238 
TEHERAN. 
the crown, until the family are again restored, when the estate, accord- 
ing to the pleasure of the Sovereign, may be returned. The King, while 
he retains such property, generally allows a portion of its produce to 
the relatives of the former owner, and this allowance is called Mouste - 
meree. Besides the Zapte Shah there are the Halisse or crown lands, 
that from time immemorial have belonged to the Kings of Persia. 
They are cultivated by tenants, who defray all the cxpences, cattle, 
implements of agriculture, &c. and divide the net profits with the 
King. 
At the death of Kerim Khan, the Royal treasury was nearly 
empty; but at the death of the late King Aga Mahomed Khan, it 
is said to have contained fifteen crore of tomauns. Since the times of 
Kerim Khan the value of bullion has increased greatly; the miscal 
of gold was then five piastres, it is now eight and a half; that of silver 
was three hundred dinars , it is now five hundred ; and every year the 
price increases in some small degree. Provisions and labour have of 
course corresponded in proportion. There is no prohibition against 
the melting, or the exportation of the precious metals. Every one 
may convert his own bullion into any use. If he wishes to have his 
gold coined, he can send it to the mint to be struck into any piece of 
money ; paying the value of a pea's weight of gold for every tomaun . 
The right of coinage is secured to particular towns by firmans from the 
King. Most of the gold is clipped, as every Jew pares a little off. The 
shopkeepers also contrive to rub the coin on a black stone to try the 
purity of the metal; by this operation small particles remain on the 
stone, which are extracted with care, and reserved till a sufficient 
quantity for a coin be collected. Most of the silver in circulation 
comes originally from a very fine silver mine in Bokhara. There is 
another also in Aderbigian, and another near Shiraz , the latter of which 
is neglected, as the expences have been found to exceed the produce. 
The King's treasure is reported, probably with much truth, to be im¬ 
mense. The Persians indeed affirm, that all the money, which is 
received into the Royal coffers, remains there and never again gets into 
