DREARINESS OF THE COUNTRY. 
3()7 
Semnan, whose khoneh or seat is at Talebabad, not far from that place. 
This man is brother to Ismael Khan telai, the King’s favourite, and en¬ 
joys great reputation among his peasantry, for being less of an extor¬ 
tioner than most Persian Governors. The annual tribute which he 
pays to the King for the enjoyment of his Mulk, is reported to be 5000 
tomans, of which 900 are in cash, and the remainder in kind. The 
kind is a tenth of the produce of grain, the money is levied on fruit 
trees, and cattle, and by a capitation. In this part of the country the 
ground is fertile, but water scarce. Large portions of land remain 
fallow one year, and are tilled the next. On a tract of mountains of 
about fifty miles in circumference, we observed on the declivities of one 
of their highest parts, a small patch of corn, about two acres in size, 
to which it required the greatest labour to ascend. The attraction of 
this spot originated in a spring just sufficient for its irrigation, and 
hence it may be judged what is the value of water in this dry 
country. To the thrashing floor of this tract, at the foot of the 
hills, all the surrounding corn is carried on the backs of mules and 
asses, there winnowed, and thence transported to the granaries of the 
Khan. 
Our Menzil or stage was near the ruin of a castle, and the traces of 
what was once a village, on the verge of a very wild and savage assem¬ 
blage of lands. Well may the Persians place their Dives and Jins in 
these countries, for they look fit for no other inhabitants ! Asseran 
forms a portion of the district of Hezar Jerib, part of which is in Kho- 
rassan, and part in Mazanderan. Here the land yields five for one, and 
if they giye it rishweh (literally, bribe it,) by which is meant manure, 
it yields much more. The greatest part of the Hezar Jerib is watered 
by the Deyim or rain, which may be accounted for by its vicinity to the 
country of Mazanderan. 
On the 25th we proceeded to Foulad Mahaleh. We set off at twenty 
minutes before 2, and arrived at half-past 10. The road distance may 
be called 40 miles. 
We first wound deep into the mountains, in the bottoms of which 
were small patches of cultivation, although far distant from any habi- 
