The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-19
PERSIA.

O0OW bouletuluB VI Tue pIescut CoAuIuoA
and prospects of this, the most ancient SUI
wing monarchy in the East Persia is no
but . fragment Of the great empire whic
once bore that name Of all the Easter
kingdoms which have left their mark in hi,
tory, however Persia alone retains many q
its ancient customs and institutions. II
present area is about equal to that Of Franc
and Spain, and is estimated to contain 4, 500
600 inhabitants, one-third Of whom live in
nomadic state. Scotch traveller say
ion3-one desert with salt, and tn
other desert without salt Barrenes
prevails throughout, although corn, barley ant
whent are cultivated in the more favored re
Rions Of the country The great salt desert o
Iran. most Of which lies within the presen
limits of Persia, is $50 miles broad Tn
Persian deserts have natural tendency to ex
tend themselves, and districts which once
teemad with fertility now produce nothing
Persia possesses oily seven inhabitants to thu
square mile, and the general depopulation il
40 great that the inhabited villages are from
twenty to forty miles apart
The kingdom Of Persia is an elevated table
land, sloping towards the Caspian Sea on the
north for about two-thirds of its area, and fol
the other third towards the Persian Gulf
This table-land is very sparingly watered the
northe-n mountains give rise to numerous
water-courses, but before they enter the plains
they Gre speedily dried up Notwithstanding
this general sterility, however, Persia pre-
sents in some favored spots scenes of strik-
ing beauty and fertility. Ispahan and its
surrounding country have always been cele-
brated by the Eastern poets, and the descent
from the high table-land to the Persian Gull,
pendous cliffs, is eminently picturesque 1t is
covered with the most brilliant vegetation on
its grassy prairies the oleander, the myrtle,
and thu locust tree grow wild petunias, tu-
lips, geranums ranunculus and convovulus
mingle their bright hues with the green of
aennel, wild rhubarb and the liquorice plant,
whilst iaterspersed amidst fields of corn are
patches of scarlet, white and lilac poppies,
giving 70 the landscape, when lighted up by
the sun, an appearance like that of the richest
Persian carpet, but intensified in color and
beauty
The climate Of Persia is characterized by
great heat and great dryness and without an
artificial supply Of water the greatest portion OF
the cour try would be altogether uninhabitable
Formerly this defect Was counteracted by an ex-
tensive system Of irrigation, and the remains of
underground canals are met with in all direc-
TONS Inc soil in the valleys and plains is
naturally good, and whenever water can be
obtained, the production is very large. In
years of abundance grain is to be had for an
almost nominal price, and the fruits of the
country Are unequalled in any part of the
world Melons are nowhere to be found in
equal perfection, and immense quantities are
raised.
The sp&rseness OF the population in proper
ton to tLe vast Of Persia is one of the |
chief causes of its remarkable decline. In
many districts may be seen villages without
inhabitants, towns only half peopled, bazaars
without tlaffickers, mosques without Worship
srs. and palaces of oriental splendor without
An occupant.
Wars, famines and bad government have
lone their worst to reduce to its present con-
iton country which many centuries ago
a very large population. The Shah
S supreme and irresponsible. There is no
'ouncil but one of his own selection,
md he is the sole ultimate receiver
u all the revenues of the kingdom The only
written law is the Koran, and justice is adj
10y the priesthood, although the
lnwritten law, or U,J like the common law of
sngiand, Il administered 10y secular Judges I
The Persians belong TO the Sheah set of Ma ,
and species OF rationalism. !
ermed SoGteism, is generally adopted by the
ducated classes. Unlike the Soonnee or or s
hOdox Mai ometals, the Shceites wink at the c
se Of wine \
" Ii You wish Persian to understand Won" g
Aid British dlplomatist who had lived in II
nat country, speak to his eyes. not his ears.
ii ranks ln Persia admire show and to this b
ass'on must be ascrlbed the gorgeous decora-
on OF his PERSON which made of the Shah Il
zen an object OF curiosity during his late Il
uroPean tour. Sir Hartford Jones, who had b
opportunity OF examining the Persian q
rown jewels estimated their value at S75 u
U,Ww. Among them was the Sea of Light" i,
Weighing 1856 carats: the ..c,own IS G
le moon, 81 l46 carats, and pair of brace
Is valued ut s5.ooo,ooo Many of these
wells formei part of the spoil brought from
elhi by Nadir Shah. The above estimate is re
'uotless an exaggerated one as another wit st
,ss, Mr. Mounsey. values the Who'll nnlIaa W
on ut about Sll 900. 600 &,
Inc Persian arlstocmcy consists of the 10
mans OF hoflcs, the heads of tribes, and the W
eat oincers ~ the State. In the selection of IN
e latter tn, Sovereign is not restricted to pc
y speciai CLASS OF his subjects. A Prime nt
mister of the present Shah's predecessor in
n been schoolmaster; the Governor of &c
pahan IN the same reign was mental ser WI
Mt, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs was so
gina'ly coffee dealer at Tabreez en-
The peasantry Of Persia have been described WI
thrlftless race; never laboring beyond do
mt IL necessary to obtain bare su6sist- tn
,e. They rust be actuated by new wants ha
lore they car be expected to overcome their OF
bitnal Incidence tn
Inc future Of Persia will probably depend Gel