'GAZETTEER OF PERSIA. VOLUME I' [‎346r] (712/820)

iFruits, and cultivation.
Traffic of pilgrims, etc.
Climate.
vazeh-i-Khorasan, Darvaseh-i-Haji Mulla Muhammad ’AH, Darvazeh-i-Haji
Mirza Kurban ’AH, Darvazeh-i-Haji Sadaki and Darvazeh-i-Samtd-Mazar.
Shahrud has an abundant water-supply from 24 subterranean water-
Water su 1 courses and the river. This latter, called the Ab-
i-Jalali, is Government property, and supplies
from 95 gallons per second in autumn to 150 gallons per second in spring.
The surrounding country is populous and well cultivated, and a fine
Surrounding country. Btream \ the Md-i-Shfih, comes from thi
mountains past Bustam to Shahrud, and enables
the inhabitants to force a considerable quantity of produce from what would
otherwise be a sterile plain; for water is not to be had here by digging.
Good fruits are grown, especially grapes and melons, and much cultiva*
tion is carried on at villages in the vicinty, and
care is taken to have large supplies stored in
Shahrud.
For eight months in every year, dating from
the vernal equinox, this road to and from
Meshed is traversed by 60,000 persons.
The cold is said to be severer here than in
any other part of Persia, but the climate is very
healthy.
The principal traffic of this district arises from the export of cotion
Trade. unwrought and in thread, to Mazandaran ; and
, . _ the returns from thence are made in Russian
^ a ^" iron an( ^ a little broadcloth, chiefly of Dutch manufacture, copper
and cutlery. Sugar, from its high price, being rarely used by the lower
classes, they have adopted, instead, a syrup, called shir a, made of the
inspissated juice of grapes. An agency An office of the East India Company and, later, of the British Raj, headed by an agent. of the Russian Caucasus and
Mercury Company has been established here for some time, and the transac-
tions of the Company amount to about 50,000 tumans per annum. The
Russians have also a summer retreat at Ratrkar, 28 miles from Shahrud.
It has been for some years the entrepot of every kind of merchandise,
and specially for the rice of Mazandaran. Its manufacture of boots and
shoes is most celebrated in Persia, not only for the elegance of the work
manship, but for the quality of the leather.
This town, being situated half-way on the road from Tehran to Meshed,
Commercial importance. &nd being the point at which all those of Mazan*
daran and Upper Khorasan meet, is a place of
great commercial and strategical importance.
The population of the town, numbering about 7,000 souls, s a mix*
Population. ture of the natives of Mazandaran, Khorasan
and Turkistan ; but the latter are the most
numerous.
tl
From Shahrud there are two routes to Astambad—the first, by Quzluq,
Routes to Astarabad. is 18 farsakhs the best road ; the second is by
. , . . , Ziarat, 16 farsakhs, very hilly and bad. The
two roads join at a distance of about 30 miles from Shahrud. T*o
48 I. B.