or TIFFLIS, a town of Afta, in Georgia, one of the seven nations between the Black sea and the Caspian. It is the capital of that country, the place of residence of its sovereign, and is called by the inhabitants Thilts-Cabar, "warm town," from the warm baths in its neighbourhood. Though its circumference does not exceed two English miles, it contains 20,000 inhabitants, of which more than half are Armenians; the remainder are principally Georgians, with some Tartars. According to Major Rennel, it has 20 Armenian and 15 Greek churches, and three methegns. But Mr Coxe, on the authority of Professor Guldenstaedt, states the places of worship to be one Roman Catholic, 13 Greek, and seven Armenian churches. There are some magnificent caravanseras, bazars, and palaces in the city, but no mosques; for the Georgians, though living under a Mohammedan government, have always risen up in arms as often as any attempts have been made to erect such places of Mohammedan worship. Many of the Romish missionaries live here in disguise under the denomination of physicians, surgeons, and chemists; and the great cures which they perform procure them much esteem, though they are sometimes exposed to the insults of the people when they attempt to make any proselytes to their church. All the houses are of stone, with flat roofs, which serve, according to the customs of the East, as walks for the women. They are neatly built; the rooms are wainscotted, and the floors spread with carpets. The streets seldom exceed seven feet in breadth; and some are so narrow as scarcely to allow room for a man on horseback: they are consequently very filthy.

Tefflis is a place of considerable trade, especially in furs, which are conveyed hence to Constantinople by the way of Erzerum. As for the silks of this country, they are bought up on the spot by the Armenians, and conveyed to Smyrna and other ports of the Mediterranean; but the greatest part is first sent to Erzerum to be manufactured, the Georgians being very ignorant and unskilful in that respect. From hence, likewise, great quantities of a root called boya is sent to Erzerum and Indostan for the use of the linen dyers. Here is likewise a foundery, at which are cast a few cannon, mortars, and balls, all of which are very inferior to those of the Turks. The gunpowder made here is very good. The Armenians have likewise established in this town all the manufactures carried on by their countrymen in Persia: the most flourishing is that of printed linens. Tefflis is seated on the river Kur, at the foot of a mountain; and on the south side of it stands a large castle or fortress, built by the Turks in 1576, when they made themselves masters of the city and country, under the command of the famous Muffapha Pacha. It is 125 miles west of Terki. E. Long. 63. 3. N. Lat. 41. 59.