'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎38] (69/582)

3g FROM DASTAGHERD
and fifty paces on each side, and appears to be the remains of a
military fort. It is now about thirty feet high in its most perfect
parts, and has six circular bastions on each front, built in the Sara
cenic style. The interior of the square is nearly filled up by the
rubbish of buildings formerly within it, many parts of the walls
of which are still standing.
Like all the old Eastern castles, this seems to have been erected
on a naturally elevated mound, which was subsequently cased
over with masonry on its exterior face,—thus forming the hill
of fortification, while the edifices within stood on the high level
of its summit, sheltered only by a parapet wall surrounding the
upper edge of the mound itself. The masonry of the outer
fort, as seen at present, is of large unhewn stones, rudely but
strongly imbedded in a mass of lime cement; but from its ex
tremely rough appearance it is probable that it once had an outer
coating of brick, or of smaller hewn stones, as a casing to this
rude interior. Near this fort is a small mound, which is called
Kassr-el-Sughyre, or the little palace, to distinguish it from the
Kassr-el-Kebeer, or the greater one before described.
Both of these castles, or palaces, are seated on an elevated
ground, on the northern bank of the river Alwund, and about a
quarter of a mile distant from its stream, which here flows from
east to west, along the valley to the southward of the ruins ;
and on the north, at the distance of a mile or two, are steep and
rugged hills ; while all around, the soil is bare, destitute of wood,
and in general void of beauty.
Besides the ruin called Kassr-Shirine, which gives name to
the place itself, there are here extensive remains of a large city,
stretching for a mile or two to the eastward. Among these,
no one edifice is seen entire ; but the outer wall of enclosure
is perfect in many parts, and is elsewhere so easily traced, that
a plan of the enceinte might be made upon the spot. These
walls are built of large hewn stones, well cemented with thin
layers of lime, and are of strong and finished masonry.