Page:From Constantinople to the home of Omar Khayyam.djvu/138

 64 OFF TO DERBENT

sea; and in ancient times, when the Caspian was higher than at present, they actually extended some distance into the water,^ while the waves have always dashed over their base when a heavy storm was raging.^ Traces of the mole or jetty were still to be seen a generation or two ago.^ The building of the great flanks to form a shield and harbor was a piece of early engineer- ing that called forth expressions of wonder from the Arab- Persian geographers a thousand years ago. From their nu- merous statements on the subject, of which I have made a complete collection, I quote here only the remarkable descrip- tion given by Masudi (943 a.d.) of the method said to have been employed by Anushirvan in constructing the extensions.

placed upon the inflated skins of bullocks. As the structure rose, the skins sank lower and lower until they reached the bottom of the sea, while the wall arose above the water. Thereupon, men dived down to the skins and cut them with knives and daggers, so that the wall rested upon the ground at the bottom of the sea. It remains until this time, which is the year three hundred and thirty-two (332 a.h. = 943 a.d.). This place of the wall in the sea is called Al-Kaid, " The Chain," because it barred certain enemies' ships from coming by sea. Then he extended the wall across the land between Mount Kabkh (Caucasus) and the sea.' *
 * He [i.e. Anushirvan] built the wall in the sea, with rocks, iron, and lead

The chain, here referred to, is mentioned by several of the early writers, and was from mole to mole across the opening of the passage between them, so as effectually to bar the entrance or exit of ships without the permission of the guards who were specially placed in charge of the port. A similar mode of har- bor and river defence by chains is familiar to all nations.

1 There are numerous allusions to * See Kazem-Beg, op. cit. p. 96, n. 1. this fact, especially in the Arab-Persian * Masudi, Maruj adh-Dhahab, tr. writers; see likewise Josafa Barbaro Barbier de Meynard, Les Prairies (1474 A.D.), p. 86 (Hakluyt See), d'or, 2. 196. As noted by Kazem- and cf. Kazem-Beg, Derbend Ndmeh, Beg, p. 97, the same account as to the pp. 19, 96. manner of construction is mentioned

2 See Tacitus, Annals, 6. 33, and cf. by Kazvini, but doubts on the sub- Walckenaer, op. cit. p. 216 ; also Han- ject were expressed by Katib Chelebi, way, Hist. Acct. Casp. Sea, 1. 371, Jahdn Numd, p. 396, Constantinople, and Dumas, op. cit. p. 278. 1146 a.h. = 1732 a.d.

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