MISERY OF THE PEASANTRY. 
77 
Ha-oos Dalauk, or barbers’ bason. It was quite amusing to hear the 
ignorant Persians, with the most impudent gravity, settle the whole 
economy of Jemsheed’s household as if they had had posts in it, and 
decide upon localities of the ruins as if they had been consulted in the 
distribution of the apartments. The persons to whom I applied the 
most for information were the shepherds, who lead their flocks into all 
parts of the country, and see more of it than any other men. They 
also told me, that except the Takht they knew of no other remains. I 
was as unfortunate in my researches after coins and gems as I had been 
in my discoveries of ruins. Wherever I went, my first question was, 
“ Have you any old coins ?” and I took great pains to publish in all 
parts of the country, particularly amongst the wandering tribes, that I 
would give new coin for old, whenever it might be brought to me. But 
it was all in vain: the most I got were some very miserable copper 
dinars; and I can only ascribe this scarcity of antique metals, in a 
place where they ought to be found at almost every turn of the spade, 
to the extreme poverty of the people. No sooner do they get posses¬ 
sion of any thing that is silver, than it is converted immediately into 
food or clothing. It is impossible to see the situation of the wretched, 
destitute peasantry of this country, without feeling compassion at their 
lot, and execrating the tyranny of their governors. 
I made an attempt to pierce into the great subterranean passages 
that traverse the ground on which Persepolis is built, and of which 
Chardin has given so full an account; but I was not more successful 
than he seems to have been in his first trial. I had several people with 
me with candles and lanterns, but we found ourselves stopped short by 
a very narrow passage, after having walked some forty paces upright. 
We then crept through this on our hands and knees, and again came 
to a higher part. Again we proceeded, and then were obliged to 
crawl on our bellies, until there was only room to put one’s head 
through, when we thought it time to return. This is so much like 
Chardin’s account of his first adventure in the dark passages, that I am 
inclined to think we did penance on our bellies somewhere on the very 
same spot. Of this I am certain, that it is not the famous passage in 
