'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.' [‎254] (305/516)

TOMB OF SHEIKH SEFFI.
slabs of Tabriz marble, which brought us into a court filled with tomb
stones, which by their number testified the high reputation of the
Sheikh among the Persians, who by being buried in his vicinity, hope
to form part of his suite to paradise, on the day of resurrection.
The whole exterior of the tombs, as seen from this court, exhibit
the approach of ruin. The small cupola which covers the mau
soleum of the Sheikh has given way in several places, and has already
lost a great number of its varnished tiles, whilst the rents and fissures
in the walls do not announce a much longer duration to them.
On entering the first large hall we were stopt by a silver grating,
where we were obliged to take off our shoes ; and here we remarked
the veneration of the Persians for the threshold of a holy place; a feel
ing that they preserve in some degree even for the threshold of their
houses. Before they ventured to cross it they knelt down and kissed it,
whilst they were very careful not to touch it with their feet. In writing
to a Prince, or a great personage, it is common for them to say, " Let
me make the dust of your threshold into surmeh (collyrium) for my
eyes." The large hall was beautifully painted and ornamented; and
from its ceiling were suspended silver lamps and lanterns made of talc,
whilst its floor was covered with carpets, upon which, placed upon read
ing boards, were several copies of the Koran, but which time and use had
rendered almost unserviceable. At the furthest end of this hall is the
tomb of Sheikh Seffi, and to approach it we mounted one high step,
which is bounded by a second silver grating, and then came to a gateway
plated with gold, beyond which we were not permitted to advance.
Through this gate we discovered the tomb, covered with brocades and
shawls, and upon the summit of which were placed bunches of feathers,
ostriches' eggs, and other ornaments. Among the offerings, a golden
ewer, set with precious stones, was the most conspicuous; and this, we
were informed, had been presented by Homayoun Shah. This Prince
was the son of Baber Sultaun, a lineal descendant of the great Timour or
Tamerlane, and occupied the Mogul throne in the year 1530, but owing