232 
ENVIRONS OF TABRIZ. 
To the northward and westward are several villages, interspersed 
with extensive orchards and vineyards, the latter of which are gene¬ 
rally enclosed by high walls. The Persian vine-dressers do all in 
their power to make the vine run up the wall, and curl over on 
the other side, which they do by tying stones to the extremity of 
the tendril. May not this illustrate that beautiful image used in 
Genesis, xlix. 22.? Joseph is a fruitful bough; even a fruitful bough by 
a welli whose branches run over the walL The vine, particularly in 
Turkey and Greece, is frequently made to entwine on trellises, around 
a well, where in the heat of the day whole families collect themselves, 
and sit under the shade. 
A considerable part of the population of Tabriz may be said to live 
in the suburbs, which are every day increasing, and extend them¬ 
selves over the site of the ancient city. In all parts of the immediate 
vicinity are seen large oblong and square blocks of black marble, which 
formerly were tomb-stones, but now are used in many places as step¬ 
ping-stones over small streams, foundations to houses, channels for 
water, &c. These, as well as stone rams and stone lions, are constantly 
met with. Many of the entrances to the gardens and to the houses of 
the peasantry, like those of Ispahan, Julfa, and Kashan, are formed of 
one large stone slab. At the village of Shah Gazan, two miles from 
the walls of Tabriz, is a high mound of brick, the remains of some 
very considerable building, but of a Mahomedan age. 
