'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎222v] (449/706)

432 MlZANDARAN
unpleasant flavour. A machine expresses in one day about 15 mans shdhi
of juice which yields 5 mans shdhi of sugar, or about TO lbs.
Mazandaran produces mineral pitch, which is found in abundance in
different states, from petroleum to the choicest kind of naphtha, and is
applied to many useful purposes.
There is a good deal of iron, lead and copper ore in the Elburz range,
and the country is rich in timber of all sorts, which with a proper system
of forestry would be a great source of wealth.
There is a very sturdy breed of small ponies called “ Yabus ” which
are used for pack transport and can carry enormous loads.
The cattle of Mazandaran are very small and have humps like the Indian
cattle ; the sheep are likewise small, but have not fat tails, like those of
’Iraq.
The mountains of Mazandaran abound in wild beasts ; among others
the tiger, panther, bear, wolf, goat, and deer of different kinds; wild
boars are found in vast quantities. Pheasant, woodcock, and wild
duck are abundant all over the province. All the rivers are exceedingly
well stocked with fish, which is the staple food of the peasantry ; among
these are the orang (represented as a very large fish), ispek, the dzddmohi or
Caspian salmon, saf dmchi (a kind of mullet), kupur, (carp), seluqa, and kizl-
ala (trout), sagmdhl, or sturgeon, and soame, a fish, common to the Russian
rivers.
There are practically no vehicles in the country all transport being pack.
The principal external trade is done with Russia from Mashad-i-Sar to
Baku (for details see article on that port).
For Consular trade report on the Caspian provinces see under ‘ ‘ Rasht’ ? .
The revenue of the province amounts to about 1^ million krdns, though
how much of this reaches the royal treasury is not to be ascertained.
Military. —Mazandaran furnishes 9 infantry regiments of a nominal
strength of 1,000 men each ; 1,600 irregular cavalry, of whom probably
only 800 are really effective.
The rifles in use in Mazandaran are principally the Berdan and Werndl,
but these are mainly private property and not supplied by the State.—
{Fraser ; Holmes ; Picot; Schindler; Curzon ; Rahino.)
This article should be read in conjunction with that on Gilan, as the
two provinces have much in common, and the one will act as a comple
ment to the other.
Fortresses. —There are no fortified places in the province.
Harbours. —The only place that can be dignified with the name of a
harbour is Mashad-i-Sar {q.v.). The Master of the Persian Mint tried to
open up Mahmudabad (f/.u.) twelve miles due north of Amul with which he
connected it, by rail, the project, however, failed, and there is now no
trade there.
Administration. —Mazandaran is ruled by a Governor, who is no better
or no worse than other provincial rulers.
There is no provision, for instance, for the repair of roads, no penalty
for breaking them up to forward private objects. When any part becomes
impassable, an order for repairing it is sent by the governor of the district
to the next village, and this is obeyed at all times in the most superficial
manner. All other matters of police are on a like loose and inefficient
footing.