EARLY ARAB GEOGRAPHERS.
waters, the distance is three days. From the latter place to Fírabúz,[1] six days. Prom Manhábarí to Debal, two days. In going from Debal to Fírabúz the road passes by Manhábarí, and between these two places it runs through Khúr, a small but populous town.
Fírabúz[1] is a town of which the inhabitants are rich. They carry on a good trade, they are men of their word and enemies of fraud, and they are generous and charitable. It belongs to the province of Makrán, as do the towns of Kír, Darak, Rásik (inhabited by schismatics), Bah, Band, Kasr-band, Asfaka, Fahlafahra, Maskan, Tíz, and Balbak.
Makrán is a vast country, but the greater part of it is desert and poor. The largest of its towns is Kírúsí, which is nearly as large as Multán. Palm-trees are plentiful there; the land is cultivated, and and a good deal of trade is carried on. On the west of it lies Tíz, a small sea-port much frequented by the vessels of Fárs, as well as by those which come from the country of ’Umán and the isle of Kísh, which is situated in the Persian Gulf at a long day’s sail distance. From Tíz to Kír [Kíz], five days. From Kír to Fírabúz, two long days’ journey.
Between Kír [Kíz] and Armáïl there are two districts which touch each other; one called Ráhún depends on Mansúria, and the other named Kalwán is a dependency of Makrán. These two districts are tolerably fertile, and they produce a few dates, but the inhabitants rely mainly on their flocks. Whoever wishes to go from Fírabúz to Makrán must pass by Kír. From thence to Armáïl, a dependency of Makrán, two days’ journey.
Armáïl is nearly as large as Fírabúz. It is well peopled, and its environs are pleasant. The inhabitants are rich. From Armáïl to Kanbalí, two days’ journey. Kanbalí competes with Armáïl in respect of size, wealth, and population. It is about a mile and a half from the sea. Both these places are situated between Debal and Makrán.
Darak is a populous trading town, three days’ journey from Fírabúz. South-west of Darak there is a high mountain, which is called the mountain of salt, because nearly all the water which runs from
