NORTH BORDER OF THE LAKE. 
603 
them, we bent much more to the eastward by nearly 20 degrees; 
and after a ride of six miles, passed the Radhar Khanah, or house 
for gathering duties on travelling merchants and caravans, 
situated at the foot of the mountains. Here we came in close 
neighbourhood with the lake again, having its most northern 
extremity within two miles of us on our right. The highest 
mountain of the Shahy Island bore S. 40’ E. A couple of 
miles more brought us to the village of Almasary, called four 
farsangs and a half from Tamar. 
This place is agreeably situated under the brow of the moun¬ 
tains, and the people who inhabit it are particularly civil. While 
making my short sojourn there, I was happy to be the means 
of probably prolonging the life of a respectable father of a large 
family. I found him in extremity of pain, and the people about 
him not expecting him to live. His disorder was a violent 
bilious attack, an enemy I had long been accustomed to grapple 
with ; and immediately taking him in hand when I arrived, by 
the aid of tartar emetic, calomel, and castor oil, left him next 
day free of all inward annoyance, and in a fair way of speedy and 
entire recovery. Something of the sort happened amongst the 
mountains of Louristan the preceding summer, where I halted at 
a small collection of huts, and saw a poor jaundiced-looking 
wretch lying in severe bodily agony. I would fain have tried my 
skill upon him, and offered it to his kindred standing near; but the 
answer was, “ No ; he has been very bad these five days, and ex¬ 
perienced people say he must die in the morning.” Still, how¬ 
ever, though the poor creature had indeed every appearance of 
his approaching end not being far off, he seemed in such tor¬ 
tures, I would have been glad to persuade them to allow me to 
try some little alleviation ; but the chief of the village with 
4 h 2 
