PERSIA-COUNTRY AND CITY.

Otago Witness, Issue 1762, 29 August 1885, Page 26

PERSIA-COUNTRY AND CITY.

THE CLIMATE OE PEBSJA is much tempered by the height of the land. He,at. should predominate from the latitudinal position of the country, but the traveller may in a few, hours during his journey encounter the. fieat of Africa and the cold of Siberia. In it is excessively cold, and high mountains seldom free from snpw. Demarend, a mountain about 7(> miles north-east of Teheran, has qeeri buried in snow even in July. Ispahan is a lovely spot. The shade of its lofty avenues, the fragrant luxuriance of its gardens, and the, yerdant beauty of it wide-spreading fields combine with the finest climate in the world to r.ender it delightful. Persia's climate is dry and ijealthy — so dry that polished metal will not r.ust in the outer air. After enumerating the domestic and wi|d anjmals, a correspondent describes

T5? EEBSTAN TOWNS. }f the face of tfrq' country disappoints the

traveller the towns are less gratifying, as the rule is misery, filth, and ruin. Instead of the bustle of business .and crowded population of European cities, he has to thread his way through narrow and dirty lanes, amidst ruins of mud walls and old buildings, amongst heights and hollows and brick pits and high walls that conceal the only verdure the place can boast ; till at last he reaches the dilapidated walls of the city, and entering the gateway, watched by a few sleepy guards, he finds himself, in a mean- bazaar, or more probably-in i a confusion of mere rubbish. There are.no streets .and scarcely a house, for. it is only the houses of the poor .which are seen, the dwellings of the rich being carefully shrouded from view by high walls of mud or of raw bricks, and outside of these are clustered, with the utmost contempt of order, the huts of the poor. There is scarcely room for a loaded mule or donkey to pass between the narrow passages that give access to these dwellings, and as no . attempt is made to' level the paths, the passenger has to make his way over all impediments, scrambling amongst ruins, stumbling over gravestones, or falling into holes, especially at night, as there are only a few streets lighted in Persia, and most of those are in Teheran, principally near the Shah's palace. The bazaars are the only thoroughfares which deserve the name of streets, and these have received merited.praise from many visitors, especially the bazaars of Shiraz, the continuous bazaars of Ispahan, which extend for miles, and some of them in Teheran, all of which are comparatively spacious, lofty, and built of materials,more or less solid. THE MAJORITY OF THE PERSIAN BAZAARS are as wretched as the towns. These bazaars are generally arched over With well constructed brickwork or clay, or,<,as .inithe inferior constructions, with branches of trees. Here are collected all the different trades; the smiths, braziers, shoemakers, saddlers, cloth sellers, &c., in their own quarter; but confectioners, fruiterers, apothecaries, and such like are dispersed in various quarters. Few houses in a Persian town exceed one story, and the general cotvp d'ail presents a succession of flat roofs and long walls of mud, diversified, however, by gardens, with which the towns and villages are often surrounded and intermingled, and in which are seen the poplar, cypress, and the oriental plane. A great many Persian towns have some defence, consisting generally of a high mud wall, which is flanked by turrets and sometimes ' protected by a deep, dry, ditch. " Caravanserais " are built in every town for the accommodation of travellers, aud are also found at every stage on the principal roads. These edifices are generally constructed of stone or brick of a square form, and divided in the interior into separate apartments. They are surrounded with high walls and towers as a defence against robbers. The houses' are generally built of mud, with terraced roofs, and their inner apartments are usually better than might be expected from their outward appearance. Persian villages, generally, are very rudely constructed. The common houses, or rather huts, have often, instead of a terrace, a dome roof, in order to avoid the necessity of using wood, which is a very scarce commodity all over Persia, there being but few trees on the arid planes ; hence wood is extremely dear, and coal is very expensive, costing, as it does, about £3 10s per ton. THE GOVERNMENT OF PERSIA is a pure despotism, which is subject to no control from the influence of laws or manners, and under which every man's life and liberty, also property, are at the mercy of the sovereign. He may raise the lowest subject to the highest rank, or he may degrade, imprison, or put him to death, according to his will. He has evidently been taught from his infancy to consider his subjects as created for his pleasure. In general, however, the Persian King has not profited by these early lessons, as he is now very considerate and merciful. Throughout the Persian provinces chiefs and governors are everywhere seen improving upon the early examples of the king ; beating, imprisoning, and stealing property from the unfortunate cultivators who are placed at their mercy. Ido not believe there is any such thing as protection for life and property in this country, and the Government officials rob the people, and further, insult and maltreat them If they dare to complain. There is no class in Persia subjected to such tyranny and oppression as the cultivators of the soil. They are exposed to almost continual extortion and injustice; there seems to be no limit to the amonnt of the demands made upon them. When the king demands money from his ministers, they have to fall back pn the heads of districts, who in their turn apply to the heads of villages, and these last last lot wring it from the cultivators. PERSIAN PEASANTRY. Though the Persian peasantry are poor, their general condition, I should say, would contrast favourably with that of many of the same class in Europe. The Persian peasants are civil, obliging, and, generally speaking, intelligent. The politeness of the Persians, for which they are supposed to' be much famed, seems to consist more in the observance of a troublesome ! routine of ceremonies and the use of very flowery and complimentary language, than in any real courtesy. A Persian will say to a stranger that he is his slave ; that his house and all it contains, his horses, &c, are all at his service, but no one understands this in any other sense than an unmeaning form which hinders the intercourse of society without refining it. As I have previously stated, the Persians are handsome, active, and robust, lively in their imaginations, and of quick apprehension, but without any more qualities to attract esteem. I now give you an. instance of their morality : The Persians in their drinking parties, even amongst the highest classes, exceed all bounds of discretion ; half a dozen companions meet at night, the floor is covered with a variety of stimulating dishes to promote drinking, for which no provocation whatever is required ; among these are pickles of great variety, and sardines; &c., a food which ought to be an abomination to a true Persian ; singers and dancing boys enliven the 6cene. A PERSIAN DESPISES A WINE GLASS : a tumbler is his measure. He has an aversion to " heel-taps," and he drains his glass to the dregs with his left hand under his chin to catch the drops of wine lest he should be detected next morning in respectable society by the marks on his dress. Ttyey begin with pleasant conversation, scandal, and gossip ; _ then they become personal, quarrelsome, abusive, and even indecent after the unimaginable Persian fashion as the scene advances. As the mirth waxes fast and furious all restraint is thrown aside. They strip themselves nearly stark naked, dance and play all sorts of antics and childish tricks — one of the party generally places a large "deeg," or cooking pot, on his head, and displays his graces and attitudes on the light fantastic toe or rather heel. The effects of the cruel despotism under which Persia has been groaning, has thus degraded the character of the people, and also checked the progress of science and, in fact, of every useful art. THE INSECURITY OP LIKE and property is the dead weight which seems to oppress the country. It stops the efforts of in-

dustry, paralyses the powers of invention and every ingenious improvement, for no man will sow where he is not sure of reaping, or will task his ingenuity to produce what he may be deprived of the very next hour. It is the common practice for " swell " Persians to kidnap the be&b workmen they employ. Hence everyone avoids the reputation of excellence, simply on that account; the men are generally kidnapped for the use of the Court and great men of the provinces, who never pay the workmen they employ ; and thus under the painful influence of this frightful despotism, improvement is " nipped in the bud," and every useful invention is discouraged. There is little or no outlay of labour or capital in .expectation of any profitable return. No speculation is risked which promises any future advantage. Before closing this sketch of Persian character, one marked feature must be especially noticed. The Persians are the only Asiatics who are real sportsmen. They love the chase for itself, and will ride as hard and with as much enjoyment as an English fox-hunter. , THE KING, OB SHAH, OV PERSIA has great varieties of personal duties to perform. He gives audience at an early hour of the morning to his principal ministers and secretaries, who make reports of all state transactions and receive his commands. He holds a public lovee which is attended by the princes, ministers, and officers of his court, at which rewards are distributed and punishments awarded, mostly of the latter, no doubt. He then gives one or two hours to his personal favourites or to his Ministers. After the morning is past he retires to his inner, apartment, where he is secured from observation. In the evening he holds another levee, and transacts business with his Ministers, &c. This, however, is rather a sketch of what his employments ought to be than, of what they are." The Prime Minister, exclusive of emoluments, which nearly treble the income, receives about 60,000 tomans, or £20,000 per year, but he is ever exposed to degrading punishments and a cruel death. VEGErATION IN TIIE COUNTRY. It is extraordinary how vegetation thrives in •Persia^ even with the rudest cultivation, wherever there is the smallest ' supply of moisture. Water in Persia is so essential to vegetation that almost the only species of improvement which is carried on is the construction of subterranean canals , (in Persian " Khanorts ") for the purpose of conveying water to lands which are destitute of any natural supply. These " Khanorts," when finished, are often let at very high rents. There is one I know of which brings in an annual rent of 900 tomans (£300). There is also another, simply employed in irrigating a fru\t, garden, which is rented at five or six times that sum. Fruits are produced in the garden grounds in great abundance aud perfection. The date is one of the most important products, being used in Persia, where the climate is extremely hot, as an article of food in the same manner as in other hot eastern parts, especially Baghdad way. The other fruits are pomegi-anates, a luscious fruit here, some being twelve inches in circumference; grapes to any amount; sweet and water melons, limes, oranges, apples,' pears, cherries, apricots, peaches, figs, pistachie nuts, walnuts, and some few others. The Ispahan melons' are said to be the finest in the world. The species called " Gurgarb "is so large that two melons is considered a donkey's load. The quinces are also very fine. Such vegetables as carrots, turnips, potatoes, cabbages, spinach, beefc-root, and the like are very common. THE FLOWERS OF PERSIA. In the more fertile spots of Persia flowers grow to great perfection and luxuriance; the rose and every variety of the crocus species, primroses, violets, lilies, hyacinths, and others, no less lovely than unknown. Geraniums and roses are, I think, about the two most common plants in Persia — the former being of a tremendous siao. and growth.. — " Veritas," in the Montreal Witness.