door-ways, (and which may still be seen by clearing away a little earth and rubbish,) are, in part, composed of fragments of sculptured stones, and of pillars corresponding, in the mode of fluting, with those still standing at Persepolis. We may also remark that the proper name of this ruin is not Mesched Mader i Sooliman, as Sir Robert supposes, but Kasr Aboo Nasr.

Before we take leave of the first volume, we must state that the Knight has throughout called the Prince Governor of Sheeraz, not Hoossein Allee Meerza, which is his name, but Hassan Allee Meerza, which is the name of another son of the King, who has never been Governor of Sheeraz. But this Sir Robert no doubt considers a trifle, as he has given us several specimens of the same sort of inaccuracy.

At Sheeraz, Sir Robert is joined by Dr Sharpe, who is proceeding to Te heran, and who advises the Knight to return northward. They accordingly set out together, and on their third day's march from Sheeraz, they enter a narrow valley, bounded on the right by a mountain, which their guide informs them is Istakhr; but the information is immediately rejected as inaccurate, because, from the form of the mountain, our author imagines that no fort or city could have stood on or beneath it. Yet the guide was right; it was even Istakhr which he pointed out; just there it stands, with its crown of rock, like a huge column rising from the centre of the mountain; and with all due deference to the Knight's knowledge of military matters, we must differ from him in opinion regarding the possibility of constructing a fort on the top; for had he ascended, he would there have found the remains of a considerable fortification.

During this day's march too, near Mayen, our author might have examined the ground on which Aga Mahommed Khan was encamped when Lootf Allee Khan made his famous night-attack on the lines of his rival, and nearly succeeded, with a handful of men, in excluding the Kajars (the present Royal family) from the throne of Persia. But Sir Robert was probably ignorant even of the event which gave interest to the ground over which he was passing.

At Imaum Zada Ismael, (a village so called from its being the buryingplace of Ismael, a descendant from

some one of the Mahommedan saints of the line of their prophet,) Dr Sharpe was taken ill, and they were forced to remain there for some days. Our author admires the domestic policy of his host, who, like the other inhabitants of the sanctified village, was a seyud, or descendant of the prophet, and particularly commends his judgment for dividing his attentions equally amongst his wives. Sir Robert does not seein to be aware that such a division is particularly enjoined by his host's ancestor in the Koran.

From this village the travellers proceeded towards Ispahan; and we have again all the horrors of break-neck roads, beset by merciless banditti, depicted by the Knight in gloomy colours. From Aspass, (the district once governed by one of the Shirleys,) they proceed on their journey; but, before reaching the ancient capital, were destined to sustain a most formidable attack from a party of mounted Bukhtiarees, whom, however, they succeeded in repulsing after a sharp affair, in which the robbers came off second best. We trust the Knight himself saw these Bukhtiarees, otherwise we should be inclined to suspect that the whole affair was a trick of his guards.

At Ispahan, our Knight thought himself sufficiently acquainted with the Persian character to give us a fulllength portrait of it. His account certainly has the merit of novelty. We cannot give it a place here; but we will beg any one who may be desirous to know more about it, to compare it with what he will find on the same subject in the works of Purchas, Chardin, Fryer, Hanway, Colonel Johnstone, and Elphinstone, in his account of Cabul, which, though very short, is perhaps the most accurate of the whole. We will also beg leave to contrast Sir Robert's confidence of his own capability to draw this picture, with what Morier says at the close of his first journal; and take the liberty of mentioning, that Morier had over Sir Robert a signal advantage, in being able to speak a language which is known to almost all the inhabitants of the northern parts of Persia, whereas it is but too obvious that Sir Robert knows nothing of even the colloquial part of any language spoken in Persia ; at least of any language of which he has had occasion to use one word. Of the comparative merits of the works of the

two authors, we think it unnecessary to offer any opinion. It will be sufficiently obvious to any one who will take the trouble to read them.

From Ispahan, Sir Robert betook himself to Hamadan, (Ecbatana,) the ancient capital of Media, and visited the sculptured tablet of arrow-headed writing, which is still to be found in the mountain of Alwend, (Orontes,) above the town. In giving an account of Ecbatana, professedly from Herodotus, our author mis-states, or misunderstands, what has been said regarding it by the historian. On his authority, he gives us the distance of the city from Mount Orontes, which we have not been able to find that he anywhere mentions; and he assures us, that the city had no outer or surrounding wall, which the ancient author certainly affirms that it had; and farther states, that the outer wall was nearly equal in extent to the circumference of Athens. He says that Deioces commanded the body of the people to fix their habitations beyond the walls which protected his residence, by which is to be understood, we presume, that he did not permit them to fix their habitations within the inner walls, which immediately surrounded the Palace and Royal Treasury. This he might very well do (as there were seven lines of walls, one within another) without driving them beyond the last or seventh line.

There are one or two objects of interest at Hamadan, which our Knight has not noticed-though, amongst so much uninteresting matter, a place might have been made for them with advantage. The one is the tomb of Avicenna, (here called Aboo Allee Ebn Senna,) which is venerated by all classes of natives, and in which offerings are made by all the sick people of the vicinity. It is a mean building, with a low dome-shaped roof, and contains an humble tomb, void of any ornament. It is curious to observe how confidently the Persians look for medical assistance from the manes of the departed physician. Another object worthy of remark, is a colossal representation of a lion cut from one great stone. now much mutilated and injured by exposure; but it is probably of Greek workmanship, and some mysterious sanctity is attached to it. When the peasants want rain or wind, they are in the habit of sacrificing a lamb or kid at the foot of this lion; and those

It is

who are too poor to afford either of these animals, sacrifice a fowl. The stone is encrusted with the blood of the victims. This practice looks very like something which had been taught by the Greeks.

The country about Hamadan is inhabited chiefly by the Karagoostoo, or black-eyed tribe of Toork (Tartar) Eeleaut, who have almost all settled themselves in villages, and betaken themselves to agriculture. Their Chief, Sir Robert calls Hagee Mahmoud Khan; but his name is Mahommed Hoossein Khan. We may here mention, that Mahmoud and Mahommed are names as distinct and unconnected as John and James; and that the name which our Knight has given the chief is as different from his real name as Sir Robert Ker Porter is from Sir Rowland.

From Hamadan, the Knight passes towards Kermanshah, and having copied some remarkable sculptures at Tukht i Bostan, proceeds to those of Beeseitoon. While he is busily occupied at the latter place, he is visited by one of the ministers of the Prince Governor of Kermanshah; the oldest son of the Shah, and the only one who had avowed his intention to oppose the succession of his brother Abbas Meerza. The Knight insists upon calling the Prince of Kermanshah Mahmoud Allee Meerza, though his name is Mahommed Allee Meerza; and in the same way misnames almost every Prince whom he has occasion to mention. But to return to the minister. It would appear that he was sent to invite Sir Robert, in the name of his master, to his capital; and to request an opportunity of shewing him the attentions which he was desirous to pay to every British Gentleman. This condescending and truly polite invitation, the Knight not very politely declines, because he had received attentions from Abbas Meerza, and chose to arrogate to himself a right to mix most indelicately in the politics of a country through which he was passing a mere travelling stranger, and to act as if an open and avowed quarrel existed between the two brothers, whereas they at all times appeared publicly on good terms. They had the good sense to cast a veil of politeness and reserve over their inward feelings, which Sir Robert had the want of delicacy and perception to put aside, and considered

himself the enemy of the one, because he had been politely treated by the other. It was a poor compliment to Abbas Meerza, to suppose him capable of being gratified by so petty a display of party spirit in an unknown and unimportant individual, who, entering the country as he did, was bound by every proper feeling to consider himself totally unconnected with its parties and its politics, and to receive, as an act of hospitality and condescension, by which he was highly honoured, the invitation he thus rudely rejected. But the whole is related with an affectation of importance which belongs to Sir Robert; and his whole object appears to be, to make us think himself a person of such consequence, that his visiting, or not visiting, Mahommed Allee Meerza, was likely to be considered a matter of moment by the Prince Royal.-Poor Sir Robert!

In mentioning the extreme cheapness of living in the vicinity of Kermanshah, our author falls, as usual, into an error, in stating the value of coins. He says, three reals (his daily expenditure for ten persons and twelve horses, with mules in proportion) are equal to about two shillings and sixpence of our money; but as six reals are equal to one Dutch ducat, and the ducat is worth more than nine shillings, the three reals must be estimated at not less than four shillings and sixpence sterling-a sum certainly small enough.

From Kermanshah, Sir Robert pursued his journey towards Bagdad, for the purpose of exploring the ruins of Babylon. On the way we have an account of another gallant action, in which our Knight seems, by his firmness, to have preserved the whole caravan, consisting of nearly a thousand pilgrims. Before his arrival at Bagdad, his servants got sick, and he finds himself under the necessity of sending a man in advance to Mr Rich, the East India Company's Resident, to get a supply of money. The keeper of the caravansary, however, having discovered the state of his finances, supplies him liberally, and affords a most gratifying instance of the confidence with which our public. agents in the East have inspired all classes of people in British integrity and honour. Sir Robert remarks how necessary it is, that our Residents and diplomatic agents in those remote countries should be libeVOL. XVI.

ral-minded men, who will supply the pecuniary wants of a traveller without hesitating about "the why or the wherefore ;" and pays a just tribute to the character of Sir Robert Liston and Mr Rich, who have not failed, on emergency, to administer to the wants of their countrymen. But we think these demands on persons in remote situations may be carried too far; and we deeply lament to state, that the undoubting kindness of one at least, if not of both of these gentlemen, has more than once been abused, and that even they are not the only persons who have paid for such liberality.

Our author arrives in Bagdad, with high ideas of the city, borrowed from the Arabian Nights; but finds that the capital of Haroun al Rasheed has changed monstrously since the days of the facetious caliph. In fact, it appears to be a filthy place, and one which no man can enter without sacrificing the splendid associations which these tales had led him to connect with the name of Bagdad.

From hence our author proceeded to the ruins of Babylon, which consist of mounds of various sizes, containing the remains of brick masonry, fragments of tiles and pottery, and one of them at least dead bodies. The Birs i Nimrood is the most remarkable remain, and is supposed to be a remnant of the tower of Babel or Belus. The mound called the Kasr is believed to have been the palace near which Nebuchadnezzar constructed the famous terrace gardens for his Median queen. Regarding the former condition or purpose of the numerous edifices, the sites of which are marked by other mounds of smaller dimensions, no probable conjecture has been formed.

In giving an account of the importance of Babylon in former times, our author has again misquoted Herodotus more than once. He makes that historian say, that the revenues of Babylon constituted half the income of the Kings of Persia ; now Herodotus distinctly says one-third, and not onehalf. He attributes to Nebuchadnezzar, the facing of the bank of the river with brick, and the turning of the river's course to facilitate its accomplishment. Herodotus says, that the river was turned, and the embankment of brick, as well as the bridge, completed by Netocris, queen of Babylon, whose son enjoyed the empire when Cyrus

U

attacked it. Sir Robert farther states, that Babylon had three walls, of which Cyrus destroyed the first, and Darius lowered the second: Heropotus says, "As soon as Darius became master of the place, he levelled the walls, and took away the gates, neither of which things Cyrus had done before." After this, it is as difficult to trust to our author's quotations, or his borrowed information, as to his original descriptions.

We may also mention, that Sir Robert has mis-stated another passage in Herodotus. On one of the Babylonian cylinders, he imagines to be represented some of the females dedicated to the worship of the moon.

"These dedicated females, (says the Knight,) we are told by Herodotus, once in their lives, sat at the shrine of Venus, their heads bound with garlands, and their bodies with cords. Thus exposed, if any stranger threw gold into her lap, she was obliged to retire with him into the temple, where her charms became the victim of its impure rites. The money was then laid upon the altar to be consecrated to the goddess."

Herodotus does not state this of any particular class of females, but distinctly of "every woman who is a native of the country." He does not state that they were led into the temple, but to a distance from the temple, and makes no mention of gold, but particularly asserts that the money, however small, could not be refused.

The disturbed state of the country having put it out of the Knight's power to visit the ruins of Susa, he gives us a short account of it from Major Monteith, with drawings of two scupltured stones, which the Major had seen there. One of them had on one face figures resembling Egyptian hieroglyphics, on another arrow-headed writing. The second had on it a representation of a man lying under the raised paw of a lion. We must exclaim against Sir Robert's drawings of these stones as being antiquarianized to an inadmissibleextent. Major Monteith's sketches, which have been sent to this country, represent the stones with their sculptures, as in the highest preservation, their corners still retaining all their original sharpness. The second stone was found near the tomb of the prophet Daniel.

From Babylon, Sir Robert returned to Bagdad, and entered Koorsdistan

(Carducia) on his way back to Persia. He is here again in the most imminent danger, from banditti and dreadful mountain roads-two perils of which he does not fail to give us ample details wherever he is in want of other matter. In Koordistan, he passes through Sooltaneeah, the ancient Siozurus. The district is even now called Shehr i Zoor, (the city of strength,) of which the ancient name seems to have been a corruption, but Sir Robert writes it Shehr i Zool.

Amongst the marvellous stories which our author has collected, is the account which he gives of the Yezeedee tribe of Koords, called also Zezeedees, whose character he paints in the most terrific colours. He represents them as taking a singular and savage delight in murdering any unfortunate Turk, Persian, Jew, or Christian, on whom they can lay their hands; and concludes by stating, that, "of all the lawless tribes he has ever heard of in the East, this appears the most detestable." Let us compare this with the account given of the same people, by Macdonald Kinnear, who, by some miracle, succeeded in passing through this country without being martyred. He says,

"They (the Zezeedees) are also scattered over this part of Koordistan, and entertain a hereditary antipathy to the Mussulmen, by whom their sect has suffered many bloody persecutions; they are a brave and active race of men, drink wine and other strong liquors; and although cruel from education and principle, yet more tolerant on points of religion, and free from many of the narrow prejudices of their neighbours."

We do not see anything very detestable in this; they are cruel, it is true; but a sect which has suffered many bloody persecutions, may be forgiven for being so; and for the rest, they appear to be really very good fellows. They are brave and active-drink wine, which is much in their favour; and are more tolerant on points of religion, and more free from narrow prejudice, than their neighbours. In short, they seem to be the best people going in that part of the world.

Regarding the modern history of Persia, Sir Robert seems to be nearly as accurately informed as he is on everything else. On his way from Koordistan to Tabreez, he meets a man named Boodah Khan, whom he calls Bondah

Khan, and who he states was blinded by the governor of Maragha for his adherence to the present royal family, when that governor was a competitor for the throne. Now the governor of Maragha was himself one of the firmest adherents of the present royal family; and, after the murder of Aga

Mohammed Khan, preserved the crown jewels for the present king.

Another instance of our traveller's extraordinary inaccuracy, occurs in his list of the governments of the royal princes of Persia. We subjoin it with one corrected from better authority.

By comparing these it will be found, that in a list of ten governments, with the names of their governors, there are no less than six errors. Three princes are misnamed; one government (Mazanderan) is entirely omitted, and one (Ghilan) is put in its place, which was not governed by a prince; while the prince who actually governs Mazanderan is made to govern Khorassan.

Sir Robert seems reluctant to touch anything like statistical information, and certainly not without reason, if we may judge from the few specimens he has given us. We may notice his account of the state of trade between Russia and Persia, which, he assures us, shews a balance much in favour of the former. But, in his calculation, he seems to have entirely omitted the most important of the Persian exports, the silk of Ghilan, a large proportion of which is taken to Russia, and paid for chiefly in cash. In the year 1821, the Georgian merchants from Tiflis brought into Persia 600,000 Dutch ducats, nearly L.300,000 sterling, independent of the sums paid for silk by the merchants of Astrakan, which may

Mazanderan.*

Boorojird.

Teheran.
Chumeen.

be estimated at not less than 200,000 ducats, or L.100,000; giving in favour of Persia a balance of about L.400,000 sterling for the year 1821, the year after Sir Robert left Persia.

From Tabreez Sir Robert went again to Teheran, to take his leave of the Shah, and presented his majesty," as a token of gratitude," a portrait, finished from the sketch which he had made. His majesty received it graciously, and lost no time in sending presents to the artist. This is all very fine; and looks well for Sir Robert, and not amiss for the Shah. But what shall we say when we are informed, that our Knight was much mortified to find his presents only amount to about 200 tomans, and fought a good battle to get a larger value placed on his " token of gratitude?" Nor was he entirely unsuccessful; for the order of the Lion and the Sun was added to what had originally been contemplated, that the Knight might not go away discon◄ tented.

On an excursion which Sir Robert made to the lake of Oroomia, after his return from the capital to Tabreez, he