Sir R. Ker Porter's Travels in Georgia, Persia, Armenia, §¢. 587 
the authority of Diodorus Siculus, he 
scems iuclined to atiribute the gigantic 
remains over the spring, to so distant a_ 
time as that of Semirainis ; aud, accord- 
ingly, he observes, ‘I shall confine my- 
self to a few remarks which occurred to” 
me whilst contemplating those’ wonder- 
ful monuments of antiquity. "We are 
informed ‘by Diodorus Siculus, that 
Semiramis, in her march to Ecbatana, 
encainped near a mountain ‘called 
Bagistan, in Media, where she made a 
garden twelye furlongs in compass, in 
a plain chainpaigu country, watered by 
a great fountain. “Mount Bagistan was 
dedicated to Jupiter, (the Ormuzd of 
the East,) and towards one side of the 
garden, it had ‘steep rocks, seventeen 
furlongs in hicight.. She cut out a picce 
of the lower part of the rock, and caused 
her image to be carved upon it, and a 
hundred of her guard, that were lance- 
teers, standing round her. 
likewise, in Assyrian Ictters on thé rock, 
that Semiramis ascended from the plain 
to the top of the mountain, by laying 
the packs ani fardles of the beasts that 
followed her, one upon another. This 
account (continues Mr. Macdonald 
Kitinier) willbe found to answer the de- 
scription of Be Sitoon in many par- 
ticulars. 
“VALLEY OF KERMANSHAH. 
The fertility of this extensive valley 
is truly beautifal in its whole stretch 
from the city of Kermanshah, to the 
town of Senna, the capital of Ardelan, 
the most southern district of Courdis- 
tan; and on the opposite direction, to 
the junction of the rivers Mori and 
Kara-sou, whose ample streams, with 
the addition of many others of less note, 
water this delicious garden. Such na- 
tural luxuriance could not fail, from the 
earlicst ages, attracting the sovereigns 
of the country to fix a palace of tempo- 
rary rest at Icast, in so charming a spot; 
and bence no doubt need subsist of its 
real claim to the reputation of haying 
been the occasional abode of all the 
pritices to which tradition gives it a pre- 
tension.’ ‘The extent of the Assyrian, 
ad Persian dominions, during different. 
eras; and the almost, constant progress 
of theif sovereigns from one province to 
auother, may well account for the nu- 
merous palaces and gardens, said to be 
built and planted by them, at what, to. 
us, may appear such unreasonably short 
distances, ‘ 
The present annual produce of this 
valley, ia grain of various kinds, is 
‘ye 7 « 1 
scarcely to be credited ; while its neigh- 
She wrote, . 
bouring fertile yales under the same 
prince-governor, must raise his revenue 
to the largest amount of any delegated 
authority in the kingdom. The calamity 
of famine, which a few years ago deso- 
lated’ the other proyinces, never touched 
this ; and the number of its population 
was consequently much increased dur- 
ing that great national affliction. Whole 
families emigrated from the vicinilies of 
Ispahan, Kashan, Koom, and other 
places, to find an asylum here from 
starvation. The distress was so dread- 
ful in many parts of the country, that 
motbers sold their grown-up daughters 
for a few mauns of wheat, to fecd their 
younger children pcerishing for want. 
The abundance of every necessary of 
life in this vale, may be imagined, when 
I mention that my own party consists of 
ten persons, twelve horses, with mules in 
proportion; and it does not cost me 
more than three reals per day, (about 
two shillings and sixpence,) to subsist 
the whole. Meat, butter, eggs, milk, 
bread, corn, straw, all were included in 
this triflmg sum, The greatest part of 
tle inhabitants are Courds, somewhat 
tamed down from their wandering 
mountain-habits, to become settlers in 
villages, and to till a land which amply 
rewards them. Yet, as [ intimated on 
ny arrival, they are not so thoroughly: 
weaned from their primitive ways, but 
that they gladly embrace cvery fair ex- 
cuse for getting under their black can- 
vass, even at no greater distance, from. 
their kishlock, or walled cluster of cot- 
tages, than a few hundred yards. |<. 
Their dress differs more in bre than in 
shape from that of the ordinary Per- 
sian; as we gencrally find that the com-_ 
mon people in every country, paying. 
more regard to climate and_conveni- 
ence than to any change of mode, wear 
much the same sort of apparel through. 
every age. Instead of the black, skin. 
cap of the Persian, the Courd has one of, , 
a whilish felt, pointed at the top, but, 
varying in height, . It has flaps sfalling 
over the ears, to, shelter them from ‘ihe 
mouutain cold, Ln winter, or in those 
keen higher regions, an additional gary, 
ment is worn, called.a Kadack 5 its forin 
is'that of a short, jacket, and its fabric 
and colgur the same with the cap, They 
scldom move without, a heavy pear- 
headed stick ‘Sn their, hands, and fre- 
quently are armed besides, with a trusty 
well-handled sword. Whether they live 
in villages or towns, (heir hearts yearn 
after all. that belongs to the open field ; 
the boldest spirits, for the foray and te 
spoil ; 
