edm 
BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
that could be obtained with regard to the 
present state of commerce, agriculture, and 
arts in this empire, find a place in M. Be- 
langers Journal. The facilities afforded 
by Viscount Desbassayns' mission for cul- 
tivating a knowledge of the higher popu- 
lation of Persia, opened to M. Belanger 
many channels for ascertaining their con- 
dition as to morals and education, as well 
as the most curious details respecting the 
court of Prince Abbas Mirza, and that of 
Teheran, with the ceremonies and customs 
observed in the reception of the Envoys of 
foreign powers; that of M. the Viscount 
Desbassayns being described by him with 
all the truth and vividness of a first. im- 
pression. 
M. Belanger arrived in Persia at the very 
time when the first discussions arose be- 
tween this empire and Russia, and he has 
collected all the facts which could elucidate 
the motives for the war which afterwards 
broke out between these two powers. His 
Journal contains a faithful transcript of the 
local difficulties that the travellers encoun- 
tered, the alarming situations in which they 
were frequently placed; but this darker 
part of the picture is relieved by numerous 
anecdotes relative to the Persian Ambas- 
sadors whom they met, and the private 
history of several individuals whom M. 
Belanger, in his capacity of a physician, 
was privileged to visit within the precincts 
of the harems. No less curious and valu; 
able are the details that M. Belanger pos- 
Sesses respecting the character of the 
*present Shah and his future successor, 
whom Europe now looks to as the only in- 
dividual apparently capable of raising to 
its due rank among the nations the great 
empire of Persia. 
During the whole of his stay in this 
country, M. Belanger bestowed much at- 
Mention on its Zoology and Botany, and the 
ons made by him in these depart- 
= ‘ments are the more valuable, as hardly any 
OH traveller has ever explored it so fully. He 
. especial devoted himself to collecting of G 
a Such facts as elucidate the botanical geo- claimed his 
287 
by its diversity of latitude and elevation: 
he also investigated the agricultural pro- 
cesses pursued in Persia, and their inge- 
nious system of irrigation; and lastly, 
profiting by the reputation which he ac- 
quired from his cures of several simple 
diseases, he ascertained the: mode of treat- 
ment commonly pursued in Persia. 
Towards the end of September, 1825, 
M. Belanger, still accompanying Viscount 
Desbassayns, quitted Persia, and embark 
in an Arab vessel, at Bushir, collecting 
much information in his passage down the 
Persian Gulf, on its navigation and com- 
merce. When arrived at Bombay, he avail- 
ed himself of the friendly feeling manifested 
valuable documents respecting thi 
dency, and especially upon the Honourable 
Company's policy. There also he made 
many additions to his zoological and bota- 
nical treasures, and procured several valu- 
able statements on the vegetation of this 
country, which might serve as a continua- 
tion to his Observations on the Geography 
of Plants. The Malabar coast then claimed 
his attention for three months, and rewarded 
his researches with much valuable inform- 
ation, especially as respects Mahé, one of 
our settlements in that district. 
In March, 1826, crossing the Western 
Ghauts in their highest part, be entered 
Mysore, that former scene of the glories of 
Tippoo Saib and his father, and which, as 
the centre of Mussulman power in the Pe- 
ninsula, still preserves some vestiges of 
ancient Indian independence, and is thus 
calculated to excite the curiosity of the 
intelligent traveller. It may be readily 
conceived that M. Belanger made diligent 
use of the time which he spent in Seringa- 
patam and Benghalore, in obtaining all the 
information possible on the present state 
of this portion of Hindostan. Thence, 
returning by the E Ghauts, our tra- 
veller reached Pondichéry, the ultimate 
his first attention during a sojourn 
nearly a year i in this colony ; but though 
ablishment of the king’s garden oc- 
