Wherefore the said Tartars continued besieging it for
seven whole years, winter and summer, without being able to take it. At
last the Assassins surrendered, from sheer want of clothing, but not of
victuals or other necessaries." So Ramusio; other copies read "27 years."
In any case it corroborates the fact that Girdkuh was said to have held
out for an extraordinary length of time. If Rashiduddin is right in naming
1270 as the date of surrender, this would be quite a recent event when the
Polo party passed, and draw special attention to the spot. (J. As. ser.
IV. tom. xiii. 48; Ilch. I. 93, 104, 274; Q. R. p. 278; Ritter,
VIII. 336.) A note which I have from Djihan Numa (I. 259) connects
Girdkuh with a district called Chinar. This may be a clue to the term
Arbre Sec; but there are difficulties.
[1] [Ghirdkuh means "round mountain"; it was in the district of Kumis,
three parasangs west of Damghan. Under the year 1257, the Yuean shi
mentions the taking of the fortress of Ghi-rh-du-kie by
K'ie-di-bu-hua. (Bretschneider, Med. Res. I. p. 122;
II. 110.) - H. C.]
CHAPTER XXVI.
CONCERNING THE CITY OF SAPURGAN.
On leaving the Castle, you ride over fine plains and beautiful valleys,
and pretty hill-sides producing excellent grass pasture, and abundance of
fruits, and all other products. Armies are glad to take up their quarters
here on account of the plenty that exists. This kind of country extends
for six days' journey, with a goodly number of towns and villages, in
which the people are worshippers of Mahommet. Sometimes also you meet with
a tract of desert extending for 50 or 60 miles, or somewhat less, and in
these deserts you find no water, but have to carry it along with you. The
beasts do without drink until you have got across the desert tract and
come to watering places.
So after travelling for six days as I have told you, you come to a city
called SAPURGAN. It has great plenty of everything, but especially of the
very best melons in the world. They preserve them by paring them round and
round into strips, and drying them in the sun. When dry they are sweeter
than honey, and are carried off for sale all over the country. There is
also abundance of game here, both of birds and beasts.[NOTE 1]
NOTE 1. - SAPURGAN may closely express the pronunciation of the name of the
city which the old Arabic writers call Saburkan and Shaburkan, now
called Shibrgan, lying some 90 miles west of Balkh; containing now some
12,000 inhabitants, and situated in a plain still richly cultivated,
though on the verge of the desert.[1] But I have seen no satisfactory
solution of the difficulties as to the time assigned.
