EMBASSY TO RUSSIA. 
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from Ispahan, constituted the principal articles, to which were added 
two of the King’s elephants, that had been sent as presents from 
Herat. 
The English Ambassador was requested by the King, in order to 
further his interests, to return to England by Russia; and as it would 
not have been convenient for both Ambassadors with their numerous 
suites, to travel together through that country, Sir Gore Ouseley de¬ 
parted first, and in about two months after was followed by the Persian 
Embassy. 
It having been determined that the charge of our affairs was to 
be made over to me at the boundaries of the Russian and Persian terri¬ 
tories, I accompanied His Excellency thither, and we arrived at Tabriz 
on the 18th of May, 1814; having terminated the business which we 
had to transact there, we proceeded again on the 26th in the morning. 
After we had passed the long bridge over the Agi, instead of taking 
the road to the left that leads to the borders of the lake and to Khoi, we 
followed the more northerly one to Sofian, Marand, &c. We halted at 
a village to the left of the road, thirteen miles from Tabriz, called Sa- 
halan, surrounded by a great extent of corn fields. The whole of the 
plain as far as the lake, is composed of a soil, which being strongly 
impregnated with salt becomes very deep when watered. 
The next morning we proceeded 12 miles to Sofian, a large vil¬ 
lage composed of about 400 houses belonging to Mirza Bozurk, and 
situated at the intersection of the bases of two mountains, which form 
one of the most conspicuous features in the lands around the plain of 
Tabriz. Near it is a long grove of sinjid trees, whose colour and general 
appearance resemble the olive. As we drew near, we were met by a party 
of about an hundred and fifty men, disciplined in the European manner, 
with English muskets and appointments, who saluted the Ambassador 
as he passed, and did not cease to march and drum until they had seen 
him fairly into his tents, when they piled their arms, and were in 
watch around the camp during the remainder of the day and next night. 
On the 28th we reached Marand a distance of 17 miles. We tra- 
