6 JOURNEY THROUGH DISTRICTS N. OF ELBURZ, [Nov. 8, 1858. 



junction with the Shehristanek stream, whence the combined waters 

 flow for a distance of 12 or 14 miles through pathless and inaccessible 

 mountains, entering the plain 24 miles west of Tehran. It was from the 

 latter point that Haji Meerza Aghassi, the Prime Minister of the 

 late King of Persia, attempted to cut a canal by which he proposed 

 to supply the plain of Cazvin with a copious stream of water. 

 Native engineers were employed, a vast sum of money was ex- 

 pended, a day pronounced auspicious by learned astrologers was 

 fixed for the opening of this grand undertaking, the minister 

 invited the king to attend the anticipated ceremony with all his 

 court — everything in fact succeeded thus far, and the signal being 

 given, the dams were cut away, when the water streamed for a few 

 yards into the new channel, but there it stopped and still remains, 

 the Kerretch retaining its waters and the plain of Cazvin remaining 

 deprived of an element, the absence of which prevents it from 

 becoming one of the most productive parts of Persia. 



July lUh. — The Laura Valley, in general about a quarter of a mile 

 broad and closed in by mountains which rise almost vertically, 

 contains several villages, and is well cultivated throughout its whole 

 extent. The road follows the left bank of the river and passes the 

 ' village of Meidanek 3 miles from Doab : 2 miles farther on there is 

 another village, Hassanekber, and thence to Nissa is about 2 miles 

 more. Nissa is the principal village of the district, situated in an 

 open valley half a mile from the left bank of the river. Opposite 

 this village on the right bank we skirted the foot of the range of 

 the Talighan Mountains, extending from east to west, their height 

 being equal, if not greater than that of the Elburz Peak. The next 

 and last village in this valley is Getchiser, 3 miles from Nissa. 

 Before reaching this point the river is crossed by a wooden bridge, 

 and a little lower down a tributary stream, nearly as large as the 

 Laura itself, flows from a valley on the right bank. The elevation 

 of Getchiser is 7198 feet. At Getchiser the path leaves the river 

 and winds up a steep ravine (at the bottom of which there was still 

 snow in large quantities) to the north-west for a little more than 

 2 miles, and then, turning to the east, ascends the difficult pass of 

 the Shemlian. The mountains on either side of this ravine are 

 curious from their extreme steepness, being at an angle of 50^ or 55°. 

 What renders them the more remarkable is the almost total absence 

 of rock, which only here and there pierces through the thick coating 

 of light sandy soil which slopes in a perfectly even line from the 

 summit to the base. The elevation at the top of the pass is 9620 

 feet. Here the first view is obtained of the low range of hills 



