'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME II' [‎321v] (647/706)

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TJRI—URU
of the Persian Government, but had to be given up by him, as he experienced
difficulty in obtaining repayment of the money expended by him. The ore
is verv rich and abundant. About the same distance north are coppei
mines "which have been worked, but, owing to want of funds and propel
management, the produce is insignificant.—
URIAD— . . , ....
A district of Azarbaljan, comprising the mountainous tract between
the Mian eh river north and the Kibla Kuh south. It is principally known
on account of the rich lead mines in it. These mines have never been
regularly worked. A thin vein of very rich grey lead ore extends through
a hard schist ro k close to the surface for nearly 6 miles, never distant
more than a few inches below, but not yet found to extend much beyond
that depth. This yields in a common forge 70 per cent. The hills round
are covered with a low brushwood fit for charcoal, and the borders of the
river supply a considerable quantity of willow and other light wood.
—(Monteith ; Rawlins on.)
URUMIEH (Lake)- , ^ -n - •
Although-this is the usual name on maps the Persians call it Dana-i-
Shahi or royal sea ; it is the Kapauta of Strabo. The lake is 81 miles long
by between 20 and 30 wide, nearly 300 in circumferenee, and is sit a ted
4*100 feet above the sea. There is a considerable variation in the a co nts
as to whether the lake is increasing or decreasing. On the one hand it is
said to have covered a much larger area formerly, and even as late as the
time of Kinneir, the peninsula of Shahl, jutting out from the eastern bank,
is reported by him to have been an island twenty-five miles in circumference.
On the other hand, local tradition is in favour of expansion, as there is
alleged fo have been a causeway crossing the lake from Urumieh to Bmab,
of whi h now no trace exists. The lake is extremely shallow, the maxi
mum depth so far discovered is 45 feet and the average cannot be more
than fifteen to sixteen, the bottom of the lake consists of a series of terraces,
each change of dept . takes place at once and not grad ally; a man
could walk out 2 miles from t: e s. ore without getting out of } is depth.
General Schindler says that the length and breadth vary with the height
of the water ; in the spring, when the water is high, it is 90 miles long and
40 wide, and at low water 80 and 30 miles. The area, he says, must ha\ e
been much greater in former times as can be seen from the water marks on
the surrounding hills and the Shahi peninsula be omes an island during
high water. .. ..
The water is intensely saline ; it contains 25 per cent, of salt in solution ;
in this 'component and also in iodine, it far surpasses the Dead Sea.
(N. R—General Schindler says that the salinity of the water is less than
that of the Dead Sea.) No fish or molluscs live in its waters, the fish brought
down by its numerous streams immediately dying ;the only living contents
of which are the species of small jellyfish, which sustain the wild fowl that
are occasionally seen. The banks are covered with a thick treacherous
slime composed partly of salt, partly of decomposed vegetable matter
and emitting a horrible effluvium. Of the 60 islands clustered in a
group towards the southern end three are cultivated or used as pasture
ground, the largest being 5 miles in length. Practically no use is made o