A Journey in Mazanderan (From Resht to Sari) Author(S): H
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A Journey in Mazanderan (From Resht to Sari) Author(s): H. L. Rabino Source: The Geographical Journal, Vol. 42, No. 5 (Nov., 1913), pp. 435-454 Published by: geographicalj Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1778726 Accessed: 15-02-2016 16:26 UTC Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/page/ info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Wiley and Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to The Geographical Journal. http://www.jstor.org This content downloaded from 131.172.36.29 on Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:26:51 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions A JOURNEY IN MAZANDERAN (FROM RESHT TO SARI). 435 mountainous mass rather than a mountain, measuring over 40 miles from north to south and probably nearly as much from east to west. And thus we finally came to the' Government station of Marsabit, which has been admirably laid out in a charming and beautiful situation in the forest overlooking the Crater lake. A JOURNEY IN MAZANDERAN (FROM RESHT TO SARI).* By H. L. RABINO, lately H.B.M. Vice-Consul in Resht. Mazanderan has a great fascination for the student of Persian history. The province preserved the Pehlevi writing long after the introduction of Arabic characters into the rest of Persia, and its language has not yet entirely given way to modern Persian. It has a separate history of its own, and it was only towards the close of the sixteenth century that the descendants of its Sassanian rulers were finally dispossessed of their patrimony by Shah Abbas the Great. Leaving Resht, the capital of Gilan, and following the road constructed a few years ago by the Sepehdar-i-Azam, we passed the bazaar of Ajibisheh and reached the Geishehdemerdeh canal, on the left bank of which is a " newly constructed rest-house. From here kerejis," the flat-bottomed sailing-boats of the Caspian shores, ply to Hassanrud on the lagoon of Enzeli. The Nowrud, sometimes called Lalehrud, is a canal from the Sefid Rud, and on its right bank near the bridge is Lalehdasht. The bazaar of Kuchisfahan consists of two rows of shops with a gateway to the west, but open to the east. It was Sunday and market day, and the whole place was alive with ambulant sellers of cotton goods (some from Man- chester), earthenware, provisions, tobacco, fruit, etc, the crowd being " villagers from the neighbouring districts. These bazaars, called gurab," where markets are periodically held, are usually empty on other days. They are only found in Gilan and western Mazanderan, and, as a rule, are at least 4 miles apart. Reach Reshtabad on the left bank of the Sefid Rud, near by being a fishery station for sturgeon. The country between Resht and Reshtabad is open, and the jungle cleared for rice-fields and plantations of mulberry and tobacco irrigated from the Khomamrud, Nowrud, and other lesser canals of the Sefid Rud. The ground near the Sefid Rud was sandy and flrm, with a considerable open space covered with grass. The river at this time of the year is barely 100 yards wide, and not very deep. The current was not rapid, but it becomes so in spring, when the river, which * I have embodied in this narrative the observations made by me during two successive journeys through Mazanderan?one in the spring of 1908 and the other in the winter of 1909. This content downloaded from 131.172.36.29 on Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:26:51 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions 436 A JOURNEY IN MAZANDERAN (FROM RESHT TO SARI). is constantly changing its course, does considerable damage to the neigh? " " bouring villages and fields. We cross in the gami or flat-bottomed ferry of native construction. Amid-stream could be seen a ruined arch, all that remains of the former bazaar of Kisum carried away by the river a few years ago. A new bazaar has been built half a mile further on. The Givdarreh or Siahrud is crossed by a brick bridge. The strong stream of Shimrud, which has its rise in the mountains of Deileman and flows into the Sefid Kud near its mouth, is crossed by a pointed bridge of brick. Like all streams in Gilan, it is fordable now in many places, but beeomes a rapid torrent in spring. Farther on we pass the shrine of Seyyed Hassan, a prince of the Amir Kiai dynasty of Lahijan?a fine building for Gilan, " with an avenue of azad" trees, and a place of pilgrimage much frequented by the inhabitants of Lahijan. Soon afterwards the corru- gated iron roofs of cocoon-drying establishments come in view, and passing the Lahijan river by a brick bridge, we enter the town. The Amin-ed-Divan built a villa here, and has started tea planting. Tea was first introduced in Gilan by Kashef-es-Sultaneh a few years ago, and I am told that there are now forty thousand plants in the district. Unfortunately, the Russian gardener, engaged to teach the natives how to grow and blend the tea, left on account of misunderstandings with his " " employer, and the Gileks or inhabitants of Gilan are now working without technical knowledge. Towards the foot of the hills were extensive orange groves up the hillsides, but they had suffered a few years ago from the severe cold, and were just beginning to recover. From the Shah " " Nishin spur at our feet lay the estalkh or lake, and the Sabz-Maidan or green square of Lahijan, with the cottages of the town among the trees. To the north lay the Caspian, and to the north-east the houses of Langerud. The rest of the country was one mass of green forest and jungle, with only a few streaks of smoke to reveal the existence of its numerous settlements. Leaving Lahijan, we pass the Sabz-Maidan with its lake, and continue eastward. At 2 miles, we pass the picturesque shrine of Sheikhanbar, with its blue-tiled dome, among trees at the foot of the mountain of the same name. We continue through the jungle, and stop a few minutes at Divshal, to visit the garden of the Munajjem Bashi of Langerud, said to be one of the finest in Persia. On the crest of the mountain, above Divshal, is the Imamzadeh Atakuh. The road follows the slope of the low hills as far as Lilehkuh, and is bordered with trees and boxwood. The road for nearly 7 miles from their Lahijan has the same low wooded hills with stony spurs on slopes on the right, and jungle, rice-fields and mulberry plantations, intermixed with occasional "tilimbars" or silk granaries and houses, sloping down to the left. Langerud stands in an open plain, the road being raised above the rice-fields. The Shalman, also called Lalehrud, is about 30 yards wide, with a This content downloaded from 131.172.36.29 on Mon, 15 Feb 2016 16:26:51 UTC All use subject to JSTOR Terms and Conditions A JOURNEY IN MAZANDERAN (FROM RESHT TO SAR1). 437 " gravelly bottom ; in spring one has to cross in kerejis." The houses are built here of beams, like a log cabin, the interstices being filled with mud, and the roof covered with flat wooden tiles readily kept in their " " places with stones. The tilimbars and rice granaries were of the same form, being thatched and one-storied. " " " " " " The road is bordered by tuseh and many shund or palam (Sambuccus ebulus), trees which reach to a height of 5 or 6 feet. After passing the Shalman river by a brick bridge we enter the Sarpord quarter of Rudisar, where are the telegraph office and a mosque. The Rudisar has a lofty steep bridge, to the east of which are the ruined piers of a former bridge. The bazaar of Rudisar is built like a huge caravanserai with four entrances. The road is open and fairly good, bordered with boxwood and "leileki" trees, running north-east to the Caspian, about a mile from the Rudisar bazaar. We crossed the Kaldarreh stream over a wooden bridge with a thatched roof. We then reach the Pulurud, a large river from the Somam Kuh ; near the mouth of whicli is a fishery station. Passing a large brick building for storing rice on the beach made by Aga Seyyed Habib of Kolachah, cross the Gezafrud, about 1 \ miles from Pulurud. There was a miserable plank bridge, but we preferred to ford. Nowdeh is a large village, and its products are rice and silk. For rice, the cultivator supplies the seed, oxen and labour, and receives two-thirds of the crops. For silk he gives the landlord, as his share, about 9 lbs. of cocoons per box of silkworm eggs reared, and a third of the crop of cocoons as the share of the foreigner who supplies the eggs. The landlord also receives one fowl a year from every family. Rice is separated from the stem by driving horses or donkeys over it, and not with the flail as elsewhere in Gilan, and it is husked by means " " of the abdang or tilt-hammers driven by water-power mills.