any European traveller: if a brief and nameless notice of them by
TAVERNIER, tom. i. 313, (who had no suspicion of their history, and
perhaps never saw them,) can be considered an exception. From the
Oriental authorities indeed he was enabled to compile a table of
latitudes and longitudes; and to insert _Rey_ as 35° 35´ lat. 70°
20´. long. Tom. i. p. 404. But even the position of the ruins appears
imperfectly known to CHARDIN; and they were sought in vain by one
of the latest and most intelligent of his successors, OLIVIER, who
looked for them considerably too much to the south. See tom. v. p.
160-1. GARDANNE, who was at _Teheran_, allots to _Rey_ only three
lines; nor indeed does he state distinctly that he was writing from
his own observation. Yet his account, however imperfect in itself, is
striking in its close. “A l’est de _Teheran_, ruines de _Rey_, ancienne
_Rhages_, et patrie de HAROUN EL RACHID. Les Persans disent que _Rey_
avoit trois millions d’habitans. _Le mot Revolution explique toutes les
Calamités._” P. 72.
The history of _Rhages_ requires no illustration in the days of its
greatness; and that greatness, with more than the fortune of other
cities, has twice revolved. Its second rise under the Mahomedans, has
indeed been less traced than its first origin, though it was the birth
place of HAROUN EL RESCHID, and one of the favourite seats of his
magnificence. It was then one of the capitals of the _Buiya_ Sultans;
see DE SACY, Memoires, &c. p. 145, 147, &c. And was taken by MAHMUD,
of _Ghizni_, when he destroyed their dynasty. Mod. Univ. Hist. iii.
195. It was subsequently one of the two great cities of the empire
of the _Seljukians_; and as such demanded by the Emperor ROMANUS,
who in the decline of the Roman power, imitated all the insolence of
its greatness. With the Parthians and the Persians, his predecessors
had indeed often used this tone of presumption, and as often failed
in the wars of which it was the prelude. Thus CRASSUS, when he was
marching to his own destruction, told the Parthian Embassadors that
he would give his answer at their capital: JULIAN, in the midst of
his own unhappy expedition, replied to the overtures of SAPOR, that
he would himself visit the Persian court; and thus ROMANUS, with an
insolence unparalleled and intolerable, required from ALP ARSLAN,
before he would listen to any terms, the surrender of _Rey_, one of
his capitals. The sequel of each event is too familiar to be noticed.
_Rey_ still remained one of the greatest and most flourishing cities
of the East; _Ispahan_, _Nishapour_, and _Bagdad_, alone rivalling
it. EBN HAUKAL, in the tenth century, describes it fully; but in his
day, though the commercial and civil greatness of the city was at its
height, its defences had declined; and the wall around the suburbs was
falling to decay; p. 176, p. 157, p. 172. Nevertheless it survived
more revolutions; it was a very considerable city when it was taken
by GENGHIZ KHAN, PETIT DE LA CROIX, p. 277: and still, two centuries
afterwards, it was one of the seats of the government of SHAH ROKH,
the son of TIMUR. Mod. Univ. Hist. v. 394. From his death, which
happened there A.D. 1146, it ceases to maintain a conspicuous place in
the history of Persia; and is now venerable only in the remains of its
ancient grandeur.
_Taxation by hides, p. 236._]--This measure of taxation was not
uncommon; it is sufficient to add, that it still seems to regulate
the collection in other parts of the East: for in some extracts from
MAHOMED SADUCK’S Journey to _Cabul_, it is said that “_Herat_ extends
from the city of _Ferah_ to _Khaf_ and _Backhury_. Twelve lacks;
supposed to be the net produce of as much land as twelve thousand
pair of bullocks can plough, all expended in civil and military
establishments.”
_The noose, p. 243._]--The noose was _Rustam’s_ ancient implement of
war.
_Lamb Skins, p. 246._]--The most valuable lamb-skins are perhaps taken
prematurely from the ewe killed for the purpose. The fabulous supplies
of the _Barometz_ (“the vegetable lamb” of DARWIN, Loves, canto i. 282)
were perhaps invented by the Tartars to conceal from their European
traders the cruelty of the practice. BELL denies the existence of the
_Barometz_, vol. i. 43, which however is well established, though
its properties may be doubted. P. H. BRUCE, in his Memoirs, p. 336,
asserts the fact that the ewes are killed before parturition for the
sake of the lambs; the skins of which are then in their greatest
beauty, with the hair lying “in short smooth pretty curls.” The trade
is very profitable to the _Nagayan_ Tartars, who sell the best for ten
shillings. CHARDIN mentions some in his day at fifteen franks. The wool
even of those whose lives are spared for a fortnight, lies in waves,
and resembles a piece of damask, the lamb having been guarded from its
birth by linen sewed round it. TOOKE’S Nations of Russia, vol. ii. 136,
267.
_Shalwars, p. 247._]--“When they go a hunting, they wear _Shalwars_,
or long trowsers which reach up to the arm pits, into which they cram
all their clothes; and a _Kerguisian_ in this dress may be taken at
a distance for a monstrous pair of breeches on horseback.” TOOKE’S
Russia, ii. 280.
_Mountains between Teheran and Tabriz, Chap. XIV._]--The mountains seen
in this direction were in the middle ages the seats of the Dilemites;
the subjects of HASSAN, _Sheik al Jebal_, HASSAN “the chief or the old
man of the mountains,” whose power is familiar to every reader, and
from whose name the word _assassin_ has been derived, with an evil
import, in half the modern languages of Europe. The constant recurrence
of the tale of his enchanted palace in the old travellers, MARCO POLO,
HAITHON, &c. is sufficient evidence of some general foundation in
truth. HOLAKOU, the son of GENGHIZ KHAN, routed out the _Hassanites_.
_Tourchiz, p. 265._]--This place occurs in the route of FORSTER, who
mentions _Mesched_, as said to be one hundred miles north-west of
_Turshish_. Vol. ii. p. 154. It was held at that time by ABEDULLAH,
an independant Persian chief, p. 165; but FORSTER, who spent above
a fortnight in the town, does not allude to any wealth deposited
there. In MAHOMED SADUCK’S journey, the capital of the district of
_Turshiz_ and _Co Surkh_, is called _Sultania_, which is probably the
_Sultanabad_ of FORSTER, another name for the old town of _Turshiz_. P.
165.
_Miaunéh, p. 268._]--At this spot died the celebrated traveller
THEVENOT. See the note of his death, tom. v. GARDANNE says, “Ses
Papiers et ses livres furent, dit on, enlevés et gardés par le Cadi.”
P. 41.
_Number of oxen to a plough, p. 275._]--It is curious to trace in
TOURNEFORT the encrease in the number of cattle thus employed, as he
advances into Georgia: near _Arz-roum_, they will yoke three or four
pair to one plough, p. 213; near _Cars_, ten or twelve, p. 216. Still
farther on, in Georgia itself, fourteen or fifteen pair, p. 224. Vol.
ii. of the translation.
_Prince Royal of Persia, p. 279._]--The character of ABBAS MIRZA,
Prince of _Tabriz_, is so striking in Oriental history, that every
support, which can be given to the accuracy of the description, is
important. GARDANNE confirms some of the more remarkable traits in
the text: “Il veut relever sa nation, et il a l’ambition de la gloire
militaire. S’il perd un General on un Guerrier, il dechire ses habits
et donne les marqués de la plus vive douleur. Il a perda dernièrement
des enfans, et n’a temoigné aucun chagrin. Pour expliquer cette
indifference, il faut connaître les mœurs. Nous demandons à un grand
Seigneur le nombre de ses enfans. Il répond naïvement qu’il n’en sait
rien, se tourne du côté de son Secrétaire et le lui demande; celui ci
répond: dix-sept.” p. 36. The following anecdote is connected with the
French character; it occurs in the account of an entertainment given
to the French Mission by the Prince’s Minister. “Après le repas, les
danseurs font des tours de force. Le Vizir nous dit: mon maitre n’aime
pas les danseurs, il les a tous chassès de _Tauris_. J’ai appellé
ceux-cé des villages voisins, ayant appris de l’Ambassadeur de Perse,
que ce divertessement était agréable a votre nation.” P. 37. See
others, p. 38-9.
_Ships on the Caspian, p. 287._]--Every reader of HANWAY will recollect
the extreme importance which NADIR attached to the formation of a fleet
in the Caspian, where the famous JOHN ELTON was induced to become his
Admiral. The dock-yards in the Persian Gulph must import all their
timber from India; but the southern shore of the Caspian contains on
the spot the amplest supplies. The turbulent character of the Arabs
of the Gulph, induced NADIR SHAH to meditate their removal from their
own country; and their nautical skill and experience suggested to him
the idea of transplanting them profitably into the provinces along
the Caspian, and replacing them in their ancient seats by the people
whom they thus dispossessed. But all his projects were overwhelmed
in the confusion which followed his death; and the only naval power,
(with the exception of a few small vessels against the Turcomans),
which Persia had ever formed in the Caspian, was thus annihilated.
NADIR SHAH collected a fleet in the Gulph also; and made _Bushire_ the
port of _Shiraz_. NIEBUHR, tom. ii. p. 75. Here he had assembled from
twenty-two to twenty-five ships, built for him at _Bombay_ and _Surat_,
&c.; but these were all neglected and dispersed at his death.
_Language of Ghilan, p. 288._]--_Ghilan_, the country of the ancient
_Gelæ_, was, according to EBN HAUKAL, p. 174, the level tract along the
Caspian, of that province, which in its mountainous parts was called
_Dilem_. Now _Dilem_ was with _Media Inferior_, _Mazanderan_, and the
countries between the Caspian and the Tigris, one of the original seats
of the _Pehlavie_. _Heeren_. Act. Soc. Gotting. tom. xiii. _Dilem_
was also a retreat of that language. In the breaking up of a great
empire, the institutions of the conquered race always linger in the
extremities. The Caucasus, the country of _Derbend_, _Segestan_, and
_Kerman_, thus sheltered the ancient language and religion of Persia:
and thus the mountains of _Dilem_ retained till the tenth century, the
worship of fire; and perhaps, therefore, the _Pehlavie_, with which
that worship had been connected. EBN HAUKAL observes of _Taberistan_,
the adjoining tract, “they have a peculiar dialect, neither Arabick
nor Persian: and in _many_ parts of _Deilman_ their language is not
understood.” In a country separated by these circumstances, and by its
local situation from the rest of Persia, it is not improbable that
there may still exist some traces of a distinct language: and as to
the imperfections incident to the want of written memorials, Sir WM.
JONES, in his Discourse on the Arabs, has prepared us to think that Dr.
JOHNSON’S reasoning is too general.
_The Cookery of the Turcomans, p. 290._]--Their cookery is something
like that of the Arabs described by CAPPER. There is a full account of
the two hordes, the Eastern and Western Turcomans, in a note by the
French editor of the Genealogical History of the Tatars, p. 535-8. See
also TOOKE, ii. 93. Their wealth in money in every age has been very
great; because, like the Arabs, and every other pastoral people on the
confines of great civilized empires, they sell the necessaries of life,
and will not buy the luxuries. LA ROQUE, p. 157, remarks accordingly,
that in the time of PLINY, the riches both of the Romans and of the
Parthians were melted down among the Arabs. HARMER’S Observations, vol.
i. p. 122. CHARDIN in his MSS. notes in HARMER, says, that they are
like ABRAHAM, “very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.”
_CHAP. XVI._]--The country from _Tabriz_ and _Arz-roum_ may almost be
considered as new ground in European description. GARDANNE is the only
other traveller who has traced this route, (Journal, &c. p. 21-35);
but the information which he collected in his passage is so limited,
that he appears to know nothing of the Lake of _Shahee_; or rather in
travelling along its shores, he confounds it with that of _Van_, which
is at least one hundred miles from the spot where he places it; p. 35.
The country between _Arz-roum_ and _Tocat_ is described by TOURNEFORT,
tom. ii. and by TAVERNIER, tom. i. p. 12-19: and as one of the great
roads from _Bagdad_, &c. falls in at _Tocat_, the further progress to
Constantinople is continued on Mr. MORIER’S line, by TAVERNIER, i.
1-12. OTTER ii. 330-357. HOWELL, p. 102-132. JACKSON, p. 203-236. ABOO
TALEB, ii. 256-264. GARDANNE, p. 114-119; see also p. 1-13.
_Khoi, p. 299._]--The singularity of the walls of _Khoi_, is noticed by
GARDANNE, with a more singular illustration: “_Qu-oye_ est entouré de
murailles et de tours, et ressemble exactement aux gravures de _Jerico_
que l’on voit dans les Bibles.” P. 34.
_Ararat, p. 306._]--The height of _Ararat_ can best be understood by
considering the distance at which it may be seen. CHARDIN mentions that
it is visible at _Marant_: tom. i. p. 253; BRUCE, that he saw it at
_Derbend_, Memoirs, p. 282; STRUYS, whom OLIVIER well characterises as
“Romanesque,” describes his ascent to visit a sick hermit at the top,
p. 208, &c.; but TOURNEFORT, one of the first of travellers, has stated
so fully the difficulties of his own attempt, that probably they have
never yet been overcome. The mountain is divided into three regions
of different breadths; the first, composed of a short and slippery
grass or sand “aussi facheux que les Syrtes d’Afrique,” is occupied by
shepherds; the second, by tygers and crows; the remainder, which is
half the mountain “est couverte de neige depuis que l’arch y arreta,
et ces neiges sont cachées la moitié de l’année sous les nuages fort
epais. Les tygres que nous apperçumes ne laissérent pas de nous faire
peur,” p. 358. It was impossible to go forwards and penetrate to the
third region; and not easy to go back: at length, utterly exhausted,
they reached the bottom, “nous rendîmes graces au Seigneur d’en être
revenus, car peut-être que nous serions perdus ou que nous serions
morts de faim sur cette Montagne,” p. 371. If these were the sensations
with which TOURNEFORT regarded his enterprise, the common belief of
the country may well be admitted, that no one ever yet ascended the
_Ararat_ of the Armenians.
_P. 317._]--_Hassan Cala_ is the ancient _Theodosiopolis_. D’ANVILLE,
Geogr. Anc. vol. ii. p. 100.
_Arz-roum, p. 320._]--This city has been more generally written,
_Erz-roum_, as CHARDIN, &c.; but from the definition assigned to it by
TOURNEFORT, tom. ii. p. 257, 276, and adopted by D’ANVILLE, Geogr. Anc.
tom. ii. 99; that of the _Arza_ of _Rum_, (the Asia Minor occupied by
the Roman Empire) the present reading is established. The plain, in
which it is built, is included by TOURNEFORT, p. 325, in that district,
which he regards as the site of the terrestrial paradise. Yet the cold
of a region so elevated as that which contains the springs of the
_Euphrates_ and the _Araxes_ must be extreme: nor can the beauty of
the spot be at all assisted by forest scenery; Mr. MORIER has observed
the scarcity of wood, and TOURNEFORT says, that there is no fuel but
pine wood, and that is brought two or three days journey, p. 259.
_Arz-roum_ was an early Christian bishoprick, in its civil history it
was alternately subject to the Empire of Constantinople and _that_
of Persia. In the eleventh century it stood a siege of six days,
when the assailants, expecting that it would be relieved, sacrificed
their hopes of booty, and set fire to the place, consuming in it so
many, that, with the destruction in the six previous days, swelled
the total loss of lives to one hundred and forty thousand. In the
thirteenth century it appears as the ARGYRON of MARCO POLO. The city
contained in TOURNEFORT’S time (1700) eighteen thousand Turks, six
thousand Armenians, and four hundred Greeks. The Jesuits reckoned eight
thousand Armenians, and one hundred families of the Greeks. The present
population is estimated by GARDANNE at one hundred and thirty thousand,
p. 21. In the former commerce of Asia Minor it was, “le passage et le
reposoir de toutes les marchandises des Indes.” TOURNEFORT describes
the influence of the French; and seems pleased that the Turks pay more
regard to the recommendations of the King of France, than to those of
the Mufti of Rome.
_Mama Khatoun, p. 327._]--A spot near _Mama Khatoun_ is suggested by
TOURNEFORT as the scene of the great battle between MITHRIDATES and
POMPEY.
_P. 356._]--_Geredéh_ is the _Carus_ of the Romans. R.
_Canal from the Lake Sabanja, p. 360._]--The ancient Kings of
Bithynia had left unfinished a canal from the _Nicomedian Lake_, the
modern _Sabanja_. The younger PLINY, when Governor of the province,
recommended the undertaking to TRAJAN. PLIN. Epist. x. 46. TRAJAN,
in reply, desires him to take care that the lake be not exhausted by
letting its waters into the sea. Ep. 51. PLINY, Epist. 69, suggests
sufficient in answer to prove that this danger might be obviated;
though his project, however practicable or profitable, was never
realized. TRAJAN’S Letter, 70. At the end of sixteen centuries it was
revived by the Grand Vizir, KUPRIGLI. It was destined to communicate
with other rivers, and to open a water carriage into the centre of
those immense forests, which in every age have supplied the arsenals
of Constantinople. But the project was sacrificed to a timely bribe
offered by those who had monopolized the conveyance of the timber by
land; and KUPRIGLI, at the eve of the accomplishment, was deprived of
the glory of completing that which PLINY and TRAJAN had projected in
vain.
APPENDIX.
APPENDIX, No. I.
_MONEY IN PERSIA._
(THOSE IN ITALICS HAVE ONLY A NOMINAL EXISTENCE. ACCOUNTS ARE KEPT IN
_DINARS_ AND PIASTRES.)
5 _Dinars_ = 1 _Ghauz_.
20 _Dinars_ = 1 Beestee.
25 _Dinars_ = ½ Shahee.
50 _Dinars_ = 1 _Shahee_.
500 _Dinars_ = 10 _Shahee_ = ½ Groush.
1,000 _Dinars_ = 20 _Shahee_ = 1 Groush[130].
1,250 _Dinars_ = 1 Real[131].
2,500 _Dinars_ = 50 _Shahee_ = 1 Ashreffee.
10,000 _Dinars_ = 10 Piastres = 1 Tomaun.
3 _Shahee_ = 1 Shahee[132].
4 _Shahee_ = 1 _Abassee_.
8 Shahee = 1 Real or Rupee[133].
100,000 Rupees = 1 Lack.
APPENDIX, No. II.--1.
_ROUTES IN PERSIA._
ITINERARY FROM BUSHIRE TO SHIRAZ,[134]
WITH THE POPULATION AND TRIBUTE.
-------------------+--------+--------+------------+
| Houses.|Tomauns.|Kherwars.[135]|
-------------------+--------+--------+------------+
| | | |
BUSHIRE to | | | |
ALICHANGEE[136] | 150 | 60 | 900 |
Ahmediéh | 170 | -- | -- |
Sermel | 200 | -- | -- |
Eesevendee | 100 | -- | -- |
Khosh Aub | 100 | -- | -- |
BORAZJOON | 2000 | 260 | 5600 |
DAULAKEE | 1000 | 600 | -- |
KHONAR TACKTA | -- | -- | -- |
Khisht | 600 | 660 | 660 |
KHAUMARIDGE | 500 | -- | -- |
Derees | 1000 | 150 | -- |
KAUZEROON | 4000 | 2500 | 2500 |
ABDOUI | 800 | 320 | -- |
DESHT-E-ARJUN | 600 | 160 | 100 |
KHONÉ ZENIOUN | 25 | -- | -- |
BAGH SHAH CHERAGH | -- | -- | -- |
SHIRAZ | 12,000 | -- | -- |
ZERGOON | 1000 | 160 | 600 |
MIRHAUST GAUN | -- | -- | -- |
Persepolis | -- | -- | -- |
In the plain are } | -- | 3500 | 5000 |
sixty villages } | | | |
SEEWUND | 170 | -- | -- |
KEMEEN | 1000 | 700 | 1000 |
MORGHAUB | 1000 | 300 | 700 |
DEIBEED | 100 | 60 | -- |
KHONÉ KHORRÉH | -- | -- | -- |
SURMEK | 1000 | -- | -- |
ABADÉH | 1000 | -- | -- |
SHOOLGISTOUN | 100 | -- | -- |
YEZDIKHAUST | 600 | 120 | 120 |
MAXHOUD BEGGY | -- | -- | -- |
KOMESHAH | 6000 | 3000 | 4000 |
MAYAR[137] | 200 | 100 | 100 |
ISPAHANEK | 150 | 40 | 40 |
ISPAHAN | 80,000 | 70,000 | 50,000 |
GEZ | 500 | 400 | 300 |
MOURCHEKOURD | 300 | 200 | 200 |
KOHROUD | 200 | 200 | 100 |
Kashan | 5000 | 3500 | 3500 |
NUSSERABAD | 250 | -- | -- |
KOOM | 3000 | 2500 | 1200 |
POOL DALLAUK | -- | -- | -- |
KINAR-A-GIRD | 600 | -- | -- |
TEHERAN | 12,000 | -- | -- |
-------------------+--------+--------+------------+
APPENDIX, No. II.--2.
ITINERARY FROM KOOM TO SULTANIEH.[138]
-----------------+----------------+-----------------------------------
Miles. | |Houses.
|Fur. | | |Tomauns.
| Hours.| | | |Kherwars.
-----+-----+-----+----------------+----+----+----+--------------------
26 | 6 | 6 | _Mudjd-abad_ | 40 | 50 | 40 | In going from _Koom_,
| | | | the _Teheran_ road is left, which
| | | | goes more to the eastward. At three
| | | | _fursungs_ from _Koom_ the celebrated
| | | | enchanted hill, called “_Gedden
| | | | gelmez_,” i. e. _who goes and never
| | | | returns_, is passed. Near _Mudjd-abad_,
| | | | crossed a small river running east.
| | | | | | |
36 | 9 | 8 | _Daung_ A small village| At two _fursungs_ from
| | | | _Mudjd-abad_, pass a fort called
| | | | _Turragnareen_, and some streams of
| | | | water, and on the right a village.
| | | | _Sauva_, a considerable town, is five
| | | | _fursungs_ from _Mudjd-abad_: two or
| | | | three miles on the left, near _Daung_,
| | | | saw a distant range of mountains to
| | | | the N. covered with snow.
| | | | | | |
45 | 12 | 10 | _Sakisabad_ | 150| 150| 300| Six _fursungs_ from
| | | | _Daung_, passed a round caravanserai
| | | | called _Jeeb_. It is situated at the
| | | | entrance of hills, on leaving the plain
| | | | of _Daung_. After passing the hills,
| | | | descended into the large plain, in
| | | | which _Casvin_ is said to be situated;
| | | | here are a number of small villages.
| | | | Wind fresh from the N.W. which is
| | | | called, _Baad Gagazgoon_, from a place
| | | | of that name, from which quarter it
| | | | blows.[139]
| | | | | | |
26 | 7 | 5 | _Bostanuk_ | 150| 150| 200| _Bostanuk_ is in a
| | | | very extensive plain, with many
| | | | villages and cultivation. The people
| | | | talk Turkish.
| | | | | | |
8 | 8 | 6 | _Khorremderéh_ | 400| 300| 400| More villages and more
| | | | cultivation than before. Through the
| | | | ravine, in which this village is
| | | | situated, runs a small river.
| | | | | | |
20 | 8 | - | _Sultaniéh_ | - | - | - | The Royal camp: halted
| | | | eight miles from the camp.
| | | | | | |
-----+-----+-----+----------------+----+----+----+--------------------
APPENDIX, No. II.--3.
ITINERARY FROM SULTANIEH TO BAGDAD, FROM DR. JUKES’S JOURNAL.