436 
THE SULPHUR DESERT. 
division of the place, set apart for shops, exhibited well-fur¬ 
nished stores of various kinds; those appropriated to the fruit 
were beautiful with the ripe abundance presented for sale. This 
menzil, like all others (excepting Adna Koyi) we had halted 
at under sanction of the pasha’s firman, had honoured its com¬ 
mands most plenteously and cordially ; and in justice to the old 
Turkish mehmandar Ibram Aga, to whom his highness gave it 
in charge, I must say, that though something taciturn in speech, 
and heavy in person, I found him a much more active and effi¬ 
cient purveyor than any of the same office with whom I had 
been provided from Teheran to Hamadan. 
Our route now lay N. 20° W. The country, in this direction 
was a complete level to the farthest point of the horizon. On our 
right, at not more than half a mile distant, we had the long line 
of yellow sulphur hills, which had taken a curve to the north. 
On our left, the Hamrean hills were still visible, though far 
distant: all between was now stony desert; no vegetation ap¬ 
pearing any where, excepting patches of a certain herb of which 
camels are particularly fond, and which seems to be thus pro¬ 
videntially provided in the deserts for their use. We saw several 
herds of them grazing as we advanced. Nothing else varied the 
scene for four hours, till we came in sight of the high towers of 
some imaun sepulchres, and an hour more brought us to the 
brink of the Toak river. Its channel is about fifty yards wide, 
and receives the conflux of three rapid streams. But the usual 
accompaniments of such a supply of water were not there; in 
vain we looked for luxuriant date-woods, and delicious gardens. 
We soon reached the village of Toak, standing bleak and mi¬ 
serable, with scarcely a tree to shade its wretched mud-built 
houses. But all this desolation was in the midst of ruins which 
