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 is easy and commodious. In winter they generally begin their journey at sun-rise. The baggage proceeds, and then the master. He breakfasts either before he sets off, or in a more pleasant spot on the road, (regarding in each case the advantage of a stream of running water as the motive of preference;) and thus he allows time for his luggage to reach the stage before him, and his people to prepare every thing for his reception, spread his carpets, and get the necessary articles for cooking his dinner. On his arrival he eats his choshtá, or intermediate meal, and then sleeps. At sun-set he takes another repast (his noshtá); and his servants then pack up every thing ready for his departure the next morning. He proceeds by easy stages, generally from five to six leagues a-day, which, as he always rides his own horses, is a good day’s journey at the common rate of travelling. If he has a Mehmandar with him, he is fed and lodged and travels entirely at the public expence. When the Mehmandar arrives at the village, he produces his firman, (in which the kind and quantity of the articles to be provided are specified;) and demands a correspondent supply from the inhabitants.

1st June, 1809. We left the Khoi gate of Tabriz at seven o’clock, and in six hours and a half reached Ali Shah, a distance called by the people of the country six fursungs, and which I reckoned at twenty-four miles. From the top of our lodging at Ali Shah, I could see the mountain near which Tabriz is situated, I can therefore place exactly the bearing of our route, at N. 75 W. We kept to the Eastward of the plain in consequence of the difficulties along the road through the centre, which was then in many places overflowed.

Near Tabriz on the left, are some gardens and houses, called Hucknavar; then the village of Mayan. To the Eastward of the city itself, is a conspicuous hill called the Bahalil Tapé, which abounds in every kind of game. Having travelled three miles from Tabriz on a bearing nearly N. we came to a bridge of nine large and three small arches, thrown over the river Agi, which, flowing from E. to W. falls at length into the lake of Shahee. The river rises near Ardebil; and is fordable by mules where we crossed it, though we preferred the bridge, which happened indeed to be in better repair than those between Teheran and Tabriz. At about four miles from the city, we passed a village called Alwar; and three miles further another of the same name, each surrounded with a cultivated territory, intersected by a thousand dikes and kanauts. The greatest part of the plain is of a soil strongly impregnated with salt; and as in every other district of the same quality, we witnessed the curious effects of the vapour, (called Ser Aub) which overspread the plain. About four miles before we reached Ali Shah, we crossed a bridge of four arches, over a pool of standing salt water. The industry of agriculture was visible, and the crops of barley and corn were luxuriant and promising.

The plain of Tabriz extends far to the W. and S.; the mountains which border it on those directions being just designed in very light tints in the horizon. To the Northward and Eastward it is bounded by hard-featured lands of an inferior elevation, indicating on their surfaces the minerals below. There are several pretty villages situated to the North, on the declivity of the mountain about three or four miles from Ali Shah, and which, together with it and others to the W. are in the Mahalé or district of Ghunéh.

The lake of Shahee is about seven fursungs from Ali Shah, and the middle of the long mountain (which extends into the centre of the lake, and which now appeared isolated on the horizon of the plain) bore S. 50 W. of our station.

In my progress to Constantinople, I traversed a country in its conformation most picturesque, and in its productions most luxuriant. No traveller in any season, or in any direction, could have passed these scenes without admiration; but I saw them in all the richness of spring, contrasted with a winter in Persia; and after the leafless and barren region which I had passed, I enjoyed doubly the wild prodigality of vegetation, which in the early part of the year is displayed through Asia Minor. The impression therefore of delight which I experienced, was strongest at the first point of contrast; and the first verdure and foliage which I saw near Tabriz, appeared to me to constitute the very perfection of landscape.

2d June. If a writer of romance would describe beautiful scenery, he might select our departure from Ali Shah. We began our journey by a most charming moonlight; and the sky was delightfully serene. Just as the sun was rising we reached an orchard, (full of every species of fruit, particularly almonds, and) skirting the town of Shebester; which, embosomed in trees of every hue, was situated on the declivity of the mountains on our right.

Shebester is a large town, surrounded by several villages, and by more wood and cultivation, than any spot I had yet seen in Persia. Hitherto indeed the want of trees, either as a shade to the road, or as a relief to the inequalities of the heights, had been constant and uniform. We admired therefore doubly the beauties of our present course. Streams of running water were meandering in every direction amid the numerous willows, poplars, almonds, and other trees, which bordered our road: and at intervals the artificial dikes were opened to admit water into the beds of rice. The greater part of the country was covered with verdure, for the new corn was already well advanced both in maturity and plenty. Peasantry enlivened the fields by the labours of the spade or the plough.

After quitting Shebester we came in full view of the delightful lake of Shahee. It derives its name from the surrounding Mahalé, which may contain twenty villages. I was told that its waters are as salt as the sea, and that the sand over which they flow, produces the salt used at Tabriz. It extended itself N. W. and S. E. before us, and its Western extremities were terminated by a stupendous chain of mountains, whose snowy summits, softened by the haze, contrasted admirably with the light azure of the lake. As we proceeded, the long mountain (which I mentioned in the route of yesterday, extending itself and forming a peninsula in the lake) appeared to have no connection whatever with the surrounding lands; and, by a stranger to the real topography, would have been pronounced an island. Its termination (to the south as seen from our road) was in the form of a sugar-loaf.