TENG SHEMSHIR BUR. 
371 
spring, on pain of death. In opposition to all these facts, Mr. Camp¬ 
bell ventured to stir up the stream, with all the pollutions he could 
devise and gather together, and notwithstanding every presage, the 
heavens continued so obstinately serene, as to shake the faith of the 
Persians. From Toweh the road leads over mountains of easy access, 
until it reaches a remarkable and difficult pass, called the Teng Shemshir 
bur, which means the pass cut by sword, because it is said that Ali, with 
one stroke of his scymitar, clave the mountain in two. It is principally 
' formed by an interval of about 8 or 10 feet, between two strata of per¬ 
pendicular rock, an intermediate layer of which appears to have been 
carried out to a distance of about 120 paces, as if expressly to form the 
road. In some parts the sides are so even, that it would appear the 
hand of man had been employed in the formation of the pass. At its 
termination to the north, the opening is through a sort of natural gate- 
M^ay, about four or five feet in width. The descent into it, from the 
southward, is extremely difficult for cattle, particularly camels; and 
passengers must get off their horses and walk through. About two 
miles further on is another still more difficult pass, composed of a 
slippery rock, over which water constantly flows; it is, however, only 
20 paces in length. Most prudent people prefer a road over the hill, 
the descent of which is nevertheless extremely sharp, for the only 
advantage of the pass is, that it shortens the distance. 
Upon approaching the camp we were met by Afrasiab Beg, the Grand 
Vizier’s confidential Georgian, who informed us that the King had 
ordered that no one should inform his master of the death of his only 
son, an event that had lately taken place; and requested us, if we 
were questioned on the subject, to say that the child was well the last 
time we had heard of him. The object of the King was to keep up 
the spirits of his minister, whose services and activity were now of the 
greatest necessity to him j and that a fitter opportunity than the pre¬ 
sent might be taken to inform him of a loss which would overwhelm 
him with grief, and destroy the energies of his mind. 
The Grand Vizier had tents in readiness for us, and at our first in¬ 
terview he did not fail to make many questions about the health ol 
3 B 2 
