Vlgvpt and Perjta. Ijf 



X?afiimirc, from Caboul to the country of the Moguls, 

 conipiehciuiing the fertile banks of the Indus, cannot fail of 

 giving new intercft to a new narration. In regard to natural 

 .f roduolions, it will be feen, by au account of the diifercnt 

 ,objecl:s which I fliall not fail foon to publifli, how little they 

 are known, and how curious and important the greater part 

 of thcnr arc. 



Perfia is an elevated country, covered with fnow in winter 

 ii-om the Cafpian I'ea to Ifpahan ; and in fummer, dry and 

 exceedingly warm. It coniifts of mountains remarkably 

 •high, and of immenfc plains, for the moft part uncultivated. 

 What muit ailonifli every traveller is, that throughout the 

 whole empire no p,rodu8ion can be obtained .without water- 

 ing : neither corn nor vines grow there but by means of 

 water. No trees or (lirubs are ever fcen, but fuch as hav^ 

 been planted, reared and watered by the hand of man. 

 Water is every where neceffary; and yet in this country it 

 5s naturally wanting. It was requifite, therefore, that the; 

 indullry of the inhabitaiits (liould fupply this deficiency by 

 fublerranean channels, which convey water from all quarters, 

 and end at a common rcfervoir. By taking advantage of the 

 declivity of the ground^i they then draw ofi" different ilreams, 

 near which they form habitations more or lefs confideraWe, 

 according as the water, more or lefs abundant, admits of a 

 greater or lefs degree of cultivation. 



Though wounded, at the diftance of fix days jpumey from 

 Bagdad, by a band of Curdcs, while affifting my colleague 

 when about to fall into their hands, I was, however, foon 

 able to continue our journey; but C. Bruguierc, whofe life 

 was almoft daily threatened in Perfia, and whof^; health wa* 

 ftill uncertain, could not for a long time be prevailed on to 

 proceed. Nearly fix months elapfed before I was able to 

 perfuade him to fet out in order to return home. Several 

 times, on the approach of the fine fcalbn, did I threaten to 

 U-ave him ; but I could never refolye to do fo, as my con- 



fcionce 



