216  Defeription of the Countries adjoining the Cafpian Sea. F April t, 
mof and fouthernmof of which are the. 
moft confiderable. The iflands formed 
By them belong to Schirwan. On the 
northern main-arm lies the town of Salli- 
an, which properly confifts of a mnmber 
ef villages extending along the river, and 
ewes its profperity to the umcomimonly 
productive fifhery in the Kur. 
Lie more elevaied Mountainous Region. 
. This is the moft extenfive of the four 
diftriéts: The higheft ridges of moun- 
tains in itare : the Schachdag behind Kuba; 
im the territory of the Khanbutai, who 
relons over the numerous tribe of the 
Kati. Kumuks inhabiting the high moun- 
tainous tract between the Samur and 
Delt;—and the «Khalader, behind Old 
Schamachi, in the territory of the Uma 
Chan, (Umm Kan), to whom the Awars, 
aLefgian tribe, are fubje&t. The.fummits 
of thefe mountzins are continually covered 
with {now. The many fprings, brooks and 
rivers which arife in the mountains ferti- 
Ize the narrow glens. The moft fruitful 
ef all, and prefenting the moft beautiful 
and agreeably varying land{capes, are the 
mountains imthe vicinity of Kuba. Be- 
hind Old-Schamachi, which is fituated cn 
the river Akfu about four German miles 
from New Schamachi, and in whofe ex- 
tenfive ruins fcarcely a hundred. families 
now dwell, the fouthern declivities of the 
mountains are planted with vines. . 
POLITICAL DIVISION OF SCHIRWANe 
Territory of the Chan of Kuba. 
TT comprehends the more elevated 
mountainous traéts between the Rubas 
and Atatfchai as far as Lefgiftan, and 
the above-defcribed beautiful and fertile 
plain, and is the beft and moft popu- 
ous part of Schirwan. ‘The capital, Ku- 
ba, firuated on the high and fteep banks 
of the Deli, is a fmall place, and forti- 
fied with a wall and towers. MHaflan, the 
prefent Chan, who is not yet of age, is 
under the protection of the Ruffians. He 
was raifed to the throne by them, after 
the flight of his brother Tfchich Ali, 
im the year 1796. 
Conguefis of the Chans of Kuba and Der- 
bent beyond the Atatfchat. 
BEFORE the time of Feth Ali Chan*, 
* He -died on the 26th of April’ 31796. 
His fon Achmed Chan fucceeded “him, but 
died on the 20th of Nov. 1790. Then fuc- 
eceded Feth-Ali’s fecond fon Tfchich (Scheik) 
Ali, who made his efcape in the year 1796. 
after having been obliged to give up Derbent 
to the Ruffiaas. 
= % F 
who poffefféd the territory of Kuba by 
hereditary right, and added to it by con- 
queit, befides the city of Derbent, almoft alf 
Scliirwan, the poffeffions of the Ehans of ~ 
Baku-ahd Sehamachi began on the right 
bank of the Atatichai. The former pof- 
feffed the traét on the coaft to a certain 
diftance inland ; the latter all the lands - 
thence to the border of Lefgiftan. But 
Feth Ali took from the Chan of Baku 
the greateft part of his territory, and left 
him only thé city of Baku weh a very 
{mall diftri&t adjoining to ir. 
queft is however of little value, as it con- 
fifts only of barren and thinly peopled 
mountainous tracts. 
The Territory of Salliat 
COMPREHENDS the city of Salliati 
and the neighbouring plain on the left of the 
Kur, and is fubje&t to the Chan of Kuba, 
who fends thither a.faib or vicegerent to 
govern its The fifhery in the Kur, which 
is chiefly carried on by Rouflian fubjecs 
from the city of Aftracan and other parts 
of the government of the fame name, is 
faid to bring-in annually about 50,000 
rubels in filver. 
Territory of the Chan of Baku. 
AT prefent it is reduced to the penin- 
fula Abfcharon fituated on the left fide of 
the Suguité (Sugaite) ; and is one of the 
moft barren and arid parts of Sehirwan 3 
but is pf importance on account ef the 
large quantities of falt and petroleum 
which it produces, and of the commodi- 
ous and f{pacious harbour of Baku, the- 
only one for a great extent of coaft on this 
fide of the Cafpian fea. The falt goes 
for the moft part by land to Schamachi; 
but the naphta is exported chiefly to Ghi- 
lan, where, on account of the filk-worms; 
they burn it inftead of oil in their lamps. 
The diftri& of Baku contains, befides the 
city, about thirty villages. The name of 
the prefent Chan-is Huffein Kuli. _ 
Territory of the Chan of Schamachi. 
THE whole of the traé&t of land beyond 
the Atatfchai, as far as. the territory of 
the Chan of Schiki and Lefgiftan, and the 
upper part of the plain on the left fide of 
the Kur, compofe this formerly important 
and powerful Chandom, whofe population 
and profperity has been much diminifhed 
by continual feuds and commofions fince 
the time of Nadir Shah. The ruins of 
the former capital Old Schamachi evince 
the wealth of its inhabitants: we there 
find beautiful mofchs built of hewn 
ftone, and with vaulted cupolas, and 
~ 
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