the collection of the water of the Kara-chai, a small river said to take its rise in the Kuh-e-Zerd, near Burujird, and flowing in a brackish stream to the pool, e-Dellak. The dam is now in a ruinous condition, the water escaping from the bottom. The village of Avé stands on the site of an ancient town of the same name, distant 4 fursacks or 16 miles from Savé, and has been alluded to by the old traveller Marco Polo.*

All that I could learn respecting Avé is, that it is the site of an ancient city, of which some slight traces remain; that it has a mound on which formerly there stood a Guebre castle; and that the spot is in some degree held in reverence on account of the burial there of certain Mahomedan worthies. Of Marco Polo's story of the three kings no tradition appears to remain. By this account, however, Savé has once boasted of the honour now claimed by Cologne, and possibly such relics might have been transported from this country to the banks of the Rhine in a credulous and bigoted age.

The government of Savé comprehends that of Zerend and Karakan under the general designation of Khalejistan, embracing an extensive tract of country. From an account taken during the reign of Futteh-Aly-Shah, the district of Savé then contained 32 villages, that of Zerend 54, and that of Karakan 39; or in all 125 villages. The names of the villages which I ascertained amounted to 98. Several tribes occupy this country (Khalejistan), residing either in fixed habitations or leading a wandering life. The former are Begdelli, Ajerlu, Beyat, and Khalej; the two last of which are the principal ones. The Eleats or Nomades are mostly of the Shahseven tribe, stated to number in this part about 2000 families, besides which there are likewise a few of the "Arab" tribe.

I remained a day at Savé, and left again early the following morning.

October 6.-Our way led us to the village Bagh-e-Sheikh, situated 5 miles E.S.E. of Savé, and alighting here at a brick caravanserai, I obtained the following bearings:

"Persia contains a city called Sava, whence the three Magi came to adore Jesus Christ when born at Bethlehem. In that city are buried the three in separate tombs, above which is a square house carefully preserved. Their hearts are still entire, with their hair and beards. One was named Balthazar, the other Gaspar, and the third Melchior. Messer Marco inquired often in that city about these three Magi, but no one could tell him anything, except that they were ancient kings who were there buried. They informed him, however, that three days farther was a tower called the Castle of the Fire-worshippers, because the men there venerate fire, and for the following reason:-They say that anciently three kings of that country went to adore a certain prophet newly born, and carried their offerings, gold, incense, and myrrh, to know if he was a king, a god, or a sage: for they said if he took gold, he was a king; if incense, he was a god; if myrrh, he was a sage, &c. One of these kings was of Saba, the other of Ava, and the other of the Castle."

Village, ruins, and mound of Avé

N. 15° W.
S. 25 W.
S.E.

S. 10 W.

(near the foot of the mountains bounding the plain on the S.)

Thence we travelled to the village Terez Nahid E.S.E., a distance of 4 miles, beyond which the plain presents large patches of kevvir, or salt desert, consisting of a light and highly saline soil, almost destitute of vegetation, which on the fall of rain becomes a bog or marsh. On drying it cracks all over and breaks up, as though from the action of the plough, and in this state a horse will generally sink to its fetlocks in it. From Terez Nahid the bearings were S. 25° E. for a short space, then S.E. and S.S.E. to the village and caravanserai of Mujidabad, situated at 17 miles from Savé. The village is a ruin, but the caravanserai is a new and well constructed brick building. From this place I obtained bearings:

This road is much frequented by caravans passing between the northern and southern extremities of the country. Merchandise destined for the south from Kazvin and northwards, or such as comes from the south to any of those parts, would not be carried to Tehrán, but by the more direct road between Kazvin and Kúm, the difference being considerable, about 13 fursacks or 52 miles; thus:

October 7.-We were off at 20 minutes to 3 this morning, and proceeding E.S.E., crossed at the 2nd mile the Kara-chai, a paltry

little stream at this part, only about 10 yards wide and a few inches deep. It must be remembered, however, that in its course thus far from the mountains it gives life to many villages, for each of which more or less water is taken off in irrigation. At about the 4th mile we passed to our left the village Kalé Sefter, after which the direction varied between S.E. and E.S.E., until at 8 miles we reached the Kuh-e-Nemek (Hill of Salt), an isolated rocky mountain, several hundred feet high, from which saline springs issue, form a marsh and pond around, and leave a thick deposit of salt. The interstices and gullies of the hill are likewise full of salt, which appears to impregnate or perhaps forms the interior mass of the hill. Large slabs of this mineral are removed for general use. The hill is a natural curiosity, well worth visiting. It is regarded with superstitious feeling by the natives, who say that "he who goes to it returns not." The probability is that the ascent, at least in parts, may be rendered dangerous by the boggy and infirm nature of the soil, and accidents occurring have given rise to the superstition. I ascended a short distance, but found it so precipitous and slippery, that I could not advance far at that point. Leaving this we proceeded 5 miles in direction S.E., near some low hills, which here interrupted the plain on our left; afterwards the direction became S.E. by E., and then gradually E. by S., along the plain of Kúm, which town, after passing some wellcultivated land and crossing a low bridge over a small stream (the Nalbar), we entered at the end of the 21st mile, the distance from the Kuh-e-Nemek being about 12 miles.

According to D'Anville, Kúm occupies the site of Choana. Kinneir considers it to have been built in the year of the Hidjra 203, from the ruins of seven towns which composed a small sovereignty under Abd-ul-Rahman, an Arabic prince. I was informed that these towns were called Beravistan, Serajeh, Annabar, Seymereh, Abristejan, Kemidan, Jemkeran; but the names are no longer to be recognised in those of the different divisions of the place, which at present amount to eighteen. Another and more ancient origin, however, is attributed to this town in Persian annals. Savé and Kúm are, according to this account, of the same date, and arose in the reign of Hurshung; Savé was Shehr-e-Pur, and Kúm was Kunb.*

At present the title by which it is known in official documents is Dar-ul-Aman, or place of security; in reference to its sanctuary, the shrine of Fatimeh, the sister of Imám Hussein. Here several of the sovereigns of Persia have been interred, including Shah Seffee, Shah Suliman, Shah Abbass the Second, and Shah Sultan

*Kinneir informs us that Kúm was destroyed by the Afghans when they invaded Persia in 1722.

Hussein, all of the Seffavean line of the present dynasty, FuttehAly-Shah and his grandson Mahomed Shah. It is a great resort of Shieh pilgrims, and a place where Mahomedan bigotry is abundantly displayed. A handsome building encloses the shrine, the cupola of which is covered with gilt tiles, the work of FuttehAly-Shah; but I was not permitted to enter, a surly seyed warning my conductor that it was against the rules. Adjoining it is a handsome mudresseh, or college, consisting of an oblong court, tastefully planted with trees and shrubs, and surrounded by buildings with four handsome gateways, erected, it is said, by the last-named sovereign in fulfilment of a vow. Adjoining it again is another court and surrounding buildings, consisting of an hospitium and establishment for the sick, built by the same sovereign. A small annual allowance was formerly made from the revenues of the country for the maintenance of this establishment; but at present, beyond the accommodation afforded by the bare apartments, there is no provision for distress or sickness. Kúm appears to be a place of considerable extent, enclosed within walls now in a very dilapidated state, with a ditch outside. Like most Persian towns, a portion of it is in ruins; but I was agreeably disappointed by its appearance and the extent of its bazars, and was informed that it is gradually increasing its population, though the governor, Mirza Fezl-ullah, affirmed that its stationary population does not exceed 12,000 of both sexes. The number of strangers in it, however, is considerable, and 20,000 is by others credibly mentioned as the probable population. I was told there may be 400 shops in its bazars, of which I counted 37, appropriated chiefly to the sale of Manchester goods.

The little stream Annabar or Nalbar, which flows by its western side, takes a course to the N.E., and is lost in the desert. It is said to have its rise near Burojird at the Kuh-e-Zerd, seven stages off, and on its way passes near Dudehek. Kúm is not at all a commercial- or manufacturing town, yet there are about twenty caravanserais, generally small ones, three of which are building, whilst two are undergoing repair, which is a proof of the increasing prosperity of the place. China wares of cheap quality and pottery are made at Kúm, and its jars for cooling water are much esteemed. The climate appears to be salubrious, though very warm in summer, and the harvest is reaped about twenty days earlier than at Tehran.

The districts belonging to Kúm are not very populous or productive. They extend north and south from Sadrabad 2 fursacks, north of the pool e-Dellak to Shurab about 12 fursacks, and east to west about 7 fursacks; their names are Vazkerud, Komrud, Jasb, and Garpan, containing about thirty-three villages.

Ardebal is a district at present attached to the Government of Kúm, and lying south of the town; but, properly speaking, it

belongs to Kashan. It contains a great many mezrach, or detached cultivated lands, and seven villages: 1. Meshed; 2. Kulejar; 3. Armek; 4. Kermek; 5. Shunek; 6. Sinehghan; 7. Muzvesh. The revenues of the country amount to about 12,000 tomans (60007.) in cash, and 4000 kherwars of grain, &c., worth say 8000 tomans (or 40007.) more. In former times the country of Kúm comprehended the districts of Tafresh, Ferahan, and Kezaz, in addition to those which at present compose it.

The productions of the villages around consist of various fruits, among which is the melon (of superior quality), barley and wheat, rice, cotton, sesame seed, palma Christi, tobacco of inferior quality, and a little good opium; but none of these are largely produced. Rice is not grown every year; but in seasons when, much rain having fallen, there is a prospect of obtaining a sufficiency of water, it is said to be of good quality, as is the cotton. A variety of small tribes, both inhabitants of the town and villages, and of tents, are found in this country; but their numbers appear to be inconsiderable.

I remained less than two days at Kúm; the remainder of the journey to Ispahán is by a well-known route, which I shall not describe.

2. Route from Ispahán to Yezd.

November 11.-We were in the saddle at a quarter past twelve, and traversing the Maidan-e-Shah, wound through the bazars, and at a quarter to one got clear of the inhabited part of the town on the side where the remains of its ancient wall are observed, and near to the Kush Khaneh, a government building or palace. To our right, extending over some miles, lay one field of ruins, without an inhabitant, and the transition from a busy bazar to so desolate a

spot, in the space of a few minutes, was curious. Our direction lay east along a good road, close to a streamlet flowing in the same direction, and known as the Murgab. Marmots are extremely numerous, but remain so near their holes that they are seldom to be caught. At the end of 5 miles we reached the village Denun, where I found my baggage and people-the latter and the villagers in full cry at each other, quarters having been refused. I had intended proceeding farther, but was assured there was no habitable place within twenty miles: so, after infinite expenditure of the lungs on both sides, we pacified the villagers and obtained quarters; but neither bread, nor barley for our horses, were to be had, the people declaring that their grain-crops had been destroyed by the destructive insect called sinn. The village certainly appeared poor enough, but was the first inhabited one we had reached in the space of nearly six miles, and on every side were scattered far and near the ruins of others. From Denun I took the following bearings: