"معاملات الجمعية الجغرافية في بومباي، من يناير ١٨٤٧ حتى مايو ١٨٤٩. تحرير السكرتير. المجلد VIII." [‎٢‎٨‎٩] (٤٩٦/٣٩٨)

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against Baghdad itself. In one or two encounters he defeated the
Turkish forces sent out to oppose him, and in a few days would, in all
probability, have laid siege to the city, when the cholera appeared with
great virulence amongst the troops. He became one of its victims, and
died in the neighbourhood of Sherahban. The dreadful malady spread
rapidly amongst the panic-stricken troops, who were compelled to retreat
into their own territory, to the great relief of their Osmanli opponents.
Since the death of that prince, Kirmanshah rapidly declined. Built on
the skii t of an extensive and well watered plain, it possesses every facility
for becoming a rich and populous city; and its central situation on the
main road between the capital of Persia and the once opulent cities of
Baghdad and Moosul, increases its local advantages.
To the rapacity of its successive governors, plague, and cholera, those
scout ges of eastern cities, have lent their pestilential aid in reducing its
population, which is formerly given as 35,000, a number exceeding
perhaps by two-thirds the present amount. It boasted, too, of some
handsome edifices, but these for the most part have gone to decay. The
town, indeed, has but a mean appearance, from the approaches to it, and
weie it not foi the lofty turrets that flank the anderun or <( women’s
apaitment of the palace, it would fail to strike the eye. Almost con
cealed in the uneven ridges of some undulating hills (Kamr-zard) that
bound it on the south face, it is reputed hot, and at times unhealthy.
The gardens are, however, pretty, and contain some fine fruit trees.
The slim and lofty poplar flourishes here in prefection, but is seldom
allowed to attain to maturity in the present times. Internally, the town
presents a picture of ruin similar to most eastern towns. The “ palace 9
walls are surrounded by untenanted hovels, and decay presents itself
whichever way the eye of the spectator turns. Its bazaars are but par
tially filled, and, with the exception of fruits, which are abundant, offer
but little proof of commercial enterprize. Kirmanshah was celebrated
for the richness and beauty of its carpets, but scarcely one is now obtain
able. Industry, indeed, is at present unknown on the spot where
thousands of busy fingers were daily occupied in weaving those beauti-
U ; and j llst1 ^ famed specimens of Persian workmanship. The causes of
is lamentable decline of the trade and the arts have been already
specified ; it remains only to notice that the better sorts of piece goods
an other European manufactures find their way here from Tabriz, and
10 re use of the Baghdad markets are also imported by the poorer
oa ers, when the bazaars of that city are overstocked. Tabriz is, how-
^ver, the chief place from whence its imports are derived. The town