On the Shores of the Caspian: Commerce and Culture in Nineteenth Century Persia [Hardcover]

Sketches on the Shores of the Caspian is the product of the author's journey through the Caspian region as part of an expedition headed by his cousin James Brant, the British Consul at Erzeroum. Holmes provides a wonderfully intimate portrait of the country. Written in a very accessible style it nonetheless provides a wealth of detail on the towns, the climate, trade, military, people and culture as well as valuable information on the Russian presence in the region at the time. This very scarce volume is here published with a new Introduction by leading scholar of Asia, Morris Rossabi, Professor of Inner Asian History, Weatherhead East Asian Institute, Columbia University and Distinguished Professor of History, Queens College, The City University of New York.Sir William Richard Holmes (1822-82) was born in Northern Ireland in 1822. In 1841 he was appointed to the consulate at Erzeroum in Turkey, in 1846 he became Vice Consul at Samsoon, and by 1860 was British Consul in Bosnia. He was part of the commission that settled the boundary with Herzegovina and was knighted in 1877.

Introduction by Morris Rossabi

Chapter 1
Departure from Tabreez  Our party  Borringe  Character of the mountains  The Adgee Chai  Khodjeh  Departure from Khodjeh  Position of Villages  Kuzi Kapan  The inhabitants  Ke-khoda  Mountains of Karadaugh  Old caravanserai  The roads  Ahar  Mines of Urghurt  Copper mines  Seyeed Khan  Tomb of Shahaub-u-deen  Superstition

Chapter 2
Departure from Ahar  Gheun-deughdee  Kaleh-bashee  Game  Arrival at Meezaum  Shah-sevens  Robbery  Savalaun Daugh  Mishkeen  Arrival at Loree  Dismal weather  Leave Loree  Soomaree  Ruined castle  The Shah-seven tribe  Their numbers in Mishkeen  Ardebeel  The Vekeel

Chapter 3
Visit to the Vekeel  Tombs of the Sheikh Suffee-u-deen and Shah Ismael  The fortress  Turkish and Persian manners  Prisoners in the fort  Legend  Description of Ardebeel  Departurel““