710 
LUXURIANCE OF SHIRAZ. 
earth, it possesses the additional attraction of giving birth to 
the most beautiful women in Persia ; damsels, who are described 
with eyes brighter than the antelope’s ; hair clustering like their 
own dark grapes ; and forms fairer and sweeter than the virgin 
rose. Indeed, all here seems to partake of their musky breath ; 
the place being celebrated for the growth of every flower that 
yields perfume by extract. The rose-water of Shiraz is particularly 
fine and abundant; and so profusely scattered are every species 
of the most costly scents, the otto of rose is scarcely deemed 
a perfume of any value. 
This luxuriant account of the valley of Hafiz may appear con¬ 
tradictory to my first impression, on approaching it from the 
hills ; but anticipating the umbrageous avenues, which, in former 
years, led in different directions to the city, and seeing only a 
wide unshaded expanse immediately around its walls, the dis¬ 
appointment struck me with an idea of comparative nakedness. 
But though the groves of clienar, cypress, and other lofty trees, 
have disappeared ; the humbler, and not less useful fruit-trees, 
with thickets of flowering shrubs, canopy the earth in abundance. 
On this bed of delicious verdure, the eye may revel all along the 
valley, when looking down from the adjacent heights. But it 
was long before I enjoyed it, or any part of the scenes I have 
been describing. The intensity of my fever had confined me to 
my quarters a tedious time after my arrival; and some of mf 
people were in even a worse state than myself. The disorder 
was bilious, and for many days bore a very alarming aspect; 
however, at the end of three weeks, I ventured to remount my 
horse, to make the excursions I have lately described, and to 
pay my personal compliments to his Royal Highness the Prince- 
governor of the province, Hassan Ali Mirza. Like all the sons, 
