'Travels from India to England : comprehending a visit to the Burman Empire, and a journey through Persia, Asia Minor, European Turkey, &c., in the years 1825-26, by James Edward Alexander' [‎102] (159/412)

102 PERSIA.
had formerly been accustomed: for instance, nan> bread, is pro
nounced noon; khuberistan, a burial-place, khuberistoon; Iran,
Persia, Iroon; and so on.
Having relieved one or two lame and blind beggars during the
day, a score or two of the same fraternity issued from the town and
importuned us, in the evening. Many of them were strong and
able-bodied men. A woman came boldly into the tent, and would
not quit it until we had relieved her. Thermometer 105°.
On the 10th we marched in the evening, as before, for Dalkee,
distant twelve miles.
A short distance from Borazgoon we observed the corpse of a
murdered man by the road side. The road to Dalkee is exceedingly
stony, and at eight miles from it is a capital sporting tract, with a
date jungle and swamp on the left. Our olfactory nerves were
assailed by an insufferable sulphurous effluvia. Shortly after we
crossed several naphtha and sulphur streams, which issued from the
hills round the bases of which the road winds. At the fountain-head
the water is lukewarm. The streams leave on their margin a whitish
grey earth, which is of an acid and saltish taste: it is termed gil-i-
toorsh, or sour clay. The taste is probably occasioned by a mixture
of alum and sal-ammoniac: it is used in acidulating sherbet. I
brought away a small quantity of this substance for my esteemed
preceptor. Professor Jameson.
The petroleum is collected in shallow pits, and is used medicinally,
being applied to the sores of camels and other quadrupeds. The
timber of which the roofs of the houses are constructed is dipped in
it, to prevent the attacks of insects, &c.
Some distance from Dalkee a man was observed reconnoitering us
on