PERSEPOLIS TO ISPAHAN. 
155 
tion, and the affections of the people; for she is charitable to the poor, 
and ready to do justice to the oppressed. 
28th. When we departed from Maxhood-Beggy , our weather was 
clear and serene. There was not a breath in the heavens, and the 
clouds had dispersed. As we approached Komeshah , the plain ap¬ 
peared more cultivated and better inhabited. Among the small forts 
and enclosed gardens of men, were interspersed small towers built for 
the convenience of the wild pigeons. These birds are greatly encouraged 
round the country, for their manure is considered essential to the 
fertility of the fields; the immense number of pigeon houses (in ruins, or 
still entire) on the plain about Komeshah , attest at least the prevalence 
of the belief, if not the truth of the fact. The distance to Komeshah is 
twelve miles on a bearing of N. 10 W. This place also was once large, 
and in the time of the Seffis well peopled. It still occupies a large 
tract of ground, and is walled all around. But since it was taken by 
the Affghans, and a great part of its inhabitants put to the sword; it 
has fallen hopelessly. After having crossed the bed of the stream, and 
the channels of an immense number of kanauts, we entered the town 
through a gate to the westward. We passed through streets and bazars , 
of which nothing but the bare walls were standing, and at length 
reached the best house in the place; but the only approach even to 
this was amid the stones and mud fragments of surrounding ruins. 
Travelling in our present mode, and carrying about a population of our 
own, we do not so much feel the misery with which a country so 
wretched, and towns so devastated, would inspire any one of us going 
through the same tract a solitary individual. The ruins themselves be¬ 
come animated on being peopled by our numerous party, who spread 
themselves all about in busy groupes, and awake the solitude and 
silence of these wastes so long unbroken by the vivacity of their dis¬ 
putes, the confusion of their different works, and the vociferations of 
their rude songs. As soon as we entered Komeshah , all the place was in 
motion ; the scanty population which it afforded, and which had been 
x 2 
