'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎55r] (114/706)

BIJA—BILAR
97
bui-
A village in the Mishkin district, Azarbaljan, on the road from Ahar to
Ardabil, 48 miles from the former place. It is inhabited by Shahsavans.—
(Holmes.)
BlJAGAN—
The most southerly village in the Jasb valley, Qmn province, it has
150 houses. Close to it is the “ Hole of Jasb, ” through which the Jasb
river flows into the plain of Mahallat.— (Schindler.)
BIJANABlD—
A village, 7 miles south of Daulatabad Malayer, a little to the right of
the road thence to Buriijird. It lies on the Ab-i-Kulam—(Mmdfer.)
BlJAR—
A town of 3,000 houses, the capital of the district of Garus between Azar-
baijan and Kirmanshah. It is curiously situated in a hollow, surround
ed by barren peaks, rising at several points to about 1,000 feet. It has
no defences, save a weak wall, enclosed, but not effectively screened, by
gardens. The inhabitants are occupied chiefly in agriculture. Save a few
carpets nothing is manufactured. The high elevation of the site of the town
entails the disadvantages of a rigorous winter and a scanty water-supply ;
it was, no doubt, selected when the level fertile banks of the Kizil Uzun
were trampled by hostile bands of Tartars or Kurds.
, The villages of Bijar are usually without gardens and stand in the
centre of extensive tracts of plateau land ploughed for' corn. The quan
tity of land owned by the village is so extensive that a crop is grown only
every third year on the same land. The average yield of wheat on such
land is calculated at five-fold. Ordinarily the gross products of the land
are said not to exceed local requirements ; .but after a good season, such
as in 1875, a considerable surplus would be available.
The only exportable products of the district are sheep, which are kept
in large flocks on the upland pastures and the wastes surrounding the
cultivated lands. Forage may be procured in large quantities, and in spring
there are a few fine pastures about the head-waters of the Kizil Uzun.
Fuel is more scarce perhaps than elsewhere on the route (Tabriz-Kirman-
shah), the people depending on dried camel-thorn and small stores of
ta'pdleh, or dried camel dung. Beasts of burden of all descriptions are almost
unprocurable, and the fact is remarkable, for the country seems peculiarly
fitted for rearing camels. There are no nomads save a few tents of Shah-
savan, and few mules or horses are bred in the villages. In the district
of Khamseh, lower down the Kizil Uzun, camels are to be found in consi
derable numbers, there being a large and constant export of grain thence.
The Official Army List shows a regiment of infantry 1,000 strong and
300 irregular cavalry as being in garrison, but this is only a paper garrison.
There is a Persian Government telegraph office. (Napier — Yiisuf — Sharif)
BIJAKPAS—
A village in Gilan, about 6 miles from Rasht on the road to Kazvin.—
(Schindler.)
CoOOGSB