‘GAZETTEER OF PERSIA VOL. I Comprising the Provinces of ASTARÁBÁD, SHÁHRUD-BÚSTAN, KHÚRÁSÁN, AND SÍSTÁN’ [‎175r] (354/722)

]20 feet high, and as thick as the Duke of York’s Column in London.
The beauty of this minaret cannot be exaggerated. It has an exquisitely
carved capital, and above that alight pill..:-, seemingly 10 feet high; and this
and the shaft below the capital for about 20 feet were covered with gold.
All this part of the mosque was built by Shah Abbas. In the centre of the
eastern side of the quadrangle, two gigantic doors were thrown open to
admit the people into the adytum, or inner mosque, where is the marble
tomb of Imam Riza, surrounded by a silver railing, with knobs of gold.
There was a flight of steps ascending to these doors ; and beyond were two
smaller doors encrusted with jewels. The Maslnr said—for at that distance
1 could not see them—that the rubies were particularly fine. The inner
mosque would contain 3,000 persons. Over it rose a dome entirely covered
with gold, with two minarets at the sides, likewise gilt all over. On the
right of the Imam’s tomb is that of Abbas Murza, father of Muhammad
Shah and grandfather of the reigning Shah. Near him several other princes
and chiefs of note are buried.
u Beyond the golden dome, in striking and beautiful contrast with it, was
a smaller dome of bright blue. Here begins the mosque of Gauhar Shah.
The quadrangle is larger than that of Shah Abbas ; and at the eastern side
is an immense blue dome, out of which quantities of grass were growing,
the place being too sacred to be disturbed. In front of the dome rose two
lofty minarets covered with blue tiles. All this vast building was in a blaze
of lamps, and was thronged by a vast concourse of people.
“ In the boulevard of the Bala Klhaban is a kitchen supported by the
revenues of the Imam’s shrine, where 800 persons are fed daily.
“ Ten miles west of Mashhad there is a powder factory An East India Company trading post. , which was
formerly under the charge of Colonel Dolmage, where powder equal to the
best manufactured in England was made.
“ The fixed population of the city amounts, according to Burnes, to
40,000, and to Khanikoff and Connolly to 45,000 ; while Ferrier and
Baker place it at 60,000, and Eastwick at from 80,000 to 100,000.
Besides these, the annual number of pilgrims is variously estimated at from
30,000 to 60,000. The greater number, says Connolly, of these are
rogues, who only take thought how to make the most of the pilgrims
that visit the shrine. From the high priest to the seller of bread all have
the same end ; and, not content with the stranger’s money, those in office
about the Saint appropriate to themselves the very dues for keeping his
temple in repair. Thus, some of the buildings were suifered to remain in
a dilapidated state, and the stone canal leading up the main street into
the great square was dry, because the head warden had turned the water on
his own melon ground.
“ Between knaves and fools, a man might probably gain as much know
ledge of mankind in a month at Mashhad as he could in a year at most other
places in Asia.
“ On entering the city you are struck with the number of Saiyids
in their green turbans and sashes, laying in wait for novices to instruct
them in the forms of their vows. Mixing with the pilgrims, who throng
the streets, are to be seen mullas of all degrees—hungry wolves in sheep’s
clothing—who cover a great many peccadillos (to call them by no worse a
name) with an assumption of sanctity, and who, though all bitterly jealous
of each other, have certain common causes in which they unite.
u Early in the morning the din of this crowded city is quite hushed,
a few of the druggists’ shops only being open for the convenience of