70 
KjHONSAIL 
At several farsangs’ distance from our present quarters, and to 
the south-west, lies the ancient town of Consar, or Khonsar, 
situated in a narrow valley on the slopes of two parallel chains 
of hills. Its site is singularly romantic, filling the bottom of the 
valley, and mounting the acclivities of the hills ; and its imme¬ 
diate vicinity, abundant in every fruit of the climate, with the 
delightful addition of water-springs, flowing from the mountains 
down upon the terraced gardens, and bowery courts of the town 
beneath. The traffic of the place, I am told, principally consists 
of dried fruits, and a kind of chintz; but it is celebrated as 
having been known by its present name at the time Alexander 
marched to Ecbatana. Gilpaigon does not possess the like clas¬ 
sic associations ; but it is hardly inferior to its venerable rival, 
in salubrity of situation; and it has the warlike reputation of 
manufacturing excellent matchlock guns, the common weapon 
of the south-eastern soldier-peasantry. 
September 5th.—We left the latter town this morning at five 
o’clock, escorted by a gallant array of horsemen ; most of whom 
were armed with long bamboo spears, pistols, and a small round 
shield. The last appendage much increased the antique pic¬ 
turesque of their appearance, and well assorted with our mental 
visions in passing through the conquests of the Macedonian 
hero. Soon after we quitted Gilpaigon, our little band crossed 
a bridge of three arches, over the wide but now empty channel 
of one of those mountain-rivers which at this season yields not a 
single rill; but when the spring-thaws prevail for any time, 
then a flood rolls down from the heights in torrents, forming a 
considerable river; which pours rapidly along the deep hollow 
of its bed, till it mingles its waters with the Koudkonah, not 
far from the celebrated bridge of Poohl-Dowlak, in the way to 
