The Portland daily press., 1873-07-25
The Persia of To-Day.

The Magazine Of Foreign Literature con-
tains a brief description of Persia, of which
the following is au extract, drawn from the
reports of the secretary of the British legation
in Vienna, who travelled in Persia in 1872,
and whose reports are consequently of con-
temporary value:
persia is about as large as Great Britain
and France together, but it has no more in
habtants than Ireland alone, !. e. between
five and six millions, of whom, according to
Mounsey, several thousands have died Of hun
ger during the last years. This absolu ely
poor population has to raise government
revenue OF at least twelve millions of thaiers,
but this sum does not suffice to meet the
wants OF the government, and foggings, sa-
trapal eXtortons, 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 Hafz and
Saadi, ~.-1 P'.atIJ y oovUIc, is.i -svs~..-t-
lcher Digan,' and OF deserts OF rock, sand and
salt.
although there are high mountain ranges
it never rains enough. because the heights are
destitute of forest and there exists no work of
irrigation. In the vicinity of the sea- the riy-
ers lose their flow in terrible wildernesses or
dead, bitter and salt lakes. There are the
greatest contrasts of temperature. In some
| parts people perish from cold and fever, while
| in others they are dying of heat. A strip of
| coast Oh the Persian Gulf is during the great
est 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, fe-
yerish air. Between these parts there are
here and there oases of surprising beauty,
with fields covered with grain or gardens full
of roses, lilies and other flowers.
The present capital. Tehrran, unites in it.
! self nearly all possible degrees of cold and
| heat. In mid-winter, missionaries skate, to
the amusement Of the Shah and his ministers,
on long 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 the longer. During the summer
every one who can get away goes to the slope
of the Elboorz mountains; those who must
rernain live in the heat of the day in subterra-
neau rooms, and at night on The roofs OF the
houses, in an atmosphere so dry that one can
not catch cold. Good roads are found but
rarely or not at all, and travelling Is done on
horseback ;but the Shah, for his own conven-
ience. has had built to his country residence a
railway abont one German mile in length.
Travelling is not everywhere without dam
ger. for there are wild, nomadc hordes, who
attack and plunder single travellers as well as
caravans. The Shah has too many soldiers
for the revenues of the country, but too few
for its securities. These soldiers drain the
| country, DuJ look neNeTIuticoS SIdIFcu, SudDOy
1 and raggedly uniformed. They are frequently
but half armed, and seem rather like robbers
Or beggars than protectors of the country.
Tb ey also rarely receive their pay regularly
The drill n the European manner, but very
neglhyently; in fact, they show their decay on
their taces Just as the country does. Persi;
is on many places covered with the decayeC
ruins of very old, old aud new capitals
Pasagar6a, the oldest cSpital and residenc'
of Persia, in Parsis, near the frontier OF Kar
mania, contained in fine park the tomb o
. Cyrus, its founder, who built the to;yp as
monument of the victory he had gained Esr
over the Median Astyages. To the north
west Of it was Persepolis, founded by Candy
ses, enlarged and beautified by Darius 1. anC
Xerxes. Ecbatana, at present called Hama
dan, was, on account of its agreeable climate
| the summer residence of the Persian anC
; ! Parthian kings: most magnificent city, with
splendid royal palace. Teheran, the presen
capital of Persia and residence of the Shal
since The last century, can hardly show /
| decent building besides the pa.aces of th,
Shah and some of his favorites. The street
are narrow. curved anu ill-paved, the room
of the houses low and poorly furnished
The genuine Persians, males and females, ar
still good looking and we-grown, with al
almost German expression OF face, but lear
and feeble. The only things in the countr-
that have conserved themselves beautiful an,
powerful are the horses. But ability ant
taste, wit and humor cannot have altogethe
died out, for iu the baZaars are found man,
| tasteful articles for nse and luxury. Til
chief blessing of Persia, the tasty fruits of al
kinds, and he light wines of Ecbatana, O.
| Hanadan, still deserv' all the praise given II
them by the poet Hafiz.