Two more marches brought us to the banks of the river Jaghattee, which rising among the mountains of Kûrdistan, after fertilizing several valleys in that country, and in the province of Aderbejan, flows into the lake of Oormeah. We halted here some days; and were so delighted with the fishing, shooting, and hunting, near our encampment, that we should have remained longer, but for a report that the plague was in a neighbouring village. This determined the Elchee to move; nor could he be induced to remain by the assurance of some Kûrds, that this village was the utmost limit to which the scourge had ever been known to extend in this quarter. It would fill a volume, were I to relate the amusing and interesting accounts we received from our enterprising friends; who had not only visited many of the least known parts of Persia, but had penetrated into the wide and barbarous countries between that kingdom and India. Their travels, if ever noticed, must belong to a future work; none of them excited my curiosity more than those of a gallant and valued friend, who has since died the death of a soldier. He had traversed the arid plains of Seestan, and visited the famous cities of Mushed and Yezd in Khorassan. As he knew Yezd was the chief residence of the few Guebres, or worshippers of fire, who still remain in Persia, and who live there, under the protection of their chief, who is one of the principal magistrates of the town, he had furnished himself with letters from the Parsees or Guebres at Bombay, to their friends at Yezd. Among these was one from Khoosroo, a well known poet, who, like many others, is more famous for the quantity than the quality of his rhymes. My friend had kept a copy of this singular production, which was in verse. After informing the chief to whom this letter was addressed that the person who would present it was endowed with many qualities, Khoosroo terms him the Vakeel or agent of the Elchee, whom he describes as a man "who never took rest for one moment, in one place."[169] This characteristic hit made us all laugh. The Elchee, while he joined in our mirth, defended himself against this charge of perpetual motion as well as he could. "Laugh away, gentlemen," said he, "but recollect one thing--I have never changed my abode, but by the orders of my superiors." We went from the banks of the Jaghattee to a village called Koozlee. Ascending to the top of a hill, we had a fine view of Kûrdistan, which appeared, far as the eye could reach, an interminable cluster of hills. A few scattered huts, and several small encampments, were all we could see of human dwellings; and their distance from each other indicated that stage of civilization which precedes the congregating of men into villages and towns.