512 
HADJEE-ABAD. 
Sewan-pa-ine is four farsangs from Buchun, our former halting- 
place. 
June 17th. We set forth this morning at half-past three 
o’clock; not over the dews, but through a refreshing air, 
which blew till the sun had power to check its course. Our 
way lay up the valley, south 45° east, and at the expiration of 
an hour, we passed Sewan-bala, a village most romantically 
situated amongst the rocky promontories on the face of the 
mountain to our right. In that mountain I saw whence the 
materials, in all probability, had been taken, which composed 
the buildings, which we would now call those of Pasargadse ; the 
whole visible substance of the hill being of white marble, cleft in 
parts, as if the remains of ancient quarries, where several half- 
hewn masses lay, fairly corroborating the truth of my supposi¬ 
tion. Transportation of the blocks from hence to Mourg-aub, 
would not demand much labour; the distance not being more 
than eight farsangs from that plain ; and the road almost a level; 
with the exception of the pass near Kemine, which loses its 
difficulties by ascending it in the common track. 
At the termination of two farsangs more, the valley expanded 
considerably ; and we gradually gained a direction nearly west, 
entering a vale which leads straight to Nakshi-Roostam. In 
our way we passed the village of Saied-abad ; and, after a march 
of three hours in all, halted at Hadjee-abad; a distance of about 
twelve miles from our last quarters. The river, which through 
all its wanderings generally bore the name of Kur-aub, and near 
whose banks we had so long shaped our course, at the point 
where the vale of Sewan expands to a plain, divides itself into 
two branches; one flowing through the country at the back of 
the Persepolitan hills; the other fills a rocky channel in the 
