'Travels in Assyria, Media, and Persia, including a journey from Bagdad by Mount Zagros, to Hamadan, the ancient Ecbatana, researches in Ispahan and the ruins of Persepolis, and journey from thence by Shiraz and Shapoor to the sea-shore. Description of Bussorah, Bushire, Bahrein, Ormuz, and Muscat, narrative of an expedition against the pirates of the Persian Gulf, with illustrations of the voyage of Nearchus, and passage by the Arabian Sea to Bombay.' [‎170] (201/582)

170
FROM HAMADAN
Sept . 25th.—After a night of great suffering and increased
fever, with total loss of appetite and insatiable thirst, I felt my
self so weak, as scarcely to be able to support myself without aid.
Some of the party whom we had joined, now came to say, that in
consequence of a dispute between the principal owner of the mer
chandize, and the chief muleteer of the caravan, it was likely that
those remaining behind at Hamadan, would be detained there
for three or four days longer; and that their companions here
could not proceed without them. My Dervish and the Fakeer,
who were both much more alarmed at my illness than myself,
urged me by all means to await here the result of their joining
us, that I might in the mean time assist my recovery by repose.
As they spoke, however, of a station only two hours distant, and
as the weather was fine, after the rain of yesterday, I preferred
proceeding, if possible, even alone, in order to be gaining some
thing, however little, on our way; as well as to try what the
change of air and water might effect.
Tafreejan and Yalpan are nearly equal in size, and the
population of each is less than a thousand persons; though their
appearance would induce a stranger to make a larger estimate.
As building land is of no value, every house occupies a large space
in its courts, its stables, its gardens, &c. The buildings are mostly
of mud; but better wrought, and neater and cleaner, than Arab
dwellings of people of the same class. The inhabitants are all
ill-dressed, and are also an ill-looking people. The language
spoken among themselves is a corrupt Turkish, which my Der-
vish understood, and Persian is only used by them to strangers.
Ihey are here, as in many other of the villages through which
we passed, such expert thieves, that a large copper washing jug,
called Ibreah, with an iron hook and chain, and three or four
smaller articles, were stolen from beneath our heads as we slept,
m the cavern before described, without either of us being at all
disturbed by the robbery.
We quitted Yalpan about ten o'clock, and went slowly on to