KERMAN, anciently Caramania, (but not the Carama nia of Asiatic Turkey,) is a province of the kingdom of Per sia. It is bounded on the east by the provinces of Seistan and Mekran ; on the north by Seistan and Khorassan; on the west by Fars, Lar, and Irak ; and on the south by Mek ran and the Persian Gulf. The large district of Bin kind, in the south of Kerman, is covered with mountains, which approach the sea between Cape Jask and the fort of Cold Is try, situated in 57° 20' East Long. They then suddenly retire behind Minab, and do not again advance to the south until beyond Gombroon. Their general name is, the moun tains of the Silver Mines. The district of Nurmansheer is about 90 miles long, and front 30 to 80 broad. A range of mountains bounds it on the north and south, those to the south being the highest, and covered with snow during the greater part of the year. The soil is fertile, and the coun try well peopled.
The province of Kerman contains no river of importance, and hence it abut:lids in deserts. The climate, which is by no means salubrious, is in some parts very cold, and in others very hot. Between Jask and Sereek, plantations of palms were numerous, and the produce of wheat was con siderable. On the coast 'road, between Minh and Gom• broon, are a number of villages, and a good supply of water.
The principal towns of this province, are Kerman, Gom brows, Bumm, Regan, Darabjerd, Krook, Tehroot, Mahim, and Rayun.
Kerman, or Serjan, as it is sometimes called, is the an cient Caramania, and was formerly one of the most opulent and magnificent cities in Persia; but, from its having been exposed to destructive wars, it has now lost its former splendour. In 1794, it was defended with the greatest bravery for several months by Lutf Ali Khan, until it was betrayed into the hands of his rival. The city was given up for three months to the fury of the soldiers—the walls and the public buildings were levelled to the ground—great numbers of the inhabitants were massacred— Ind 30,000 were banished into the remote provinces of the empire. From this calamity it can scarcely ever recover. It is situated in an extensive plain, and so near the mountains, that it is nearly surrounded by two of them. The walls, which are of mud, are high, and have 19 or 20 bastions in each face ; and a dry ditch, 20 yards wide and 10 deep. It has four gates; and the governor resides in the ark, or cita del, on the south side of the fort. There are nine principal caravanseras within the walls, and many others of inferior note. Kerman is celebrated for its manufactures of shawls, matchlocks, and carpets, which are exported chiefly to Khorassan and the northern provinces ; and for which they receive, in return, drugs, furs, silk, steel, copper, and skins from Bockhara. These articles are sent to India, along
with pistachio nuts, carpets, rosebuds, and bullion ; and from that country they import tin, lead, iron, chintz, wrought silk, spices, indigo, muslin, kheem-khob, gold bro cade, china and glass-ware, broad cloth, hardware, &c. The bazar, which, in one part, is neatly arched with a fine blue stone from the adjacent mountains, is well furnished with articles of every description. The population of Ker man is about 20.000, among whom are a small propeirtion of Gentoos. There are also Armenians, Jews, and Hin doos. In 1810, the revenues of the city were about L.25,000. The position of Kerman is in North Lat. 29• 30', and East Long. 56° 38'.
Gombroon has already been described in a separate arti cle. The city of Bumm is strongly fortified by a high mud wall, flanked Viith towers, and encircled with a broad and deep dry ditch. It has only one gate ; and its bazar is pretty well supplied with dates, milk, and fruit. Its for mer fountains are said to have thrown their water to a great height ; and the gardens, which appear to have been in closed by walls, and adorned, with elegant summer-houses, produce the most delicious pomegranates. The former extent of the city is shewn by the magnitude of its ruins.
Regan is a neat little town, surrounded by a mud wall. The fort is quadrangular ; and the walls, which are in good repair, are high, and flanked with bastions. The town has but one gate, upon which a guard is constantly kept.
Darabjerd, situated nearly at the western extremity of the province, was once a large city ; but a great part of it is now in ruins. It is finely situated in an extensive plain, and on the banks of a river, and is surrounded with groves of orange and lemon trees. The juice of these is exported to every part of Persia ; and tobacco is cultivated here to a great extent. Four streets, crossing at right angles, pro ceed from the four gates ; and at their intersection is the market-place, which is covered with the largest dome in Persia. The principal streets have also been covered with domes. It contains from 15,000 to 20,000 inhabitants.
Krook is the capital of Nurmansheer, and is built like Regan. It is however large, and is surrounded with a deep ditch. The governor resides here.
Mahim, Tehroot, and Rayun, arc small towns, surround ed with numerous gardens. The cattle belonging to the governor of the province are usually kept at Rayun. See Macdonald Kinneir's Geographical Memoir of the Persian Empire, p. 194, which contains all the inlorma.tion in the preceding article.