Scottish explorer and author James Baillie Fraser (1783–1856) was already known for his narratives of travel in the East (his 1820 journal of a journey through the Himalayas being also reissued in this series) when in 1826 he published this account of his journey into the lesser known provinces of Persia. Though it includes an appendix containing information on geology and commerce, it dwells less on statistical and historical details than it does on the author's personal experiences and impressions. In his preface, Fraser summarily rejects factual material as 'insignificant', preferring to describe the manners of a people seldom encountered by Europeans. The work captures both the sights and sounds of bazaars and cities, and the characters of the people, from princes to peasant boys; and Fraser provides facts on topics ranging from rice cultivation to the architecture of ancient tombs and methods of cooling water.
1. Sketches of the author's previous travels, and his arrival at Astrabad; 2. Departure from Astrabad; 3. Leave Ashruff; 4. The city of Saree described; 5. Continued residence at Saree; 6. Visit to Furrahbad, where Shah Abbas died; 7. Leave Saree; 8. Leave Balfroosh; 9. Circumstances attending the author's reception at Resht; 10. Short account of Gheelan; 11. The Ramazan, or Mahometan lent; 12. Accident to a boy; 13. Trait of the young prince; 14. Diseases of Gheelan; 15. News from Tehran, and reports of the prince's movements; 16. The journey resumed; 17. The author and his servant disagreeably awakened; 18. The eide; 19. The author quits Resht and arrives at Enzellee; 20. Tombs of Sheikh Suffee, and Shah Ismael described; 21. The author finds Mr. Willock and Dr. Macneil had left Persia; 22. Death of the Caimookan; Appendix: 1. Geological observations on certain parts of Persia; 2. Containing some account of the commerce of Persia.
