MISCELLANIES. 



621 



grows to the height of two or 

 three feet, the stem two inches in 

 diameter, and the head, when 

 ripe, is yellow and resembles a 

 '-cauliflower; the Hindoos and the 

 Belooches are fond of it, tliey eat 

 it by roasting the stem iji the 

 ashes, and stewing the iicad of it 

 like other greens. It still, how- 

 ever, preserves its foetid taste and 

 smell. 



The gardens of Hecrat are ex- 

 tensive ; the Oordooe Bagh, be- 

 longing to tlie Prince and Baghe 

 Shahee, planted by Tymoor Shall 

 (this being his favourite seat,) 

 are the only public ones, and now 

 only attended to for their annual 

 produce, which is sold in the Ba- 

 zar. Leading to tlie latter is an 

 avenue one mile in length, be- 

 tween fir trees ; and adjoining are 

 four minarets of a mosque that 

 was intended for tlie tomb of th« 

 Imam Moosa AUee Reza, who, 

 however, was disapj)ointed of his 

 visit to Heerat by dying at Mus- 

 hid. 



The villages in the neighboiu'- 

 hood of Heerat are numerous, 

 and nothing can exceed the ferti- 

 lity of this valley ; wheat and bar- 

 Isy are most abundant, and fruit 

 of all kinds amazingly cheap. 

 When I was at Heerat, the horses 

 were all at Bagh, up a place one 

 stage over the mountains, for the 

 benefit of the fine grass procura- 

 ble there. They are generally 

 half bred, but the merchants from 

 Bokhara bring Toorkunianee 

 horses, that sell in proportion to 

 their heiglit. Tiie most celebra- 

 ted breeder in this country is Boo- 

 niad Beg of the tribe of Huzaree; 

 he resides in the mountains to- 

 wards Mushid, and has large 

 herds of horses and mares : his 



colts are highly prized, and are 

 often sold for from one to four 

 thousand rupees (12,51. to 5001.) 

 each. The tolls at Heerat are 

 two rupees on evciy camel load 

 going out of the city, and one 

 anna, or sixteenth of a rupee on 

 every twenty rupees' worth of 

 merchandize sold in it. This is 

 levied from the purchaser by tlie 

 .Suraedar, or tax-gatherer, who 

 farms the tolls from government. 

 Although the toll on camels ap- 

 pears so very trivial, it is avoided 

 by eveiy means to a large ex- 

 tent, of which 1 had an opportu- 

 nity of knowing twf) or three in- 

 stances. The revenues are esti- 

 mated at four and a half lacs of 

 rupees, and are levied on tlie Su- 

 raes, shop* and gardens ; a part 

 is taken in kind, or grain and cat- 

 tle ; and from the total amount 

 the prince pays fifty thousand 

 rupees annually to the King of 

 Persia. 



The government of Heerat is 

 in the hands of the Shahzadah 

 Hadjee Fejroozoodeen Khan, 

 third son of the late Tymoor Shah, 

 and full brother to the present 

 INIuhmood Shah. He is about 

 fifty years of age, appears to take 

 little active particijiation in pub- 

 lic aifairs, but leaves every thing 

 to Hadjee .\ga Khan, his minis- 

 ter. In the present distracted 

 state of Khorasan, he endeavours 

 to remain neutrid, without incur 

 ring the displeasure of either of 

 (he contending parties. The 

 prince has two wives, the one a 

 Mogiiul lady, the other a daugh- 

 ter of Shakoor Khan Douranee^ 

 by each of whom he has two sons. 

 Kasim Khan, the eldest, is a good 

 lookingyoungman, about twenty- 

 two years of age. The reins of 

 government 



