'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.' [‎474] (505/582)

474
ISLAND OF ORMUS.
of Ormus and Gombroon should be equally shared, was disre
garded from the moment the conquest was completed. The
sanguine anticipations of one of their chief agents, who wrote
to England " that their dear infant" (this term was applied to
the commercial factory An East India Company trading post. at Gombroon) "would receive new life
if the king but kept his word," # soon vanished: and we find the
same person, after the fall of Ormus, stating, that no benefit
whatever can be expected from that possession, unless it be held
exclusively by the English. But every expectation of advantage
that had been indulged, was soon dispelled by the positive re
fusal of Abbas to allow the English either to fortify Ormus, or
any other harbour in the Gulf.'f
* Letter from Mr. Edward Monnox to the Company, dated Isfahan, 1621.
f History of Persia, vol. i. p. 545—548.
To this may be added the following striking description of this celebrated mart, by a very
early writer The lowest of the four classes into which East India Company civil servants were divided. A Writer’s duties originally consisted mostly of copying documents and book-keeping. , who, in the antiquated but forcible language of his times, thus pourtrays the fall of
this now silent and desolate heap of ruins:—
* Ormus is an isle within the Gulf; in old times known by the name Geru, and before that,
Ogiris (but I dare not say from a famous Thseban of that name) ; its circuit is fifteen miles;
and procreates nothing note-worthy, salt excepted, of which the rocks are participant, and
the silver-shining sand expresseth sulphur.
' At the end of the isle appear yet the ruins of that late glorious city, built by the Portu-
gals, but under command of a titular King, a Moor. It was once as big as Exeter, the
buildings fair and spacious, with some monasteries, and a large bazaar, or market.
* Of most note and excellence is the castle, well-seated, entrenched, and fortified. In a
word, this poor place, now not worth the owning, was but ten years ago the only stately city
in the Orient, if we may believe this universal proverb —
' Si terrarum Orbis, quaqua patet, Annulus esset,
Illius Ormusium gemma, decusque foret.
4 If all the world were but a ring,
Ormus the diamond should bring.
' This poor city was defrauded of her hopes, continuing glory, such time as Emangoly-
Chawn, Duke of Shyraz or Persepolis, took it with an army of fifteen thousand men, by com
mand of the King of Persia, who found himself bearded by the Portugall. Howbeit, they
had never triumphed over them, had not some English merchant ships (then too much abused
by the bragging Lusitanian, and so exasperated) helped them, by whose valour and cannon
the city was sacked and depopulated. The captains (serving the East India merchants) were
Captain Weddall, Blyth, and Woodcocke.
' Their articles with the Persian Duke were, to have the lives of the poor Christians a