104 
SHIRAZ. 
Shiraz . Its cupola is covered with green-lacquered tiles of a semicit> 
cular form, which, fitted in close lines, give a symmetrical appearance of 
ribs to its shining surface. At the foot of the cupola, in Persian 
characters, are verses from the Koran and invocations to the prophet. 
Continuing our ride from this mosque, we turned out of the fine high 
road, which is fifty feet broad and very even; and followed a smaller 
path on the right to the Hajizeea on the tomb of Hafiz, the most 
favourite of Persian poets. This monument also, in its present state at 
least, is alike the work of Kerim Khan. It is placed in the court of 
a pleasure house, which marks the spot frequented by the poet. The 
building extends across an enclosure: so that the front of it, which looks 
towards the city, has a small court before it, and the back has another. 
In the centre is an open vestibule supported by four marble columns, 
opening on each side into neat apartments. The tomb of H a f i z is placed 
in the back court, at the foot of one of the cypress trees, which he planted 
with his own hands. It is a parallelogram with a projecting base, and its 
superficies is carved in the most exquisite manner. One of the Odes of the 
Poet is engraved upon it, and the artist has succeeded so well, that the 
letters seem rather to have been formed with the finest pen than sculptured 
by a hard chissel. The whole is of the diaphanous marble of Tabriz , in 
colour a combination of light greens, with here and there veins of red and 
sometimes of blue. Some of the cypresses are very large, but Aga 
Be sheer, the present chief of the Queen’s eunuchs, who happened 
to require timber for a building, cut down two of the most magnificent 
trees. This is a place of great resort for the Persians, who go there to 
smoke kaleoons , drink coffee, and recite verses. 
After having done this, we proceeded forward, passing by the Cheliel - 
ten or forty bodies, until we came to the Haft-ten or seven bodies, both 
buildings erected by Kerim Khan to the memories of pious and ex¬ 
traordinary men who lived there as Derveishes . The Haft-ten is a 
pleasure house, the front of which is an enclosed garden planted with 
rows of cypress and chenar trees (a species of sycamore, with a verdure 
like that of the plane,) and interspersed with marble fountains. In its 
