The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1873-08-17

TeTsfa mas recently been described by |
the Secretary of the British Legation at
1877. Persia, he says, is about as large rs
Great Britain and France together, but it |
has no more inhabitants than ireland alone
{betwecn five and six miliions), several
thousands of whom have died of hunger
during the last few years. This absolutely
poor population has to raise government
revenue of at least 80 600, 600, but this su m
does not suffice to meet the wants of the
government, aud hoggings, satrapai extor-
tions, and other means used in the East to
raise revenue, have long ago lost their
power. Persia consists alternately of
paradises such as described by Hatz and
Saadi, and of deserts of rock sand and
salt.
Although there are. high mountain ran
ges it never rains enough, because the
heights are destitute of forest and these ex-
lists no work of irrigation. In the vicinity
| terrible wilderness or in dead, bitter and
| salt lakes. There are the greatest con-
trasts of temperature. In some parts peo-
pie perish from cold and fever, while In
others they arc dying of heat. A strip of
coast on the Persian Gulf is, during the
greatest part of the year, as hot as an oven,
while on the coast of the Caspian Sea there
is for at least five months in the year, a
| cold, damp, feverish air. Between these
parts there are here and there GASES of sur
passing beauty, with fields covered with
grain aud gardens full of roses, lilies and
| other flowers.
The present capital, Teheran, untes in
itself all possible degrees of cold and heat.
| In midwinter the missionaries skate, to the
amusement of the Shah and his ministers,
on lorg sheets of ice, which are protected
by high walls against the rays of the sun,
which are also in winter powerful, in order
that the ice may last longer. During the
,iNn ynf
to the slope of the Elboorz Mountains !;
those who must remain live, in the heat of
the day, in subterranean rooms, at night on
the roofs of the houses, in an atmosphere
so dry that one cannot catch cold. Good
roads are found but rarely or not at all
and travelling is done on horseback but
the Shah, for his own convenience, has had
built to his country residence railway
about four English miles in length.
Travelling is not everywhere without
danger, for there are wild, nomadic hordes,
. who attack and plumber single travellers as
well as caravans. The Shah has too many
soldiers for the revenues of the country
, but too few for it's security. These SOL
-: ders drain the country, but look neverthe
less starved, shabby and raggedly uniform.
, ed. They are frequently but half armed
l and seem rather like robbers or beggars
than protectors of the country. They also
, rarely receive their pay regularly
/ They drill in the European manner, but
> very negligently; in fact, they show theiI
1 decay on their faces just as the country
s does. Persia is in many places covered will
the decayed ruins of very old, and new cap
itals.
y Pasagarda, the oldest capital and resi
g dence of Parsis, in Parsis, near the frontier
. of karmania, contained in a fine park the
i tomb of Cyrus, its founder, who built thu
y town as O monument of the victory he hat
= gained over the Medan Astyages. To thu
north west of it was Persepolis, founded b.
8 Candy ses, enlarged and beautifed by Oar
JUS l., and Nerxes Ecbatana, at Presen
called Hamadan was on account of it's agree
q able climate, the summer residence of til
- Persian and Parthian kinGs-a most mag
= niticent city, with asplendid royal palace
= Teherau, the present capital of Persia, ant
) residence of the Shah, since the last cen
;, tury, can hardly show IL decent building
= beside the palaces of the Shah and some o
a his fayorites. The streets are narrow
= curved, and ill-paved, the rooms of til
- houses are low and poorly furnished. Tb
>, genuine Persians, males and females, ar
4 still good looking and well grown, with a
n almost German expression of face, but lea
and feeble. The only things in the conn
try that have preserved themselves beautl
full and powerful are the horses. Bu
Al ability and taste, wit AID humor, canno
n have altogether died out, for in the bazaar
~ are found often tastful articles for use an
=, luxury. The Chief blessing of Persia, tn
q tasty fruits of all kinds, and the light wine
~ still deserve all the praise given to thet
IS by the poet HAITI.