'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.' [‎113] (144/582)

ONE OF THE FRONTIER TOWNS OF PERSIA.
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capacity of sustaining the privations of food and water. The
Persians indeed, as far as I had seen of them, did not appear to
take as much pleasure in horses as the Arabs or Turks. They are
less masterly and less graceful riders ; and their mountings or trap
pings, while no more fitted for the comfort of the horse, by light
ness and adaptation to its form, than either of these, are much
inferior, in richness of ornament and general appearance, to both.
To leave my diseased horse at this place, seemed an abandon
ment of what had cost me dearly, and what might perhaps re
cover ; while, if we took it with us, an extra attendant would be
absolutely necessary, since all the other duties of the road, which
had now completely devolved on myself, were already more than
sufficient. It was therefore determined that we should seek for
such a person; and this was no sooner suggested, than the Dervish
Ismael had one immediately ready to my hand. A Faqueer of
Ispahan, who had come with us from Kerrund to Kermanshah,
had supped from our bread and fruit, and smoked his evening
nargeel with the Dervish after I was asleep, was recommended
as the most proper person I could add to our party, as he
was ready and willing to undertake any duty that might be re
quired of him. " But," said I, " does he understand the duties of
a groom ? or do you know any thing of his character ?" " Oh,"
replied Ismael, " a Faqueer understands every thing; and as for
his character, I am sure that his heart is pure, and his tongue is
clean." " How then ?" I asked : " was there any previous ac
quaintance, or the testimony of any friend who had known the
man ?" " Not at all," was the reply ; and after much hesitation—
not of fear, but seemingly of unwillingness to clear up any doubt
for which he thought there was no just foundation—this expla
nation at length came : " He is not a Philosopher, emphatically
one of us" said Ismael, (meaning the "Mutuffuk b'el Philosopheea
at Bagdad,) " it is true ; but the man has loved the wife of another,
for whom he has wept by day, and chased away his sorrows by
smoking bhang (an intoxicating drug) at night!" It was in vain
Q