1 SEE8XAUN.
2 bef^t make it at least one hundred and fiftjr miles n»ind, th(»]^ they
3 differ about its shape. The water, though not salt, is brackish and
4 hardly drinkable. In the centre stands a single hill, which is - called
5 the Copee Zoor, or hill of strength, and sometimes the fort of
6 Roostum : tradition indeed deciare*? it to have tun n n fort in ancient
7 times, and as it is steep and lofty, and suircMiiideil ])y uater of great
8 depth, it is still a place of refuge lor some of tliu inhabitants of the
9 opjK>site sliores. I'ho edo;e8 of the lake, for a considerable breadtli,
10 are choaked wiLli long l uslu^s and reeds, the shores also are over-
11 grown with the same son of vegetation ; and being liable to inunda-
12 tion, are full of miry places and pools of standing water. These
13 BiiwIiM iad- dnciBBlt fiequanftod by Jicids/fi^'okeii, which are
14 ftd ^ ft dmaaftiatk-vf mtu dudiicl; from the dtibcr uilMbtCaiits of
15 Seertimnt diey are nid to be tall and atout, but falaek and ugly,
16 iridi.kDgvfiwea and laige' black leyea:- they go abnoat mihedt
17 and live in-'hivrahi of reada. Benda* their ecfenpatieb ofhetdMrnea^
18 liiiy iUb atld ftarl on lafis aniaaig ilia fod^
19 • "ibe comliy hnmediafedj beyond tfaeaa m>da of. leeda psoddbaa
20 grass, and grain, and taaiaiiiksy as doea the narrow valley >diiioil|^
21 which the Helmtmd flowiy and probably the -banks of thie fbim
22 Rood. The rest of die conntFy is almost a desart : like all deaarta,
23 it yiekb toemgie for camels, and here and tharu it aflforda a well tat
24 4he wandering Beloches who take care of those Miimals.
25 The original inhabitants of Seestann are Taujiks, but they have
26 now received some atiditions from otiiei rountries. Theie ciiesaid
27 to be two considerable tribes, callctl Sliohrukee and Surbundoe,
28 which have emigrated from Persian Irauk to Seestann, and in niiich
29 later times, a tribe of Beloches has fixed its residence in the
30 east of the country. The Taujiks and the two first-mentioned
31 tribes exactly resemble the Persians, and have little remarkable
32 in their character. The Beloches are noer aoonnanded by an enters
33 ptflahig chialfiiitiibd/Kbann Jehaon Kfaaon^' wlm iaHhe termridf
34 canvanst and of all the nesj^bomnng countries. They fimn^ly
35 Jived in tenta^' and aubaiated by pastuiage and pillage ; but they have
36 Digitized by Google