284 
PETRIFACTIONS. 
hazar, or fair day, an instance of rural prosperity in this country that 
we had not yet witnessed, and confirmed us in the good opinion 
which we had formed of the manner in which this district was admi¬ 
nistered. 
In the maidan where the peasantry was assembled, we observed a 
large flat-roofed mosque supported by wooden pillars. Our tents were 
situated amongst gardens, the trees of which now wore their autumnal 
dress, and made a great variety in the colouring of the landscape. We 
found the fruit here excellent and plentiful, particularly the grapes, 
pears, and peaches, of which the two last rivalled those of Ispahan, 
both in size and taste. The best wine which the Armenians of Tabriz 
make, is the produce of the grape of Dehkhargan. 
This village is one of the richest under the jurisdiction of Ahmed 
Khan, and the owner of the house in which the Ambassador lodged at 
Tabriz (one of the greatest farmers and landholders of Aderbigian) has 
great possessions here. 
On the 24th we proceeded to Shirameen, a village near the lake, 
and distant three fursungs from the preceding stage. At the distance 
of one fursung on the right of the road, is a spring of chalybeate water, 
and two fursungs farther on, after having discovered the expanse of the 
lake, we diverged from the road to visit the petrifactions. 
This natural curiosity consists of certain extraordinary ponds or plashes 
whose indolent waters by a slow and regular process stagnate, concrete, 
and petrify; and produce that beautiful transparent stone, commonly 
called Tabriz marble, which is so remarkable in most of the burial 
places in Persia, and which forms a chief ornament in all the buildings 
of note throughout the country. . These ponds, which are situated 
close to one another, are contained in a circumference of about half a 
mile, and their position is marked by confused heaps and mounds of 
the stone, which have accumulated as the excavations have increased. 
We had seen nothing in Persia yet which was more worthy of the 
attention of the naturalist than this ; and I never so much regretted my 
ignorance of subjects of this nature, because I felt that it is of consequence 
they should be brought into notice by scientific observation. However, 
