'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.' [‎235] (266/582)

PALACE OF OUR RESIDENCE.
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Ispahan, the latter of which he might have it in his power to
restore by his residence here, a regard to his personal safety is
said to make him prefer the bad air, bad water, and otherwise
disagreeable station of Teheraun, where he has secured his trea
sures by strong walls,—is nearer his own tribe of the Kujurs for
support, in case of rebellion,—and has behind him impenetrable
forests for escape, in the event of these betraying him * Whether
these be his motives or not, such is the general opinion of his sub
jects here, who do not scruple to pronounce it openly, and inveigh
both against his boundless avarice, his oppressive government, the
corruption of his inferior agents, and his own personal cowardice.
After long waiting in vain for an occasion of departing with a
caravan from hence for Shiraz, we had determined to set out on
the morrow alone, and trust, as we had done before on similar
occasions, to our own vigilance and union for safety.
The city of Ispahan being seated on a perfect plain, with no
one eminence throughout its vast extent, we had as yet enjoyed
no commanding view of it as a whole, from any one part of the
numerous rides that we had taken around it. The most elevated
building in the city, excepting only the domes and minarets of the
mosques, was fortunately a part of the very palace we inhabited,
and stood at the end of a walled passage, of about a thousand feet
in length, leading directly from the court of my own apartment
eastward towards the Maidan, or Great Square.
* The Kujurs are a Turkish tribe. The first son of the present King of Persia, Futteh Ah
Shah, called Mahommed Wali Mirza, was once Governor of Mushed, but has been driven out,
and now lives about his father's court at.Teheran, without a post. The second son, Mahomed
Ali Mirza, now Governor of Kermanshah, is a high-spirited and aspiring character, and a
great favourite of the nation. The third son. Abbas Mirza, Governor of Tabreez, is less en
terprising and less popular; but he is the avowed favourite of the monarch, and is declared
heir to his throne. The fourth son, Hassan Ali Mirza, Governor of Shiraz, is seemingly con
tented with his present power, and puts forth no pretensions to an extension of it.
first of these are the offspring of the King by Georgian women ; the third is by a hig - orn
female of the Kujur tribe, and is therefore chosen to succeed the King, but the secon
refuses to do him homage during the life of his father, and publicly avows his determ
to dispute the empire with him, at the point of the sword, on this monarch's death.
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