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APRIL, 1874.]
ESTABLISHMENT OF HERAT AND ITS DEPENDENCIES.
121
of Islám, the habitation of learned Ulemmas, the This joy of the earth, by nature irrigated, asylum of noble Sayyids, a place of recreation for Bears off the palm from the gardens above. persons of all nations, and the envy of all the
Truly these cultivated fields may be countries of the world. The verse :-"Enter ye
A model of Eden's paradise.
The interval between Dereh-du-Beråderån and therein in peace and security" [Qoran, xv. 46], and also the blessed verse :-" The extent where
the Mallån bridge, about two farsakhs long, is a
very pleasing landscape studded with country. of equaleth the extent of heaven" [ibid. lvii.
houses contiguous to each other; in fact the whole 29) has been revealed with reference to Herât;
region, from the just-mentioned Dereh to Mount the purity and sweetness of its water rivals the
Eskjah, which is four farsakhs long, and from fountains of Paradise, and its exhilarating climate
Aobah to Kosuyah, which extends to thirty farimparts new life :
sakhs, is full of cultivated fields, buildings, and vil. As limpid Salsabyl its water is;
lages, all of which are in an extremely flourishing Its space extends as far as Paradise ; The clime, like Khiszar's water, Masyh's breath:
condition. Its air, life-giving; water, gladdening hearta.
Some of the attractions of this district are the The azure vault is put to shame by the altitude places of Worship, and of pilgrimage, and tombs, of its towers, and Khavarnaq with Sydr two situated in pleasant spots; and its dependencies are famous Arab castles) are of no account when com. nine in number :-Ist, Torân and Tangan; 2nd, pared with its edifices :
Qaurån and Båshån; 3rd, Kayrân; 4th, Saqr; 5th, Not high the dome of heaven to its kiosks :
Khayâbân ; 6th, Kedârâ; 7th, Zanjbyl; 8th, OlenNot fine the park of Eden with it compared.
ján; 9th, Ardvän and Tyzân; but the place, The present town-wall on the south side of She- the like of which for pleasantness of temperature myran and Qanduz, both of which it surrounds, and cannot be found in the inhabited world, is Khayawhich was much renovated by the King Mua'z-al- ban-i-Herkt, which is a spot agreeable as paradise, dyn Husayn, is so spacious, that a diameter drawn and which, moreover, contains several places of from the bridge across the river Anjyl to the 1 pilgrimage and tombs of saints, sheykhs, and gateway of Sheykh Hazm, passes over the Khay- learned men. It was even in pre-Islamitic times & bah bridge and stretches nearly one farsakh locality of great blessings, resorted to by the rich in length. This wall, the world-conquering Lord and the poor, by residents and by travellers, of the two fortunate conjunctions, Amyr Tymur as a popular place of worship and of festiGurkân (may God shed streams of pardon over vities. In ancient times it was called Koy Khohim !), destroyed when he took Herât, because dâygån, and a Padeshåh is in the Persian tongue it would have been very difficult to guard it. At called Khoddygan. One of the many great places present the town-wall of Herat is double, there of pilgrimage situated there, is the one dedicated being between the two an interval of ten gaz; it to that radiator of lights, that perfect critic, and has, moreover, one hundred and forty-nine towers, excellent authority, the Emâm of genii and of men, and the periphery of it amounts to seven thousand who has reached the gardens of the sanctuary, and three hundred feet; the extent of this place Fahr-al-Dyn-wa-al-Millet [boast of the Faith and is from the spot of "the twelve kings" as far as Religion] O'mar Razy (May God favour him with Firuzâbâd, and from the "Khosh road " to the pardon !), who by his high attainments bore away citadel, one thousand nine hundred by one thou- the palm of precedence in theoretical and tradisand nine hundred feet; the fosse was nearly tional sciences from all the savants of these twenty cubits deep, but as it has not been cleaned latter times, and who was unequalled as a rhetoriout for a long time, it is somewhat less now. The cian in this world. excellencies and blessings of the Cathedral-mosque As tho pen, which leaves perfumed marks, has exceed the limits of enumeration; it is situated arrived at the mention of the Emam of nations, between the Qipchâq and the Khost road. The and the guide of the peoples of the world, an fort of Ekhtyâr-al-dyn is situated within the city. anecdote presents itself to the mind with reference The town itself contains only a rivulet and but to him, as follows:-"It is related that during the few gardens; but the environs from the locality of reign of Muhammad Ebn Aly the Esmayly, who the washermen up to Mount Mukhtar and to was governor of the fort of Radb&r, of QuhasChashmahi-Mahyên [Fish-Spring], and moreover | tân, and of other localities, and who professed, with from the village Måshtân as far as the district of his adherents, a belief contrary to the tenets and Sâq Salmaq, to the extent of nearly six farsakhs, doctrines of Islâm; the Emâm Fahr-al-dyn dwelt all the plains and hills are full of gardens :- at Ry and was giving lectures there; but envious
• Here it wm necessary to make some omissions about the climate and beauty of Hernt, on account of the exuberant tautology of the author.
