"دليل بلاد فارس، الجزء III، وهو يتضمن محافظة فارس، لورستان، عربستان، خوزستان، يزد، كرمانشاه، أردلان، كردستان" [ظ‎‎٢‎٧‎٦] (٦٨٦/٥٥٧)

SHI—SHI
530
The praises of Shiraz have been celebrated by many different persons
and by Hafiz (the Anacreon of the East), who was a native of this
city, and is buried in a small garden, about half a mile from the town.
The tomb of the poet was erected by Karim Khan, and is nothing
more than a block of white marble in the form of a coffin, on which
are inscribed two of his poems and the date of his death. His woiks
are not, as has been stated, chained to his tomb; but a splendid copy
of them is always kept in an adjoining house. Not far from the tomb
of Hafiz is the garden of Jahan Nurna, the most beautiful in the
neighbourhood of Shiraz, and known, in the time of Karim, by the title
of the Vakil's garden.*
Its name was changed by Path 'AH Shah, who, when Governor of
Ears, built a house in it for a summer residence. He also commenced
another on an eminence that commands a beautiful view of the city
and its vicinity, which is named Takht-i-Kajar, or the throne of Kajars.
Kinneir describes the climate of Shiraz as the finest in the world, and
Rich also has a favourable opinion of it, saying :—
“ The climate is very agreeable, and is reckoned healthy. The ther
mometer is-at 91° for an hour or two, and this only in the hot season.
The nights are cool, but it is most pleasant to sleep in the open air,
though many keep to their rooms. The praises that have been lavished
on this climate have scarcely been exaggerated. The heat of the day
is very tolerable, the nights deliciously cool, without being chilly, as
the days are not so hot nor the nights so cold; and when the season
begins to cool, the days and nights cool together in an equal propor
tion. The climate here is exceedingly regular. For days together the
temperature is exactly the same to a degree. The usual temperature is
90° at the hottest time, being from 12 till 3; 82° at night, and 71° in
the morning, just before the sun appears above the hills. The wind
has no tendency to get heated, which is curious, considering the bare
rocky mountains by which the plain is surrounded; and all winds are
alike agreeable. The winter here is said to be agreeable and much
milder than that of Isfahan; but the Persian houses seem but bad
winter habitations. The water is excellent here. On the whole,
Shiraz is by far the best place in the Gulf for a person to come from
India to spend a season; and by landing at Bandar Abbas they would
save the unpleasant voyage up the Gulf, and have a good road to
Shiraz."
Colonel Hennell, however, is of a different opinion, saying :—
“ The climate of Shiraz is, to Europeans especially, most unhealthy,
so much so that the spring and summer months would, I doubt not,
send two-thirds of any force into hospital, while the mortality would
be fearful. In speaking, however, of the insalubrity of Shiraz during
the summer months, I must not omit to mention, that from December
to April, that place is tolerably healthy, although exceedingly cold,
even to Europeans."
* Other gardens are, Bagh-i-takht, Bagh-i-nau, Dilkusha. These are going to ruin
with the exception of Dilkusha, which is private property, and has lately been repaired. But
all have a dilapidated and passe look. {Durand.)