TEHERAN. 
213 
in this state of uncertainty the question remained for three days, when 
we were told that it had been decided to our satisfaction; and that I 
was to see the King on the 30th, and to depart for England as soon 
after as possible. 
On the 30th, accordingly the Envoy and I breakfasted with the Mi¬ 
nister, in the expectation of our introduction to the King. His Ma¬ 
jesty, however, had gone to ride to Shem-Iroun (“ the Candle of Persia/’) 
a village under the mountain, celebrated for the beauty of the situation 
and the salubrity of its air. We remained with the Minister all the 
morning. The Ameen-ed-Donlah was there; his spirits were depressed 
by the intelligence which he had received from Ispahan , (the govern¬ 
ment of his son) that the melting of the snow and rain had so swoln 
the Zaiande-rood , that it had overflowed and injured the country to the 
amount of three lacks of piastres. It had destroyed, besides many 
houses and buildings, a large bund or dam, nearly opposite to the 
Chahar Bagk No. The bund was the work of Abbas, and had cost 
about twenty times the labour of that at Kohrood. The whole damage 
was reckoned at thirty lacks of piastres. Kanauts were filled up, and 
large tracts of rich and productive land were rendered useless for the 
year. At Ispahan, the water filled the under arches of the fine bridge 
of Aliverdy Khan , that goes into the great Chahar Bagh. This inunda¬ 
tion extended over many districts. An express announced that the river 
at Pool Dallauk was over the bridge: and that the country was in many 
places so inundated as to be only passable with much danger and 
difficulty. The great salt swamp was particularly deep. 
The 13th of the month Sefer is looked upon as most unlucky among 
the Persians ; they do not keep in the house on this day, but rather 
walk out into the fields, in order that nothing may disturb their 
humours, for a quarrel with any one on this day will entail misfortune 
through the remainder of the year. 
On the 31st we went to the King. At this audience He was seated 
in a room in a square court called the Gulistan, a name derived from 
the roses, with which (intermixed with cypress and chenar trees) it was 
