36 PERSIA, 



circumstances, generally consist of two complete suits of apparel, of 

 the best sort, a ring, a looking-glass, and a small sum in ready money, 

 of about ten or twelve tomans, which is to provide for the wife in 

 case of a divorce. There is also provided a quantity of household 

 stuff of ail sorts, such as carpets, mats, bedding, utensils for dressing 

 victuals, &c. The contract is witnessed by the cadi, or magis- 

 trate. The wedding-night being come, the bride is brought forth, 

 covered from head to foot in a veil of red silk, or painted mus- 

 lin ; a horse is then presented for her to mount, which is sent ex- 

 pressly by the bridegroom ; and when she is mounted, a large looking- 

 glass is held before her by one of the bride-maids, all the way to the 

 house of her husband, as an admonition to her, that it is the last time 

 she will look into the glass as a virgin, being now about to enter into 

 the cares of the married state. The procession then sets forward in 

 the following order : first, the music and dancing girls, after which 

 the presents in trays borne upon men's shoulders ; next come the 

 relations and friends of the bridegroom, all shouting and making a 

 great noise ; who ar^: followed by the bride herself, surrounded by all 

 her female friends and relations, one of whom leads the horse by the 

 bridle, and several others on horseback close the procession. Re- 

 joicings upon this occasion generally continue eight or ten days. 

 Men may marry for life, or for any determined time, in Persia, as 

 well as through all Tartary ; and all travellers or merchants, who 

 intend to stay some time in any city, commonly apply to the cadi, or 

 judge, for a wife during the time he proposes to stay. The cadi, for a 

 stated gratuity, produces a number of girls, whom he declares to be 

 Iionest, and free from diseases ; and he becomes surety for them. A 

 gentleman who lately attended the Russian embassy to Persia, declares, 

 that amongst thousands, there has not been one instance of their dis- 

 honesty during the time agreed upon. 



Funerals.. ..The funerals of the Persians are conducted in a man- 

 ner similar to those in other Mahommedan countries. On the death 

 of a Mussulman, the relations and friends of the deceased, being as- 

 sembled, make loud lamentations over the corpse ; after which it is 

 washed, laid out on a bier, and carried to the place of interment with- 

 out the city walls, attended by a mullah, or priest, who chants pas- 

 sages from the Koran all the way to the grave. If any Mussulman 

 should chance to meet the corpse during the procession, he is obliged, 

 by the precepts of his religion) to run up to the bier, and offer his as- 

 sistance in carrying it to the grave, crying out at the same time, Lah 

 Jllahl III Lillah I There is no God, but God. After interment, the 

 relations of the deceased return home, and the women °f the family 

 make a mixture' of wheat, honey, and spices, which they eat in me- 

 mory of the deceased ; sending a part of it to their friends and ac- 

 quaintance, that they may also pay him a like honour. This custom 

 seems to be derived from very great antiquity, as we read in Homer 

 of sacrifices and libations being frequently made to the memory of de- 

 parted souls. 



Cities, chief towns, edifices. ...Ispahan or Spahawn, the capital 

 of Persia, is seated on a fine plain, within a mile of the river Zender- 

 hend, which supplies it with water. It is said to be twelve miles in 

 circumference. The streets are narrow and crooked, and the chief 

 amusement of the inhabitants is pn the flat roofs of their houses, 

 where they spend their summer evenings ; and different families as- 

 sociate together. The royal square is a third of a mile in length, and 

 about half as much in breadth \ and we are told, that the royal palace, 



