On the east it has Ferghāna and Kāshghar; on the west Bokhāra and Khwārizm; on the north Tāshkend and Shahrokhīa, which are usually written Shāsh and Benāket; rivers, and on the south Balkh and Termez. The river Kohik flows to the north of Samarkand, and passes at the distance of two kos from the city. Between the river and the city there is a rising ground called Kohik*; and as the river flows close by the base of this hillock, it thence gets the name of the river of Kohik. A great stream, or rather a small river, separating itself from the Kohik, flows on the south of Samarkand under the name of the river Derghām. It may be about a sharaa kos from Samarkand, and the gardens and suburbs of Samarkand lie on its banks.* The whole country as far as Bokhāra and Kara-kūl, which is an extent of nearly forty farsangs, is covered with population, and the fields cultivated by irrigation from the river Kohik; which, large as it is, barely suffices for the drains made on it for the cultivation of the fields, and for the use of palaces and country houses; insomuch that, for three or four months during the summer heats, the waters do not reach fruits, Bokhāra. The fruits of Samarkand of every species, especially the grapes, melons, apples, and pomegranates, are of excellent quality, and produced in great abundance. Samarkand is, however, particularly famous for two kinds of fruit, the apple and a species of grape named Sāhibi.* Its winter is severe, but less snow falls than at Kābul. It has a fine climate, but its summer does not equal that of Kābul.

public
buildings.

There are many palaces and gardens that belonged to Taimūr Beg and Ulugh Beg,* both in Samarkand and the suburbs. Taimūr Beg built, in the citadel* of Samarkand, a stately palace, four stories high, which is famous by the name of Gūk-serāi.* There are many other magnificent edifices. One of these is the grand mosque,* which is situated near the Iron-gate, within the walls of the city, and built of stone. A number of stone-cutters were brought from Hindustān to work on it.* In the frontispiece over the portico of the mosque is inscribed the verse of the Korān, wa iz yarfa’u Ibrahīm al kavāidah,* &c., in characters of such a size that they may be read nearly a kos off. It is a very grand building. To the east of Samarkand there are two gardens. The one, which is the more distant, is called Bāgh-e-buldi (or the Perfect Garden); the nearer, Bāgh-e-dilkushā (or the Heart-delighting Garden). From the Bāgh-e-dilkushā to the Firozeh gate* there is a khiabān (or public avenue), planted on each side with pine-trees.* In the garden of Dilkushā, there has also been built a large kiosque or palace, in which is a series of paintings, representing the wars of Taimūr Beg in Hindustān. There is another garden, on the skirts of the hill of Kohik, on the banks of the Āb-e-siāh (black-water) of Kanegil, which they call Āb-e-rahmet (or the Water of Mercy), and this is denominated Naksh-e-jehān (the Miniature of the World). When I saw it, it had fallen into decay, and nothing worthy of notice was left. On the south of Samarkand lies the Bāgh-e-chenār (the Plane-Tree Garden), which is in the immediate vicinity of the city.* Lower down than Samarkand are the Bāgh-e-shimāl (or Northern Garden), and the Bāgh-e-behisht (or Garden of Paradise*). Muhammed Sultan Mirza, the son of Jehāngīr Mirza, and grandson of Taimūr Beg, founded a college just as you go out of the stone fort* of Samarkand. The tomb of Taimūr Beg, and the tombs of all such of the descendants of Taimūr Beg as have reigned in Samarkand, are in that college.

Ulugh Beg’s
college, &c.

Among the edifices erected by Ulugh Beg Mirza are the college and monastery, or khānkah,* which stand within the fortifications of Samarkand. The door of the convent is of great magnitude, and, indeed, scarcely to be equalled in the world. In the vicinity of this college and convent there is an excellent set of baths, known by the name of the Mirza’s baths. The floor is paved with stones of every sort in chequer-work.* There are no baths to equal them in all Khorasān or Samarkand.

On the south of this college is situated a mosque, which is called Mesjid-e-Makatta (or the Carved Mosque), because its timbers are curiously carved* with ornaments and flowers of various kinds, and the whole of the walls and roof are adorned in the same manner.* The direction of the kibleh* of this mosque is very different from that of the college; and the probability is, that the kibleh of the former was adjusted by astronomical observation.

Another remarkable edifice is the observatory, erected on the skirts of the hill of Kohik, which is provided with an astronomical apparatus,* and is three stories in height. By means of this observatory, Ulugh Beg Mirza* composed the Zīj-Kurkāni (or Kurkāni Astronomical Tables), which are followed at the present time, scarcely any other being used. Before they were published, the Ilkhāni Astronomical Tables were in general use, constructed by Khwājeh Nasīr* in the time of Hulākū, in an observatory built at Marāgha. Hulākū Khan* was also denominated Ilkhāni. Not more than seven or eight observatories have been constructed in the world. Among these, one was erected by the Khalīfeh Māmūn,* and in it the astronomical tables entitled Zīj-Māmūni were drawn up. Another was built by Batalmiūs.* Another was the observatory erected in Hindustān, in the time of Raja Bikermājīt, a Hindū, in Ujein and Dhār, in the kingdom of Mālwa, now known as the kingdom of Māndū. The Hindūs still follow the astronomical tables which were then constructed. Since the building of that observatory till the present time* is 1,584 years. These tables are, however, more imperfect than any of the others.

At the foot of the hill of Kohik, on the west, there is a garden, named Bāgh-e-meidān (the Garden of the Plain), in the middle of which is a splendid edifice, two stories high, named Chihil-sitūn (the Forty Pillars). The pillars are all of stone. In the four turrets in the corners of this building, they have constructed four Guldestehs,* or minarets, the road up to which is by these four towers. In every part of the building are stone pillars curiously wrought; some twisted, others fluted, and some with other peculiarities. The four sides of the upper story consist of open galleries, supported by pillars all of stone; and in the centre is a grand hall or pavilion, likewise of stone. The raised floor of the palace is all paved with stone. Towards the hill of Kohik there is a small garden, wherein is a great open hall, within which is a large throne of a single stone, about fourteen or fifteen gez in length, seven or eight in breadth, and one in height. This huge stone was brought from a great distance. There is a crack in it, which it is said to have received since it was brought to this place. In this garden, there is another state pavilion, the walls of which are overlaid with porcelain of China, whence it is called the Chinese House. It is said that a person was sent to Khitā,* for the purpose of bringing it. Within the walls of Samar­kand is another ancient building, called the Laklaka (or Echoing) Mosque; because, whenever any person stamps on the ground in the mosque,* an echo (laklaka) is returned. It is a strange thing, the secret of which is known to nobody.

In the time of Sultan Ahmed Mirza, many of the greater and lesser Begs formed gardens, some large, others smaller Among these, the Chārbāgh* of Derwīsh Muhammed Terkhān, in respect of climate, situation, and beauty, is equalled by few. It is situated lower down than the Bāgh-e-meidān, on a small eminence that rises above the valley* of Kulbeh, and commands a view of the whole vale, which stretches out below. In this Chārbāgh there is a variety of different plots laid out one above another, all on a regular plan, and elms, cypresses, and white poplars are planted in the different compartments. It is a very perfect place. Its chief defect is, that it has no great stream of running water.

Its bazaars