grave (d. 1123), while not far away is the tomb of the mystic poet Farid ad-Din Attar (d. 1230). After the Mongols stormed the place, as stated above, there is some uncertainty as to the site that was chosen when the town was rebuilt ; but owing to the absence of ruins at Shadiakh^ — an absence that would be accounted for by Yakut's statement that it had been razed to the ground, with not a wall left standing — it is prob- able that the preceding site, or the older regular city to the east, was again selected, a likelihood which is more plausible from what has been previously said (p. 256).^
The present town, or the modern Nishapur that has been de- scribed in the preceding chapters, is, as already noted, five centuries old. Its position is an equally good one, for the mountains insure an abundant supply of water, and help to render its climate agreeable and healthy ; while its situation, on the main route of traffic to Mashad, with several branch lines of commerce, is in its favor, and a good business is carried on in dried fruits, wool, and cotton, added trade being brought by the turquoise mines (the most famous in the world), which lie not thirty miles distant to the northwest.^
The population of the city has shown a tendency to increase steadily during the past hundred years, and the people of Nishapur throughout their long history have enjoyed a reputa- tion for ability and have been generally regarded with favor.*
1 See Sykes, op. cit. p. 156. tative census is accessible, the esti-
2 Compare also Sykes, p. 156. mates as to population are apt to vary •These mines, near the village of considerably. Fraser (1821), p. 405, visited and described by travelers ; inhabitants, though the figure given see, for example, Truilhier, pp. 265- him was double that number ; Conolly 266; Fraser, pp. 407-422 ; Alexander (1830), 1. 247, estimated 8000; Fer- Chodzko, quoted by Ferrier, pp. 106 ; rier, p. 105, the same ; Ea8twick(1862), Khanikoff, pp. 89-93 ; among the most 2. 187, raised that to 13,000 ; Nasir ad- recent visitors (publishing photo- Din Shah (1865), Diary, p. 155, gave graphs) is Lacoste (1906), Around 12,000; but Sir F. Goldsmid (1872), Afghanistan, tr. from the French by gave only 8000, according to Curzon, Anderson, pp. 14-19, New York, 1909. 1. 263, who allowed 10,000; Bassett 4 In the Orient, where no authori- (1878), p. 217, spoke of 10,000; Yate
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