'A second journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, between the years 1810 and 1816. With a journal of the voyage by the Brazils and Bombay to the Persian Gulf. Together with an account of the proceedings of His Majesty's embassy under Sir Gore Ouseley, Bart. K.L.S. With two maps, and engravings from the designs of the author.' [‎204] (247/516)

204
VISIT TO THE PRINCE GOVERNOR A Prince of the Royal line who also acted as Governor of a large Iranian province during the Qājār period (1794-1925). .
portieri * The splendour of those days is now greatly altered, for
ruins surround the palace, and the greatest part of its once magnificent
buildings are themselves in almost total abandonment. We were led
through long arched avenues, in which were dispersed a scanty train
of servants, and at length were introduced into a court, where we
found the Prince, in a detached building forming part ot the palace,
erected by the famous Nadir Shah, and seated on the very same spot in
the apartment which that conqueror had formerly occupied. The com
parison between the former and the present occupants, which was na
turally excited in our minds by the occasion, made the Piince appear
but a diminutive personage in our eyes, although he had very agree
able manners, and a countenance expressive ol great goodness.
There is a circumstance in Chardin's account ot Casvin, which does
not agree with his general accuracy. He says, three leagues from that
city is a high mountain called Alouvent, Seeking for a high mountain
at that distance was in vain, for the highest point of the nearest range
was comparatively low. The mountain of Alwend, to which he evi
dently alludes, is situated near Hamadan, and distant at least 120
miles. I settled the bearing of Karaj from Casvin with precision, from
the top of a ruined mosque, called the Mesjid Bolaghee; for a cape
which projects from the range of Albors, which is seen from a consi
derable distance and marks the site of that place, bears from the
mosque S. 59° E. From this same summit may be seen a considerable
part of the city, and the whole extent of the royal buildings. The
Prince has erected a high polygonal tower, for the purpose of taking
the air, and looking about him ; and although we could not help re
flecting that he would have done better to restore some of the fine
buildings which were now in ruin, than to build new, yet his tower was
not an unpicturesque object, and no bad specimen of his taste. If it
were seen in an European country it would be taken for an observa-
tory. Such, in fact, it may be called now; but it is to observe things
below, and not those above.
* Viaggi di Pietro della Valle, 8vo. ed. vol. ii. p. 383.