Nov. 8, 1858.] AND ASCENT OF DEMAVEND. 3 



which the town of Tehran is situated, extend from the Plain of 

 Cazvin on the west to the town of Demavend on the east, forming 

 the division between the low belt of country on the southern shores 

 of the Caspian and the high lands of the central province of Irak. 

 They are a portion of the lofty chain which branches oif from the 

 Caucasus, and after passing through Azerbijan, the North of Persia, 

 and Affghanistan, terminates in the range of the Himalayas. The 

 line of these mountains, though occasionally broken in Persia, 

 especially in Khorassan, where it is intersected by several extensive 

 plains, may easily be traced throughout the whole of this vast tract 

 of Asia. The Elbiirz, although of enormous height, have not a 

 very imposing appearance from the Plain of Tehran. With the 

 exception of the huge cone of Demavend, no peak towers above its 

 fellows, and from a distance the summit of the range seems to be 

 nearly level. In summer the snow disappears almost entirely from 

 the southern face, but on the northern side it remains in large 

 quantities throughout the year. Another reason why they are 

 wanting in the beauties of chains much inferior in height is that 

 the highest range rises immediately out of the Plain of Tehran, 

 throwing out scarcely any spurs, and effectually concealing the vast 

 sea of mountains which extend in a northerly direction. 



Like the generality of mountains in Persia, those of Elbiirz are 

 but scantily clothed with vegetation, the plants grovdng on the 

 slopes having a dry, blighted appearance, and, as usual, there is a 

 total want of trees of natural growth. The colour of the rocks 

 which form the lower part of the chain is in general a reddish 

 brown, varied here and there by huge blocks of grey stone. For 

 about one half of the whole height of the mountain these rocks rise 

 nearly perpendicularly. They are jagged and broken up into deep 

 precipitous ravines, down one or two of which small streams, fed 

 by the melting snow and by springs, force their way into the plain. 

 Above, the slope becomes more gradual, though still very steep, and 

 the rocks are for the most part covered by loose gravel and earth. 



If, however, the Elbiirz mountains are poor in vegetation, they 

 are, like many other parts of this extensive range, rich in mineral 

 productions, copper, iron, lead, and orpiment being found in large 

 quantities. The specimens procured are not of any great purity, 

 but having been merely picked off the surface, cannot be considered 

 as showing what the value of the ore might be if scientifically 

 worked. Coal, of excellent quality, is also so abundant in many 

 districts in the immediate vicinity that an inexhaustible supply 

 might be procured at a trifling cost for the purpose of working the 

 mines, but the want of enterprise of the Persian people and the 



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