'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎53r] (110/820)

BUJ—BUJ
91
h«.
Exports consist of cotton, hides, gilims (carpets), raisins, walnuts, grain,
fruit, poppy-juice, and silk.
There are a few Muhammadan Russian subjects resident in Bujnurd,
who are engaged in buying cattle for Transcaspia, and more come
over during the summer months for the same purpose.
Sericulture .—A Greek (Ottoman subject) named Dimadi, who lives in
Bujnurd with his family, imports seed from Constantinople and dis
tributes. it in the different districts of the Chiefship. The arrangement
made is that the villagers take a quarter, and Dimadi three-quarters, of
the net produce of cocoons. The climate of Bujnurd is said to be suitable
for sericulture, but, owing to want of care, the out-turn of silk is poor.
Owing to famines, Dimadi has lost money in recent years, but he is in
hopes of recouping himself and extending the cultivation to Gurgan
and the Ramian and Gumb \d-i-Kabus districts.
He has a small silk factory An East India Company trading post. in Bujnurd.
Transport Animals, Cattle, and Sheep .—The following is the estimated
number in the Chiefship :—
Horses 2,000.
This includes horses belonging to the savdrs maintained by the Chief,
of which the supposed number is 700.
Camels 2,000.
Sheep 50,000.
The number of cattle and sheep was considerably reduced during
the recent famine year
Customs Posts in Bujnurd.—There are customs pests at the following
places:—
Khanabad, Robat, Kaifan, Mlanzau, Meshed-i-Ghulaman, Raz, and
Khartul. The Customs officials at the above places are all natives of
the country. There is no European in charge, the Chief Customs
Officer’s duties being carried out_by the Post-Master.
The force at the command of the Ilkhani The paramount chief of certain tribes in south west Iran. of the Shadillu consists of about
. . , 700 horse. Of these about 100 men are very wclh
Gavah- 068 ° f Bu ^ mir mounted, armed with Berdan rifles and dressed in
cava ry. imitation of Russian Cossacks. Some few of the
chief’s own retainers have good English and Russian “ double barrels.
The remainder are scattered over different parts, chiefly in Manch and
Simalqan. The wholn 700 men, if armed properly and disciplined,
would form an admirable body of light cavalry, ready and able to ride
over any ground, having the most perfect command of their horses and
great endurance. Their horses are, strangely enough, all obtained from
the Turkomans. There are not more than two or three dozen mares in
the chiefship. Pasturage is insufficient for large numbers, and the stock
is entirely in the hands of the Turkomans, whom nothing will induce to
part with a good mare or stallion. All the remounts required by the
Shadillu are procured from the Guklan and Yamut Turkrmans.
This force of 800 men is stationed in detachments on the Atrak, at
Maneh and Simalqan, at Shaughan, and at Bujnurd. They are mostly
natives of the district, and for the most part stationed in their own villages,,
forming thus a species of mounted militia or yeomanry. Besides rent-free
M.2-