'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎26r] (56/706)

ARAB—ARAB
39
1 mile, and facing the Russian village of Shah Takht (160 houses) which
is built on a high spur overlooking the river about 1| miles awav from the
water. There is a ferry here, constructed on exactly the same principle
as that at Julfa, a boat platform and wire hawsers driven by the force of
the current. One hawser is Russian property, the other Persian. The
river keeps to the Russian side, leaving on the Persian a broad stretch of
sand, about 80 yards wide. A ramp is cut to the water’s edge on the left
bank, but carts have some difficulty in loading and unloading. Passport
officers and guards are on both sides. A large trade passes by this ferry,
which is on the direct line between Salmas, Khol and Urumieh on one
side and Nakhchivan and Erivan on the other. The cotton trade is becom
ing of importance; every village in the north-west cultivates a little and
the Russian market always pays. There are two cotton-cleaning machines
in the village imported from Russia. Russia has an almost complete
monopoly of all classes of cottons from Julfa to Maku and Khoi. She gives
a drawback on cotton stuffs, woollens and velvets.
The exports are—
Raisins 5,000 to 6,000 loads valued at 4 tumdns per load. Cotton, 300
camel loads, valued at 20 tumdns per load. Cotton stuffs from Salmas, in
request by Russian Kurds, 300 donkey loads.
Smuggling is a profitable business. Berdan rifles with the Russian
mark, fetch 20 tumdns, others 15 tumdns. Cartridges cost 14 shdhis, or
about | krdn (2|d.) each. The fords are many; between here and
Kaghulak there are six, and up stream in the first 4 farsakhs there are six,
and further upstream they become more numerous. These fords durum the
summer and early autumn are open to men on foot, but are best avoided.
At high water skins and rafts are utilised in spite of the Cossack guards.
From ’Arab there is a track along the river bank to Zakirlu on the west,
it is seldom used and is very rough owing to the lavatic outcrop which
hereabouts covers the country.— (Picot, 1894.)
’ARAB (2)—
A village in Azarbaljan, one stage north-west of Ardabil, on the road
to Aslanduz.
’ARAB (3)—
A sub-division of the Varamln district, south-east of Tehran. It con
tains seventeen villages.— (Schindler.)
’ARABABAD—
A small village inhabited by Turks 5 miles north-west of Yang! Imam
half way between Tehran and Kazvin.— (Schindler.)
’ARABAN—
A village in Lower Silakhur, 11 miles from Burujird, on the road thence
to Isfahan.— (Schindler.)
’ARAB DIZEHSI—
A small village 2| miles south-east of Kalisa Kand on the Awajik plain,
Kizil Dizeh-Khoi road. It is inhabited by a mixture of Turks and Persians
and is commanded by a fort situated on a rock.— (Tancoigne; Picot.)