Page:Historyofpersiaf00watsrich.djvu/130

 that accounts for its periodical unhealthiness. The form of the city is very irregular, the walls presenting numerous faces. On the northern side stands the citadel, a small, well-built inclosure, with towers at the angles, and a ditch around it. The citadel was constructed by Kereem Khan. Sheeraz, like most towns in Persia, gives the traveller the impression of being a city in decline. Its houses are crowded together, and they are built on a smaller scale than those of most Persian towns. The dwelling-places belonging to the more wealthy citizens are handsomely ornamented within with gilding and painting. The streets are remarkably narrow and uneven, and loop-holed turrets and barricades are frequently seen on the walls and roofs of the houses; indicating the presence of insecurity and danger. The habitations are built for the most part of burnt-brick, an improvement on the general style of Persian houses. The roofs are flat, and in spring they are covered with a growth of grass. The court-yards and gardens are planted with orange, lemon, and sycamore trees. The population of the city is estimated at thirty-five or forty thousand souls, and it is composed of Mahomedans, Jews, Armenians, and Guebres. The people of Sheeraz bear the reputation of being turbulent and prone to insurrection. Once a week, on Friday, the inhabitants of the two divisions of the population called Hyderi and Neametali, repair to the open ground beyond the city walls, and engage in a skirmish with slings and stones; an exercise which is not unfrequently followed by a close fight with swords and daggers.

Fars is one of the largest provinces of Persia, and it includes several dependencies, such as Laristan,