ILLNESS OF THE AUTHOR AND HIS SERVANT. 719 
Much as my stay at Shiraz had been protracted by the state 
of my own health, and that of my poor Russian servant, it 
was likely to have lasted much longer, had not Dr. Sharpe 
arrived at the very time of our greatest extremity, and, under 
the goodness of Providence, certainly raised us both from the 
grave. I soon regained strength sufficient to meditate the 
farther prosecution of my tour; but my servant, though re¬ 
covered from the fever, continued in a fearful state of mental 
derangement. It being impossible to take him with me under 
such circumstances, I made arrangements with a worthy Arme¬ 
nian priest, to leave him under his care till cooler weather, and 
his restored faculties, should enable him to follow me in safety. 
My own plan was to proceed to Darabgurd, Firoozabad, &c., 
and thence, by Bushire, to places of interest still farther east¬ 
ward. But when I discussed it with my medical friend, he 
told me at once, that from the extreme heat of the season, 
and my debilitated state, should I persist in my resolution 
of travelling in that direction, through a region which is empha¬ 
tically called the gurmseer , or quarter of heat, there was every 
chance I should never see Europe again. My object now, 
he added, must be to entirely recover my health, before I 
could dare to attempt any distant journeyings whatever; and 
a retrograde movement was what he strongly urged. Indeed, 
my own personal feelings seconded his advice; and finding 
by such a change I must relinquish the more eastern expe¬ 
dition altogether, I resolved to return to Ispahan without de¬ 
lay, having the double inducement of my kind physician’s care, 
and his society; and when it should please Heaven to re-brace 
me to my usual strength, it now became my intention to pro¬ 
ceed to Plamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, to satisfy my wish of 
