KARA-GOOZLI TRIBE. 
137 
/ 
the city, I have before observed, is abundant in villages, and 
cultivated to the farthest stretch of the numerous mountain- 
streams which interlace its rich pastures. Its principal inhabi¬ 
tants are of the Kara-goozli people, an exceedingly numerous, 
and, consequently, powerful tribe. It is not nomade, but of a 
brave, as well as industrious race; and from them his present 
majesty draws his best cavalry for the actual field. Their chief 
is Hadge Mahmoud Khan. 
In our march, we crossed several pretty brooks, and saw the 
separated rills of others drawn off in various directions, to all 
the irrigating purposes of agriculture. Having proceeded about 
two farsangs, we wound to the westward round the north-west 
extremity of the hilly ground that skirts magnificent Orontes on 
that side. Still we had heights before us; but, at different times, 
the level country peeped through the valleyed openings, shewing 
the more distant chain of mountains, whose accumulated piles 
are scarcely interrupted till they reach the plain of Casvin. The 
road was far from good, indeed so uneven, and capriciously 
twisting up and down over the most hillocky parts, that our cattle 
seemed much more uneasy under their loads, jolting over so 
many abrupt surfaces, than when tugging up the longest regular 
acclivity : something, we may say, like the march of life, where 
a great misfortune is borne more manfully than half a score 
petty annoyances. This sort of track continued till we reached 
a deep green hollow, bedded by a rapid stream ; it was crossed 
by a once fine bridge of brick, now in the too-frequent mould¬ 
ering condition of such structures in this country. It was a 
work of Shah Abbas. Having passed it, we began the gradual 
ascent of a considerable mountainous height, over a succession 
of steep hills that tracked its sloping side. The scenery amongst 
VOL. II. 
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