484 
MOURG-AUB. 
to the left, conducts to the village of that name. This was our 
way; and following it for nearly another broiling hour, at last 
came out at the fountain of one of the numerous springs which, 
flowing downwards, fertilise the country below. It was like an 
angel in our path ; the pure and delicious water proving an 
animating refreshment to us all. Not far from this point, the 
beautiful little rivulet becomes a considerable stream; and 
taking a turn round the hills at a short distance to the eastward, 
finds its way to the valley, where, washing the walls of Mourg- 
aub, and flowing along, it meets several brooks; amongst others, 
that which I had seen bathing the foundations of the caravansary 
of Madre-i-Sulieman : and thus having increased to a river, it 
winds south-east by the foot of the hills, passes the village of 
Sharak, thence meanders through the vales of Kummeen and 
Sewan; receiving numerous mountain-streams on one side, while 
it is drained in almost the same proportion by channels of 
irrigation on the other. I am told that the general name of this 
deviously wandering stream, is Kur-aub; a rather uncommon 
instance of uniformity, these minor rivers usually varying their 
appellations with the tracts through which they flow. This 
stream falls into the Bund-Emir, (the southern Araxes,) at some 
distance from Tackt-i-Jemsheed, or Persepolis. 
We reached Mourg-aub, our place of rest, by half-past four 
o’clock P. M., and took up our quarters in what is called the 
Mehman-Khanah, or house of guests ; a dirty dilapidated hole, 
but too near one of the objects of my journey, the transcendantly 
superb remains of antiquity in this part of the empire, for me to 
think twice of the discomforts of my lodging. The accurate pen 
of Mr. Morier, in describing these at Mourg-aub, the first in rot¬ 
ation, had redoubled my impatience to examine them myself; 
