'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.' [‎367] (433/516)

DREARINESS OF THE COUNTRY.
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Semnan, whose hhoneh or seat is at Talebabad, not far from that place.
This man is brother to Ismael Khan telai, the King's favourite, and en
joys great reputation among his peasantry, for being less of an extor
tioner than most Persian Governors. The annual tribute which he
pays to the King for the enjoyment of his Mulk, is reported to be 5000
tomans 10,000 Persian dinars, or a gold coin of that value. , of which 900 are in cash, and the remainder in kind. The
kind is a tenth of the produce of grain, the money is levied on fruit
trees, and cattle, and by a capitation. In this part of the country the
ground is fertile, but water scarce. Large portions of land remain
fallow one year, and are tilled the next. On a tract of mountains of
about fifty miles in circumference, we observed on the declivities of one
of their highest parts, a small patch of corn, about two acres in size,
to which it required the greatest labour to ascend. The attraction of
this spot originated in a spring just sufficient for its irrigation, and
hence it may be judged what is the value of water in this dry
country. To the thrashing floor of this tract, at the foot of the
hills, all the surrounding corn is carried on the backs of mules and
asses, there winnowed, and thence transported to the granaries of the
Khan.
Our Menzil or stage was near the ruin of a castle, and the traces of
what was once a village, on the verge of a very wild and savage assem
blage of lands. Well may the Persians place their Dives and Jim in
these countries, for they look fit for no other inhabitants ! Asseran
forms a portion of the district of Hezar Jerib, part of which is in Kho-
rassan, and part in Mazanderan. Here the land yields five for one, and
if they give it rishweh (literally, bribe it,) by which is meant manure,
it yields much more. The greatest part of the Hezar Jerib is watered
by the Deyim or rain, which may be accounted for by its vicinity to the
country of Mazanderan.
On the 25th we proceeded to Foulad Mahaleh. We set off at twenty
minutes before % and arrived at half-past 10. The road distance may
be called 40 miles.
We first wound deep into the mountains, in the bottoms of which
were small patches of cultivation, although far distant from any habi-