APPROACH TO KERMANSHAH. 
163 
palace of the ancient Assyrian-Median kings, with its usual 
appendages, might have stood here; namely, its temple and 
villages. And that such should have totally disappeared, in 
the lapse of so many centuries, cannot be a subject of surprise; 
though so absolute a void, on the site of any former large city, 
would be a matter hard to believe. Being in the neighbourhood 
of an occasional residence of the sovereign, would sufficiently 
account for the trophied sculptures on the rocks. 
Sept. 23. — At two o’clock this morning, my little party were 
mounted to pursue our march; and the pilgrims also, having 
struck their tents, a goodly cavalcade followed our train from the 
storied heights of Be-Sitoon. The morning star shone bright on 
our road, which lay along the foot of the mountain in a western 
direction to the end of the valley, where, after some hours’ tra¬ 
velling, we found it open magnificently upon the noble plain of 
Kermanshah. The city of that name, with its fine towers and 
domes, appeared along the southern side of the plain ; and to the 
north-east, amongst the craggy range of mountains which there 
form its boundary, we descried the stupendous rock of Tackt-i- 
Bostan, standing nearly opposite to the town of Kermanshah. The 
distance between them cannot be much more than a farsang. 
The sculptures on this rock, being equally celebrated with 
those of Be-Sitoon, I turned out of the main road to make the 
village at their base my place of rest; and again leaving our 
friends the pilgrims, received their parting blessing as before, 
on separating from their ranks. Our way lay over a tract of the 
plain in admirable cultivation ; cotton, castor, and corn-fields 
spreading in every direction ; while numerous little encamp¬ 
ments of Courdish Eelauts gave a peculiarly bold animation to 
the rural scenery. These people have a singular air of noble 
y 2 
