M.VRAXD. 137 



and poor village, but we succeeded in getting milk and 

 eggs, and Paul sacrificed a fowl. 



3Iay 27th. — Tlie morning was lovely, and the snowy 

 chain north of the Lake of LFrmia, towards which we were 

 riding, was a fine object in the distance. Near at hand 

 there was little to diversify the road, until we came to a 

 large ruined khan, the doorway of which was handsomely 

 decorated with tesselated tiles. Having traversed a water- 

 shed, we descended slightly, and crossed two streams, along 

 which a few trees and watermills were scattered. Before us 

 was a broad cultivated plain, like that of Coele-S}Tia. A 

 grove of trees on its opposite side was pointed out to us as 

 Maraud, the town at which the road from the Russian fron- 

 tier joins the caravan route from Tabreez to Trebizonde. 



A Persian town is a very curious sight when seen for 

 the first time. A green grove appears in the distance ; 

 * that is Maraud,' says the postboy. As you approach the 

 trees become distinct ; you pass a few detached orchards 

 surrounded by high mud walls, but it is not till you have 

 fairly entered the place that any houses are visible. The 

 main street of Maraud is shaded by trees, and watered by 

 a stream in which the juvenile population, mostly in a 

 state of nature, were engaged in making mud-pies. The 

 houses stand on either side, all but the poorest surrounded 

 by gardens, vineyards, and orchards. They are of one 

 story, and flat-roofed. The walls are built of grey mud, 

 well smoothed and finished off (reminding Tucker of 

 Devonshire cob), and often slope inwards towards the top. 

 The windows are filled with very neat wooden lattice-work 

 frames, the small interstices between which are plastered 

 over with oiled paper, instead of glass. The women whom 

 we saw struck us as exceptionally hideous ; the men are an 

 active-looking race, more akin to one's idea of Hindoos 

 than to the more apathetic Turk. The common people 



