226 
TEHERAN. 
The King*s family consists of sixty-five sons. As they make no ac¬ 
count of females, it is not known how many daughters he may have; 
although he is said to have an equal number of both sexes. It some¬ 
times happens, that many of his women are delivered on the same 
night, and (if we might give credit to a Persian) one of these happy 
coincidences occurred during our abode in the capital, when in one 
night six of his women were brought to bed, four of sons and two of 
daughters. The Ameen-ed-Doulah had one, indeed, of the babes at his 
house; and a present was sent for it from Ispahan , composed of four 
mules laden with all sorts of rich clothes. 
The Tahkt-a-Cadjar is a pleasure-house built by the present King, 
about two miles to the N. E. of Teheran. At a distance it presents a 
grand elevation, apparently of several stories; but these, on a nearer 
view, are the fronts of successive terraces. The entrance is through an 
indifferent gate, at the top of which is a summer-house. It leads into a 
spacious enclosure: in the middle is the principal walk, bounded on each 
side by some young cypress and poplar trees, and intersected at right 
angles in the centre by a stone channel, which conducts a stream at 
several intervals to small cascades. The building which stands on the 
first terrace is in form octagonal, crowned by a small flat roofed eleva¬ 
tion. It is open by arches on all its sides, and its raised ceiling is sup¬ 
ported by pillars. Its interior is arranged in a variety of water- 
channels, and through the centre passes the principal stream, which 
runs through the whole building and grounds. This little pleasure- 
house, though built of coarse materials and but rudely furnished, is 
erected on an excellent model, and is admirably calculated for the heats 
of the summer. Under it are subterraneous chambers. Proceeding 
further on another terrace is a grand pleasure-house, constructed on a 
less perfect principle than that of the first, though still sufficiently 
adapted for a summer retreat. Through this also water is introduced 
from a terrace above. Before this place is a very extensive square of 
water, in which, as we were told, there were fish; we saw none, but 
the water itself is most luxuriously clear and refreshing. Prom this 
