TABRIZ. 
m 
complain, however, (though as of their only inconvenience) of frequent 
and violent earthquakes, which they attribute to the volcanoes in the 
district, which throw out smoke but no flame. The smoke is so 
mephitical, that it kills immediately a dog or fowl placed over 
it. The volcanoes are particularly to the East, in mountains of a 
red and copper-like appearance, announcing much mineral matter. 
The climate of Tabriz is subject also to much thunder, lightning, 
and rain. 
Tabriz is no more the magnificent city described by Chardin : all 
its large buildings have been destroyed by earthquakes. I rode round 
the walls, and estimated the circumference at three miles. Three of 
the gates are ornamented with pillars, inlaid with green-lacquered 
bricks, and look very respectable; the other five are very small and 
mean. The walls are very weak, and here and there renewed with 
mud-bricks baked in the sun. The whole town is surrounded by 
gardens, which the Persians call Meewa-khoneh , or fruit-houses. One of 
these, to the West, belonging to Hajee Khan Mahomed, is very 
extensive, and planted entirely with fruit-trees, excepting one row of 
poplars ; the only other wood indeed which I saw at Tabriz , and that 
of which all the timber-work of their houses is constructed. There are 
thousands therefore planted on the borders of every stream about the 
city. The abundance of fruit in the season was already evident, by 
the state of the gardens, and particularly of the apricot trees. In 
the spaces between the lines, were mounds of earths in rows, on which 
vines were extended on an angle of about 60°, and irrigated by 
water introduced through channels formed by the bases of the 
mounds. 
William Jones —“ Tab signifies a fever, and riz is the participle of rekhten to disperse . 
* l There was an ancient city which stood nearly in the same place, and is called T«£/>»$ 
H by Ptolemy.” —Description of Asia subjoined to the “ Ilistoire de Nader Chah s ” Works 7 
Yol. V. p. 570. 
