'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.' [‎74] (105/582)

74
FROM SERPOOL, ACROSS MOUNT ZAGROS,
manshah. The appearance of the place, from this point of view,
was that of a very large provincial town, but not of one which
was the seat of Royalty. There were neither lofty minarets nor
fine domes to be seen, and excepting the harem of the Shah Zade,
seated on an eminence in the midst of a verdant garden, and the
octagonal and flat-topped kiosque of his own dwelling in the
castle, there were no striking objects to arrest the attention.
We entered by a mean gate, through a wall newly built of un-
burnt bricks, flanked by round towers, turreted, and showing loop
holes for musketry, and ports for cannon ; but without a ditch, or
any mounted ordnance on the battlements. The first streets
through which we passed, after entering the town, were not superior
to those of the commonest villages, but we soon came to works of
a better description. The whole town seemed to be in a state of
building, as if just rising from the ashes of some former one, or
just founded by a colony of foreign settlers. We now went through
fine streets in every stage of their progress,—from those just
finished to those but newly begun. All was like the bustle and
activity of a perfectly new place. The shops were decked with
finery, as if to catch the eye, and force themselves into early
custom. There seemed an abundance of every thing to be desired,
both necessaries and luxuries. The half-built streets and new
bazars were thronged with people, all extremely busy, and intent
on some important errand.
I fancied myself in what I should have expected a Chinese
town to be,—amidst a crowded and active population, seeing on
every side ingenious devices to attract the attention, and hearing
at every moment the cries of those who did not depend on the
mere silent exhibition of their wares alone to sell them. Every
thing offered a striking contrast to the towns of Turkey and
Aiabia. There were no coffee-houses at which grave idlers were
ounging over their pipes; no slow and solemn-paced passengers
o moved as if for pleasure only ; no fine flowing dresses or gay