north-east to south-west, thirty miles in length, and is completely separated from the more northern ranges of Giroos and Sahund. When viewed from the south and south-east, the Orontes presents the appearance of a vast range of separate mountains. It commences with a gradual ascent from the north-east, and covers with its ramifications upwards of sixty miles of ground. The summit of the mountain is covered with perpetual snow, and Sir R. Ker Porter, who ascended it in the month of September, when the summer heat has attained its maximum, found the ravines below the peak deeply covered with snow. From this circumstance, and the high elevation of the plains of Hamadan, in which it is situated, it is thought that it rivals Olympus in absolute elevation above the level of the sea, though not in respect of its altitude from the base of the plain. The elevation of the plains of Hamadan is alone 5,000 feet above the level of the sea. The ascent of the mountain of Orontes, or Alwend, occupied Sir R. Ker Porter four hours on horseback, and half an hour more was required to scale the summit. Eight hours are required to ascend the summit of Olympus from the plains of Broussa: five hours and a half on horseback, the rest on foot. This will give an idea of the difference of the elevations of the plains on which these mountains stand.

RIVERS.

The rivers of note, according to Ptolemy, are the Straton, Amardus, Cyrus, and Cambyses. But these rivers, as they are represented to fall into the most southern part of the Caspian sea, must, by their positions, have belonged to the provinces now denominated Ghilan and Mazandaran; and consequently could not belong to Media Proper, as it is described by the ancients.

CLIMATE, PRODUCTIONS, ETC.

The northern parts of Media, lying between the Caspian mountains and the sea, are very cold and barren. Chardin says, that the snow lies on the mountains nine months in the year. The southern parts of Media, however, are productive of all kinds of grain, and necessaries for life; and they are so pleasant that the country adjoining Tauris is called "The Garden of Persia." In this part of the country there are large plains, among which that of Nysa was famous in an

cient times for the numerous stud of horses fed there for the use of the Persian monarchs.

Where this plain of Nysa was situated, it is now difficult to determine. The ancients place it in the most eastern part of Media, and beyond the limits of what is now supposed to have been properly this country. Sir J. Chardin conceives that he passed over this fertile tract of ground; but if he is correct, it must be placed several degrees nearer us than the ancient geographers have defined its position. He says: "We continued our way, from Tauris towards Persia, upon the most beautiful and fertile plains, covered with villages. These plains afford the most excellent pasture of all Media, and, I dare say, of the whole world, and the best horses of the country were there at grass. I asked a young noblemen, in company with us, if there were any other plains in Media so fine and so extensive. He told me he had seen some as fine about Derbent, but none more extensive. So that it is reasonable enough to believe that these plains are the Hippobaton of the ancients, and where, they say, the kings of Media had a stud of fifty thousand horses; and that here it is also we must look for the Nysean plain, so famous for the horses of that name. Stephanus. the geographer, says that Nysa was in the country of the Medes. I told this same nobleman some particulars which historians relate concerning those horses, particularly Phavorinus, who says all the Nysean horses were light duns. He answered, that he had never read or heard any thing of the kind. I afterwards inquired of several gentlemen of learning, but could never understand that there was any place, either in Persia or Media, that produced horses of that colour."

Polybius, in describing Media, says, This country is the most powerful kingdom in all Asia, as well for its extent as for the number and strength of its inhabitants, and the great quantity of horses it produces. Media furnishes all Asia with those beasts, and its pastures are so rich, that the neighbouring monarchs send their studs there.

The climate of Media is very unequal; that part which lies between the mountains and the sea is exceedingly cold, and the earth swampy, and full of marshes, where innumerable swarms of venomous insects are bred, which, together with the vapours rising from the Caspian sea, render that part very inhospitable. Elian tells us, that these parts of Media were infested by scorpions, and that while the king of Persia was on his progress into Media, the inhabitants were employed,

for three days before his arrival on the confines, in destroying them.

autumn.

The provinces that are more remote from the sea enjoy a very wholesome air, though liable to heavy rains and violent storms, especially according to Chardin, in spring and This author states that, besides the cattle and game, which the inland provinces abound with, some of them have been, for many ages, remarkable on account of the various sorts of excellent wine they produce, especially the neighbourhood of Tauris, where no fewer, than sixty different kinds of grapes, all of an exquisite flavour, are now gathered.

In the plains of Hamadan, the climate is very pleasant. The thermometer never rises, in the height of summer, higher than 80°. The heat, therefore, is never very oppressive, as in other parts of Persia, being constantly tempered by a cool breeze from the north-west during this season. It is no wonder, then, that the Persian kings made Ecbatana (which, as will be seen, was situated in these plains) their summer residence. This province abounds in fine rivulets of the purest water, which is a blessing of inestimable value in the arid and parched regions of Persia. The habitations on these plains are profusely interspersed with trees, which give variety and beauty to the scenery. Beside the poplar, the narwend, a species of elm, is a very common tree, and grows into shapes so formal as to raise suspicions that they have acquired them by art. On the skirts of the Orontes, Morier was introduced into an extensive garden, in the centre of which was an alley of poplar, willow, and narwend trees, nearly a mile long, and in which many of the natives were singing and taking their pleasure. One large group was seated around a basin of the coolest and most transparent The extensive plain itself is varied at short distances with villages rising from amidst groves of the noblest trees, and seems one luxuriant carpet of the richest verdure, studded with hamlets, and watered with numberless rills. From all this, some idea may be formed of the fertility of Media in ancient times, when it was the seat of empire.

water.

CHAPTER II.

TOPOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF MEDIA.

HALAH, HABOR, AND HARA.

THESE three cities are mentioned 2 Kings xvii. 6, and 1 Chron. v. 26, as cities of the Medes, to which the captive tribes of Israel were transported by Shalmaneser and Tiglathpileser, kings of Assyria, who, according to history, both sacred and profane, possessed the country of Media as part of their empire. The tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half Manasseh, were sent thither by Tiglath-pileser, about B. c. 740, and the remaining seven tribes and a half, about в. c. 719, by his successor, Shalmaneser.

It is interesting to observe, that the names of all these places have been satisfactorily traced by Major Rennel, and other travellers, in the remote northern district of Media, towards the Caspian sea and the province of Ghilan; or, more definitely, in the neighbourhood of the river Kizil-Ozan, the ancient Gozan, which now forms the southern limit of the two most northern provinces of Persia, those of Aderbijan and Ghilan.

The river Gozon is spoken of in the text as watering the country where these cities stood; and on a branch of it is found a city named Abhar, or Habar, which is reputed to be exceedingly ancient, and which evidently refers to Habor. The name of it is given variously by geographers, as Abhar by Abulfeda; Abher, Herbelot; Abar, Hanway; Habar, Tavernier; Abhor, Della Valle; Ebher, Chardin; Ebbeher, Olearius; and Abhar, in the tables of Nasereddin and UlughBegh. A remarkable circumstance connected with this place, and which is supposed to confirm its identity with the ancient Habor, is, that is the first place, in coming from the west, where Persian is spoken, and from thence eastward all the way to Hindostan. Morier, however, a later traveller,

who traversed Aderbijan in various directions, mentions a great and snowy mountain, called Ak-Dagh, or the white mountain, sixty-six English miles south-east of Ardebil, thirtyfive of Iris, and thirty-five east of the Kizil-Ozan, and belonging to the range of Talish, which bounds the district of Chalcal on the east. At the base of this snow-clad peak, is a city called Herah, as large as the town of Zengan, in Media, which, as it is in the very district of Chalcal, and on the north of the Kizil-Ozan, and as it seems to be a mere transposition of the word Habor, is thought, by some, more likely to be the Habor, to which the ten tribes were carried, than Abher.

Bordering on the Kizil-Ozan itself, is a district of some extent, and of great beauty and fertility, named Chalcal, and having in it a remarkably strong position, of the same name, situated in one of the hills adjoining to the mountains, which separate it from the province of Ghilan. Allowing for the change of spelling and pronunciation in so many ages, this name is not far removed from Halah, or Chalach. This district is described by Olearius, Della Valle, Rennel, and Morier; the latter of whom, who traversed it in his journey from Ardebil to the Kizil-Ozan, says: "At Iris we had entered the large and fertile district of Chalcal, justly called the granary of Aderbijan, and esteemed the finest part of Albas Mirza's government. As we advanced from Iris into Chalcal, the country progressively improved in richness of soil and extent of cultivation. Quitting the high country, we commenced a gradual descent to the Kizil-Ozan, and stopped at the village of Paras, where are some striking masses of rock, from the summit of one of which we enjoyed an extensive view; for the deep dell of the river was at our feet, and at a very great distance, just delineated in the horizon, were the snowy summits of the range of Sahund. The descent from Paras to the Kizil-Ozan was extremely grand, presenting many fine outlines of deep chasms and impending rocks." There is also a district named Tarom, or Tarim, bordering on the Ozan, and occupying the intermediate space between Abhar and Chalcal. This, also, is but a little removed from Hara. There is, however, a city mentioned by Morier, which has a much better claim to be the Hara of Scripture than the Tarom of Rennel. This is called Ahar, and is described as being the capital of the district of the KaraDaghler, or black mountains, stretching north and north-east to the Araxes and the plain of Mogan, and placed by him forty English miles north-east of Tabriz. Ahar is exactly