A Journey through Persia, Armenia, and Asia Minor, to Constantinople, in the Years 1808 and 1809

mountains are arid, with surfaces indicating much mineral below.

_Rey_ is the _Rhages_ of TOBIT, and is the city where ALEXANDER rested five days in his pursuit after DARIUS; after he had made a march of _eleven_ days from _Ecbatana_ or _Hamadan_. ARRIAN calls this city one day’s journey from the _Caspian Streights_.

_Rey_ was reduced by HUBBE, the general of JENGHIZ KHAN; and from its scattered population arose the town of _Teheran_. Near the ruins is still a village called _Shah Abdul Azeem_, with a _Zeeauret_ or place of worship.

Of ancient Persia I learned little. _Currimabad_ is, perhaps, the _Corbiana_ of geography. Near _Shiraz_ is a _Bolouk_ of eighteen villages, called _Fasa_, from its chief place, which itself is about five or six _menzils_ or thirty-five _fursungs_ from _Shiraz_, and about nineteen from _Persepolis_. From _Fasa_ to _Firouzabad_ is four _menzils_; perhaps twenty _fursungs_. The ruins at both, and indeed in the line between them are great.

A native of _Fasa_, whom I questioned on the subject, told me that the remains at his city were considered more wonderful than any thing at _Persepolis_, except the columns. There are great stones with _Persepolitan_ inscriptions. There is a large mound of earth, which, according to the people of his country, was transported by Turks from Turkish territory. The _thaubet_ or government of this place is the most lucrative and respectable about the region.

JAFFIER ALI, Resident for the English nation at _Shiraz_, informed me that the number of the _Guebres_ (worshippers of fire) decrease annually in Persia. They are so reviled and distressed by the government that either they become converts to Mahomedanism, or emigrate to their brethren in India. Their _Atech-gau_, or chief fire-temple, a large excavation in the ground, in which the sacred element was preserved, was at _Firouzabad_, seventeen _fursungs_ South East of _Shiraz_. The orifice is now closed; and the fire indeed, according to a Mahomedan doctor, was extinguished on the day of the birth of his prophet. The remains at _Firouzabad_ attest the former importance of that city. _Yezd_ is now the great seat of the _Guebres_ and of their religion; but they are more poor and more contemned in Persia, than the most miserable of the Jews in Turkey. The works of ZOROASTER were collected by his disciple JAMAZ, into a book thence called the _Jamaz Namah_, which is now most scarce.

II. The only hereditary title in Persia is _Mirza_ or _Meerza_. The derivation of which word is from _Emir_ (_Ameer_ a nobleman) and _Zadé_ a son, &c. This species of nobility is traced very far, and is not creative. The title descends to all the sons of the family, without exception. In the Royal family it is placed after the name instead of before it, thus, ABBAS MIRZA and HOSSEIN ALI MIRZA. _Mirza_ is a civil title, and _Khan_ is a military one. The title of _Khan_ is creative, but not hereditary: the sons of _Khans_ are called _Aga_ or Esquire, which is a _Tartar_ title, and more common to Turkey than to Persia. The creation of _Khan_ is attended with few ceremonies, and those very simple. The King sends a _kalaat_ or dress of honour to the person so created, and on his investiture the King gives him a _firman_ announcing to all persons that the bearer of it is forthwith a _Khan_; and this _firman_ is worn three days on the top of the turban. Any person who derides this patent or who refuses to call the bearer of it by his title, is liable to the penalty of death.

The title of _Mirza_ does not hinder the possessor from receiving that of _Khan_ also; and then the name runs, for example, thus, MIRZA HOSSEIN ALI KHAN.

The different ranks of civil governors are--1st. The _Beglerbeg_, who generally resides in the large cities, and controuls the province around: 2d. The _Hakim_; and 3d. the _Thaubet_, who severally govern a city or a town: 4th. The _Kelounter_, who, besides the real governor, resides in every city, town and village, and superintends the collection of the tribute: 5th. The _Ket Khoda_, who is the chief of a village: 6th. The _Pak-kar_, who is servant or _Hommes d’Affaires_ to the _Ket Khoda_, and who transacts the business with the _Rayat_ or peasant. The _Pak-kar_ accounts with the _Ket Khoda_, and he again with the _Kelounter_.

The _Kelounter_ is a man of consequence wherever he presides; he is an officer of the crown, and once a-year appears before the Royal presence, an honour which is not permitted to the _Ket Khoda_. He also receives wages from the King’s treasury, which the _Ket Khoda_ does not. The _Kelounter_ is the medium through which the wishes and wants of the people are made known to the King: he is their chief and representative on all occasions, and brings forward the complaints of the _Rayats_, whenever they feel oppressed. He also knows the riches of every _Rayat_, and his means of rendering the annual tribute: he therefore regulates the quota that every man must pay; and if his seal be not affixed to the documents which the _Rayat_ brings forward in the time of the levy, the assessment is not valid, and the sum cannot be received.

The three principal branches of the tribute which the people pay are 1st. _Maleeat_; 2d. _Sader_; and 3d. _Peish-Kesh_.

The _Maleeat_ is the hereditary original right of the crown, and consists in produce and money. The King gets in kind one-fifth of the produce of the land, i. e. of wheat, barley, silk, tobacco, indigo, &c. and articles of that description: and one-fifth in money of all the vegetables, fruit, and lesser produce of the earth, which the proprietor may sell. Though the proportion be paid in kind, yet it is assessed, not by the actual levy of every fifth sheaf, &c. but by an indirect criterion of produce, deduced from the number of oxen kept by the landholder; and this part of the revenue is collected accordingly by a corresponding rate imposed upon the growth of the land. Thus the possessor of twelve oxen is supposed to possess also an extent of land, the cultivation of which may require that number, and is therefore assessed to pay a quantity of corn proportioned to the assumed amount of his gross receipt.

The King collects one-fifth also in money of all the vegetables, fruits, and lesser produce of the earth, which the proprietor may sell. Formerly these tributes, either in kind or in money, were only one-tenth: but their amount has been doubled by the present King.

The inhabitants of towns pay according to an assessment imposed on the place, and founded on the number of houses which it may contain, and not according to their individual means. And this levy on any particular town is but a part only of that charged on the district which contains it; thus _Ispahan_, which for instance has _Koom_ and _Kashan_ within its administration, is required to furnish a specified sum, of which it pays part, and divides the rest among the secondrate towns, which again subdivide their own proportions among the villages around; and collect, each in their gradations, the appointed amount of the tribute, and transfer the whole to the Royal treasury. The government requires that the collector of any given district should supply a stated sum, but it permits him likewise to add, as his own profit, whatever he can further exact. Most of these offices are bought and sold. By the amount therefore of the purchase is regulated the rate of oppression. The scale descends; every minor agent is expected to accomplish an appointed task; but is left to choose his own means, and to have no other controul but his own conscience. This is the practice, whatever may be the theory of the administration of the revenue.

The _Sader_ is an arbitrary tax, and is the most grievous to the _Rayat_. It admits every species of extortion, and renders the situation of the peasant extremely precarious. This impost is levied on particular occasions, such as the passage of any great man through the country, the local expences of a district, or on other opportunities which are continually recurring; so that the _Rayat_ is never certain of a respite. It is assessed in the same manner upon the number of oxen which he may keep. Thus, if sheep are wanted, he who keeps one ox is obliged to give a sheep, and so on with every other demand which may be made.

The _Peish-Kesh_. This is called indeed a voluntary gift, but it must be offered every year at the festival of the _Norooz_; and like the regular taxes, is required in the same proportion, according to the means of the people.

By these taxations the condition of the cultivators is rendered more particularly wretched. On the contrary, the merchants are less oppressed than any class in Persia. The shop-keeper indeed (_dukiandar_) pays tribute; but the proper merchant, (_sodager_) a distinct order, pays nothing at all to the state, except the duties of the customs, which are comparatively very small, being about one-tenth on the imports; and as they are not affected by any other imposition, they are the most wealthy part of the community.

Landed property in Persia is hereditary, and is known by the name of _waky_. But on the delinquency of its proprietor, it may be seized by the King, and is then called _Zapté Shah_. It remains annexed to the crown, until the family are again restored, when the estate, according to the pleasure of the Sovereign, may be returned. The King, while he retains such property, generally allows a portion of its produce to the relatives of the former owner, and this allowance is called _Moustemeree_. Besides the _Zapté Shah_ there are the _Halissé_ or crown lands, that from time immemorial have belonged to the Kings of Persia. They are cultivated by tenants, who defray all the expences, cattle, implements of agriculture, &c. and divide the net profits with the King.

At the death of KERIM KHAN, the Royal treasury