'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎30v] (65/820)

50
AST—AST
the tops ot the walls being planted with roses, gilliflowers, and stocks for
protection from the rain, the place in spring has a very cheerful and pleasing
appearance. Astarabad has five gates ; the Shahrud or Bustam gate to the
east; that of Chehil Dukhtar or Forty Virgins (so called from a raid made
by Turkomans in which 40 maidens were captured) to the south ; the
Mazandaran to the west; the Sabz Meshed and Dankivan (in ruins) to
the north ; on the west, too, there is a ridge running out for £ mile to
an eminence some 200 feet high, which has once been fortified and
looks as if made for an acropolis. The town is inhabited by the
natives of the province, among whom may be reckoned 400 families of
the Kajar tribe, the reigning family of Persia ; but here, as in all Asiatic
towns, it is impossible to form a just idea of the population ; as the num
ber of individuals composing a family differs widely, according to the rank
and consideration of its head. During the winter the weather is generallv
mild, though damp and unhealthy, but the heat in summer becomes intense ;
• and at that season the governor with about 200 of the richer inhabitants
retire to their summer houses, situated among the mountains on one of the
roads to Tehran. There are three caravanserais adjoining the bazars.
• The litter are meanly built and in some places in ruins. The streets were
all originally paved, probably bv Shah MKhao i ’ ■’
r way; and
condition o,
broken up ;
interrupte-
ing of th^^^^ M ^ B ^ HHHH p aHH | M i^ aa g a ^Kn!r IB n i fl^uenLed~ streets are in
better order^md the paving sound, though uneven. There are neither
ancient nor modern_buildings of any interest. The palace of the Governor,
originally built by Agha Muhammad Shah, consists of several audience halls
and other apartments, st 11 m good repair ; the principal of which, though
now spoilt and half in ruins, was at one time yearly decorated with gilding
and paintings. There are also two or three large square courts, and a
private garden. In one of the gateways of the former the artillery of the
town is kept, consisting of eight small brass field pieces of different calibre.
There are thirteen soap-boiling factories of considerable size that could
readily be utilized for military stores. The telegraph office and the
governor’s residence would make good hospitals. The Masjid-i-Jama’ is
large and has wide cloisters, and barrack accommodation might be obtained
there. 13 tanks, 14 public baths, 32 masjids and takiehs, 11 shrines and 8
religious schools.
The defences, although in their present state useless, as horsemen can
ride over the rampart in several places and infantry could scramble through
almost everywhere, could, however, speedily be put into proper order.
The town is overlooked by the Sar-i-Gul hill to the west, and the ridge of
this would have to be occupied by a small redoubt, water being obtained
from the stream that flows at its foot. Works would also be required
on the hills within rifle shot of the enceinte on the south side, in order to
m Ddernize the defences.