928 



PERSIA, OR IRAN. 



if it had not become the principal residence of the late heir apparent of the Persian crown, it 

 would by this time have declined into insignificance. He improved the fortifications, formed a 

 great arsenal, and built a palace for himself, encouraged the industry of the inhabitants, and pro- 

 moted European arts and inventions. The population of the town is about 45,000. Jlrdebil 

 was formerly a large and flourishing town ; but it has now only 4,000 inhabitants, though it pos- 

 sesses a great object of Moslem veneration, namely, the magnificent mausoleum of that sanc- 

 tified sheik who was the founder of the Sefi family. 



Kermanshaw^ in Curdistan, stands in the midst of a delightful district, and is surrounded by 

 walls. Its prosperity is due to its commerce and manufactures. Population, 40,000. Shuster, 

 the capital of Khusistan, has 20,000 inhabitants. In its neighborhood, are the ruins which 

 mark the site of the ancient Susa. It was the winter residence of the ancient Persian kings, 

 and was 15 miles in circuit ; here is shown the tomb of the prophet Daniel, to which the Jews 

 make pilgrimages. 



Shiraz^ in a delightful valley of Farsistan, is meanly built, but contained some magnificent 

 edifices previously to 1824, when most of its principal buildings were destroyed by an earth- 

 quake. The environs of Shiraz have been celebrated by the Persian poets for their fine wines 

 and beautiful scenery, and the city is styled by the Persians, the seat of science, on account of 

 the literary taste of its inhabitants. Population, 30,000. Yezd^ in the interior, on the great 

 caravan routes, the centre of a great inland trade, and the seat of extensive manufactures, with 

 60,000 inhabitants ; and Busheer, the principal port on the Persian Gulf, v/ilh 15,000 inhabi- 

 tants, are the other principal places of this province. To the northeast of Shiraz are the cele- 

 brated ruins of Persepolis, covering a great extent of country ; those called by tlie Persians 

 Chilminar (that is, the Forty Columns), are thought to be the remnants of the ancient palace 

 of the Persian kings ; they consist of columns, and walls constructed of vast blocks of marble, 

 and covered with reliefs and inscriptions ; tombs cut in the rock, and covered with inscriptions 

 and sculptures, are also found in different directions. 



JMeshed, though the capital of Khorasan, is not so populous or flourishing as Herat, hav- 

 ing only about 40,000 inhabitants. Its manufactures, it is said, are not extensive ; but it 

 still retains its former celebrity for some articles. Its velvets are considered as the best in 

 Persia ; but its silks and cottons are less famous. Sword-blades of good temper are here 

 fabricated, their excellence being derived, it is said, from the skill of many descendants of a col- 

 ony of artisans, transplanted from Damascus to this province by Timour. The city is built of 

 sun-dried bricks ; the houses in general make a wretched appearance, and the apartments are 

 meanly furnished ; and a great part of the city is in ruins. Yet some of the public buildings have 

 an air of magnificence. The tomb of Ali, the patron saint of Persia, in the construction of 

 which the genius of the Persian artists and the superstition of the devotees have lavished every- 

 thing that talents and wealth could contribute to render it magnificent, is much visited by pil- 

 grims. 



8. Revenues. The king claims one third of the cattle, corn, and fruit, of his subjects, and 

 likewise a third of silk and cotton. No persons, of whatever rank, are exempted from severe 

 taxations and services. The governors of provinces have particular lands assigned to them for 

 maintaining their retinues and troops ; and the crown lands defray the expenses of the court, the 

 king's household, and great officers of state. The water that is let into fields and gardens, is 

 subject to a tax ; and foreigners, who are not of the established religion, pay a ducat a head. 

 Yet, according to Mr. Kinneir, the revenue does not far exceed 3,000,000 sterling. 



9. Army. The Persian army is an untrained rabble, who more commonly plunder their own 

 countrymen than their enemies. In the late war with Russia, the troops in the field, both reg- 

 ular and irregular, amounted to less than 45,000 men. 



10. Commerce and Manufactures. Some trade is carried on with India through the port of 

 Bushire, on the Persian Gulf ; and there are about a dozen vessels on the Caspian engaged in 

 commerce with the Russians. Raw and manufactured silk and cotton goods, carpets, and 

 shawls, are exported. Some cutlery and coarse glass are also manufactured. The trade with 

 Turkey and Tartary is carried on by caravans. 



1 1 . Population. There are no data from which to estimate the population, except the loose 

 conjectures of travelers. The country is thinly inhabited. The stationary population may be 

 about 10,000,000. 



12. Inhabitants. There are many separate tribes of people composing the population of 

 Persia. Beside the Tadshiks or Persians proper, there are many Parsees, Curds, and Luris, 



