4 
German miles from the fea it branches 
out into a number of arms, the northern- 
moft 
