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ANCIENT NISSiEAN PASTURES. 
Gardens and vineyards embowered this delicious little dell; and 
an inviting stream of limpid water, rippling through the rocks 
which bedded the richly verdant hollow of the glen, was not the 
least of our regales after the fatigue of a hot ride for six hours ; 
a distance of five farsangs from Haroun-abad. The caravansary 
is large and commodious* being of the Sefi age ; that of the 
merchant’s friend. 
October 2d. — This morning we quitted our most refreshing 
sojourn, at a little before five o’clock. Our way lay up the 
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broad and green valley to the north-west, till it entered a narrow 
defile close pent between high and irregular craggs. At this 
rugged path, it was said we took leave of what had been the 
celebrated pastures, noted by Arrian as the nursery of the most 
esteemed breed of Median horses. Their beauty, spirit, and 
swiftness were the admiration of the East; and Alexander held 
them in such estimation, that when he became master of the 
empire, he thought a steed of that race one of the most valuable 
presents he could bestow. It is supposed that the whole of 
these extensive and fertile vales, stretching through Haroun- 
abad to Mahadesht, were included in the ancient name of the 
Nissaean plains. On entering the defile, we found it all that its 
rude appearance shewed. A small but noisy stream rushed 
over the stony bottom ; and an equally rough path by its side, 
was the footing for our poor animals. We, however, had one 
comfort in so wretched a road; the hilly projections from the 
rocks that walled us in, were clothed with dwarf oaks, w;hich 
now and then lent us a little of their shade. Through this 
tortuous gorge, we slowly wound our way without sight of 
human habitation, till we happily spied a solitary caravansary, 
standing beneath some naked and frowning cliffs at the opening 
