220 
TABREEZ. 
The distance from Sofian to Tabreez is twenty-four miles, 
over a pretty good road, running south-east. About midway 
we passed a considerable village on our right; and, soon after, 
crossed a small stream. Four miles farther, brought us to a 
bridge of handsome dimensions, but in a ruinous condition, 
built over the Augi; the waters of which river are perfectly salt. 
Having gone a short way beyond its bank, I saw the towers and 
minarets of Tabreez, rising amongst the hills at the east end of 
the valley. An hour’s brisk riding brought us to the city’s 
gates, some time before sun-set. I was met, at my approach, 
by a little band of my own brave countrymen, who are there for 
the purpose of organizing the new troops of the Prince Royal, 
according to the European mode. Cold, and weary, and so 
long absent from any but Asiatic faces, this sight was the most 
cheering istakball, (the name given to a profession of welcome, 
sometimes used in these countries,) that could have hailed me 
from any capital of the East ; and I gladly shook hands with 
men, who, born in my own land, were only one moment 
strangers, and, in the next, the most cordial friends. 
Tabreez, or as some call it, Tauris, according to the observ¬ 
ations of Major Monteith, is in lat. 38° 4'; and, according to an 
observation taken by the unfortunate traveller, the late Mr. 
Browne, it is in long. 46° 25. At present, it is well known 
from being the principal residence of the heir-apparent to the 
Persian crown, Abbas Mirza ; and is the capital of Azerbijan, of 
which province his Royal Highness is the governor. In dis¬ 
tant ages, this city once rivalled Ecbatana. And Sir William 
Jones went so far, as even to sink the identity of that great 
capital of the Medes, in the reported splendours of Tauris, by 
asserting that they are the same place. But the compliment is 
