58 
CLIMATE OF ISPAHAN. 
on their bowels carries off whole families, and even districts, as 
if swept by the plague. Many of these poor people, suffering under 
the consequence of their imprudence, thronged to the morning 
and evening humane levees of Dr. Sharpe, who gave them medi¬ 
cines and advice; the one, to antidote the dire effects of the evil 
they had incurred, the other, to warn them against its repetition. 
It was now the end of August, when the climate of Ispahan 
is really enchanting; the mornings until ten or eleven in the 
forenoon, and the evenings from five o’clock, (and through the 
whole balmy night,) are most refreshingly delightful. The air 
is bright, clear, and light, and an almost constant breeze blows 
from the south-east; this modifies the general influence of the 
sun, which, so far from giving an oppressive heat here at this 
season, creates only 82° of Fahrenheit in the shade. The time 
I allowed myself to repose in this genial atmosphere, was barely 
a week; but I found it sufficient to rebrace me for the prosecution 
of my journey ; and, having derived many kind attentions from 
the Ameen-a-Doulah during my sojourn in Ispahan, he, as go¬ 
vernor, added every other which could promote my comfort 
while travelling through the remainder of the districts under his 
command. Accordingly, a guard was appointed to attend me to 
Hamadan, and one of his own confidential servants to be my 
mehmandar; he also furnished me with introductions to several 
khans, whose residences lay on my route; and a letter, in parti¬ 
cular, to the vizier of Hamadan. That title is given to the prime 
minister of the place, which is under the government of a young 
prince, the son of Mahmoud Ali Mirza. 
All my preparations being ready, I took a thankful leave of 
Mahomed Hossein Khan, the munificent Ameen-a-Doulah ; but 
affection united with gratitude, in the farewells I bade to Dr. 
