Narrative of Journey Into Persia: In the Suite of the Imperial Russian Embassy, in the Year 1817M. Carey and Son, 126, Chesnut-Street, 1820 - 269 pages |
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Abbas Abbas-Mirza accompanied afforded afterwards agreeable Ambassador appeared Aragua Ararat Araxes Armenian arrived astrologer bassador battle of Leipzig beautiful bridge camp Caspian Sea castle Caucasus cavalry Chan Colonel colours Cossacks Councillor court custom dangerous Delpozo diamonds dishes distance dreadful dress Embassy Emperor encampment Erivan Excellency gentlemen Grusia Gumri handsome harem heat honour horses immense inhabitants Jermoloff journey Julfa Kabardins kallions King Kurdins look Majesty memandar ment Miana minister Mount Ararat mountain Nakatshevan never night Noah's ark observed palace passed Persian person Petersburgh plague present Prince proceeded reached received residence river road round ruins Russian Russian Embassy sador Sangan sardar scarcely seen sent Shah shawls sian side sight singular soon stone stood Sultanie summit surrounded taste Tauris Teheran tents Terek thing throne Tiflis tion town traveller trees troops village walls wersts whole wind wine
Popular passages
Page 110 - ... cold and of the wind, to give up his intention. " Three years ago an immense mass of snow detached itself; and the inhabitants of an adjoining village pretended that a plank belonging to Noah's ark had been found in the snow. It really would not be amiss if wood were oftener to come down from the mountain ; for it has become rather dear in the valley. Ararat affords a retreat to a number of •wild beasts, and serpents of enormous size. A convent is situated at its foot, called Arokilvank, an...
Page 87 - ... the province of Erivan to plunder the convent at his pleasure. I feel convinced that the King, who has a great and honourable mind, is ignorant of the conduct of this monster, or he would, before now, have freed the poor inhabitants of the district from his capricious tyranny. This satrap has, during his .government, amassed enormous wealth, which he is now too old to enjoy. He still, however, continues to plunder the people from habit, and the convent from real heartfelt satisfaction ! He carries...
Page 86 - ... convent alone, which contains three hundred priests, that that number of dignitaries can be found collected together. The villages belonging to Jatshmiasin are deserving of notice, from their affluence. Indeed there would long since have been a flourishing town here, if the Persian government had not permitted the governor of the province of Erivan to plunder the convent at his pleasure. I feel convinced that the King, who has a great and honourable mind, is ignorant of the conduct of this monster,...
Page 135 - ... the Persian horse is already sufficiently good, although it cannot be compared with regular cavalry. But the Persian cavalry is an object of national pride, and on that ground alone the Prince could not interfere with its actual condition. He is powerfully supported in the attainment of his views by the King, who has appointed him heir to his throne, on account of his judgment and the mildness of his character; but still more, because his mother was of the family of Kadjor, from which the Shah...
Page 134 - I should take this opportunity of stating, that the introduction of regular discipline into the Persian army, and the formation of its artillery, within these few years, are entirely due to AbbasMirza ; and it must be allowed that he has, for so short a period, with the assistance indeed of able English officers, achieved a great deal. Only those who are thoroughly acquainted with the pertinacious obstinacy of the Persians, and their dread of every innovation, can form any conception of the obstacles...
Page 136 - ... as it entails an intercourse with Europeans, which is not strictly compatible with the religion of the Persians. He tells them that his brother's measures are injurious to the national honour, that his foreign predilections may perhaps induce him to adopt the customs, the dress, and even the religion of Europe ; and by such idle tales as these, this man courts the favour of many Persians, who find an indolent life in his service more consonant to their inclinations, than it would be to go through...
Page 88 - ... daily exactions, he arranges a hunting party from Erivan, and visits the convent on his way. This honour must be dearly paid for. Many of his favourites, who can procure wine no where else, establish themselves there for weeks together, in order that they may riot in drunkenness, which their religion expressly forbids. If every want be not provided for, they threaten to make false reports to the governor, who, of course, would immediately levy pecuniary contributions! Thus the sanctuary of Armenian...
Page 169 - ... this singular temple lie in a desert. Among the many inscriptions that are found, it is not a little remarkable that some should be in Greek characters, in which the name of Artaxerxes occurs. The human figures are mostly in a costume now unknownSome of these must be meant to represent Kings and rulers ; for the figures that surround them are placed in attitudes of respect ; and the sovereigns are covered with mantles, on the edges of which are unknown characters.
Page 168 - ... known only that it was conquered by Alexander. It has been said, that one of his women obtained from him, by her importunities, permission to set fire to the city. But the most singular circumstances relative to these ruins is, that they by no means seem to indicate the existence of dwelling-houses, but have the general appearance of being the remains of one immense temple, or at least of several smaller ones. In one place numbers of pillars of different dimensions stand upon a terrace ; in other...
Page 94 - ... leave with the wish that the roses of happiness may ever bloom in the garden of his destiny. The host returns thanks with a friendly nod, laments that he must from that moment be unhappy, as they had accustomed his ear to the sweet tones of nightingales : he then resumes...