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On the first appearance of spring in this part of the world, early in March, the people, whose wealth consists chiefly in flocks, very slowly move forth with their cattle from the mountains to the plains, in their vicinity, taking that direction in which they know, from experience, that grasses are first found. On their arrival in the evening the tents of the party are pitched, either on the slope of a mountain, or in some sheltered spot secured from the violence of winds, or not far distant from water. When the party is large, and the tents numerous, they pitch three or four in a group; at the distance of thirty or forty yards a similar group; and thus for the whole encampment, its general direction being parallel to the mountain which shelters them. The flocks belonging to each division are secured each around its respective tents. By this regulation they are kept separate, and obtain their due proportion of forage ; and, at the same time, the various detachments composing the community, are within call of each other, when assistance is required.

When the forage becomes exhausted in one spot, the party migrate to another in the same order, and occupy it under the same regulation. They return to the mountains for the winter, and live during the months of December, January, and February, in villages or caves, or in those parts of the mountains where fuel is abundant.

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The third day, the party arrived at a small village called Khaumaridge, where, on halting, the Mehmander was thrown into great agitation from missing his seals from his bosom, where they are always carried. In order to understand the seriousness of this loss, it must be explained that the Persians instead of signing their names to their writings, use the impres sion of a seal, on which is engraved their name. Letters or papers are generally written by Mirzas or hired scribes, so that the possessor of the Mehmander's seals might forge what papers he pleased, and in a country governed like Persia, noblemen about the court had been often in this way brought to disgrace and ruin. The Mehmander, however, despatched one of his servants back to the former stage, where his seals were found, and he shewed by his pleasure at finding them how important would

have been their loss.

Having reached a village called Kanzeroon, where they encamped two days, the party dispersed in different directions to explore the country, which was said to contain some inte resting ruins. The Mehmander appeared quite astonished that they would lose so much time, as he called it, in looking at old ruins, and therefore, whilst he left the English to explore them at their leisure, he took out his hawksman and hawk, without which a Persian noble. man never travels; and as the country abound

ed in game, he soon succeeded in killing a great number of partridges; tired with the chase towards evening, he alighted from his horse and his friends not being returned, he spent his time in roasting a lamb, which he did by cutting it into small pieces, and sticking them on the iron ramrod of his gun, which served him for a spit. When the meat was 'roasted, he mounted his horse, and with the Tamrod in his hand, and the meat still upon it, he rode about in quest of some one to par. take of it, and Captain Blisset and William being the first he met, very good humouredly offered a part to each, teaching them at once a new mode of camp-cooking, and what little preparation is necessary for the food of those who have no other end in eating than to satisfy their hunger.

Having crossed the plain of Kisht, on the third day, they reached the town of Danlekee on the following morning; the Governor of which, allotted to the party his own gardens, with a request that they would not think of continuing their journey till they should be fully refreshed from their fatigues. Captain Blisset and his friend the Commander of the English detachment took up their quarters in a summer-house that Jooked out upon upwards of two hundred rosetrees, orange-trees, and a profusion of various flowers, all in full bloom; for in such parts of Persia as have a soil, flowers grow in great

luxuriance, and are often gathered, even by the humblest beggars, to offer to the passers-by. Here, having rested for a day, they again set out; in two days more they found themselves in the neighbourhood of Shiraz; but how different was the appearance of the surrounding country from thatwhich might be expected on approaching what had been once one of the finest cities in Persia.

Captain Blisset and his party having pitched upon an encampment outside the walls, the whole city poured forth to welcome and to compliment the strangers: at the head of the chief people came the Prince's Prime Minister, and addressed our travellers with compliments which, on being interpreted, seemed to William so extravagant, that he would have supposed them intended to insult if he had not been told that it is their language of courtesy. "We have never seen," said the Vizier, addressing Captain Blisset, "an Elchee so admirable, or so learned, or so accomplished: you are superior to any Mollah, (the name of their own wise men) an accomplished gentleman, a man of sense, a good penman, and a man of reflection:" to all this there was a shout of assent set up by all present, according as each word was pronounced, and however impertinent this sort of barefaced flattery appeared to the English, yet, in their own eyes it would be a want of the common forms of politeness, to omit it.

In early ages Shiraz, for wealth, extent, and population, ranked next to Ispahan, among the cities of Persia ; and, from not having been so much the seat of warfare, and of rapine, it still exists in a state of comparative preservation.

The market-place, or bazar, (according to the Persian term,) deserves to be particularly mentioned. This is built in the form of a long narrow street, somewhat resembling the Arcade in Dublin, and, like it, covered over at top, and lighted from the roof. It is lined ou each side with shops of all descriptions, and runs to an extent of a quarter of a mile through the city, all trades having their assigned quarters, which they possess under strict regulations.

Shiraz still boasts a population of 40,000 persons, and carries on a considerable commerce, which during the last few years has considerably increased; it consists chiefly in receiving from Bushire the spices and other goods of India, and vending them in the neigh bouring districts.

Having heard of the excellence of the baths of Shiraz, our travellers ordered the finest in. the town to be made ready for their reception. They paid well, so that the Shirazees were happy to receive them, though they have been known to refuse admission to those whom they consider as infidels. The whole detachment

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