1 18ft
2 .TIMPIRATD&E.
3 snow is very deep for upwards of three months ; and is frozen over
4 SO) that men can travel on it without sinking. The strt ains are fro-
5 zen I and, fur part of the winter, wiU btiar even loaded, camels. The
6 summer is scarce so hot as that of England, and only one harvest is
7 reaped in the year. In the country of the Kharoties, the cold is sUU
8 move severe. It ia ooosideniUe in the other dutncfta vmong the
9 bmkdies of Solimauii, but diminuliea as we get towarda the •oull^
10 Tothe aoith of Ghiiniee^ the cold dunhuahea aawe leeede ficom. that
11 city tin we reach the Cohdaumun and Cohiataun, north of Caqbu}«
12 irheie the cold morcaaca, and amtiiniea to incieaie aa the eountij
13 liaes towaida the ridge of Hindoo Cooah. Canbui Hadi^ hehig hnrer
14 than Ghumee» and more encioaed by hills, ajqpears not to sufe ao
15 anch firam eold> The eold of the wiatec* ^ not gieater» ia moce
16 steady than that of England ; but the sununer ia hotter than wn$ ao
17 much so that the people ana unwiUing to expose thcnudvea t«i the
18 aoB in that season. The great diffmnoe between the •mom and
19 tl^quickness with whidi they change, has a striking effect on the cus*
20 tema ef the inhabitants* in winter, the people are aU clad in wooUa»
21 garments^ and, in aome places, in clothes of felt ; over whioh they
22 nniversally wear a large great-coat of well tanned sheep skin, with the
23 long shaggy wool inside. Tliey have fires in their houses ; and often
24 sleep round stoves, with their legs and part of their bodies covered by
25 large pieces of tanned slicep skin, which are thrown over the stove,
26 so as to ronfiTie thf heat. They -seldom leave their houses, unless
27 when urgent busiix ss re<|uires, or when the young men go to bunt
28 wolves in tb<' snow. But, when the ^vernal e<|uinox is past, the snow
29 suddenly disappears, the countrv is covei cd witii young grass, the buds
30 burst forth, ami are soon Ibllow ed 1)\ a j ii ot iision of flowers. The in-
31 habitants leave their towns, and spread u\ei iht country on partii':^ of
32 business or pleasure. They change tlieir wuUcr laiment for a ihiu
33 dress of chintz or cotton ; and, c^en sleep at night under trees, or in
34 the open air. The nourooz or vernal equinox, has always been a time
35 of great rejoicing in these countries ; but, tJie Persians, havuig engraft*
36 ed some &ble about Ali, the p^ion of their reUgious se<^ upon thii
37 Digitized by Google