'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎221v] (447/706)

0 M AZANDARAN
know ; and certainly in point of curiosity they do not fall behind their
neighbours.”
The above is extracted from Fraser’s report, who, however, did not form
a very favourable opinion of their general character, as he says they are
not nearly so friendly or polite to strangers as other natives of Persia and
that even the well-to-do people are extremely ignorant and, to our ideas,
but slightly civilized. He considered that they were really quiet, in
offensive people, but brave and good soldiers in their own climate.
Their bigotry in religious matters is great, but it is chiefly in forms
for there are few, who do not transgress every article of inhibition ; all of
them drink strong liquors and eat opium ; the Prince himself, with all his
suite, regales, himself unreservedly with the ‘ mai-ul-hayat’.
The majority of the inhabitants of the lowlands, especially in Western
Mazandaran, speak Mazandarani, a dialect closely connected with Gilek
although at some places a Gilek fails to understand a Mazandarani. The
tribesmen speak Turkish or Kurdish as the case may be.
“ Their dress differs little in essentials from the national Persian garb.
Every man who travels, whether mounted or on foot, clothes himself in
a pair of ‘ shulvdrs ’, or immense trunk trousers, into which the skirts of
his ulcaluc, or vest, are stuffed. They bind their legs in rolls of cloth instead
of stockings, and the feet are cased in a pair of shoes called ‘ charugh ’ ,
made after the fashion of the Kurds, like leather bags drawn round the
instep and ankle in puckers, by a thong.
“ The women here, as elsewhere, use the veil thrown over their person
when they go out ; these are made of silk, or of cotton cloth, checked ;
the check is sometimes bme, in large squares, sometimes red, and occa
sion illy red and green. They draw upon their legs a sort of stocking call
ed ( chakchor which takes inthe trousers like a boot; and over these they
wear the usual green and high-heeled slipper. It is surprising to see
through what deep mud they can make their way without soiling the stock
ings, or without even dirtying their shoes very much.
Towns. —The principal towns in Mazandaran are Sari the capital, Amul,
Barfarush, Mashad-i-Sar, and Ashraf, all of which are described under
their proper headings.
Resources. —The production of Mazandaran are chiefly rice, sugar, cotton,
a little silk, and a variety of fruits. It is difficult to form any idea as to the
amount of the yearly produce, as the natives themselves cannot do more
than make guesses, and these differ.
‘ ‘ The whole extent of the country, between the foot of the hills and
the sea is said to present a succession of large and populous villages, em
bosomed indeed in wood, quite surrounded also with cultivation ; the
greater part of this is of rice, for which the country is best adapted ; but
cotton and sugar are also very much planted.
‘ ‘ The farmers transplant their rice, as in Bengal, and raise the plants
from seed : this is done from one to two months after the Nauruz, or
vernal, equinox, and they reap it in about 100 days after. Cotton and
sugar are also planted at this time ; the latter requires twelve months to
ripen, as in other places ; but all the canes are small and poor, few being
ever found thicker than a man’s finger, and the produce is of very inferior