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rounded  by  enemies,  who  have  different  languages.  On  one  side
of  Derbend  is  a  great  mountain  called    Adeib;  on  this  they
assemble  every  year,  and  make  many  fires,  that  they  may  confound
and  disperse  their  enemies  from  the  borders  of  Azerbaijan,  and
Armenia,  and  Arran  :  they  are  as  numerous  as  the  waves  of  the
sea  that  come  up  to  the  walls  of  the  city.  It  is  said  that  this
mountain,  which  is  close  to  Derbend,  contains  above  seventy  different -
  tribes,  who  have  each  a  peculiar  dialect,  and  understand
not  one  the  language  of  another.
The  sovereigns  of  Persia  have  considered  the  possession  of  this
city  as  a  matter  of  great  importance,  and  have  established  a  race
of  people  to  guard  it,  called    Tairberan;  and  there  is
another  tribe  called  Heilabshar,  and  another  called
Lekzan:  there  are  also  two  other  tribes,  the    Leniran -
  and    Servan:  the  foot  soldiers  are  mostly  of  these
tribes;  they  have  few  horsemen.  Derbend  is  the  port-town  for
Khozr,  and    Serir,  and  (6,  Gurkan,  and
Taberistan,  and    Kurge,  and  Kapchak;  and
from  it  they  send  linen  clothes  to  all  parts  of  Aran  and
Azerbaijan.  Here  they  also  weave  tapestry,  or  carpets,  and  cultivate ¬
  saffron.
On  the  coast  of  this  sea  (the  Caspian)  is  another  town  called
Shaberan;  it  is  a  small  place,  but  pleasant  and  well