'The Expedition for the survey of the rivers Euphrates and Tigris, carried on by order of the British government, in the years 1835, 1836, and 1837; preceded by geographical and historical notices of the regions situated between the rivers Nile and Indus. In four volumes. With fourteen maps and charts, and embellished with ninety-seven plates, besides numerous wood-cuts. Volume the first.' [‎220] (283/905)

Dilman and
Urumiyah.
220 ITS TOWNS AND CAPITAL. [CHAP. X.
about 30,000 inhabitants, and situated in an extensive and
well cultivated plain. But the most flourishing part of the
province is that which surrounds the shores of lake Urumiyah.
On its western and southern sides are Dilman, in the valley
of Selmast, a town of about 15,000 inhabitants, with Sas-
sanian sculptures in its neighbourhood; 1 Urumiyah (the
supposed birth-place of Zoroaster), with about 12,000, 2 Nak-
hodeh, and Ushnei; and So-uj Bolak, 3 with the ancient caves
of Karaftu, and the ruins of Shiz at some distance south
eastward of the lake. On the eastern side of this body of
water are Dehergan and Binab, and beyond the latter is
the town of Maraghah, containing about 15,000 inhabitants,
and having several fine excavations in the neighbourhood.
Descripticncf Tabriz, the seat of government, is a fortified city of some
little strength, and is situated in the centre of the province,
near a range of arid mountains. It contains about 8000
houses, built, as usual, of sun-dried bricks, good bazars,
several mosques, karvanserai's, and an extensive maidan, or
square, within the walls.
At the south-western extremity of the town is the citadel
of All Shah, and near it the remarkable structure called the
Ark, intended, as it is said, for an open Musjed, and con
structed soon after the time of Harun al Rashid. It occupies
three sides of a square, with a massive double wall nearly
100 feet high, having an arched recess in the interior side.
The top of the building commands a fine view of the distant
mountains towards the west, the plain of Ahmedia, and the
numerous villages and inclosed gardens, kiosks, &c., forming
the extensive suburbs ; besides that constant adjunct of every
oriental city, the cemetery: the size of the latter, owing to
earthquakes, 4 cholera, plague, war, and oppression, has been
greatly increased at the expense of the population, which,
perhaps, does not now exceed 20,000 souls. 5
1 Colonel Shiel's Journey.-Vol. VIII. Part I., p. 56, of the Royal
Geograph.oaU^al. 8 Kinneir ^
Major Rawlmson — Vol. X. Part I, pp. 15 and 35, of the Royal
ograp ica ournal. 4 70,000 perished in this way in 1727.
cholera ^ Cessation of P la S ue . which had followed a visit of the
its citadel.