828 Itinerary from Yezd to Herat. [No. 154. 



Yoif traverse the dependencies of this latter city, keeping on your right 

 the great desert of Kabis or Kermanice, having on your left the salt 

 desert, shewn in the present maps of Persia as being bounded by the 

 cities of Kockon, Kayn, Seruman, Torkis, Toon and Tabos, and which 

 the inhabitants state to be twenty-four pharsacs in length and breadth. 

 The mountains of Bix Barrik are seen in the middle of this desert, and 

 what is not least remarkable, is, that they are studded with villages, 

 whose cultivated lands (sufficiently productive,) offer a pleasing contrast 

 to the frightful wastes which surround them. 



On leaving the mountains of " Raig Shuturan" you enter upon the 

 eastern possessions of Khorassan, which extend as far as Herat. You first 

 pass over th» dependencies of Tubbus, which may be the Tahren of the 

 Greeks ; then follow those of Toon, which is no other, I presume, than 

 the Parthanils of the ancients, and there still are the remains of tombs, 

 which very possibly may be those of the Parthian kings : subsequently 

 traversing the lands of Kagis, which you quit at /the hills of Guisk to 

 enter on the vast deserts, which end at Herat ; the length being about 

 forty pharsacs. 



The ranges of hills which are passed during this route, are for the 

 most part isolated, and of no great height; excepting those of Eccho- 

 lakan, Khanjuen, Kon and Guisk ; they have a barren appearance 

 throughout, and their want of vegetation is a strong proof of their rich- 

 ness in metals. It is much to be wished, that an able mineralogist 

 would explore these countries, at every step he would make many use- 

 ful discoveries. There is still a lead mine near the village of Echkidur, 

 about six pharsacs W. of Yezd. The hill of Derind presents many traces 

 of lead and silver ore. The earth of Posht-Badam produces some grains 

 of gold. In the district of Toon, there is a lead mine near the village of 

 Khok, one of copper on the other side of Khanjuer Khan, and another 

 of silver at a place called Shia Nagree. All these mines were formerly 

 worked, but from the oppression of the present Government which 

 smothers all industry, they are now entirely abandoned. 



I found on the surface of the earth between Buseriah and Toon, many 

 handsome specimens of agate, above all, they are plentiful near Shia 

 Dera. 



On the range of hills near the castle of Fourk, you are still shewn 

 the copper mines, formerly worked by Meerza Rank Khan, the metal 



