from the Westward. The sun set N. 73 W. _Miaunéh_, where we passed
the night, was once a large town, and its broken walls and gates are
still to be seen. It is now, indeed, a poor miserable village, yet is
the chief place of a tribe called _Chedaughee_, who are reputed to be
very ferocious. The master of the house, where we lodged, was gone
to _Tabriz_; and his son, a boy of fourteen, officiated in his place
with a propriety and dexterity which were quite amusing. He asked the
_Mehmandar_ for his _firman_, very gravely sat down and read it, then
with a fine flow of compliments said, that every thing that he had was
freely at our command; and that we must make his kitchen ours, and
that, in short, he was our slave. In these countries the manners and
faculties ripen long before those of Northern climates. An English boy
in the same predicament would have run and hid himself in the stable.
We were, however, rather annoyed by a great big fellow, a _Ferosh_
of Prince ABBAS MIRZA, who pretended to much power in the place. In
the _firman_ which the _Mehmandar_ carried from the King, one of the
articles with which the village was required to provide him was the sum
of three _tomauns_. These he was wont to receive as his own perquisite;
and this is one of the various modes by which the King pays his
servants without the necessity of applying to his own treasures. But to
this, in this instance, the _Ferosh_ objected, swearing that there was
no money in _Miaunéh_, and that none could be raised. The _Mehmandar_,
on his side, talked of nothing but the King’s Royal command, which must
be obeyed before all things: to this again the _Ferosh_ objected, and
said that he would abide by nothing but an order from his own immediate
superior, the _Ferosh Bashee_ of Prince ABBAS MIRZA. The _Mirza_ was
at length obliged to interfere: the _Ferosh_, in fact, had been paid
by the peasantry to guard them from the extortion of strangers, and
like a faithful servant he was endeavouring to do all that he could in
their favour. To complete the business however, the _Mehmandar_, on our
arrival at the close of the day’s journey, missed a pair of new green
slippers, which loss he naturally charged to the dishonesty of his
antagonist the _Ferosh_.
Since there have been such great interests pending in the North of
Persia with the Russians, the Government has established _Chopper
Khonéh_, or post-houses, from _Tabriz_ to _Teheran_, to facilitate
the transmission of news, so that a courier may traverse the distance
easily in three days. A _Ferosh_ has been placed by the Prince Governor
of _Aderbigian_, in each of the villages within his territory, (in
which these establishments are formed) to see that every department be
carried on with dispatch and regularity. Twenty to twenty-five horses
(purchased by the Prince, and kept at his own expence) are always
ready at each of these houses, and the whole institution is supported
from his own purse. But beyond the bounds of his province, this public
service is defrayed by the _Rayat_ on the line of road.
19th. We were six hours and a half on the road, a distance of
twenty-one miles, from _Miaunéh_ to _Turkomen Cheyee_. The road is
one succession of high hills, generally with a small stream in the
vallies below, flowing from the mountains of _Bisgoush_, which extend
almost to _Tabriz_ on the N. W. and to near _Resht_ in the territory
of _Khalcal_, on the N. E. and the snows of which seemed then to be
rapidly melting, and (by the discolouration of the water) to have
formed these streams. On setting out from _Miaunéh_, we rode by the
banks, and frequently crossed one of these streams, which was up to
the bellies of the horses and very rapid. I frequently set the bearing
of our road from the top of the hills, which was N. 70 W. and (though
varying now to the W. then to the E.) may be fixed generally at that
point. The whole is very easy of access, nor indeed did I see any part
on this side of _Teheran_, where an army would meet with impediment,
except on the _Coflan Kou_, and there only in a few passes: and from
the present appearance of the country, magazines might be formed every
where.
The weather during the last two days was extremely sultry, and we
suffered greatly from the heat. The tract indeed, over which we were
passing, is called by the Persians _Germesir_, or the hot, from the
notoriety of its temperature. The corn at _Miaunéh_ was accordingly
much more advanced than in any previous part of the country.
There is a small village to the S. of _Turkomen Cheyee_, called
_Carayeh_, situated on the back of the hill. The valley of _Turkomen
Cheyee_ is one carpet of green, richly cultivated in every part. About
noon the clouds gathered; and as we were feeding our horses, a shower
of rain, with thunder, surprised and refreshed us after our hot ride.
On the 20th, we went to _Tekmé-dash_, twenty-one miles, on a bearing of
N. 40 W. over the same sort of country as that which we had crossed on
the preceding day; but the ground was much saturated by the late rain,
and, as the soil was soft, our road was rendered very disagreeable.
At about six miles from _Turkomen Cheyee_ we came to a valley richly
cultivated; and about two miles on the right, was the village of
_Uzumchee_. We saw some other villages, situated at a distance from
the road, on the heights of the mountain. We passed two ruined
_caravanserais_. The last was about three miles from _Tekmé-dash_;
and, by an inscription on the gate, was built by a servant of SHAH
ABBAS. Not a tree appears over all the country, but there is generally
much cultivation. A little after sun-rise we saw some high mountains
bearing about N. W. Soon after our arrival a smiling lad came in with a
paper in his hand, and presented it to the _Mirza_. It was a petition
from himself and his school fellows, to beg a holiday for them from
their master; an address which they never fail to make to any man of
consequence, who may happen to pass through their village. The children
here are taught Persian in the schools; the Turkish being the native
tongue of the country. There was a very strong wind from the West,
which, as the people told us, had blown for five or six days; and,
though it fell as the sun went down, the cold during the night was very
severe.
21st. The six hours and a half which we spent on the road to _Saidabad_
to-day, were very pleasant, as we had covered weather with a fine
fresh breeze from the W. We went twenty-five miles in the direction
of N. 40 W. on a good road, which had been hardened by the late wind.
At about five miles from _Tekmé-dash_, on the left, is the village of
_Bini Kieu_; and a little further, (on a rising ground through which
the road passes,) are a collection of large stones, apparently the
remains of a building, with a few large oblong blocks curiously carved,
which certainly belonged to it. They resembled, indeed, rather the
tomb-stones which I had remarked before; but they had no characters
upon them. At about five miles before we came to _Saidabad_ we entered
a pass in the mountain, on the right of which, as we left the plain,
we noticed a piece of water with much wild fowl upon it. After having
ascended and again descended the pass, (from the summit of which we
had a view of the mountain of _Tabriz_), we came to a _caravanserai_
situated amid very picturesque scenery just at the bottom. The right
wing, and many other parts of this edifice, were falling into ruin. It
contains a square area of two hundred and sixty paces of an admirable
and solid construction; the work of the _Seffis_, strongly contrasted
with the comparatively miserable buildings of the present day in
Persia. The fine arches of the domes attest the excellence of art in
the age of its erection. The interior arrangements are very good: on
each side of the square are rooms, each with a fire-place, and in
the centre of the whole is a large square compartment, divided into
a variety of chambers of all descriptions, with recesses for horses.
All this is built of a fine brick, with a strong foundation, and
occasional reliefs of stone. At the foot of the whole building, at
close intervals, are stones cut for the convenience of tying up cattle.
At this spot we were overtaken by a storm of thunder and hail, and
driven to seek refuge in the _caravanserai_; where the gloom of the old
building, enlivened by the grotesque figures of our party, reminded
me of those scenes of romance which modern writers have so frequently
laboured to describe.
We turned off from the high road to the left, and at about two miles
and a half from the _caravanserai_ reached _Saidabad_. We found in it a
mud fort, and houses with roofs arched but extremely low. Our servants
were introduced into a chamber, a part of which was already occupied by
a family of young asses; the rest was all their own. In all parts of
the village were small pyramids of cow-dung, the different collections
of the poor inhabitants for their winter fuel. The walls of their
houses were likewise covered with great cakes of the same materials,
which were then drying as additions to their stock. The common
children collect this; and I have frequently seen two little creatures
contending for it with the highest anxiety and animation.
There is so great a scarcity of wood over the whole country through
which we have passed, that the poor are necessarily reduced to these
extremities for the supply of their wants. In general they are
miserably clad; the children have scarcely any thing to cover them but
a shirt of coarse linen, which hardly reaches their middle; and the
women wear nothing but a shirt, a pair of drawers, a jacket, and a
veil, which covers their head and serves them on all occasions. Even in
these poor villages the females are inconceivably shy. I happened to
be standing near the place where the people were loading our baggage,
when a poor woman seemed anxious to come forth from the neighbouring
house, but durst not whilst a man was near. She kept peeping at
intervals through the door for nearly half an hour, and drew in her
head precipitately, although muffled, whenever a man’s face was turned
towards her. When I have told the Persians that in Europe a husband has
but one wife, and that in company we pay more civility to any female
than to the greatest man, they have remained astonished, wondering that
creatures (as women in their eyes appear), born only for their pleasure
and convenience, should at all partake of any of those attentions which
they deem to be due to Themselves exclusively.
As we were seated in our miserable dwelling, the village music attended
us, composed of a singer, and players on the _tambourine_ and on two
_kamounchas_. To the great mortification of these poor people we
dispensed with their noise, which, if it had begun, would not readily
have ended.
22d. From _Saidabad_ to _Tabriz_ is a distance of about fourteen miles,
on a direction of N. 50 W. There are said to be two volcanoes in the
neighbourhood. Having travelled ten miles, we stopped to breakfast at
a charming spot, near a beautiful stream of water, crossing us from
S. W. to N. E. and surrounded by more wood than altogether we had seen
all over the latter part of our journey. They are principally poplar
(almost the only tree indeed which we had remarked in our route) and
many are felled for building. Within two miles of _Tabriz_ there is a
village on a hillock, called _Condorood_; and immediately on the skirts
of this spot is another, called _Basmidge_: on leaving which we saw
great numbers of those square and oblong stones, so often mentioned in
my Journal. As among them there are modern tombs, the original intent
of the more ancient stones is certainly the same.
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 PRISONERS--KAMCHAUKS.
The road across the plain towards _Tabriz_ is very fine; and on each
side of it we saw numerous ploughs. Four oxen were employed to each;
for the soil is here hard, and turned with more difficulty. The
implement itself, however, appeared more ponderous than any that we had
seen before. About three miles from _Tabriz_ the road is intersected
by hills of a sandy and stony soil. Here we were met by an officer
deputed from the Prince to greet our arrival. He was accompanied by
ten or fifteen men, and preceded by a led horse. As soon as our party
perceived their approach, it was ridiculous enough to see how every one
put on any the smallest piece of finery that he possessed, in order
to strike the others with respect. The _Mirza_ alighted from his mule
and mounted a horse; and when we met, all the flattery and compliments
were repeated with the same sincerity as before on our road to
_Teheran_. They talked of themselves and their government with singular
complacency, and of the Russians with the utmost contempt. The officer
who came to meet us said, “they fear us like dogs; we have every thing
better than they have; they will never dare to shew their faces again.”
_Tabriz_ first appears between the angle of the bases of two hills,
and then opens to the view by degrees. In the season in which we
saw it, it formed a pretty object; as the constant monotony of the
mud-walls and mud-brick houses was hid by the rich foliage of the
trees, which are interspersed throughout the city. Close to the walls,
near the _Teheran_ gate, is the complete ruin of a mosque, but still
sufficiently preserved to shew how fine a structure it must once have
been. It was built about six hundred years ago, by SHAH SHEM GHUZAN,
(the successor of SHAH MAHOMED KHODABENDEH, whose tomb has been
described at _Sultaniéh_,) but it has been destroyed by an earthquake
within thirty years. The inhabitants extol the fruitfulness of the
territory, and the salubrity of the air of _Tabriz_. Its very name,
according to the Persian etymology, indicates the excellence of its
situation, for it is composed of _Tab_ a fever, and _riz_ fled.[40]
They complain, however, (though as of their only inconvenience) of
frequent and violent earthquakes, which they attribute to the volcanoes
in the district, which throw out smoke but no flame. The smoke is so
mephitical, that it kills immediately a dog or fowl placed over it.
The volcanoes are particularly to the East, in mountains of a red and
copper-like appearance, announcing much mineral matter. The climate of
_Tabriz_ is subject also to much thunder, lightning, and rain.
_Tabriz_ is no more the magnificent city described by CHARDIN: all
its large buildings have been destroyed by earthquakes. I rode round
the walls, and estimated the circumference at three miles. Three of
the gates are ornamented with pillars, inlaid with green-lacquered
bricks, and look very respectable; the other five are very small
and mean. The walls are very weak, and here and there renewed with
mud-bricks baked in the sun. The whole town is surrounded by gardens,
which the Persians call _Meewa-khonéh_, or fruit-houses. One of these,
to the West, belonging to HAJEE KHAN MAHOMED, is very extensive, and
planted entirely with fruit-trees, excepting one row of poplars; the
only other wood indeed which I saw at _Tabriz_, and that of which all
the timber-work of their houses is constructed. There are thousands
therefore planted on the borders of every stream about the city. The
abundance of fruit in the season was already evident, by the state
of the gardens, and particularly of the apricot trees. In the spaces
between the lines, were mounds of earths in rows, on which vines were
extended on an angle of about 60°, and irrigated by water introduced
through channels formed by the bases of the mounds.
To the N. W. of the city is a very extensive burial place; over the
whole of which are strewed black blocks of stone or granite, carved in
the manner which I have frequently described, and mostly without an
inscription, though some bore the Arabic character. To the S. W. of the
town are some more of these ancient tombs, one of which is of the red
stone, evidently cut from the adjacent mountains; the others are of a
black marble, which takes a fine polish, but which is now no longer
used, nor could I learn even the situation of the quarries. One of the
stones measured eight feet and a half in length, and two feet and a
half in breadth; and covered probably some very distinguished hero:
near it is a small mosque.
The transparent or rather diaphanous substance, with beautiful veins,
(which is called the marble of _Tabriz_, and which I have described
in some of the public buildings at _Shiraz_ and _Ispahan_) is not
procured near the city or taken from a quarry, but is said to be rather
a petrifaction found in large quantities, and in immense blocks, on
the borders of the lake _Shahee_, near the town of _Meraughéh_. It
takes the finest polish, and is employed in baths, in the wainscoting
of rooms, in tomb-stones, and in every other purpose where ornamental
marble is necessary.
There are twelve public baths, some of which are handsome; and there
is a _bazar_, which extends the length of the city, but it is mean and
dirty. _Tabriz_ has no mosques of any particular merit: on entering
indeed there is the large ruin already mentioned; and to the S. W. of
the city (enclosed in the _Ark_ or fort of _Ali Shah_, which contains
the barracks and magazines) are the remains of another, now converted
into a look-out house. This is a conspicuous, but very unseemly
object, and to me seemed of little use, and from its height to be the
most exposed either to the shock of an earthquake, or to an attack
from a battery. The danger of earthquakes has taught the inhabitants
of _Tabriz_ to build their houses generally as low as possible; and
to employ more wood than brick and plaster, in their construction.
For the same reason the _bazars_ have only wooden roofs, and are not
arched as those in the better cities of Persia. Yet I am told that in
earthquakes, the domed buildings (particularly the _Hummum Khan_, the
largest in _Tabriz_) have invariably stood; where others, the strongest
walls, have been rent asunder.
_Tabriz_ had declined to an insignificant place, when about four years
ago the present Prince, ABBAS MIRZA, the Heir Apparent of the crown,
was appointed to the government of _Aderbigian_, and made it his
capital. When we visited his city, he had resided there four years, and
had guarded the frontiers of Persia against the Russians. During that
time he had repaired and beautified the walls, had made a new _Maidan_,
and erected some new buildings. Indeed, before, there was no place fit
for his habitation; and all the great men attached to his court have
since been obliged to build houses for their own accommodation.
The Prince is said by the Persians to possess every quality, that can
grace a mortal; and (as there are many circumstances in his character,
which his countrymen would never think of inventing) I am inclined to
believe them. They were related to me by the _Hakim_ or Governor of the
city, at whose house I lodged during my residence at _Tabriz_. Some
time ago, three of the Prince’s children died; his _Vizir_ appeared
before him with a mournful face; the Prince observed him, and inquired
the reason: the _Vizir_ hesitated, “Speak,” said the Prince, “is there
any public disaster? have the Russians been successful? have they taken
any more country from us?” “No,” answered the Minister, “it is not
that; your children are sick:” “What of that?” asked the Prince; “But
very sick indeed,” continued the _Vizir_: “Perhaps then they are dead,”
interrupted the Father. His Minister confessed the truth. “Dead!” said
the Prince, “why should I grieve? the state has lost nothing by them;
had I lost three of my good servants, had three useful officers died,
then indeed I should have grieved: but my children were babes, and God
knows whether, if they had grown up to man’s estate, they would have
proved good servants to their country.”
The Prince is remarkable also for the plainness of his dress; he never
wears any thing more than a coat of common _Kerbas_ (a strong cotton
cloth) and a plain shawl round his waist. Whenever he sees any officers
of his court in fine laced or brocade clothes, he asks them, “What is
the use of all this finery. Instead of this gold and tinsel, why not
buy yourself a good horse, a good sword, a good gun; this frippery
belongs to women, not to one, who calls himself a man and a soldier.”
He inspects himself all the detail of his troops, their arms, horses,
and accoutrements, adopting those that appear to him fit for use,
and rejecting those that are below his standard. The Governor of the
city, who related these traits to me, had in his house at the time two
hundred muskets, which the Prince refused out of two thousand, that had
been sent to him from _Teheran_, having himself examined every single
gun, and tried every lock. He is said also to be extremely liberal to
his troops, and to give all his money among them.
When I asked the Governor, if Messrs. JOUANNIN and NERCIAT, of the
French Embassy, (who had arrived a few days before us, and whom I
overtook at _Tabriz_) had as yet departed, he replied that they were
gone. When he came back to me in the evening, he told me that they were
not. He added, that on appearing before the Prince in the morning,
he had related my question and his own answer; on which the Prince
exclaimed, “You told him that they were gone! How could you tell him
such a falsehood; I will not allow any of my servants to speak an
untruth--Go and tell him that they are not gone.” It appeared that the
Governor had been really mistaken in his first report.
The Governor talked also of his Prince’s horsemanship, and skill in
the chase, which were unequalled. He told me that at full gallop the
Prince could shoot a deer with a single ball, or with the arrow from
his bow, hit a bird on the wing. He combines indeed the three great
qualities of the ancient Persians, which XENOPHON enumerates, riding,
shooting with the bow, and speaking truth. His countrymen however
are, in general, less severe in their estimate of the requisites of a
great character, and are content to omit the last trait of excellence;
but they never praise any one without placing in the foremost of his
virtues his horsemanship; in which alone perhaps they possess any
national pride. I once in fact was in some danger of a serious dispute,
by hazarding a doubt, that the Turks rode better than the Persians.
It is quite ridiculous to hear them boast of their own feats on
horseback, and despise the cavalry of every other nation. They always
said, “Perhaps your infantry may surpass ours; but our horsemen are
the first in the world; nothing can stand before their activity and
impetuosity.” In fact, they have courage--one of the first qualities of
a horseman; they ride without the least apprehension over any country,
climb the most dangerous steeps over rock and shrub; and keep their
way in defiance of every obstacle of ground. They have also a firm
seat, and that on a saddle which, among an hundred different sorts,
would be called the least commodious. But that is all; they understand
nothing of a fine hand, nor indeed with their bridles can they learn;
for they use only a strong snaffle, fastened to the rein by an immense
ring on each side, which they place indifferently in the strongest or
weakest mouths: nor do they know how to spare their horses and save
them unnecessary fatigue; for their pace is either a gallop on the full
stretch, or a walk. As a nation, as fit stuff for soldiers, I know of
no better materials. The Persian possesses the true qualities of the
soldier; active, inured to labour, careless of life, admiring bravery,
and indeed (as the chief object of their ambition) aspiring to the
appellation of _resheed_ or courageous.
The greater part of the Prince’s horse were sent out at this season
into different districts, where grass is the most plentiful; and there
were said to be only three thousand men in garrison at _Tabriz_. The
amount of the general force under the government of the Prince,
according to the information of his Prime Minister, is as follows:--
Cavalry 22,000
Infantry 12,000
Infantry disciplined in the European manner 6,000
------
40,000