'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.' [‎257] (288/582)

PLAIN OF CHEMMEN ASIPASS.—KOOSK ZER, 257
direction for many days' journeys, though nowhere more than ten
miles wide. Beyond the south-west range of hills which bounded
it, rose a high ridge of mountains, all said to be of limestone;
their summits were now covered with snow. This mountainous
range is called Kooh Poostamar, and is inhabited by a tribe of
Koords, called Loor, whose tract of country is called Chal Mahar,
and divides the territory of the Bactiari from that of Fars. The
language of these people is different from that of the northern
Koords, and is called, like themselves, Loor. They live in tents,
though the snow on their hills is said to be perpetual, even in
the warmest years.
The plain in which we now rode was called Chemmen Asipass ;
it is one of the most fertile that is known, being watered by many
streams from the foot of the hills on each side of it; and in spring
and summer it is thickly covered by wandering tribes of Persians,
properly called Farsee, or people of Fars. A few encampments
were seen here even now ; but the greater number of the people
had gone with their flocks two or three days to the eastward, to a
tract of country called Gurrumseer, or the warm district, to avoid
the excessive cold of this region.
Our road now became extremely tortuous, as it wound along
the foot of the south-western hills, which we were obliged to fol
low, in order to avoid the channels and streams in the centre, these
being difficult to pass over even now that they were dry. The
general average of our course was about south-south-east.
At noon we reached a ruined caravansera called Koosk Zer,
said to have been built by Shah Abbas, and certainly wrought
with more labour and expense than any preceding one that we
had seen. The brick-work was faced with large blocks of stone;
the dome at the entrance was tiled; and there was fine sculp
tured frame-work at the gate, with inner chambers, and other
conveniences. It was of an octagonal form within, and was alto
gether a fine building, though it was now entirely abandoned.
We halted here for half an hour, and refreshed ourselves with
2 L