§ 49. Discourse on the Sarīr Country and its Towns

East and south of it are the borders of Armenia; west of it, the Rūm limits; north of it, the Alān country. This is an extremely pleasant country consisting of mountains and plains. It is reported that in its mountains live flies, each as big as a partridge (chand kabkī). Every now and then (har chand gāhī) this king sends to the place where the flies dwell large quantities of carrion of slaughtered or dead cattle and of game (shikārī-hā) to be thrown there for their nourishment, for if they grow hungry, they come and devour every man (mardum) and animal
38 b
| whom they may meet.

1. THE KING'S CASTLE (Qal'a-yi malik) is an extremely huge (sakht 'aẓīm) castle on the summit of a mountain. The seat (nishast) of the King is in that fort, and he is said to possess an extremely grand throne (takhtī sakht 'aẓīm) of red gold.

2. KHANDĀN (Khaydān ?) is the town serving as a residence (nishast) for the generals (sipāh-sālārān) of that king.

3. R.BKH.S (R.nj.s?), M.SQ.Ṭ, two very prosperous towns.

From both these countries (nāḥiyat) [2] numerous slaves are brought to the Islamic countries.
 

2. i.e., the Alān and the Sarīr.
 

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