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



indifference evinced by the government to all measures of improve- 

 ment, or schemes for developing the resources of the country, have 

 hitherto caused this source of wealth to be almost entirely neglected, 

 and the working is limited to the extraction of a small quantity of 

 coal for the annual supply of the European residents and the black- 

 smiths of the capital. No parrot or cannel-coal has hitherto been 

 discovered. 



As many as five rivers, besides smaller streams, take their rise in 

 the Elburz, within 25 miles north of Tehran. The largest of these 

 is the River of Niir, which flows in a north-easterly direction, and 

 after passing to the north of Demavend, falls into the Caspian west 

 of the flourishing town of Amiil. The next in size is that of 

 Talighan, which flows from the mountains of the same name, and is 

 a tributary branch of the Sefid Eud or White Eiver, a large sheet 

 of water entering the Caspian to the east of Eesht. 



The Heraz or Laur River, which rises near Shahzadeh Kiih, 

 passes through the district of Laurijan to the south of Demavend, 

 and falls into the same sea near the town of Amiil. Salmon, trout, 

 and, near their mouths, sturgeon abound in these several rivers. The 

 remaining two, those of Jajriid and Kerretch, after descending into 

 the plains of Veramin and Tehran, where a portion of their water 

 is withdrawn by means of canals for the purpose of irrigating the 

 lands belonging to the numerous villages with which these plains 

 are studded, are lost in the great salt desert beyond. 

 * Having made the necessary preparations and provided ourselves 

 with a small tent, a set of Casella's hypsometrical apparatus, and a 

 few other instruments procured from England, we left the summer 

 encampment of the mission at Gulabekon the 11th of July at 5 p.m. 

 The road from Gulabek passes to the north through the large village 

 of Tajrish about 2 miles distant, and 1 mile farther on through 

 Derbend, a village situated in the mouth of a narrow gorge, which 

 is from its elevation and reputed salubrity of climate a favourite 

 summer resort for the higher classes of Tehran. From Derbend the 

 road becomes more difficult, passing over rocky and uneven ground 

 until the small hamlet of Pess Kalaa (famous for its cherries and 

 wild strawberries) is reached. This path, bad as it is, has been 

 much improved of late years, as it leads to a cascade a little higher 

 on the side of the mountain, which place the Shah occasionally 

 visits during the summer months. The distance from Derbend to 

 Pess Kalaa is about 1 mile. The latter is the last village met with 

 on the southern side of the range of hills, and here we bivouacked 

 for the night on a rock in the open air. 

 _ July I2th. — We commenced ascending the mountain at half past 



