'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.' [‎105] (136/582)

ONE OF THE FRONTIER TOWNS OF PERSIA.
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dignity, which must be imputed to the bad taste of the architect,
since the dome, which is appropriate to the order, might have been
so well placed in its stead.
The Harem or Seraglio of the Prince is seated on a hill at
some distance from his palace, surrounded by gardens. It stands,
however, within the walls of the town, and is said to enjoy the
most delicious air that mortal can breathe. His establishment of
wives is complete; but besides these he has several Georgian
slaves, of the greatest beauty that could be procured for money.
In these and in his Turkoman horses, his chief pleasure is said to
exist; but the horses, though praised as finer than any of the king's
stud, he seldom or never mounts, and his harem he as rarely
visits, generally sending for the wife or the slave whom he may
happen most to desire, and leaving the rest to nurse his numerous
progeny, and divert themselves as well as they can within latticed
windows, high walls, and strong bolts and bars, under the con
tinual espionage of the severe and unfeeling eunuchs, who are
employed as checks upon the undue liberty of royal favourites.
There are only four mosques in the whole town ; and three
of these are smaller than those seen in the poorest villages of
Egypt. The largest, however, which is the work of the Shah
Zade, and is close to his palace, has a very spacious court attached
to it, which of itself conveys an air of grandeur, particularly when
filled by devout worshippers, performing their ablutions previous
to prayer. The interior of the mosque is quite plain, showing
only a large, but low hall, supported by square pillars of brick
work. In all the towns, indeed, not a fine dome or a minaret
of any kind is to be seen, which one would scarcely have expected
among a people who are more strict in their devotions than their
neighbours, and who lavish such wealth on the tombs of their
venerated Imaums.
The baths are of a superior kind; there are said to be three
equal to the one we visited, and four or five others fre
quented only by the poorer classes. The first of these, which was