Herrings, p. 231.]—The herrings of the Caspian are described by P. H. Bruce. Memoirs, p. 261. Tooke speaks of “a fish resembling a herring.” Catherine, II. vol. ii. p. 56.
Coals, p. 231.]—Marco Polo speaks of a combustible stone found in China; which is obviously coal. Ebn Haukal mentions in Ferghaneh, “a stone that takes fire and burns,” p. 250; compare however, p. 272, which seems to imply a more distinct knowledge of coal.
Demawend, p. 231.]—The distance to which according to the text, it is visible is paralleled by that at which Sir Wm. Jones observed the Chumalury mountains from Bhaugalpore. This distance is stated by him at two hundred and forty-four miles: but he adds, that the object might be seen much further. (Note in Lord Teignmouth’s Life of Sir Wm. Jones, p. 253.) Another account gives the first distance from Bhaugalpore at two hundred and fifty miles. P. H. Bruce, (Memoirs, 282) saw Ararat from Derbend at a distance of at least two hundred and ten geographical miles, equal to more than two hundred and forty British measure, in a straight line by the compasses on Major Rennell’s map. Ebn Haukal mentions that Demawend may be seen fifty farsang round, (perhaps one hundred and seventy-five miles.) He adds, “I have not heard that any man ever ascended to its summit;” p. 172. Herbert indeed relates his ascent (Travels), but Olivier can describe only an ineffectual endeavour. Tom. v. p. 125, &c. The difficulties which he encountered, seem to rival those of Tournefort in the attempt to scale Ararat. Tom., ii. 357, &c. The fable of a plant which tinges the teeth of sheep with gold, is not confined to Demawend: it is attached to their favourite mountains by different nations, and may thus be traced to Mount Lebanon; to Mount Elewnd, &c. and the plant, which is convertible into gold, is found, if an alchemist may be believed, in the mountains of Yemen: it was supposed indeed by the Arabs, to constitute the real object of Niebuhr’s Voyage. Description de l’Arabie, p. 123. A mountain so vast, and of a form so peculiar, was naturally connected with the traditionary mythology of the country: and accordingly Demawend was believed to cover with all its weight Zohak, the usurper in the earliest dynasty of their empire. See Champion’s Ferdusí.
Rey, p. 232.]—The ruins of Rey have never been described by 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.