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27 chapters
PREFACE.
PREFACE.
Finding, on my arrival in England, that curiosity was quite alive to every thing connected with Persia, I was induced to publish the Memoranda which I had already made on that country; more immediately as I found that I had been fortunate enough to ascertain some facts, which had escaped the research of other travellers. In this, I allude more particularly to the sculptures and ruins of Shapour ; for although my account of them is on a very reduced scale, yet I hope that I have said enough to di
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INTRODUCTION.
INTRODUCTION.
The history of Persia from the death of Nadir Shah to the accession of the present King, comprehending a period of fifty-one years, presents little else than a catalogue of the names of tyrants and usurpers, and a succession of murders, treacheries and scenes of misery. After the assassination of Nadir , one of the most formidable of the competitors for the vacant throne, was Mahomed Hassan Khan , the head of the Cadjar tribe, and a person of high rank among the nobles of Shah Thamas , the last
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ERRATA.
ERRATA.
JOURNEY THROUGH PERSIA, &c. &c. &c. DEPARTURE FROM BOMBAY—LAND OF GUZERAT—COAST OF MEKRAN—BALOUCHES—ENTRANCE OF THE GULPH OF PERSIA—IMAUM OF MUSCAT: HIS FLEET—SOUNDINGS IN THE GULPH—BUSHIRE—VISIT OF THE SHEIK—LANDING IN PERSIA. On the 6th of September 1808, when His Majesty’s Mission to the court of Teheran was still at Bombay , the Envoy extraordinary, Sir Harford Jones , received dispatches from the Governor-general at Calcutta , which determined him to proceed immediat
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CHAP. I. BOMBAY TO BUSHIRE.
CHAP. I. BOMBAY TO BUSHIRE.
On the 12th Sept. Sir Harford Jones , accompanied by Mr. Sheridan and myself, embarked on board his Majesty’s frigate Nereide , Captain Corbett ; Capt. Sutherland and Mr. Willock went in the Sapphire , Capt. Davis : and the H. C. cruizer Sylph carried the Persian secretary, &c. The Governor of Bombay drew out the troops of the garrison to salute the Envoy on his embarkation: they formed a lane from the government-house to the entrance of the dock-yard; and as He passed the troops present
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CHAP. II. HISTORY OF THE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE..
CHAP. II. HISTORY OF THE SHEIK OF BUSHIRE..
The Sheik of Bushire , who in his dying charge had bequeathed this cause to his successor, is still remembered in his general conduct with reverence. Whenever his little domain was threatened either by the Government of Persia, or by a neighbouring chief, Sheik Nasr flew to arms. According to the traditional accounts of the country, his summons to his followers in these emergencies was equally characteristic and effectual. He mounted two large braziers of Pillau on a camel, and sent it to parade
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CHAP. III. RESIDENCE OF THE MISSION AT BUSHIRE.
CHAP. III. RESIDENCE OF THE MISSION AT BUSHIRE.
As a specimen of Persian wit, as well as in the relation of a Persian’s proficiency in English, I extract literally, from Jaffer Ali’s letter, the following account of the Prince of Shiraz :—“As he is a great quiz and flatterer, he flattered me much, and I made an equal return to him. Owing to the immense dust that blown all the while upon the road, my face and beard covered with dust, and appearing myself to be white, the Prince therefore sayed to me, that my black beard became with grey hairs
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CHAP. IV. RESIDENCE OF THE MISSION AT BUSHIRE.
CHAP. IV. RESIDENCE OF THE MISSION AT BUSHIRE.
In religion they are Mahomedans; and like all those of India, are Sunnis : but they have few means of preserving the genuineness of any profession of faith; and their ignorance has already confounded their tenets with those of a very different original. The same common barbarism has indeed blended the Affghan , the Seik , and the Balouche into one class: there may be among them some beard or whisker more or less, some animal or food which they hold unclean above all others, some indescribable di
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CHAP. V. BUSHIRE TO SHIRAZ.
CHAP. V. BUSHIRE TO SHIRAZ.
All our arrangements were closed; and on the same morning, at a quarter past eleven o’clock, the Envoy mounted his horse to proceed from Bushire . In order to excite in the people a favourable expectation of the result of the mission, he had previously desired the astrologers to mention the time which they might deem lucky for his departure; and the hour accordingly in which we begun our journey was pronounced, by their authority, to be particularly fortunate. Sir Harford Jones’s suite consisted
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CHAP. VI. SHIRAZ.
CHAP. VI. SHIRAZ.
PUBLIC ENTRY INTO SHIRAZ—HONORS PAID TO THE MISSION—DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY—THE ENVIRONS: TOMB OF HAFIZ; HAFT-TEN; STORY OF SHEIK CHENAN; GARDENS; PLEASURE HOUSES—INTRODUCTION AT THE COURT OF SHIRAZ—THE PALACE—THE PRINCE—HIS GOVERNMENT—FETE GIVEN TO THE ENVOY BY THE MINISTER—PRESENT FROM THE PRINCE’S OWN TABLE—THE CHIEF SECRETARY’S ENTERTAINMENT—SECOND INTERVIEW WITH THE PRINCE—REVIEW—THE FETE GIVEN TO THE MISSION BY THE MEHMANDAR—THE PRINCE’S PRESENT; DRESSES OF HONOR. On the morning of the 30t
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CHAP. VII. SHIRAZ TO PERSEPOLIS.
CHAP. VII. SHIRAZ TO PERSEPOLIS.
DEPARTURE FROM SHIRAZ—ZERGOON—BEND-EMIR, THE ANCIENT ARAXES—PLAIN OF MERDASHT—TOMBS AND SCULPTURES OF NAKSHI RUSTAM—FIRE-TEMPLES—PERSEPOLIS—GENERAL VIEW OF THE WHOLE—PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION; STAIRCASE; PORTALS; HALL OF COLUMNS—SCULPTURES AT NAKSHI RADJAB—POPULAR TRADITIONS. At eleven o’clock on the morning of the 13th, the Envoy recommenced his journey towards Teheran . The Prime Minister, and the Chief Secretary, Mahomed Hassan Khan (the commander of the Karaguzloo tribe), the Prince’s Lord Cham
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CHAP. VIII. PERSEPOLIS TO ISPAHAN.
CHAP. VIII. PERSEPOLIS TO ISPAHAN.
JEMSHEED’S HAREM—PASS THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS—MESJED MADRE SULEIMAN; DOUBTS ON THE TOMB OF CYRUS—MOORGH-AUB—DIFFICULTIES OF THE PASSAGE THROUGH PERSIA—STORM—LETTER FROM THE KING—CASTLE OF BAHRAM—RUINED VILLAGES OVER THE COUNTRY—YEZDIKHAUST—CARAVANSERAI AT MAXHOUD BEGGY—KOMESHAH; RUINS—THE ENVOY AND THE GOVERNOR—MAYAR; CARAVANSERAI—QUARRELS BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF IRAK AND FARS. Jan. 17. As we were quitting the environs of Persepolis , and proceeding towards Ispahan , we saw on an eminence on the lef
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CHAP. IX. ISPAHAN.
CHAP. IX. ISPAHAN.
RUINS ON THE PLAIN OF ISPAHAN—THE ZAIANDE-ROOD—RECEPTION OF THE ENVOY BY THE PEOPLE; THE MERCHANTS; THE ARMENIAN CLERGY; THE GOVERNOR—ENTRANCE INTO THE CITY—BRIDGE—CHAHAR BAGH—PAVILIONS—COLLEGE—PALACES OF THE KING; CHEHEL SITOON; PAINTINGS—HAREM—GATE—GENERAL VIEW OF ISPAHAN—MAIDAN—PAVILION OF THE CLOCK—POPULATION—ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN TO THE ENVOY BY THE GOVERNOR. The great number of buildings, which stud every part of the plain of Ispahan , might lead the traveller to suppose that he was entering
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CHAP. X. ISPAHAN TO TEHERAN.
CHAP. X. ISPAHAN TO TEHERAN.
DEPARTURE FROM ISPAHAN—MOURCHEKOURD—SCENE OF THE VICTORY OF NADIR SHAH—RUINS—THE BUND KOHROOD—KASHAN—SALT DESERT—KOOM; TOMB—POOL DALLAUK; ADVENTURE IN THE NIGHT—VIEW OF TEHERAN—APPROACH—ENTRANCE INTO THE CITY. On the 7th of February, accordingly we left Ispahan ; our first day’s march, from Goush Khonéh to Gez , was a distance of ten miles only. On the right of the road is a village called Sayin , which, as we were told, produces the best melons in the country. The soil, over which we travelled,
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CHAP. XI. TEHERAN.
CHAP. XI. TEHERAN.
VISIT FROM THE SECOND MINISTER—THE COURT POET—FIRST CONFERENCE—CEREMONIAL OF THE PUBLIC INTRODUCTION—PRESENTS TO THE KING BROUGHT BY THE ENVOY—ORDER OF THE PROCESSION—PRESENTATION—THE KING OF PERSIA—PEACOCK THRONE—THE COURT—THE PALACE—THE PRIME MINISTER; HIS LEVEE—PERSIAN TRAVELLER—PRESENT TO THE ENVOY—CEREMONIES OF THE MOHARREM. It had been decided on the day of our arrival, that the first visit was to be paid by the owner of the house in which we lodged, Hajee Mahomed Hossein Khan , Ameen-ed-D
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CHAP. XII. TEHERAN.
CHAP. XII. TEHERAN.
GENERAL VIEW OF THE NEGOCIATIONS—TREATIES SIGNED—EXCHANGED—PERSIAN LETTER TO THE ENVOY—PUNISHMENT OF THEFT—EVE OF THE NOROOZ—PRESENTS DISTRIBUTED BY THE KING—NOROOZ OF ANCIENT PERSIA—ENTERTAINMENT GIVEN BY THE KING—ANNUAL PRESENTS—AMUSEMENTS OF THE DAY—RACES—BREED OF HORSES—THE ZOOMBAREEK ARTILLERY—INTERVIEW WITH THE MINISTERS; WITH THE KING—KALAAT FROM THE KING—FRENCH TREATY—PUBLICITY OF PERSIAN DIPLOMACY—GATE OF THE PALACE—DISMISSAL OF THE FRENCH—LETTER TO THE KING OF ENGLAND—DISPATCHES FROM T
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CHAP. XIII. TEHERAN.
CHAP. XIII. TEHERAN.
I. TEHERAN—THE KING’S HAREM—FAMILY—PALACE OF THE TAKHT-A-CADJAR—PRODUCTIONS OF PERSIA—MANUFACTURES—CLIMATE OF TEHERAN—UNHEALTHINESS—FAITH IN HAFIZ—PERSIAN MEDICINE—SUPERSTITIONS—ENVIRONS OF TEHERAN—MOUNTAIN DEMAWEND—RUINS OF REY—ANCIENT PERSIA—GUEBRES.— II. RANKS IN PERSIA—GOVERNMENT—REVENUE—LANDED PROPERTY—ROYAL TREASURE—COINAGE—ESTABLISHMENTS OF THE CROWN—POPULATION OF PERSIA—TRIBES—MILITARY SERVICE—BODY-GUARDS—GUARDS OF THE CITY—PERSIAN DRESSES—CHARACTER. Teheran , the present capital of Pers
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CHAP. XIV. TEHERAN TO TABRIZ.
CHAP. XIV. TEHERAN TO TABRIZ.
DEPARTURE FROM TEHERAN—PLAIN—TUMULI—CASVIN—SULTANIEH; TOMB OF SULTAN MAHOMED KHODABENDEH; CITADEL: NEW TOWN OF SULTANABAD—MARMOTS—KING’S PLEASURE-HOUSE—ZENGAN—ELAUTS—INSCRIPTION AT ARMAGHANÉH—RIVER KIZZIL OZAN—MIAUNÉH—DISPUTE—ESTABLISHMENT OF COURIERS—CARAVANSERAI—WOMEN IN PERSIA. The 7th of May 1809, which (as being the festival of Omar-Coushen , or the killing of Omar ) was considered a very lucky day, was at length fixed for our departure. Mirza Abul Hassan (the Persian Envoy Extraordinary) a
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CHAP. XV. TABRIZ.
CHAP. XV. TABRIZ.
APPROACH TO TABRIZ—ENTRANCE—HEALTHINESS OF THE SITUATION—GARDENS—MARBLE OF TABRIZ—DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY—CHARACTER OF THE PRINCE—ANECDOTES—PERSIAN HORSEMANSHIP—MILITARY QUALITIES—FORCE OF THE PROVINCE—THE FIRST MINISTER—GOVERNMENT AND SUCCESS OF THE PRINCE—PROJECTS OF IMPROVEMENT—SHIPS—REVENUE OF THE PROVINCE—POPULATION OF TABRIZ—ENTERTAINMENT—PERSIAN CONVERSATION—MANNERS—ACCOUNT OF MAZANDERAN—FAUCES HYRCANIÆ?—VESSELS OF THE CASPIAN—GHILAN—THE GOUDARS—TURCOMANS; INROADS; CONDUCT TO THEIR PRISON
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CHAP. XVI. TABRIZ TO ARZ-ROUM.
CHAP. XVI. TABRIZ TO ARZ-ROUM.
PERSIAN TRAVELLING—DEPARTURE FROM TABRIZ—BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY—LAKE OF SHAHEE—STATION OF RAHDARS—KHOI; TOWN; GARDENS; PLAIN—AGRICULTURE—ELAUTS—CONVENIENCE OF TENTS—COURDISTAN ROBBERS—HERDS OF MARES—FRONTIERS OF PERSIA AND TURKEY—BAYAZID—MOUNT ARARAT—RECEPTION IN THE TENTS OF THE ELAUTS—DIADIN; THE EUPHRATES—IBRAHIM PACHA; VISIT TO HIS ENEMY TIMUR BEG; RECEPTION AT THE CASTLE OF TURPA CALEH—DEPOPULATION OF THE COUNTRY—OMEN—RIVER ARAXES—CONDUCT OF THE AGA OF ALWAR. The mode of travelling in Persia
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CHAP. XVII. ARZ-ROUM TO AMASIA.
CHAP. XVII. ARZ-ROUM TO AMASIA.
ARZ-ROUM: DESCRIPTION OF THE CITY; ANCIENT STATE: POPULATION: CLIMATE: VISIT TO THE GOVERNOR; ENTERTAINMENT; TURKISH DISHES—DEPARTURE—BATHS OF ILIJA: THE DELHIS—THE EUPHRATES—BUILDINGS AT MAMAKHATOUN—TRADITION OF THEIR ERECTION—CHIFLIK: CULTIVATION—TARTARS ON THE ROAD FROM CONSTANTINOPLE—CARAJA: DINNER—PERSIAN FROM PARIS—STORM—GRANDEUR OF THE APPROACH TO CARA-HISSAR—DELAY IN THE TOWN—THE RIVER KELKI IRMAC, THE ANCIENT LYCUS—KULEY-HISSAR—DIFFERENCE OF PROPERTY IN TURKEY AND IN PERSIA—EXCAVATED RO
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CHAP. XVIII. AMASIA TO CONSTANTINOPLE.
CHAP. XVIII. AMASIA TO CONSTANTINOPLE.
AMASIA: EXCAVATIONS—MARCIVAN—OSMANJIK—PRECIPICES: ROAD OF THE GENOESE—TOSIA—THE DELHIS—CHERKES: REMAINS—STORM—GEREDÉH—IMPORTANCE OF THE TATARS—PERSIAN DRESS—INSCRIPTION—BOLI: FOREST: GUARDS OF THE MOUNTAINS: TIMBER FOR THE ARSENALS—LANDSCAPES: KHANDACK; OUTLAWS—SABANJA: CAUSEWAY; LAKE—ISMID—GEVISA—CONSTANTINOPLE. Amasia is situated in the recess of an amphitheatre of strong featured lands, which arise almost abruptly from the banks of a beautiful stream, the Tozzan Irmak , that winds majesticall
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CHAP. XIX. CONCLUSION.
CHAP. XIX. CONCLUSION.
PERSIAN OPINIONS OF TURKEY—MIRZA ABUL HASSAN, THE ENVOY, ENTERTAINED BY MR. ADAIR: INTRODUCTION OF THE SUITE TO THE MANNERS OF EUROPE—THEIR ACCOMMODATIONS TO OUR USAGES—CONTRASTED WITH THE TURKS—DIFFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL CHARACTER—ADVANCES OF PERSIA—DEPARTURE FROM TURKEY—THE PERSIANS AT SEA—CONVERSATIONS WITH THE ENVOY: ON THE DRESS, BEAUTY, OCCUPATIONS, AND EDUCATION OF THE WOMEN OF PERSIA. In a short time after my arrival, the Persian Envoy and his suite rejoined me at Constantinople . The sp
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SHAPOUR.
SHAPOUR.
[ p. 86. ] The city of Shapour derived its name from the monarch who founded it, 60 Sapor , the son of Artaxerxes , and the second Prince of the Sassanian family. In his reign it was probably one of the capitals of Persia; and for some ages continued to be the chief city of that district of Persis Proper, which was connected with his name, the Koureh Shapour of Ebn Haukal . 61 The great province in which it was included, had been particularly favoured by Cyrus , and his dynasty: it was their nat
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SECOND VISIT TO SHAPOUR,
SECOND VISIT TO SHAPOUR,
APRIL, 1811. “We proceeded over the plain to the Southward and Westward, to see what a peasant called the Kaleh or Castle, and the Mesjed or Mosque, which are large conspicuous buildings seen from almost all parts of the plain. These we found to be Mohammedan structures, excepting part of an ancient wall or buttress, and a column, with a square fallen capital, that are to be seen in the former, and of the same age as the edifices at Shapour . In the square of this ruined castle we found some lit
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NOTES.
NOTES.
Chatters, p. 37. —The Shotters of Fryer ; the Shatirs of Hanway . Chardin gives a long and curious account of a display, which he calls “la fête du Chater , on valet du pied au Roi.” Voyages, tom. ii. 46, edit. 1711. The King’s Chaters dressed richly but differently, (car en Perse on ne sait ce que c’est de Livrée,) were the masters of the feast. Those who are superior in their profession can dance well; an occupation indeed which, in the East, is considered so little suitable to persons of a hi
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APPENDIX, No. II.—1. ROUTES IN PERSIA.
APPENDIX, No. II.—1. ROUTES IN PERSIA.
PRINTED FOR LONGMAN, HURST, REES, ORME, AND BROWN, PATERNOSTER-ROW. A COLLECTION of VOYAGES and TRAVELS in EUROPE and ASIA, being portions of a General Collection of Voyages and Travels; forming a complete History of the origin and progress of discovery, by Sea and Land, from the earliest ages to the present time. Preceded by an Historical Introduction, and critical Catalogue of Books of Voyages and Travels, and illustrated and adorned with numerous Engravings. By John Pinkerton , Author of “Mod
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WORKS
WORKS
Performed in the years 1805, 1806, 1807, by order of the government of the United States. By Zebulon Montgomery Pike , Major 6th Regt. U. S. Infantry. In 1 vol. 4to. with two large maps, price 1 l. 16 s. bds. ⁂ In these Travels, Major Pike has thrown important light upon the Geography of a vast and interesting tract of country never before explored, and ascertained from actual observation the course and sources of the chief rivers of North America, including those of the Mississippi, the Yellow
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