150 
PERSEPQLIS TO ISPAHAN. 
elevation, which binds an intermediate plain. The peasantry are ill 
clothed, and look miserably. They wear in general a little skull cap, 
slit on each side, called Dogoosheh. Their dress is a loose coat with 
hanging sleeves of a very rude cloth, tied about with a coarse sash. 
Surmek, where we encamped for the night, is situated on the E. side 
of the plain, near the foot of the mountains. It now consists of a 
square mud fort, which contains its whole population; around it 
are the ruins of its original extent. Between the town and the 
mountains the cultivation is very luxuriant, for the fields are irri¬ 
gated by kanauts from a neighbouring stream. To the northward of 
the fort, and two hundred yards from the road, stand the remains 
of a castle, which the Persians assign to the age of King Bah ram, 
but which, in construction, resembles so nearly the later buildings of the 
country, that its antiquity becomes suspicious. It is nevertheless in 
itself a most curious work. A ditch surrounds it, and there is a wall 
within it, composed, like the outward parts of the fabric, of large stones 
cemented together by mud. The great variety of vaulted chambers 
and subterraneous inlets, proves that it was destined for other purposes 
than those of military defence only. 
On the 24th we resumed our march, on a road as hard and fine as 
that of the preceding day, and on the same bearing; and having tra¬ 
velled in four hours a distance probably of twelve miles, reached our 
encampment at AbadSh. We noticed many square forts, which are 
now generally not only the protection of the district, but the residence 
of the cultivators. The ruins indeed, which overspread the country, 
contrast its former prosperity too forcibly with the present depopula¬ 
tion. In this region, however, the more immediate causes of its devas¬ 
tation have ceased; for it owed its principal sufferings to the long wars, 
of which it was the scene, between the Zund and Cadjar families, and 
which are now terminated by the fortune of the latter. On our arrival 
at AbadSh, we were saluted as usual by the istakball , who went through 
all their noise and firing. The first appearance of AbadSh announces 
