'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.' [‎264] (315/516)

o2 6 4 DESCRIPTION OF HAMADAN.
although they had already seen the passage of three English Embassies,
(once Mr. Manesty, and twice General Malcolm,) they still seemed to
gaze upon us as monsters of an unknown genus. On this subject, I re
collect once when going through the streets of Teheran on horseback,
with some other English gentlemen, a Persian met us at an abrupt turn
ing, and surveying us with the greatest surprize, exclaimed to his com
panion, Eenha Chinee and ? are these Chinese ?
The day after our arrival we visited the houses that had been ap
pointed for our reception ; and although they were reputed to be the
best in the city, yet they were in reality so bad, that it was easy to fore
see that the scheme of remaining at Hamadan throughout the summer
would not be carried into effect.
The situation of this city at the foot of the mountain of Alwend,
resembles that of Brousa, so beautifully situated on the declivity of the
Asiatic Olympus, although the former mountain, neither in height nor
beauty of form can enter into a competition with the latter. It evidently
was once an immense city, but at present it is a confused and melan
choly heap of ruins. The roads which lead to its inhabited parts, wind
through a long succession of broken walls, which, by the appearance of
their fragments, attest the former existence of fine buildings. Like
Olympus, Alwend abounds in fine springs of water, a torrent of which
constantly flows through the city into the flat country, and renders Ha
madan one of the best watered places in Persia. Its present habitations
are profusely interspersed with trees, which give variety, and even
beauty to what would otherwise be an unpleasing view. Besides the
poplar, the narwend, a species of the elm, is a very common tree, and
grows into shapes so formal, as to raise the supposition that they have
acquired them by art. On the skirts of the city bordering upon the
mountain, we were led to a most extensive garden, in the centre of
which was an alley ot poplar, willow, and narwend trees nearly a mile
long, and in which, besides the great crowd that followed us through
curiosity, were many of the natives singing and taking their pleasure.
Among them, was a group seated under the trees, around a basin of
water, and as we passed, every man stood up out of respect, except