The City Of Derbent Is Situated On The Shore Of
The Caspian, Which The Mardians Call The Sea Of Bachaan Or Bacou.
This
city is said to have been built by Alexander the Great, and is called the
_Iron Gate_, because
It entirely closes up the only passage from Tartary
into Media and Persia, by means of a deep valley reaching from Circassia.
Derbent is fortified with a thick well built wall, reaching from the
castle at the foot of the mountain all the way to the sea; but not above
a sixth part of the space within the walls is inhabited, all that end
nearest the sea being in ruins, among which are several tombs. The
country about this city produces abundance of all kinds of fruits, among
which are plenty of grapes, from which the inhabitants make wine.
The Caspian, or Sea of Hircania, which has no communication whatever with
the ocean, is about the same size with the Euxine or Black Sea, and is
very deep. They catch in this sea great quantities of sturgeons, and sea-
wolves as they are called; and there are prodigious quantities of sea-
dogs, or seals, having the head, feet, and tail like ordinary dogs. The
only other remarkable fish is of a round form, about a yard and a half in
diameter, with no perceptible head or other member, from which the
natives extract a great quantity of oil, which they use in their lamps,
and with which they anoint their camels. The inhabitants of this country,
who are all Mahometans, are neither cruel nor barbarous, and used us
exceedingly well; having once asked us who we were, and being answered
that we were Christians, they troubled us with no farther inquiries. My
dress at this time consisted of coarse and much worn cloth, lined with
lambs skin, above which I wore a leathern robe, and my hat was of skin;
in which dress I frequently went to the market to purchase flesh and
other provisions, which I carried home myself. On one of these occasions
a person eyed me attentively, and, turning to some of his comrades, said,
this man was not born to the employment of carrying meat. Marcus Ruffus,
who happened to be along with me, explained what the man had said; and I
was astonished at being recognized in so shabby a dress, which I thought
must have proved a sufficient concealment: but, in truth, as I have said
before, they are a very good kind of people.
During my residence in Derbent, I was anxious to learn some certain
intelligence respecting the state of affairs at the court of Uzun-Hassan,
for which purpose I sent Demetrius de Seze, my interpreter, with letters
to Josaphat Barbaro at Tauris, which is twenty days journey from Derbent.
He returned at the end of fifty days, bringing answers from Barbaro,
informing me that the king still remained at Tauris, but that he was
utterly ignorant of his affairs.
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