Full text of "Persia and the Persians"

Persia
The Persians

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PERSIA

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AND

THE PERSIANS

S. G. W. BENJAMIN

LATELY MINISTER OF THE UNITED STATES TO PERSIA

MEMBER OF THE VICTORIA INSTITUTE, OR PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN

MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN GEOGRAPHICAL SOCIETY, ETC.

ILLUSTRATED

LONDON

JOHN MURRAY. ALT51':MARLE STREET

1887

All rights resented

MY WIFE,

WHOSE ASSISTANCE AND COMPANIONSHIP ADDED TO THE ATTRACTIONS AND

DIVIDED THE DIFFICULTIES

Establishing Hjc Ecgation in Persia.

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

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PREFACE.

IN the winter of 1882-1883 the avithor was appointed by
President Arthur to the Legation in Persia, just created
by Act of Congress. In 1885, with the accession of the Dem-
ocratic party to power, he returned to private life, in accordance
with the practice of the diplomatic service of the United States.
The experiences connected witli the establishment and conduct
of the Legation at Teheran suggested the present volume.

Notwithstanding that the prefixce is usually the portion of a
book that is least read, the writer ventures to call attention
here to two or three points in connection with this volume.
Certain portions of it have already appeared in " Harper's
Monthly," the "Century Magazine," and the "Manhattan Maga-
zine," and are republished now by the courtesy of tlie pub-
lishers of those periodicals. But these parts have not only
been greatly modified, they also represent only a small propor-
tion of the entire work, of which fully five sixths now appear
in print for the first time.

A feature to which the author has given special attention
has been the pronunciation of Oriental words. The question of
accent in Asiatic languages has never been sufficiently un-
derstood and appreciated, even by scholars and experts in

viii PREFACE.

comparative linguistics. Our pronouncing gazetteers, prepared
expressly to teach the pronvmciatiou of foreign words, are
found to be ludicrously defective and misleading when they
undertake to instruct in the pronunciation and accentuation
of Oriental names. Continental Europeans generally seize the
distinctive features of Oriental pronunciation ; but tlie autlior
remembers scarce any Englishmen or Americans, however
thoroughly versed in tlie construction of Turkish or Persian,
whose pronunciation could be accepted as either natural or
correct, excepting such as were born abroad.

In those languages the tendency is to throw the accent
forward towards or on the final syllable, with strong empliasis,
wliile in tlie English language the accent is thrown back as
far as possible, — that principle being also followed with all
foreign woi'ds when incorporated into English usage ; as for
example, Paris for Puree ; Soc'rates for Socrates ; Mar'garet for
Marguerite. How different the Persian tongue would sound if
accented in the English way is shown if we alter the accent
in certain English words. Notice the difference between cathe'-
(h-al and cathedral ; jir'chitecture and architecture ; Wash'ington
and Washinytone. An American pronounces the Persian words
vnum and sade, I'mam and za'de ; Alee, A'li ; douleh, duw'lali ;
Erhu, I'ran.

Ill tlie present work Persian iiiimes and words have been
])rinted with an accent, usually a circumflex, over the syllable
which is actually accented by the Persians themselves, avIio of
coiu'se are the ones who know best liow their own languiige
should be pronounced. The letter i when found in Turkish
and Persian words should invariably be pronounced like e.

PREFACE. IX

The long ^ sound does not exist in those languages except
approximately, as in tlie diphthong ai. Ali should bo i)ro-
nounced Alee. In several instances the aiitluir has substituted
e for / in well-known words, while in otiiers he has preferred
to leave the i rather than aj)pear singular or cause misunder-
standing, — as in the case of the geographical word Enzeli,
properly pronounced Enzelee ; or the name of the famous
poet Saadi, pronounced Sa-adee.

Tlie use of i in the spelling of Oriental words where e, for
those employing the English language, would more correctly
represent the actual pronunciation, is an anomaly that can be
accounted for only on the ground that the Latins preceded the
Anglo-Saxons in the East, and with them i is always e. But
in retaining the Latin orthogi'aphy we forget that / in the
Continental languages never has the long i sound peculiar to
tlie English tongue.

The letter a when found in Oriental words has tlie sound
of a in fatJiei; but never the broad a sound of English. Very
rarely it has the sound of a in nascent; as for example, Xasr-
ul-^lnlk, in-ononnced like a in father, and Nasr-ul-Mulk, with
the a as in nascent. In Persian the difference is represented
bv a difference in the spelling ; but in English it would be
difficult to represent it.

Tlie author was led to observe these discrepancies when
living in the Levant in early life, and subsequent observation
and reflection have confirmed him in his conclusions reg'arding'
Oriental orthography, pronunciation, and accentuation. In clos-
ing his I'emarks on this subject, it niay be well to add that the
letter h, when found in Oriental words in this volume, is not

X PKEFACE.

a silent letter, but should be pronounced as a soft guttural, —
strongly in the middle of a -word, and suggestively when it is
a terminal. The h in ]\Iahdee is strong, and soft in the terminal
h of Shah. A curious fact connected with the Persian language
is also found in the frequent interchangeableness of a and u ,•
Mazanderan is likewise pronounced Mazanderoon ; Ispahan,
Isjxthoon ; naniad, nimood ; Nasr-ed-Deen, Nusr-ed-Deen. For-
merly the use of the latter sound seems to have been more
common; but at present the a sound is considered more ele-
gant, and is gradually superseding the other, although the use
(if tlie latter cannot be considered incorrect The ear should
be practised before the eye in learning a foreign tongue, ex-
actly as a cliild acquires its native language.

In two or three instances certain facts mentioned in these
pages whicli had a double application have been repeated
twice in successive chapters, when such repetition tended to
emphasize the subject in question or was essential to a clear
statement.

A few words may be added in explanation of the freedom of
opinion in wliicli the author has occasionally indulged. During
the ])eriod of his official service he had no opinions on public
questions which he felt at liberty to formulate in citlier words
or acts. Three departments of govorinnent should be entirelv
independent of party, — tlie military, tlic judiciar\-, and the
diplomatic. The position of a diplomatist should be that of
absolute iiiijiailialify towards all foreign nations and govern-
ments ill time of outward peace, and strictl}" colorless with
respect to politics at home. lie represents and protects the
interests of his entire country abroad; and to do so properly,

PREFACE. XI

must deport himself towards all foreigners in such a way as
not to prejudice the interests under his charge. His motto
should be, " Patriotism ; firmness tempered by tact ; and watch-
fulness and zeal guided by reticence, secrecy, and reserve."
The last three terms may seem tautological, yet eacb repre-
sents a different shade of meaning, and all are of the first
importance in successful diplomacy.

While near the Court of Persia it was the earnest endeavor
of the author to follow these precepts. But now that he is no
longer in official service, he is free to give some expression to
opinions based on practical experience. He has therefore exer-
cised that liberty at times, when to do so would not be inex-
pedient for the public intei'ests, nor conflict with the secrecy
of oflicial transactions, nor the honor which imposes reticence
res'ardinff confidential conversations.

S. G. W. B.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

CHAPTER

I. Fkom the Euxixe to the Threshold of Persia .... 1

II. From Exzeli to TeherIn 24

III. Physical Aspects of Persia 43

IV. The City of TeherIn 56

V. Country Seats in the ShimkIn 110

VI. The Different Races of Persia 128

YII. Conditions of Service in Persia 149

VIII. Nasr-ed-Deen Shah and the Eoyal Family 174

IX. Sketch of Se\-eral of the Leading Officers of the

Persian Government 220

X. Mountaineering in Persia .... - • 2.37

XI. A Glance at the Arts of Persia 271

XII. Religious and Philosophical Sects of Persia .... 338

XIII. The Sheahs and the Tazieh; or Passion-Play of Persia 3G5

XIV. Resources, Products, and Trade of Persia 407

XV. The Shahr and the Urf ; or the Laws of Persia . . 438

XVI. jSTooks and Corners of Persia 457

XVII. The Political Situation in Persia 470

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

Relic of Persian Architectuke at BakO 17

A Pavilion of the Shah at Exzeli 25

Residence of the Valee at Resciit 33

Village between Koodoom and Casbeen 40

Teheran and the Range of the Shimkan 50

Mausoleum at Rhei 58

Pilgrims at the Tomb of Shah AbdCl Azeem Gl

Southern Gate of the Ark 67

Weighing Merchandise in a Caravansary at Teheran .... 75

Audience Chamber of his Majesty Nasr-ed-Deen Shah .... 79

Examples of Persian Work in Brass 83

An' Itinerant Barber 85

Gateway and A-venue leading to the Palace 91

A Confectionery; on the Left is a Baker \'ending Bread . . 95

A well-known Holy Mendicant of Teheran ......... 97

Persian Woman in Street Costume, the Veil drawn aside . . 106

Kasr-i-Khajar 108

A Portico at Bagh FERDdzE 113

ArajSb, looking North 119

Kamarani^h, Country Seat of the NaIb Sultan^h 121

xvi LIST OF ILLUSTKATIONS.

PAGE

GuEBRE Cemetery at Teheran 131

A Persian nomad Woman 136

ZiL-i-SuLTAN no

Strolling Musicians, with dancing Monkeys 150

Pavilion at the Ark, called the Shams-el-Immaeet 157

Indoor Costume of Persian Women 171

Nasb-ed-Deen Shah 177

Pavilion where the Shah gives an Audience at 'No Rooz . . . 183

Musaefar-bd-Deen Mirza, Crown Prince op Persia ..... 189

Anderoon of the Eoyal Palace, Teheran 203

Marble Throxe of the Shah of Persia 223

A Village Santon 239

Old Brid(;e at GelandevSk 247

The Tachtravan in the Aftcha Pass 253

Mount DEMAvftNo from the Camp in the Lar Valley .... 258

A Young Mollah 262

People of Aftcha 265

Old Plane-Tree at Gelandev^k 270

Old Nasch Wkitinc;. (Reduced one-half.) 277

Old Kashee Ware 284

Eeflet Tile, over 450 years old 287

Example of Writini; by A'Mir. (Reduced one-half.) 290

Old CuKic Writing. (Reduced two-thirds.) 294

Old Mural Painting of Tiles from Palace of Shah Abbass . . 301

()li> Kalian of Chlselled Brass 311

Bronze Cast of old Persian Tile, representing Rust£m and the

Deeves 318

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. XVU

PAGE

Old Persian Mirkoe-Case— Exteriok 327

Cover of Persian Mirror-Case — Interior 328

Old Silver Pitcher, with Enamel in Three Colors. (One hale

HEIGHT of original.) 333

Example of old Persian Keramic Mosaic 337

A Persian Village Mosque 347

A Guebre 357

Small House of Prayer and Minaret 363

The Takikh, or Eoyal Theatre 373

MiRZA Ghol.4m HosseIn as Abbass 391

A Persian Blacksmith 431

A Persian Water-Carrier 4G0

INDEX 497

Note. — The Illustrations on pages 75, 85, lOG, 150, 171, are from Harper's Magazine, by
the kind permission of the publishers.

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

CHAPTER I.

FROM THE EUXIXE TO THE THRESHOLD OF PERSIA.

IT was a fair niornino- in May when onr steamer glided
towards tlie haven of Trebizond. On the right were tlie
liigh rliiuly setthMl lillls of Asia Elinor, deeply clo\-en by
purple gorges draped with perennial verdure. Up the .steep
.slopes rolling clouds arose, sun-smitten, revealing the venerable
Byzantine church of Santa Sophia standing alone on a cliff,
and the red roofs and grav walls of an ancient town peej)ing
tln-ough dense masses of foliage. Xenophon and the Ten
Tliousand finished their retreat at Trebizond. It was the
capital of a division of the lower Empire. For ages it was
tlie port for the caravans moving to Persia and the vast,
mysterious regions of Central Asia. liut what traveller now
thinks of visiting Trebizond, or the southeastern shores of the
Black Sea ?

The Euxine has labored under the misfortune of hnvino-
few good harbors on the southern side ; this has resulted to
the advantage of Russia, which owns the whole of the north-
ern and eastern shore, as also the best ports. It is not so
long ago since Trebizond was an emporium for the Circassian
slave-trade. An old-time reminiscence may be observed in
the curious lighters which sweep up over the rollers towards

2 PERSIA AND THE PERSIAXS.

the steamer. They are identical in form with the Greek gal-
leys of ancient times, and are nndonljfcdly a direct perpetu-
ation of ancient naval architecture, of which onh- one other
instance probably exists at the present day : I refer to the fish-
ing galleys of Lisbon. Over the stern of these boats of Tre-
bizond swings the long oar-like rudder, moved b}^ a standing
lielmsman. The city itself is composed of Avinding lanes, which
are excessively narrow but not uncleanly, for the steep sloi)e
and the frequent rains are favorable to a result imconmion in
Eastern cities. The houses are not visible until one passes the
gate of the high wall surrounding the grounds.

Each dwelling stands in a garden of nuilberry, pomegranate,
and linden trees, interwoven Avith luxuriant A-ines. The gates
are so Ioav that one must stoop to enter, — a precaution adopted
in stormier times, Avlien a man's house Avas often also his fortress.

Tlie cominander of the garrison, a Turk of the old regime,
touched bA' a love of Nature more innate in the Oriental tlian
in his more civilized brother of the West, had planted a small
floAver-garden on the brow of the cliff, Avhere a battery fi'owned
grimly over the sea. Pie Avas about to start for a ride into the
countrA' Avlien Ave Avere annoiniced. With characteristic cour-
tesy the old gentleman dismounted, and invited us to ]iartake
of the customarA' refreshments in liis garden. The morning AA'as
serene, and a more dcliglitful sjjot coidd hardly be imagined on
AA'hich to take a thimbleful of Turkish coffee and a pi]ie of
Stamboulee. Below, a grouj) of idle coasters, curiously cai'vcd
and painted, floated languidly on the glassy swell of the port,
each repeated in the crystal nn'rror on Avliich it Avas poised.
Beyond, the broad expanse of the placid Enxine sjn-ead towards
the iKiitli, and behind us beetled the l)old preci])ices of Mai
Tei)^.

A\'itli the a])]iroa(h of evening a ncAv revelation of splendor
Avas granted. Bursting suddenly forth from the clouds Avhen

FROM THE El'XIXE To THE TIIUESIK >!.I ) oF TERSIA, 3

dipping below tliu verge of tlie sea, the red sun bathed the city
with indescribable glory, that seemed to penetrate into the most
hidden recesses of the town : while from the vapory region of
tlie northeast the evening splendor brought forth the vast pin-
nacled ranges of the Caucasus, whose eternal snows, hued \\itli
rose, were ineffably sublime, extending around half the area of
the horizon. When the sun disappeared, the mountains of
Circassia also retired and were seen no more. There Prome-
theus was chained, and there during all succeeding ages the
human soul has struggled and suffered. But the radiance of
another life is needed to reveal the tragic grandeur of this
ever-repeated and relentless torment on the crags of destiny,
and give a solution and an end to the pangs of existence.

The following day at dawn, cleaving the foam across the
quivering gleam of the morning star, our steamer glided into
the port of Batoum, eighty miles east of Trebizond. This was
the best harbor the Osmanlee held on the southern coast ; there-
fore the Russian coveted and took it. The wheel of fortune
tui'us for all ; Init tlie misery is that many linger after the wheel
has turned the last time in their favor. Seven years ago the
Turks held the place. Now the Turks are seen no more at
Batoum. Its Moslem inhabitants have emigrated to Nicomedia,
where their government has given them lands ; but many died
on the hard journey. In the sweeping execration awarded to
the Turk bv Christendom, it seems to have been forgotten that
Turks have rights and feelings no less than other races. Also,
that in the exercise of sway it is an incontrovertible fact that
they have been no more cruel than were the races they sub-
jugated in their turn. The Turkish side of the story has never
been told. It is wilfully ignored that if the right of the Turk
to the territory he holds is no better, it is also no w^orse, than
the right of any other power in Europe, — the territorial right
of the sword, the riglit of the mightier, which has always ruled.

4 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Is there aiiv appreciable amount of territory in Europe held by
am- other tenure 1 Only some nations have held theirs lono^er
than Turkey, and have been nominal Christians ! I am not an
unreasoning- philo-Turk, but I earnestly believe in justice to all.
It is well also to remember that every question has two sides.

There is a grand ^^a^thos in the bearing of the Saracen and
the Tnrk wlien retiring from territory which they have held for
ages. This lofty phase of Oriental character has been well sug-
gested by our historians, when describing the conquest of Spain
from the Moors. The same tragedy is being enacted in Turkey
to-day. Unlike other people, when conquered, the Turks scorn
to remain under the rule of the victor ; they retire like refluent
waves. Thus it was after the liberation of Greece ; thus after
the capture of Roumania by the Russians ; and thus it has
been at Batoum. The Turks, who were there for four Inui-
dred years, are gone. So it was when, after an age of terrible
warfare and cruelty, Russia subdued the Caucasus: the Cir-
cassians disdained to remain. A ^vhole nation emigrated, in
the face of obstacles which cost them nearly half a million
(if lives.

Were it not for the malaria that lurks l)y its lovely river,
Batoum wduld be a spot greatly to be sought for its extraordi-
nary beaiitA'. The Russians are rapidly erecting modern build-
ings near the quays, but the old town is a mere huddle of
dilajiidated one-story houses and shops, whose aspect is relieved
])y here and there a crnmbling minaret or the two-story mansion
of a Turkish magnate of yore, lifting its mossy roof of red tiles
and its painted upper-storj' above a wild wood of greenery ;
the chattering stork has nsurix'il the place of the muezzin, the
sound of whose musical suiunions no more floats over the bay.
l)ur what language can portray the beauty and grandeur of the
iiiountains whicli enclose this ancient town f Clad with ]iri-
meval verdure, thev sjiring abru]itly from the sea, and through

li;(i.M THE EUXIXE TO THE TJIRESIIOLI) OF PEUSIA. U

tremendous canyons show you the highur ranges inUmd, teruii-
natino- iu sjiearlike peaks crowned with eternal snow. Two
rivers descend from these snows, well stored with tisli ; the
ano-ler who seeks tlie mountain depths can easily find capital
sport witli the rod, and return with a tine mess of brook trout.
But with all their seeming tranquillity, tliere is a spiteful spirit
lurking in the gorges of Batoiun. For be tlie day ever so
calm, it is liable to be darkened in a few moments by a violent
o-ust from the mountains. Immediately the sea becomes black
and threshed witli foam. The high-prowed, lateen-rigged coast-
ers, creeping idly around the point where the new lighthouse
stands, are suddenly electrified into a spasm of activity. The
o-reat ^•ards are lowered, and under close reefs the saucv little
craft careen into the harbor and make a lee out of the squall.
Abtnu tlie time one makes up his mind tliat a long storm has set
in, the sun bursts forth, the clouds disappear, and a rainbow
arches the glittering glaciers of the serried peaks of Circassia.

A railway has recently been completed from Batoum to Tiflis.
Freio"ht trains were running when I was first there, but as the
road was not officially opened, I was luiable to avail myself of
tlie advantages it so temptingly held forth. Near Batoum the
railway runs through a long tunnel. By an absurd error in
calculation the tunnel was made insufficiently liigh for the pas-
sage of the cars, and it was actually necessary to lower the base
before it could be used. Until the capture of Batoum the Kus-
sians held only one available point of debarkation for goods
and passengers bound to the Transcaucasus, — that is, Poti, at
the mouth of the River Phasis. Large sums were expended to
fit it frtr the purpose, and when all had been done, what
a wretched substitute for a port it proved to be ! In sum-
mer it is accessible to small craft, and then only with a
smooth sea and a leading wind, and in winter it is altogether
unapproachable.

6 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Our steamer lost an anchor at Batoum, and mncli time Avas
wasted in seekin"' to recover it. After several davs of waiting-,
not unpleasantly passed under the very agreeable auspices of
Admiral Gravier and a number of Russian notables, mIio ex-
tended to us the hospitalities of the place, we concluded to take
a small daily packet to Poti, about four hours distant.^ It had
been blowing violently from tlie westward and a high swell was
still running, but we knew that if it should prove too liigh to
cross the bar the boat would avoid the risk and return. Curious
were the costumes of the various passengers lying on deck,
all Circassians and Russians. Among them the sheepskin cap
predominated, although of various picturesque forms. Follow-
ing the winding channel, we at last passed within the jetty,
whose entrance is so unprotected from a Avesterl}' sea that even
ships inside roll at their anchors. After a tedious period of
hauling and snapping of hawsers, the steamer was finally moored
stern on to the lireakwater, and the passengers were requested
to "walk tlie plank." A dangerously attenuated board, pitched
at a dizzy angle and oscillating to a hazardous degree, was
the only means offered for debarking. A light rod held by
two men served as an imaginary balustrade. The sight on
.shore was of itself enough to daunt the most daring. A noisy
til long of portei's, hackmen, customs officers, idlers, and dogs
were fighting among themselves for j)recedence, in order to de-
voiu- us bag and baggage the instant we stepjoed on land. The
coaclimen -were especially noteworthy for a fearful and won-
derful circular cushion, or puffed ring of closely gathered pleats,
attached to the nether part of their long riding-coats. The effect
was as though an inflated india-rubber life-preserver had slipped
from the armpits to the hips. The exact use of this appendage

' III tlu^ face of the spirit of the treaty of Berlin, Russia is now fortifying Batoum
iiiiilir the (irete.xt of buihling hospitals, and is secretly accumnlating a vast store of
munitidiis of war hehiiid the city, |irepar.itory to her next eanipaign against the peace
of the world.

FKOM TlIK EUXIXE TO THE THRESHOLD OF I'EKSIA. 7

is not altogftlier apparent. A letter kindly funiitilied us by
the Russian Legation at Constantinople happily paved the way
for our luggage, which thus escajjed the cormorant-like gaze
and disoi-ganizing grasp of your greedy customs officer.

A long walk over the half-finished jetty brought us to the
carriage-stand. There were the drosk3-s j^l'^nted in a salt
morass, a dozen feet below us, without a stairway to lead to
them. For lads, tlie feat of reaching the vehicles was exciting ;
but for ladies the experiment was less attractive. A wood-cart
was finally brought alongside the jetty, and after much ner-
vous laughter on the pai"t the ladies, curiously watched by
a multitude of unkempt and unsanctified Circassian youths, a
2)assage from pier to carriage was successfully effected. Then
followed a wild dash through a ^\()oded land. The ride was
wild, because the wiry, long-maned Russian ponie.s, flying be-
fore the lash, tumljled ahead at a rattling jkicb. On either
side were dense thickets of blackberry bushes ; strawberries,
like wee crimson sparks, flecked the grass. Above this under-
oTOwtli towered the o-loom of dense forests musical with thrushes
and here and there opening to mirror themselves in a sedgy pool
embossed with lilies. Then at a sharp turn of tlie road we
came to an iron bridge, and were whirled over the full-fed
flood of the eddying Phasis, up which the Argo glided almost
too long ago for the imagination to take cognizance thereof, and
then we entered Poti. The first impression was not inviting.
A long, wide, treeless street lined on either side hx low o|)en
market-booths, unpainted and indescribably filthy, — such was
the chief thoroughfare of Poti. But there is a ])ar]c at the
fixrther end, and happily the hotel faced this green open. Poti
is said to be so excessively unhealthy that a traveller can
scarcely pass a night there without becoming infected with
malaria. On observing the filth of the noisome streets and
this untidy park, intersected by stagnant drains, it is easy to

8 PEESIA AND THE PERSIANS.

understand liow such a rejjutation was established. We had
taken ample doses of (quinine before arriving, and were careful
to close our windows after sunset, and thus escaped unharmed.
It is said that five thousand men lost their lives Avhile con-
structing the short part of the railway across the })lain near
Poti.

For Uie rest, Poti is not witlutut its attractions. On the river
side the ])ark is entered by a handsome antique gate, wliich is
apparently a relic of the Persian occupation, as partiall}- indi-
cated by the figured work of glazed tiles witli wliich it is laced.
Passing through this gate from tlie massive foliage of the ])ark
to tlie open by the river, I almost imagined myself to be stand-
ing by some river of France. A tawny, sluggish strenm, lined
with poplars, to which a number of small craft were moored,
and beyond, a pale-grav line of receding hills fading into the
sk}^, produced an effect like a bit in Normandy, such as Dau-
bigny might enjoy. lUit the long-skirted bargemen, crowned
with shaggy, lamb's-wool caps, showed that we were on the
threshold of the changeless East; and the graceful Georgian
women strolling bv in lovely groups to enjoy the evening air
reminded one of Medea and her maids. Tall, statelv, and
graceful, the raven tresses streaming below their waists, and a
iiiel,nich(i1\- pride fljisliing out of dark, dreamful eves, — stars
under drooping brows, — these were verily queens in disguise.
l>ut when T rememliered that we were in Georgia, famed for fair
wduien, I ceased to wonder. Jason, the Achaian, was evidently
guided by a gcxid genius Avhen he bade his mariners l)end to
their oars, and pulling liard over the river bar, to sweep gnnidh-
u|) the Phasis and moor bv banks ever since famous in mvtli
and historv.

At the liotel we found tlio golden fleece for wliicli the coun-
ti'v is i;niions, but idtogetlier niodilied t() suit the times and
tlu.' ])ockets of modern toui'ists. If tliere is a countr^■ in the

FIMM THE El'XIXE TO THE THRESHOLD OF PERSIA. 9

world wliere the art of fleecing truvt'llers is jmroued uii a more
colossal scale, I have not heard of it. When we called for the
bill at Poti, we found that the landlord had entirely foi-gotten
that his terms the ])revious evening were .stated in francs; he
therefore charged ns in rubles, which more than donltled his
already exorbitant bill. The rooms were not so bad as one
might expect considering the environment, but the corridor
was unspeakably untidv and malodorous, and the table was
altogether unattractive.

Escaping from the clutches of the grim ogre who presided
over this den, we succeeded in making a start for the railway
station. Here again two civilizations collided. A well-ordered
station, a clean and comfortable train, seemed to suggest ex-
amples of the highest material progress : but it was incongruous
to lind one's self followed into the waiting-room bv a hungrv
horde of filtliv Circassians clamoring for backsheesh, and to see
the luggage hurled on the scale bv gigantic porters, who looked
more like the doughty ■\\arriors of Schamvl than train-attend-
ants, while throuoh the motlev thron"- men in Russian military
uniform elbowed their irresistible paths, — for they were mas-
ters here over a race far nobler in aspect than their own. Yet
more singular was it to watch the ticket-seller calculating every
item with the wire and lialls used by children when learning the
multiplication-table. It took nearly an hour to have the luggage
weighed and the tickets bought by this process.

To round oft' this extraordinary scene, as the train was about
to uiove oft', three sons of Anak entered otu* car and demanded
further backsheesh.

"What would you have ?" said a Russian gentleman, with a
shrug. '■ AVe have so nuich territory to civilize, and it takes so
long, for Russia is poor."

Quite true, said I to myself But I could not avoid wonder-
ing why, such being the case, Russia craves to continue adding

10 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

to an already unwieldy mass of vast, unamalgamated, and hete-
rogeneous elements.

It is only fair to add that the railway from Poti to Tiflis is a
marvel of engineering skill. It follows the gorge of the Phasis
among the mountains for about one hundred and sixty miles,
constantly ascending by a grade so steep that in six hours the
road rises 3,027 feet, and the short train requires two engines
to draw it. Everywhere the scenery was most captivating,
especially in the neighborhood of Kutahis. Noble cliffs, termi-
nating in basaltic ramparts, often enclosed the roaring waters of
the rushing stream ; or steep slopes, cultivated from the water
to an extraordinary height, seemed to hang over the road ; or
idyllic valleys opened to catch the sunlight, giving space for a
hamlet of wattled huts. In several ijorffes ancient castles were
descried perched on the apex of seemingly inaccessible peaks,
now deserted and alone. One of these venerable fortresses
was of vast extent ; the clouds surged around it like surf of the
sea, and above soared the eagle, the sole tenant of that lofty
heiglit. These ruins bore the fancy back to those picturesque
ages of romance and song", which, if they served no otlier pur-
pose, were at least of use if they bequeathed sentiment and
poetry to ages more prosaic.

At frequent intervals the train stopped at towns of some size,
and at stations well-ordered and j)rovi(led with excellent buffets.
Besides tlie wnnu meals in readiness for travellers who.se ap-
petite Avas sharpened by the mountain air, each dining-room
was furnished with the sideboard peculinr to Kussia, provided
Avith the zakooska of caviare, vodky, and other characteristic
appetizers, which it does not take long for the foreigner to
learn to appreciate.

It was very interesting at this stage of the journey to ob-
serve the various race-types we met. Most j)roiiiineiit, ot
course, was the Georgian, or southern Cii'cassian. . It was

FKd.M rilb: EL'XINE TO TIIK TIIUKSIIOLD OF PERSIA. 11

cliiefl}' from this stock that rcHTuits wore obtaiiifd for tlie
harem of the ^■oh^ptuarie.s of the seraglio, — a traffic now
extinct. The pliysical beauty of tliis race has not l)een
exao-o-erated. Unlike some races, l)oth sexes share in equal
proportion the wealth of attraction dowered ujjon them hy a
bountiful Nature. I have seen no peojde to compare with
the Circassians for such a high average of beauty, excepting
the Normans of the Channel Islands. The fine shape of the
men is enhanced by their admirable semi-military costume, —
a garb so graceful and picturesque that it has been adopted
l5y Russia, Turkey, and Persia for corps of the royal guards.
The head is crowned with a red leather cap encircled by lamb-
skin, of -which the wool is worn with the curl either short or
long, black, gray, or white, to suit the taste of the weai-er.
Tlie caftan, or coat, fits tightly at the waist, but the flowing
skirts descend nearly to the ankles, and the sleeves and the
waist are loosely clasped by buttons and corded loops of gold
thread and silk, while the same material decorates the coat
with figured patterns. Across the breast on each side is a
row of silver-topped cartridge-cases ; a brace of jewelled pis-
tols is but half concealed by the silken girdle which swathes
the narrow waist ; one small white hand rests on the hilt of a
silver-mounted sabre, while the other hand lashes a riding-whi})
against the polished boots which encase the shapely feet and
legs. On board of our train was a Georgian prince who wore
this costume ; he stood over six feet liigh. From under cav-
ernous iron-gray eyebrows flashed the eyes of a mountain
eagle, and the gray sheepskin shako Avas harmonized to his
person bv a heavv iron-gray moustache of exactly the same
tint. At every station he left the car and walked up and down
the platform, as if to show^ himself to the people. I hardly
blamed liim for such self-consciousness ; for a more magnifi-
cent example of masculine beauty it would be difticult to find.

12 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

With SO many objects to interest and instruct us, the tiaie
never passed tediously on our liands, ulthougli the train moved
at but moderate speed, and tlie delays at the numerous stations
under an}- other circumstances would have been vexatiously
long. There were no passeng-ers besides ourselves in the car
on the first day, excepting the Georgian prince. The employees
were very civil, and tlie appointments of the car were excellent.
It was a compromise between an American saloon car and a
European car of the first class. Tliere was unobstructed passage
through the car to the train ; it was thoughtfully provided with
those conveniences the absence of which often neutralizes liaPf
the comfort of railway travelling on the Continent ; it was
also divided into a number of ajjartments, all connnunicating
w ith each other : several families could thus enjoy at the same
time privacy or freedom as they chose. It is a pleasure to be
able to call the attention of the American tourist to this admi-
rable Transcaueasian railway. It presents but two important
olyections, — there are no beds for night travel, and thieves so
abound that nothing nuist be left in the cars unguarded.

At sunset the train Ijegau to descend to the plateau, on which
the capital of Georgia is situated. After nightfall the heavens
shone \\ith a wonderful display of lightning that flashed without
intermission from every jtart of the sky. In the wild gleam the
ragged cliffs shone forth like mountains in Erebus. The scene
suggested that described in ^lilton's immortal second canto of
" Paradise; Lost." Above the rattle of the train the roar of
heaven's artillery boomed over these vast plains, and rolled
among the distant gorg'es in endless reverberation. Wearv and
hnngr}', Ave finally arrived at Tiflis toward midnight. Tlie
incredible roguer}' of every official Ave encountered at the
station — iVoin thi' cunning duplicity and rntlilcss I'apacity of
the arcli-rogue himself who conducted the buffet, to the eager
palms o| tlie 1(» west porter — shall not prcA'cnt me from stating

FROM THE EUXINE TO THE THRESIIOl.O OF PERSIA. 13

that tliu Station is oiiu of the liandsonicst and Ijest apiiointed
railway establishments in the world, and the bnffet adniiral)le in
all respects except in the character of the proprietor, \\\u> hiid a
deep scheme actuall}' to rob ns of our entire lugg-age, — a plot
hap})ily frustrated by the prudence to whicli we had been edu-
cated frt)m the moment of our arrival in tlie Caucasus. Fortu-
nately for the credit of the Russian name, this unfathomable
knave was not of Muscovite origin.

Greatly did I long to tarry a few days at Tiflis, — a cit)' uell
known in oriental history, and still possessed of considerable
importance.^ But circumstances beyond my control urged me
to continue on to the Caspian without delay. And therefore
at 1 A. M. we re-entered our car and proceeded on our journey
to Baku.

Fortunate was it for us that the railway between Tiflis and
Baku had been opened about ten days before our arrival at Ti-
flis. Otherwise, instead of riding comfortably from tliat city to
Baku by rail in twenty-four hours, we should have been obliged
to go over the route in springless troitkas, over a rough, treeless
road, traversing barren plains and mountains infested by brig-
ands, and weeks would have been required to accomplish the
distance. At Tiflis we exchanged our Circassian prince of stately
mien for a Russian count, who was general of engineers. Long
familiar with this region, liis atil'al)ilitv and information did much
to dissipate the monotony of the ride over desolate plains be-
tween Tiflis and Baku. And yet why should I speak thus of the
vast steppes over which the road led us on this most interesting
da}"! Never yet have I seen am- pliase of Nature wliicli was

1 Ou mil- rotuni frmn Pcr.-;ia we wcro able to pass two afi;iTfal>lo ilays at Tiflis ; it is
pietiire.squely situated on lioth sides of the rusbiiig Kur, and lias tlic remains of an inter-
esting (dd castle on the heights. But it is rapidly being transformed into a modern city.
At Tiflis the traveller finds excellent Kaheti wine, for which the Caucasus is famed. It is
rather surprising that this wine has not entered into commerce ; it might be made to add
materially to the impoverished finances of Russia.

14 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

not full of suggestion to the fancy, or \\liich did not please the
eye with new varieties of form and color, and elevate the mind
Ijv adding to its appreciation of the glor}' and wonders of crea-
tion. Nor did the vast wastes which lead to the Caspian prove
to be an exception. The mountains that skirted them on the
north were bare to the last degree ; but how soft the roseate tints
which clothed those heights of desolation ; how tender the snow
of the farther ranges, so lofty and distant that they seemed like
clouds floating in the calm of a summer's day ! IIow i-ich, too,
were the hues of the rank grass or tlie dry sedge which waved
like the modulated movement of the surface of the sea in the
sighing breeze that swayed from the distant Caspian ! How
interesting the dark, velvety clumps of low verdure seen here
and there like islands ; or the mirage that appeared like a vast
lake in which the Caucasian ranges bathed their feet ! Ever
and anon, likewise, vast herds of cattle were seen browsing in
the sea of grass, attended by savage herdsmen clothed in long-
haired sheepskin cloaks, sporting double-edged yataghans, and
sj)inning yarn as they stalked over the plain. And Avhen the
sun set below a, desert that stretched, level as the ocean, for
two liundrcd miles behind us, I never before realized to such a
degree the grandeur of Nature or the splendor of tlie fiery orb,
which so many millions of old worshipped as a god.

These steppes are inhabited by nomads only. In summer
the ordinary popidation is increased by wandering hordes from
Persia, to the number of forty thousand. When this country
was captured by Russia, tlie right was allowed these nomads to
pasture their herds in the Transcaucasus without sacrificing
their allegiance to Persia. The solitude of the region invites to
brigandage, and no i^iiropcjin drc.iuis of mo\iiig anAwliei'c be-
tween Tiflis ,111(1 the Caspian w itliout being armed to tlie teetli.
Terrible tales are told of the crueltv of tlie bandits of these
plains. There is a nioiinineiit on the steppe tlint was erected to

FROM THE EUXINE TO THE THRESHOLD OF PERSIA. 15

the memorv of a heroic vouth who s'ave warnino- of an intended
attack of the brigands. Frustrated in the attempt, but learning
of his deed, tlie brigands seized tlie boy, and after torturing him
in the most liorrible manner buried him aUve by tlie roadside,
leaving only his head exposed. Thus he lingered several hours,
until deatli came to his relief.

It must be evident that great difficulties attended the construc-
tion of this part of the railway. No towns are to be seen. The
only European settlements are the few houses attached to each
station, occupied chiefly by the officials of the railway. The
nearest ajDproximation to a town in that region is Shemahar, mid-
Avay up the mountains, and many miles from the railway. Water
for tlie trains has been oljtained by artesian wells. Of course
there is no local traffic, and the road must depend, for a long
time yet, upon through freight and passage. Although this is
likely to increase, owing to the growing* importance of Baku,
yet for the present at least the rates for passengers and lug-
gage are necessarily high and probably higher than upon any
other railway in existence.

At nightfall the road slowly ascended the naked ridge which
bounds the eastern limit of the desert. At midnio-ht vve beo'an
to descend towards the Caspian, and at once the waters of that
inland sea, which I had so long yearned to behold, were revealed
to us, white in the light of the moon, and a fleet of ships was
seen riding in the tranquil Ijay. White, too, were the dry sand-
hills of Baku, and the low houses clustered on a sandy plain.
As we stepped out of the train our nostrils were saluted by
a peculiar odor which gave a density to the air, and was ever
present so long as we remained at Baku. It was the exhalation
iroiu the petroleum that saturates the soil of all this region.

If Baku is not the most beautiful city I have seen, it is cer-
tainly one of the most remarkable. We drove several miles
from the station over a white solitude into a silent town. The

16 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Stone houses were flooded with moonlight, but the streets were
without sound save the occasional yelping of dogs. Driving to
the Hotel d'Europe, Ave fouiul it impossible to obtain admission.
Tliere were vacant rooms, we were told, but it was late, and it
would never do to disturb the landlord, — and they might have
added, the crew of lazy servants. But one train arrives at Baku
eveiy twenty-four hours, and yet this is the Avay travellers are
received at the best hotel in the city ! Thus shelterless, stran-
gers in a strange town, we drove away to the Hotel d'ltalie.
There, after some effort, we succeeded in obtaining rooms. Be-
fore we retired, our good friend the general of engineers, who
was also lodged there, came to our rooms to Avisli us a pleasant
slumber, with a hearty shake of the hand and bluff genial laugh
that welcomed us to Baku. Geniality and courtesy are not small
factors in smoothing the rough way of life ; but while they cost
nothing, they are yet grudged by man}-. Our hotel, as revealed
to us by the morning light, was a curiously planned structure.
Imagine a corridor some three hundred feet long ; on one side
Avere the sleeping-rooms, and on the other the large yard of the
inn stable. Through the whole length of this hall a i"Ow of small
tables was ranged for meals, a window between cacli table.
Everything was conducted on the most slovenly and irregular
system, and on every bill charges were made for articles wliich
had never been ordered, yet for which it was insisted that we
should pa\-. Tlie natural result followed, that we were forced
on the second day to engage apartments at the Hotel d'Europe,
the one which had closed its doors against us on our first arri\-al.
Notwithstanding this inhospitality, travellers to B)aku will tiud
this hotel, if not a palace, at least the best east of TiHis, — which
is not saving vcrv much Ibr it after all. It is provided with a
liose, which uia\- jirove of exceptional use, as we found it to be
whfu a nioli of clamorous Persian pointers crowded through the
door and swarmed up stairs after the luggage, on heai-ing a

FKUM Tin: F.rXIXE TO THE TIIKESIIOLI) OF PERSIA.

rumor that wo wore ahont to embark. Tin; only way thcv could
be "'ot rid of was to In-iu^- out the hose and p-ive them a soakiiiy.
The irresistible stream iiuall}' dispersed them, amid an uproar of
curses and yells.

It is diflicidt to know
where to beuin in describ-
miX Baku. Perha})s it is
better to speak of it first
as a Persian city. For
ao-es the Transcaucasus
belonoed to Persia. Baku
was at that time an impor-
tant frontier fortress, hav-
ing- the best liarl)or on the
Caspian, — a, matter of
less consequence to Persia
than to Ivussia. This town
still exists. It occupies the
side of a hill, and is sur-
rounded by a fosse, walls,
and towers built after the
style peculiar to Persia
and India. The top of
the battlements is circular
instead of angular, and
they are pierced with loop-
holes for arrows. The
gates are also machico-
lated. On the seaside,
near the water, is an enor-
mous round tower one hundred feet high, called Kale }■ Duktar,
or Maiden's Tower. Toward the sea the tower assumes the form
of a solid wedge of masonry, which nuvy have been intended

RELIC OF PERSIAN ARCHITECTURE AT BAKU.

18 PEKSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

both to deflect balls thrown from shi])s and as a buttress to
resist the downward pressure of the hill-side. I'his tower is
used at present for a lighthouse. The old town is almost
exclusively occupied by Persians who retain their ijeculiar
architecture, their bazaars, and their baths. The houses are
generally built in the form of a hollow court. Even the coat-
of-arms of Persia is still seen over the entrance to the baths.
It represents a rampant lion, over whose shoulders bursts the
sun, with a human face in the centre. The Russians partly owe
their success in retaining- their Asiatic possessions to A^•isely
declining to interfere with the customs or pursuits of the subju-
gated. It will be observed that, unlike the Turks, the Persians
seem content to remain instead of emigrating- when their territory
comes under Christian rule. If jiossible, Baku is even more a
Persian city to-day than formerly, for every other person one
meets wears the sheepskin cap of Persia, and displays the
keen black eyes, swarthy complexion, and handsome features
of Ii-an.

Around the old city l)uilt l)v the Persians a new city has
grown up; and the ttital })opulation is now U])wanl of fort^• lliou-
saiid. Fifteen years ago Baku was, in j)oint of fact, a Prrsian-
walled town, althougli under Russian rule. To-day it is also a
large and ra])idly growing European city, with a highly ini])or-
tant commerce. What has done this ? The answer is, jictrdlciini !
Erom the time of Herodotus it has been known that the shoi'es
of tiie Caspian abounded in naphtha, bitumen, and inflammable
oil. But it does not seem to have occurred to any one to make
this oil available fur commerce, until after its possibilities had
l)een tested by the development of the coal-oil trade of the
United States. There is always a first time. The time for Baku
arri\('d witli the govcnioi- who was sent there fifteen years ago.
'I'd liiin occurred the idea that in her vast supjdy of petroleum
Russia possessed a mine of \\ealtli, destined to rival the gold

l-'ROM THE EUXINE TO TIIK TIIUKSin )L1) OF PERSIA. I'J

fields of Calit'oiMiia. The chief dlrtifulty from tlie outset was,
not in obtainiuy the oil, but in refiniiiy- it to tlie degree where it
could rival the petroleum in America. It contains more naphtha
than the American oil, and considerable ett'ort has been expended
iu devising means to free the oil from this ingredient. Although
as yet not as pure as our petroleum, that of Baku is at least
sufficiently clear to make it evident tliat unless oiu- traders take
the greatest precautions, Russia is on the point of A\iniiing a
large part of our markets for this now verv important article
of commerce. In 1883 the export of petroleum from Baku
reached the sum of fifteen millions of dollars. A large fleet of
square-rigged vessels is engaged in transporting the commerce
of Baku, which is also a station for several lines of steamers.
These boats have been built in sections in England and Sweden,
and floated down the Volga. But recently fine vessels of one
thousand tons have been built at Kazan. Thev carry larsre
sail-jiower, as the prevailing winds of the Caspian are too valu-
able an aid to locomotion to be dispensed with. But the pecul-
iarity of these rakish little steamers is the engine, invented bv
a Russian. Petroleum, instead of wood or coal, is the motive-
power. A small steam-engine is required to start the engine ;
but that once done, the petroleum is forced through fine aper-
tures, in the forni of an impalpable spray, into the furnace,
and produces enonnous heat.

The abundance of the petroleum is indicated by the fjict
that at the extensive petroleum wells, several miles north of
Baku, the work is conducted at night by the aid of the flames
perpetually bursting out of the earth. At least three thousand
years ago these infiannnable springs were widely known. Even
more remarkable, perhaps, because more often brought to one's
attention, is the evidence of the petroleum apparent even in the
most frequented thoroughfares of Baku. The dust is laid by
the oil oozing through the surface. In many places it lies in

20 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

pools, like stagnant Avater, and the poorer people scoop it up
and use it for cressets in the shops.

For the rest, the city is cleanly and well built, and woidd be
an agreeable place of residence but for the fine dust Ijlown from
the surrounding hills iu the terrible Avind-storms which gave the
name to the place. Baku means "the place of winds." During
our stay there it blew for two days from the north, like the mis-
tral of the south of France. The city and the sea a])peared hazy
with smoke. Men walked the streets with mouths, ears, and
nostrils muffled.

Naturally an air of thrift and prosperity nuist be diffused
about a place which has grown so rapidly. A fine esplanade
extends the Avhole lengtli of tlie city along the sea-front. The
lower or ground storv of all tlie buildings on this long street is
occupied by shops. Nearly half of these sliops are either tea-
houses or mone3^-changers' offices. They are all open to the
street. As one passes, he sees briglit-eyed Persians on low
divans, sitting on their heels, Persian fashion, counting and
weighing coin, or sipping tea and smoking the kalian. Thus, at
every turn, one jostles a group of Persians ; but when he is
about to conclude tliat the city belongs to them, a barouche
whirls by witli a he\\ of handsome Russian ladies, or a Cossack
orderly laslies the idlers wlio interfere witli his onward stride.
( )ne of the oddest sights of Baku is presented by the Persian
w^omen, veiled so that e\('ii tlieir eyes are invisible, and sqiuitting
on the steps of the pier wasliing linen in the sea. Suddenly tlic
great bell of tlie Cathedral Ijooms over the citv, and voii arc
reminded, lest you forget the fact, tluit you are in a noiuinally
Christian, and not a ]\Ioslem, town.

The saying goes, tlmt not a blade of grass, much less a tv(!e,
can grow at Baku. But the perseverance of the Goverinucnt
has availed to dniw sunbeams f)ut of cucumbers. A beautiful
imlilic garden at the southern end of the citv, well laid out with

FROM THE EUXINE TO THE TIIUESIloEl) OF PEKSIA. 21

wiudiuji' walks ami sluuknl w Itli slirubbei"}" and lott}' j)laiit.s, lias
at last disproved this sayiiiy. It is, however, true that no soil
could be more uncongenial to vegetation than tliat of IJaku.

It was ni\ fortune to be in IJaku the day of the coronation
of Alexander III. The streets and houses were gay with stream-
ers and banners. From dawn till daylight the Cathedral bell
boomed its sonorous Tc Ueuiit over the rejoicing city. Far out
beyond the doors of tlie churcli stood a dense and devout throng,
bareheaded imder a burning sun. listening to the chanting of
the anthems of thanksgiving. At night the city was one blaze
of light, for cressets containing balls saturated with jJetroleum
flashed from street to street. From the sea the effect was magi-
cal and magnificent. It was impossible not to feel a sympathetic
glow kindle tlie heart, as one saw the enthusiasm and joy of a
great people losing themselves on a sublime national festival like
this, however one might hesitate to approve the policy of their
Government The stranger wandering throiigh the streets in this
peculiar city by this inland sea, so far away from the civilization
of the West, forgot for awhile the terrors of nihilism and that
autocracy wdiich, with a semblance of progress, is ever aiming
to gratify the lust of a pitiless and insatiable ambition at the
expense of the repose of Eiu-ope and Asia.

One of the most singular mental effects I noticed on myself
was that produced whenever I walked to the c^uay and saw the
large fleet rocking in the port. Shelley's " Alastor " had from
early youth haunted my memory, and given me the impi'ession
that the Caspian w^as a weird sea of dreams, with shores tenanted
by the ghosts of vanished empires; with a coast whidi wms a
reedy morass trodden only by the bittern and the crane ; with
waters gray in the haze of a perpetual twilight ; a vast, myste-
rious solitude. Such in part it is on the eastern shore ; but at
Baku the Caspian conveys no such idea. Square-rigged ships
ride at anchor by scores ; the port is busy with wherries and sail-

22 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

boats darting lilrlier and thitlier; and la^avily-sparred steamers
(if tivu hundred to one thousand tons are constantly entering
and leaving the docks. The peculiarity which chieHv distin-
guishes these .ships from those of other seas is the rig. Two-
tojjsail schooners with rakish masts abounded, looking tlioroughlv
piratical and like vessels common elsewhere thii-tv-five years
ago, but no longer in use except on the Casjjian. Brigantines
with a small topsail on the mainmast, sloops with a square top-
sail, and other obsolete rigs were to be seen on this sea, which
has fashions of its own, has no relations with auA' other sea,
is neitlier fresh nor salt, and wliich also enjoys tlie freak of
lying nearly one hundred feet below the level of the ocean.

We left Baku at midniii-ht, at tlie heia'ht of a terrific norther.
l)nt ])x keeping close under tlie lee of the shore we smoothened
tlie water until our arrival at Lankoran, where a lee could be
made in case the wind sliifted or increased. The vessel was the
small iron steamer "Armeniu." She had no state-rooms, and we
were forced to sleep on the sofas. When the Avind moderated,
the meals were served on deck under an awning. I'he crew
and cook were Persians. The captain was a burl\', slant-cved
Alaskan. He could speak broken Englisli, and claimed Amer-
ican citizenship on tlie score of his birth in Alaska, although
tiie son of a Kussian governor and an Aleutian woman. He
was eas\-natured and polite, and dispensed the honors at liis
tal)le with a generous li;iiid. Tlie following day w'e touched at
Lankoran, an old Persian town, now under Russian sway. It
is a pretty place, embowered in dense foliage, on an alluvial
jilain at the foot of a chain of mountains which are outposts of
the grander mountains of northern Persia. In the afternoon
we came to Astara, on the frontier. It resembles Lankoran.
Liiiil.draii means in Persian "the jilace of anchorage." The
reader w ill observe that it offers one of the many resemblances
which exist between the Sanscrit and the English tongue.

FllOM THE El'XIXE TO 'lllE IllUESlIoEl) ()F PERSIA. 23

The following morning we anchored off the port of l''nzelj,'
a Persian town. This is the usnal i)lace for making a lauding
on Persian soil. But as it lies at the extreme southern end
of the Caspian, and can be reached only by crossing a danger-
ous bar on which the whole range of the northerly winds have
])lii\-, it frequently happens that no landing can Ije effected, and
tlu; steamer is obliged to proceed to Asterabad on the southwest
coast, which greatly adds to the length and difficulties of the
journey to Teheran. A heavy and increasing swell was rolling
our steamer's side almost under when we arrived at Enzeli. But
happily we were saved the hazard of crossing the bar in clumsy
boats manned by lubberly boatmen. The steam-yacht of the
Shah, courteously placed at our disposal, carried us comfort-
ably over the rollers of the bar to the summer pavilion of his
Majesty, at Enzeli.

' Pruiiouuccd Ensclue.

CHAPTER 11.

FROM ENZELl TO TEHERAN.

WE were received on luiidiiiii- in Persia by tlie Mehmandar,'
General iV[ehmet Tagliy Khan, together with a crowd
of dignitaries and a file of soldiers, who welcomed us with
the roll of drums. After an elaborate breakfast we were taken
to another pavilion, constructed in several stories, resembling-
in shape the porcelain tower of Nankeen. The interior w^as
decorated with small mirrors, glazed tiles, and stained glass.
The upper room was lined with glass in geometric designs.
The view thence was very interesting. We looked down on
the iimbrageous little town, the white sands, the bar, and the
Caspian fading into the north, and over the Lake of Enzeli to
the lofty cliffs of Dulfek. From Enzeli we crossed the lagoon
called the Murdab, in the Shah's steamer, and amhored at the
mouth of a stream up whicli we were towed in Ixiats. The l)oat-
men fnnu time to time invoked Mahomet and Alee to their aid.

We reached Peree Bazaar, at the head of this primitive navi-
gation, at four of the afternoon. This is a hamlet forming the
port of Rescht, at a bend of the tawu}' stream. On the left w\as
a ]iotterv, where nude woi'knien turned clay of the bank into
rude Ijut not inelegant vessels. On the right were clustered a
few boats and dngouts, and a group of forlorn mules and don-
keys ; the (lri\(Ts were i(ll\' smoking under the cheuars. In
the centre of the picture a number of noble Arab steeds, superbly

' 3lilini(i)iihir is the title i,'ivcii to tlic fiinctimiary (lepiitt'il liy tlir J^liali to meet foreign
f'livoys on tlicir i\rnv;il iit the Fnniticr of Persia.

FIIOM ENZKI.i TO TKHEKAX.

ca])arisoiu'd, were grouped before tlie Koiiak, or (Joveriinient

building.

We were ushered up a Hight of dark stair.s into an open hall,
where we were received by the \'alee (or governor) of the Prov-

A PAVILION OF THE SHAH AT ENZELI.

ince of Ghilan. With him were a number of Persian notables,
and the table was already spread with confectionery. After the
customary refreshments, we were informed that everything was
prepared for our ride to Rescht. The ladies proceeded first in
a carriaere. A few minutes later I descended with these digni-

26 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

taries and my private secretary (Mr. Coit) to the court below, and
mounted. Tlie ride led for six miles through a beautiful coun-
try, rich verdure spreading on every hand, including extensive
rice-fields for which the region is famous. Half way to Eescht
we were met by six governors of towns with their attendants,
awaiting ns on horseback by the side of the road. After offer-
ing their salutations, they wheeled into our train, and we con-
tinued thus to the outskirts of Rescht, where a crowd of not;\bles
of the place, headed by the mayor, were watching for our arriviil.
After words of welcome, they j^receded the train through the
winding streets and bazaars, which were crowded with ]t\-
standers. At the farther end of the city we came to the exten-
sive residence of the Valee. On dismounting, we were hailed
by the blare of music; and the citizens who had escorted me
took this opportunity to ask leave to retire, but the notables
accompanied us into the reception-room. Several rows of dishes
heaped with confectionery were spread across the floor, indicat-
ing, according to Persian custom, that the guest was expected to
have a pleasant taste in the nioutli wlien he received a welcome.
Refreshments having l)een served, the notables in turn requested
leave to retire, wliicli in this case at least was granted with
entire willingness, as by this time I was somewhat fsitigued. An
elaborate dinner, semi-Persian, senii-Knroiican, was served at
nine, preceded by Jtor.s d'u'uvrcs laid out on a table, with brandy
and arrack.

The day following our arrival, I was waited on In' the Ilakem
(or chief judge) of the district; and after iiiin called the agent of
the Foreign Office, who is stationed at Resclit. He was a young
man of short stature, of amiable address and insinuating voice.
Reasonabh' familiar witli French, he presented an interesting
example of a class of minds oftener met with in the Fast than
in the West, — a man of affairs, who is at tlie same time an
intense lover of the attractions of Nature. Tt was evident fi'om

FROM ENZELI TO TKHEUAN. 27

the constant allusions and descriptions in his conversation that
mv visitor was of a poetic turn of mind, and an ardent admirer
of the beauty of flowers, the song of birds, and the chatter of
running- brooks.

It is proper to emphasize here the fact, tliat we were enter-
tained at Rescht in a manner almost unique for hospitalitv.
The Mehmandar had arisen before daylircak to meet us at
Enzeli, and we were now c|uartered in the residence of the Valee
of Ghilan, one of the first magnates of the kingdom, who enjoys
one of the few hereditary offices of Persia. The building com-
prehended three courts, or gardens, and was of course divided
into the main dwelling-, where we were, and the Anderoon, or
apartments of the women. The part we were in included a
large reception-room on the first floor, with divans in an alcove,
and a three-tuld window between them overlooking a garden.
The heavy sashes were filled with numerous small panes and
hits of stained glass. The character of the exterior, decorated
with carved wood, brick mouldings and stucco, in a stvle pecu-
liar to the northern provinces of Persia, is well suggested by
the engraving on page 33. The floor of the reception-room
was overlaid with beautiful rugs. The ceiling was composed of
ci'oss-beams carved and tinted, and the square spaces or deep
panels between were blue picked-out with stars in gold. Be-
tween two doors closed with portieres hung- a life-size portrait
of Nasr-ed-Deen Shah, by the artist Nassoud, a young Persian
recently deceased.

The dining-room overlooked the garden between the two
houses ; the table was profusely decorated with flowers at every
meal. I found that European chairs are used here somewhat,
and that the old Persian fashion of eating with fingers is grad-
ually giving way among the upper classes to the use of knives
and forks. The cuisine was highly elaborate. Among the
dishes, evidently for our benefit, were several borrowed from

28 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

tli(( French cuisine. But nt every meal we also had the inva-
riable dish of rice. Here |)illaf is called pUJo and cliUlo. The
rice is that of Gliilan. The grain is small, and has a pungent
odor I have never noticed in any other variety of rice. Like
the Turks, the Persians know the art of cooking rice dry, and
yet thoroughly ; hut they have many ways of serving it, often
with raisins or meats. It is also browned on the top. It is cus-
tomary to serve a cold pillo cut in blocks, and immediatelv after
a hot dish of rice. Wines of Casbeen and Shiraz, together with
an occasional bottle of English porter, were also provided at
these meals. Various dishes of nuts, pistachios, dried fruits,
confectionery, and pickles were spread on the table, and be-
tween the courses our host not unfrequently selected choice bits
and laid them on the plates of his guests, — a ])leasant nati^•e
custom showing kindly sentiment. A large numljer of attend-
ants stood at one end of the room, and nuich ceremony was
shown with the entrance and serving of each dish. Altogether
the two daily meals, together with the previous hour of chatting
over the liors (Va-uvrcs and smoking in the reception-room, con-
sumed more than live hours of the day.

The broad walk of the garden leading up to the reception-
room was attractively illuminated every evening -with cressets
fixed in the ground. Our sleeping apartments occupied nearly
the Avhole of the second floor, his Excellency the Governor
having entirely abandoned this building to us during our stay
here. We ascended to the second floor by a massive Avinding
staircase of stone. At the foot of the stairway stood a sen-
tinel. Our rooms were wliitewashed and simply furni.shed, the
mattresses being laid on the floor ; entire absence of tables and
chairs was evident at a glance. And yet it would be a. mistake
to assume for this I'cason that the Persians are void of a sens(>
of elegance and comfort, as one fresh tVom an American home
of wealth might conclude. On the contrary, if the jioet

FROM EXZELl TO TKIIERAX. 29

Thomson liad been there he nii^lil well have ascribed these
apartments to the Castle of Indolence, which his 3Inse has de-
scribed in sncli Inscious and xohiptnons measures.

I do not here insist tliat the worknianshi]) there displayed was
in all respects finished after Western notions, for the tools of tlie
Persians are rude ; but I noticed everywhere a g-enius sensitive
to artistic effects, a keen and jioetic appreciation of beauty,
and a consununate adaptation of cliniatic needs to the materials
at hand. And I nuist frankly say that I gained more genuine
artistic satisfaction out of this j)ro\incial residence at Eescht
than from the most siunptuous structures I have ever seen in
the United States. Everywhere I saw beauty combined witli a
feeling of repose ; in a word, adaptation, simplicity, and thor-
ough artistic effect. On the floors the richest carpets Persia
can boast allured tlie eye, and upon these the mattresses were
laid. Everywhere the foot moved silently on velvet, woven
into the most exquisite and irregularly regular designs, — which
suggested that a personal element entered into their warp and
woof instead of the mechanical action of unfeeling" iron and
steam. The windows descended to the floor, and were closed
like those described in the reception-room. Eeclining in orien-
tal ease on the cushioned carpets, one can easily dispense with
chairs, as he cpiafts the aromatic tumbrUc of Shiraz in a .silver
kalian, and gazes languidly on the mighty ranges of Elburz
towering grandly above the forests of Ghilan and the red roofs
of Resclit. The massive walls furnished numerous square niches
called tauchtches, which served both as tables and closets ; and
the arch which led to a recessed-window was honeycombed
with a cluster of depressions, semi-angular or octagonal, wliich
form a chai-acteristic featui-e of Saracenic architecture. Around
the side of our a})artments was a broad veranda overlooking
the gardens, and a highlv picturesque Imam Zade, or tomb of
a saint, canopied by the massive foliage of a venerable chenur.

30 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Every evening we Avere entertained by the magnificent voices of
a man and a bo}", wlio sang the call to jJrayers, — one from the
roof of the bath, the other from the veranda adjoining our rooms.
They seemed to vie in res^ionding, each appearing to surpass
the other with the full-throated metallic ring of their cadences.
The air seemed dead after tlie echo of their song liad died away
on the twilight calm.

An invitation was extended to the ladies of tlie Legation to
visit the ladies of the Governor's Harem. According to custom,
word was sent beforehand to ninidinice the hour of the visit.
The hostess, or chief wife, and her attendants, witli the other
wives and concubines, were found in the Anderoon, dressed in
their most elegant and costly jewels, and in apparel of a nature
to fill one witli amazement. The character of this costume is
indicated by the cut on a subsequent page, representing the
summer dress of Persian ladies. ^V]lile extremelv ignorant and
naturally full of curiosity, the ladies of the Governor's house-
hold comported themselves with much dignity and graceful
courtesy.

On the same afternoon the Mehmandar invited me to a little
promenade on horseback, accompanied bv the invariable scarlet-
clad mace-bearers on foot, and attendants on horse-back. Taking
a road through the side streets of Rescht, we ambled at a gentle
pace to a siunmer house of his ]\rajesty a few miles out, where
we were treated to the kMlian and tea, the materials having
been brought by one of the attendants in a sack suspended to
the saddle, according to Persian custom. The Mehmandar then
suggested a stroll about the rice-fields. This Province is noted
for tlie culture of rice and silk. The square spaces of silk-like
green rice glistening above the w atcr in its spring growth were
beautiful, cnclo.sed as thev were bv barriers of turf and clumps
of ])irturesfpie foliage; at tliis season the danger of malarial
poisoning is comparatively slight. Women seemed to be chiefly

FKOM KNZELl TO TKIIKUAN. 31

eno-ao-ed in the cultivation of the phmt. They wore no veils,
and when they saw us simply turned their baelcs.

It was a circumstance worth noting that the I'arnicrs had
fearlessly built their mud hovels on mounds entirely surrounded
1)V rice-fields. These houses and the adjoining storehouses were
roofed with a tent-like covering of thatch ; and the habit of
keeping the doors tightly closed after dark, while excluding fresh
air, doubtless excludes also the pestilential air exhaled by the
rice-iields after sunset. In one of these primitive barns we saw
a large mass of caterpillars feeding on mulberry leaves, and
weaving around themselves a coffin of silk. They were spread
over a light frame-work, and the rustling of so many creeping
things was very singular. I noticed in the fields a peculiar
species of cattle, which until now I supposed confined altogether
to India. They are uniformly black and sleek, but their chief
peculiarity is a hump of flesh directly over the shoulders.

On the following afternoon I returned the call of the agent
of the Foreign Office, accompanied by the Mehmandar. Hiis
functionary showed his tiesthetic instincts by the location selected
for his house, which faced a beautiful meadow flanked by spread-
ing chenjxrs. On the farther side wei-e picturesque granges
nestled amid the most luxuriant veg'etation, and this enchanting
picture of rural peace and prosperity was enclosed by the purple
ranges of Elburz. The low sun dappled the green with long
creeping shadows and bars of golden splendor. The entrance
Avas surrounded with attendants waiting to usher ns to the
reception-room. It was with some regret that I passed from this
sunny scene into a dark court, and picked an luicertain way up
a dark and irregular stairway. But tliis really served as a sort
of artistic foil to enhance the pleasure of entering a charming
little room opening on a balcony that overlooked the prospect
described above. We were soon in a pleasant discussion over
the Persian poets, accompanied by the invariable refreshments.

32 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

As the hour was dehghtful, a walk into tlie fields was pro-
posed, and we started out accom2)anied by a troop of mounted
attendants. It was a most beautiful evening, and the scenery
would compare favorably with the loveliest landscapes in
Europe. The pastoral quietude was enhanced by tlie Hocks
returning- home. The Mehmandar was in excellent spirits, and
requesting us to sit down in a circle on the turf ordered the
kalian to be brought; then the men were directed to ride the
horses at full speed across the meadows. These Persians can
all keep on a horse so long as they have a Persian saddle
under them. After a line display of the mettle of these Arab
steeds, we strolled to the bank of a muddy stream running be-
tween high clay banks. A number of jieasants were bathing
in a deep jkkiI. The 3Iehniandar threw them small coin, which
led to some boisterous sport. This tempted him to a display
of the jiower of masters over servants, such as would be surjiris-
ing anywhere except in the East. He ordered the mace-bearers
to leap into the water. Several of them ^^•itllOut the slightest
hesitation plunged in with their clothes on. Another, who was a
poor swimmer, hesitated, and at the bidding (if the Mehmandar
the attendants threw him in. To one who believes in the
dignity of man, whatever be his station, the sjjort was not
agreeable.

Twilight having now set in, Ave mounted and turned home-
wards. As we ajjproached the city, several of the attendants
suddeid\ darted aliead at a word from the Mehmamlnr and
were soon out of sight. The reason was explained wlien
we entered tlie winding streets of the eit)', where the attend-
ants roappeare(l w itli innnense lanterns formed of figured cloth
stretched on elaboratel\ cai-ved head and foot pieces composed
of brass. The effect of tlie cavalcade was now highly pictu-
resque, winding amitl the shaded lanes preceded by large
lanterns.

FROM EXZELI TO TEHERAN.

On Saturday afternoon tlie
Russian consul at Resclit, Mr.
Vlassof, called. He is evidently
a man of the world, and like all
educated Russians speaks Frencli
adniirablv. He cordially invited
us to dine at his house the same
evening, offering his carriage for
the ladies. Passing from a nar-
row hme and througli a low door,
on aliLi'litln^- at tlie residence of

34 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

M. Vlassof, we suddenly found ourselves in a spacious court
filled with trees and shrubbery, from whose branches numerous
gayly-painted lanterns distributed a variegated light over a ])ool
and fountain of flashing water. The elements of the scene were
perhaps simple enough, but the effect was none the less intei--
esting and fair\'-like. We found a mansion elegantly furnished
in European style, charmingly suggesting the East, with tigers'
skins and oriental draperies and arms, and were courteously
received by Madame Vlassof, an English lad}-, Avho gracefully
did the honors. Dinner was preceded, Russian style, by the
zakooska of caviai-e, brandy, and other appetizers spread on a
small side-table.

In the midst of dinner a messenger from the Valee was an-
nounced. He said that a telegram had been received from the
Shah urging my s})eedy ari'ival at the capital. I made imme-
diate arrangements for us all to start on the following day. At
the first station the ladies were to be left to come on sloA^•ly by
caravan, while I was to go more expeditiously by chappa or post
travelling. It was no small enterprise to engage the needed
men and animals, the cook, the tachtravan," etc., for both parties,
and start in less than twenty-fdur hours. But Ave succeeded.
At four I'.M. the square before the Valee's house Avas full of men
and horses, together with several sumpter mules of characteristic
viciousness. Now it would be a horse that kicke<l up its heels;
tlicii a mule would give a snort, and strike out towards all points
of the compass. Then the tachtravan or the kajevOlr- was not
rightly adjusted. Finally, however, we got under weigh. Persian
etiquette required me to lead, on the nolde sorrel Arab I had
ridden since my arrival, jn-eceiU'd by ten niace-bearers on foot,
and folloAved by twenty officials of Rescht on horseback. The
Mehniandar rode on my left. Ik'hind us came the tachtravan

1 A covcrod litter parriod by mules, ii.sed by ladies and invalids.

2 The kajevch is a covered seat swung on eaeh side i>t a nmle.

FROM ENZELI TO TEHEUAN. 35

witli the ladies, attended by my secretary ; then the kajeveh
with the maid, whose weight was balanced by lug-gage ; and
finally the sitmpter mules and a crowd of mounted attendants.

Having reached the outer limits of Resclit and the post-house
where horses were in readiness for the Mehmandar and myself,
the gentlemen of Rescht politely wished us a godspeed, and
requested permission to retui'u to the city. This was granted
in the politest terms I could conunand, thanking them in the
name of my Government for the kind rece})tion accorded to
the American legation while tarrying in the limits of their beau-
tiful and flourishing city. After their departure I dismounted
with some regret from my Arab steed, the Mehmandar Taghi
Khan also dismounting, and we each bestrode a spare, rathei-
sorry-looking, small-sized, but tough post-horse, and started off
at a liard gallop, accompanied by Mr. Whij)2)le, one of our excel-
lent American citizens resident in Persia, who was returniii"- to
Tabreez. Our retinue now consisted simply of the body-servant
of the Mehmandar and the post-boy, who cai-ried our moderate
impedimenta in saddle-bags. The post-boy led the way, ■\\liip in
hand. I soon observed that these post-boj's ride their horses
as if an integral jjart of the animal. No part of them appears
to move separately except the riglit hand, wdiicli evermore goes
ceaselessly up and down like a pump-handle, gently tapping
the belly of tlie horse with the end of the lash. The effect is
very singular. I f(jund that my horse required the same regu-
lar stinudant to keep him at the pace for which he was intended
bv the fate that doomed him to go through this life at a steady
canter on a post-road, imtil his \veary limbs should give out,
and he be left by the roadside to feed the vultures which soar
in the blue heavens watching for his last pangs. This was the
first time I had ridden on horseback any distance for years,
and I soon began to realize that I had some hard work and a
call for endurance before I should see the gates of Teheran.

36 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

But there was no alternative, unless I wished to reach the capi-
tal after the departure of his Majesty, — in which case I should
have to remain, according to Persian diplomatic etiquette, witli-
out the city gates until his retiu-n, which would not Ije until
October.

The hoiu- was delightful, and the scenery everywhere chami-
ing. We often encountered rice-fields at first ; but as these grew
scarcer, the ftirests began to grow more frequent. Towards
nightfall we arrived at Doschembe Bazaar, which is a quadi-an-
gular caravanserai containing stopping-places for travellers, and
numerous shops. Each Tuesday a market is held there ; hence
the name. The rooms over the gate Avere at ouv disjiosal, and
were provided with tables and two or three iron bedsteads. It
Avas very pleasant after a hard ride of seA'eral hours to sit on
the little balcony in the twilight, gazing on a quiet landscape
over which gray night was slowly creeping, Avhile the western
.skv was yet tinged Avith the golden radiance of a loA'elv sunset.
The neighboring thickets Avere musical with the nightingale's
song, and under a grand old plane-tree by the gate a A-enerable
Persian was kneeling at his evening orison.

As we sat there smoking the i)ipe of peace and (piieth- chat-
ting, a horseman dashed up to the gate bringing a telegram for
JHO from his Majesty the Shah. It was to tlie effect that, desir-
ous of shoAving his good-Avill toAvards the United States on tlie
arrival of the fu-st minister from that country to Persia, he had
decided to receive me on entering the capital Avitli all the lionors
awarded to the highest rank of euA^oys. I reqiiested tlie Meh-
mandar to re])ly tliat I respectfully acknowledged the generous
senthnents of his Majesty, and cordially accepted the reception
lie had ottered. Soon after sending iin- rc|)lv tlic tinkle of l>ells
was heard in the distance, (h'awiiig nearer and nearer. Soon
the cara\:ni of our ])art\' Ix'gaii to apjiear, and b\' l!ic lime dlinier
was read\ the ladies ;iiid the luggage arrived. We slept, some

FROM EXZELI T(l TEHEKAN. 37

on beds, some on the Hikh-, dtlicrs on the l);ilc(iny. Before diiy-
break all were stiiTing, and tlie t'ra<j;ranL-e of fofFee floated (»n
tlu^ still cool air as a sti-eak of gray broke over the ti'ee-tops
in the east.

It was witli some misgi\angs that I now cnt loose from niy
family, leaving them to come on slowly and but ill prdxidcd
for a i-ough joiu-ney over the hmely mountains of a strange
Lnul. Hut dutv urged me on, and in six hours I had placed
forty-eight miles between them and my party. Although the
long gallop was somewhat fatiguing, I could not avoid constant
emotions of pleasure as we passed tlu-ough one of the loveliest
landscapes on the globe. Dense primeval forests were around
us ; here and there a glade was formed hx the falling of great
trees, whose giant trunks lay jjrone on the turf covered with moss
and ^•ines, like the columns of some forgotten temple of old.
Numerous brooks murnuu-ed through the forest, which was nni-
sical with the songs of many birds. What surprised me was the
abundance of the pomegranate trees, whose scarlet blossoms
gleamed like sparks of fire in the green glooms of the forest.
Xo chromatic harmony of Nature gives me more pleasure than
that of the scarlet and green of the coronated blossom and the
glossy leaf of this lovely tree. It is remarkable for its rare
combination of peculiar tints ; while the scarlet is of an unusual
tint verging on orange, the green exactly matches it, also verging
on yellow.

At the -s-illage of Imam Zade we came out on a plain crossed
by a stream, and I could find no language to express my enthu-
siasm at tlie magnificent prospect revealed when we emerged
from the forest. On one side of the road, where we stopped
at a wayside booth for a cup of tea with a raw egg beaten
into it and served to us in the saddle, there was a lofty wooded
heio-ht, on whose sides nestled a village. The conical thatched
roofs peeped above the shrubbery in picturesque confusion.

88 PERSIA AND THE PEKSIANS.

(^11 a t^liarp elevation adjoining' was the tomb of a saint (lienoe
tlie name) and an open lodging for })ilgTims and travellers.
Opposite this village was a tremendous rose-gray mountain,
nearly ten thousand feet high, crested with a wrcatli of lig-lit
clouds, and tenninating in an abrupt })reci])ice that dropped to
the plain some four thousand feet. The Yosemite boasts no
clift" grander than tliat. This noble mountain is called Dulfek,
and forms an outlying spur of the Ellnirz. From Imam Zade
we left the plain, and gradually entered the mountain region
which separates the moist and verdant Ghilan from the drv and
arid idains south of the Elburz. Manv a romantic ulen we
threaded, an<l many a babbling stream wc forded. Beautiful
was the gradual change from the superabundant wi'alth of veg-
etation on the north side of the mountains to the sul)lime
aridity and desolation of the south side as we ])assed from one
to the other, and entered the wide A's'inding valley of the Sefeed
Rood River. I call it a vallev, l)ut it is in realitA' a vast l)ed,
partly gravelly sand, ])artly alluvial silt, coxcrcd in jmrts with
green ])atches of rice-helds, which in the rain\' season, or with
tlie melting of the snows, is liable to be eiitirch' covered with a
tawnv Hood. As it is, in snunucr the river is about one hundred
to one hundred and tiftv yards wide, verv deep and rapid. l!ut
foi- the latter (pialit\ it might well l)e navigalde at least for boats
of ten to tifteen t(ms. Poor Persia ! even her rivers fail to be oi'
service to her, — they are so wild and furious. Hut perhaps tliei'e
may be in this an advantage. 'Jlie long integritx of i'cM'sia as a
nation ma\' be jiartlv owing to the extreme dit1ii-ult\ of access
to tin- heart of the country. At times the road overhung the
i-iver several Inmdred feet. ()p|iosite to us the grand, desolate
mountains rose into the unfathomable blue.

Towiu'ds noon Kooilooin came in sigjit. miles awa\' on a
long reach of good road, (iis'ingour horses the rein and the
whiii, wc galloiied straiiiht lor it, as if i'resh and unwearied.

IKOM KNZELl ■!■(» rKIlKUAN. 39

After a steaniiiii;' en]) of tea i'roin t\\c rwv-n';ul\ saiiioNar, 1
threw mvself on a mat (ui tlie floor, '^llie cool mountain-breeze
soon tainied nie to slcc|i. A\'licn I awoke, the Mehinandar was
kneelinu' at his praver, and tlic tinkle of the hells of the flocks
strao-(>-lin<>- to the folds told nie it was neai' the ch)se of day. A
liath, another cnj) of tea, and a fragrant kalian hronyht a re-
\i\inii- sense of a})petite. ( )n walking out on the roof, it was
impossible not to be impressed by the graauk'ur of the spaces
and heights ai-ound me a)id the sense of sohtude, which yet
was not oppressive. The quietude was soothing and restful;
Nature seemed to have exerted herself to produce a pleasing
effect with bare moiintains and a single rushing river. The
station was situated on a loftv slope, which enabled (me to com-
mand the fluvial vallev and ovi^rlook the southern heights of
the mighty Dulfek. I must say, however, that solitude en-
closed by mountains which seem to have no outlet is to n\e
far more oppressive than the solitude of a vast plain or of the
sea. For the limitations of space are too visible ; little is left
to the imagination, and the mind is cramped 1)V a sense of im-
prisonment. I am pleased with mountain scenery. I love it
]n-ofoundly, if it forms one side of a landscape. But I never
could be contented to dwell long in a jdace entu'ely surrounded
bv mountains : mv soul wcndd be stifled.

Sitting on a namad or rug of felt, we partook with zest of a
succulent dhnier of ragouts and pillaft'. (lossip and cigarettes
followed. The Mehmandar had been manv years in Europe,
and spoke French fluently. Whatever be the private character
of an Oriental and a T*ersian, they all seem to be gentlemen in
their manners, and to lie masters of the art of conversation,
passing easily from "grave to gav, from li\-eh' to se\ere."'

From Koodoom we proceeded at dawn of the following day,
from station to station, scaling the loft\- pass of Kharzan, nearlv
seven thousand feet above the sea, until we came to Ao-jI Baba.

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Here we were met by the Kalantar (or mayor) of Casbeen,
who escorted us to a reception-room over tlie gate of the vil-
lage. The rafters of the ceiling were carved, and painted Idue

;]l^^^

VILLAGE DETWEEX KnODOOM AXn CASnEEN.

and scarlet, picked-ont with
gold ; the floor was cov-
ered with rich carpets, and
ill the centre Avas spread a
long array of dishes piled
with confectionery, which
the Kalantar presented to mo witli some gracefid words of wel-
come. We found carriages of the Shah awaitiii"- us at AffS,
Baba, and rapidly rode thence to Casbeen. which lay before ns
on the ])liiiii an oasis of verdure, whose orchards were quiver-
ing with mirage. A jieasaiit rnii neross the fields with a A'oung
gazelle as a ])resent, receiving of coiirs<> an eqnival<'iit in silver.

FRu.M ENZELl TO TKUKUAN. 41

Before we readied tlie city a group of mounted gentlemen were
seen approacliing ; on being informed that they were coming to
escort me into the city, I sent my thanks, but requested the
pri\iU»ge of entering qiiietly, as tlie dust and i-ough garb of
travel made an official reception inexpedient. I was surprised
and charmed to find at Casbeen a really elegant hotel, witli
rooms furnished in Eui-ojjean style and an excellent cuisine.
It is maintained by the Government, and represents an intention
wliicli is as yet far from being complete, to improve the travel-
ling facilities of the country. It was delightful to sit on the
spacious portico in the cool breeze and gaze over the tvpical
oriental prospects unfolded from that spot.

The city of Casbeen offers a name familiar to all readers of
Milton, who will remember the lines, in ''Paradise Lost," —

" or Bactrian Sophi from the horns
Of Turkish crescent, leaves all waste bej'ond
The realm of Aladule, in his retreat
To Tauris or Casbeen."

It is a thriving place of forty thousand inhabitants, and is noted
for its wn'nes, fruits, and pistachio nuts. The streets are lined
with trees and watercourses, and some of the most interestino-
Saracenic buildings of northern Persia yet remain within its
walls. One of the oldest is situated near the hotel ; it is in-
deed so ancient that traditions have grown up with rei^-ard to
it, some of which might call forth a sceptical sneer from the
antiquar)^ The courteous Kalantar of Casbeen gravely informed
me that the age of this building is confirmed by the fact that
wiien it was completed Christ himself came from Jerusalem
to conseci'ate it, and that after the Mahometan conquest it was
transformed into a mosque. As the building is undoubtedlv of
Mahometan ai'chitecture, and probablv not over a thousand
years old, this tradition seems to have very little basis to stand

42 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

on. But it is possible that it unxy have been coustnicted on the
site of" an early Christian church.

From Casbeen we proceeded in carriages over a fine road,
eighty miles in length, that bridges the distance between that
city and the capital. On arri\ing at Teheran I was received at
a pavilion of the Shah near the gate of the city, by an imposing
arra)^ of the civil and military dignitaries of the Court, together
with the royal guards and a regiment of cavalry, and escorted
to the quarters I was to occupy at Teheniu.

CHAPTER III.

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PERSIA.

THE cultivated imagination kindles at tlie mention of Persia.
The names of Cyrus and Darius and Xerxes are house-
hold words. Every schoolboy has pored over the narrative of
the invasion of Greece by the mighty hosts of Persia ; but it is
difficult for one who has not been actually in Persia to realize
that the nation founded and ruled by these sovereigns centuries
before Christ is still a living power, with a continuous vitality
tliat may preserve her national integrity for ages to come. She
had already developed a distinct civilization and an extraordi-
nary genius for political organization before the star of Rome
had begun to cast its rays above the horizon of history. The
immortal colonnades of Persepolis were reared before those of
the Parthenon, and are still the greatest rival of the architectural
triumphs of Creek civilization. Although shorn of some of her
vast territories, which with various fluctuations have at times
extended from tlie Ganges to the Nile, and from the Don to tlie
Indian Ocean, Persia is yet by no means an insignificant power,
witli her well-defined limits more than twice the area of France ;
while the intellectual vigor of her people, after the lapse of
twenty-five hundred years, shows few signs of degeneracy.

It is true that for several generations Persia has occupied
comparatively a small portion of the world's attention, and has
exercised still less of influence in its political councils, — thus
giving to many the impression that she is verging on extinction.
This is due in part to tlie prevailing religion, Mahometanism,

44 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

which at the outset gave a fresh impulse to tlie nations that
adopted it, while eventually tending to antagonize them with
the ><2jirit of progress initiated by the invention of the art of
printing. Another rea.son for the obscurity into which Persia
has fallen is the inaccessibility of the country, wliicli, althoui;]!
not remote, is only ap])roaclied over lofty and extensive moun-
tain ranges that enclose the frontier like a wall. This ob.stacle
was of com})aratively slight importance in former ag-es, when
the whole world travelled toilsomely on horseback; but tlie
invention of railways and the difficulty of laying them to an}-
profit in Persia, owing to the mountains and the thinness of
the population, has operated to place her in an eddy at one
side of the current of modern progress.

But at last the turn of Persia has come. No longer can she
remain isolated and unknown, or continue regardless and inde-
jjendent of what is going on elsewhere. In sjnte of herself, in
spite of opposing circumstances, Persia is now looming up into
new importance, and is becoming the theatre of events destined
to grow^ in magnitude and weight.

Notwithstanding all that has been written about Persia, the
ignorance that still exists about her is yet so general that there is
absolutely no correct map of the entire country,' and until lateh'
it was asserted, c^ven in scientific circles, that no fossils were to
be found in her geology. The fact is, that numerous evidences
of extinct animal life are now traced in the strata of the Persian
mountains. A curious example of popular ignoi'ance on the
subject was afibrded me by an English geologist, who, alludiug
to a scientific lecture on Persia recently heard by him, asked me
if there Avere an\ coal formations in that country. A very fine
quality of bituminous coal actuallv abounds there ; at Teheran it
is used for fuel and steam machinery. In the southwestern part

' Till,' best iiiiips of iinrthcni Persia luivc bucu iiuuk: by olliorrs of tliu Russian aniiy,
iinduublc'dly with a view to iin-jiaiiiii,' tlic way to conquest.

PHYSICAL ASl'ECTS OF TKHSIA. 45

of Persia, near her best ports, the coal mines are apparently in-
exhaustible, and might easil}' be made a very important branch
of exportation. Lead and iron mines are also found near the
coal seams. This is an important fact for the consideralion of
foreign capitalists, for if ever railways are to be made profilalde
in Persia, it must be probably by constructing- the rails and roll-
ing" stock on the spot.

The modern discovery of the existence of coal in Persia is
of comparatively recent date. In ancient times coal w^as
known to exist in the country, but in some unaccountable
way the mines seem to have been lost, and all knowledge of
the mineral wealth of Persia appears to have been forgotten.
But a specific name applied to mineral coal remained in the
language ; and this fact suggested to Jenghir Khan, late Per-
sian Minister of Sciences and Arts, that there nnist be some
reason for the existence of such a word in the language. He
therefore began a series of investigations, but without result.
During one of Ins journeys through the mountainous jungles
of Mazanderan however, he observed that some gypsies were
using mineral coal in their camp ; but they steadily refused to
inform him where they had found it, yielding neither to threats
nor bi'ibes. He set spies to watch them, and after considerable
difficulty obtained the desired information. Since then a seem-
ingly inexhaustible supply of coal has been found in many
parts of the country.

The present area of Persia is practically divisible into four
great [)arts, distinguished by variety of climate and formation.
The west and northwest, comprising the provinces of Azerbai-
jan, Kurdistan, and Kermanshrdi, with minor subdivisions, have
a broken surface, rolling and mountainous, and partaking of
the general character of the adjoining portions of Asia Minor.
The most marked difference is noticeable between the provinces
lying north of the great Elburz ranges and adjacent to the

4G PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Caspian Sea, and tliose of central Persia, which are separated
from the Caspian provinces by that rang-e. There could hardly
be a greater contrast of climate than that presented between
these two great districts. On the northern side tlie mountains
concentrate the humidity from the Caspian ; fog and clouds are
frequent ; the moisture is deposited in heavy and frequent rains,
and numerous streams leap down the jDrecipices of the rocky
Elburz and meander across the alluvial plains that border the
sea. This abundance of humidity produces a wonderful vege-
tation, 2:)erennial in loveliness, and almost tropical in its variety
and luxuriance. Tlie roads wind through a noble underwood of
primeval forests of extraordinary density and beauty, whose
venerable trees are clothed with tlie velvet of emerald mosses,
or embraced b}' the tendrils of clambering lianas. Often the
green gloom of the woods is brightened by the vivid scarlet
blossoms of the wild pomegranate, gleaming like glints of fire ;
and the glades echo with the music of dashing streams. Near
the sea the wilderness gives place to cultivated orchards, or to
spacious lawns and vistas of barley-fields, old granges, and
thatched Imts of the peasantry nestling under superb masses of
pendulous foliage, by the edge of steaming rice-fields.

BiTt the stranger, however fascinated he may be witli the
charms of one of the loveliest regions on the globe, is warned
to be on his guard, to carrv witli liim ritie and ([uinine, and
not to tarry there except in the earlv springtime. For in those
forests lurk the panther and the tiger, the frequent and persistent
mosquito, and tlie venomous serpent; Avhile the deadly miasma
floats like a spirit of evil over those rice-fields, and few there
be who are not wasted or slain bv the all-pervading fever.
But as one begins t<) rciich the ujiper shelves of the mountains
he becomes aware tliat he is entering upon scenery so difl'erent,
that, althougli the transition is made in a few hours, ho seems
to liave arrived in a reiiioii I'ar (hstant from the one tliat he lias

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PEKSIA. 47

left seemingly in another lieniisphere. Tlie forests are no longer
seen ; and wlieli he reaches the ridge he looks on ])archcd plains
extending south with scarcely an interruption for six hundred
miles. The atmosphere is likewise altogether changed. On
thc! northern side the danij* he^at causes the perspiration to start
as if from a steam-bath, while on the south side of the Klhurz tlie
air is dry, devoid even of dew the greater pai-t of the year ; and
although the mercury ranges at a higher point tlie heat is less
relaxing than in the Caspian provinces. The average annual
rain-fall of central and southern Persia is about seven inches.
The climate of central Persia may be indeed termed salubrious;
for many months in the year the heat is continuous, and in
summer excessive, ranging in that season at 105° to 110° Fahren-
heit at midday, tending to lassitude and nervous prostration.
But the dryness of the atmosphere is opposed to malaria and
endemic diseases, as well as to acute forms of zymotic maladies
and epidemics ; small-pox and scarlet fever may be said to be
there at all seasons, but they assume a mild character and are
rarely fatal. In the south the greater continuance of the exces-
sive heat tends to nervous exhaustion. But observation shows
that the climate of central Persia is favorable to foreimiers who
avoid exposure to the midday sun, live temperately, are careful
^\•lult water they drink, and not much of that, and are especially
prudent on their lirst arri\al in the countiy.

Tlie dryness of central Persia is due, among other causes, to
the scarcity of vegetation and the great elevation of this portion
of the kingdom. One is surprised to find the descent on the
southern side of the Elburz g-enerally more gradual and far less
profound than on the northern side. This is owing to the fact
that central Persia is a vast table-land elevated from four thou-
sand to six thousand feet above the sea. East, south, and west
these mighty plains roll away like a great sea, quivering willi
mirage, and dotted at long intervals by islands of verdure or

48' PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

reddish-gray ridges which rise above the plain like rocky head-
lands, until the vanishing sea-like horizon melts into the cloud-
less sky where the eagle and the vulture soar alone.

Almost the whole of this vast ])lateau is dependent upon
irrigation for the scanty vegetation which has been collected
in a comparatively small portion of its extent ; and the irri-
gation is de])endent n])on the snows which cover the lofty ranges
that appear at convenient intervals above the plateau. The im-
portance of these ranges may be seen by the altitude they reach,
which enables them to retain the snow on their summits some-
times the entire year. The range of the Elburz, which is evi-
dently a continuation of the Hindu Koosh mountains, is in
parts over thirteen thousand feet high, while its central peak,
Mount Demavend, is not less than twenty-one thousand feet in
height. The range of the Zarda Kooh, near Ispahan, rises to
upwards of sixteen thousand feet. Numerous other ranges in
other parts of the ])lateau serve to condense and preserve the
moisture, and to distribute it by irrigation over a country
probably the most arid of any that is occupied by a civilized
nation.

Hut the soil of this plateau is often capable of producing rapid
and abundant crojDS imder irrigation, especially in the valleys at
the foot of the mountains ; and there ai-e fertile districts of con-
siderable extent, such as the region in the southwest bordering
on the Karoon River. But enormous tracts of this country are
mere deserts, often covered only with sand, gravel, and salt,
ini]troiitMble for cultivation, almost entirely destitute of water,
and in parts to be traversed with circumspection on account
of dry (piicksands, like the one in which Bahram V. lost his life
when hunting the wild ass.

lint it ^^•(lul(l be ;i mistake to inter that central Persia is
wholly unattractive. (^)uite tlic contrary is the case; for in fact
1 know of no country which within tlie same space contains

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PERSIA. 49

51 g-i'eater variety of contrasts of scenery. The weary traveller
turns Avith intense pleasure from the road over the arid wastes
to the green oasis, with its streams and dense foliage nestling
in a gorge. It is again with a sense of repose, a silent and sol-
emn satisfaction, that he looks over the vast endless spaces ; the
soul expands with the sense of space, and seems already in this
life to gain an intuition of the infinite spaces in which it shall
find scope for a fuller expression of its power in another ex-
istence. It is l)ecause of these intense contrasts that to the
thoughtful and poetic mind the landscapes of central Persia be-
come, after residence there, exceedingly fascinating and quietly
stimulatino- to the imag-ination.

A peculiar feature of the great table-land of Persia is seen in
the wind-storms, which are especially prevalent in the early
spring, and are liable to occur at all seasons. Tliey are most
formidable in Kerman, the southern-most province, where it is
said an army was once overwhelmed by a sudden storm of dust.
( )ne which the writer Avitnessed came up with the appearance of an
impending thunder-storm, conveying every impression that there
was to be a general convulsion of the elements. It approached
rapidly, and when within two or three miles the distant land-
scape became obscured as if by a cloud-burst of rain, rusliing
furiously over the plains, while we drove before it for shelter.
l)Ut when tlie storm struck us it was accompanied by neither
rain nor lightning, but oidy wind and a terrific cloud of driving
dust, careering forward in dense whirlwinds, completely .shutting
out every object at the distance of a hundred yards ; the wind
was of a violence to tear oft' large branches. Happily these dry
storms of Persia are generally of the briefest duration, and are
not often as dangerous as those of the Sahara. One may travel
from one end of Persia to the other witliout meeting one, — as
mariners may circle the globe and encounter no breeze strong
enough to cany away a studding-sail boom.

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

There are two objects in a Persian landscape wliicli cannot
fail to attract the traveller's eye, and to arouse his curiosity.
The villages on the plains are surrounded by square lofty walls,
with l)attlements and corner towers. At first one fancies every
village to be a fortress, and is surprised that such fortitica-

TEHERAN AND THE RANGE OF THE
SHIMRAN.

tions should be so numerous and
planted in the midst of a flat plain. \\ : vv
But lie soon learns that these are
viHag-es ; and at evening he will see

the flocks and lierds ^vending hitlier, and crowding in a con-
fused bleating mass into the great gate. Further inspection
reveals an in-egular liuddle of huts within the enclosure, con-
structed of sun-dried mud, and witli domical roofs. In niid-
suiiiuier these villages are liot as an oven, and but lor the
densitv of th(> nnul walls w(ml(l 1)o insu])i)ortable. In such a
climate a house should ])e either entirely open on all sides to

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF I'KIWIA. 51

invite every breeze, or it slioiild be solidly built ^Yith scarce
any openin<js, in order to exclude the lic^nt. The fortifications
which surround the Persian villages, while of course utterly
useless against the attack of modern artillery, were formerly
advantageous in affording a certain protection against the in-
cursions of predatory bands of Turkomans, who used to steal
across the country Avith the silence and speed of North Ameri-
can Indians, and carry the people and ffocks into slavery.
Thus the rude protection the walls afforded to the villages was
absolutely necessary in a country so sparsely inhabited. The
Turkomans however very rarely invade the heart of Persia to-
day, and the importance of protecting the villages has practically
ceased. Yet the custom will probably continue until some new
convulsion of progress initiates another system.

The other feature of the scenery of the central plateau of
Persia alluded to above, is found in the artificial mounds which
extiMid at regular intervals through the country for hundreds of
miles. These mounds are from eigiity to a hundred feet high,
and are shaped like the tumuli on the plains of Troy. But that
they are not tombs is evident from their position, ranged as
they are at intervals of about two miles. That they must be
artificial is proved by this regularity of position, while their
antiquit}' must necessarih' be very great, because the mound-
building period was in pre-historic times. The Persians tlieni-
selves can give no facts regarding the origin of these moinids,
except the general tradition that they were thrown up in the
time of Shah Jemsheed. This is a connuon phrase used in
Persia concerning objects of great age, and simply means that
tliey antedate any precise historical knowledge. The Persians
also saA' that these mounds were built in order to telegraph
with bale-tires in time of invasions by an enemy. This is very
jjlausible; and the tradition may be accepted as correct, since
the average Persian is too ignorant of comparative history to

52 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

borrow the idea from other nations, while a study of the early
history of many peoples shows that such means of communicat-
ing tidings was at one time not uncommon.

The geology of Persia is still incompletely defined ; so far as
known the northern mountains, which trend east and west, are
largely cai'boniferous and Devonian. The district called Taber-
istan, representing the region of which Mount Demavend is the
centre, seems to be of comparatively recent creation, speaking
scientifically ; historically, of course, its formation antedates all
authentic records. In the south the mountain rang-es trend with
remarkable regularity from soutlieast to northwest, separated bv
regular valleys like wave-hollows, and intersected by tremendous
defiles. The road between Shiraz and Bushire traverses these
ranges, and the difficulties encountered prove a serious bar to a
large commerce over that route.

The chief rivers of central and soutliern Persia are the Hel-
mund, the Zendarood, and the Karoon. The last is navigable
for barges as far as Shuster, the ancient Susa. MohanunerrUi, at
its mouth, furnishes the only good harbor in Persia, accessible
and safe at all times for ships of the largest size. Northern
intrigues have thus far hindered tlie construction of a lou"--
projected and much needed road that would open the Karoon
to the foreign commerce of Persia. In tlie north are the Araz
Kiver, the Ilarhaz, and the Sefeed Kood.

There is reason to believe that the vast desert of Khorassan
was at one time the bed of an inland sea, wliicli (h-icd up iu
the wa\- the Caspian is now slowly eva])orating. There is a
small salt lake at Orooniieh, and another of some size near the
fi'ontier of Afghanistan ; several smaller ones also exist in Persia,
especially one near Firoozkooli, wliich is at a great height above
the sea. But these rare sheets of water only serve to empliasize
the general aridity of the country.

A marked cliai-acteristic of Persia is the silence that prevails

PHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PERSIA. 53

there. The tendency of the age is unquestionably towards the
increase of sound, and especially of sounds harsh and discoi-dant,
trying to the nerves and bewildering to the brain. What silence
everywhere existed in itld times we know from the stillness that
yet pervades oriental lauds. The farther east Ave go, the moi-e
profound is the repose. As one travels over the vast plains or
lonely mountain passes of Persia, such is the profound stillness
that he is often startled at the sound of his own voice.

A Persian city has no clangor of bells ; at stateil times the
musical cry of the muezzin floats over the cahii air, or the mo-
notonous drone of camel bells falls lightly on the ear, or the
occasional voice of the street vender is heard crying- his A\ares.
There is no tumiiltuous roar such as proceeds from a . European
and especiall}" an American city, to absorb these occasional and
not disagreeable sounds; Init when tliey are heard they break
u])on a silence that has existed since the creation. After sunset
n(_)t even these sounds are heard in Persia, Ijut only the solj of
a passing gust shaking the tree-tops, or the hoot of the ow] in
a neio-hboring ruin.

But as one turns his face again towards the west he becomes
increasingly aware that a new element is growing on his attention,
making fresh demands on his nervous system, until sometimes he
feels that he must be made over again Avith a new set of nerves,
or his brain will yield to the strain it is forced to bear. It is no
longer "the car rattling o'er the stony street" alone that makes
of Christendom a vast bedlam of sound. The very quietude of
the suiruner landscape is broken Ijy the jarring whistle of the
locomotive and the frantic dash of the raihvay train ; the most
reposeful Anllages are garrulous Avith the whuT of looms in fac-
tories Avhose motive-poAver is steam. The streets of our cities,
from midnight till midnight, are discordant AA-ith the whirl of
trains, the rush of hacks, the deafening din of lumbering drays,
the sqiieak of bairel-organs, the jangle of the rag-gatherer's bells,

54 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

the clang of fluircli Ix-lls, tlu* shriek of .steanl-whi8tk^s from
niilhons of mills, ferry-boats, trains, and fire-engines, the rumble
of tram-cars, the blast of ithicrant brass-bands, the booming of
salutes in political campaigns, and the explosion of blasting rocks.
The battles of this century are fought with batteries that rival
the sounds made by the artillery of heaven. In ancient times
battles were ahnost noiseless. When the soldiers of Hannibal
were hacking seventy thousand Romans to death at Canna^, a
peasant a mile off might have reaped his barle}" without siispect-
ing aught of the terrible drama that was being enacted so near.
Now a battle is heard twenty or thirtv miles.

Even the music of modern civilization grows louder and
loiuler. The human voice is trahied to liold the attention of
scores of thousands; the stringed instrument is no longer enou"-li,
nor the monotone of ancient music. The or<>-an is indo-ed not
only by its quality Init likewise by its size and vohune of lungs,
and with overwhelming bursts of sound Wagner proclaims tlie
music of the future. If Wendell Phillips wvn- to come l)ack
from the grave and repeat his plausible lectm-e on the lost arts,
he could not cite among all the devices of the ancients an\- such
inventions for making soimd as exist at the ])resent diiv, unless
we except that nondescript imitation of the confusion of pande-
monium, — the yell of the Chinese gong. Tliis is indeed an age
of sound, and we are likely to liave more noise liefore we liave
less. The tendency of civilization is all in tliis direction. Innu-
merable inventions are constantly adding to the volume of sound,
indicathig a desperate attempt on the iiart of our little jilanet to
make a noise in the universe. But no one has yet devised anv
invention for reducing this stui)endous uproai- and giving a little
rest to the tired nerves of the nineteenth century. It is curious
that the Book of Revelation seems to indicate a continuance and
growth of sound, and almost suggests that the only sense whicli
may survive to the disendxtilied spii-it will be that of heai-ing.

I'lnsiCAL ASPECTS OF PERSIA. 55

We aiv tiiM liv the Evmig'elist of tlic "sound of iiiaiiv waters;"
and a chorus of the redeemed is one of the chiefest themes indi-
cated in the apocah^iDtic \-isions of Saint John. This is very well
for those wlio reach those blessed regions ; but for us wlio con-
tinne to remain here a while longer, a surcease of souml would
seem to l)e a i)rime advantage. By going to Persia, however,
one may redni-e this nuisance of the age to a minunum. There
Time seems to wear velvet on liis feet as he silently speeds us
on the chase after rainbows in this yale of tears. Is not this
ail important compensation for the absence of many of the
advantages which are wanting in that ancient land ?

CHAPTf:R IV.

THE CITY OF TEHERAN.

TEHERAN, the present capital of Persia, owes its importarice
to the tact that it was made the seat of government by
Shah Ag-a Mohamed Khan, the founder of the reigning dynasty
of the Khajars, a hunch-cd years ago. Teheran is an ohl city;
it was calk-d by Pietro (U-lhi Valle the city of pkne-trees, and its
well-ordered bazaars had a wide repute e^■en in his time. Ihit
initil it became the capital it could not in any sense be consid-
ered a rival of Ispahan, Shiraz, or any other of the important
ancient cities of i'ersia. The monarchs of the Khajar dynasty
have, all things considered, been men of ability and enterprise,
and their capital troiii b(nng- a town but little known has l)e-
coiiie one of the most iloiirishing and active cities oi' tlie East,
wirli a i^ivow ing population of nearly two liinidrc(l thousand soids.
Although possessing few such noble examples of old-time arclii-
tecture as still exist at Ispahan, it offers many attractions, and
the suburl)s present most of the featm-es ])eculiar to oriental
scenery.

The capital is situated on the great central plateau of Persia,
thirty-eight hundred feet above the sea. Probably no drier
atmosphere than that of Teheran exists except in Saliara.
But after the stranger becomes a<'climatized he fnids this is
favorable to |)ulinouary, nervous, and rheumatic complaints.
The spring and the autnnni are extremely delightftd ; in sunnncr
the heat in llic city ranges from Tlf)" to 110" in the shade,
l)ut it is cndui-aljle because of its dryness. ])ro\idc(l caution is

TIIK (TIY VV TEllEKAN. 57

exercised against direct exposure to tin- r;ivs of tlic sun. TIic
Europeans, and many of tlie Persians including- the court, pass
the suinnier among the nimierous and attractive \illag('s nine
or ten miles from the city, tifteen hundi-ed feet higher, on the
talus of the Shimran. During the day a brisk breeze from the
southwest generally blows like a trade- wind ; and at night a
cool wind from the mountains lowers the temperature an aver-
age of 10° Fahrenheit. In the Shimran the temperature ranges
in sunnner from 72° to 90°, although rarely reaching the latter
hgure.

Tlie Shimran, or Shim Inin, is a part of the great Elbixrz
chain which extends from the CJaucasus to ]\Ierv. Shinu'an means
the " Eight of Persia." Gradually ascending from the walls
of Teheran, the range at the distance of onlv ten miles springs
with sudden precipitateness to the enormous height of thirteen
thousand feet above the sea. During the entire summi-r snow
is seen on the higher peaks, while in winter thev are clotlied with
a dense mantle of ermine to tlie iilains. Xothino- more maa-nili-
cent in mountain scenery could be imagined. From every part
of the city the glittering ridge of the Shinu-an is to be seen
above the housetops, — a commanding shape, forming a sublime
background for the avenues leading north and south.

Northeast from Teherau, about forty miles distant, is another
feature of the landscape which once seen can never be forgotten.
1 certainly shall always remember the moment when on my v.-i\x
from Casbeen, and yet twenty miles from Teheran, we turned a
sharp comer in the road, and the mighty Peak of Demavend
l)urst on my ^'iew for the first time. The height of Demavend
has been variously estunated by barometrical pressure. The
most recent and reliable calculations agree in placing it at
nineteen thousand six Inmcbed to twenty-one thousand feet
above the sea. The form of the vouu is nearly pyramidal.
Rising as it does ten thousand feet above the momitains in its

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

\icinity, it is invested with a spii'it of regal isolatitm that appalls
the soul.

The mountains inake a curve to the southwest of Teheran,
terminating- in a bare rocky ridge, ai'ound whose base is the site
of the ancient city of Rhages, reputed to have muubered a jjopu-
lation (if one million in the time of Darius. In later ag-es that

- <

MAUSOLEUM AT HHEI.

city Avas caUed Khei, or Kh^, by which 'name it is still known
to tlic Persians. Rhages is mentioned several times in tlic
Book of Tobit. It is, however, singular tliat so little is said
about this great citx- l)v writers of anticpiity; it lias not even
separate mention in most classical dictionaries. .Vml yet Rhe'i
was tlie capital of tlic Arsacida' or Parthian dviiasty, and l;itcr
of tlic celebrated Alp Ar.slan in the twelfth century. 'IMic city

THE CITY Ol' TKIIF.KAN. 59

was capturei't and destroyed in tlic subsequent centiu-y bv
Hula"-u the Mooul.^ The remains of Rhe'i are still found at
iutervals of eousiderable space, includinu' vestiges of the fortifi-
cations, and a remarkable towcr-shajied toml> of brick, with sur-
face broken into nvunerons ang'les. It is probably the tond) of
Klialeel Sultan, a grandson and successor of Timour I^euk,
celebrated for his romantic love for the fascinatmg Shad-
ul-Mulk. After man\- vicissittides the lovers were reunited.
Banished from the tlu'one, he died in exile. After his death
slie pierced her heart with a poignai'd, and the same tomb re-
ceived them at Rhei. The lower part of this itiin has been
restored by Nasr-ed-Deen Shah. Peasants from time to time
discover old coins and bits of gold ornaments and iridescent
tiles when turning" up the soil of Rhei in the springtime.
But no systematic exploration has yet been undertaken of the
ruins of the fallen city.^

( )n a ledge overlooking the site of Rhe'i is the Parsee ceme-
tery of Teheran, — a wliite spot on the j)nrple side of the bare

1 Naizimulin, a Mahometan author, who was a native of Rhei, and escaped witli
his life at the great destruetion of tliat city by the Moguls, says : " Could there well lie
worse slaughter than there was in Rhei where I, wretched that I am, was born and bred,
and where the whole population of five hundred thousand souls was either butchered or
carried into slavery ? " We who live in the present more favored age and more favored
lands find it difficult to realize the awful crimes of history, — crimes so astoundiug that
we pass them over with scarce a thought, for the imagination fails to grasp their horrilile
details.

^ It must be admitted that Rawlinson inclines to the theory that Rhages and Rhei' are
two distinct pla'ces, assuming that Rhages occupied the site of the city whose ruins are
near the village of Shahr-i-Veramin in the district of Veramln, about tliirty miles south-
east of Teheran. The basis of his argument seems to be the statement of Arrian as to
the distance of Rhages from the defile called the Pyte Caspian. But here Rawlinson and
others who accept his conclusions must concede that their argument possibly presents a
petitio principii, for the e.xact position of the Pylse Caspiae is yet far from being a settled
tpiestion. On the other hand, there is nothing in the style and character of the antiqui-
ties still remaining on tlie plains of Veramin to suggest that they long antedate the
mausoleum or brick tower of Rhci. The widesjiread ruins of Rhei certainly iudicate the
former existence of a city far larger than we are led to infer stood at Veramin. It is also
an important point, that the geueral traditions of the Persians themselves are in favor of
Rhe'i as the older city.

60 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

mountain, conspicuous for many miles. It is a circular enclosiire
of mud and stone whitewashed, and open to the sky. The dead
are laid in shallow graves and left exposed to the elements.
The destination of the departed soul is supposed to be indicated
by the eye first devoured by the ravens : the right eye means
heaven ; the left, hell. This is a simple system of eschatology,
although its results cannot always be satisfactory to the friends
of the departed.

Six miles from Teheran, on the ovitskirts of the site of Rhe'i,
stands the celebrated shrine of Shah Abdul Azeem, — a famous
saint of the Sheahs. The Turks are Sunnees, and call tlicm-
selves the Orthodox ; but the Persians, or Sheahs, accept Alee
and Hussein, who were slain by the Sunnees, as the true repre-
sentatives of the line of Caliphs. Hence an irreconcilable feud
between the U\o sects. The Persians have then* own sacred
resorts and shrines, of which Meshed enjoys great celebrity, for
it contains the magnificent tomb of Imam Kliezah, one of the
Twelve Holy Imams who are descended from Alee and Fathi-
meh. But there is no resort in Persia more famed than tliat of
Shah Abdul Azeem, wliicli is so conveniently situated near the
cn]iit;d that it is visited by over three hundred thousand pilgrims
aiiiiu;dl\- from Teheran alone. Every Friday (the Mussulman
Sabbatli) the faithfnl resort to this shviiie. The dome that hangs
over the tomb of tlie saint is gilded, and is seen from all ])arts
of the ])lain flashing like a star.

Here, then, surronndetl by such scenes of natural, historic,
and ethnic interest lies the cajiital of Persia. It is a bustling,
thri\ing place, rapidly spreading in all directions, and destined
soon to outgrow the limits now prescrilicd bv the extensive
eartli\\or]<s and t'ossc laid out after tlic modern s\'steui of forti-
ficatiou l>y the late Gi'uci-al lUiler, who supei'iuteudcd the
siege operations when Herat was captm-ed during the reign
of Mohamed Shah. \umei'(Uis a\'enues lead out oi the citv

PILGRIMS AT THE TOMB OF SHAH ABDUL AZEEM.

TIIK CITV OF TKIIKIIAX. 63

to the roads of ("asbeen, TTainadan, Sliiinran, Yusufabad, Do-
sMutepe, Mesclied, and Ispnliau. Where each of these roads
enters the city a magnificent gateway has been erected, rehev-
ina- tlie monotony of the long level line of eai-thworks. While
these gates have the same general plan, eiich has a charac-
ter of its own. The Gate of Shimran is typical. It is in the
form of a deep, lofty arch, with a s(|uare sky line. On either
side are deej) niches \vitli smaller ones above. The efi^ect of
what might perhaps seem a heavy design is lightened l)y grace-
ful pinnacles rising from the roof. The entire fnljric is encrusted
by an outer la^'er of orange-yellow, black, and azure surfaced-
bricks, highly glazed, and arranged in elegant geometric designs.
0\-er the central arch is a colossal mosaic jjainting in many
colors, representing Rustem, the Achilles of Persian legend,
eneaffed in a fierce conflict with his enemies.

But of the many gates of Teheran the handsomest and cer-
tainly the most imposing is the large gate off'ering entrance on
the north to the Ai'k, or Citadel. It faces the great square of the
Department of War, whicli is in itself a handsome and imposing-
enclosure. In the centre is an octagonal marble tank one hun-
di'ed and fifty feet long, alwaj's kept full to the lirim. At each
corner of the basin an enormous old-fashioned cann(jn is mounted
on a platform. The foiir sides of the square are occupied by
baiTacks and Grovemment offices, in two uniform stories relieved
witli arches, and including on the east side a handsome portico
supported by graceful pillars and faced with glazed tiles. This
square is entered tln-ough six stately gates, A\hich are closed at
night. Over the great gate described above fly the colors of
Persia, — the Lion and the Sun, yellow on a green ground.
At smu-ise and at sunset a band of musicians collects on the
lofty gallery over the gate with horns, cymbals, and kettle-
drums, and salute the hour Avith a nondescript music such as
Beethoven and Mozart never dreamed of. It is ciu-ious that

64 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

notwithstauding- the highly cultivated artistic sense of the Per-
sians, they have no better notion of harmony in nuisir. Tliis
does not appear to be for lack of a true taste for nnisic, for
their stringed instruments are capable of fine expression, and
are touched with much feeling- by their performers, and the
military bands instructed by Europeans, I am informed, very
soon seize the motif of European pieces. At the diplomatic
dinners given by the Prince Na'ib Sultaneh on the eve of the
birtlichiA' of the Shah during the writer's residence at Teheran,
the national airs of the United States were played with spirit
and effect. Another magnificent gate of Teheran is the one of
which an illustration is given (page 67). It closes the Citadel
on the south, l)ut is always open between sunrise and sunset.

The architectural decorations already descnl)ed in this cluip-
ter are far from l)eing' confined to the public Ijuildings of Tehe-
ran : for at everv turn (me discovers evidences of the love of
l)eautv inherent in the national character. The arcliAvavs of the
rudest shops are decorated with glazed tiles or bricks, or with
the peculiar honeycomb work so notable at the Alhambra. This
is (lone in stucco, often colored and gilded, sometimes in a rude
hut always a thoroughly artistic style. Tlie entrances to the
houses are generally ornamented in this manner, and are formed
by the recession of the street-wall in a semi-circle furnished with
seats and niclies, iuid roofed bv an iU'cli. Above is a balahane,
or porter's lodge, pro\ iih'd witli curtains and perhaps stained-
glass windows. Strange to say the door itself is ii low, squnre,
modest aperture, simplv relieved bv knockers of hgured iron
or brass. 'I'hrougli this unimposing entrance one passes info a
darksome narrow ])assage, which but little suggests the spacious
and attnictivc court to which it leads. The court is paved, but
l:iiil out ill the ceiiti'e \vitli trees and slirul)l)er\' around a t;nik
stocked wltli Liold-fisli. It' the house belongs to a man (if posi-
tion the lirst court is surrounded \)\ tlie ser\ants' rooms, offices.

THE CITY OF TEllKKAN. 65

and stables. This, luiwever, does not i)rc'vent tlie walls tVoin
being" abundantly decorated with (jntvli, or stucco Avork. I'Voni
thence we jn-oceed to the chief court, or Beroon, which is ren-
dered attractive by a wild luxuriance of foliage and flowers.
Here is the main dwelhng-, as entu-ely secluded as if in the heart
of a wilderness instead of in a large city. Sometimes this build-
ing is of two stories; in general, however, it is ovlXj one story in
height. 'File first glance at the windows reveals the fact that the
Persian architects are masters of the secret of successfid (h'ct)-
rative architecture ; the}' appreciate the importance of massing
the effect instead of scattering it l)y meaningless details. It does
not matter hoA\- luxuriant the decoration may be, provided it is
as far as possible constructive, relieved by simple art lines and
comparatively blank spaces. Thus only can repose, so essen-
tial in art, be obtained. The Greeks understood this. Studv the
Parthenon, as the finest example extant of this principle ; stu(h'
also the fa^'ade of the Cathedi-al of ( 'hartres, as an example in
Gothic architecture, — and compan; these with the new Houses
of Parliament in London.

However Persian art may at the present day be infei'ior in
grandeur to that of the Achsemenidse, the Sassanida^, and the
Sufavees, the same love of beauty, the same fine artistic sense
continue to inspire even the most ordinary workman. What im-
plements they used in ancient times we know not ; but to-day the
average Persian artisan has neither rule, compass, nor spirit-leAel.
He is commonly ignorant of the fact that the diameter is the third
of the circumference ; his gimlets and augers are prods turn^^d
b}' a bow-string ; he has no hatchet, Imt onh" an adze, and no
carpenter's bench. If he desires to plane a board lie })uts it on
the ground : and if he would saw a block of wood he scpiats on
the ground and holds it between his toes, di'awig the saw to-
wards him. Wood is scarce, and with such tools hard to work.
It pillars are to be constructed, the ti'unks of p(^]ilars are raised.

66 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

simply stripped of their brauehes and bark. They may be
crooked, but that matters not; the master workman tells his
subordinate to shape the post into an elegant pillar with yutcJi.
Depending- only on his eye and the skill of his hand, this simple
artisan moulds the plaster round the ti'unk into a fluted shaft and
(•r(>\\ns it with a graceful capital and cornice, showing a lively
inventive fancy. If judged by the strict application of rule and
compass, these decoi'ations may sometimes be off a straight
line ; but of tlie artistic beauty of the conception there can be
no question. In like manner walls and ceilings are tastefully
decorated.

Now, I have spoken of the windows of Persian houses as
representative of the uational taste. Instead of piercing the
^^•all of each apartment with several ineffective apertui'es, the
architect of Teheran groups all in one large central win(l(>\\'
reaching from floor to ceiling". This is again di^aded by nud-
lions into three or four spaces. The sashes are filled with snrall
square or diamond-shaped jjanes of stained glass. Both the
exterior and interior effect is very agreeable, while in \\nrm
weather the whole sitle of the apartment can i)e opened like a
piazza by raising the sashes.

The larger apartments are often dividetl by partitions of
sashes and mullions similar to tlie windows. In winter the rooms
can be thus reduced in size, while in summer a current of air
circulates everywhere, aided by picturesque wind-towers or
shafts on the roof called Ixidger. 'i'he doors are closed b\-
suj^yerb portieres, mid tlie floor, wliich is inv;n-i;ibl\- of earth
beaten hard, is covered w ith a matting overlaiil with rugs and
carpetings. Latterly the Persian gentleman of 'reherau. wlien
receiving Kuropeaus, has learned to otfer theu: chairs: but when
by themselves the Persians still prefer t() sit on tlie floor, ivstiug
on their heels, but with cushions Ix'hiud them. This posture
nuist be ac(|uire(l lu ehildiiood to hv. t()leral)le.

THE CITY OF TEHERAN. G9

Adj<iiuiii<i;' the lieroou is the Amk-rDun, i)r house devoted to
the feniiniue portion of the family. It has a cotut of its o^^^^, and
is as sacred from the impertinent eyes of the intjiiisitive as if it
were a convent. The master of the house alone has access to
the Anderoon. And when he retires hither for dalliance or repose,
no one can disturb him; nt'itlier I'an one he permitted to open a
window overlooking any part of such an establishment.

After what has been said of the channs of a dwelling in
Teheran, it mav be a sm-prise to learn that even the most costly
mansions are ctinstrncted of sun-di-ied bricks, and that the flat
roofs are of mud. But in a tdimate like this, these bricks are
very dm-able. Some of the towers of Rliei, still standing after
t^^-elve centuries, are of this seemingly perishable material.
Lightness, combined A\-ith strength, is often gained in Persia by
ingeniously building a wall of square sun-dried bricks, arranged
in hollow cubes as in a block-house. They are cemented by
a layer of umd mixed with straw, over which in turn follows a
coat of white plaster. Where great strength is required, the
angles are fortified by a layer of burnt bricks. Such a wall
will stand for ages. It is interesting to watch the builders at
\\-ork. They wear long tunics, which are tucked into their
"•irdles when working, displaying a length and muscular devel-
opment of limb I have never seen equalled elsewhere. The one
above sings out in musical tone, " Brother, in the name of God,
toss me a brick ! " The one l)elow, as he throws the brick, sings
in reply, "Oh, my brother! [or, oh, son of my uncle!] in the
name of God, behold a brick ! "

Less can be said, howe^-er, in favor of the roofs of mud. The
only reason why they should be tised is the rarity and costliness
of wood in central Persia ; perhaps, also, because a roof of great
density better protects the house from the long diy heat of sum-
mer. In that temperatru-e, also, lies the safety of these roofs.
Heavy undressed timbers are laid across the walls. 0\er these

70 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

comes the lathing, or a hiyer of ih-y twigs. In the better houses
square, broad btirnt bricks are laid on the lathing, and over these
is put a layer of mud ten to twelve inches thick. But generally
the bricks are dispensed with. During the sunnner such a roof
becomes very hard; and when the sm-face is slightly inclined, to
allow the water to run off, long and heavy i-ains are required to
penetrate it. After the wet season the sm'tace is rolled ag-ain
for the next winter. With these precautions such roofs last a
long time in Persia. But there comes a time with most of them
when a little seam ajjpears in the ceiling; then follows a trick-
ling stream, and tlie occupants, thus warned, remove the furni-
ture without delay to tlie adjoining apartment. If tlie rain
continues, the ceiling falls in. Occasionally one hears of fatal
accidents, or very narrow escapes, from falling roofs in Teheran.
But accidents may generally be avoided by proper precauti(in.

The system of sujjplying T(di('ran and other Persian cities
with water is remai'kable, and probaljly unique. There is
scarcely a civilized country so potn-ly su[)])lied by Nature witli
wood and water as Persia, and the stranger would l)e at a loss
to know the soiu'ce of the vast quantity of water constantlv sup-
plying so mau^' large basins and I'ouiitains. I )in-ing the short
winter there is some I'aiii and snow, upon which are dependent
the crops of the neighboi'ing district of \ eraniin, the granai'x tit
Teheran, lint during the remainder of the year there is abso-
lutely no rain except on the extreme mountain-to])s. Tlie ques-
tion naturallv ai-ises how are the cities to be siqijilied with watei-,
for it cannot easily be obtained bv dign'ing wells, since the\ must
be carried to a great depth, liut the snow and rain on the moun-
tains feed the streams dashing (htwn the preeijiices, or the spi-ings
near their Imse. These streams and sprini:s are tajiped, and tlieir
water conducteil to the city by suliterranean a(|Ueducts, called
" connauii'hts." In order to yuide these ducts in a straight direc-
tion, sliafts are du"' at intervals of thirt^■ to ei;iht\ \ ards. 'i'he

■rilK ( riY OF TEHERAN. 71

earth thrown out of tlic sliaft forms a liiUock, wliich is allowed to
renuiin. Thus the landscape is marked by man}- hundreds of
these elevations resembluig ant-hills. The moixth of the shaft is
left uncovered, and hunters or travellers by night must exercise
caufiiin not to fall in. Who falls in remains there. The water
thus obtained is natiu-ally expensive, and each person i)ays a
proportionate sum per month for the supply for his garden or
household. Teheran is provided with no less than thirty-four
of these aqueducts, excavated at innnense cost and labor.

The city of Teheran i)roperly consists of the old i)art and the
new, — the latter called the Euro])ean quarter. In this are the
English, French, Turkish, and United States legations. The
Austrian, German, and Russian legations are in the old quarter.
The number of Eiiropeans in Teheran is about three luindred.
lint thev probably constitute not one fortieth of the po])ulation
of the European quarter, in which many Persians of wealth and
station have elegant gardens and residences, — among which
may be mentioned the extensive and beautiful grounds of the
Mohper-ed-Dolileh, or Minister of Mines and Telegraphs, and of
the Prince Governor of Ispahan, the eldest son of the Shah, the
Zil-i-Sultan. Here also are two spacious gardens of the King
and the ne\v public garden. The former, for the benefit of the
])ul)lic, are enclosed by a fence instead of a lofty wall. The latter
is ojien to all, and commands a nol)le prospect over the Shim-
ran and ^bnuit Demavend. The broail streets of this ipiarter
are lined with shade-trees. The main avenues run north and
south ; and towards evening the Persians enjoy strolling there
and gazing upon the ridge of the Shimran roseate in the light
of the setting sun.

In the old quarter, occupied by over one hundred thousand
people, the streets are generally naiTOw and tortuous ; relieved,
however, at intervals by squares beautified in the centre by
vast tanks. Here, also, are the covered bazaars, considered to

72 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

be the most interesting and complete in Persia. In threading
these streets and bazaars, whether on foot, on horse-back, or
in a carriage, — for there are over ii\e Imnch-ed Enropean
carriages in Teheran, — one sees the advantage of ha^^ng at-
tendants to clear the way. Without them it would be very
diflficnlt to i)roceed, as there are no sidewalks, and tlie wav is
often blocked by a motley tlu'ong of beggars, porters, frnit-
venders, donkeys, horses, and camels. These attendants nse
no ceremony in jostling every obstacle out of the way, lay-
ing on the lash on man and beast alike, and bestowing various
epithets, of which the most common is,. "Oh, son of a bmnit
father ! "

The nucleus of the old part of Teheran is the Ark, or Citadel.
Is there any relation between this use of the word and (uu- word
" ark " ? We use it in the sense of nn object of safety, and is not
a citadel the ]:)lace of refuge and safety in a city f The Avk of
Teheran is still surroimded l)y high battlemented walls studded
with round towers, which could offer no resistance to modern
artillery, although possibly of use in resisting a poj)ular emciite.
The Ark includes the barracks of the garrison, the foreign and
other offices of the Grovernment, the arsenal and chiefly the city
palace, occu])i('(l by Nasr-ed-Deen Shah and tlie ladies of iiis
Andcroon.

Having been favored b^■ a ])ci-niit of Ills ^lajesty to visit many
of the apartments and the grounds o1' this ])alac-c, I can state that
in elegance, splendor, and artistic beauty they com])are well
with the handsomest royal residences and gardens of Enrojie.
The exterior of the Palace of the .\rk is jjicturesque rather than
impo.sing, although offering many admirable artistic eff"ects. The
open pavilion where the Shah grants an audience to the court at
No Rooz, and tlie new ]ia\ilion calle(l the Shams-el-lmaret con-
structed for the Andcroon and on one sidi' overlooking the street,
are especiallv beautiful mid rich in architectin-al merit : so also is a.

THE CITY OF TKIIEKAN. lo

louo-, low pa\-ilioii divided into npiivtinciits, in one of which are
three excellent portraits of the 8hah taken at diherent periods.
Several of the most snmptuoiis apartments of this Palace are
decorated with small hits of mirror-glass in the style called
(lii/uli k((ree, presenting inninucral)l(' facets, and haviiii;- the effect
of crystal and i)urnished silver. The lioyal Library is also a
very interesting apartment, contahiing many iuestimahle manu-
scripts, including an inmiense folio manuscript of the "Ara-
bian Nio-hts." A scholar turned loose in this treasm-e-house of
oriental wisdom would doubtless find many rare examples of
literature and the calligraphic art.

But the most imposing portion of the palace of Nasr-ed-Deen
Shah is the grand audience-chamber, which in dimensions and
splendor of effect is one of the most hnposhig halls in the wurld.
The ceiling and mural decorations are of stucco, but so were
those in tlie Alhambra. The floor is ])aved with beautiful glazed
tiles, arranged in the most exquisite mosaic. In the centre of
the liall is a large tal)le overlaid with beaten gold, and a long
row of arm-chairs are massively splendid with the same costly
material covei'ing every inch of space. At the end of the hall,
facing the entrance, is the famous Peacock Throne, brought from
Delhi by Nadir Shah, covered with gold and precious stones in
a profusion that places the lowest estimate of its value at not less
than thirteen millions of dollars.

The magnificence of the Shah's audience-hall is still further
heio-htened bv the fact that here also are stored many of the
crown jewels. The reserve of coin and Ijullion which the Shah
has saved from his revenues, equal it is said to a sum of thnty
millions of dollars, is safely locked up in the vaults of the
])alace. But one need only see the treasures in the audience
hall to oljtain an idea that Persia is still a land of wealth, and
that the tales of splendor recounted in oriental story were not
wholly the fictions of a fancy steeped in opium oi- li'liang.

74 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

iVimmy the spoils of ages gathered in the Shah's treasury are
superb crowns and jeAvelled coats-of-inail (biting back four cen-
turies, t() tlic reign of Shah Ismael. In a glass case one sees a
large heap of pearls dense as a pile of sand on the seashore.
Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and sapphu'es catch the eve at every
tm-u, sometimes flashing forth like a crimson or a green fire on
the boss of a buckler or a helmet worn at the front of battle ages
ago. One ruby there is in that mine of sjjlendor which, on being
])laced in w-ater, radiates a red light that colors the Avater like the
l)lood of the vine of Burgundy. There, too, is a globe of the
world, twenty inches in diameter, tnruing on a trame of solid
gold: the surface of the eartli is re2:)resente(l b\ precious stones,
difterent colors being used to indicate tlie divisions of land and
sea; the ocean is entirely of ttu-quoise, and Persia is represented
by a com])act mosaic of diamonds. The famous Dar-i-noor, or
Sea of Light, the second of known diamonds in ((ualitv, size,
and value, is kept carefully locked in a double iron chest, but is
shown on rare occasions, and is woi-n by his Majesty on great
state days.

I have mentioned l)ut a few of the uianv objects ot' s])lendor
collected in this magnificent chamber of audience, which still
cling to the skirts of tliis old Kmpire as evidences of her past
triumphs aud glor\'. If such are her diadems and crowns to-
da\', what luust have l)een the s]»lendor of the courts of Darius
and Xerxes, of Auui'shirwan and ('hosru, of Shah Al)bass and
Nadir Shah? Let one lint consider the uianv ages of Persia's
uatioual existeiu'c, tiu' nations tliat contributed to hei' riches,
tile pageantries for which her coui't has alwaxs been renowned,
the vast extent of territory once sw^ayed ^t\ her sceptre; let hiui
consider tliat it is scarce two centin'ies since Nadir returned from
the sack of Delhi, every soldier of liis arui\- weighted witli
treasures, aiul the concpieror i'eser\iug for his itwu sliare gems
valued at upwards ot oue iuiudreil inillious.

TlIK crrV (IF TEllEKAN.

Another interesting and inijjortant palace <i{' Teheran is Ne-
o-aristan. It was built b\ ^liah Aya Mahomed Khan, and
enlarged by Fetli Alee Shah. At that time it stood neai-ly a
mile bevond the (dd eitv walls, but now Teherun has grown so

WEIGHIXG MERCHANDISE IN A CARAVANSARY AT TKHERAX.

as to include it. The entrance faces a large square, whither at
the feast of Courban Bairam a camel is led forth decked with
ribbons and slaughtered as a sacrifice. On entering the grounds
the "\-isitor passes into a spacious garden beautified ^'^^th a triple
row of plane-trees gii-t with ivy. No other building tiuin a

76 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

modest porter's lodge is visible; 1jut on tlireadiiig a uaiTow pas-
sage ill this structiu'e ^ye are surprised to find oiu'selves suddenly
in a large walled park, laid out with gravelled walks skirted
by streams coui-siug in stone channels. About the entire scene
is such an air of rural quietude, broken only by the twitter of
spaiTows or the rapturous melody of niglitingales, that ona for-
gets he is still in a large city. The paths lead to a marble tank,
and a small but beautiful pavilion beside it lavishly decorated in
stucco. The interior consists of a single cruciform apartment
, with a vaulted ceiling. The entire surface of this arched ceil-
ing is a mass of delicate designs in stucco, gilded or colored
green and scarlet. Tlie same scheme of coloring is followed
on the graceful spiral pillars which support the dome in the
centre. Three arms or alcoves of the pavilion are furnished
with luxurious divans on either side reaching to the windows,
which are closed by sashes capable of being raised, and opening
the entire side to the air and the prosjiect. The sashes are de-
signed Avith the intricacy of a Gothic rose window, and are filled
Avith stained glass. The floors are spread A^ith expensive rugs.
Tlie ])lan is symmetrical, while the details are so rich and
harmonious as to be highly poetical and artistic.

From this ])aVilion Ave re-enter the park and continue our
walk, until it brings us to another broad tank and the apartments
formerly occupied bA' the king. An intercstini;- fcatni-f of this
building is a small reception-iviom, wliose t\\() hu'gest sides are
capable of being opened, and at tlic same time ]ii-otected fi-om
the sun l)y large awnings. At eacli end of llic room is a life-size
painting representing the sons of Fetli Alee Sliali. l''roiii this
ajiartment Ave pass into an octagonal court around which the
chief l)uilding has been erected. Tlu- area of this court for a
space of nearh' eighty feet is occupied by an immense tank.
Thence anotht-r walk tlirough the park takes one to the .\n(h^-
roou, formerK' occiiiiied li\' some oi the iiinneroiis wiA'cs ot Feth

THE CITY OF TKHERAN. li

Alee Shah. The ijarlur <>f the kiiijj;' in tlie lower story of this
])uililiug- otters another hip-lily interesting example of Persian art.
The vestibiile is htw, l)nt richly tintetl and liilded, and is sepa-
rated from the parlor hy liL;ht pillars of wood, whose form and
capitals, althongh on a far smaller scale, suggest the grand col-
umns of Persepolis. The- ceiling of the parlor is high, consid-
ering the small size of the room. Every portion of this apartnu-nt
is enriched with green, scarlet, and gold, alternated with paijels
representing hunting-scenes painted diret-tly on the plasfer.
These pictm-es, although blending agreeably with the other deco-
rations, ai-e of a coarse style of art, e-vadently borrowed from
cheap Eiu-opean prints, and do not enhance the beauty of the
apartment. But one soon forgets to notice them in the mag-
nificent histoi-ical nuu-al paintings which on every side till the
upper half of the walls. We see before us in well-arranged
groups full-length life-sized portraits of Feth Alee Shah on his
golden throne, with his thirty sons gathered around him, and
on either hand the English, French, and Russian ministers,
anil the chief courtiers and officers of the realm. The por-
traits are evidentl}- characteristic likenesses, while the vari-
ous court costumes of eighty years ago — silks, embroidered
sashes, tunics of Cashmere shawls, and glittering decorations
aiul armor — are represeaited with a fidelity that give great
historic value to the painting. Feth Alee Shah was a patron
of the arts, and also one of the chief poets of modern Persia;
his poems partake of the style of Hafiz. He was a man of
striking appearance, and paid nmch attention to the care of his
person, especially of the magnificent beard for which he was
celebrated.

It was in this palace that the great Kaimakam, or prime min-
ister of Mohammed Shah, met his untimely fate. This monarch,
third in the succession of the Khajar dynasty, was not so cruel
as many oriental despots, but was naturally rendered suspicious

78 PERSIA AM) THE PERSIANS.

.1,

^/ l)^' \ih position. The Kaiinakain was not only a famous poet,

he was also a statesman, who had the a(kh-ess to at'cpiire a very
promini'iit })art in the administration of aftairs. This hi.all\-
aroused tlie jeah)usy or apprehension of Mohammed Shah, al-
thoug-h there seems to have been little reason for the tyrant's
fears. ( )ue pleasant afternoon, when the Vizier was sitting- in
the ])ark of Negaristan, quietly sijiping a ruj) of tea, the exeeu-

, _ -tiouer lirouii'lit him the order of the kiu"- that he had hut ti\e

. • p Y '^. ....

minutes to live. The Vizier received the sunmions with calm-
ness, and composed two lines on tlu' s])ot, which lia\'(^ become
^•^^)royer1)ial in Persia. " Suc'h is life: now it o\erwhelms ns with
honors, and anon it (dothes us \y]\]\ thorns. Fortune, like a jiig-
g-ler, delights to play us a thousand tricks like this." Five minutes
later he was suffocated Ija' a mattress laid oAcr him in an a])art-
ment of the pahu-e, although one living at the time told me he
died by the cord.

Before leaving the Anderoon we are taken to the bath,
Avhere the ro\al ladies were wont to disport themselves. Pro-
ceeding down an inidined plane, we enter a subterranean hall
of marble supported by pillars clustered around a circulai- pool.
Op])osite to whei'e we entered is a steep slide of polished marble.
This was built to enable Feth Alee Shah to indulge in an origi-
nal .sport, Avhich reminds one of the delights of the gardens of
Armida. From the a])per story of the Andei-oou his wives ]}ro-
ceeded, somewhat thiidy (dad, to the toj) ot the slide, and w itii
much merriment deftly sli])ped into the arms of the royal hus-
band who waited for them belt)\v. '^Phe l)ath is connected with
this subterranean hall, and consists oi' several apartments faced
with marble and floral designs on glazed tiles. Kit more are
))eals of laughter heard lliere, nor the song warbh'd by rnl>y
lips. All are gone who once impai'ted lib- to this loveh" .scene.
The livelong sunnner-da\- the nightingale trills in the rose-bush,
;\n(l the tni'tle-(h)\c coos in the chenars, and the nnu'innrinii'

THE CITY OF TEHERAN. 81

water clashes clown its marble channels, but no one dwells there
now save the idle sentinel and the venerable custodian.

Although the bazaars and shops of Teheran are well stocked
with the goods of native and foreign markets, the upper classes
and the European population make most of their purchases
through a mnnerous and intelligent class of itinerant venders
who carry their wares from house to house on minute donkeys.
Keats, in his " Eve of St. Agiics," gives a delicious descriptive
catalogue of oriental fruits ;nid sweets. "What poetic figures,
what glowing strophes would lie liave employed, had ho be-
held the wares unfolded Ijy iliese pedlers to the wondering
.sight of the purchaser! TIk.' imagination is kindled, the yearn-
ing to possess is stimulated to an unusual degree, when the lover
of the beautiful beholds the floor of his apartment spread with
the various exr^uisite articles which the turbaned delkll unfolds
to his gaze. Not a day jjasses but one or more of these men
appear. Bowing low, they beg permission to display their
wares, holding- up at the same time some choice antique, —
rug, embroidery, or porcelain, — such as you are known to prize.
It is useless to resist ; whether intendino- to buv or no, you order
the saddle-bags to be brought in and their contents revealed.
Then shall you behold rugs, ancient and modern, of Kurdistan,
Turkistan, or Kerman ; shawls of price from Cashmere, dazzling
embroideries from Resht and Sliiraz ; kalians of silver and gold
inlaid with superb enamels ; boxes carved and painted with
scenes of Persian life, or inlaid with delicate ivory patterns ;
veils exquisitely embroidered ; velvets massive with silver and
gold thread; blades from Khorassan ; Avavy daggers and coats-
of-mail inlaid with silver and gold ; bowls and plaques of
cashee ware ; reflet tiles, three hundred to one thousand years
old ; antique coins and gems, engraved with verses from Hafiz
or the Koran ; rare old manuscripts of the poets, illuminated
and illustrated with quaint and characteristic designs; peacocks,

82 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

elephants, salvers, vases, and bowls beautifully and elaborately
engraved or wrought in open designs of brass ; diamonds, ru-
bies, pearls, and turquoises, for which Persia is famous ; coffee-
sets in silver filigree, and bracelets wrought in yellow gold ;
tigers' skins from Mazanderan ; furs from Astrakhan ; old flint-
locks with inlaid stocks, and even swords, captured from the
English in the Afghan wars; chess-men curiously carved ; silk
sashes fit for the person of royalty ; gaily- wrought saddle-cloths
and superb bits of mosaic from the mosques and palaces of
Ispahan.

Such is a brief resume of the character of the wares almost
daily exhibited at my house. One soon learns that if he does
not buy an article when offered him, thinking he can get one
like it another time, the opportunity of doing so rai-ely returns.
It is the great attraction of oriental art that it is individual.
Until a Eui'opean firm in Persia employed some of the carpet-
makers to reproduce certain ancient patterns, it was impossible
to find two rugs or carpets in Persia identical in design. The
same holds true of all Persian decorative art. Each artisan
stamps his own individual taste and fancy on the products of his
labor. This is indeed art : how different from that everlasting
repetition of the same design wliicli is at once the bane and the
blessing of European and Amei'ican decorative art, especially in
textile fabrics and furniture ! It is a blessing for the poor, wlio
can obtain ])retty things for a price within their means; but a
baiK! for those of the middh' class, who wish original objects, but
cannot afford to pay the price demanded by the artist who
produces only unique results for sale.

'i'herefore, if a Persian pedler offers a certain object that you
desire, it must be bought then and there, or it will be snatched
up by some one else. This is especially the case with antique
curios. These delLals generally sell on commission. It is not
uncommon lor a lady of rank who wishes to realize on her

THE CITY UF TEIiEKAN.

treasures to place a costly caslmiere shaw 1 or embroidery in the
hands of a dellal, of a quality which perhaps one might seek for
in vain through the bazaars. By shrewd management and much

EXAMPLES OF PERSIAN WOEK IN BRASS.

chaffering-, such an article may sometimes be bought at a great
bargain. The old armor is also difficult to find now, while the
demand for this, and also for old coins, is such that the artisans

84 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

of Hamadan and Ispahan, taking advantage of their genius for
imitation and the h)w jirice of labor, make many tine reproduc-
tions of the antique, which are shipped to Europe or sold to
European residents or travellers. The old armor of Persia is
justly renowned for the picturesque beauty of the designs lav-
ished upon it, and the admirable temper of the metal. Both are
cleverly imitated now to the eye, and he who cannot secure the
genuine antique may ^\e\\ purchase the imitation to decorate his
dining-room or studio.

The pi'ocess of bargaining with these dellals is very amusing.
Their favorite phrases are, Mul-i-kadeem est, — " It belongs to
the old time ; " oi', !>' Cheslnn, — "On my eyes be it;" that is,
"I swear by my eyes," — a phrase constantly met in the "Ara-
bian Nights." Another form of expression, when they wish to
assure one of the truth of their statement, is to swear by their
own beards, or to pluck hold of the beard of the purchaser and
swear by that. They are courteous and patient to a degree,
never showing any spite if after an hour's chaffering and un-
jjacking and repacking their goods they have only sold a few
cents' worth. If an article subject to negotiation be one of
value, it is connnon to leave it for a day or two to allow the
purchaser ample time to consider its attractions before permitting
the chance to escape for acquiring possession. It is a plensant
tiling to deal with Persians, even if their slow ways sometimes
try the i)atience of the more expeditious Westerner, for thev are
good-natured and respectfid. It is another peculiarity of tliese
dellals, that if one does not make a purchase of thein \\\v\ rarelv
retm'n. It is well, therefore, to buy some trifle ot them in ordi^r
to have another chance at their wares at a more convenient hour.
If iin important purchase is made of one of them it is soon
known an)ong the whole fraternit\', and for several days other
delirds will frequent the house with similar goods. There is also
a somewhat annoying custom, not easily avoideil, which allows

AN ITINERANT HARliER.

TIIK CITY OF TEHEKAX. 87

the servants to levy a commission from the dellal. If lie does
not agree to the terms, then the porter excludes him, — and thus
one may miss of some rare article, wliicli is then caught up b}' a
fortunate neighbor.

But interesting as may be the works of art, the palaces, or the
scenery of Teheran, they yield in attraction to the never ending-
raree-show of human life, the ever shifting scenes in which types
of character are brought to our attention, and customs which
have either gi-owu out of the characters we see, or have aided to
mould these men and women into what they are. A few customs
will show the nature of the wide differences, the radical and per-
manent distinctions, between the men of the East and the West.
A Persian mounts his horse on the right side ; he draws the saw
towards him in cutting wood ; he reads and writes from right to
left. These may appear trifling in themselves ; but they are
typical of the profound divergences existing in the intellectual
cast, the thought, of the two great divisions of the human race,
tlie Asiatic and the European. One peculiarity in this difference
lies, furthermore, in the fact that a European, by greater flexi-
bility and adaptive power, may accommodate himself to the
Asiatic and become almost an Asiatic ; but the Asiatic never
succeeds in wholly adapting himself to the conditions of Euro-
pean life, or to a knowledge of European character. Hence the
chief reason why the European, w]io is otherwise not the intel-
lectual superior of the Asiatic, but only different, is able in the
long career of history to obtain the mastery over the wily but
less adaptive Asiatic.

Herein also lies the soui'ce and the weakness of Russian in-
fluence. Russia combines, to a certain extent, the characteristics
of botli the European and the Asiatic ; therefore she is, and will
long continue to be, only a half-naturalized exotic in Europe,
while on the other hand she has peculiar advantages in pushing
her conquests in Asia; and her future destiny points to the re-

88 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

ductiou of her power in Europe, but a probable increase of her
dominion in Asia, where she really belongs. Is there anj-thing
more an anachronism and an exotic iu Europe to-day than an
autocratic sovereign ruling with unlimited power over a people
sunk in abject and fanatical acceptance of the white Czar as the
Heaven-deputed patriarch of what, but for its numbers, woidd
be a mere pastoral tribe on the Oxus ? Could there be anything
more Asiatic than the craft, dissimulation, and unscrupulous sel-
fishness of the 25olicy which proclaims the character of this same
white Czar"? The Tartar in European Russia is as much an acci-
dent as the Turk. But the Russian, being of Turanian origin,
has less refinement and intellectual acuteness than the Persian or
the Indian, who are of Aryan .stock.

The most singular feature of this i-ace-question is the fact
that whatever be the stock of an Asiatic people, from China to
Egypt, all have certain customs and modes of thought which
mark them distinctly from all European races except the Rus-
sian. Is it the climate ; is it the soil ; or what is the subtile
cause that thus divides the world into two great races, the
Asiatic and the European ? — just as the human race is divided
into men and women, who, whatever be their national origin
and ties, are above all men and Avomen, recognizing each other
as such, and forming intimate friendships and association witli-
out regard to the question of race or nation.

All oriental life must j)0ssess charms for the student of human
nature for ages to come ; but that of Persia is of special interest,
because, while ai)parently cast in certain moulds of innuemorial
usage, it is more plastic and mobile than that of most Eastern
nations. It is doubtless true that the Persian who smokes his
kalian at Teheran to-day, and still meditates "treasons, strata-
gems, and spoils," is in no essential particulai- different from his
"burnt fathers" whom Xcnophon describes, — no less unscru-
pulous, no less acute and wily and intellectual, no less absorbed

THE tiTV OF TEHERx\N. 89

in discussing mysticism and song, no less inclined to corrupt
meditations, and no less moved by an astonishing and pervasive
inspiration for the beautiful in Nature and art.

But while apparently unaltered, the Pei'sian is of a li\el3-,
mercurial temperament, and has none of the settled aversion to
change as such which is so marked a characteristic of the Chi-
nese and the East Indian. The climate suggests certain customs,
wliicli as suited to tluj circumstances require onl}' slow modifica-
tion, while the rigidity of a theocratic code necessarily operates to
retard social movements and changes. Were it not for these
facts, Persians would naturally be less distant in the rear of this
progressive age. But would they be happier for it ? Is there
not some compensation in repose ? As it is, we find in Persia a
somewhat complex civilization, and a diversit}* of races which
gives variety to the stud)" of character in tliat Instoric land.

Three points are especially noteworthy in considering life in
Persia : it is essentially an out-of-door life ; it is marked by an
apparent publicity and absence of reserve ; and in direct con-
trast with these characteristics, there is about its domestic side a
profound mystery and seclusion. The two former are results of
the climate, and necessarily follow from the simplicity of primi-
tive and pastoral fife in all lands; but the reason for the mvs-
tery of the domestic institutions is more obscure, for it cannot
be attributed to the precejjts of the Koran alone, having been a
marked feature of oriental life in all ages.

The Persian traveller entering Teheran in the morning, after
a long night's journey, resorts at once to one of the numerous
caravansaries which serve both as inns and depots for the stor-
age of goods. On the country roads these caravansaries are
generally small, and animals and loads remain out in the open
while resting, as the country is at pi'esent in good order, being
far more safe than the adjoining districts of Asia Minor. Men
of wealth or position travelling in Persia are accustomed to

90 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

send in advance and hire a dwelling for their sojourn, or they
are entertained by friends or gentlemen of equal rank. The
boasted hospitality of the past, still dispensed in Eastern coun-
tries, is no indication of superior breeding or amiability ; it
results from the condition of society, being a system of recipi'o-
cal accommodation, — the host offering a courtesy wliicli he may
in turn require. Men of the middle or lower classes, and espe-
cially merchants, generally seek the caravansaries or inns, where
they hire a room, have it swept, cook their own meals, and sleep
on rugs they carry with them. In Teheran a stranger generally
resorts to an inn, where he finds himself in the company of
fellow-townsmen or those from his own province. Aware
of this fact, I made use of it in searching and arresting fugi-
tive rogues guilty of offences against American citizens, trac-
ing them through information furnished by those sojourning
at the inn.

Having unloaded his goods, the traveller follows the custom
of going to the public batli. These baths abound at Teheran,
and every one resorts to them at least once weekly ; some do
it daily. The wealthy have luxurious private baths in their
own houses. Christians and Jews are never allowed to enter
the baths of the Mahometans in Persia. The Persian bath is
siniilav to that of Turkey, the chief features being steam nnd
the cold-plunge tank. Although the Avater in the public baths
is not changed with sufficient frequency, yet they are a iisoful
and indispensable luxury in such a climate. The numerous
directions regarding ceremonial purification required by the
laws would be almost ino})crative but for the facilities offered by
these public baths.

After steaming himself thoroughly, and fuither soothing his
system witli a kalian, the Persian traveller turns to the bazaars
to transact the business that has brouglit liim hither. He finds
the extensive labyrinth of covered streets refreshingly cool, even

^^^^J^r^/

THE CITY OF TEHEKAN. 93

when tlie heat is scorching elsewliere. Where two streets meet
in the bazaars they are covered by a Saracenic roof of brick,
groined, and decorated with ehxborate honeycomb work. Each
trade or fabric has a quarter in the bazaars allotted to it, — the
shoemakers being in certain streets, the weavers, the workers
in brass and copper, and the car])et dealers in other streets, and
the like. But for the accommodation of all, bakeries, confec-
tioneries, or eating-shops (where one may obtain a dish of
kebabs, or rice in its various preparations called chillo and
jnllo), and tea and smoking-shops, are found everywhere.
The shoi)S are iuAariably open to the street like booths, and
the purchaser must be prepared to fly at any moment for
shelter from the ever-shiftinii', unceremonious, bustling throng-
of pedestrians and riders, horses and mules, loaded porters or
grandees attended by a Imst of rushing, arrogant retainers who
have no respect of persons. A European carriage with its out-
riders wending through the bazaars, proceeds with the same
precariousness as a sliip threading- her course among reefs and
shoals; and woe be to the luckless European whose equipage
chances to maim or kill some careless wayfarer who insists on
blocking the narrow way. An Austrian officer told me that he
was passing through the bazaars one day, when his horse became
refractory ; he was in imminent danger of his life, not because
of the risk of being thrown from the saddle, but from the furv
of the mob, who said, "Are our lives to be endangered by this
dog of a Cln-istian ?"

Of course tlie business of TehercHn is not confined to the
covered bazaars in the centre of the citv, — A\lnch, ]>y the way,
a European lady has not considered it proper to traverse until
recent years ; but with the rapid growth of the capital, grocers,
hucksters, bakers, butchers, blacksmiths, and carpenters have
become necessary in all parts of Teheran. With this thriving
activity and complex artificiality of a busy capital, it is odd to

94 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

obsei've on all hands traces of a social simplicity that transports
the mind to primitive or nomadic usages. Everything is open
to the public. The carpenter, finding his shop too contracted
for the window-sash he is framing, lays it on the pavement on
the shady side of the street, heedless of the passers-by. These
carpenters of Teheran are a curiously independent guild, re-
quiring so little for a livelihood that much of their time is spent
in smoking and sleeping; and these habits are encouraged by
the custom that allows them to claim an advance for a job,
ostensibly to pay the cost of materials. If lazy, which is
doubtless the case, they spend this money in smoking; and
after that they are forced to make shifts to purchase the needed
wood and nails, which adds to the already long delay in com-
pleting the work in hand.

The out-of-door-ness of life at Teheran is again suggested by
the publicity given to instructing the minds of the urchins with
close-shaven polls. The schools are open to the streets like
booths in the bazaars. The old pedagogue, with goggles on his
aquiline nose, keeps one eye and a half on what is going on in
the street, and with the remaining half-eye glances occasionally
on the pupils seated in rows before him on their heels, reciting
their lesson in chorus. Tlie barber performs his functions in
the same public manner, — barber and barbered being alike
indifferent to the public gaze, the operation being often per-
formed on the pavement in a shadj- corner of the highway.
An admirable characterization of an oriental barber is found in
tlio Tailor's Tale in the "Arabian Nights." As it is the custom
and law for Persians to shave the head, it is evident that the
barber's profession is one of consequence there. To the use of
tlie razor and the shears, he adds the pulling of teeth, leeching,
and venesection, — the latter a very important pursuit in Persia,
for even well persons are bled once or twice a month as a {)re-
ventive to disease ; while the slightest pain or colic sends them

THE CITY OF TEHERAN.

in haste to the barber, who being, like barbers elsewhere, loqua-
cious, at the same time gives tliem the latest scandal of the
neighborhood as a placebo. It is also the custom to bleed horses
once a month in Persia. As Persian horses are every way
admirable, and possessed of great staying powers, it would seem

A CONFECTIONERY ; ON THE LEFT IS A BAKER VENDING BREAD.

that this usage is at least not injurious, and in such a climate
may have decided advantages.

Another familiar character at Teheran is the baker, who is
absurd enough to pursue his vocation in violation of occidental
notions about professional secrets. "Whatever the baker of Te-
heran does is done "free and above-board;" if the customer

96 PERSIA AND THE PEESIANS.

is cheated, if the bread is full of grit and stones, he only has
himself to blame. The baker kneads and rolls his dough before
the public, regardless of the mangy curs sleeping at his feet;
he fattens the loaves into long thin sheets on his bare arms,
and after the bread is baked lays it on a ledge in tlie street-wall
bv his shop, or tosses a quantity of it over his shoulder like so
many sides of leather, and peddles it. Notwithstanding these
primitive processes, this noon, or flat bread, which when baked
is but the tenth part of an inch in thickness, is nourishing, sweet,
and palatable when just from the oven, and even foreigners
learn to prefer it to any other.

But the growing heat of the day suggests to our traveller
that the hour for lunch and repose has come. The noon-day
meal is light, composed of grapes, iigs, or melons, with salads
and bread. After it, perhajis, follow a cup of tea and a kalian,
and then a siesta, in which high and low participate. In the
middle of the day durhig the hot season, the entire city, the
very walls and streets, are in a deep slumber, gradually arous-
ing again as the sun begins to drop towards the west. After
his nap, the Teheranee saj-s his prayers, or is supposed to say
them. In s\nte of, or more likely as a result of, their burning-
fanaticism and bigotry, modern Persians are but little addicted
to devotional exercises. Their religion is rather like a loose gar-
ment tliat may be fitted to any occasion without pinching, a
shibl)olctli that takes the place of patriotism, a mot (Vonlre to
sweai- l)y, rather than a code to be practised and give shape to
life and character. But the Persians are not singular in this
respect; nor would it be just, perhaps, to call them hypocrites
because they practise not what they believe. It is the ten-
dency of all sects, after the first fervor, to degenerate into mere
formalisms.

After smoking again, the Persian gentleman at Teheran sal-
lies forth towards the cool of the evening with a rosary in his

liliii|iB;;i

|]|]|liji,||l|i||ii|;::,,,iiiiiiiii!i|^^^^^

' iiiii

i:5:flii:i:;iiliiiii!li:i,,::;..::.;.,..,ii;;»fSHlE'W^^^^

A WELL-KNO-^^ HOLY MENDICANT OF TEHERAN.

THE CITY OF TEHERAX. 90

hand, attended by a servant or a companion. It is the hour
of peace; a rosy light bathes the housetops, but the stately
avenues leading north and south are in shadow, and cooled with
water sprinkled over the dust by tlie sakkhas. The tender light
of evening rests on the snowy crests of the vast ridge of the
Sliimran. The evening glow, before it fades into twilight,
lingers last on the icy cone of Demavend, ever present in every
prospect, like the presiding genius that watches over the desti-
nies of Persia.

With slow and dignified steps the gentlemen of Teheran
stroll along these inviting avenues engaged in genial converse,
in low, well-modulated tones. Their flowing robes, their mas-
sive beards, their lofty caps or voluminous turbans, impart U>
their bearing a singular stateliness as they wend on their way
luidisturbed by the numerous carriages, or the hideous, un-
kt'iiipt, and unwashen dervishes who claim alms by reason of
their sanctified rags.'

At this lionr the tea-houses are thronged. One may be sur-
pinsed to learn that the national beverage of Persia is not coffee,
but tea. It might be naturally supposed that the neighborhood
of Araby the Blest and the aromatic groves of Mocha would
lead to a preference for their fragrant fruitage. Of course much
coffee, prepared in the Turkish Avay, is consumed in Persia ;
but tlie fact remains that the Persians are a tea-drinking race,
imbibing that beverage in vast quantities, without milk, but
sweetened almost to tlie consistency of a syrup, and flavored
with tourchee, wliich is the prepared juice of tlie lime. This
custom is probably the result of a commercial intercourse wliich
was for ages carried on between China and Persia, both bv land
and sea. At Teheran tea-houses abound on every side, of every

' Occasionally, however, one meets amnne these santons a striking and picturesque
figure, like the one represented in the accnnipanying cnsrraviug. wlio is a well-kiiuwn
character in the European quarter of Teherau.

100 PEKSIA AND THE PERSIAN S.

quality of rank and degree of comfort, but all alike resorts for
repose and entertainment. Here also are to be seen public
dancers, who by law are compelled to be men, although women
of questionable repute sometimes exliibit in the harems. The
male dancers are brought up to their vocation from boyhood,
and invariabl}^ wear long hair in imitation of women, and shave
their faces smooth. The lasciviousness of oriental dances makes
them offensive and indescribable.

What offers more attraction to a European in these tea-houses
than the dances, are the recitations from the poets. The songs
of Hafiz may be heard there, and entire cantos from the great
epic of P^irdotisee, chanted with resonant modulations and lis-
tened to with enthusiastic rapture. Here, too, one may hear the
" Arabian Nights Tales " repeated without any attempts to expur-
gate passages offering a peculiarly oriental flavor. It is, how-
ever, these very passages which largely contribute to make of
these immortal narratives a picture of oriental life and manners
the most remarkable in literatin-e.

As one contiiuies his ramble through the streets of Teheran
at this hour, he sees a crowd amused by baboons dancing' to the
beat of tambourines, — animals which, if they do not obtain all
the happiness thev deserve as servants of the public, at least
have, or ought to have, the high moral consciousness nf well
fulfdling their Iniinanc mission of nn"nistering to the entertain-
ment of myriads h\ their wliimsical antics and grimaces. The
longer one lives, the more evident does it become to liini that
men as well as animals are not brought into this world to
obtain or to seek their own happiness, but to contribute to dis-
]i(dling the misery connnon to all. Farther on, we see a poor
chained lioness put through her paces, or wearied by the i)art
she has been forced to jjlay in life, and unable to escape from it
by suicide, sleeping heavily on the ])avement. But one of the
most ordinary sights in Teheran at this hour, — a sight which

THE CITY OF TKllKKAX. lUl

always di-aws a crowd, — is a match of trained wrestlers or ;itli-
letes exercising Avitli clubs, at which the Persians are expert.

The afternoon or the early morning is the time when the
gentlemen of Teheran exchange calls ; never in the evening. A
Persian gentleman never calls on a Persian lady ; he does not
even venture to inquire after her health, or even to mention her
to her husband. But after her death it is proper to call on the
male relatives of the deceased, to express condolence. A father
or a brother may visit a daughter or sister, unless forbidden by
the husband. Notwithstanding these restrictions, the exchange
of visits among ladies, or among gentlemen, is a common custom
at Teheran, and is a most formidable affair, aftbrding a complete
display of the elaborate etiquette for which Persia has always
been famous. All the ceremonies attending such a visit are
shaded down to tlie finest point, and form part of the education
of every Persian, becoming in fact a second nature to him.

Before making a social call, a servant is sent (generally the
previous day) to announce it. The rank of the servant who is
sent is suited to the rank of the gentleman who is to receive the
visit. If a person of very high degree is to call on one of sim-
ilar position, it is considered eminently proper to announce and
accept the visit in an autograph note. If the caller be of the
higher rank, he simply states that he proposes to call at such
an hour; if of equal or lower rank, he asks permission to call.
The call must be made on horseback or in a cai-riage, and the
number of mounted attendants depends on the rank of the
person visited.

On approaching the house the visitor, if of high rank, is met
by mounted heralds, who immediately return at full speed to
announce the approach of the guest. If the host be of very
high rank, he will try sometimes to see the effect on his guest
of coming into the reception-room after the arrival ot tlie guest.
Supposing he has not tried such a manoeuvre, a courteous skirmish

102 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

occurs when the guest enters the door : each seeks to outdo the
other in politeness, while each is exceedingl}- careful not to accept
or allow a position to which he is not entitled by rank. The cor-
ner of the room the most remote from the entrance is the place
of honor ; the guest, if he outranks the host, while strenuously
declining to take that seat, will be very careful that his host does
not occupy it instead, and quite as careful not to accept it if in-
ferior in rank, although urged, for to do so under such circum-
stances would be to affront the host, and invite an affront in
return. The host, when in the apartment on the arrival of
the guest, advances outside of the door of the reception-room
to receive one of superior rank ; meets him at the door if of
equal rank, and leads him by the hand to liis seat; goes half-
way the length of the apartment to meet one of slightlv inferior
rank, Ijut does not condescend to advance a step for a guest
far below in social or official position. AVlien the host and guest
are of equal rank, chairs or cushions are arranged in corre-
sponding position opposite the refreshment table, — and so
on througli all tlie various social grades. Other things being
equal, the left hand, and not the right, is the place of honor.

The serving of refreshments is another important question
regulated by undeviating custom. The nazir, or head-steward
of the liousehold, enters in his stocking-feet, ushering a number
of servants equal to tlie number to be served. If host and guest
be of equal rank, the cup is presented to each exactly at tlio
same moment ; l)ut if one outranks the other, he is first sewed.
When there is present a member of the royal family, or one of
the cabinet or council of the Shah, or a foreign minister, the
servants must alwa5's retire backward to the docn-. The number
and character of the refreshments depend on the rank, the horn*,
and the season. Tn the morning tea is served once. In the
afternoon, the guest being of equal or liiglier rank, he is first
served with tea in dainty glasses. This is followed by the kalian,

THE CITY OF TEHERAN. 103

or water-pipe. When several persons of ecpial rank are to be
served, it is the pro})er thing to bring an eqnal number of lighted
pipes ; but if one present outranks all the others, only one pipe
is brought in, which is handed to him. Before smoking, he
makes a feint of offering it in turn to all present, but woe to
liiin who incautiously accepts before he of higher rank has
smoked, for in that case he will be made to feel the withering
scorn of which a Persian gentleman is capable.

The Mestofi-Mamolek, the highest official in Persia after the
King, has not smoked for forty years. He took a solemn reso-
lution against tobacco, because, when a young man, the kalian
Avas on one occasion given in his presence to a man whom he
considered of lower rank, before it was offered to him. When
the pipe was presented to him lie dashed it aside, and swore
never to smoke again, in order to avoid the possibility of
being a second time subjected to such an affront.

After the first kalian, tea is served again, followed by a sec-
ond pipe. After a proper interval, the length of which is regu-
lated by the acceptability of the visit, coffee is served in tiny
cups, followed in turn by the pipe. This is the signal that the
limit of the entertaimnent has been reached, and soon the guest
in honeyed words expresses his acknowledgment for the cour-
tesy of the host, and requests permission to depart. AVhen the
Persian New Year begins, with the spring equinox, the season
is indicated by the substitution of a cool sherbet for the first
cup of tea, and sometimes of an ice in the place of coffee ; but
after the September equinoctial the tea and coffee are resumed.
These may seem trivial matters, but in Persia they have great
weight ; and not only is the taste of the host indicated by the
quality and style of the refreshments, but the savoir-faire and
the rank of the guest are weighed by his bearing on such an
occasion. It is of no slight importance that a European in Persia
should understand the force of these laws of etiquette, otherwise

104 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

he is liable to have his breeding as a gentleman misunderstood;
while by strongly asserting his claim to all tlie privileges wliich
he lias the right to demand, suitable to his I'ank, he receives tlie
respect which is his due, but which no Persian will give except
when he sees him finii on tliese points.

Thus far we have been considering life at Tehei'an as it aj)-
pears in public. But there is another phase of life in Persia, of
which even he who lives years in tliat country knows little or
sees less, — a state of mystery, a system hidden in the midst of
a city busy and apparently open to the widest publicity. I refer
to the domestic customs of Persia, and the mode of existence
followed by woman in that land of romance and song. Witliout
woman, how can there be romance and song; and MJiere are the
women of Teheran ; and how is the poet who would sing their
praises to see and appreciate the charms that quicken the chords
of his lyre ? Yet at Telieran one sees but rarely the face of a
woman unless she be a Nestorian, an Armenian, or a Guebre,
of whom all go but slightly disguised ; or uidess he be a Mus-
sulman, in which case he may have all tlie concubines he
pleases. Every Persian liousc is constructed upon a ))lan of
secrecy. No windows are visible from tlie streets; but the
interior is constructed around several coiu-ts, with lovely gar-
dens, tanks, shrubbery, and even luxuriant groves of fruit and
shade trees, of all which one obtains not the slightest hint
from the street. In the main dwelling the master of the house
lives and transacts business during the day ; but his business
over, he retires for the night to his Anderoon, which is the
quarter of the residence devoted to the women. The Ande-
roon is jealously guarded by the eunuch, and no man ever
enters it save the proprietor. "When he is there in the l)()S(ini
of his family, he cannot be disturbed ; it is sufficient to say
to an)' one who inquires for him, " lie i.s in his Anderoon."

THE CITY OF TEHERAN. lU-5

This is an asylum from outward cares which it would be well
to import into the United States for those who seek effectual
quiet and repose. To the Persian it takes the jjlace of a club, —
the more so as clubs, theatres, and otlier places for evening
resort are not permitted in Persia. The influence of the women
is alone sufficient to prevent the establishment of institutions
wliicli woulil result in a complete reversal of the present do-
mestic system. Knowing nothing better, and being accustomed
to and satisfied with matters as they are, the women of Persia
are content to have the present domestic system continue.

. It would be a mistake hastily to conclude that this indicates
a low order of intellect or an abject spirit among the Persian
women. If uneducated according to our ideas, they are, from
all 1 can gather, by no means stu})id, and enjoy an influence
and controlling power in domestic and state afi^xirs not inferior
to that of women elsewhei'e, only it finds expression Ijy difl'erent
methods. It is not the semblance of power that is to be feared,
bnt the unseen power behind the throne ; and I can afiirm em-
])hatically that in no country do women liave more of such power
than in Persia. Women of gi'eat talents are occasionally found
in the anderoons, skilled in music, poetry, and painting, and in
the diplomatic art. All of them are clever in embroidering,
which has been carried in Persia to a degree never elsewhere
suqiassed. Diplomacy, intrigue, and influence in that coun-
try are dependent in a large measure on the force of character
displayed by the women. If a man wishes to influence another
in an affair of importance, he manages it by confiding the matter
to one or all of his wives, who in turn visit the wives of the man
to be influenced, or the wives of one who has influence over him,
and by urging and presents seek to obtain their object. Many
important transactions in Persia are conducted in this manner.

The profound disguise worn by the women of Teherrm in
the street, supposed by foreigners to be a serious inconvenience,

106

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

is, under existing conditions, of very great advantage, and the
women themselves would be the last to advocate a change so
long as polygamy exists. No argument is required to show

wliat a power for intrigue
exists in such a costume.
In her mantle or veil, com-
pletely covering her from
head to foot, a woman can
go wherever she pleases
without the slightest possi-
bility of lier identity being
detected. Not even her hus-
band would dare to raise her
veil ; to do so would render
him liable to instant death.
On the other liand, if a Per-
sian woman wishes to dis-
close her charms to any one,
she generally contrives to
find a chance to withdraw
her veil for an histant ; the
rest is arranged by tliii'd
parties, who are always on
hand. The women of Te-
heran can thus go anj'where
with little risk of detection ;
only the wives of the Shah
and of his sons are debarred
the privilege, never going abroad without numerous attendants.
The former are always accompanied by the royal guards, who,
at a certain distance before and behind the royal ladies, keep the
way clear. When these ladies propose to leave the ])alace, the
event is announced by heralds in all the streets by which they

PERSI.\N WOMAN IN STREET COSTUME,
THE VEIL DRAWN ASIDE.

THE CITY UF TEHERAN. 107

are to pass ; the shops are closed, and every one is expected to
take himself out of the Avay. Until recently it Avas impossible,
tor this reason, to construct windows overlooking the princij)al
avenues, and any unlucky person found in the passage of the
royal cortege was put to death on the spot. But the inost that
could now happen would probablv be tliat he might be severely
handled, even if he turned his face to the wall.

There could hardly be a greater contrast than between the
out-of-door and the in-door costume of the ladies of Teheran.
The latter was formerly more modest than it is at present, but
another fashion came in with the present centurv, — which,
like the costume of short clothes worn by men in the last
century in Europe, requires a good figure to show it off to
advantage. The scant garments worn indoors admit of con-
siderable scope in the exercise of taste for color and embroid-
ery, 1)ut otherwise there is no difference in the home-dress
worn by the Persian women of Teheran eitlier in the palace or
the meanest hovel

The simplicity of this dress is, again, in strong contrast with
the elaborate and costly costume worn by gentlemen of the
court. There is now a tendency to adopt a modification of the
European dress, resembling a militaiy uniform. But on state
occasions the magnificent and imposing robes of office are worn
as of old, made of the richest stuffs of Cashmere and Kerman,
and worked with exquisite designs. At a royal audience the in-
variable kolali, or black lamb-skin cap, is exchanged for a white
turban, Avhich is doffed on retiring from the roval jn'esence,
and given to a servant who hns waited outside the palace gate.
As may easily be imagined from the account we have given of
visiting etiqiiette, the court ceremonials of Persia are of the most
elaborate and punctilious character, although indicating at present
an inclination to relax a little from those that are burdensome
in details. It must be admitted that such pomp is qualified to

108

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

impart an air of majesty to the monarch, and to assist in the
maintenance of power in a despotic government. It was the
great conrt pageants and ceremonials of Byzantium wliicli aided
to prop up the decaying Roman Empire long after it had lost its

KASR-I-KIIAJAR.

vitality, presenting b)^ its continued existence for centuries after
it l)ecame moribund one of the most extraordinary phenomena
in history.

Before closing this chapter it is proper to allude to the
numerous villas, pleasiu'e-houses, and retreats in tlie suburbs of
Teheran. Doslu'intepo is a favorite resort of the Shah, three
miles from the city. It is perched on the summit of a lofty.

THE CITY OF TEHEKAX. 109

isoliited rock, and is approached by a picturesque stairway. At
the foot of the eminence lies a spacious garden containing an
interesting menagerie composed largely of native animals ; one
observes there several noble lions from the vicinity of I'cr.se-
polis. Another very interesting palace is that called Kasr-i-
Khajar, or castle of the Khajurs. It is one of the most pleasing
objects of Teheran. The present Shah, inheriting the htve of
the chase peculiar to the monarchs of Persia from the oldest
periods, often resorts to these choice retreats in order to be in
the neighborhood of his hunting-grounds.

The European colony spends the summer at the 8hinn-an
in the villages of Tejrisch, Gulahek, and Zergendeh. The
two latter were royal gifts to the English and Russian lega-
tions respectively. The carriage roads are numerous in the
vicinity of Teheran, and most of them are excellent, in sev-
eral cases l}eing well protected by avenues of shade-trees. Tlie
most charming and romantic drive in the neighborhood is
that of Yusufabad. It gently ascends towards the mountains,
and connnands a superb prospect of Demavend and the nearer
ranges, as -well as the plains of Teheran far to the south beyond
Kanaregird. When there is a slight haze or mirage, as often
happens, the plain assumes the deep purple blue of the sea
when a fresh breeze is blowing over it ; the rosy ridges beyond
resemble islands as seen at sea, and the white houses glisten-
ing here and there, mere gleaming specks, look like white caps,
while the walls of Teheran suggest surf beaten into foam on far-
extending reefs.

CHAPTER V.

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMRAN.

BARON S , whou gazing- over our spacious terraces one
pleasant afternoon in July, under the seductive influences
of cofi"ee and clieroots, enthusiastically observed, " You have a
typical Persian country seat." As I was very nuu-h of this
opinion myself, it seems not amiss to g•i^•e some account of the
})lace occupied by the United States Legation during the smnmer
of 1884 in the Shimran. Passing out of the elegant Shinn-an
Gate described on a pre\T[ous page, one enters on the Shah's*
road to the Shiim-an, and soon finds the plain ascending by
an easy and steady slope to the moimtains. This slope con-
tinues for perhaps ten miles, till it reaches a height of 2,000 feet
above Teheran. At that point it meets the moxmtains, which
spring thence by barren, precipitous, reddish crags to a height
of 12,000 and 13,000 feet. Of course in winter this stupendous
range is enveloped in a ])ure mantle of ermine, which sometimes
descends and lies on the ])lain for weeks, while in snnuner tlie
snow lingers on the higher peaks until the last days of August.
Fifty years ago there were scarce any -vallages on the sloping
talus of the Shimran, and only the merest sprinkling of jiopu-
lation ; neither was there any vegetation excepting the spiky
herbage cropped by asses and goats. The plain was phenomi-

' Roads in Porsia, wliciipvor any expense is bestowed on them, are made either l>y
appropriations from tlie Rcjyal Treasury, or by men of wealth who wisli easy access to
their villas or villai^cs. In the t'onjier case they are called the Shah's roads.

COUXTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMRAX. Ill

nally ai'id, aiul the siumucr heat of Teheran averaged 115 to 120
degrees Falu-enlieit. I have my facts from old and intelligent
residents, such as the Mestofi-ul-Mamelek.

But the time came when Teheran began to feel the impulse
given to it l)y becoming the seat of government itnder the
Khajar dynasty. The old city described by Chardin and Delia
\ iillc has been largely extended, chiefly in a northern direction.
I'eth Alee Shah built the summer palace of Negaristan, beyond
the then limits of Teheran, in the midst of extensive grounds.
He also constructed the superbly-situated summer jjalace of
Kasr-i-Kliajar on the brow of an eminence, at the head of vast
and delicious gi'oves cooled by tanks of immense spaciousness.
The II Hanee of the Khajars took the hint, and also laid out a
l)eautifitl garden and built a pleasure-house outside of the city ;
now it is but a i'(^'\\ rods north of the United States Legation and
south of the British Legation. The Sedr Azem and the Mestofi-
ul-Mamolek proceeded still farther up the Shinxran slope, and
laid out sumptuous country seats at Jusufabad and Daoudieh ;
and the Moatam-ed-Doiileh fashioned for himself a })lace of
plcasaunce in a gorge by a bra^^ ling stream, into which rush the
artificial cascades of the garden. Now, therefore, one sees the
long slope of the Shimi-an covered with the dense verdiu-e of
numerous gardens and villages, which are sometimes detached,
but more generally adjoining, — one being simply a continuation
of the other. This mass of vegetation extends from A'anek on
the west to Kamaranieh on the east, some twenty miles ; and
the population of these villages, I am informed, exceeds thirty
thousand. The name of Shimran, first applied to the mountains,
is therefore extended now to the district of villages which has
sprung up within the last generation.

It must be admitted that these villages are dependent for then-
prosperity on tlie gro^^•th of Teheran, because the increasing-
wealth and luxury of the capital led to a demand for country

112 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

seats, and for vegetables and wood for food and biulding, — but
more perhaps to the iucreasmg supply of water whifh the capital
required, and Avhicli has been brought to it by upwards of thirty
connaughts, or subterranean aqueducts, which water the A-illages
of the Shimrau in their course to the city. These villages tu-e
now beginning to yield in turn a raison d'etre, like most things
in this complicated and interdependent an-angement of mundane
aflt'airs. For the vegetation of the Shum-an has now so vastly
increased, that it actually has begun to affect the climate and
rain-fall of the district of Teheran. It is the universal testimony
that the average summer-heat of Teheran is some ten degrees
Falu'enheit lower than formerly, while the rain continues longer
in the spring-, and the showers in the Shinn-an are more frequent
in early summer. As many of the trees in the Shinu-an are the
tall slender chenars and poplars cultivated for the Avood, the
timber market of Teheran is also sensibly affet^ted by these
groves, which are annualh' thinned out and the product used
for building and furniture. Care is taken at the same time to
replant trees in place of those cut down.

Many years ago the English and Russian Legations received
grants respectively of the villages of Gulahek and Zerg-endeh ;
semi-Euro})('an dwellings have been put up in ciicli for the
ministers and attaches, and a wilderness of foliage has gi-owii
up around them. Each lias also attracted to itself a colony
of Eiiropcinis during the summer, and a number of Persians
likewise occu))y or own houses in tliese villages. But the exclu-
sive jurisdiction rests with the ministers. No one can buy or
rent in either without ])ermission of the proprietary Legation;
and all disputes occurring among the residents of these villages
must be settled at the Legation, exactly as if one were living in
England or Kussia. The French and Austrian I^cgations, on
the other hand, rent places^ for a term of Acai-s in the ndjoining
villages of Tcjrisch and Dezeshoob : the Ottoman Legation has

(HJUNTKY SEATS IN THE SIIIMKAN.

113

also piirflia.sod a liaiidstjiui' house and ynmiHLs on one of tli(^
most conunanding and agreeable sites at Tejrisch.

The United States Legation, it is apparent, was therefore the
only one at the opening of sjmng that was obliged to make
diligent quest for a summer retreat. To remain in the city
during the sununer heats, the Court being also absent and the

A PORTICO AT BAGH FERUOZE.

Minister of Foreign x\ffairs in the Shimran, was e\ndenth- not to
be thought of, altliougli the expense of such a place Avould liave
to be paid from the minister's private funds. It was necessary
therefore to begin a search immediately after the No Rooz, lest
the more desirable and available places be taken ])\ Europeans
or Persians. It was not exiiedient to return to the garden of
Serrasiab, part of ^\'liich we occupied the previous summer

114 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

through the kindness of the missionaries, as Ave had arrived too
hite to make other arrangements. When Ijeginning our sean-h
for another phice. it would have been pleasant, and also in the
end economical, to pvirchase or to lease for a term of years
like the other Legations ; but as there is only a pitifid surplus < )f
$394,000,000 in the vaults of the United States Treasury, it was
out of the qiiestion to talk of purchasing, although a handsome
place might have been obtained for a moderate sum. It was
also inadvisable to rent fur a term of years, because the whim-
sical instability of Congress and the absence of a high sense
of national dignity and pride among our masses make it im])os-
sible to foresee any degree of permanence in the conduct of our
diplomatic service.

Ordering out our equipage and taking care to carry with us
a basket containing a good lunch, ^^x^ made several ex})editions
t(i the Shimran diu'ing the month of March. The roads were
,. still nmddy, and proved a severe strain on the carriage horses;
but an inspection of the numerous charming seats of the Shim-
ran aftbrded us a ncAer-to-be-forgotten pleasure. All the places
we visited, with scarce an exception, are well worth ample
description, although I must confine my observations to one
or two of the most remarkable. But one featnre we noticed
as common to all, — the utter impossibility of forming an\- idea
of the house and grounds, either from tlie road or from an adjoui-
ing height; a circvunstance owing parth' to the high walls sur-
rounding each ganlen, the broken character of the site in some
cases, and in all to the h)fty avemu^s of trinuncd chenars and
poplars skirting the grounds and serving as a \cil t(j conceal the
fairy-like attractions within. In most instances the gardens are
so extensive that the dwelling is at a distance from tlie entrance.
Tliis s(H'lnsion, so different from the publicity of country st'ats in
Knro])e and America, is, I must confess, a great cliai-m, for wliicli
ostentations display can I)e no conipen,sation. Country life loses

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMRAN. ' 115

lialf its nameless attractions wlien it is (U-privcd of privacy and
niddcst retirement from the whirl of fashion and restlessness of
social distractions.

Another feature common to all these country residences of
the Shiraran, is the absolute and refreshing individuality dis-
played by each. There is nowhere apparent any evidence of
iinitnting any other place; no suggestion of conventional de-
signs, slightly altered perhaps to suit different customers ; no
sla^•ish cringing to formal and universally accepted models or
stvles. They all, it is true, show a certajn noble adherence
to the underlying priui'iple of architecture, — adaptation to
climate and materials; but in all other respects one every wdiere
perceives that the proprietor, the architect, and the gardener
have been guided bv individual taste, and have allowed the
location to dictate the character of the place without regard to
any fashion or conventionalism. In all of them, liowever,
respect is shown to the custom of separating the apartments of
the men from those of the women, which has led many of these
residences to place the main building, or Beroon, in one garden,
and the Anderoon (or quarter for the ladies) in another enclos-
ure. I may add that all share the uni^'ersal attraction found in
an attempt, with more or less expense and success, to employ
running water both as a means of decoration in landscape gar-
dening, and to cool the aridity of the atmosphere diu-ing the long-
rainless summer. The value of these places largely depends on
the supply of water belonging to them. This is an inalienable
privilege that goes with the establislunent. A domain, for ex-
ample, which is supplied by two connaughts, and has the privi-
lege of water every day nntil the supply begins to fail towards
the end of the season, is valued from fifteen to twenty per
cent higher than if the water came to it only every other day.

Among the finest country seats of the Shum-an which we
\'isited in the spring was Daoudieh. It was built by the Sedr

116 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Azem who precipitated the war with Enghnid in 1S58. Daoixdieh
when completed was so magnificent that the Shah confiscated
it, as indicating too great an absorption of weahh l)v a subject.
It was afterwards restored conditionally to tlie fixmily, after the
death of the Sedi- Azem. The situation is unfortunate, being too
near the city, on a stony plain mider a hill, which prevents circu-
lation of the southwest breeze at midday. Daoudieh is there-
fore warm, and said to be infested by mosquitoes. In other
respects it is indeed a mansion fit for a king. The grounds form
a park nearly a mile long and over quarter of a mile ■^^■ide, coin-
prising a piece of woodland at the north, surrounding an im-
mense tank for watering the ])lace ; the central ])ortion, whicli
naost concerns the visitor ; and south of tliis a spacious orchard
well stocked with fruit, adjoining which are the quarters of the
servants and the bath, the latter entirely under ground, di^dded
into several apartments, and of considerable extent.

The central portion of Daondieh is approached by the open
stables, containing mangers for one hixndred horses, — the man-
gers being liollowed out of the side of the wall of mud, and pro-
tected with matting or boughs in summer. Passing the stables,
we enter a paved avenue of superb dimensions. Thi-ough the
centre of the avenue runs a musical stream in a stone channel.
On either side of this towers a double row of venerable chenars,
upwards of a hundred feet high. This avenue leads to the
mansion, a lofty and graceful structm-e of three stories. ( )ne is
surprised on entering to find the interior a spacious hall like a
tlu'one-room, s])ringiiig to tlie vaulted roof seventy feet above.
Hie centre of the pa\ed fioor is relieved by a spacious tank of
glassy water, and the vast piers which support the roof of this
octagonal liall arc divided at the angles l)v winding galleries,
that allow the passage of air and give lightness to an otiierwise
massive effect. Tlie exterior a])pearance of three stories led us,
however, to suspect that this hall is not all of the building, and

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMKAN. 117

we soon found a winding stuirway that fondiK'ted us from tlic
spacious apartments surrounding- it on the first floor, to a, hil)\-
riurh of galleries and apartments also snrronnding it on the two
upper floors. Their oontiuuity is however broken on the north
and south fronts by two broad galleries, or balconies, conuiiaiiding
an extensive prospect when the embroidered curtains are rollcnl
up. With these curtains raised, an unobstructed circulation of air
sweeps through the entire building. The end walls of the north
gallery are decorated with life-size portraits of the Sedi- Azeni
and his family of boys, painted on the plaster in oil. These lads
are now grown up, and occupy positions of more or less promi-
nence luider the Government. Tlu-ee of them I know : the elder
an unmitigated talker, inflated with pomposity and famih- piide ;
the next a dwarf of unusual perversity, and in deportment sin-
gularly brusque for a Persian ; and the younger, who is a ^•ery
amiable, polished, and unassuming gentleman. Northward the
grounds are shaded by a quadruple avenue of chenars and
poplars; the slightly rising ground is terraced, and the walks
bet^^■een the trees are paved. A channel in the central avenue
conducts a stream from the mountains, which frills over the
terraces in mimic cascades. The whole place is characterized
by taste, elegance, and grandeiu-.

Another garden that we -sisited is not unlike Daondieli in
general effect, although thorougldy individual and especially
differing from it in that it stands on the steep slope of a hill
instead of a slight incline. This magnificent place, in my opin-
ion the most sumptuous and tasteful in the Shimi-an so far as ni}-
observation goes, is the Bagli Ferdoze, or Garden of Paradise.
It was laid out by the father of the Moayer-ul-Mamelek, and
completed by his son, whose adventures will be described on a
subsequent page. During his absence in Eui'ope the place was
imoccupied, and fell into neglect and decay, — a fate that ra])idl}-
comes to unoccupied buildings in Persia, owing to the friable

118 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

materials of which they ^.re constructed. The grounds probal)ly
inchide four luxndred acres.- The lower part is a dense forest of
chenars, grouped in such masses as to present a velvety surface
when seen from the porticos of the mansion, from which they are
separated by a spacious and elegant terrace carpeted with par-
terres of flowers. This part of the place fonns a superb fore-
groitnd to the receding landscape of the plains of Teheran,
skirted by roseate hills and fading far away to the south, mir-
rored in tlie phantom waters of the noonday mii-age. The
grounds behind the mansion, shaded by columnar chenars, ditt'er
from many Persian places in the absence of basins and tnun-
tains ; but at one side, at the foot of the trees, are stalls for the
horses, made of baked earth. Certainly never were horses
stalled in more magnificent quarters, imder a vaulted roof of
green rising one hundred feet above them, and overlooking
an enchanting prospect.

Centrally situated and overlooking all these princely domains
stands the palace itself, — less than palace it could hardly be
considered. What first impresses one is the stately massiveness
of its proportions. Althoiigh surrounded by enormous chenars
whose vast liiHl)s sway like gigantic plumes over the roof, the
building is not dwarfed by its colossal entourar/c. This effect,
I apprehend, is cliicffy due to an evident intention to liai-nionize
tlie structure witli the surroundings, to mass the decoration on
central points, and to keep the outline simi)le and severe; to this
end also the j)orticos are eacli sujiported by fom- pillars of great
diameter, instead of by a larger number of smaller jiilliU's, whose
style shows architecture in Persia to be in a transitional period
at present. The otherwise heavy effect of such massive piers is
relieved liy tlie intricate and su])erli \ ine-tracer\- which runs in
spiral lines ai'onnd the drums, meeting cajjitals of extreme ele-
gance and I'ichness, and contimied along the cornice; and thus
they seem almost like a repetition of the large tree-trunks by

COl'XTKV SEATS IN THE SIIIMRAN.

119

wliieli they are siirromided. The necessities of the cHmate have
caused the wide passages between the centre and the wings to
extend quite through the bnihling, thus
giving two ciuTents of air Iroin one side
to the other ; the gables of the sloping
roof are also open, to allow of a pui-e
unobstructed passage of air
over the ceilings, — an ad-

ARAJEB, LOOKING NORTH.

niirable feature in many Persian coimtry houses, which might be
followed to advantage in the villas of the United States.

The reception-room extends the entire width of the building.
The doors are of inlaid work ; each end of the apartment con-

120 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

tains an immense window reaching from the floor to the lofty
ceihnii', and extending- from one side of the room to the other.
Each of these windo^^■s is filled ^vith intricate and exquisitely
designed casements beautified with stained glass. The dado is
of i)oIished alabaster, and the wall is decorated with panels con-
taining paintings of dancing girls. In addition to this iu)l)le
reception-hall, the palace contains numerous apartments, each
filling the Ijeholder with surprise at the bewildering prodigality
of fancy displayed in the decorations of stiicco and glass work
lavished upon them. The portico on the south side facing the
plain of Teheran I have never seen siu'passed for stateliness.

When the visitor feels that his powers of admu'ation are
nearly exhausted, he is ushered into tlie most remarkable portion
of this fairy-like dwelling. One is first led into an exquisite
gallery, from whence he looks on one side over the landscape,
and tlien, tmniing, gazes into what seems like a hnll in the grotto ■
of Antiparos, for he sees a roof composed of what look like
clustering stalactites. Proceeding thence to tlie floor below, the
visitor stands under this roof, and studies at leisure one of the
most remarkable examples of Persian constructive skill and deco-
rative genius in existence. It is the honevcomb work for which
the East is finious, carried to its extreme limit. When the eye
is pleased and tlie fancy quickened, one does not care to analyze
the causes; still, it was interesting to know that this conq^licated
piece of decoratixe art was made b\' a svsteni of iron frames
skilfully concealed by the overhiving of lathe and stucco.

Another superb palace of the Sln'nn-an is Kaniaranieh, the
country seat of tlu^ Pi-ince Kaniaran, Xaib Snltaneh and ilin-
ister of War. A partial idea of the character of this l)eautifnl
])lace is given in the acconipan\ing cut. But I turn to gixc a
fnllcr description of an linnililer, \vt in its \\a\' scarcely less ]»ic-
turesque, place. 1 i-clcr to .\rajeb, — the place occnjiied liy the
United States Leiiation dni-iiiL;' the sinnmer ol 1SS4. This was

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SIIIMKAN.

121

of course in point of costliness not to be conipnred Avith tiie \ iUas
just described. Its decorations were far simpler, and the grounds
less extensive and ornate ; but the attractions of locatimi were
scarcely inferior, and it ottered a very fan- example of the average

KAMAEANIEH, COUNTRY SEAT OF TIIE NAIB SULTANEII.

coimtry Axilla of a Persian gentleman. The dwelling was situ-
ated on the side of a steep slope, near the centre of a demesne
comprising nearly sixt}^ acres, filled with shade and fi-uit ti'ees, on
the liroken sides of a steep hill at the entrance to a Avild goi-ge
of the Shimi-an. Through this gorge rushed a mountain stream

122 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

crossed by rude wooden bridges. At niylit the l)rawling of the
river blended with the song of the nightingale. A chattering
brook also da.shed down behind the hoiise through the grounds.

Passing through the village of Jeferabad by steep and narrow
roads, the rider approaching Arajeb came to a little hollow, where
the road widened and showed a lofty gate and green espaliers,
through which was seen the orchard of the Legation. From the
gate one passed up a sei'pentine avenue of stately chenars, until
a turn of the road revealed the terraces round which the dAvel-
liug was built. Ascending to the first terrace, one saw a paved
esplanade tlu-ee hundi'ed feet in length, decorated ^^•itll parterres
of flowers ; a stream coursed through the centre. At the north-
ern end the terrace Avas raised a little, and contained a large
circidar tank fringed with ])ots of flowers. Beyond this was a
building containing three rooms, with a broad graceful portico
facing the south ; on the other side was a small court containing
a tank and a jet, surrounded hj parteiTes of rosebushes trained
in the form of trees. This was the Anderoon of the Persian
proprietor. At the opposite end of the terrace were the build-
ings occupied for dining-room and kitchen. The stream which
irrigated this terrace ran imder the dining-room, and l)urst forth
under the windows in a foaming cascade. The second terrace
contained three buildings, equally distant from each other. The
one at the southern end contained Uxo rooms, used for the official
business of the Legation. The central building, while exceed-
ingly simple in its construction, was so proportioned as to ])ro-
duce a stately eflPect. Its commanding ])Osition, looking as it did
over the ten-ace and the grounds below and the plains of Teheran
beyond, and flanked by lofty groups of poplars and chenars,
made it seem by moonlight like a temple in Arcadia.

The main features of this dwelling were diguity conibiiicd witli
repose, and lightness with strengtli ; tliis result was olitnincMl by
civinff a'vcat hrciulth to the ixtrtico wliicli eiicii-clcd it on three

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMUAN. 123

sides, supporting- it l)y lioavy square jiicrs at the comers, and
relieving tlieiu by slender spiral pillars with l)r()ad ('a])it;ds
between. This room was used for an informal reception and
smoking- room. At the northern extremity of this terrace stood
the apartment intended as the Salaamlik, or rect^ptidu-nxnii of
the ladies of the xVnderoon, and applied by us to a siinilar
pui-pose, — that is, of a drawing'-rooni. This apartment was
peculiarly shaped, being- about thirtv-fouv feet long, and onlv
fourteen feet wide. The side which abutted against the hill of
coiu'se presented a blank wall, biit the three other sides were
filled with doors, or rather windows reaching to the floor; and
wliL-n these were all thrown ojien, the apartment had the appear-
ance of a piazza. As if this were not enough to convey a sense
of airiness, a broad veranda, with pillars connected by arches,
surrounded two sides of the reception-room, and at the farther
end was an anteroom whose windows were filled with a grat-
ing made of bricks taced Avith a blue glaze. This vestibule
was connected with the Anderoon l)y a staircase. The walls of
the reception-room were decorated in the old-fashioned style of
Persia, with mural paintings representing- scenes from life in the
Harem, united by tracery in gold and scarlet, and executed \\ ith
soiue cleverness. One wdio cannot have access to a Persian
Anderoon may form a foir idea of some of the scenes which
occur in those retreats of pleasiire, from the numerous repre-
sentations of them A\hicli Persian artists are so fond of painting-
on theii- walls and mirror-cases.

Strange to say, the ceilings of all these apartments were of
the nidest character, the undi-essed timbers of the flat roofs
being covered by neither lathing nor plastering- ; and lioth for
looks and in order to prevent insects from dropping on om-
lieads we were obliged to cover them with chintz nailed from
one end of the room to the other. The custom of lea\ang ceil-
inji's in this mifinished state is very common in the nu-al districts

124 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

of northern Persia, It is alleged that the rains and snows of
winter and sprini>- in tlie neio-hborlidod of the nionntains are so
liable to canse the flat root's of iiukI to fall in, that it wonld only
be a iiseless exjiense to add a tinished ceiling' to them.

The i)lan of Arajeb, it must be evident, was sueh as to pro-
duce a succession of interesting effects; it mattered not what
might be the time of day, or what the point of view, it ^\'as
alwavs impressive and beautiful, — especially wdien the jets in
the centre of the tanks, of ^vhicli there were two on each terrace,
were playing, and the splash of waters was heard on the stillness
of the evening hour. But wdien the teri'aces and pillars of Arajeb
were silvered by tlie radiance of the full nioon, nothing could
exceed the majestic beauty of this romantic spot, skirted by
ranks of lofty chenars casting their shadows across the teiTaces,
and enclosed bv tlie mountains which arose like mightA" walls
to the stars. The owls hooted from the <listant tree-to})s their
melancholy watch-cry, while in the nearer thickets the full-
throated nightingale Avarbled till dawn. Sometimes, too, wc
heard the yelp of little jackals skulking through the grt)unds.
During the first month of oiir residence at Arajeb the season in
the mountains was not yet (piite adjusted, and dark clouds gath-
ered nightly, and a great wind rushed down from the gorge with
a mighty roaring and a dash of i-ain, bending tlie tall tiles of
chenars till they seemed like an army of mourners bowing over
the grave of some Titan of old. In half :ni hour the storm \v(ndd
be past ; the stars would again shine forth as they only shine in
Persia, and all woiihl be serene at Arajeb. But when dune
came and the trees ^^■el■e white with blossoms, the clouds and the
rain passed away to return no more lor six months, and the bois-
tcsrous winds became soft and low.

Of course a place so extensive as Arajeb rcMpured to be care-
tully watched, ami besides our troop ot ser\ants \ve were
obliged after nitihtfall to distribute our iifteen guards ai-ound the

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SIIIMUAX. 125

biiildiiijis, in a wiw to pi'c\ciit i-oliln-ry ami arrest intorlojicrs.
A fresh pass^vurll was jj;iveii every iiiglit to the sohliers, and
after nine o'clock not even a member of the family conld cross
the gromids without tlie password, (hie eyening, one of the
foreign Ministers who liad lieeii visiting the Legation was actnally
detained by the luiretlecting sentinels at the gate, who crossed
their muskets before him to prevent his leaving, nntil the writer
appeared and released him from his predicament. Upon another
occasion when T was absent, the Hakem (or governor) of the
villaee of Jeferabad being sent for bv his brother, incautioush'
thought to shorten the distance b}' crossing the garden of the
Legation. He was arrested by the guard, and being of course
mialde to give the password was detained until morning, when
^Ir. Keiin, the dragoman of the Legation, was sent for to release
him. These precautions were really re([uii-(Ml to keep oft' ma-
rauders and prevent the occurrence of incidents which might
have led to serious results. Li order to maintain the discipline
of the guard, it was ahiiost impossible to make exceptions in
favor of any one. If, tor exam])le, rolibers had iindertaken to
enter any of the a])artments, supposing the place to be unpro-
tected, and any of them being Mahometans had been killed, the
complications resulting therefrom might have proved very seri-
ous. It was far better therefore to i)reAent the incitrsion of such
gentry, by having it well understood that the yjlace was care-
full \ guarded. This was still more im])ortant in a village like
Jeferabad, as it was at a long distance from the other Legations
and but little frequented by Europeans, while its villagers were
imusually lanatical and turbulent.

Although aftrays and disturbances occun-ed repeatedly during
the five delightful months we passed at Arajeb, these were but
ripples on the surface of a season of content. My social relations
with the Persian gentlemen of the neighborhood were agreeable
and inipro\'ing. The Hakem (or governor) of Jeferabad called

126 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

on me among others in tlie neighborhood, as did also the chief
mollah of the Imam Zade of Tejrisch, a most coiirteons gen-
tleman, and the IMalek (or head) of the iMerchant's Guild of
Teheran. The Malek is a typical Persian gentleman, \\lio
appears to ha,ve stepped out of the "Arabian Nights." A man
of snperb presence, his handsome face presented an interesting
combination of high culture and intelligence, retinement and
shrewdness, with e^■^dence also of a keen love for the pleasures
of sense. He disdained to wear any garb suggesting foreign
ideas. His flowing robes were of the finest stutts, and pre-
sented a perfect modulation of colors. When he went al)road
it was with few attendants, but his moixnt was of the Ijest blood
of Xedjr>d. When he received, it was with the air of a prince:
the guest was seated on a raised dais in a pavilion that left
nothing t( > be desired ; the waters spouted from a star-shaped
tiinl<; under an aziu-e vault picked-out Avith stars of gold : tlic
open window like a frame enclosed the splendor of flowers
massed in colors, revealing also in the distance the plains of
Teheran ; tlie refreshments were served in the daintiest of
china, and the perfumed cigarettes were of the finest of to-
bacco. The conversation ot tlie host Avas Ijrilliant with repar-
tee, or characteristic anecdotes and paraliles, or apt (piotati()us
from the jxiets of his country recited witli admirable iutomi-
tion, — the litex'ature of the p]ast being at his iingers' ends.
To know the Malek was to gain a new insiglit into the " Ara-
bian Nights;" and to be entertained b\- him was to see the
details of an elegant hospital it\" elevated to one of the fine
arts.

I exchanged calls likewise with another neighbor, tlie Shah
Zade, Ibrahim j\Iirza.' He was a g-reat grandson of Fetli Alee
Shah; and hence tlic term Sliali Zad^, or scion of a king.

' "Mirza" is oiiuivakMit U< our titles of " Mr." nnd " Esiniirc." It nhvays pri'ccdcs
the name, except in tlie case of Princes of blood royal, when it follows the iiaiiie, and
takes a strong accent on the final syllable.

COUNTRY SEATS IN THE SHIMRAN. 127

Feth Aloe iSliali boinj^- ;i man of great powers and amorous iiR-li-
natious, left a goodly colony of descendants, who in former ages
would have most likely lost their li^('s or their eyesight, in
order to prevent attempts at usiu'pation. l^ut this atrocious
custom is no longer possible in Persia; the scions of ro\alty
now live at ease at her court. Is not this a mark of progress ?
Thf day on which I returned the call of Ibrahim Mirza, the
elaborate waterworks he had constructed to beautify his garden
played for the first time. After the water had run a little while,
it suddenlv turned to a crimson hue. On mv calling the atten-
tion of the Prince to this singular occurrence and asking the
reason, he exhibited some annoyance, and earnestly begged my
pai-don that it had lia])i)ened during my visit. He explained that
it is the custom in Persia, when Avater for fountains or irrigation
is first tui-ucd into a garden, to sacrifice a lamb and allow the
blood to mingle with the water, in order to })ro])itiate a blessing
on the garden. Not to oftend me by such a sight, Ibrahim
Mirza stated that he intended to postpone the sacrifice until
after my departure, Init had neglected to give the necessary
orders ; and he now hoped that I should not as a foreigner carry
aw^ay an unpleasant impression of his place. The entertaiinnent
offered by the Prince was so agreeable, that I could truthfully
reply that no apologies were required.

CHAPTER VI.

THE DIFFERENT RACES OF PERSIA.

THE 2:)02Dulation of Persia is roughly estimated at about nine
millions. Some consider it but seven millions and a half.
The Russians place it at the latter figure, the Persians some-
what above the former. Mv own impression is thnt it is not far
from nine millions. It was somewhat larger a few years ago,
before the great famine and pestilence of 1875, which seriously
reduced the population. But there is no reason to believe that
the population of Persia was ever very much larger than it is at
the present day. The southern districts might have been moi-e
densely populated in earlier periods; the remains of old cities
in the sontli, which are now entirely abandoned and destroyed,
seem to indicate that this was the case. But at the same time
it must be considered tliat we are liable to be misled Vtv the
accounts of the great armies which Persia and other ancient
countries were accustomed to ])Tit into the field. We read of
vast hosts being collected, and of men being slaughtered almost
by nations in great battles. In the conrse of a few pages such
events are frequently mentioned ; but we forget that those few
pages perhaps cover the lapse of ages, and that between the bat-
tles there were often long intervals of peace and repose, during
which the sword was changed for tlu' pruning-hook ; we forget
that the simple military tactics of those early periods, and the
absence of firearms prevented those elaborate nijino'uvres and
indecisive conflicts characteristic of modern warfare. Perhaps

THE DIFFKKKNT HACKS uF PERSIA. 129

all the inilitarv resources of a people were concentrated in one
or two battles, including all the men that each side could con-
tribute ; and the vanquished army being not only beaten but
extei-niinated, the war came to a close. Thus it hap])ened that in
those times forces were assembled on a battle-field entirel}' out
of proportion to the population of a country. It should also be
remembered that when Persia entered n\Km foreign conquest
under Darius and Xerxes, invading Scythia and Greece, she
alread}^ had many Asiatic tribes and nations under her dominion ;
they were held under control by the numerically small l)ut active
and intelligent population of Iran, and were forced by her to
contribute by far the larger nundjer of the troops that composed
her vast armies. At Salanns, for example, we see this fact
clearly illustrated. Besides the various nations represented in
his land forces, Xerxes had enlisted into his service the fleets
of every people on the eastern slujre of tlie Mediterranean, from
Egypt to the Hellespont.

It is in this verv meagreness of the population of Persia
pi'0])er, that we find one of the strongest evidences of the vigor-
ous intellect of her people. Neither from theory or fact, there-
tore, are we warranted in assuming that the population of ancient
Persia was much larger than it is now. A very large portion
of the countrv is mere barren waste-land, incapable of support-
ing a population ; and there is no good reason to believe from
geological data that it has been otherwise since the foundation of
tlje Persian Empire. An exception maA' be made in regard to
the region north of the Elburz range, — the ancient Hyrcania,
now' represented by the provinces of Ghilan and Mazanderrm.
Historv and legend seem to indicate that tlie population of that
district was at one time more nunu'rous than it is at present; the
remains of a large nundjer of cities and fortresses still exist
there, concealed in the jirofound depths of its vast foi'ests, or
perched on the crags of its tremendous defiles.

130 PERSIA AND THE PP:RSIANS.

Although the present population of Persia is so limited, it is
yet anything- but liomogeneous. The genuine Persians or Ira-
nees are of course found in all parts of the country, but they
are naturally most numerous in their old stronghold, comprising
the central pi'ovince of Irak and southwestern Persia. Tht'V are
a handsome, witty, vivacious, and intelligent race of Aryan
stock ; their language is Sanscrit, but greatly modified by the
changes of time and tlie addition of Arabic Avords, which have
crept in with the adoption of Mahometanism. They represent
the intelligent })art of the population. To them are due the
arts, the philosophy, the science, and the poesy for which Persia
is famous. Since the fall of Persepolis, the most interesting
cities of Persia have been Shiraz and Ispahan. Ilafiz and Saadi
composed their iunnortal strains amid the bowers of Shiraz, and
their tombs are tliere to this day embowered with roses. The
great Shah Abljass rexived the arts at Ispahan, and her artists
are still the most brilliant in the land. These facts illustrate the
intellectual qualities of the Ir'anee, for Shiraz and Ispahan are
Aryan cities. Although the Iranees liave intermarried witli
foreign slaves, they have never done so to the same degree as
the Turks, and they have generally selected Circassian women ;
as the result, tlicir race is comparatively genuine, what inter-
mixture there has been having rather tended to improve tlian
deteriorate the (piality of tlie (irigiual stock. In the small num-
ber of Guebres, or fire-worshippers, who still survive, we find
more nearlv than elsewhere remains of the race Mhoni ('\rus
led to victory; for the Guebres have never intermarried with
any other people. They are now found chiefly at Yezd and
Telieran, where they are generally devoted to silk-weaving and
husbandry. They are called Guebres, whicli is a corruption
of the word l-afeer, or "infidel;" but they sliould projierly be
called I'arsees, — a term that is still ajjplied to those lire-
worshippers wlio, living from persecution, established them-

THE DIFFERENT HACKS OF I'EKSIA.

131

selves at BoiiAay. The word I'arsee is derived from I'ars,
tlie old name of the province where the Persian nation Avas
l)oni, and from which we derive the modern name of Persia.
Ill the Persian language, the letters jj and f are often inter-

GUEBRE CEHrETERV AT TEHERAN.

changeable ; and hence the province of Pars is now called Fars,
and Ispahan is often pronounced Isfahan.

Tlip northwest of Persia resembles the adjacent territories
of Asia Minor in the varietv of its population. It contains
numerous Armenians, part of it belonging in fact to ancient
Armenia. There is also a colony of thirty thousand Nestorians,
who in Persia are called Nasranee. They are, in point of fact,

132 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Clialdeans, descendants of the people who stndied the stars from
the top of Babel's Tower, and their lang-uage is Chaldaic. They
are adherents of the doctrines of Nestorius, who was Patriarch of
Constantinople in the fifth century A. D. The labors of most of
the American missionaries in Persia are chiefly devoted to the
conversion of this people. They have frequently been subjected
to the inroads of the fierce Kurds, who have treated the peace-
able Nestorians very much as wolves treat lambs. The Kurds
are descended from the ancient Carduchi, with wliom Xenophon
and the ten thousand had so long a struggle. I'lie region they
occupy is as rugged as their character ; they are by far the most
turljulent of the subjects of the Shah, and were it not for the
beautiful rugs they manufacture in their rude dwellings one
would Ije at a loss to imagine a reason for their existence. The
costume, both of the men and the women, is exceedingly pictur-
esque. The men wear a fierce aspect, which is not belied bv
their deeds ; the women have a high complexion, with eyes and
hair intensely l)lack : their beauty is not of a refined tvpe, but
at the same time its traits are so strongly emphasized that they
prove highly attractive to the artistic eye. The Kurds present
an ethnological mystery ; they stand among the Asiatic races
like the Basques and the Lapps in Europe. Their origin is wi-apt
in obscurity; they seem to have no relationship with any other
race; their language is iniique, and like Cain their hand is
against every one, and every one's is against them. The eth-
nologist, who ])laces little value on his life, might find a few
months among tlie mountains of Kurdistan of some i)rofit to
science.

A large part of the northwestern province of Persia, wliicli
is called Azerbaijan, is inhal)ited by Turks. Long accustomed
to the Persian rule, they are thoroughly identified with the
relijj'ion and o^overinnent of Persia, while retaining their I;ni-
guage and race-characteristics. Lideed, the Persian Turks are

TIIK DIFFEKENT HACKS OF PERSIA. 133

the most fanatical of the Sheah.s. This niav be owing- partly
to the fact that the district they occnpy adjoins the Ottoman
dominions, whereby they have often been brought into liostiie
contact with the Sunnees, or rival .Malumietan sect of Turkev.
llie capital of Azerbaijan is Tabreez. It is the largest, and
until recently has been the most important, commercial centre of
Persia, being near the Turkish frontier, so that goods which come
by the great highway of Trebizond and Erzroom are entered at
Tabreez, This city has been besieged and sacked man}- times.
The population is exceedingly fanatical, and even as late as last
year the foreign residents were in some danger of being mas-
sacred during the holy frenzy of the religious festivals. In Jul}',
1885, a number of zealots and ruffians so worked on the fanati-
cism of the populace of Tabreez tliat the Crown Prince of Persia,
who is Governor of Azerbaijan, telegraphed me to request the
missionaries at Tabreez to close their services and schools in
order to avert a threatened massacre of all the Christians in that
city. His request was couched in such polite terms, and was so
evidently based upon friendly feeling for us as well as upon a
genuine apprehension, that I immediately advised the American
citizens at Tabi'eez to accede to the wishes of the Prince for the
time. Although the faith of some of them was so fervent as to
make them wisli implicitly to trust in the Tord, without regard
to results, and to accept martyrdom rather than appear to retire
from the ])ost of duty in the face of the enemy, I must do them
the justice to admit that they generally received the advice in
the spirit in which it was given, and by acting upon it siiowed
that they allowed prudence to temper their zeal. One important
consideration adds to the difficulties of the situation, — the
anxiety of missionaries in Persia, both Protestant and Roman
Catholic, to proselyte the Persians or Mahometans in spite of
the laws and expressed wishes of the Government. But however
they may themselves be willing to accept the possible conse-

134 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

quences of missionary effort among a fanatical people, ought
they not to hesitate before they act in sucli a manner as to
cause disturbances tliat may resuh in damnge to the life and
property of other foreigners resident in that country, and add
to tlie difficulties of the Government by whose sufferance and
hospitality they are permitted to live tliere? It is a serious
question exactly how far missionaries are justified in disturbing
the tranquility of luitions, and then throwing the responsibility
of the results on those people, or on the Lord. I say this
tentatively, and \\ ith no unfriendly feelings toward missions,
— my actions have already shown sufficient friendliness, — l)ut
pnroK' from tlie ])oint of view of a layman, wlio sees that tliis,
like all other questions, lias two sides.

In the soutliwest of Persia there is a considerable number of
Arabs ; and it is to tliem, doubtless, that Persia is indebted for
her very fine breed of Arab liorses. The horse of Sliiraz, called
the Shirazee Arabian, is one of the finest varieties of this noble
stock. The iidiabitants of the thinly-peo|)led southern province
of Kerman are chiefly of Iranian blood. Tlieir most important
industries are weaving and embroidery, in styles resembling and
l)nt little inferior to those of Cashmere. The goats of Kerman
are allied to those of Cashmere, and produce a wool scarcely
less fine. This province is celebrated for its sand-st(irnis. In
many parts the surface is ridged \\\\\\ shifting hills of sand,
like waves of the sea. Travel here is occasionall^y attended with
considerable dangei", owing to the suffocating heat, the terrific
winds, and the vast volumes of hot sand which have buried
caravans and even armies. Of course green valleys, pasture-
lands, and water-courses are found in various places, espe-
cially near the western ])art; l)itt in general the province of
Kerman resembles the adjoining country of Beloochistan,
which is claiincd as ])art of the dominion of Persia, and is
sometimes included in maps of that country : Imt it is practi-

THE DIFFERENT RACES OF I'ER.SIA. 135

callv independent, and its wild tribes rove at will mer its
thiuly-peoplcd plains.

No province of Persia presents greater contrasts of scenery
than that of Khorassan. A large part of it is a vast desert of
sand and salt, half-veiled by quivering mirage, supplied with
water only at long intervals, and overrun by the onagre, or wild
ass, and the gazelle. The receding horizon is skirted by dim
mountain rang-es that tantalize the traveller, roaming over those
hot wastes, with the sig'ht of inaccessible snows. There is reason
to suppose that this part of Khorassan is the bed of a sea whi(di
long since dried up. It is a well-ascertained fact that the (Cas-
pian Sea is gradually evaporating; and thus, in the course of
time, Russia may have another large province added to her
already vast territories, without having to resort for its posses-
sion to the ti'eachery and Idoodshed which have characterized
lier 231'evious conquests. In Khorassan the transition from ex-
traordinary aridity to a teeming verdure is as abrupt as it is
attractive and refreshing. It is these sudden contrasts of scen-
ery which have furnished the chief traits and the peculiar images
that so frequently recm- in Persian poetry. Kishapoor, A\here
Omar Khayam lies biiried, is fragrant with roses and the bloom of
fruitful orchards ; Meshed, the sacred city of Persia and posses-
sor of her noblest shrine, is girt with lovely gardens; Astral )ad
lies hidden on the banks of a river under an almost imsurpassed
wealth of verdure, — her gardens, her fruit-ti-ees, and her groves
are celebrated and simg throughout the East. No part of the
kino'dom is more dear to the Persian than the eastern districts
of Khorassan, but of none is she more likely to be bereft ; fi )i-
the Russian eagle is hovering fiercely on its border, and the insa-
tiable and imscrupulous hunger of the Musco^dte bear constantly
tlu-eatens to snatch from Iran one of her fahest provinces. Some
of the oldest cities in Persia are found in this province, ot ^\ Inch
several would undoubtedly repay archaeological research ; ot

13G

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

these Damghan, the Hecatompylos of the Ai-sacidre, is one of
the most important. The far-famed tnrqnoise mines, forming
one of the most valuable sources of Persian revenue, are in the
neighborhood of Nishapoor. Aside from a number of the no-
madic tribes, most of the inhabitants of Khorassan are of Iranian

stock and are industrious
and intelligent.

The numerous nomadic
tribes of Persia oifer one
of the most interesting and
important divisions of its
population. It is impos-
sible to ascertain their
exact number, but it is
probably somewhat over a
million. Although called
I nomads, tliere is a certain
regularity in tlieir move-
ments and tlieir liahitat
Avliich renders them pi-ac-
ticallv fixtures of the soil,
— almost as much as the
English gentlemen who
make a ride of spending
part of the xcxw in the
country and the other
part at tlie capital. The nomads of Persia spend the winter
in mud villages on the plains; in suinmer, they move to the
mountains with their flocks, and dwell in goats'-hair tents.
They resort to the same spot \-ear after year; and any tribe
or clan or familv tli;it sliould pitch its tents in a place previ-
ously occupied by another, would be considered an interloper.
It must be said that in a climate like thfit of Persia such a

A I'EUSIAN NOMAD WOMAN.

Tin: DIFFERENT RACES UF PERSIA. 137

lltV lias nianv attractions. I spent several weeks, each sununer
ot'inv residence there, in a tent among- those mountain valleys.
1'he crisp pure air was invigorating as an elixir. It was a joy
never to be surromuled by stone walls ; ever to be in the jjres-
ence of the mountains and the stars; to watch the flocks and the
herds browsing in the solitude, \^liere scarce a sound was heard
except the distant bark of a shepherd's dog, the baltble of a
stream, the scream of the liawk circling in the sky above, or the
merry laughter of the nomad girls wandering from settlement to
settlement, and the voice of the copper-colored children romping
half naked before tlie tent-doors, while their mothers and sisters
wove rugs to sell in the cities, or stuffs to clothe themselves
when the short winter should set in.

These nomads are a thriftv set ; and what with the sale of
butter and cheese, of miitton and wool, and textile stuffs, they
generally keep the wolf from the tent door, and accunnilate
enough at least to endow their daughters with flocks and jewels.
I gathered these facts not onlv from observation, but also from
conversing- with some of the nomads themselves. They told me
that the tax-collector conies around every month and counts the
flocks. The regular tax is four shaliis, or three cents, per month
on each sheep and goat. This practically amounts to forty per
cent on the value of each animal per annum, if sold on the hoof;
but really it is considerably less than that proportion, for during
the year a large amount of wool is sheared from the flocks, which
is so much over and above their market value, while the cost of
feeding the flocks and herds is next to nothing. Thus it is evi-
dent that a good margin of jjrofit remains to these thrifty roamers
of the Persian wilds. Of course, the chief of each tribe gets
the lion's share of the profits, and can sometimes indulge in con-
siderable pastoral dis])lay ; occasionally, too, the governors of
the districts make unusual levies on them for contributions of
money; a large proportion of the Persian army, especially for

lo8 PERSIA AND THE PEKSIANS.

the cavalry, is also drafted from these tribes. They suljinit to
the latter hardship with ill grace soiiietiiiies, although they make
the best soldiers in Persia. But all things considered, no class
of the Persian population is so comfortably situated as its no-
madic tribes. By special treaty-provisitm witii liussia, al)out
forty thousand of these nomads, chiefly of the tribe called the
Shall Sevend, whose winter quartei'S are near the northwest
frontier, are permitted to cross the line and pasture their flocks
during the summer-time on the fat pasture-lands of the Araz
in the southern Caucasus.

While the habits of these tribes vary but little, very great
race-difl'erences exist among them. They are all nominallv
Mahometans, although their religion sets lightly on them, and
their superstition and ignorance are phenomenal. The distinc-
tion to which I refer lies in the fact that some of these tribes
are of piire Aryan or Persian stock, and speak ^ arious dialects
of Sanscrit; but all the triljes who are not of this stock are
of Turanian or Turkish origin, allied to tlic numerous Tui'tar
tribes that wander around the ( )xus, and gave armies to Zengis
Klian and Timoor. While the Aryan tribes are found in all
parts of Persia, the Turkish tribes, who form about a third of
tlie entire number, live only in the north of that country, extend-
ing .at intervals from the western to the eastern frontier. At
present, the most important of tliese Turkisli tribes arc tlie
Kliajars. This is owing to the fact that Aga Mohamed Siiah,
tlie founder of tlie jiresent dynasty of Persia, was a cliief of the
Kliajars. Although still included among the wandering jjastoial
clans of Iran, a natural consequence of the fact that the scejitre
of so great a monarchy is held by representatives of a race of
shepherds, has naturally tended to lead many of the Kliajar tribe
to abandon pastoral life for the excitements and ambitions of
the capital. The chief of the Kliajars himself now resides at
Teheran, where he enjoys especial privileges, and administers

THE DIFFERENT RACES OF PERSIA. 139

separate ]a^ys for liis people, exactly as it" lie were still a pntri-
arclial cliieftaiu dispensing- justice in a breezy tent on the Elhurz
Mountains, siuTounded by the bleat of flocks and herds. One
of the most diflficult cases I h.ad to manage was long prexented
fr(^)m reacliino- a successful issue because the niorts'aefee was a
Khajar, and the operation of the ordinary Liws was checked by
the chief of tlie Khajars, wlio protected him against our just
demands.

The nomads of northern Persia are generally a peaceable,
inoffensive class ; Init the Aryan trilies of central and soutliern
Persia are treacherous and turbulent, addicted to bloodshed and
robbery, and yielding only a half-hearted allegiance to tiie
crown. The most imjjortant of these tribes are the Loories and
Bachtiarees ; tlan' number about five hundred thousand, of wliicli
three fourths belong to the latter tribe. The late cliief of the
Bachtiarees, whose titular name was tlie II Hanee, liad his head-
quarters at Changanghoor, where he luiilt himself a palace ])artlv
fnrnislied witli articles imported from Eiu'ope, and lived in a
stvle singularly contrasted with that of his subjects, whose goats'-
hair tents blackened the surrounding landscape. He had the
habit of taking- a pill every morning before eating, as a jjreserva-
tive against all ills ; this pill was made of a rubv, ground fine
and mixed \\ith a paste. This costly remedy does not seem to
have been sufficient to avert the catastrophe wliich terminated
his career. He had secretly collected many arms, and was sus-
pected of designing a revolt against the Shah, or at least of
throwing oft' the obligation to pay the annual trilnite of money
and men. As the Bachtiarees are war-like and brave, such a
disturbance in the heart of the kingdom might prove exceedingly
troublesome in a country constituted like Persia; it might lead
to brigandage, and perhaps risings elsewhere, and possildy to
foreign complications, owing to the readiness of Russia to in-
terfere on every possible occasion. Such a revolt would also

14U

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

necessarily be more serious if it were among the very class
which furnishes some of the best troops of the Shah. The Prince
Zil-i-Sultan decided to nip the difficulty in the bud by a meas-
ure highly characteristic of governments in the East. He invited
tlie II Hanee to visit liim at Ispahan, and violating the sacred
rights of hospitality in which his guest confided, caused him

to be secretly assassi-
nated. TJie Bachtiarees,
being thus deprived of
their able and andjitious
leader, were of course
obliged to postpone open
exjiression of their dis-
content to a more favora-
ble occasion. The Prince
has been severely blamed
for tliis arbitrary meas-
ure ; but I think there is
something to be said in
his favor. It is not un-
likely that the death of
the II Hanee was decided
upon by the Shah himself as a political necessity. It should
also be remembered that Orientals would view such a sun unary
deed far otherwise than Europeans ; that the II Hanee himself
was very well aware, from the customs of his country, what was
likely to be his fate in case his designs were suspected ; and
that such a method of taking him off probably resulted in this
case in far less bloodshed than if regular processes of law had
been attempted, and was much more likely to produce order in
such a coiintry than measures more public and strictly legal.

In manv of their habits the Bachtiarees sug-ofest the North
.\mericau Indians. Unlike other 3Iussulmans, they name their

ZIL-I-SULTAN.

THE DIFFERENT li.VlES OF I'KUSIA. Ill

clilldi'en usually, not alter the Prophet and his descendants, but
alter wild animals, such as wolf, lion, tig-er, or the like, adding
some descriptive epithet. They are brave, and at the same time
cunning' and treacherous. A stranger can travel safely among
them only by first obtaining permission from their chief, who
delegates one or more young men of the tribe to escort him and
be responsible for himself and tlie safety of his goods. 'I'hey
are extraordinary thieves, skilled to an astonishing degree in
the high art of purloining without detection. A European gen-
tleman of my acquaintance wlio was traA'elling among them
was sitting in his tent at dead of night ; he had taken the pre-
caution to remove every object from tlie edge to the centre
around the tent-pole. All was still ; the dogs inside and out were
asleep ; there was absolutel}- not a sound to be heard, when lie
suddeidy perceived a long sinewy arm creep stealthily as a
snake under the tent, and move around seeking some object to
steal. Raising a heavy stick, my friend brought it down with
full force on the ai-m ; instantly it was withdrawn, luit not a
groan or a whisper escaped to indicate that a man was behind
that mysterious arm. A Persian dig-nitarv travelling- among' the
Baclitiarees gathering taxes was reading in his tent ; his back
was supported by cushions ; he bent forward a moment to bring-
bis book nearer the light, but when he leaned back again he
found the cushions had been removed, and fell Hat on his back,
heels in tlie air. The mattress on which a man and his wife
Avere sleeping has actually been taken by these clever rogues.
When the pair awoke in the morning they found themselves on
opposite sides of the tent, their bed vanished, spirited aw'ay,
whither and how and by whom they knew not.

Before closing this sketch of the ditferent people who make
up the population of the present Persian Empu-e, a few words
should be said about the restless Afghans, avIio find their way
into Persia and make their headquarters at Teheran. Although

142 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

not numerous, they form a marked feature of that capital ; for
they are often seen in mounted squads, going- foi-th for exercise,
and none of the motk^y throngs in the streets of that city ])resent
a more striking and pictiu'esque appearance. Their c()m]>lcxi(in
is swartliv; the eyes are intensely black and inclined to bulge, — a
sign which is supposed to indicate loquacity, without proportion-
ate intelligence : in the case of the Afghans, this loquacity is
coml)ined with mendacity. Their eyebrows are heavy, and
the beard is intensely black ; the nose is high, prominent, and
strongly aquiline; the hands and feet are small, the form me-
dium size, well jiroportioncd, and slender lint strong. One end
of the many-colored sash wliich is wound around the head as
a turban hangs like a festoon over the left shoulder; the loose
coat is held together Ijy a scarf wound around the waist, and
nunu'rous daggers, . old-fashioned pistols, and a scimitar, or per-
haps a sabre captured from the English, complete the appearance
of this most etfective figm-e, as he rides his mettlesome steed with
easv grace tlu'oiigli the streets of Teheran.

The Afghans and the Rohillas of India are undoubtedh"
descended, in y)art at least, from the Jews. They themselves
acknowledge this to be the fact, but decline to have aught to do
with other Jews, because of their religion, — the Afghans lieing,
of course, fanatical Mahometans of the Snmiee faith. Jlie term
Af(/lian means " wailing; " this seems to suggest tluit thev are de-
scended froui the mysterious Ten Tribes, who it www reasonablv
be supposed lamented their distant cai)tivit\-. It is deeply to be
regretted that this endless problem, which is of not the slightest
])ractical value, cannot be settled oiu-e for nil bv acce])tiug this
solution of the (|uestion. The Afghans contimie to jire.serve
a sort of tribiil org:iui/,;itiou. lieiui;' divided into numerous rnal
clans, each oi' which seeks iu turn to gaiu the ascen(l;nic\'. 'I'lie
most promiuent of these trilies are the Barukzai and the Saduzai'.
Alididnihmau, the present Etrieer of Afghiuiistau, belongs to the
SMduzai.

THE DIFFERENT KACES OF I'EKSIA. 143

The relations between Persia and Afghanistan have always
Ix'cii most intimate, and tlic frontier between them has often been
hazy. Persia has frequenth' o\-errim her neighbor's territory,
and once held a portion of Afghanistan for centnries. In 1 852
a Persian army besieged and eaptm-ed Herat. Early in the
eighteentb. centui'y Persia was invaded by Mahmood, the Af-
ghan, who overthi-ew the dynasty of the Abassides, and held
the country for several years. In the frenzy of fanaticism he
wasted the splendors of Ispahan, slanghtered the greater part of
the })opnlation of that maginficent capital, including almost all
tlie artists of Persia, and brought upon the nation such calaiuities
as she has not recovered from to this day. The Afghans Avere
driven out by Nadir Shah, but from that time the deposed Emeers
of Afghanistan, or their sul)jects fleeing from the perils of ])olitical
feud, have been accustomed to find an asylum at the court of
Persia, where they have sought by intrigue to obtain the aid of
the Sliah in order to reinstate themselves in ])ower.

'■ Ilo\v is it," said Feth Alee Shah to an Afghan chief, "that
Persian scimitars are curved, while the Afghan swords have
straight blades ! "

"It is because the Persian character is crooked, while the
Afghan goes directly to the point."

Tlie antithesis is g-ood, but hardlv in accordance with facts,
for both jieople are sufficiently crooked in character. At the
present day, however, the Afglians are of the two the more
ignorant and cruel; but it is a curious circumstance that the
Persian language is nowhere so correctly spoken as at Can-
daluir, in Afghanistan.

In the reign of Feth Alee Shah, the blood-feud between the
great rival triljes of Afghanistan reached a severe crisis. Ke])-
resentatives of both tribes had sought refuge at Teheran, includ-
ing the deposed Emeer of the Bantkzai, who could not be
attacked bv his enemies so long as he received the hospitality

144 JPERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

and protection of the Shall of Persia. After long intrigues, the
Saduzai succeeded in persuading Feth Alee Shah to withdraw
hi.s protection from the Barukzai, who were at the ca])ital, shel-
tered in the palace of Kasr-i-Khajar. The Sliah announced
this decision Ijy saying, " I am going hunting to-day, and these
people are not my guests in my absence." Tlii.s was sufJicient
to indicate that he abandoned them to their doom. The Saduzai
at Teheran thus learned that they could wreak their vengeance
with impunity ; they burst into the palace of Kasr-i-Kahjar, seized
the unfortunate Barukzai and his family, dragged them to a little
eminence outside the gates of the palace, and cut them to pieces.
r The number of Afghans resident at Teheran is at present un-
usually large, owing to the internment of Eyoob Khan in Persia
and the recent difficulties in Afghanistan. The chief business of
the Afghans at Teheran is intrigue.

Besides the numerous other populations residing in Persia and
enjoying the beneficent protection of Xasr-ed-I)een Sliali, there
is a small number of Europeans, who are scattered about the
chief cities of the land. Of course, many of these are connected
with the diplomatic corps and the various consulates; and besides
them must be included those natives who as employees of tlie
Legations Ijecome foreign proteges : these last form quite a littk'
army in themselves with their families, wlio also enjoy similar
protection. Russia claims the largest number of the foreigners
resident in Persia; but many of them are Armenians of Persian
birth, who have succeeded in transferring themselves undci- rlic
Russian flag in order to conduct their bu.siness at Resht and
Tabreoz with less annoyance. Tlie total nundier of foreig'uers at
Teheran i.s nearly three hundred, excluding, of course, Tin-ks and
Afghans. They include representatives of almost every nation
in Em-ope, besides a numlier of Americans. Many of them are
connected witli tlie Indo-European Telegrajdi Comp;iiiy; scvcrnl
are in tlie emjiloy of the Persian Goveniiiieiit, as instructors in

THE DIFFERENT RACES OF PERSIA. 145

the army or the Koyal CoUeye, (u- ;is physicians, or teachers of
the mihtary baiuh This httle lorei;^!! cok>ny contains a nuniher
of adventnrers who liave fled from Europe with speckled reputa-
tions, and are seeking to rebuikl their fortmies in Persia. There
are several European commercial houses at Teheran ; and a small
hotel k('})t 1)Y a Frenchman affords reasonable accommodations
for the occasional traveller, who prefers being- lodged and fed in
French style to resorting to a native caravansary. These Euro-
peans live quite by themselves, having but few social relations
with the Persians ; although the leading dignitaries of the court
frequently accept invitations to entertainments at tlie Legations.
Like all such colonies the Em'opean commimity at Teheran is
split up into cliques and perpetually disturbed by jealousies and
scandals; but some of its members are exceedingly agreeable
and intelligent, and one may pass many attractive and profitable
hom-s in their society.

Tiie niunber of Legations at the Court of Persia is now
seven, established in tlie order given here: the Russian, the
English, the Turkish, the French, the Austro-Hungarian, the
United States, and the German. The Ottoman is strictly an
embassy, and therefore takes precedence of all the others.

The United States interests in Persia are protected by a
special treaty between the two countries. This treaty was ne-
gotiated by the Hon. Carrol Spence and Feridvli Khan, who
respectively represented their countries at Constantinople dur-
ing the administration of President Buchanan. Privileges not
specifically treated in separate articles of the treaty are admitted
imder the "most favored nation" clause of the famous treaty of
Turkoman Tchai, drawn up between Russia and Persia early
in this century, and affording a basis for most of the treaties
negotiated with Persia since then. One of the most important
clauses of the treaty with the United States refers of course to
the protection of our citizens. It is agreed that all cases in

146 PEESL\ AND THE PERSIANS.

Persia between the United States citizens and Persian subjects
shall be tried in the usual courts of Persia according- to Persian
law, but in the presence of a United States official, who shall see
that the law is justly administered. In point of fact, the practice
has been to settle such cases by mutual conference between the
United States Minister and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and
in minor cases by conference of their secretaries. Considering
the peculiar character of Persian law and justice, this seems to
be the most satisfactory method of allaying difficulties ; but it is
evident that so far as American interests are concerned, — dis-
tant as the Legation is from Washington, isolated, drawing little
aid from the home Department, and experiencing none of that
strong moral support which would come from a nation having
a decided foreign policy, — the United States Minister in his
dealings with the Persian Government must have tact, judgment,
knowledge of the people, and be above all a persona grata.
Cases between American citizens and the subjects of Powers
other than Persia are tried in the Legation or Consulate of the
defendant, according- to the laws of his country, or of the code
specially prepared for that Legation, or upon terms agreed upon
by the respective Ministers. In accordance with this principle,
and following the usage at all our Oriental Legations, it became
my duty in turn to prepare a code for the Legation at Teheran
and our Consular courts throughout Persia. Finding the code
in use at our Legation in Turkey to be in the main sufficient
for our purpose, I adopted that, with certain modifications suited
to the somewhat different conditions existing in Persia; and
these were approved by the Department at Washington.

It is needless to say that the duties of the Legation at the
Court of Persia were arduous, constant, and sometimes exceed-
ingly difficult to arrange. Before the establishment of our Le-
gation, American interests in Persia had long been protected by
the courtesy of her British Majesty's Minister at the Court of tlie

THE UIFFEKEXT RACES OF PERSIA. 147

Shall. But these interests in time came to absorb so much of
his attention, that lier Majesty's Government finally signified to
our Government that it must provide other means for jirotecting
its interests. It was a disgrace to a great Government like ours,
that it should so long have allowed our worthy citizens in Persia
to be without a Legation of their own. It was culpable neglect
for a country possessing, such vast commercial interests as ours
to neglect so long to avail itself uf the j)rivileges accorded by
the treaty, and to establish the means by which those privileges
could be turned to account.

Tliis is not the place, nor would it become me at present, to
enter into a relation of the cases called to the attention of and
adjusted by the United States Legation at Teheran during my
residence there. Doubtless an incumbent of that office mi"ht
for a time draw his salary, and accomplish little else if so
minded ; but one who accepts the post with a conscientious
sense of duty will find it one of the most laborious offices in
the gift of the United States. In this connection I take the lili-
erty of quoting a passage from a very able document prepared
by the late Secretary of State, the Hon. Frederick T. Freling-
huysen, who was at once an accomplished diplomatist and gen-
tleman, and who in his relations with our representatives abroad
never once forgot the amenities belonging to those relations.
The following is the passage I allude to: —

" The duty of a diplomatist is to seek to avoid issues by procuring a
satisfactory settlement befoi'e a subject of formal discussion is presented.
The essence of any such arrangement is its informality and secrecy. It
would not of course be consonant with the public interests for the under-
signed to allude to any specific instance in this connection ; but he may
say that many examples have occurred where American citizens have
been saved serious inconveniences, imprisonment, or loss of property by
such informal and confidential interposition of their Ministers, when if a
formal com[)laint had been made, the technicality of the law, or the policy
of the foreign Government in the treatment of its own citizens, would
have forced it to the action we wished to avoid. The successes of a diplo-

148 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

niacy are therefore usually known to but few, which perhaps not unnatu-
rally has led to the belief, held by many, that with the introduction of the
steamship and telegraph the duties of a Minister have ceased. However
fast the mail or efficient the telegraph, neither can ever supply the place
of the diplomatic agent who advises his Government of the disposition
of the other, and conducts the personal negotiations under general in-
structions from home. The home Government can only outline the policy;
it Is for the agent to accomplisli the end sought. The important duty of
diplomacy is the daily work which attracts no attention, and is, in fact,
successful in proportion to its silence and apparent repose."

In closing these observations, it is jiroper to add tlint at
present the duties of a United States representative in Persia are
chiefly diplomatic. The demands for a fuller consular service
will increase when our merchants decide to avail themselves
more fully of the advantages of trade with Persia. Justice to
tlie writer's exertions in that direction warrants the statement
tluit efforts to secure such a trade have already begun.

CHAPTER VII.

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN PERSIA.

ONE of the most remarkable institutions of Persia is the
" Modahul." In plain English, this means a ten per cent
commission ; in its broader application, it means an allowable
commission or ])ercentage, exacted by every one who bu^•s for
another or does him any service or favor, above the cost of the
purchase or the wages previously agreed on for the service. It
may be objected that this is not a system peculiar to Persia.
In a sense this is true. The world over men get what they can,
and do something for nothing as rarely as possible. ]?ut there
are certain features in the modalud, as practised in Persia, which
give it a character of its own, and are a striking illustration of
life in that isolated land. In tlie first place, the secret or open
exaction of a commission for articles purchased by servants is
elsewhere confined chiefly to household servants, and is con-
sidered to be a transaction, if not disgraceful, at least one to be
kept secret. But in Persia every emjdovee demands the right to
add ten jjcr cent to the price of goods purchased for his master,
and no one hesitates to allow it to him. Why not ? It is a
custom established by innnemorial usage. If this were all, one
might set it down as an ordinarv average expense, and say no
more about it. But the difticulty a foreigner finds in accepting
this usage lies in the fact tliat he soon learns that the Per-
sian servants not only purchase inferior articles and charge the
price for the highest grade of articles, but they add far more
than the simple addition of a ten per cent modahfd would

150

PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

warrant. Thus the employer, or mastei", can only by close, un-
remitting, and vexatious vigilance reduce the so-called modahul
to a reasonable average of" loss.

STROl.LINCi MUSICIANS, WITH UAMlNd MONKEVS.

Nothing can exceed tliu cunnin!'- ol' tliese Persian servants.
Their endeavors to steal a penny hrrc or a jienny tliorc arc so
constant, and often so ingenious, tliat one might easily believe

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IX PEKSIA. 151

they sat up all night to devise means for defrauding their
masters. AVe had a cook who even at Teherfm was notorious for
his craft and villany. One da}' he stated that he had an oppor-
tunity to buy a turkey from a countryman for a low pi-ice. It
was true, he said, that it was a small l)ird for a turkey, but at
any rate it was toothsome and tender, — that he could vouch
for; and all things considered, it was cheaper than a chicken.
Would we have it ? The answer being in the affirmative, the
turkey was served to ns at dinner. The appearance of the fowl
was suspicious both as to size and shape, and the first application
of the kuife showed it to be an old and leathery hen. The
rogue had procured it for a mere song, and by passing- it off
as a tui'key proposed to put the difference in his pocket.

On another occasion he played a trick which came near to
costing him dear with his fellow-servants. A cattle disease was
prevailing, which in the absence of sanitary laws made it dan-
gerous to purchase the beef for sale in the markets. We tliere-
fore restricted ourselves to mutton and game, — which was no
severe hardship, as both are abundant and excellent at Teheran ;
and we gave strict orders that no beef should be brought on our
table, either roast, or disguised in the form of ragout, or soup.
Many were the times this varlet of a cook sought to palm off
the forbidden meat for some other, for from the very fact of its
being diseased it was the cheapest meat in the market. When-
ever the cheat was detected we sent the dish back to the cook,
with the word that it was a " pishkesh," — that is, a present;
by which we meant we would not pay for it. And yet though
often detected and made to pay for his tricks, the fellow never
ceased racking his brain for some new device. For example, —
a ham having been boiled for the table, he undertook on the
following day to serve up the broth as mutton soup. The decep-
tion being discovered, he gave the soup to his unsuspecting
fellow -servants. They were all Mahometans, and of course

152 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

would have rejected it if nware of its cliaracter. But on the
following day they learned tlie facts ; and after venting tlieir
rage on the cook Imtli in words and Itldws, tliev all took an
emetic, and purified themselves at tlie public batli. AMien no
other means of deceiving occurred to his wily brain, he liad a
wa}' of being sent for to his house, either because his child was
ill or dead, or one of his wives, or because of some other plausi-
ble exigency. Thus excusing himself from preparing dinner for
us, he would then assist at the cooking of a state entertainment
at one of the other Legations or a Persian magnate's, and make
his modahul there. This is a common device at Teheran among
the best cooks.

Among so many servants as one is obliged to employ in
Persia, it evidently follows that one is constantly busy watching
their attempts at cheating'. The head-servant, or major-domo, is
called the "nazeei'." It is assumed that if he is capable, the
modahiil, or commission, with its attendant exorbitant demands
and leakages, will be confined to his accounts. But this is f;ir
from being- the fact. If one has ludimited means at his disposal,
and prefers to pay three times the value of articles in his house-
hold expenses rather than liave his repose or time infringed
upon, this is very well. But if economy is essential, then pre-
pare for a steady battle witli all your servants in Persia. They
are respectful, good-natured, not unwilling to work, and some-
times display real fidelity and attachment to their masters; and
some of them may be relied upon not to pilfer. They bear
rebukes meekly, which is a great point, and are often in ever\'
respect but one model servants, liut they all lie unconscionablv,
and all to the last man claim the modalall or take it, which in
this case means as much beyond the allowable ten per cent as
they can juggle out of the master, or of causing the price of arti-
cles sold to him to be raised to cover the ten ]ier cent the vender
must pay to them. European residents in Persia have been

COXDiriOXS OF SKKVICK IN PERSIA. 153

obliged to adopt the system of ])ayiii^- wages somewhat above
those given by Persian gentlemen, and allowing the servants
to board themselves. As all these domestics are married, as a
matter of course, they do nt)t object to this plan, and it certainly
offers less opportunities for stealing. The domestics of a large
household take turns to sleep at home.

One of the most difficult departments to manage in a house-
hold in Persia is that of the stables. As — excepting to a limited
degree at the capital and two or three other cities — the only
means of locomotion is on horseback, and as a certain degree
of style is essential when riding abroad, not only for ostentation
but for security as well, and because of the extensive arrange-
ments necessary in going even a short distance, it is the cus-
tom to have many horses, which fortunately are both good and
cheap. This presupposes a proportionate number of retainers
for this service alone, established l)y immemorial usage. There
is first the mirahor, or equerry, who has general supervision, and
is responsible for the jiurchase and dispensing of the provender
as well as for the condition of the horses and the stables. Under
him is the ffileodar, or leading- outrider, who proceeds in the van
of the cavalcade and clears the way : in a large menage he has a
nund^er of mounted assistants. The hostler of course plays an
important part in a Persian stable. He is entitled to a cliaglrd,
or prentice assistant, for every four horses in his charge. lie
lodges in the stable on a raised earthen platform, and has the
pri\dlege of keeping fowls in the stable. It is possible, also, that
he has for a fellow-companion a pig, or even a wild 1)oar. It is
a siiperstition of the Persians, although they will not eat swine,
that the unclean animal is desirable in a stable, having some oc-
cult influence over the horses. It is therefore not uncommon to
find a pig in a Persian stable. A yoimg wild boar was presented
to me, — a Avild, unkempt, roaring beast, — which had no tam-
able instincts. I put him in the stable, and there he stayed

154 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

content, until a kick from one of the horses settled his destiny.
A friend of mine likewise kept a yonng hoar in his stable.
The boar and his riding horse became friends ; whenever the
gentleman went to ride, the boar followed after like a dog,
with wild squeaks of delight. One day they met a ti'oop of
wild boars, and this young boar found theu society so con-
genial that he forsook civilized Avays and retm-ned to his native
woods.

The horses used in Persia are invariably stallions ; but al-
though spirited, they rarely exhibit the vicious fire of stallions
in America. They are gentle, and accidents with them are
rare. I ascribe this partly to the fact that they are constantlv
in contact with men, who sleep with them and treat them kindly,
almost as if they were hmnan.

The Persians blanket their horses very heavily, even in
summer, which is contrary to oixr usage. But I am convinced
that they understand very Avell the art of caring for horses,
although foreigners who \ixv in Persia are in the habit of de-
crying the knowledge of the natives on this subject. But the
Persians for thousands of years have reared breeds of horses
unsurpassed for excellence : this cannot be entirely the result
of accident. There are no stalls in the stables ; the mangers
are simply apertures in the sides of the mud walls. The horses
are tethered to spikes in tlie floor of the stable. In winter, the
stable is closed and dark ; in summer, the mangers are in the
garden- walls, under the ti-ees. The summer stable of a Persian
nobleman resembles a camp of cavalrv.

It is a singular custom of Persia that a criiniiial mav always
find absohite jtrotection by seeking refuge in a stable. It matters
IK it whethei' it be the stable of a king or oi' liis meanest subject.
The fugitive iVom justice sleeps at tlie foot of the master's favor-
ite horse ; while he I'emains there, the owne)' of the stable must
feed him. No one can liai'ui liiin, not e^■en the sovereign liini-

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN PERSIA. 155

self can toiicli a hair of his head, while \iv chooses to remain in
that asyhmi. Tlie origin of this custom is k)st in obscurity, but
most prf>bably has some rehition to early nomadic habits.

It is a pity that the security offered criminals in Persian sta-
bles could not also be extended to the general management of
the provisions for the horses. Every one connected with a Per-
sian stable seems to be in conspu'acy with his associates to plun-
der the master in every possible way. First, they begin by
trying to make him pay for more provisions than have been
delivered, or they charge him double the amount of the value.
Then they give the horses less than their necessary rations, and
continue this until the horses show that they are underfed. If
detected in this, they will sometimes make holes in the back of
tlic manger, and while they put the full amount of barley into the
manger, half of it perhaps slips through the hole and is caiight
by an accomplice outside the stable. If the door of the stable
is locked at sunset, and the key returned to the pocket of the
master, the hostler will arise at midnight and lower a bag of
stolen plunder from the top of the wall to confederates waiting
outside. Clever means are also taken to injure the blankets,
halters, or saddles, in order that he may make a commission out
of the man who repairs or re[)laces them. AMienever it is pos-
sible, the hostler will also bring his friends into the stable to
sleep there, or admit humble strangers coming to the city, who
in consideration of such entertainment pay him part of what
they would otherwise have to pay if they lodged at a cara-
vansary ; or they carry off some of the provender and divide
the proceeds -NAith him, or they find an opportunity to rob the
house during' the nio-ht. I remember on one occasion one of
my servants, who had a grudge against the hostler, came to
me just after I had retired for the night, and told me in great
secrecy that I might do well to repeat the rounds I took every
night about the place. Taking with me the corporal and two

156 PERSLA. AND THE PERSIANS.

soldiers, I repaired to the stable. I pushed the door open sud-
denly, bnt discerned nothing' peculiar by the light of the dim
lantern ; through a chink in the door of the back stable, however,
a briffht lif-ht seemed to indicate that something uncanny \\as
going on within. ()n bursting open that door, six anned rutHans
were revealed (piietly smoking- with the hostler. T]ic\" were
so astounded by our appearance that they dared make no re-
sistance. By my orders the soldiers unceremoniously ejected
both them and the hostler from the premises. It is needless
to say that he forfeited a month's wages that was due him at
the time.

Although Persian servants are not ill-natm"ed, it seems diffi-
cult for a number of them to live together in the same house-
hold without freqvxent quarrels, wliicli give inucli tn^uble to the
master. Dissensions between the servants of ri-s'al houses are
also of frequent occui-rence. While in the former case this has
the advantage of reducing the amount of stealing, inasmuch as
one servant will report the misdeeds of another, yet it is on the
whole one of the most serious inconveniences of life in Persia ;
and after the occnn-ence of several ^-iolent affrays, I was obliged
to tell mv servants that a repetition of these disturbances would
result in their losing my protection. Qiiarrels aniong the ser-
vants of the same household are often due to the fact that tlic
domestics not infrequently belong to difterent religious sects.
My best servant was a member of the small Mahometan sect
called Aleolahee, and all the other domestics seemed to fi'el
bound to persecute lum in every possible mnnnor, ho]iing tlius
to cause his expulsion.

As an instance of the difliculties we liad to encounter from
this source, I may mention an incident that occun-ed during the
snnuiier that I was living at the village of Jeferabad. ( )ur resi-
dence was (m one side of a nionntain stream ; on the o])posite
side was the country seat of the mother of tlie Zil-i-Snltaii,

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN I'KUSIA. 159

oldest son of the iSliali. »Slie came to the eouutrv one da\', in-
tending to remain some weeks. !She -was attended by a Inmdred
servants ; many of them were Lntees, or professional black-
guards, and all were intlated with a sense of the importance
(if the ser\T:ce iu \\liich they were engaged. A nnmber of these
fellows crossed the brook and began to insult the wife of m^'
hostler. Several of my servants flew to the rescue, and in tlic
melee -that succeeded they were roughly handled bv the supe-
rior numbers of the servants of the Princess. One had two teeth
knocked out, another lost a finger, and a third was severely
bruised. The cu-cumstances were such as to require prompt
action. I immediately dispatched oiu* moonchee to the Minis-
ter of Foreign xlftairs, representing that bad blood had been
excited between the domestics of the two households, Avliich
threatened fm'ther collisions, and perhaps a riot, unless immediate
attention were given to the matter. The Minister, who at the
time was at the palace of the Shah, immediateh', a\ ith com-
mendable promptness, returned to his residence, which was near
that of the Princess, and proceeded to trv the ringleaders, al-
though l)y this time it was ten o'clock at night. Three of the
servants of the Princess were found guilty of disorderly conduct,
and were summarily thrashed by torchlight under the trees, and
on the follo\^^ng day the Princess sent over her apologies and
regrets. The results were salutary. No other difficulties oc-
curred between the two households during the remainder of
the season.

Upon another occasion a servant of the United States drago-
man became involved in a dispute with an old villager, and
br(^ke two of his ribs. It was immediately reported that the
<ild man was killed, and he certainlv had a narrow escape
with his life. The people in Jeferabad were A^^ld with excite-
ment ; the familv of the injured man filled the sti-eets with
screams ; the whole village arose as one man ; they flew to the

160 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

house of the dragoman. He was a Clu'istian and a Eiu'opean,
and hence part of the popular fur}- was due to fanaticism. He
escaped by the back door, and repaii-ed to the hcnise of one of
the secretaries of the Foreign Office. The people followed him
thither, and a tremendous clamor arose, which began to take
form in a cry that as they could not get possession of the
dragoman they would storm the Legation itself. They were
blind with rage, and cared little who were the victims of their-
vengeance if onlj- they were Christians and foreigners. As all
this occurred ten miles from the capital, there were no troops
at hand who could be summoned in time to quell the disturb-
ance. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, who lived across the
brook, sent a hasty messeng-er to warn me to be on my guard
against an attack. Tliis was not an easy affair, for the groupds
of the Legation were extensive, and could be entered at manv
})oints; but I ordered oiu- small corps of fifteen guards' to load
their muskets with ball, and distributed them to the three most
important points. I also loaded the Spencer rifles and revolvers
1 had brought witli me, to be placed in the hands of the servants,
who, it must hv said to their credit, .showed no hesitation at this
critical time. The moli was already moving towards mv gate,
when it was finally stopped by the strenuous exertions of the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, aided by a report that the pliv.si-
ciau wlioiii I luul dispatched to the wounded man statcil that
Ills wounds were not fatal. When tlic rao-e of tlie villagers
was somewhat abated, they contented themselves witli a finu
demand through the ketkhodrdi, or governor of the village, tliat
tlie servant who had caused this trouble should lie delivered
up by me for smuniarv jiiuiishmcnt. Foi'tunatelv, the action
of the servant had been such as to make it easy for me to

^ By tho request of the Persian Government, all the Ijotrations at Tehenln are
provided with soldiers detailed quarterly from the garrison. The Russian legation has
no less than forty. Our Legation had fifteen in summer and thirteen in winter.

(•(iXDrnoxs of .sKiaici; i\ pkksia. IGl

evade tins (Iciiunul. I had reason to hclicve that he was the
ott'ciidcr in this cnsc. hut this woidd iKit have prcvcntctl' him
I'nnn idaimin^- pruti'i'tioii as a rintc(l States prdtaje, at least
nntil he shoiihl liave a fair trial, had he not forfeited this riffht
by riyini;- to a .Mahometan shrine tor refuge, instead of seek-
ing protection nnder the American W-a'j:. I therefore disavowed
him, and he remained in the asylum he had souL^lit until his
victim had recovered. The affair was then compounded for a
small sum of money, and he went forth a free man again, hut
was forbidden to re-enter the ser\-ice of his former master.

Another inciih'ut characteristic of the instahilitv of the dis-
])osition ot the Persian masses towards foreigners and ( 'hi'istians
occiUTed just lief >re my arrival at Teheran. A sick mendicant
apjilied f )r aid at the house ot ^Ir. Nelson, an English resident.
As he persisted in his demands, ^Ir. Xelson (irdered his servants
to ])ut the man out. The beggar la\' down in the stivet before
the gate, unable to ino\"e, and die(l thei'e. — apparentK' from
some heart trouble, for it (h)es not apjiear that the servants
treateil liim roughlv. But one of the Lutees, or scms of Helial,
who abound there, sjiread the report that it was the result of
ill-treatment by "a ( 'hristian dog." 'I'he neighborhood took
fire, and a furious mob burst o})en Mr. Nelson's gates. Thev
sacked the house, de.stroyed the fm-niture, aiul beat ^Ir. Nelson
and his wife, leaving them for dead. 8u(di events as these teach
the Europeans residing in Persia that thev need to bear them-
selves with great circumspection. During the insurrection of the
Machdee in the Soudan, the underc-urrent of fanaticism in Persia
was such that many of the foreigners at Teheran lived under
constant apprehension of a rising that would cause the massacre
of all Christians in Persia. Nor were their fears gi-oimdless.

The hal)itual dishonesty of the P(M-sian servant is indicated
in nothing more characterj'sticallv than in the diftienltA' we found
in prociu'ing pm"e milk. This difficulty, of course, occiu-s every-

162 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

where ; but in our cities, at least, there are laws regulating the
sale of milk, and the person found guilty of selling impure
or watered milk is liable to fines and punishment. But it is
quite otherwise in Persia. Having exhausted every other means
for obtaining the pure article, we decided to have the cow
l)rought to the house and milked there. We found that the
servants succeeded in watering the milk while it A\as being'
broiight across the yard to the house. Then we had the cow
milked iinder the Avindow, and the milk Avas handed in through
the window. When the servants found that we had got the
better of them, they caused the cow to be milked before she
came, and then alleged that it was impossible to find a coav
that would give sufficient milk; this in order to force us to
send out for the daily supply of milk as Ijefore. We finally
hit upon an expedient for Ijringing the rascals to terms. All tlie
servants were sunnnoned, and emphaticalh' informed that not
one of them should receive the customary present of clothes
and money at the No Rooz if we had any fiu'ther difficulty in
regard to the milk. They all saw the point, for such a plan
obliged those who were not in the conspirac}' to defraud us to
report against the others. After this the supply of milk was
abundant and good.

A large establishment in Persia includes not onK- the servants
actuallv employed, l)ut also their families, as, contrarv to custom
in European countries, Persian servants are invarialily married,
no matter what may be their age. A mere ytmth of sixteen has
his wife and children; if older, he has perhaps tw(» or three
wives. Thus a household tliat includes only fifteen servants may
easily represent a connnunitv of from eiglit\' to one hundred per-
sons, — which is especially the case with a Legation or a high
dignitary, — resembling the feudal houses of olden times. All this
little coiiUHunitN' looks up to its master as to n protector ;uid lord.
Whenever one of the servants iiKii-ries, — and this occui's otten

CONDITIONS OF SERVICE IN I'ERSIA. 163

eiioug-li, — then he expects a present for his weddmg ; tlicii the
bride iimst wait on the mistress of tlic liousehold, and in turn
receive a })resent. If a cliild is born, another present is ex-
pected ; and if a physician is needed, the interposition of the
master is ag-ain i-equired, witli a note to the doctor re(piesting
him to e-all at the honse of the patient. Tlie aiithoritv of the
head of sucli a lionseliold is pi-acticalh' patriarchal. Ahnost
daily some case is brought before him requiring liis intei'po-
sition. ^^'hih' tliis system adds to tlie (hgnitv of a household,
it is also attended with inconveniences. The matter of giving
presents, for example, is one that a foreigner finds very aimoy-
ing, becanse it is a cnstom prevailing in all the grades of Per-
sian society, and often places the recipient in a dilemma b}'
obliging him to give a pecuniary gift in return, which amounts
to a species of blackmail; for if he declines to acce}it the gift
and reci})rocate with one of at least equal value, he loses in the
estimation of the people, and consequently also in influence.

One can better understand how this mav l)e when informed
that it is the custom of the Persians to pav their servants in part
(whether in public or private service) by the fees received in
return for gifts or favors rendered. Thus, a Persian gentleman
sends a present of game or of fruit to a friend. The receiver is
expected handsomely to reward the servant who takes the present ;
that is, with a pecuniary fee, or an article of price proportioned
to the rank of the donor. This fee belongs to the servant, and
is accepted bv him in lieu of wages from his master. The latter,
in turn, likewise rewards the servant of his friend on a similar
occasion ; and thus the account is presumably squared. The
higher the rank of a man, the more he makes out of sttch a
system, for the larger is the nuiuber of those below him who,
on receiving his gifts, mtist give in jtroportion to his superior
rank. Naturally, the sovereign finds the custom more profitable
than any of his subjects, and he is careful to take every advan-

164 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

tage of a usage tliat la'actically adds largely to the economy he
is obliged to practise.

The salaries which his Majesty paAs to his high officers are
far below what they are obliged to spend in order to maintain
tlie display re([uired in a country so ostentatious, lint thev are
expected to add to their revenues )jy ])ractising the gift system
in a manner so judicious as at once to increase their wealth and
proj)erly sustnin the public interests. This may be (h)ne, we
will suppose, in the case of a cabinet minister, either by sending
presents or selhng offices to those who come within the range
of his ai)pointing power. This is not (•al]e<1 "selling offices," but
rather a (jHid pro quo arrangement, in which the a])pointee agrees
to show his estimate of the favor given to him bv a jiroper pe-
cuniarv rctui-n, — a laudable system, which he in turn practises
on his underlings.

The Shah \\ ho (h'sires to add to the salarx' oi' one of his offi-
cers does not do it by actually jiaying him an additional sum,
l)ut he deputes him to carry a Lchit, or roval robe of honor,
to some w^ealthv dignitarv who is known to be able and willing
to pay a round sum for a mark of royal favor that greatlv
increases his fame and intluence hi the commuuitv where he
resides, — for that is the result of sTich an act of high condescen-
sion from th(» "Asylum of tlie rniverse." The resulting benetit
is tlu'cefold : the receiver of the gift is yratihed bcNond measurt' :
the officer who cai'i-ies the gilt is plcnscd li\ a pecuniarv reward
that i)ei-ha|)s balances a salar\' ah'cadN in ai-rears ; and the Shah
has made grateful subjects, and covered into the i-oxal treasur\'
the sum due to a faithful servant. This system could not well
be ado])ted in our coiuiti'A' : but it is not to bo iudiscriminatelv
ccmdemned, as it has its advantages in a government like that
of iV^rsia.

'I^Ih^ Shah also a\'ails himscir ul' the custom of selliiii;- ollice to
the highest bidder, and thus adds \t'ry mati'i'ialU' to his reve-

coxDiTioNs oi' sKiaici; in I'KKsia. 165

uuos. This, however, is (loiic with (nscriininntiini, — a rcasoiialjle
con.siderutiun fur the welfare uf tlie Km[)ire being iiirhuled in the
selection made. The ])()siti<)n of Premier, for example, is not
iii\'en to anyone who iiia\' offer the hiyliest sum i'or the post;
but of two or three wlio are best ([ualiiied for it, that one is
selected who is prepared to lualvc the lari^cst present to tlie
Shall. ('ontrar\- to what one might think, this custoiu is not
opposed to })ernianence in office. If a high official continues to
give satisfaction, he is often permitted to remain for many years,
])rovided lie is able to make a valualile annual pecuniary present
to his Majesty. The late Minister of Foreign Affairs served the
Government upwards of tliii-t\-six years, being gradually })ro-
moted to the position lie held foi- the last twenty years of his
life. The jiresent Prime Minister entered office when he was
fifteen, his father l)ein<>- Iliiih Treasurer; and he has now- l)een
in steady service for nearly sixty years. The conclusion one
arrives at, on retlecting upon sucli a system, is that no form of
government is wholly bad or wholly good. In our own country,
which we are accustomed to think liap]iy in the possession of a
perfect political machinery, offices are not openly bought and
sold ; but on the other hand it matters not how faithful or tiseful
a ])ul)lic servant may prove, he must retire to private life at the
end of a brief period, or is subject to the whims and caprices of
the head of a department, wlio disposes of the office to one who
may give him important influence in his Presidential aspirations.
There is little to choose l)etweon the two, so far as the country
at large is concerned, — whiih w(tnld perhaps be less likely to
suffer from the Pei'sian system than from ours.

In spite of the political coiTuption that has been practised in
Persia for many ages, sl.,e has contrived to exist for upwards of
three thousand j'ears ; her people are as happy on the average as
other ]»eople,andshe continttes to show great recuperative vitality;
\\liile a country like England, with a liberal constitutional gov-

166 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

ernment, shows signs of decay within kss thuu a thousand years,
and the pohtical (■(irniptian in our own country has reached such
gigantic dimensions as to create in the minds of our wisest and
most patriotic citizens an intense conviction of the a1)sohite ne-
cessity of a speedy and radical correction of the evil. < >f course,
such sentiments will be scoffed at by those optimists who assiuue
that agitatif^n necessarily means health, and that all chang-e means
jirogress. It is said that there is not much patriotism in Persia ;
that its officials are entii'ely aljsorbed in self-aggrandizement. It
may be so ; but is thei'e any more patriotism amcmg the poli-
ticians engaged in the everlasting scramble to reach our halls
of Congress, and is not every act of too many of our senators
and representatives instigated by a consideration of what \\ill
benefit themselves individually tlian prove to be for tlie best
good of all ?

Let ns be pist, however. It mav be granted that our politi-
cal sNstem is of a more elevated character than that of Persia,
because, while the results are often unsatisfactory, it aims at a
higher ideal. We have a standard of political rectitude, and
occasionallv we liave jmblic servants who h\ c up to it ; but
Persia has no siudi standard and no sncli uicn, and the absence
f sucli a standard makes ])ul)lic officers there care far less to as-
sume tlie ai)pearanct' of virtue than is the case in the United
States. In consequence, there is a certain (oiiaiir jiro/i/-/' with
us which is not found there, and the absence of which causes
men there to conduct themselves sometimes in a maimer M'ell-
nigh impossibh' among tlie Euro])ean races, wlicre even a scoun-
drel prates of houor. This result, it nnist l)c ad(U'd. springs also
from the ])cculiarities of tlie ( )i-icutal chai'actcr, and the fact that
lucM who are taught to consider theiusehcs the sla\'es of an
al)solut(^ monarch rather than free citizens are rarely moved hy
a high sense of hon(H-. We find this, to a degree, exemplified
also in llussia. .Mthoiigh noiiiinalK' fhirojieans and ( 'hristians.

CONDITIONS OF .SKUVICE IN PERSIA. IGT

the subjects of the White Cznr, even in the liighest ranks, sliow
little of that delicate chivalry wliich distinguishes the g-entleniau
in other European countries, and from the monarch to the serf
are capable of acts which ^voul(l bo imjjossible elsewhei'e in
Christendom. Being in fact neither P]un)peans nor Asiatics,
and slaves of an arbitrar\- inonarcli, they possess neither the
chivalry of Eiu'ope nor the refined qualities which enable a
Persian gentleman partially to redeem the absence of clii\-al-
rous traits in his own character.

I can best illustrate the radical differences between the Ori-
ental and the Occidental bv two or three typical incidents. The
Mehmendilr, or entertainer of the guests of the Shah, who re-
ceived me on arriving in Persia, and accompanied me to the
capital, was a man of agreealile disposition. He had lived many
years in Eiu'ope ; he s})oke French with facility, and his man-
ners were easy and graceful. ( )n brief aeipiaintance, one would
have set him <lown as a gentleman comparing ftn"ora1jly with
gentlemen and men of affairs in Kuroj)e ; and it was easy to
believe that he would resent any attempt to present him \\ ith
a trifling gift as a recompense for the services he rendered offi-
cially for his Government, and for which he had, presumably,
been compensated by the >Sliah. This would have been the
conclusion reached by one unaccpiainted with oriental charac-
ter ; but my experience in the East led me to think otherwise.
I felt that it would be safer to venture to offer him an official
tip than to risk offending him by showing too inuch delicacy in
the matter. On arriving at Teheran, I therefore presented him
with a new saddle and bridle T had brought with me. He
showed not the slightest hesitation at the proposal of such a
present, but returned the saddle after inspection, on the i)lea
that it was shopworn, and that out of respect to me he ^\-ould
prefer not to show to his friends a gift that seemed to be un-
worthy of a Minister of the United States. As the saddle was

168 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

eutirelv new and in jjert'ectly yuud c-undition, 1 saw at onoe that
his object was to receive a more valuable present, possibly in
the shape of money. I therefore sent the saddle liack tn liiiu
with a message that I diil not need instruetidns as to what kind
of a present I sliould give, and that lu' ought to lie thankful that
1 li;id remembered him at all. A European ^entlenian, who
might have been Consul for ten years, and held the rank of
General and Receiver of the Royal Guests, to whom such a
message should be sent, woiild probably reply ^\ ith a chal-
lenge ; but I had not mistaken the oriental charaeter. The
saddle was accepted with a profusion of thaidcs.

A similar case was that of a pi-ominent official at Tabreez.
He had an altercation with an Englisli gentleman, and repeat-
edK' callcil the otliei' a liar to his face. The I'aiglisliiiian, who
seemed not to l)e ac(piainted with oriental character, sent him
a note demanding either an apologv or that he should acce])t
a challenge to tight. The Persian was not a coward, — few
Persians are poltroons, — but the idea of risking his life l)ecause
he had called another man a liar seemed to him pre])osterous,
as it would to some Europeans and Americans ;is well, who
do not accept the absurdities of the duellist's code.

"I fight!" said he; " what shall 1 fight for ;' I (mly called
liim a liar, and now he wants me to fight him; never was anv-
thing mon- absurd ? "

"Well," said the gentleman who took the note to him, "he
says you will have to fi^■llt him : there is no wav of getting

out of it. It will nevei' do to call nn l*aiL;lisli gentleman a

1,,
lar.

"But 1 say I won't liLiht," I'eiiHed the other.

"Then you must apologize. "'

" A])ologize ! wliiit does he me;iii 1>\' ;i|)oloL;-i/,ing ? "

" Wliv, take it all hack, and s.iy that \du are sony that you

called him a liar, — that is wh;it it mejuis."

COXUITIOXS OF SERVICE IN PEKSIA. lU'.l

"Is tli.it all?" replied the Persian. "Of (•(Hii-sc I'll apulo-
fi'ize ; I'll Sci\' whatever he wishes me to sa\'. 1 lieil when 1
called him a liar. 1 am a liar, the sun of a liar, and the grand-
son of liars. AMiat more does lie want me to say f "

To return to the subject of service in Persia. Aside from the
faults inherent in tin- character of its servants, the system is
attended with another gi'eat abuse, which results in serious in-
jurv to the countrv. Xenophon, describing in a passage in the
"Anabasis" the A'isit of a Persian dignitarv to the Greek cam]),
says that " he came attended by many servants, as is the cus-
tom with Persians." This custom continues with scarcely any
abatement to the present day. This is partly a result of the
fact that laljor is cheap; partly, also, because few oriental
servants are willing to do more than one thing, which may be
caused ])erhaps bv the lassitude of a steady warm climate; but
it is also doubtless due ver\' largely to that love of o.stentation
common to the Oriental. Many of the household seiwants of a
Pei'sian gentleman are retained purely for the purpose of adding
dignity to his position, and to accompany him A\"hen he goes
abroad. This class of servants receive no wages from him; but
as his retainers tliey and their families are entitled to his pi-otection,
which in a country constituted like Persia is a matter of prime
importance. They pick up a livelihood by eating at the ojien
table which every Persian gentleman of rank maintains, where
they and every passing mendicant and sardon may at any hour
have a ])lain dish of mutton and pillau of rice. These unsalaried
retainers also pick up a precarious and not always honest living
out of .the vails or extortions or commissions constantly occurring-
in an establishment of this description.

Not to speak of the thousands of domestics connected with
the royal household or the establishment of the Princes, we find
that the Sedr Azem, or Premier, — the greatest subject in the
kingdom, — keeps no less than tlu'ee thousand men in his employ.

170 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Of tliese, many have been in his family from chiklhood. Nume-
rous other Persian dignitaries maintain from fifty to two hundred
servants. Whik^ it is true that many of these domestics are em-
ployed in caring for the extensive plantations of these gentle-
men, by far the larger number are non-producers. It requu-es
little reflection to perceive that a nation having only nine mil-
lions of people must suffer very seriously, especially when it is
in a state of decadence, by such a steady drain on its most
valuable resources. Tliis army of servants abst)rbs the wealth
of the country and produces nothing in return.

Slaverv no longer exists in Persia ; it ^vas abolished some
years ago tlu'ough the influence of the foreign Legations, fol-
lowing the \asits of the Shah to Europe. The pm-chase of
women for the harems probably continues to a certain extent,
l)ut this is a form of slavery not reached l)y foreign interposi-
tion ; and Avhile the system of polygamy continues to be so
often attended by such decided advantages in promoting a wo-
man from a low condition to one where she practically becomes
the wife of a man of wealth, it is hardlv worth while to con-
sider its victims as ol)jects of pity. Most of the ])easantry or
inhabitants of the villages, according to long-established custom,
are serfs, or villeins, attached to the village where they are born,
and uualjle to travel about the country Avithout tin' permission
of the lord of the village. This is the law; Imt practically it
ceased to have any effect long ago, and tliei'e are few countries
where the lower classes are more at liberty than in Persia to go
where they please. Combined with this freedom of movement,
great liberty of thought and s})eech is universal. So long as a
Persian, be he noble or peasant, does not openly attack the au-
thority of his superiors or his sovereign, Iw can have unbridled
use of his tongue; and one is often surprised at the license used
in speaking of the Govermiiciit, the clergy, and tke establisked
religion. Xot tkat tke present reigning Slml: is iiiiiKipiilar, (piite

INDOOR COSTUME OF PERSIAN WOMEN.

C'UNDITIUXS OF SERVICE IN PEK.SIA. 173

tlie reverse; but ])eoj)k' of active temperament and intellect
require vent of some sort, and if they cannot do this in talk-
ing, they are all the more likely to conspire against the ]i)owers
that be.

The peasant class of Persia are doubtless as ignorant ;is peas-
antry in other parts of the -world, but the}' are generally a ver}-
handsome race, the women probably not being surpassed in this
respect by women of tlieir class anywhere. Of this I can speak
from personal observation, Ijecause they take much less care to
conceal their fiices than their sisters who live in the city ; and
one who rides about the villages may often see a pair of black
eyes jieeping over the hedge, shooting Parthian arrows before the
mantle is drawn over them. Notwithstanding their ignorance,
the Persian peasantry have a native vivacity and intelligence
that elevate them above then* class in iiiany other countries.
They have a decided taste for poetry, and often fly the heat of
midday and rind shelter under the great chenars in the centre
of the village, Avhere they listen to recitations from the Odes of
Hafiz or the Shah Nameh of Firdoiisee. They pay their rent and
taxes in kind. They are thrifty and reasonably industrious. If
they do not work as many hours in the day as laborers else-
where, it is due in part to the heat, and in part to the fact that
the soil, wherever watered, is so rich that it easily produces
enough to meet the humble wants of the poor peasant. To
raise more thnn that would be simply to render him the victim
of extortion; but supposing there were no extortion, it would
still be useless to raise more than is required in most parts
of the country, because of the absence of means to expoi't the
surplus.

CHAPTER VIII.

NASR-ED-DEEN SIIAII AND TflE KOYAL FAMILY.

FOR a sovereign to sit on the throne f'onnded by Shall
Jemsheed in pre-historic ages, strengthened by Cyrus and
Darius, and made glorious in turn l)y Anurshirwan and Shah
Abbass after intervals respectively of eight hundred and a
thousand years, is of itself a rare and notable event. It is not
less remarkable if it can be said of such a monarch tliat he is
not unwortliA' of his great predecessors.

Nasr-ed-Deen Shah, the reigning sovereign of Persia, suc-
ceedeil to the tin-one in 1S4S, and during his long reign has
maintained a dignitied character and shown a disposition to
place his countrv in the line of progress of the age. lie
possesses a vigorous and cultivated mind, and, in spite of the
difficulties of his position and the err<irs of early education,
shows a Innnane intention of rising above the sanguinary ten-
dencies whii'h have marked the reigns of most oriental niou-
archs. He is the fourtli of the Khajar dynasty, Avhich was
founded one hundred years ago by Shah Aga ^lohamed Khan,
a man of very great military and administrative ability, who
succeeded in crushing three rivals to the tlu'one of Persia, in-
chuling the lion-hearted Lootf Alee Klian, the nephew of the
great and good Kereem Ivhan the Zend, whose capital was
Shiraz. But Shah Aga Mohanied Khan had suffered mutila-
tion in youth, which tended to exasperate an already cruel
disposition, and lie tarnislied the glory <>f his reign by leav-
ing the record of Ix'ini;- one of the most atrocious monsters in

NASR-ED-DEEX SIlAIl AND TlIK UOVAL FAMILY. 175

history. It is dimljtle.ss true that after the capture of" Kerinau
he caused the eyes of many thousands oi' the unfortunate in-
habitants to be brought to hLiu tjn a saher. This story has
been told of the present monarch, but it is pleasant to be able
to state that no such fearful horror has marked his reign. The
political sagacity and military genius of Shah Aga Mohained
Khan enabled him to cope successfully with the unscrupulous
designs of Kussia against the integrity of Persia. Were he
li-\"ing now, her chances of averting tlie insidious inroads of
that poMer would pr()l)ably be considerably improved.

The reign of Nasr-ed-Deen Shah, notwithstanding liis humane
disposition, has been marred by a number of painful incidents
that doubtless lie now regrets as much as any one. In the early
part of his reign lie was induced to lianish from power Mirza
Taghy, the Prime Minister, who was married to the sister of the
Shah. lie was a man of intelligence, and devoted, to introduc-
ing reforms tending to diminish the corruption which for ma^iy
ages has been the bane of ever^' department of the Persian
Government. Fear and jealousy were aroused alike, and the
Shah, then a mere youth, was indixced by the enemies t)f the
great Minister to depose him from office. Dreading the ^^■orst,
the wife of Mirza Taghy, who w'as tenderly attached to him,
exercised the greatest watchfulness. But in vain ; for the fatal
messenger from tlie Shah at length came, and by treachery
succeeded in strangling one of the few great and good men of
modern Persia. Too late the Sliah discovered his error ; and it
is said he has ever since lamented the murder of his brother-in-
law, whose fall was the greatest misfortune the kingdom has
suti'ered in the present reign. It may be that it is to the remorse
caused by his action in this case that Xasr-ed-Deen Shah has
since that time permitted so many of those in power to go
unpimished wlio really merit the severest penalties for their
corruption and treasonable dealings with Russia. While the

176 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Government of Persia continues to be an absolute despotism,
there are but two methods open for preserving law and order, —
hope and fear ; hope of emolument and reward, fear of swift
and condign punishment. This must be and is a strong jiallia-
tion for many of tlie bloody and arbitrary acts of oriental so^•er-
eigns which a larger freedom and a representative government
would render unnecessary.

The last important case in Avhicli Nasr-ed-Deen Rhah dis-
played in a thoroughly oriental style the tremendous power of
an Eastern king was shortly before his last visit to Europe. He
had just left the palace to visit the shrine of Shah Abdul Azeem
in his carnage. Through the corru])tion of the paymasters (if
the army the gamson had not been paid for some time, and the
troojis Avere actually in Avant. According to oriental usage, a
nuiulicr of them seized the present occasion to gain the personal
attention of their sovereign to a consideration of their grievances
by presenting a petition to him, and tlie petitioners crowded
around the roj-al equipage to catch the eye of the Shah. The
delinquent paymasters interfered, dreading detection : and a
tunndt ensued, during which a few stones were thro^^•n, se\ eral
striking the royal carriage. Although it does not appear that
the stones were thrown by the soldiers, or that there was any
organized plan in any way to assault the Shah, he was nat-
urally nnich agitated, doubtless remembering the attack made
OH his life in tlic eai'l\' part of his reign ^)y the Babees, at which
time he was dangerously wounded. He returned to the ]ialace
at once, and ordered the soldiers who had been arn'stt'd during
the melee to be brought before him. His indignation was fanned
by a categoric statement that these culprits re])res(nited auotlier
defined conspiracy of the Babees, — a story wliicli was in all
])robability invented ])\ the men who had l)een tlie canse of the
I'iot tlii'ough their ini(iiiitons treatment of tlie troo])s.

An eve-witness has described to me the terrible di-aiiia \\liicli

Ml|lf|ipifll|l(ll|l«[l|7»lfl

jili.i:.M.iii..„,i.i:uiliiiLjL:::jhij.iUiiNi>;iiii^aijjdli

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH.

NASR-ED-DEEX SHAH AND TIIK liOYAL FAMIIA'. 179

followed. The vast outer court of the Ai'k, or palace, was packed
with attendants and eager throngs of the populace. My inform-
ant had been to the Foreign (Jffice, and anxiously strove to avoid
the scene which he knew was to be enacted. But he was tlu'ust
back by the feraushes and forced to remain on the stei)s of
the Foreign Office, an unwilling witness of what followed. The
Sedr Azem, or Prime Minister, was standing near to him trem-
bling \\ith excitement and dread, but powerless to interfere.
Perhaps his conscience whispered to him a complicity with the
iniquity which had brought about this crisis. On the portico
opposite stood the Shah alone, leaning with outstretched arm
against a pillar and violently twitching his long mustachios.
He was ignorant of the true facts of the case, and onlv per-
ceived that his life had been endangered by the riot; and what
was more, that the majesty of the thi-one of Persia had been
outraged. Twelve soldiers, tightly bound and ashen-hued, stood
before him awaiting their doom. Gazing on his victims Avith a
stern, fierce countenance, the Shah, after a few terrible moments
of suspense and without having examined or questioned them,
gave the fatal decree with a sudden gesture of his hand. In-
stantly the executioners threw the cords around the necks of the
twelve men, and strangled them before the Shah. (.)ne poor
youth was so robust that the executioner could only extinguish
life by stamping on his breast.

Several days after this event Xasr-ed-Deen Shah started on
his second journey to Europe. But the news of this arbitrary
judgment preceded him, without a statement of the circumstances
which undoubtedly palliated the deed. In the reception ac-
corded him at various courts he was made to feel in many ways
the indignation of Christendom at such a display of the so-called
barbarism of other ages : the despots of Europe have more re-
fined methods of increasing the burdens and miseries of their
subjects. At any rate, the effect of this hypocritical indignation

180 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

was salutary on the cliaracter of Nasr-ecl-Deen Shah, who is
naturally of a humane temjjerament, and there is no question
that it has proved an important tactor in leading educated
Persians to respect the good opinion of Christend9m, wliich
thus becomes indirectly an influence in the Mahometan domin-
ions of the Shah.

It is difficult, when conversing with some of the courteous
gentlemen of the Persian Court and the royal family, to realize
what arbitrary and sometimes needlessly brutal deeds they have
perpetrated, and with what cold-blooded indifference they have
administered torture and death. Judging from what I have seen
of the Khajar tribe, to whicli the present dynasty belongs, I am
inclined to think they have more of the stolidity and deliberate
ruthlessness of tlie Turks than other Persians of similar raidv at
the pi'esent time, although in past ages it must be admitted there
was little difference between the oriental races on the point of
cruelty. At all events, the manners of all the Khajars I liave
talked with, from the Shah down, are more vigorous, bluff, out-
spoken, and honest than those of the polished, smooth, but in-
sincere gentlemen of the pure Persian race. The difference,
although in less degree, is not unlike that existing between typi-
cal Englishmen and Frenchmen. In point of fact the Khajar is
a Turaranian, or Turk, pure and simple, — but in religion a
Sheah, and because of long iden,tification w'xth Persian sway a
Persian in feeling. In aspect the Kliajars are generally less
crafty than other Persians; their features are full, bluff', and
hearty, the eye radiant with hoiiliouiic, although sometimes cold,
sensual, and cruel.

The Firma Firma, one of the uncles of the Shah, is one of
the handsomest men of a Court aboimding in good looks. He is
seventy years of age, his well-ti-innned beard is snow-white and
his nuistache is black. His eye is keen and clear as an eagle's,
his carriage is erect, and his manner courteous and stately to the

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE KOYiVL FAMILY. 181

lust degree. He has a taste for letters, and has, ainoii<^ other
works, published a vocabulary in Persian and English and a
geography of the world. His brother, the Moatameh-ed-Doiileh,
is also a man of stately presence, although bent with age.
When he was viceroy at Shiraz he established a lasting renown
for the character of his administration. He found southern
Persia swarming with brigands, and corruption universal; but
during his rule the taxes were collected with regularity and
rendered with reasonable honesty ; robbers were exterminated
from the district, and order reigned to a degree unusual in Per-
sia since the days when Kereem Khan the Zend maintained a
just but vigorous sway at Shiraz. But the Moatameh-ed-Doiileh
niled with an iron rod. Fear was his weajjou. A thousand
men were slaughtered before his eyes. Many of these victims,
even though criminal, scarcely deserved death ; but the viceroy
knew the people he had to deal with, and it must be admitted
that this stern ruler showed little pity in his manner of adminis-
tering justice. He seemed to take pleasure in interrogating his
victims, much as a cat plays with a mouse before devouring it;
when wearv of the sport he would say, " Well, I will put an end
to your troubles." As these fatal words were pronounced, the
executioner advanced and did his work.

On reflecting upon the cruelty of men possessed of unlimited
power and brought up amid the associations of absolute despot-
ism, I am sometimes inclined to think a measure of charity should
be extended towards such rulers even Allien they are brought
up as Christians, like the Czar of Russia. It is impossible to be-
lieve that all the Persian rulei's I have seen who have been guilty
of deeds of blood are wholly depraved. The amiability of their
manner, the acts of courtesy and kindness they often display,
cannot proceed from a nature entirely void of goodness. But
the necessity of acting with quick decision in a despotic govern-
ment, and the power to do so familiarize the mind to harshness

182 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

and blunt the sympatlues ; while it is also time that men, and
even women, who have always moved in the upper ranks fail
from that very fact to realize that the classes below them are of
the same blood and nerves as themselves, and no less capable of
suffering-. Such I imagine to be the case with the Moatameh-
ed-Doiileh, who is a man of cultured tastes, the most perfect'
manners, and wide intelligence.

And the same palliating circumstances may be alleged for
the Izz-ed-Doiileh, brother of the Shah, and Governor of
Hamadan while I was in Persia. He is a small, slightly built,
boyish-looking man. He wears a closely-cropped, iron-gray
mustache ; his general manner is very quiet, not to say diffi-
dent, suggesting a character mild and retiring were it not for
the small, steel-colored, lizard-like eyes, darting restless, furtive
glances. These eyes betray a nature quite opposite to what
one might infer on a first interview. The Prince is a man of
gentlemanly tastes and studious habits ; he reads the literature
of America as well as of Euroj^e, and is familiar with French
and English. He converses with some intelligence, and in such
a tone as to lead to the conclusion that he is one of the most
enlightened and least fanatical men in Persia. And vet this
seemingly inoffensive gentleman, Avhen he was Governor at
Kermanshah, actually caused seventeen men to be sti'angled in
his presence. As Governor of Hamadan, he has also given the
United States Legation more trouble than aux otiier Persian
official. Friendly enough during the interchange of visits, and
earnestly disavowing, when approached on the subject, any in-
tention of ordering or permitting the outrages committed against
the United States citizens in Hamadan, one needed to know him
long and well before he could believe what a capacity for evil
dwells in the chai'acter of tliis Piince.

Nevertheless, I am still inclined ti> tliink that nuicli of tin-
wronsr-doin"- in his aihninistration resulted directlv from the

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE KOYAL FAMH.V. 185

fiict, that he had been taug'ht to consider all who were helow
him in station to be too insignificant to have rights which re-
qnire to be respected by a Prince of blood royal, rather than
from a wanton love of oppression and cruelty. His son, the
so-called Little Prince, who resided at Hamadan and acted as
deputy-governor, was greatly under the influence of his tutor, a
corrupt and crafty fanatic named Mirza Achmet, one of the
greatest knaves in the covintry. The Little Prince voiced the
sentiments which prevail ' among Asiatic despots towards the
classes below them, when he said to the United States drago-
man, who b}^ my instructions had gone to Hamadan to protect
our citizens there, " Why does your Government take so much
trouble for these Americans of Hamadan 1 They are only three
or four in number, and simple people ; why make such a fuss
aliout what you call their rights ! "

But while so much can be said to extenuate some of the
arbitrarv deeds of Nasr-ed-Deen Shah and his governors and
princes, who are far less sanguinary than their predecessors, or
than many European rulers of two or three generations ago, so
nuich cannot be conceded in fiivor of the Zil-i-Sultan, Massood
ilirza, the oldest son of the Shah, who is the governor of the
great central pro^vinces of Persia, with his capital at Ispahan.
His Royal Highness is a thick-set man of medium height, and
about thirty -five years of age. His manner indicates inunense
force of character. Never has any one impressed me more
deeply with the air of one born to command. But with all its
force, his face has in it an unmistakal)le suggestion of craftiness,
and the events of his life have abundantly pi-oved alike his abili-
ties and his cunning.' He told me that he had been a ruler
since his tenth 3'ear. Doubtless, at fu'st a man of experience was
at his elbow to direct him. As may be imagined, the Prince is
goaded by an intense ambition, which is not checked by the fact

1 A likeness of the Zil-i-Sultan is to be found on page 140.

186 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

that according to the hiws of Persia, although he is the eldest
son and therefore the natural heir to the tlu'one, that right has
been vested in tlie second son of the Shah, Avho is Governor of
Azerbaijan. This is due to the fact that the mother of the latter
was of hig-h birth and roval blood, while the mother of the Zil-i-
Sultan is of plebeian origin. This is particularly unfortunate,
because this Prince is not of a tem])er to accept such an abroga-
tion of his natural rights, and it is to be feared that when the
succession comes to his brother it will be contested by the am-
bitious and astute Prince-Governor of Fars. He has accumu-
lated enormous wealth, and although forbidden to maintain a
separate army or to import arms, has contrived to get control of
the contingent of his provinces. They are armed and uniformed
like the German army, and in drill-practice form the finest por-
tion of the present military force of Persia. The Prince has
great influence with his royal father, who admii-es the abilities
of the son and jirobably sympathizes in secret ^\ith his aspira-
tions, and also with his decided friendship for the English and his
aversion towards Russia. Were the Zil-i-Sultan on the throne,
there can be little question that he Avould bring matters to a crisis
with Russia by forcing her to show her hand, and either to stop
her steady and insidious encroachments or openly to attack
Persia and settle the question once for all.

But the Zil-i-Sultan, while resembling Shah Aga Mohamad
Khan, the founder of tlie dynasty, in administrative ability, ixn-
fortunately resembles also too many oriental despots of fo)-nier
ages in liis indifference to suffering and bloodshed. 1 grant the
necessity in siu'h a govennnent as that of T^ersia of swift and
stern penalties, but that is quite another thing from cold-blooded
and malignant cruelty. The murder of the great chief of the
Bachtiarees when an invited guest at the palace of the Zil-i-
Sultan, although a gross breach of the laws of liospitality, may
be palliated on the ground of siqiposed necessity. Biit wliat

NASR-ED-DEEX SHAH A\D THE ROYAL FAMILY. 187

C!iu be said about the murder of the wealthy merchant of Ispa-
han ? According to tlie story related to me, the unfortnnate
man had been mulcted in a large sum by the Prince, far in
excess of the just taxes. The Prince declined to restore the
spoil, and the merchant rashly repaned to Teheran and laid a
petition for redi'ess before tlie Shah. His Majesty proved gra-
cious, and gave his injured subject a royal order to present to the
Zil-i-Sultan, enjoining him to make restitution and to be more
carefitl in respecting the rights of the subjects of the Shah.

Full of hope, the poor merchant travelled back to Ispahan
and presented himself before the Prince with the royal mandate.
Having read the decree, the Prince looked keenly at the man
for a moment, wlio, notwithstanding that dangerous look, never
doubted that he was now to have his property restored. But
instead of d(^ing this the Prince sai'castically exclaimed : " Ha !
so you thought to frighten yom- Prince hx reporting me to the
Shah ? You are indeed a brave man ! I little thought you a man
of such courage. So brave a man as you miist, indeed, have a
brave heart, — a large heart ! I nuist see your heart and learn
covu-age from you ! '' Then in a louder tone the Prince cried
to his servants, " Take out his heart ! " The menials seized the
thunder-stricken merchant, cut him open on the spot, and tear-
ing otit his heart presented it on a dish to the Prince.

I was, of course, greatly shocked when the story of this out-
rage was brought to me, and recollected that I had repeatedly
enjoyed agreeable and hiunorous conversation with this very
Prince. But subsequent reflection leads me to be less severe
in my judgment of the Prince. Aside froiji the fact that it may
have been necessary to show his suljjects his ovra authority, it
cannot be questioned that he acted in bad taste in selecting such
a method for venting his spite. It is always "bad form," to say
tlie least, foi- tlie strong to exercise too much overt force in deal-
ing with the weak ; and, besides, physical punishment is now

188 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS

going out of fashion. To inflict mental pain is more refined ;
and the blame for inflicting it can be more easily shifted from
the shoulders of the one who causes it, and is als(_) more likely
than vulgar physical penalties to arouse the humor rather than
the symjjathy of the community, which is exactly what the
inflicter should seek. The Zil-i-Sultan Avould have received
quite as exquisite satisfaction himself, and he would have es-
caped the condemnation of public opinion, and quite likely
given pleasm-e to many of those Avho are diverted by the suf-
ferings of others, if he had maintained a newspaper as an organ.
In this periodical he could have exquisitely tortiu-ed the mer-
chant by dark insinuations against his character, by suggesting
the infidelity of his wife, and in other ways blackening his
social and business standing and holding up his quivering heart
for the public to gloat on, and then declining to puldish his
denial of the charges, or publishing it with the accompaniment
of an additional editorial stab intended as a coitp de grace. The
punishment thus inflicted would have been more severe than the
method followed by the Prince, because a more lasting torture ;
and it woidd liave the further advantage of being approved i)V
the tvrants of the present age. Human nature is little better
now than formerly; each epoch has its special forms of malii>--
nit>' and tvranny. In some lands and ages it is tlie rack and
the sword; in others, the human tongue and tlie j)ress.

The second son of the Shah, his Royal Iliglnu-ss ]\[usaffar-
ed-Ueeu Mirza, Yaliah-ed-Doiilet-i-Iran, the heir-apparent of
Persia, is ex officio governor of the very important jjrovince of
Azerbaijan and the adjacent northwestern districts Ixtrdcring
on the Russian frontier. It has not been mv pleasure to liave
a personal ac(HKiintaiice witli his lliglniess, as he remained at
Talnvez during my entire stay in Persia. \\\\\ in mi all 1 have
heard, I am incliniMl to be favoral)lv iiiijircsscd with his chiirac-
ter. lie uiidoubtcMlly possesses good powers of admhiistration.

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE ROYAL FAMILY.

189

;ind is lU'baue in luaiiner
and of humane disposition.
He is reputed by some
to be intellectually weak ;
but from wliat nffirial re-
lations I have had with
him and other somxes of
information, I am quite
sm"e that if he gives such
an impression it is done
with a far-seeing purjDOse.
He is also reputed to be
a fanatic, and at the same
time to favor the preten-
sions of Russia. It would
naturally be his policy to
appear to do both ; but it
is im})ossible to believe
that he can be sincere, at
least in the latter respect.
To arouse the opposition
of the Mahometan hier-
archy of Persia by indit-
ference to their power
would be .simplv to add
to the difficulties of a suc-
cession that is sure to be
contested. To appear hos-
tile to Russia would also

make her the friend of one of the other Princes ; while by making-
secret concessions to her he secures her assistance to place him
secru'ely on the throne. But while it woiild be perhaps too much
to ask of Asiatic human natm^e to decline the offers of a powerful

MU.SAFFAR-ED-DEF.X MIF.ZA. CP.liWN PRINCE
OF PERSIA.

190 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

;illy who would prove a dangerous foe if rejected, it is impos-
sible to imagine that Ids Royal Highness shovild feel aught bu^t
stem opposition towards a power whose ambition and ^\ell-
knowu wdles are ever menacing the existence of an empire ma-
jestic even in old age, and having abundant right to continue
independent for ages to come.

His lloyal Highness, the Naib-e-Sultaneh, Kamran Mirza, is
the third son of the Shah. He lives at Teheran, and as Minister
of War and Administrator of Teheran is in constant communica-
tion with his Majesty. Having the army and the capital in his
hands, he might prove a very dangerous competitor to his two
brothers if they were left to settle the succession unaided by
European bayonets and gold, or if he were a man of great
force of character or deep designs. But his Highness, who is
a young man of great amiabilitv, handsome in person and cour-
teous in manners and skilled in giving elegant entertainments,
conveys the impression of one who does not care to struggle with
the inevitable, but prefers rather to accept it gracefully. Still,
one caimot confidently affirm that he and liis councilloi's may
not have the address to conceal ulterior plans. There is no love
between the three Princes. They tell a stoi'y that when the
Zil-i-Sultan was in Teheran he was invited to a breakfast by
liis brother, the Xaib-e-Sultaneli. The ser\ace was, of coiu'se, of
princely elegance ; but the haughty elder brother disdainfully
declared that it was not his wont to eat off aught but silver
and gold, and before touching the brealdast he ordered his ser-
vants to bring his own service from his palace, llie difference
in age and rank ol)liged the younger brother and host to sub-
mit to tlie. indignitv.

It is no small testimony to the tact and ability of Nasr-ed-
Deen Shah that he lias been able to maintain tlie peace between
his tln-ee sons, and to occu})y the throne so long without serions
disturbances, and while holding the reins of government with

NASR-ED-DEEX SHAH AND THE KOYAL FAMILY. I'Jl

firm but merciful hand has continued to the present time to pre-
serve the respect and aftection of his people. It is his habit to
rise early in the morning, soon after daybreak, whether in the
country or at the capital. After saying his prayers, he gives
audience to his Ministers ; they make their reports, and receive
an expression of the ro}'uI will concerning the conduct of rpies-
tions brought to his attention. Uf course, on special occasions
the Ministers have access to his Majesty at other hours of the
day for the consideration of business ; this often occurs towards
evening. The present Shah gives minute attention to the affairs
of state, directing even the details, more than do many sover-
eigns. This is by some regarded as unnecessary and perhaps
detrimental to a broad treatment of state matters, while it also
results injuriously in reducing the responsibility and therefore
the usefulness of the heads of departments. But this has
been more or less the habit of most Eastern sovereigns, and in
the present case may be carried to an extreme because of the
lack of confidence in the abilit}- or integrit}- of those charged
with the direction of affairs next to the Sliah. As one result of
this form of administration, it is far more common at the court
of Persia than at European courts for diplomatic questions of
importance to be referred to his Majesty in person by the Min-
isters representing foreign joowers at his court. If it were pos-
sible to inaugurate such a sj'stem at the semi-Asiatic court of
St. Petersburg, diplomatic questions with Russia would be more
often settled satisfactorily, with less dissimulation and witli re-
sults less uniformly in favor of that astute power.

Notwithstanding his close attention to affairs of state, Nasr-ed-
Deen Shah finds leisure for relaxation and the cultivation of his
tastes, which incline both towards literature and art. He speaks
and reads French with considerable fluency. The leading for-
eign periodicals are read to him ; he gives directions concerning
the editing of the official gazettes, and keeps a daily journal

192 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

or I'ecord of events or objects tliat attract his attention. Be-
sides the narratives of his journeys to Europe, he has published
two illustrated volumes descriptive of journeys taken in Persia.
He is also a poet, and to his other accomplishments adds a taste
for drawing, some of his sketches being very clever. I remem-
ber on tlie occasion of an official interview with the late Minis-
ter of Foreign Affairs, that a royal rescript was brought to the
Minister, \yiien it was handed to him on a silver salver by
the colored attendant, he arose and took it with both hands and
touched it to liis bowed forehead before opening it, saying to
those around, ^vlio likewise arose, " A dispatch from our lord and
sovereign, the Shah-in-Shah." After reading the document, the
Minister pointed out to me a pen-and-ink sketch which his Maj-
esty liad drawn around the seal i)f the envelope with his own
liand. " See," said the Minister to me ; " this sketch by the
Shah-in-Shah himself shows that his Majesty is in happy dispo-
sition to-day, and feels graciously towards me his slave."

In liours of leisure the Sliah is fond of C(inversation, and
devotes part of his evening to social relations with his fii-
vorite courtiers. His genial nature is shown by a remark
he made to a cultivated gentleman of Teheran, whose elegant
country-seat he was honoring witli an afternoon visit. Turning
to his host, as they were strolling through the grounds, his Maj-
esty remarked, " How nnich I regret, when in the society of a
gentleman so polished and intelligent, that I cannot lav aside for
a while the burden of royal etiquette and converse with you
with the freedom I should like ! " But there is one evil result-
ing from these social qualities of Nasr-ed-Deen Shah, — he is
liable to be unduly influenced by the unprincipled men who are
able to amuse him in his hours of leisure. With the best inten-
tions in the world, liis administration is marred and the weal of
the empire weakened at a very critical period by the influence
at court of such unprincipled, fanatical, and reactionary characters

nasim:i)-I)Kf.x siiah and the hoyal family. 193

as the Eiiiiii Sultaiieh, or such brilliai.it but uuscrnpulous and
designing- men as the Eiiiin >Sultan, his cousin : the first repre-
sents the organized o^iposition to progress, and the second is
one of a number of men in high authority who would suck
the very life-blood of their country, if they could thereby
gain wealth, to lavish on costly palaces and pleasure-grounds.
Apres iioiis Ic (Uluge is the motto of too many in authority
in Persia, and hence the greatest danger to which that couu-
trv is now exposed ; for, not satisfied to drain the revenues
of their fatherland, they are also ready for northern gold to
thwart in secret the best progressive plans of their sovereign.
But Persia, alas ! is not the only country that harbors such
vipers in her bosom.

That his Majesty is conscious of the iniquity Avhicli charac-
terizes many of his entourage^ while seeing the difficulty of find-
ing better men to fill their places, is evident in various ways.
A good story is told of him, apropos of this fact, the truth of
which I have no reason to question. ( >ii a certain summer
afternoon, not so long ago, the Sliah was reclining in a pavilion
at his royal seat of Sultana-t-abad. His courtiers were seated
below him, eng-aged in a familiar conversation with their sov-
ereigii. In the course of the conversation the Shah remarked,
"Why is it that Anurshirwan was called the Just? Am I not
also just % " No one dared to reply ; it was a severe question,
unfair perhaps to put to them. Again tlie Shah in(|uired, "Can
no one of all }our number answer the King ? " But silence
reigned until it became oppressive, not to say perilous. At
length the Hekuii-ul-Mamolek, taking his life as it Avere in his
hands, hesitatingly replied, —

" As I am your sacrifice, O King of kings, Anurshirwan
was called the Just because he was just."

" And is not Nasr-ed-Deen Shah also just ? " demanded the
King witli a frown.

194 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

But no veply came, except that the Hekim-ul-Mamolek
slirugged his shoulders and opened the pahns of his hands and
lifted his eyebrows -with a deprecating gesture. Then in wrath
tlie Shall responded, —

" ye unregenerate sons of burnt fathers ! I know well that
if Anurshirwan had been surrounded by a corrupt and disrepu-
table canaille like you, he never could have obtained the title
of Just."

They all replied: "As we are your sacrihce, the Asylum of
the Universe hath uttered the truth."

It will be noticed that in the above conversation the Shah
speaks of himself in the third person. This is according ti)
usage in Persia, — contrary to that of European sovereigns,
who generally iise the first person plural.

Nasr-ed-Deen Shah, like many of his predecessors, is a great
sportsman. It is probable that to his frequent resort to the
chase he owes the good health which must have been severely
threatened by so many j-ears of government, as well as by the
enjoyment of the peculiar domestic privileges of Eastern sov-
ereigns. The monarchs of Persia were great hunters of old.
The word " Paradise," derived from the Sanskrit Parade.'io,
was first applied to the in)mense hunting-grounds reserved for
Persian kings. Several, like Bahrani, who lost his life in a
morass while hunting the wild ass, have been noted for their
achievements in the chase. In former ages it was the custom
to hang- out a crimson banner from a lofty tower in the centre
of the capital when the monarch of Persia was about to start on
a hunting expedition. But it is now the custom to fire a cannon
at suni'ise of the; day on which his Majesty proposes to issue
forth to the hunting-grounds, to 2)ursue the tiger, the ibex, or
the gazelle. Sometimes he merely goes for a day or two, bur
frequently these excursions last a week. An inmiense train of
camels and sunqitcr nudes precedes the royal cortege, bearing

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE ROYAL FAMILY. 19-J

the magnificent crinisou tents and other paraplienuiHa essential
tn a royal excursion.' On these occasions, the 8hah is also
accompanied by an imposing body of attendants and several
squadrons of cavalry. When he takes his long sunnner trips to
a distance from the capital, the escort is much larger, and his
favorite wives accompany him. Diu-iug the jouniev to Mesched
three years ago, the royal train consisted of upwards of twenty
thousand people, of whom six thousand w(!re soldiers. There
is one march across the desert of Khorassan where for two
long stages there is no water, and the entire train was obliged
to make this double stage without stopping. It was very
trying, although done in the night.

One of the favorite resorts of the Shah is Sheristanek, high
up in the Elburz ^lountains, north of Teheran. His Majesty
has caused an elegant pavilion to be constructed there, nestling
in a hollow of the mountains at an altitude of ten thousand feet.
But the place is only reached with considerable difficulty, espe-
cially with ladies carried on litters. It is quitje common for men
and liorses to be killed on some of these royal excursions to
Sheristanek. In that neighborhood the scenerj', I have been
told, is of extraordinary sublimity and Iteauty.

Nasr-ed-Deen Shah has the reputation of being a daring
sportsman, who does not flinch before the panther and the
tiger. A good story is told of an incident which happened
on one of these excursions. A nmnber of courtiers were
grouped around the Shah, on the alert for game, wdien an
immense tiger suddenly appeared uninvited upon the scene.
All the courtiers fled panic-stricken except the Emin Doiileh,

' The great use made of tents tor ages in a country like Persia lias given the Persian
artisans gi'eat skill in the making of these canvas houses, which are often of large size,
including several large apartments. Those of the Shah and his courtiers are lined with
enihroidered cashmere. It is common to use for linings a cloth stamped with pictures([ne
designs representing hunting-scenes decoratively treated. Such tents are called "kalem-
kar." The external color is generally a dark blue, crimson being reserved for the Shah
alone.

196 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

who remained by the Shah, who stood his ground, and with
an unerring shot pierced the vitals of the tiger. After tlie
dan^'er was over and the courtiers came furtli ironi tht'ir hiihng--
place, his Majesty good-naturedly rallied them on tlie cowardice
which led them to desert their sovereign in a moment of pei-il ;
and he added, " Look at my good servant, the Emin Doiileli,
who alone remained at his sovereign's side." But the Emin
Doiileli, a sincere yet shrewd courtier, seeing that he would
sooner or later feel the jealousy of his fellow-coiirtiers for the
royal praise, replied: " As I am your sacrifice, King of kings,
I did not run away because I was so collapsed with fear that my
knees declined to do their duty."

On the.se excursions his Majesty likes to disj)ense, so far as
possible, with the burdensome etiquette of court life; and tliis
is also now the tendency when he is at the ca])ital. < »iie of
the Shah's favorite amusements is to have the Ministers or
upper stewards of the royal household prepare his dinner for
him. I have seen a pliotograph of a group of these high dig-
nitaries engaged under a tent assorting the vegetables, — one
hulling the beans, another preparing the [)otatoes !

But while in these excursions the Shah can find .some freedom
from a ceremonial which no Iiabit can alwavs make tolerable,
he cannot well dispense with it altogether without compromis-
ing his dignity as well as power. There is, however, a very
marked difference between the state ceremonies noAV required at
Teheran and those which obtained at the court of Shah Abbass.
While the ceremonial system yet observed there is still exceed-
ingly irksome, a tendenc}^ exists to make it less humilinting to
the high subjects of his Majesty, and more acceptahle to tlie dip-
lomatic representatives of foreign Powers. In no case is anv
Minister, whether Persian or foreign, obliged to abase himself
ill th(^ inaniier reported in the press of the United States. The
most that is required of them is to leave their outer shoes at tlie

.\asim:i)-1)i;i:n >ii vii and iiii; uovai. i'amilv. pj"

duur ; ami l-\c'1i this is nut rigordusly ciitdi'ccd, although it
forms ])art ot" uii article of the famous treaty oi' Turkomaiitcha'i,
drawn up between Persia and Russia. ( )n entering the audience-
r(^)om tlie Shah is sahite<l with a Ixiw, which is I'epeated on arii\-
ing at the spot indicated by him for tlie audience. In an audi-
ence to a foreign diplomat, his Majesty stands, advancing or
retiring and fannliarly conversing, precisely as two gentlemen
might converse, the chief point being that he always opens and
closes the conversation. Every one also remains covered, ac-
cording to oriental custom.

The master of ceremonies and other dignitaries who attend
the diplomatic corps in proceeding to a ro}'al audience wear
suj)erb togas of embroidered cashmere, and on reaching the
gateway of the iiuier garden of the palace they exchange their
usual black tiaras tor white turl>ans, which are held against their
coming- by attendants in waiting. The dii)louuitic corps, when
proceeding to a royal audience, go in cariiages Avith a nundjer
of mounted outriders, the size of this cortege being dependent
on the allowance granted by their respective Governments. On
entering the enclosure of the Ark, the carriage is met by ten oi
the royal heralds in scarlet livery, who escort the Minister to the
gate of the palace. On arriving there, the Minister proceeds
to the rei'e[)tion-room of the Foreign Office, where he is received
by the ^linister of Foreign Affairs and other prominent digni-
taries, resplendent in robes (»f office blazing- with decorations.
Refreshments are served, and a pleasant informal chat succeeds,
until it is announced that his Majesty is waiting. The ^finister
of Foreign Affairs inmiediately repairs by a private passage to
the presence of the sovereign, and is seen standing a little below
on the right of the Shah when the diplomatic corps enter the
audience-hall by way of the gardens, and approach the ''Asylum
of the Universe."

The most imposing and remarkable ceremony of the year is

198 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

that which takes phice at the No Rooz, oi- the openings of the
Persian new year. The Persians, being now Mahometans, are
reluctant to admit that tliis anniversar}^ is continued from the
customs of the Fire Worshippers, and allege that the No Rooz
is really to celebrate the birth of the mother of the Prophet.
But the anniversaries of the early Persians were suggested by
astronomical phenomena, and there is no reason to question such
origin in the case of the No Rooz, or New Day, which comes at
the time of the spring solstice, and is precisely the period ac-
cepted by the followers of Zoroaster for the opening of tlie year.
The festival lasts ten days, during which none but tlie most
imperative work is done. Provisions are laid up in advance
for the occasion, the l)azaars being closed, and it is a period of
universal feasting and rejoicing. Every one dons a new suit
of clothes ; tables loaded with refreshments are spread in every
house, and visits are exchanged. Tlie sound of music is heard
in all quarters. On the last day of the festival ever}' Persian
walks abroad with his wife or wives ; the gardens are every-
where thrown open to the people, and the streets are filled with
gay but orderly throngs. This is the oidv time in tlie year
when a Persian of the cities is seen promenading abroad with his
family.

On the eve of No Rooz the common people are accustomed to
kindle rows of bonfires and leap over them as a projiitiatory
ceremony. Tins sufticiently proves the origin of the festival,
which fact is further confirmed by an inqiosing ccrenmny that
occurs at the palace at the very beginniug of tlie No Rooz.
Only two or three Europeans have ever been jx-rmitted to see
this ceremony, and they were in high employ under the Persian
Govcrnincnt. The account I am able to give is from the lips of
one of these gentlemen.

Shortly before the sun is to cross the line, be it dnv or night,
the high officers of the court and government assemble in the

NASR-E1)-DEEX SHAH AND THK KdVAL FAMILY. 19!)

great audience-clianibcv, w liidi is also the irmseimi or receptacle
of the crown jewels ah-eady described in a pre\ious clnipter.
It is with treasures on either hand which recall the renoAvn of
Persia for so many ages that the Shah-in-Shah gives a .solemn
audience to his courtiers at the No Rooz. There is nothing on
this occasion to suggest that there is any declension in the for-
tunes of an empire that still holds in her grasj) the jewels of the
Indies. The courtiers, in coui-t costumes of the utmost magnifi-
cence, assemble before the arrival of the Shah and take their
places in readiness, ranging themselves according to rank on
each side of the hall, beginning at the peacock throne. First
in order are the great moUahs, or Mahometan prelates of the
realm, who are seated in the Persian fashion, — that is, kneeling,
and then sitting backward on their upturned heels. After the
moUrdis follow the uncles of the Shah, then the Sedr Azem, or
Prime Minister, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Naib-e-
Sultaneh, the last two facing each other. After these, in due
order of rank, come the other Ministers of the Empire, the high
generals of the army, and the head man, or administrative chief
of the Khajar tribe, to which the present dynasty belongs. All
of these personages remain standing, except the mollahs, and
are so placed as to form a lane the entire length of the audience-
hall, up which the Shah-in-Shali proceeds with stately steps and
seats himself on the carpet of pearls before the peacock throne.

The chief of the Khajars, attended b}' servants bearing trays
of silver coin, now gives to all present in their order a share of
coin, that they may have money in their hands as a good augury
when the New Yeai- begins. In the mean time, niimerous salvers
containing the fruits of earth and water, and trays piled with
glittering heaps of new coin of Persia, both silver and gold
intermingled, are ranged before the Shah by dignitaries in gor-
geous livery ; the Shah then burns incense on a small brazier.
When the astrologers announce the moment of the sun's crossing

200 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

the line, the Shah takes up a magnificently IxjuihI Koran lying-
before him, presses it to his forehead, bosom, and lips, and then
turning to the molirdis, says with unieh fervor, 2Io>iiJ)arek haiv-
shed f — "May it be propitious to _you ! " ( >n tliis a molLali
arises, and with full, rich voice cliiints an invocation to the
Deity. Each personage present now ap])roaclies the Shah in
turn, and according to rank kneels before his sovereign and
receives a handful or two of the new coin, the amount depend-
ing upon the favor in which he stands with the monarch. Eacli
in turn then retires from the scene, until the Shah remains in his
treasure-house alone.

Several hours after the close of this august c(^i'emon\' his
Majesty receives the di])]omatic corps, who come to ofl'er tlie con-
srratulations of the season. Innnediateh" this is over, he "ives
a general audience to the })eopl(" in a pa\iliou situated in the
outer garden of the palace. All the avenues leading to it, and
the garden itself, are lined with ro>;d guards. The crown of
the Khajars, an innuense structure, massive m ith diauKmds and
]>earls, is borne in advance on a cushion ()f (•rims<in Nclvet and
laid on the luarble tin-one of the paviliou. This throne, contrary
to Western notions, is a long ])latform \\ith a lofty liack and
low sides of open stone-work, supported on four marble lions.
With slow and diguitied mien the Shah is now seen walking
entireh' unattended thrcuigh the garden between the guards, his
left hand resting on the hilt of a sciuiitar of priceless magni-
ficence. Mounting b\' three steps, his Majesty seats himseU,
Persian fashion, on his knees at tlie fartlier end of the throne,
and listens to a li\ um of congratulation composi-d l)y the olhcial
bard of Persia. A |iromiuent mendx'r of the Khajjlr tribe,
sreuerallv the II llauee, also ofi'ei-s the coULiratulations and
aspirations of the people of Persia, standing at the foot of the
tlu'oue. if the Shall is in gracious uiood, he holds a pleasant
conversation with liim : and llms, as it wei'e, con\"e\s to the

NASR-ED-DEEX SHAH AND THE ROYAL FAMILY. " 201

peoijle t)t' PLT.sia through liiiu the royal content in his sub-
jects, and the royal wishes and hopes for the great and ancient
people of Persia, as they once more enter upon a new year.

Dm-ing the No Rooz, or as soon after as possible, occur the
annual races, conducted under royal auspices. The Shah enters
a ntunber of horses huuself A handsome kiosk, or pavilion,
stands by the course, erected esjiecially for these occasions.
Here his Majesty presides, and the favorites of the royal An-
deroon occupy alcoves in either Aving, screened by lattices. The
horses run at a terrific rate six times around the course, which
is equivalent to a distance of nearly seven miles. If is said to
have been accomplished in twenty-two minutes, Avhich appears
doubtful. In 1884, contrary to the usual result, a niajorit\-
of the prizes were awarded to horses belonging to subjects.
( )iily two prizes were secured by steeds from the royal stables.
The Shah showed his displeasure by dismissing his mirahor, or
Grand Equeiry, who, it was evident, had blun(l('re(l either b\-
entering horses of inferior bottom, or by not exercising sufficient
tact as to how they were ridden to the stakes, or what horses
were pitted against them. In foi-mer reigns this officer might
have lost his head for such a mishap ; but, as many Persians
have remarked to me, the reigning Sliah is greatly in advance of
his predecessors in the matter of clemency.

During the festival season of the spring of 18 80 a magnificent
tent, lined with Resclit embroidery, was placed at the disposal of
the diplomatic corps, who were received by the [Minister of For-
eign Aftairs. An elaborate cold breakfast, in Eiu-opean style,
was served on the bufi'et. After the races followed a re-\-iew of
the garrison stationed at Teheran, who are chiefly insti-ucted by
Austrian and Russian officers. Between eight and nine thousand
men of difterent organizations filed by, including artillery and
UTegulars. The general efi'ect gave a favorable impression of the
possible results of the adoption of modern tactics and drill in

202 ■ PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

Persia, althougli most of tlie regiments were inferior to those of
Europe, not in materiel, but in movement and practice. The best
display was made by the cavah-y, uniformed hke Cossacks and
riding then- wiry steeds like centaurs. The irregular cavalry were
pictm-esquely dressed and armed in semi-oriental style, carrying
long-barrelled miiskets with a forked rest. A peculiarly Persian
corps was the mounted artillery, composed of batteries of small
swivel cannon attached to the backs of mules. It is the custom
to employ camels also in this service, which in a country like
that of Persia might, if properly served, prove effective. In one
respect the parade excelled any I have seen ; I refer to the large
number of superb horses present. Another feature of the revicAV
was an immense elephant, gaily caparisoned, leading the • ^'an.
The Persians have evidently not forgotten the time when the ele-
phant formed an important auxiliar}' in their military service.

After the review, instead of entering his coach and returning
to the palace as on previous occasions, the Shah proceeded on
foot to the garden opyjosite to the royal pavilion. On his way
he glanced towards the diplomatic coi'ps, who were watcliing
him, and Avaved to us to follow. At the gate of the garden he
stopped to receive us, tlie ladies l)eing' introduced acccn-ding to
thfir j)recedence by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. His Majesty
exchanged a few words with several, addressing the Avives of the
Eussian and United States Ministers pai'ticularly, and then in-
vited us to stroll with him through the garden. He was in ex-
cellent spirits, and looked very well in a rich military uniform
surmounted with a beautiful fur-lined pelisse of caslunere. Chat-
ting pleasantly witli those nearest liim in French, he led us to
a small artificial lake, wliere a tent was spread for him. There
he turned and pleasantly gave us our co)i(jt. This is tlie iirst
time in history that a king of Persia has so far wai^-ed ceremony,
and it foi-nis an era in the record of tlie elalntrate etiquette
of that comitry. l>ut it was one of many examples of tlie

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NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE KUYAL FAMILY. 205

progressive and independent character of Nasr-ed-Deen ■ Sliali,
who, as is well known, likes sometimes to put on a disguise and
rove at will about his capital.

Nasr-ed-Deen Shah has, of course, availed himself of the
privileges of oriental law and custom, and has had several wives
and concubines. But in tliis regard he seems to have been more
moderate than some of his j^redecessors. One of his favor-
ite wives in former yeai's was a peasant girl of the village of
Tejrisch. She was reported to be tall, well-formed, and possessed
of features indicating sense and sensibility. Her rustic life
seems to have heightened rather than impaired her charms. She
showed botli. a knowledge of her fascinations and feminine tact
to make the most of them, when she raised her veil on a certain
day while the young king of Persia was pursuing the chase.
Tlie royal heart was smitten on the spot, and he sent messengers
to ask the maiden from her parents. In such a case a request is
equivalent to a command ; but it is not likely that any peasant
woman of Persia would decline such a proposal, even though life
in the royal Anderoon, notwithstanding its luxur}^, seems very
like imprisonment in a golden cage. On further acquaintance
the Shah was so pleased with the peasant girl, that he pro-
moted her from the condition of concubine to that of a favor-
ite wife, — a position she had the address to hold until her
death.

The present favorite is the Aneese-e-Dolileh. If not strictly
handsome, she has, it is said, a very pleasant, amiable face, and
is gifted with unusual tact and intelligence. The Shah is very
fond of her, and her influence over him seems to be beneficial
and permanent. On the announcement of the approaching
departure of the first United States Minister to Persia from
Teheran in 1885, the Aneese-e-Doiileh paid his wife the high
compliment of inviting her and her daughter to an entertain-
ment especially given in their honor at the palace. During the

206 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

afternoon his Majesty himself came into the apartment and
entered into a pleasant and informal conversation with the
American guests, in which he gave expression to his personal
and official regard. The compliment was considered to indicate
a very pleasant feeling towards the United States, as tlio atten-
tion was one which had been extended to the wife of no other
di[)lomatist at Teheran for many years.

The Shah has several daughters who are married to j^romi-
nent subjects. The honor is attended with some inconveniences.
These wives of royal birth are reported to be sometimes exacting
and imjjerious, and the luisband is permitted to have no other
wife. To compensate for this, it must be admitted that the
daughters of the Shah are reputed to be women of intelligence,
of strong affections, and devoted to their husbands, — a devotion
wliich perhaps is not always equally reciprocated.

The eldest daughter, the Eft-e-Khar-e-Doiileh, is married to
the Moayer-ul-Mamolek. He is a young man of handsome and
attractive presence, who inherited high rank and vast landed
estates from his father, — who, by the way, was a man of taste,
a patron of the arts, with a feeling for the beautiful akin to
genius. He constructed one of the most magniticent country-
seats in the world in the suburbs of Teheran, and collected some
of the finest examples of the pictorial, glyptic, and caligraphic
arts of ancient Persia. It is to this ])assion as a collector that
he owed possession of the most valued manuscript in Persia, —
a small but exquisite copy of the Koran, valued by Persian vir-
tuosos as high as one hundred thousand dollars. During a game
of Persian poker at the royal palace, one of the players lost
heavily, and asked the Moaj-er-ul-Mamolek to lend him six
thousand tomans, or ten thousand dollars. To this the other
agreed, if he could have as security the aforesaid inanuscri})t.
With the T-ecklessness of one who pla5-s for desperate stakes, the
borrower comjdied, and sent for the manuscript, whicli jjassed

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE ROYAL FAMILY. 207

into tlie hands of the Moayer-ul-Mamolek solely as security, the
prompt payment of the money being assui'ed. On the morrow,
accordingly, the six thousand tomans were sent to the mansion
of the Moayer-ul-Mamolek with a request for the return of the
priceless manuscript. Search was made for it high and low
in vain, the Moayer-ul-Mamolek at last asserting that further
quest was useless, since in some inscrutable manner the book
had become mislaid, perhaps stolen. After his death the ines-
timable and long-missing manuscript was found safely hidden
among the other manuscripts which compose one of the finest
oriental libraries in existence.

Tlie son of this worthy, the present Moayer-ul-Mamolek, is
not behind his father in craft. Fortunatel}^, the daughter of a
king took a fancy to him. These royal ladies generally contrive
to have an opportunity to see the man they propose to marrv.
Not satisfied with his good fortune, the young noble also hoped
for some high office, his ambition perhaps being in excess of his
ability. It is, however, vmusual for the highest offices to be
given to the sons-in-law of the Sliah, probably in order not to
over-stimulate their ambition or arouse the jealousy of their
royal brothers-in-law, the Princes. In addition to this disap-
pointment, the Moayer-ul-Mamolek met at the same tiiue with a
check in a way he least expected, although liable to happen at
any oriental court. He received an intimation that the Shah,
having considered the vast wealth of his son-in-law, deemed it
proper under the circumstances that he should contribute a
valuable offering to the royal treasury.

It has long been the custom in oriental lands for the sovereign
to demand a heavy contribution in money from sulijects who have
attained unusual wealth and power. Sometimes, on some flimsy
pretext, he may reduce their rank, or cause them to be executed,
and then confiscate all their property ; or he may be satisfied bv
large "presents" from time to time. For this reason partly.

208 PEKSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

houses ill Persia are surroimdetl Ijy high \'\alLs, while the gates
are small and. insignificant, in order to conceal the wealth
within.

When the Moayer-ul-Mamolek received this hint ironi the
Shah he Avas struck '\\-itli amazement and terror. He knew not
hut it was a signal to strip him of the greater part of his ^Aealth,
or perhaps a preliminary to degradation and ruin. Laboring
under such apprehensions he felt that no tune must be wasted
in deliberation, and that he must act with celerity and secrecv.
Doubtless he exaggerated the danger ; for Nasr-ed-Deen 8hah,
being of a mild and merciful disposition, probably required noth-
ing more than a sum of money such as custom allows an oriental
despot to demand. But the Moayer-ul-Mamolek drew his infer-
ences from what had been too often the practice in the land of
his birth, and acted accordingly. He did not dare to confide
his plans even to the Princess, his wife, lliere was something
masterl}^ in the manner in which the young nobleman planned
and executed his measures for avoidiuo- tlie dileunna in which
he was placed.

When his father died, it was found that he. had left a share of
his large treasures bv will unassigned to any heir, directing that
it should be buried with him in his tomb. The coffin was de-
posited in a mosque whicli was the tomb of a saint called an
Imam Zadeh, several days' journey from Teheran. This luiani
Zadeh Avas a resort for pilgrims, and a Aeuerable molirdi, ov \mvst,
liad charge of it. The Moayer-ul-^ranioir'k infornicci tlie Prin-
cess, his Avife, that he proposed to make a pilgrimage to the
shrine of a saint, — such pilgrimages being greatly esteemed
in Persia, adding as they do to a repute for piety, far more
easily won in this way than by a genuine attempt to live a
more holy life.

Biddinjr farewell to tlie Princess, \\lio little tliouyht how
long it would be before she should see her husband again, and

NASK-KU-DEEN bllAli AND THE KuVAL FAMILY. 209

selecting such tried attendants as could be trusted^ the Moayer-
ul-Mamolek left Teheran. After proceeding some distance to-
wards the shrine he had mentioned as the one that he intended
to visit, he took a bridle-jiatli that led in the opposite direction,
and travelled hard until he reached the shrine where his father
was buried. It was towards nightfall. An outrider was sent
in advance to inform the old custodian that the Moayer-ul-
Mamolek was coming, and would lodge at his house that night.
Thu.s is the traveller of rank in Persia wont to do when he seeks
a lodging on his journey. The gray-bearded moUah came forth
from the gate to welcome the Prince, with low bows and many
a honeyed phrase, as he alighted. Ilosh amedeed ! — "Thou
hast come God-sent ! " — the elder exclaimed, gravely and fei'-
vently.

Overlooking the scene from the housetop was the fair and
blooming daughter of the host. Perhaps, with a natural touch
of coquetiy, she allowed her veil to drop for a moment as the
Prince looked up. At any rate, the sight of the young maiden
suffofested to him a means of assistance in the maturing^ of his
plan, which inay have been up to this time somewhat vaguely
defined in his mind.

xlfter the evening- repast, the Prince gave the host and
father of the damsel to understand that he would like to
have her to wife. It is so common for Persian gentlemen
higli in rank, including the Shah himself, to select wives far
lower in station than themselves, that there was nothing in
the proposal to excite surprise, although it gave the old mol-
lah great pleasure to think that he was to be allied to a prince.
Nor was he staggered on learning further that the would-be
husband desired the marriage to take place without delay, for
haste regarding an affiiir of such importance is also not uncom-
mon in Persia. The preliminaries having all been arranged,

a priest was sent for, who drew \\\) and signed the marriage-

210 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

contracts.^ And thus in a few brief hours the young country-
girl, who had never before seen lier husband, not only found
but wedded him, — and he a prince, and son-in-law of a king.

When the Moayer-ul-Mamolek was alone with hi.s bride, he
told her that, notwithstanding the suddenness of his attachment
to her, his love was so intense that he desired to present lier
with an extraordinary token of his regard. In a ^^•ord, it was
his wish to bestow on her a diadem of rare value and beauty
which had been in his family for generations. Unfortunately
this prize was not in his possession, and the question was how
he could recover and present it to her as a permanent token of
love. It was included with the treasures hidden in the shrine
of the saint, of which her father held the key, under solemn
oath to deliver neither key nor treasures to a living soul.

The bride of an liour eagerly replied that if this were all
the impediment that hindered possession of the gem, she could
overcome it. The key of the shrine her father kept, according
to Persian custom, under his pillow ; and as he always slept
soundly, she was confident of being able to secure and return
it before he should awake at the call of morning praj-er.

Barefooted she stole through the house over the soft Persian
rugs, which served her a good turn by deadening the sound of
her steps. If she had any compunctions of conscience in pro-
ceeding upon such a questionable errand, slie probably vcasoncd
that the Prince had a riglit to inherit liis father's treasures,
which were useless to any one where they were, and if ho
could not get them in one way he was entitled to obtain lliem
in another. But it is not likely that she gave nuu-li attention to
the etliics of tlie question. Proceeding with the utmost circum-
spection, she reached her father's bedside. Like all Persians, he
was sleeping upon a mattress spread on the floor. This made

1 This was, of coiirsc, a so-callcil tcmporaiy inarriaixc, altlmiicjli strictly Iciral, — a
[■nil tliat socnis ])f'niiissil)le to sous-iii-law of the Sliah.

NASR-ED-DEEN SIlAll .\XD TIIK KOYAL FAMILY. 211

success more easy. Gradually iiiovinj^ her small liaiul under the
pillow, tlie young woman at last found and withdrew the coveted
key, and noiselessly returned to the Moayer-ul-Mainolek.

The nobleman gave his bride a parting kiss, jn-omising in a
few brief moments to bring her the coveted gift. He proceeded
at once to the I mum Zadeh, where his servants were awaiting:
him with the horses. The key proved, indeed, an "open sesame"
to vast treasures. They were, fortunately for his purpose, of
compact size, — pearls, bracelets, rubies, diamonds, and em-
broideries of price, with a few select manuscripts such as al-
ways bring their weight in gold from the collector. It took
only a short time to rifle the tomb of its riches and load them
in saddle-bags on the horses ; and then the word was, " To
horse and away ! " Softly the cavalcade stole through the
dusky streets of the town. The Ijark of dogs, the low growl
of the cur lifting half an ear to catch the muffled sounds of
hoofs as he woke out of dreamless sleep, was not of nmch con-
sequence in an oriental town where the dogs tight at all hours
of the night, and therefore the inhabitants slept on, save the
forsaken bride. When the Prince and his attendants reached
the open, they put spurs to their steeds and flew over mountain
and valley, and ere the gray of dawn broke on the mountain
tops they had placed many farsakhs^ between themselves and
the Imam Zadeh. It argues well for the fidelity of the servants
of the Moayer-ul-Mamol^k that he was able, with such treasures,
to proceed unharmed over those lonely roads.

The bride waited long ; such treachery was a new expei'ience
to her. Her hopes gradually passed to despair. When morning -
came, she realized that she had not only lost her husband, but
incurred as well the dire indignation of her father. But while
she was lamenting, the bridegroom was flying for his life to-
wards the Caspian Sea. At Mesched-i-Sar the fugitives found

' A farsukh is about four miles. Xenophon calls it " parasaiig."

212 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

a steamer bound to Baku, in llussia. On board of thi;-: vessel
they escaped to Europe, and travelled to Paris.

When the Princess at Teheran heard that her husband liad
fled to Europe, she wrote him the most appealing letters, urging
his return, for she was devotedly attached to him. l^ut he paid
no attention to her entreaties. If he had deemed it prudent to
escape from the clutches of the Shah before committing- any
overt act of disobedience, how much more imj^ortant was it
now that he should not trust himself again in the power of an
absolute monarch whom he had deeply offended, both by refus-
ing the offering demanded and by leaving the Empire without
permission.

But the time came when the exiled nobleman found himself
obliged to turn for relief to the royal wife whom he had- left be-
hind. The treasure he had taken with him was ample to sus-
tain him in luxury at any European capital for a long time, if
he had used it with prudence. But instead of this he squan-
dered it amid the manifold dissipations of the gay capital of
France, and it was not long before he found himself in need of
funds. Then, at last, the Moayer-ul-Mamolek wrote to the Prin-
cess for money, bemoaning his fate and describing his distress in
moving terms. She did not dela}' to respond favorably to his
appeal, and continued to send him remittances, until the Shah
heai'd that she was exhausting her i-ovenues in maintaining her
husband abroad. He also learned — what, happily for her, she
did not know — that the ]\Ioayer-ul-Mamolek was wasting the
money sent by his devoted wife in unprofital)le ways, instead
.of living moderately and respectably. The Sliuli therefore for-
bade his daiighter to send any further i-eniittances to her hus-
band. But as she was a favorite child, he yielded to her earnest
entreaties, and srave his yova] woi-d tliat if tlie Moaver-ul-
Mamolek would return to Persia no liariu sliould come to him.
Finding that he could obtain no more money, the young noble-

NASR-ED-DEEN SHMI AND THE KOYAL FAMILY. 213

man decided to risk the chances of a return, and arrived at
Teheran in the spring of 1885, greatly to tlie joy of the Princess.
Thus far the Shah lias kept his promise, and will doubtless con-
tinue to do so unless fm-ther indiscretions should again bring
the (jaUlard nobleman into peril. A nature like his does not
easily learn from experience, and it would be difficult to predict
what will be his course in the future.

Another daughter of the Shah is married to a Khajar gentle-
man of high rank, who as Grand Master of Ceremonies en-
joys the title of Zaheer-i-l)oiileli. Pie was a neighbor of the
writer at Teheran, his residence being directly opposite the
United States Le"-ation. He is a young man of very amiable
disposition, socially one of the most agreeable gentlemen in
Persia ; 'an admirable raconteur ; and what is more, he is gifted
A\itli a sincerity of chai'acter Avhicli is not too connuon in the
East.

Among other attentions, the Zaheer-i-Doiileh twice invited
the members of the United States Legation to dine at his Ikjusc.
On the fii'st occasion the entertainment AA'as given entirely after
the Persian fashion. Of course, only gentlemen were present.
Tlie invited guests consisted of the United States Mmister and
his attaches, Assedooleh Khan, Persian Ambassador to St. Pe-
tersburg, en conge, and several relatives of the host. The enter-
tainment began with music of delicate Persian instruments. The
performers were selected from those Avho play before the Shah
himself at the palace. The instruments played at this dinner
were a zither made of inlaid wood, and a flat aiTangement of
silver wires of different lengths, toucluMl by two slender spoon-
shaped pieces of bone. The latter piece is called a saiitoor, and
the strains are not unlOve those of the piano, although naturally
much feebler. The santoor has much sweetness, and is capable
of considerable expression, altliough the zither or guitar appears
to respond more delicately to the touch.

214 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

After au hour of music and chatting, flavored with the aro-
matic fumes of Shiraz tumbak in kahilns of silver set with
tui'qvToise, cordials were served, to which cigarettes were added.
Dimier was then announced. While it is not uncommon for
Persian gentlemen to sit at the table and furnish a menu u hi
fniiiaiisc. when entertaining Em-opean guests, yet Avhen alone
they still prefer the native custom of sitting on the floor \\ith
the meal spread before them on trays of copper or sih-er. The
Shah himself adheres to a custom that is evidently a relic of
the nomadic life of which the Oriental shows traces in nuan-
habits inherited from his ancestors of old. On this occasion
an elegant repast was spread on the floor in the centre of the
room. The dishes consisted chiefly of ragouts highly spiced and
agreeably seasoned with rich sauces, pickled fruits and confec-
tions, and of course several varieties of pillaus and chillaus, or
dishes of rice heaped in ctme-shaped piles. Bv each guest was
a loaf of the peculiar bread of Teheran. I say loaf, but it is
really less thick than sole-leather, and the size of a large napkin.
Its i^eculiar form enables one to break off" bits and use them
as spoons to take up choice morsels. I found the meal highl}-
appetizing, and could easily have sat an hour longer at the en-
tertainment, — although perhaps I am not an impartial judge,
as I am natui'ally inclined to the oriental cuisine, because y\\u'\\
properly prepared the dishes have a more decided cliaracter
than ours.

On passing from the dining to the reception room we met
servants in the anteroom bearing basins and towels and graceful
ewers of brass containing rose-scented water, which was ]ionrcd
over our fingers. Cott'ee and kalians Avere now served, and with
conversation and music several hours passed away agreeably.

Among the numerous stories and anecdotes related on this
occasion, I recollect two or three which seemed to have a |i('(ii-
liarl\ oriental flavor. The Zaheer-i-Douleh, our host, wlio is a

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND TIH-; lioVAL FAMILY. 215

brave garroi/, related tlie followinji' incident of his boyhood w itli
ninch zest. He said that when he was Hviu<;' in Khorassan there
came a ^^'inter of nnusual severity, and the siirfaee of a j)ool
near the town was frozen over hard enoiig'h to slide on. Anions'
liis companions was a ^'outh wlio was excejitionally superstitious.
Each time lie started to slide across the ice, he blew over his
rig'ht and left shoulders and exclaimed, "Yah, Mohannned ! ''
The boys asked him his motive for doin^- this. He replied, to
keep off the djins, who might cause the ice to break and give
him a ducking. The boys thereupon concerted to play him a
trick. The next mornino- thev cracked the ice in the centre and
covered it with snow. They gave their A-ictim the first chance
to slide, and stood by to see the fun. Blowing over his shoul-
ders as usual, the unsuspecting youth started off finely, and
plumped into the water up to his chin. Scrambling out in great
fury, he gave chase to his tormentors, crying, " (_)nly let me
catch the son of a burnt father who did this!" But they replied,
laughing, " Xo son of a burnt father did this. It all happened
because you did not blow hard enough over your shoulders ! "

Another story of the evening is one which is widely cun-ent
in Persia. It may have some mystical relation to the so-called
solar mj-ths about which Professors Max ]\Iuller, Wolf, and others
have expended such floods of hypothetical ink. An archer came
once on a time from Turkey to Persia, with a gi-eat renown for
strength. He challenged all the champions of Persia to shoot
an arrow farther than he. The 8hah was greatly shaken in his
mind lest the credit of the Empire should lie imperilled on the
qtiestion of archery. But there came a man from the south, \\lio
bade the Shah cease his apjjreliensions, for he declared himself
able to outshoot the world. The day for the contest amved.
The Turkish archer was indeed a wonder, for he shot a shaft to a
prodigious distance. But the Persian champion, being a scien-
tific wag, put mercm-y on his aiTOw and aimed towards the sun.

216 PERSIA AXl) THE PERSIANS.

As the whizzing shaft neared the glowing- huninary, the niercurv
being volatile gave increased momentnin to the aiTo\A-, ■\^•l^u■h
ceased not to speed forward until it reached the hanks of the
Gihoon. Another version of this story states that this contest
really took place in order to settle the qnestion of the bonndarv
between Persia and Turan, and that the contestants stood on the
snnmiit of Demavend.

Another ingenious and highly characteristic story was told on
this occasion, well illustrating the subtile imagination of the cul-
tivated Persian. It is an allegory intended to typify the differ-
ent effects produced on the mind and nerves by wine, opium, and
hashish. Thi-ee men, each under the influence of one of these
intoxicants, arrived after nightfall at tlie gate of a citv. He who
was nnder the effect of alc<iliol was t'urions wlien he found the
gate closed, and vociferated, " Let ns Imrst in tlic gate at once!
I will do it with my sword ! " The opimn-eatcr said, " Nay, we
will tany here nntil sunrise ; then the gate will Ije ojjened, and
we can enter without discomfort." But the liashi.sh eater mur-
mured, with feeble voice, "Neither way is good; because Ave can
steal tlu'ouffh the keyhole, as we can make om-selves small."

This is a fitting place to allude to the custom of the Court of
Persia of extending to foreign envoys the c(mrtesies of what in
diplomatic phraseology is calle(l " the solenni entiy." This ceremo-
nial in foi'mer asres Avas in voc'ue at the cdurts of Euroijc as well
as of Asia. Persia is one of the very few countries that now
awards to a foreign envoy a reception intended in its origin to con-
vey an impression of the importance of the diplomatic relations
existing between great nations, thereby adding also to the scmmu--
ity which must attach to the per.son of a Minister ii' he would
properly execute the objects of his mission ; especially as at any
time, in case of strained rclatloiis or hostilities, he may lind liim-
self in an alien countrx' far from home, and i-c(piiring all the
protection which can he dcrixcd from a jiro])cr and customary

NASR-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE KOYAL FAMILY. 217

consideration ot" tlie dignity ;ind representative character of liis
})osition. It is eminently proper that in a country hke Persia a
foreign envoy arriving at the frontier shonki be met l)y a dele-
gate of the Court to which lie is accredited, as he finds no hotels
where he can lodge at the frontier and along most parts of the
road, and must pursue the joiu'ney to the capital on horseback.
It is the custom therefore for the Shah, on learning of the ap-
proaching arrival of a foreign envoy for the first time, to send
an officer of rank to meet liim. This personage has the title of
Mehmendar, as we have already explained ; it is his duty to pro-
vide every facility for the safe and agreeable transit of the
Foreign Minister until he arrives in the presence of the Shah.
It is also ciistomary, in addition to all the other courtesies of
the occasion, to place one of the immerous palaces of his
Majesty at the disposal of the country's gueSt, in case there
exists no dwelling already provided by his Government for a
Legation. Siich a building was offered to me on my arrival at
Teheran, but as we had already received every coiirtesy from
his Majesty which we could reasonably expect, I felt it to be
more dignified to decline. It should be added that this grand
reception awarded to a foreign envoy upon his entrance to the
capital of Persia is customary only in the case of one who
establishes a Legation, the ceremonies for his successors being
more simple.

The gifts presented by the first United States Minister to the
various servants of the Shah wlio contributed to his comfort on
his arrival in Persia, which afforded so much innocent mirth to
the youthful brains of some of the inexperienced reporters of the
American Press, were merely in the nature of gratuities, such as
any gentleman would give to the domestics of a host who had
handsomely entertained him. But naturally such "tips" must be
graduated at all times by the character of the entertainment and
the rank of the host. If such hospitality is rendered officially,

218 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

it is only proper that the reciprocal gratuities should be borne
by the i)erson or Government in whose honor this hospitality
is extended. In our own case I regret to say, that, owing
to the impecunious state of the national treasury, we were only
able to give a sura fai* below that given by the Legations of other
coimtries supposed to be much less able to make liberal allowan-
ces for necessary official expenses than are the United States.

It must be evident that in a country punctilious as Persia,
where familiarity between the sovereign and his subjects can
be permitted only rarely and then with caution, a monarch nmst
necessarily occixpy a position of great loneliness. It is only in an
indu-ect manner and a])proximately that he can learn the tnitli
regarding the condition <<{ tilings botli in his own dominion and
elsewhere. Even what he sees \\itli his own eyes may not be
correctly seen. For example, ^^■hen he intends to travel through
his dominions the roads are temporarily repaired, and he thus
has no idea of what they are -nhen he has not passed over them
for years. All attempts at sociability with any one but his
wives are, of course, impossible. Even A^■heu he visits one of his
distinguished subjects, the Shah does not leave behind him the
burdensome etiquette or the army of household servants of tin-
palace. Nasr-ed-Deen Shah frequently honors some of his high
officers by announcing some days beforehand that lie j)roposes
to dine with him at his residence. This is really a tigui-e of
speech, for none ever eat with the Shah except kings. ' There-
fore when he makes a visit like this, he sends liis cook and other
servants in advance, Avho take possession of the house for the
occasion and prepare an elegant repast for Ins Majesty. Not-
withstanding this fact, however, the royal visit is attended with
much expense to the host, who makes elaborate attem])ts to de-
corate his house and grounds. Tlie prestige bestowed on the
happy recipient of the royal favor amply compensates, however,
for the time and money lavislicd on a visit from tlu' Shah, wlio

NASK-ED-DEEN SHAH AND THE KOYAL FAMILY. 219

on his part has an eye to Inisiness as well as pleasure iu confer-
ring such an honor upon a subject ; for, as we shall see, he not
only increases the fervor of that subject's allegiance, but with
no expense to hknself adds materiall}' to the royal treasury.

When the Shah enters the salaanilik, or reception- i-duiu of
the house, he is presented with a heap of gold coin on a silver
salver, which varies according to the condition of the n..l)le
host, but is generall}- from fifteen hundi-ed to two thousand
dollars. If his Majesty is satisfied with the offering, he says
aloud, tm-ning to the crowd of grandees who surround him,
" Look how om- good servant loves his king !" The host himself
presents every dish to the royal guest after it has been prepared
by the servants of the palace and approved by the royal taster in
his Majesty's presence. The repast over, the Shah is invited to
view the g-ardens and visit the Anderoon of liis host. The latter
is one of the royal prerogatives : he can see and talk with every
woman in Persia ; and such a visit from the Shah gives joy to the
Anderoon, while it causes mixed feelings on the part of the host.
For if the Shah appears particularly pleased with any one of the
ladies, it is the dutv of her husband to offer to send her to the
palace. If his Majesty accepts, the host perhaps loses a favorite
wife or concubine ; or, on the other hand, if she be fond of him,
he obtains a friend at court who will not forget to use her influ-
ence in his behalf, and by prociu-ing higher places for her former
husband she compensates him for the loss of her society. This
privilege has often been availed of by former kings of Persia ;
but Nasr-ed-Deen Shah is said to be usually content with the
offering of money, the pleasure of an agreeable aftemoon, and
the presents which the great man is also obliged to pay to the
attendants of the Shah on such an occasion.

CHAPTER IX.

SKETCH OF SEVERAL OF THE LEADING OFFICERS OF THE
PERSIAN GOVERNMENT.

NEARLY connected with the court are the members of the
Cabinet, or Royal Council. This body has been modelled
in recent years somewhat on the plan of the Cabinet of a Euro-
pean power. At the same time it has some- traits in its organiza-
tion that are peculiarly oriental. The Prime Minister is called
Sedr Azem, and sometimes Super Salar. But the office is not
permanent; it is rather like tliat of Lieutenant-General in the
army of the United States, whicli is an appointment to reward
exti-aordinary services, or to meet some unusually exigent emer-
ffencv. The present Sedr Azem is a verv distino'uished char-
acter, who has ably served the Government for neai-ly sixty
years. He is a man of imposing presence. After him come
the Vizir- i-Haredjeh, or Minister of Foreign Affairs. Equal to
him in rank is the Mestofee-ul-]\Iamolek, or Lord High I'reas-
m-er, who has recently been promoted to be Sedr Azem as v^vW.
After these come the Minister of Commerce ; the Minister of
Arts and Sciences, who is also Superintondont of the Arsenal
at the Capital; the Minister of Telegraplis and Mines: and the
IMinister of Finance, who has charge of the Mint, wliicli lie
is reported to manage so shrewdly as to add very materially to
his income thereby: some sav it is done by depreciating the
qualitv of the metal which ])ass('s tlu'dugh his hands. There
is also tlie Sani-e-Doiileh, or Minister nf Printing. Among
the other duties of this officer are the censorship of the ]iress

OFFICERS UP TlIK I'EUSIAX GOVERNMENT. 221

(which is not very severe in Persia) and the editing of the
otticial journals. These are two in number, pubHslied monthly
and bi-monthly. A semi-official journal called the " Echo de
Perse,'' and published in the Freucii language, was stai-ted in
1885. One of the Persian journals is illustrated; each numlier
contains a portrait of some distinguished man and the iHus-
tration of some puldic building or of some hunting e.x])loit of
the Shah. Both the letterpress and illustrations are j)roduced
by lithography. In fact, every work published in Persia other-
wise than by the calligraphic art is lithographed. Tlie Persians
are very nice in regard to the shape of the letters they use. In
metal types they do not find the flowing grace produced by the
reed pen ; therefore every printed page is first written on paper
by hand, and then photographed on the lithographic stone. The
Sani-e-Doiileh, who has spent nuich time in Europe, speaks
French with admirable Unency, and takes a larger and wider
view of the relations of things than most Orientals. But this
intellectual flexibility is superficial rather than pi-ofound; at
lieart lie is a tborougli Oriental, and his usefulness is impaired
by a character that even at Teheran is not witliout reproach.

A very important member of the Royal Council is the Emin-e-
Doiileli. He is in charge of the secular affairs of the mollahs, or
clergy. He distributes their revenues and oversees all questions
relating to their property. It is a curious circumstance that the
present holder of this office, although superintending the affairs
of the most fanatical body of men in tlie country, is himself one
of Persia's most gentle, courteous, polished, and liberal-minded
men, — a gentleman ^^•hom it is impossible to kiiu\v without en-
tertaining for him sincere respect and esteem.

The jwsition of Minister of Justice is apparently one of great
importance ; but in Persia this is practically a sinecure, being
always filled by a layman, who as yet can have but little influ-
ence in the administration of the laws, because the urf, or secular

222 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

law, stands below the sJtaJu; or religious law, whose decisious are
rendered by the clergy. But the establishment of such an office
as a Ministry of Justice is a step in the right direction, and if
its duties were rightly administered, it might lead gradually to
increasing the power of the secular law, and to the abolition,
or at least the weakening, of the theocratic system, which is
at present the greatest obstacle to the emancipation of Persia
from the bondage of the past.

Shortly before I left Persia, in June, 1885, the Mouchir-i-
DoUleh, Yahia Khan, who for several years past had filled the
position of Minister of Justice, resigned his post in disgust. It
was rumored that this was in consequence of the frustration of
his ambition to be promoted to the position of Minister of For-
eign Affairs, when that office became vacant in the spring of 1884.
He is reputed to be a partisan of Russia, which may be one
reason why that place was at that time refused him. Rumors
were afloat that he had received a large douceur in the shape of a
loan from the Russian Government to tide him over the peciraiarv
difficulties in which he has been involved by the, splendid estab-
lishment he maintains. I only give these rumors for what they
are worth. My own relations with him were alwaj's exceedingly
agreeable, and he is undoubtedly one of the most intelligent,
kind-hearted, and courteous gentlemen at Teheran. His l)rothcr,
the Vizir-e-LaskOr, wlio is one of the most prominent generals of
the Persian arni}^, is a man possessed of many fine traits of char-
acter, of handsome and portly presence, and I thiidc nnafit'ctcdlv
friendly to the United States citizens resident in Persia.

Tn the spring of 1884 the Mouchir-i-DoiUeh gave a very
luiudsome breakfiist to the entire American colony at Teheran.
The entertainment was held in a superb banqueting-hall of the
residence he sometimes occupies on the outskirts of the cnijital.
This sjDlendid mansion, on which over one nnllion dollars has
been lavished, is used by him chii-fi}' for state receptions ;

OFFICKKS OF THE I'EK.SIAX ClOVEKNMENT. 22

ZZ-J

but his private residence is in tlic licart of tlie old <'ity, and is
2)er]uips more interesting because uiui'l' antique and Persian in
its style, although not less sumptuous. The entertainment Avas
served entirely in the European style, Avhicli is becoming very
much the custom at present at Teheran in official circles. In
the centre of the table was a small jet, which difi'used spray
scented with rose-water. <Jur urbane host gave the toasts in
a graceful manner, and then invited us to stroll througli the
beautiful grounds. Thence he led us into a grotto-like hall
luider the palace. It was j)artly underground and o])en at each
end, allowing for tlie passage of the breeze. It was finislicd
throughout Avith different colored marbles, the ceiling Ijeing
supported by a cluster of pillars crowned with gilded capitals ;
a marble basin in the centre was surrounded by numerous
jets tossing their streams to a common centre. CoiFee, i)ipes,
sherbets, and ices were now served. The entire entertain-
ment presented a delightful blending of European and Orien-
tal luxiu-y and splendor highly creditable to the taste of our
accomplished host.

The successes of Yahia Khan, the Moucliir-i-Doiileh, have
been gaineil in the usually quiet and unobtrusive walks of a ci\il
profession. But wlien he was a young man occupying a subordi-
nate position at the palace, he was engaged, in an hour of leisure,
at a game of draughts with a fellow-officer. A hot dispute arose
about the game, and Yahia Klian received a stab in his face, ot
which he carries the scar to this day. He rushed bleeding into
tlie presence of the Shah and demanded vengeance. The Shah
having adjudged the case decided in his favor, and ordered the
man who had wounded him to immediate execution. This inci-
dent brought the young officer to the attention of the Shah, who
gradually promoted him. Yahia Khan used his opportimitv with
such address that he eventuallv' won the hand of the sistei- of the
Shah, a most accomplished woman, who at tlie time was the

226 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

widow of the great Minister Mirza Taghy, tlie Emeer-i-Nizam,
whom the Shah had caused to be assassinated in the early part
of his reign for alleged intrigues against the throne.

In addition to the members of the Cabinet, or Royal Coun-
cil, there are several ministers of less impoi'tance, of whom it
is unnecessary to make more than an allusion here. Of course
the minister with whom I was brought most in contact was the
Vizir-e-Haredjeh, or Minister of Foreign Affairs. During the first
year of my residence in Persia the office was filled by Mirza
Seyed Khan. He was a man well advanced in years, who had
for a long time been a favoi'ite of his royal master. He was
not a great man, neither was he a bad one. He combined in his
character many of the qualities of a typical Persian gentleman.
His firmness was tempered by courtesy, and his apparent weak-
ness and vacillation, his slowness in acting, his hesitancy in
deciding, and his double dealing were perhaps as niucli due to
deliberate policy as to natural qualities of character. In a
country situated like Persia at the present time, great caution
is requisite neither to alienate lukewarm friends nor increase
the malignity of foes. Persia is at the mercy of both, and he
who conducts her relations with foi'eign powers must be delib-
erate, patient, persistent, and astute as the Prince of Darkness
himself. The late Minister's habit of procrastinating action,
which at times tu'oused the indignation of every foreign diplo-
mat at Teheran in turn, was not wholly the result of tempera-
ment. I am convinced that Mirza Seyed Khan considered it
the best policy for Persia to act on tlie ))rinciple of gaining
time. After pursuing this course for a long period of years, it
became a second nature to him, and he found it difficult to
arrive at a firm and rapid decision, even when apj)arentlv no
possible harm could have resulted from doing so. Towards the
end of his life this habit of indecision, blended with truly oriental
craft, provoked the Foreign Legations to such a degree that

OFFICERS OF THE I'EKSIAX GOVERNMENT. 227

some of them threatened to transact no further diplomatic busi-
ness except directly with the Shah in person. But the sovereign
was attached to the old Minister who had served him faithfully
so long, and instead of deposing, allowed him to remain in
office ixntil his death, which occurred early in 1885, the (hities
of tlie Foreign Office being in the mean time conducted b\-
the venerable and highh^ respected First Secretary, called the
Sadik-ul-Mulk.

Mirza Seyed Khan Avas a man of small stature, who like all
Persians dyed his hair and beard, — which at his age was not
becoming, for such freshness of color was entirely out of har-
mony with his pinched features and sallow complexion. He
had a keen eye, full of intelligence and kindliness. As his
name " Seved " indicated, he was a descendant of the Prophet,
and IjDth Itv tastes and l)reediiig was a scholar deeply versed
in oriental lore and literature. It was verv pleasant, after a
long and perhaps vexatious discussion on aftairs of state, to
be al)le to terminate the interview with a half hour's talk on
oriental literature and philosophy, in which he was ever readv
to join. At once the lines of his face would soften, the hard
introspective look would pass from his eye, and he would en-
ter into an enthusiastic conversation about his favorite authors,
while the obsequious domestics repeatedly brought us tea and
pipes.

An official call <tii the Persian ^linister of Foreign Affiiirs is
a very different affair from such a visit at anv European court,
or at the offices of the I)e])artment of State at Washington.
The visit is announced beforehand. Whether it be made at
the Foreign Office or at the private residence of the Minister,
on arriving there one is received by a number of servants, who
conduct the foreign diplomat to the j^resence of the ^Minister.
He is found, not seated formally at a table, with clerks and
secretaries at other tables, and the view from the windows

228 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

screened by gloomy walls of brick and stone. But one
approaches the reception apartment throngh a spacious court
shaded by lofty chenars, and graced with lovely jiarterres whose
luxurious wilderness of roses, loading' the air with perfume, is
reflected in vast basins of crystalline water from the mountains.
A group of retainers is gathered at the entrance, who rise re-
spectfully as the visitor approaches, while the military guard
presents arms. In the antechamber through which one passes,
the Pishketmet, or Purveyor of Refreshments, and his assist-
ants are seen with the tea-urn, ever ready to serve the re-
freshments customary on the arrival of a visitor. As the
Foreign Envoy enters the apartment, the Minister of Foreign
Affairs comes to the door and extends to him a cordial welcome.
He is found surrounded by servants seated upon their heels
upon the floor; each one has by his side an ink-liorn, and when
he would write at the dictation of the ^linister, draws a roll of
paper from his bosom. He writes holding the paper in his left
liand ; in consequence, the lines slant across the page. Persian
official documents rarely exceed one side of a i^age, both the
writing and the business expressions being concise, which is one
reason wliy foreigners find such difficultv in clearly apprehend-
ing their purport. If the document exceeds the length of a
page, it is carried around the margin in shorter lines. When the
document is completed, the ^linistcr affixes, not his signature
l)ut his seal, inked and pressed on the paper. Tliis custom is
universal in Persia; the seal is renewed every year and m date
engraved upon it. To counterfeit the seal of any individual,
whether private (U* public, renders tlie offender lial)lo to ])nnisli-
ment by death.

As soon as the two iiiinist<>rs are seated, before ;i \\()r(l is
said, they look towards each otiier and respectfulh' ])ow. The
customary conipliinents tlieii follow, — the l\[inister of For-
eign Affairs saving, IIosli (iiiird'ul : tliat is. '■ ^'oii lia\e come

OFFICEKS OF Tin; I'KKSIAX (iOVKlINMENT. 229

Go(l-seut." li' lie liappens to he ;i litth; under tlie weather,
he replies to tlie question as to his liealth, "It is true that I
have not been very well; but now, thanks to Allah, since you
have graced my root' with your presence, my health is restored."
A servant now places a small table between the two ministers,
and shei'bet or tea is served, according to the season. This
is followed by pipes and cigars, and then the serious business
of" the interview l)egins. From time to time during the conver-
sation these refreshments are renewed. However earnest may
be the discussion, the Minister of Foreign Affairs never shows
any signs of temper, but throughout the interview preserves the
imperturbable dignity and lofty courtes}^ of the man of affairs
and the true gentleman. It is said that on one occasion a Rus-
sian Minister formerly stationed at Teheran became verv nuich
exasperated by his inability to alter the resolution of Mirza
Seyed Klian; lie paced up and down the apartment rapidK', and
brandished his cane so violently that it flew out of his hand and
hit the Minister of Foreign Affairs on the leg. With unaltered
demeanor, Mirza Seyed Khan took up the stick and handed it
to the Russian Minister, saying in a quiet tone, "I must beg
your Excellency to retire."

However earnest and important the conversation, the visitor
cannot avoid noticing, on such an occasion, the environment
of this scene. The apartment is lavishly dei'ornted with
richly carved woods, and the ceiling's and cornices of stucco
work are nioiddcd in nianv lovely and elaborate designs. The
tachtches, or niches, common on the walls of Persian houses,
are ornamented with very beautiful honeycomb work, tinted
atid gilded ; the casements are filled with cathedral-like designs
in stained glass, and the sashes of the broad windows being
raised, the senses are saluted by the fragrance of lilies and
roses, the murnnu- of the breeze in the tree-tops, the plaintive
cooing of the turtle-doves, and the warble of nightingales.

230 PERSIA AND THE PEllSIAXS.

When affairs of state are discussed amid siu'li ixtetie surroundinors,
one ceases to wonder tliat the problems of orientid mathematics
are couched in the phraseology and metaphors of a Hafiz.

As we have said, Mirza Seyed Kluin was a descendant of the
Prophet. This circumstance, together with the fart that he had
dived deep into Arabic literature, made him conservative and
fanatical. But while this did not in the least affect the natural
amiabilit}^ and courtesy of his manners, the political effect was
prejudicial to the progress of his coinitry ; and in his later days
one never Avas sure that a measure which he had promised to
execute at the instance of a Foreign Legation might not be
countermanded bv him in secret. Like most Persians, he grew
avaricious in his tdd age; but I must state here again, that the
peculiar financial system of Persia,, and the displav required f)f
all in the Government emj)loy dii-ectly tends to j)romote avarice.
Notwithstanding his faults, the genial character of ]\Iirza Seyed
Khan endeared him to the Shah, and tended to molliiV the
contempt into which he was rapidly falling with the peo})le ;
for on deuianding a present or bribe, if the applicant's means
did not equal the expectations of the ]\rinister, he accepted what
was offered, instead of grinding more out of him, like other
Persians, saying " InshallaJ/, — God willing, — a on will have
more for me next time."

Like many Persians, Mirza Seyed Khan was accustomed to
hold a rosary in his hand while transacting business, and was
guided in his decisions by the way the beads dropped into his
fingers. Naturallv, but jierhaps unconsciouslv, they often com-
bined in accordance with his |)reconceived wishes or intentions.
The last time I saw him he was very feeble, and was seated
before an open wood-fire. An ample cashmere cloak, lined
witli t"ur, was l)ronght in and thrown over liis lap. ( >n leav-
ing him I asked him not to rise, as he seemed so ill. He
looked very grateful, and sliook my hand waimly, gazing

UFKICEIW UF THE I'Elif^lAN (JOVEUNMKN T. 231

long' and keenly into mv face as if to take a last farewell.
When lie became so low tluit he could eat nothing, a sheet of
sangiak, or native bread, was laid under his pillow, by order of
the native physician, with the hope of stimulating an ap-
petite ! But neither sangiak nor doctors could avail, and the
old ilinister, after nearly forty years of service, reluctantly
abandoned the seal of his office and passed from the audience-
halls of an earthly King of kings to the tribunal of the Ruler
of the Universe.

Before leaving- Mirza Seyed Khan, it is a fropos to mention
an incident characteristic of his policy in his later days. Six
months before his death, important negotiations were going on
between the Foreign Office and the United States Legation for
the punishment of the offenders who were infringing the treaty
and persecuting the American citizens resident at Hammadan.^
The Governor of Hammadan was the brother of the Shuli, — a
man of little principle and of crafty disposition, who was un-
doubtedly making money out of the people at whose instigation
he permitted these abuses. It is not unlikely that Mirza Seyed
Khan shared the profits Avith him. At any rate he was in a
dilemma between granting our strenuous demands for redress
and offending a man of power like the brother of the Shah.
After giving orders repeatedly in our favor and secretly coun-
termanding them, he finally found himself in sucli a straitened
position that he decided to cut the gordian knot by leaving
the city. Entering his carriage one morning, ostensibly to

' One of the methods adopted was to force artisans and traders to give written illi-
sdmes, or promises, that they would neither work for nor sell to the American citizens, —
the intention being to force our citizens to leave the city. It was a species of " boycot-
ting," and was iustiifated by Armenians and Jews, who brilied the governor and his
myrmidons to act in their favor, — clearly against rights accorded to us by the Treaty,
as well as against the international courtesy which is followed by civilized nations.
These transactions remind us, however, that the conduct of the United States towards tlie
Chinese has been such as to make it rather absurd for our Government to insist upon its
treaty rights in Asia, whether iu China or Persia.

232 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

proceed to tlie Foreign Office as usual, he gave orders to
the driver to take him instead to Kooni, a hundred miles off,
giving out that it was his purpose to offer prayers at the
shrines of the saints who are buried in that city. On the follow-
ing day news arrived at the capital that the Minister had been
attacked on the road by a band of robbers, and in the iiiel6e
had lost his seal of office. I should state here, that on leav-
ing the city lie had sent me word that he ^vould foi-ward to
me from Koom the order he had promised on a previous
day for the punishment of the offenders at Hannnadan. The
loss of his seal of office by the above accident prevented the
wily Minister from sending me this order, and I was obliged to
have recourse for it from the Sadik-id-Mulk, or First Secretary
of the Foreign Office, who was acting in the absence of the
Minister. By this ruse, Mirza Seyecl Khan shifted the respon-
sibility of giving an obnoxious order on to the shoulders of an-
other. All Teheran laughed at the device of robbery, which
had evidently been planned as a means for helping the Minister
out of his dilemma.

After the death of Mirza Seyed Kliaii, his son came very
near losing his life through his awkwardness in regard to eti-
quette. The Zil-i-Sultau, the eldest son of the Shah, and (Gov-
ernor of Ispahan, while on a visit at Teheran, expressed a wish to
go to the Foreign Office and inspect its arrangements. Tlie son
of ]\Iirza Seyed Khan, who was an under-secretaiy at the For-
eign Office, was instructed to have everything ])nt In order in
preparation for the visit of the Prince; and when all was in
readiness, to give him information of the facts, and ask him to
Uiune the hour when he would come. The Aonng man, either
inflated by the responsil)ilities devolved upon liini, or through
sheer stupidity, in due time sent word to the Prince tliat every-
thing was readv, instead of going himself in person jind humbly
presenting himself to the Prince, asking him to nppoint the

OFFK'EKS OF THE I'EKSIAN GdVEliNMEXT. 233

hour when his Royal Highness wouhl grace tlie halls of the For-
eign Office. On receiving the message of" this under-secretary,
the Zil-i-Sultan visibly swelled with rage, and roared, "Who is
this fellow, this son of a burnt father, that dares send me a mes-
sage that evejything is ready ? Bring me the head of this dog ! "
With the greatest difficulty the wrath of the Prince was appeased
and the life of the young man saved by the interposition of the
.Alinister of Foreign Affairs, Mahmoud Khan; but the foollianlv
young secretary was fain to go and kneel at the foot of the
Prince, and abase himself with every humiliating expression in
which the Persian language is so rich.

On the death of Mirza Seyed Khan, speculation was rife for
some weeks as to whom the Shah would name to succeed the old
Minister. To the surprise of every one, the person selected was
the Nasr-ul-]\Iulk, Mahmoud Khan. As Governor of Kerman-
shah for a number of years he had been comparatively forgotten
at the capital, and hence the popular surprise at his appoint-
ment. It was largely due to the influence of the Zil-i-Snltan,
and nothing has occurred up to this time to bring in question
the wisdom of the choice. The Nasr-ul-Mulk was for a inim-
ber of vears ambassador at the Court of St. James, and is fa-
miliar with European customs and character. His English sym-
l)atliies are indicated by the fact that he caused his grandson to
be educated at Oxford University. Although age and climate
have j^roduced a certain natural indolence in his movements,
he is a man of far more decided and energetic disposition
than his predecessor. He possesses a firm will and a certain
brusqueness of manner that has a rather tonic effect on the
Foreign Office at Teheran, and has tended to brace up the For-
eign Legations, who in their relations with the Foreign Office
have been made to feel what tliey were in danger of for-
getting, — that Persia is yet a power inspired by self-respect,
and demanding respect from those who treat witli her. The

234 PEESIA AND THE PERSIANS.

effect of this course was soon apparent at the Russian Legation.
Accustomed alternately to browbeat and cajole Mirza Seyed
Khan, and to use him at will for carrying out the designs of
Eussia, — as witness the disgraceful treaty of 1884, — the Rus-
sian Minister found the altered manner of the reception of his
demands at the Foreign Office almost as vigorous as a slap in
his face. It was amusing, at the time of the recent strained
relations in Afghanistan, to see tlie long faces with which the
Russian Minister and his first dragoman emerged from the
Foreign Office after an interview with the Nasr-ul-Mulk.

Like all prominent Persians, the Nasr-ul-Mulk has large
landed possessions, both iulierited and acquired. These prop-
erties include several villages. He has an elegant mansion at
Teheran and a very agreeable country-seat in the suburban
village of Seaclabad. His long residence abroad gave liiiu a
taste for European customs, and both these residences are
modelled and furnished soine\'\liat after European stvles. Un-
like Mii'za Seyed Khan, he often entertains the Diplomatic
Corps at elegant breakfasts and dinners prepared by a chef
brought from Paris. In summer, these diplomatic breakfasts are
o-iven under a beautiful Persian tent in liis "arden. I'liis is a
style of entertainment quite connnon in Persia, and n:ii:ht well
be adopted by us during the sunnner-time, when onu ("in make a
special arrangement witli the clerk of the weather to })ostpone
any northeast storm that may be lurking in tlie neighborhood.'

One of the most prominent members of the present Govern-
ment of Persia is the Mohper-ed-Doiileh. He has great influence
with the Shah, who has bestowed on him the positions of Minis-
ter of Mines and Telegraphs, and also the Portfolio of Connnerce,
both of which lie holds now, besides being recently sent to
Ucrlin to establish diplomatic relations between Germany and

1 SiiK-c tlic f. .rcijoiiiii |iaragraiihs were pcuiicil, I have Icaniril lliat tlic Nasr-ul-
Mulk lias at last licrii siiiici'sciled as Minister ut' Foreign Atl'air.s liy Yaliia Kliau.

OFFICERS OF THE PERSIAN GOVERNMENT. 235

Persia. The secret of hi.s power it is not quite easy to explain,
for lie is a man of very few words, somewhat hauglity in de-
nioanor, and so careful of expressing an opinion as to produce
the impression that he has no opinions to express. But it is
probabl)^ these very qualities that aid his influence with his
sovereign. He approaches that august ruler with less of the
fawning speech and niamu r characteristic of oriental cdurtiers,
whose hollowness the Shah readily perceives. This seems to
indicate sincerity. He also has some executive abilitv', and his
views are decidedly progressive. The latter fact })robably has
great weight with the Shah, who is himself inclined to introduce
the use of modern inventions and discoveries into his dominion,
but finds himself hampered in his jun-poses by the opposition of
the mollahs and the intrigues of courtiers in Russian pay.

Another strong character who enjoys the confidence of the
Shall is Mirza Aboul Vahad Khan, the Assefet-ed-Doiileh, or
Governor of the Province of Khorassan. Before promotion to
his present post this dignitary was Minister of Commerce. The
Shah showed his wisdom in ajipointini;- liim to this important
frontier province, for it is there that Russia is at present most
seriously menacing Persia ; and Russia has no enemy more
bitter than the Assefet-ed-Doiileli. At the time of the strained
relations resulting from Russia's recent movements on Herat,
the Governor issued the most strinij-ent orders against tradino-
over the northeastern frontier, aware that at that time Russia
was endeavoring, tlirough contact with Persian traders, to se-
duce the people of Khorassan from their allegiance to the Shah.
Several traders who ventured to disobey these orders were be-
headed. The Assefet-ed-Doiileh is a short, thick-set man of
decided although agreeable manners. When at Teheran he
lives in sumptuous style. In his sentiments he is a strong-
Mahometan, slow to accept foreign ideas, and is by some con-
sidered a fanatic. I am inclined to think, lio\^ever, that while

236 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

he is naturally a conservative, self-interest enters partly into
liis plan of action. But self-interest certainly does not always
hold control over his tongue, for he is a man of higli spirit and
irascible temper, and has repeatedly allowed his feelings to
get the better of his discretion even in the presence of the Shah
himself, who to preserve the dignity essential to his power was
obliged on one occasion to order the rash Minister to imme-
diate execution, and he was saved only by the earnest solici-
tation of the Prime Minister. I must admit that the breezy,
straightforward manner of the Assefet-ed-Doiileh was rather
agreeable to me as a contrast to the honeyed speech of which
one hears so much at Teheran.

They tell a good story, which well illustrates the rough rep-
artee in which the ignorant Persian is almost as quick as nn
Irish peasant. Tlie Assefet-ed-Doiileh, when he was Nasir-i-
Doiileh, was annoyed by a donkey-driver, who not only made
no effort to turn his asses out of the road to allow the Ministers'
equipage to pass, but resented the attempts to drive him out of
the way.

" What business have you, who ai'e but a driver of asses,
to fill up tlie road and stop my passage ! " cried the Nasir-i-
Doiileh.

" I have as nuich I'iiilit to the road, beinff a man driving*
asses, as you have, who being an ass art driving men ! "
Iduntly retorted the ass-driver.

The Nasir-i-Doiileh was so much pleased with the impiidence
and wit of the fellow, that he bade his outriders to leave him
uinnolested.

CHAPTER X.

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA.

IT was pleasant enougli at Sevassiab. Tli$ j)orcli, or open
veranda, where the busy days were so delightfully passed,
was musical with the sound of falling- water which poured into
a tank encircled by a row of graceful ])illars. At the end of
a dense avenue of plane-trees an open pavilion could be seen,
supported by columns and walls faced witli glazed bricks colored
turquoise-blue, orange-yellow, and black.

But the object of this chapter is to give an account of a little
trip among the Elburz Mountains after health and trout. A
branch of this range, called the Shimran, arose behind our house
at Serassialj to an altitude of thirteen thousand feet. In our
evening rides we could also see the snowy cone of Demavend
towering above the nearer range to a far greater height, still-
rosy in the glow of departing day when all the nearer landscape
had put on tlie sober mantle of twilight.

The Lar — the objective point of our journey — is perhaps
fortv-five miles from Serassiab. It was essential, therefore, that
we should take with us tents, bedding, crockery, and sufficient
animals to carry ourselves, the servants, and the outfit to so
considerable a journey. This required much talking and an
occasional use of the whip when the insolence of the cJiurvaddrs,
or muleteers, interfered with the clinching of a bargain. After
several days of pi'eparation, all seemed ready for the start. One
curious circumstance about the jouimey, however, was the fact
that we were obliged to proceed mostly by night, because the

238 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

intolerable heat which prevails in Persia during the greater part
of the year makes it impossible to travel in the middle of the
day. Our departure was therefore so timed that we could have
the benefit of the full moon.

Once on the road, and windino- throuo'h narrow lanes at a
moderate walk, we were able to observe what an imposing pro-
cession we made. At the head rode the (jUioddr, or equerry,
mounted on a wliite Shirazee Arab stallion. Two gentlemen
followed, and next to them came several ladies on donkeys.
The faclifrardn was next in order, carrvino- tlie invalid of the
party. This is a cnriou;; vehicle, peculiar to Persia and Turkey.
It is a covered litter borne between two nuiles, and contains
sliding doors and windows. It is rendered reasonably comfort-
able by mattresses on which a i)erson can lie at fnll length.
The tachtravan of the wealthy is sometimes handsomely deco-
rated, and mention is made of kings of Persia iising it many
centuries a^o. But g-enerallv this convevanee is more heavily
constructed than is necessary, owing to the difficulty of find-
ing wood which is at once lig-lit and strong in Persia. The
march of a tachtravan is necessarily tediously slow, but it is
announced for a long distance by the strings of jangling bells
carried bv the gayly decorated nniles, which do not, however,
seem to appreciate the wealth and weight of ornament lavished
upon thoin. On level roads the tachtravan is a. real Inxurv: but
when there is a steep ascent or descent combined with l)ad roads,
this form of locomotion is not only very trying to the mules, but
is also a severe strain on the rider, both on account of the exer-
tion requisite in preserving his position and the nervous strain
caused l)y a constant apprehension of being hurled over a
precipice.

At tlie head of tlic leading nnde mnrclicd a statelv Arab,
— Abdullah Ibn Hassan. His gait was that of a prince. He
was six feet in lieight, sparely built and perfectly erect. A

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA.

239

cumers-liair tunic, reached to the ankles. His head was nmftled
Avith a striped mantle bound around the forehead with a white
cord. His suarthy features were haggard Init handsome, and
the dark orbs which flashed from under cavernous brows were
marked by a proud and romantic melancholy, deepening into

A VILLAGE .SANTON.

a glow of injured pride tinged with sadness when he was refused
a backsheesh, as if he would reproacli you for having disap-
pointed the confidence he had reposed in your elevated gene-
rosity. What a standard is to an army was this son of the
desert to our huml)le train. He gave to it such a bearing
that he seemed to be the chief person in it, instead of a poor
mule-driver earning twenty cents a day traversing the wastes

240 PERSIA AKD THE PERSIANS.

of an ancient land, — a mule-driver by descent, and the father
of mule-drivers of the future. In looking at Abdullah Ibn
Hassan, I was led by a whimsical turn of the mind to think of
La Fotheringay, in Thackeray's " Pendennis." Did that great
reader of liuman nature realize ^vhen lie delineated her character
Avhat a type she is of a numerous class, who are so richly en-
dowed with lofty mien and aspect that until they open their
mouths and betray themselves they pass for something far
higher than they are.

Our sumpter mules had already been sent on several hours
in advance, in order that the tents and supj)er might be ready
for oiu" arrival at the projjosed camping-ground. Our path led
us at first through narrow lanes of Tejrisch and the adjoining
village of Dezeshoob, and gave occasion to a considerable
disturbance among the curs of those villages. Our passing
also brought on our heads numerous remarks — not alwaj^s
complimentary, as Ave were foreigners and Christians — from the
idlers smoking under the trees at the wayside places of refresh-
ment. We were also saluted by the clamor of mingled blessings
and curses from the jn'ofessional beggars seated by the roadside,
among whom nuist be included the filthy and half-idiotic san-
tons, who in a disgusting condition of nudit}" and dirt depend
upon the benevolence of the faithful for alms. They l)uild a
low hovel of )uud under a wide-spreading tree, and pass tlicir
unprohtable lives in what they are jdeased to consider service
to God. Owing to their alleged sanctity, one cannot nlways *
treat these lazy fellows as they deserve ; namely, with a sound
thrashing for their impudence.

Emerging from Dezeshoob, we soon came to the superb
countr}' residence of the Naib-e-SnltiUir'h, tliii-d son of thv. Shah,
and Minister of War. The grounds are arranged in terraces,
with pools and' spouting fountains on each terrace, surrounded
by shrubbery and loftv tn-cs laid out witli a ]»leasingly artistic

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 241

air of negligence. After leaving the .sluuled avenues surround-
ing these elegant grounds, our train moved slowly over a tree-
less jjlain, which gradually ascended until the road entered the
mountains. At nightfall we found ourselves in a pass noted
for brigandage; and although the road has for some time been
comparatively free from danger, and we had a military escort
with us, it was deemed prudent for the party to close up its
ranks, as strao:o:lers mio^ht be attacked in the dark. The moon
came to our assistance early, and was bright and welcome
indeed when we reached the summit at nine. We found the
ridge so abrupt that Ave passed at once from the ascent to the
descent; and here the greatest care was required to reach
the plain without accident. The road for some distance fol-
lowed the edge of an excessively steep mountain, whirh divided
the o-oi-nce in twain like a curtain. To make room for the road
the sharp edge of this elevation had Iteen cut doAMi. In many
places we could look on either hand into a black ravine far
below, shrouded in deep and seemingly fathomless gloom, un-
touched by the moon, which fortunately lighted up the hazard-
ous path we were following. The lower half of the descent was
very trying, as the road was there composed of loose shingle,
and, besides being uncomfortably steep, often branched off in
various directions. A party which had preceded us on a pre-
vious night lost their way in this place, and did not find it again
until davlio-ht. Tt was also with great difficulty that the nudes
were able to turn the abrupt corners of a precipitous, zigzag
road without accident to the tachtraviln.

Having at last accomplished the descent without mishap, we
entered on a narrow plain, and soon reached a wayside resting-
place with the usual chenar, or plane-tree, which marks such
spots in Persia. Under the enormous spreading shade of
this tree were two or three booths offering bread, fruits, and
tea to travellers; a fountain adjoininu' furnished us a grateful

II)

242 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

draught. On leaving this place we came to a deep rushing
torrent, called the Jarje Rood. Here were some remarkable
cliffs springing directly from the stream. They were shaped
like a stupendous fortress with bomb-jjroof casements. Several
caves in the sides suggested embrasures for cannon.

We crossed the river on a massive stone-bridge suppoi'ted by
arches. In the rainy season the stream is often much wider
than we found it, and overflows its banks. It was to this cir-
cumstance that the late Emin-e-Sultan, one of the most promi-
nent men in Persia, owed his title and the origin of liis good
fortune. The Sliali often comes to this spot to hunt, being a
skilful and enthusiastic follower of the chase. In a garden-
near the river he has built a jn'etty pavilion, and usually
takes a number of his wives witli him. "Wlien the retinue is
large, the ladies live in tents. On one of these occasions the
river, evidently desirous to show its independence of the royal
authority, took a whim to overflow the banks and give the Shall
and his attendants a good wetting. They M'ere aroused from
their .sleep by the sound of rushing water, and found the river
rapidly rising ai'ound their couches. In wild tei-ror the royal
wives fled to a safer spot, leaving everj'thing behind them, in-
cluding jewelry to a large amount. One of the lower officers
of the court, aware of the loss and with an eye to his own profit,
ordered his servants, after the subsidence of the waters, to st'ai-ch
high and low for the lost treasures. Their eff'oi-ts were crowned
with success, and the officer caused them to be restored to the
ro\al owners. The Shah was so gratified with the enterprise
and zeal shown on this occasion by his subject, tliat he named
liiin Emin-e-Sultan, and eventually ])i-omoted him to the charge
of the mint and other offices of great importance.

A short steep ascent iVoiii the l)ridge along the wall-like face
ot" the loftv Itnnks lirought us to n nol)le plain, so white in the
light of the full moon that it looked liki' a snow-land in the isle

MOUNTAINEERING IX PERSIA. 243

of ib-eaius. Across the plain wx- now discovertHl two men aji-
proaclihig- us at a tearing gallop. They reined up smldciily on
reachhio" our train, and ijroved to Ite two of our servants who
were on tlie lookout for us. After giving us directions as
to where to find our tents, they returned to the camp at lull
speed, to order hot tea to be prepai-ed ready for our arri\al.
Another weary half-hour followed ere our slow-moving train
reai'hed the massive shade of the gigantic plane-tree iukUt
which the tents had been sjjread, by the side of a pool and
a brook wdiich emptied into it. It was a most picturesque
scene as we alighted, the Avhite tents looming mysteriously in
the gloom, lanterns moving hither and thither and Hasliing in
the water, duskv figures grouped around the fire where our
supper was cooking, and the broad moon above in the cloud-
less heaven, braiding silver spangles with the shadows.

The fi)llowing moi-ning being Sunday, we abandoned our-
selves without reserve to the attractions of om- camp, hap]>y
in the consciousness that we shoidd not have to leave- it until
the subsequent day. To enjoy one's self by indulging in the
luxury of absolute indolence, entirely free from arriere pensec,
is actiuilly a task rather than a jdeasnre for most Americans.
But one soon learns in the Orient that tlie only way t() ol)tain
the full lienefit of rest, or entirely to appreciate the opulent
.attractions of Nature, is to lay aside without reserve for the
time the business and the burdens of life. Then and then
only can one understand that there is enormous gratilication
in the simple consciousness of existence.

( )nr camp made quite an imposing appearance, consisting as
it did of several large sleeping tents and a number of smaller
ones for the soldiers and servants. TVe took our meals off a
camp-table spread under the great chenru-. The tree was prolja-
bly one thousand years old, and measiired thirty feet in circmn-
ference several feet from the ground. A few feet higher the

244 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

gnarled trunk divided into several large branches, wliich towered
like the coliunns of a temple. This idea was intensified by the
smooth gray bark that incased and gave them the appearance of
hewn stone. Besides this patriarch of the plain, a beautiful
grove of willows shaded our encampment. This spot is a favor-
ite resort for the Shah, who comes here to hunt the panthers and
ibexes that are to be found in the neighborhood.

I should mention that Ave were on the edge of the village of
Gelandevek, at the head of a plain inclosed by mountains. This
plain is called Hassardare, or plain of a tliousand valleys, because
it is so undulating as to produce the effect of numeroiis sepa-
rate plains, whicli again in turn wind into the gorges of the
mountains. The camp was at the entrance of one of these
gorges, Avhicli in this case was a narrow winding ra^-ine scooped
out of a ridge whose castellated peaks towered several thousand
feet higher. At sunset this mountain was arrayed in a superb
robe of purple. In a clearing between the wood and the village
extended an open field yielding melons and veg-etables. In
the evening the Lids of tlie village sported there in a manner
very like that of Ixiys in Christian lands. The tall gardener,
wliose beard Avas curiously dyed an orange-red witli henna, also
came doAvn at that hour Avith liis Avife and daughter to g'ather
melons. The Avomen seemed to liaA'e hard Avork of it to keep
tlieir faces concealed Avith a loose mantle, and at the same time
to pluck the fruit. They AA'ere far less anxious about reA-ealing
their persons than their faces.

On the folloAving day the gardener appeared at my tent door
Avith a most attracti\'e dish of honey in tlie cond). He ofi'ered
it as a present, but Ave knew perfectly Avell wliat lie meant liy
this. As Ave haA'e already explained, it is a custom and privi-
lege of the lower classes in Persia to bring Avhat they call })res-
ents to those above them, and to expect a ccuTesjjonding
pecuniary present in return. When this privilege is not al)used

MOUNTAINEERING IX PKKSIA. 245

by being exercised too often, it is usual to accept the present.
But the custtim is sometimes annoying, and I always reservinl
to niy.selt' the privilege of declining the ottering. In tliis case
the honey was too tempting and the demeanor of the man
too respectful to admit of refusal, and he went awav liai)pv
with a sum twice the value of the honey, and equal to the
profits of several days' labor in Persia.

A while after this episode a troop of veiled women, stately in
the long mantle Avhich muffled them from head to foot, visited
the camp. They had learned that a physician was one of our
l)arty, and desired to consult him. Improvising a medical office
at once under a tree, the doctor sat on one of the roots and pro-
ceeded to feel pulses and examine tongues. The faces of his pa-
tients he could not see. It was a novel sight to observe this
group of ignorant peasant women, in parti-colored garb, seated
in a circle before the doctor on the grass, giving him an account
of then- ailments. The traveller in the East is often recjuested to
prescribe for the sick, be he actually a physician or no. I have
been repeatedly requested to serve in this capacity, and sincerely
hope that the list of mortality in non-Clu-istian lands has not
been thereby increased. Luckily, neither coroner nor municipal
records exist in the happy Orient. The physician, however, labors
under a peculiar disadvantage in Persian practice, even if his
qualifications are not too carefully examined ; for, as I have
indicated above, he is not ])ennitted to see the face of his
female patient, and is thus deprived of one of the most im-
portant points in forming a diagnosis. The native doctors re-
quii-e no other diploma to enter on the profession of medicine
than a supply of infinite assurance. They are generally itinerants
who go from village to village, and announce their profession on
arriving. Extraordinary remedies are given. Having presci-ibed,
the physician decamps before the results become perce])til)le,
aware that a coimiion sequence is death. Fortunately for the

246 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

practitioners, this result is generally qnietly accepted as the fiat
of Kismet, or Destiny.

Tlie question which came up for our consideration on ^Ion-
day '^^■as the selection of the best route for us to take over the
tremendoiis ridge that rose between us and the Lar. Having an
invalid in a tachtravan to take with us, the problem was much
more serious than that of deciding wdiich of various comfortable
routes one might select to go from B<iston to New York ; for
there are many roads in Persia over which it is impossible to
take a tachtravan. We had intended to go bv the route of
Lavassan, in two .stages. But hearing that the roiid over the
Afteha Pass was practicable, and could be made in one stage,
we found ourselves in a dilemma. Nothing is more difficult than
to obtain precise and correct information al)out routes and dis-
tances in oriental countries. In order to settle the qiiestion, we
sent for the head-men or elders of the village, who came to the
camp and gave respectful attention to our incpiiries, seated under
the great plane-tree and smoking with much dignity. They as-
siu-ed us that the route over the Afteha Pass was every way the
most desirable. They pronounced the road to be good, and the
distance, they affirmed, coidd l)e accomplished in eight Ixturs.
The former statement proved nieasm-abh' true, while the latter
we unfortunately found on triid to be cori-ect oidv tor horsemen
excellently mounted and goin^;- at a gnllo]) over manv ]tarts of
the route, which a\;is niaiiit'csth' out of the question witli such
a train as ours.

After the d(>p;n-tnvc of these worthies, we ordered tlie tents
to 1)(^ stniclv and the snin]iter-innles to lie loailed and ])roceed
in advance to ])re])are our next cain]) tbi- us. The loading of so
inan\' ini])ediinenta, on some fort\' mules — \)\\ own share of" the
inind)er amounting to sixteen — was a task ol" several hours;
])ut bv one V. M. the hiads were all started. Alter a comfortable
siesta luider the trees and a right jollv meal, we also got the

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 247

passenger-train under \va\ at lialt'-past tour v. m., — tlu- very
earliest hour we dared to stai't, owing to tlie intensity of the
heat before sunset; liut we liad uiauy hours of the liar(K>st
mountain ti'avel in Persia before us, and were anxious to reach
oiu- cots before one a. m. When one considers that in our i>;irty
were included an in\alid and two infonts with their nurses, two
small boys under live, and a half-dozen spinsters ranging from
six to iifteen years, and some twenty-five animals loaded ^^•ith
})assengers of various ages, the arduousness of the imdertakiug
can be better appreciated, especially if to tliis be added the fact

OLD BRIDGE AT GELANDEVEK.

that we were to wind along the edge of tremendous precipices
OAcr a pass thirteen thousand feet above the sea. I should add,
that the nnrses and babies were carried in l-ajevehs, which are
basket-like frames slung on either side of a mule, and shel-
tered bv a curtain. The peculiar advantage of the kajeveh
on a naiTow cliff-road lies in the probability that if it hits
the side of a rock, the nnile will be thrown off his balance and
land with his load at the l)ottom of a ravine.

Om- road lay ff)r a couple of miles over the plain of Hassar-
dare, crossing several streams that were nearly diy. One of
them was s]:)anned by a picturesque Init dilapidated bridge Avith
a single arch. I subjom a sketch of it, as it is a characteristic
example of the Persian mode of bridge-bnilding. Some of the
timbers employed for a staging during its constmction are still
to be seen there. It is a curious habit of the Persians to leave

248 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

parts of the scaffold timbers obtruding, even in elaborate struc-
tnres ; for what reason it is difficult to tell.

Gradnally ascending-, we entered and passed tlmmgh the
\'illage of Kardan, and came to a waterfall at the left of two
bridges. The old one was a narrow and ticklish structure, with-
out a parapet and wide enough for only one horse. Happih' our
train was not obliged to risk this perilous passage, for a hand-
some new bi'idg'e of heAAai stone, broad and parapeted, had
recently been constructed by the side of the old one.

From this place the road rapidly ascended, passing along the
edge of a ridge and looking on either hand over a landscape of
the most magnificent description. (Jn the lovely slopes and
glens beldw, half veiled in the creeping shadows of the late
afternoon or smitten by the long shafts of the setting sun, tilled
fields, gardens, and picturesque villages were clustered in agree-
able variety. Ever and anon, too, between the foliage one
caught the magical gleam of a mountain stream dashing down
over crags and precipices. Above, and on either hand, sublime
peaks lifted their pinnacles golden in the radiance of a cloudless
sunset. Those travellers who speak in light terms of the scenery
of Persia are eitlun- unobservant of what they might see or wed-
ded to a special type of landscape ; what is more likely, they
have never been (tver the Aftcha Pass.

The road here was excellent, and .showed real engineering
skill. Two hours' ride brought us to the village of Aftcha,
which, like many villages of Persia, is an appanage of one of
the men in power, llis country residence may be seen ])ronii-
nently situated on one side of the ravine, at the bottom of \\ liich
rests the village in a picturesque confusion of jieasants' houses
gi-ou})c<l iiniid the foliage in a most irregidar but attractive man-
ner. The steep, narrow entrance to the village was blocked hy a
drove of loaded donkeys as we approacluMl. It was a character-
istic incident of Persian travel when our giliodar dashed headlong

MOUNTAINEElllNG IN PERSIA. 249

into this clunisv tliroiiy, thrashing liL'artily I'nnn si<le to si(h', lilt-
ting- both men and animals with no trifling- bhiws of his \\ hip, and
drivino- them back in a side hnie to make room tor onr train.
A.s we clattered noisily through the tortnoiis streets of the
village, every one came forth to gaze on sneh an umvonted
scene. It was no small matter to force the taclitravun throngh
the narrow lanes, around abrupt corners. The difficulty experi-
enced here was a foretaste of the obstacles that we were to
encounter higher up the mountain.

The village of Aftcha may be considered typical. Persian
^^llages are divisible into two classes, — those of the plains, tree-
less and surrounded by a high (piadrangular w^all of sun-dried
bricks to protect them against the inroads of Turkomans and
Kurds ; and those distinguished for their watercourses and trees
in ravines or lofty nR)untains, where springs and torrents en-
courage the gTO\vth of plane, mulberry, and ])oplar trees and
orchards, and allo^^' irrigating channels for the nom-ishment of
vegetable plantations. Nothing can exceed the aridity of the
vast plains of this ancient land ; while on the otlier hand nothing
can surpass the rank luxuriance of the verdure of its mountain
villaa'cs, tlu-ouo-h whicli the roaring torrents dash all the year
round.

Aftcha is one of these. As we emerged from its lanes and
opened the upper side of the lunnlet, we heard the roaring of
a cataract tumbling over a precipice, and endowing the village
to which it gave a name with rural comfort and beauty. In a
small 'field on the right reapers were cutting the wheat with
sickles, or aratheriu"- fruits in baskets and mantles. After cross-
ing the torrent over an arched, parapeted bridge of colored
bricks, we began to climb the mountain in earnest. AVe could
see the road above us very distinctly, — a serpenthie line follow-
ing the zigzag crest of an ascending spur, which led to the en-
trance of the pass. The sun was now below the mountains, but

2-30 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

the twilight Hugered for some time, and we made good headway
before it was actually too dark to proceed with safety. C)ii re-
turning over the same road in l)r(iail daylight, I confess there
were parts where the precipices on either hand g:vve one a
giddy suggestion of danger, especially with a skittish horse or
a tachtravan.

Fortunately, when the darkness fairly set in, rendered doubly
intense by the lofty jnountain walls on either hand, we came to
a small level nook, where it was deemed best to cry a halt and
wait for the rising of the moon. Everv one dismoimted, and the
animals were detailed in groups to several of the attendants.
Several large bowlders were scattered over this mimic plateau,
and in a few moments om* })arty had found a shelter from the
night- wind mider these rocks. Lanterns and the fitful gleam of
a lire soon shed a flickering radiance over the moving hgures,
Avhile at the same time they added extraordinary myster^' to the
opaque background of mountains that seemed to spring up alj-
ruptly only a few yards from us. In the mean time the e^"er-
present samovar Avas busy heating water, and we found a capi-
tal cup of Russian tea refreshing indeed. To this we added
cold boiled eggs and some sandjiak, or imleavened bread. Two
(if the horses now took it into their heads to kick uj) their heels
and inake a bold strike for liberty, dashing awaA* towards Aftcha.
This might have proved a serious incidoit, for tliey were botli
spirited animals, and it is no easy matter the catching of runa-
way horses in such a place and at siich an hour. Spectre-like
they flew down the I'oad, one white as snow, tlie otlier black as
night, but both a shadowy grav in the gloom. A dozen men
at once started in ])nrsuit, while my hostler, springing on a (|uick
horse, spiuTed after the fugitives. Tlie living bridles pr()l)Mbly
impeded their ste])s, for in a few niinntes they were caught and
brought back, liut on remounting mv black Afghan, I found
his ambition i'or a night adventure was not quite over.

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 251

After resting- an liour, we began to see the liglit of the moon
touching the peaks on the left side of the gorge and gradually
creeping down the mountain-side, which changed from a l)lack
form to the appearance of a white mist. Then, with lanterns
earned by the outriders both in front and rear of the procession
in order to indicate the road and prevent straggling, we recom-
menced our jomiiey. The giliodar received strict orders to keep
a careful lookoiit ; on the appearance of a sign that any one was
fixlling behind, the head of the column was to be stopped and a
messenger sent to ascertain the difficulty and tb-ess iip the line
again. Of course we travelled single file, and this made it im-
portant that we should keep together ; for the climb before us
was full (if danger, and if any accident should happen to some
one hi the rear of the column it might be some time before he
woiild be missed, tmless Ave exercised unusual -v-igilance.

Next to the giliodar followed the tachtravan, with a footman
on each side to steady it in rough places. Immediately behind
rode two gentlemen, ready to spring oflP their horses any instant
the tachtravan should be in danger of slipping over a precii)ice.
After them followed a miscellaneous train of horses and donkevs,
\Aith kajevehs and ladies and childi-en ; lastly, came several
attendants and the escort of soldiers.

The moon long delayed bestowing the advantage of her rays
on our devious path. The farther we entered into the heart of
the mountains, the darker it became ; tor the mountain between
us and the moon, although the sky above it was glowing as with
a white fire, arose as we approached it and tantalized us with
the constant hope of seeing the moon, while it persistently
screened it from our view, and thereby increased the gloom
which enveloped the hazardous clift-road up which we were
slowly climbing. Every one was carefully watching his own
animal, lest a false step in the dark should hurl him into the
gorge below, when a sharp cry rang from the rear of the

252 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

train, which was still on the zigzag below. At once a halt was
called, and a messenger was sent to find ont the cause of the
outcry. It Avas discovered that a loaded miile with a servant
on his hack had fallen over the- edge of the road and rolled
down. The man fortunately saved himself as the animal went
over, but the mule was recovered somewhat the worse for wear,
although able to continue the climb. Mules, like cats, are hard
to kill.

Again the long procession began to wend its slow way up-
ward over a ten'ifii' piece of road, which often consisted of
smooth rocks confusedly tlu'own together. On looking at that
part of the road afterwards by daylight, I ^A'as astonished that
we escaped without serious accident. Many of the party now
found it preferable to dismount and clind) on foot, until the
moon finally burst over the ridge with a light scarcely dimmer
than that of day. But once again came the cry of distress
from the hollow below. This time another mule had fallen over,
with damage to its load ; but it had caught on a ledge and
escaped with only some severe bruises.

But if the moonlight enabled us to see otu- wav better, it also
revealed to us more clearly tlie deptlis of tlie vawning gulf ou
our right, enveloped in mysterious gloom. 'I'he road, altliough
a very good one in the main for a Persian mountain-road, was
of the most desperate character in places, while the short zigzags
and sharp angles of a path along one side of a steep gorge made
it excessively difficult to carrv the tachtrnvnu and kajevelis
with(mt accident. Many a time tliosc riding near to the f'onncr
leaped off tlieir horses and rushed to the rescue, when those \\lio
were steadying the tachtravan found tlieir sti-eiigth insufficient
to prevent the mules i'roni slipping over the elitt or cajisizing the
heavv and cumbrous vehicle. For the mules the labor wns terri-
ble, and I expected nioinentarih' to see one of them give out.
At one ])oint of innninent peril there were eight men tugging at

MorXTAINEERING IX PERSIA.

253

tlie mules and the taclitravrui to force them safely around a
sharp angle in the road.

In the mean time the hours were slipping by, and the time
set for arriving at our camp had passed ; but it was, notwith-
standing, painfully evident that scarce half our arduous task
was yet accomplished.

THE TACIITRAVAN IN THE AFTCHA PASS.

Finallv, at two in the mornhig, we scaled the Aftcha Pass
and st<io(l on the surcimit of the ridg-e, thirteen thousand feet
above the level of the sea. We had safely accomplished a feat
never before luidertaken on that road. For the first time
a tachtravan had soaled this Pass, and an American ladv
was the first woman who had ventured on the undertaking-.

254 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

From the sharp ridg-e on which we haked a few moments we
hxiked down into tlie great volcanic valley of the Lar, twenty-
five hundi-ed feet bel()^^■, and discerned at the farther side the
shadowy form of the stupendous cone 'of Demavend. Although
yet thirty miles from us, it soared far above our position, and its
snows gleamed in the liglit of the moon like a mighty phantom
hovering in the heavens.

As it was two hours yet before dawn, and all were wearv and
hungry, it seemed proper that we should now dismount and find
the rest we so much needed. But this ^^■as a ])leasure to be de-
ferred for several weary liours, for we had still to j)ick our way
down the other side of the ridge, and travel miles and miles across
the plain to the spot where our servants had been du-ected to
pitch the tents. Tlie descending road, althougli following a zig-
zag course, Avas on the whole less ditficidt than the one we had
just ascended; and 1)\' four in the morning the entire partv were
fairly on the plain and passing the camps of nomads, whose
fierce watch-dogs gave us a boisterous greeting-. I may say
here, that one of the greatest obstacles encountered in climbing
the Aftcha Pass were the large trains of mules and donkey's
carrying rice and t'oal to Telieran and the south of Persia.
These stul)boi'n animals are no respecters of persons; nor can
more be said of their uncouth drivers. Whenever one of these
trains came in sight, our giliodar and attendants had their hands
full forcing the unrulv animals to kee|) on the outside of the
road.

At last dawn began to l)i-eak on the'heights of Demavend,
which now towered above us mightier than ever. " Where can
the tents be ' " " I wonder if we shall ever get there ! " were the
exclamations constantly uttered by the ladies and children, who
were half dead from exhaustion. .Vroiind us on ever}^ side were
the rock-tm*reted walls of the great luouiitains inclosing the wind-
ing ))l,iin. lint as dawn deejiened into (la\liglit we looked in

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 255

vain iVir a glimpse ot" the loiij^vd-tor camp. We were fording- a
rajiiil stream when a horseman appeai'ed over a kiuill galloping-
towards us at lull speed. It proved to be one of my servants,
coming- to guide us. Here at last was a ray of ho])e ; every
heart brightened, and all were cheered by the good news that
the camp was only "half a farmkh" or two miles, distant. The
snow on the top of Demavend blushed into a warm roseate hue
as the sunlight burst into the Ijroad eifulgence of day. Yet on
and on Ave journeyed without rest, stared at here and there by
the flocks of mares and their foals pasturing- in the meadows, or
bv the tawny, unkempt nomad children who romped quite naked
before the black tents. The tw(i miles had been more than ac-
complished over the dcA'ious road which led us across one of the
most desolate and extraordinary landscapes on the globe, before
it dawned on us that the " half a tarsakh " AAas a mere vague
statement of the distance to the camp. Xo tents were in sight,
although Ave uoav entered on a portion of the valley enlarging
into a plain three or four miles Avide. The horses and mules
began to show signs of exhaustion ; one of the mules carrying
kajevehs came down on his knees on level ground and threAv a
child out on the turf, lace foremost. But now another messenger,
Avho had been sent ahead to reconnoitre, returned to assure us
that he had found the camp just around the foot of a high moun-
tain directh" before us, Avhich concealed Demavend. Fording the
rapid current of the Lar River and skirting- this mountain, Ave
at last came to a tm-n where the camp a])peared, yet a mile
away, and the tremendous dome of Demavend s]>ring-ing- ten
thousand feet aljruptly aboA'e the plain, apparently close at hand,
but actually nearly fifteen miles distant.

It was well past eight o'clock when Ave at last reached our
tents in the valley of the Lar, and dismounted, sixteen hom's
after Ave had started from GelandeA-ek.

The first word that ran unanimously thi-ough the camp was.

256 PERSIA AND THE PERSL4.NS.

" Tea ! " Fortified by several di'aiights of tlie best refreshment for
the weary yet discovered since the tinie of Adam, we resolved
oiu'selves into a committee of the -whole, to visit the land of Nod.
" Blessings on him who invented sleep ! " ejaculated Sancho
Panza, and the sentiment fomid hearty response in every bosom
that memorable morning when we reached the valley of the
Lar.

On retvu'ning to ourselves again, after a nap of long duration,
we all once more A\ith one accord cried, " Breakfast ! " The
universal longing found expression by a "sngorous cla])})iug of
liaiids. This is a novel way, you may say, to express a sen-
timent of hunger. I should explain that this is a niethod of
summoning servants in the East. When the servants i-aised the
door of the tent they knew what we wanted, and said, Bally,
balhj, hazur est, — which is to say, "Yes, it is ready." Having
satisfied the wants of "our lower nature," as })ietists and pliiloso-
phers Avould say (rather hastily, as it would seem, considering
how dependent the brain is on the stomach), we were in a jjroper
condition to take a survev of the situation. The camp, we
found, was planted about the centre of a rolling j)lain several
miles long and about two miles wide, completely henuned in 1)\-
rocky mountains, absolutely bare, but lovely in then* very sa\--
ageness, painted as they were by the ^"ario'us gra}- or I'uddy
hues peculiar to volcanic formations. .About a thousand feet
above the plain wns a large patck of snow. At the south-
western end the mountains separated, making a ])assage i'or
the river. At the opposite end, also, the pliiin widened and
gave into it a larger valley meeting it at right ;mgles. But
across the entrance stood a mighty ennnence ci-oANued liv Na-
ture with rocks resembling a feudal castle; and bevond ;ind i':n-
above soared the great mountain of Persia, — DemavC'iiil, the
majestic and sublmie, the peer of the uobk'st kings of the moun-
tain world. The iilain we weiv on was ten thousand nine hun-

MOUNTAINEERING IN I'F.RSIA. 257

(livd I'eet above tlie sea, ami 1 )fniavr'ii(l rose ten thousand feet
hig'her. No veofetation was visil)l(' on the deeply seamed slopes
of its cone; hut the suiniiiit was d'owut^'d with eternal suii\\',
which extended down several thousand feet, mostly iu the clefts
of the deep ravines and precipices. I found l)y measureiueut
that the sl()])e of the cone has au average iucliuation of thirty-
six degrees, — which is renuirkable when one considers tlie
extent of the slope, or compares it with some of the steepest
of the world's volcanic peaks.

The valley of the Lar, although destitute of any sign of
shrub or ti-ee, is yet full of interest to the lover of Nature. The
river Lar winds along the centre of the valley. This is a stream
tiftv to one hundi-ed yards wide ; the current is somewhat turbid,
and rushes with great rapidity. The low banks rise gradually on
either hand towards the mountains. These undulating slopes
were dotted with black goat's-hair tents of the nomads, or
with moA-ing patches, which as they approached were re-
solved into larg-e flocks of o-<)ats. Herds of mares were also
frequently seen, accompanied by their colts, browsing on the
short herbag'e, and wandering at will over this fenceless vallev
of desolation. These mares belonged to the Shah, and I was told
that fully two thousand are annually kept at the Lar, Ijreeding
horses for the cavalry of Persia.

The Lar Valley is in reality the bed of an enormous crater.
At some remote period i»olcanic peaks have been u[)llea^•ed
above its crust, which have divided its surface into the chain
of narrow and winding valleys that form the present great
vallev of the Lar. Demavend, the monarch of this elevated
solitude, is of com-se a volcano, although it has been quiet for
many ages. But the sulphur constantly forming at the top,
together with the vapor and the extreme heat just below the
surface, indicate that although there is no record of any erup-
tion of Demavend, it is still l)y no means donnant. The

258

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

presence of this great scene of volcanic action on the borders
of the Caspian Sea appears to be consistent with the now
Avell-known hxw that volcanoes are usually found near the sea.
For the members of Alpine clubs Demavend offers attractions
well worth considering. Here is a peak a mile higher than
^Mont lilanc, which can be ascended with comparative ease by

MOUNT DEMAVEND FROM THE CAMP IN THE LAR VALLEY.

any one of strong legs and sound hings and heart. Tlio time
is cominff when Mount DemavtMid will l)e far more widclv known
and iippreciated than it is now. In Pcrsin, of course, this grnnd
old peak has lioen a wonder siuig in the legends inid jioetry of
the country from the earliest ages. It Avas the haunt of the
Deev Sefeed, or Wliite Demon, vanquished by Rustem. Among
its tremendous cliffs was perched the vast eyrie of the Simurgh,
the maffic bird which nourished Znl, the son of Sahm, mIicu

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 259

exposed to destruction by his father on account of his liyht
hair: bhie eyes and Hglit hair not Ijeing considered of good
omen in Persia. These and numerous other legends associated
■with Jloiuit Deniavend are doubtless based on historic events
shrou(h(l in the (Liwn of liistorj'.

Our camp was pitched on the brow of a low plateau over-
lookino- the river Lar. The iiartv divided itself into three sec-
tions. Mv own camp included seven tents, with those for the
servants. Urn- sleeping-tent was pitched on the edge of one of
the numerous musical brooks that contribute to feed the deep
flood of the Lar. A curious feature attending the supply of
water in the valley art' numerous boiling s})rings. The bubbling
action to wliicli they are subject is intermittent, occurring every
few minutes. Where our camp lay, forty of these springs were
clustered within the space of a third of a mile ; whence the spot
is called Slieliel Chesme, or " Forty Springs." Besides this group
of forty springs, I may mention, among other interesting- objects
in the Lar Valley, the Whitewater River, which enters the Lar
a milk-white stream tinged with a faint suggestion of green.
Near its source is found the Devil's Mill. It is externally rep-
resented by a large ferruginous rock, with two apertures a few
feet apart. On standing near the rock one hears a deep, jjcr-
petual, and mysterious roar far down in the l)Owels of tlie earth,
as if demons were engaged in forging weapons for another war
ag-ainst the race of man. Naturallv no one has ever ventured
down to see the mighty works going on Ijelow, nor ever will
in all probability ; for a mephitic gas of deadly potency exhales
from the openings in the rock, that causes instant death to
every living- thing- that breathes it. Around the rock there is
ever a score or two of birds which have fallen dead on inhaling
the air, and when I was there a bear was lying at the entrance
stark and stiff.

I followed the course of the Lar River to where it rushes

260 PEKSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

roaring out of a Tartarean gorge at Peloure, and is joined l)v
several other streams. After tlie junction the Lar is called the
Harhaz, and becomes one of the most important streams in Pei--
sia. I have seen no river scenery elseAvhere much g-rander than
is the gorge of the Harhaz. The river rushes deep and strong
at the bottom of a naiTow abyss which it has cloven iov itself in
the long course of ages. Huncb-eds, and in some places thou-
sands, of feet above rise the wall-like ])recipices. Here and
there far up on the green shelves are clum])s of dense ver-
dure and picturesque hamlets reached by winding and dizzv
paths.

An interesting feature of the Lar Valley is also found in the
Iliots who resort thither in summer Avith their flocks. I/iot, or
more properly, Uiijdt, is the nnine applied to the numerous
nomadic tribes of Persia, who to the number of nearlv a mil-
lion, under different names and in distinct clans, roam over the
wilds with numerous flocks and herds. The Diyats of the Lar
informed me that wandering as they wvav ai»j)ear, tlicv are 'vet
guided l)y invariable laws and hal)its. AVhcii the Lar Vallcv is
covei'ed to the depth of many feet with a dense mass of sno\\-,
these shepherds i-esort to the fertile district of W'rainiii, southeast
of Teheran. When summer comes once more, they scale tlie
wild passes that surround Demavend, and deplo\' their flocks
over the volcanic vallev to nibble the scautv herbage. Put
there is nothing random in tliis movement. Pv a sort of un-
written law each family and sept recognizes the rights of the
others; and thus from year to vear, eacli without interference
pitches its black goat's-hair tent in the same phu-e. Kverv niiiht
the flocks are counte(l, and each month the tax-collector coint'S
round and gathers in the nionthh' le\\' of four shahis (oi' three
cents) on every sheeji.

It may .seem strange that in such a loiudv s])ot, where not-
withstanding the presence of herdsmen and herds one was almost

MOUNTAINEERING IX PERSIA. 20]

oppressed bv the savaue .suMiinity of the hmdscape whidi in-
closed lis from the worhl and forced us to study the stars, and in
a spot so elevated and so ditKcult of access, one shovdd conic to
iish for trout, and, what is nion', tind them in al)un(hince. Ihit
such indeed is the case. The river Lar is famed for its speckled
trout; and we encamped on its hanks well provided with th<*
best rods and flies the English market could atford. Wf I'oiukI
the ti-out tickle enough, as elsewhere, and could never tell when
or where to find them, — some days "coy and hard to jdease,"
and other davs so abundant that magnificent strings of iish,
averaging upwards of half a pound each, adorned the tent-
poles, or graced the board around which we were gathered w ith
appetites whetted by the keen mountain air. "We soon discovered
that a trair peculiar to these Persian trout was an indifference
amounting to contempt for the daintiest flies we coaxingly tln-ew
in their war. I concluded the cause of this phenomenon lay
])artlv in the scarcity of flying insects in that altitude. But when
we baited our hooks with young grasshoppers or frogs, we dis-
covered the gastronomic weakness of these epicures of the Lar.

After all, however, troutiug at the Lar appeared secondary to
the mao-nificent aspects of Nature which constantly arrested the
attention wherever one might be. The form of the great moun-
tain pp-amid was ever present, varying in appearance with
every change of the atmosphere, and yet dominating over all
other objects and haunting the imagination like the presence of
a spirit. Sometimes, flooded with the glory of morning and
dinmied by the haze of golden light, it retired to a vast dis-
tance. Then it would advance until it appeared to be but
three or four miles away, disclosing a clear, sharp outline and
the various ruddy tints of the manifold rocks and abysses that
seamed its tremendous slopes. Or, anon, the storm-clouds tossed
across its bosom like ocean surges, and the crest alone was
visible, as if suspended from the zenith.

262

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

But the hour above all others to realize the impressive gran-
deur of this avi^ful peak was towards evening, seated in the
tent-door when the flocks were wendino- homeward to their
fold among the rocks, where the black-eyed daughter of a race
of nomads was waiting for their return. When the valley of

A YOUNG MOLLAH.

the Lar and the mountains wbicli inclosed it were ^rav in the
creeping gloom of twilight, the summit of DemavOnd was lit
)jy the roseate reflection of the vanisluHl sun, and glowed like
a star in tlie firmament. At night, wlien all was il;uk and
no sound broke the silence of the sleeping world except the
low sound of the brook, no effect of Nature ever impressed
me more deeply than the presence of the great mountain, like
a vast shadow thrown up against the stars.

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 263

One fact at the Lar remimU-d us vividly of America. This
was the weather. One may well sa}- that in the greater part
of Persia there is very little weather. For nine months of the
year the skies are serene, — a cloudless azure by day, and at
nig-ht a purple veil spangled with countless gems. Towards
noon a breeze from the plains sways the tree-tops, and at
night the cool zephyrs from snow-capped mountains flutter the
tops of the skimbering groves. When at last the leaves fall
in November, and a spasmodic attempt at winter comes, the
brioht gleams of sunshine often intervening seem like a protest
ao-ainst such an intrusion upon a settled order of things, and
the early spring restores the equilibrium of an atmosphere which
has been only temporarily disturbed.

It was therefore with surprise that after enjoying for some
months an almost entire absence of weather, we found in the
vallev of the Lar an abundance of this material. The altitude
of the vallev, its peculiar form, and the near presence of a lofty
peak were sufficient conditions to produce a state of things that
went even beyond the preparations we had made to meet it.
After we had been there several days the sky began to be
obscured with clouds. At once the air became chilly ; then
the rain began falling, and ever}' afternoon thereafter a heavy
thunder-storm came up, grandly rolling through the goi-ges, but
seriously interfering with trout-fishing, and, what was worse,
soaking the tents and making them too damp to occupy with
safety. On Demavend the rain changed to snow, and the
slopes of the peak were each evening whiter, although the
heat of midday carried away much of the snow of the pre-
ceding day. Several times the mercury fell from eighty-six
degrees at noon to forty -five degrees at night. One after an-
other of our partj' was attacked with chills, and the horses,
accustomed to life on the warmer plains, showed indications
of exhaustion.

264 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

We decided to return without delay. The tents were struck
after breakfast, and the sumpter-mules sent in advance. At
that time the heat was intense, and some of our number suf-
fered, with only the shelter of an umbrella to protect them from
the sun-rays pouring into the valley, untempered by a breeze.
But when at noon the rest of us mounted, we had to do so
hurriedly, for a storm was thundering in the gorges, Avhich
overtook us before we were fairly out of the valley. Our camp
that night was pitched on a green shelf hidden in the heart of
the mountain that we had to climb to reach the Aftcha Pass.
We arrived there at twilight. The horses were tethered by
the side of a brook at the bottom of the ravine. The new
moon hung over the dark edge of the mountain, and the fires
before the tents added a su^jerb effect to one ^ of those hours
that live long in the memory. But after despatching a warm
meal we wei'e obliged to seek our cots, for word had been given
for the tents to be struck at three.

Defiling slowly up the zigzag road, we reached the summit
of the range an hour after sunrise. There we rested, and turned
back to take a farewell look at Demavend from that magnifi-
cent point of vantage. A universal acclaim of enthusiasm burst
from the lips of all. Vertically below lis lay tlie winding valley
of the Lar, like the bed of a mighty river ; beyond it the ridges
rolled away in endless succession, like waves of the sea. A
bank of cloud closed in the receding horizon, and lo ! far above
it, and far above where we stood, rose the sunnnit of Dema-
vend, majestic and alone. We were satisfied ; that view com-
pensated for all the toils and fatigues we had endured. " Let
us go ! " said one with a sigh ; the exquisite sense of pleasure
is sometimes allied to pain.

The descent from the Aftcha Pass was much more rapid than
the night ascent had been ; but although we now liad daylight
in our favor, the difficulties scarcely seemed less, for the weary

>^-.

PEOPLE OF AFTCHA.

MOUNTAINEERING IN PERSIA. 267

animals often slipped or stumbled, and to be hurled over the
precipices was not a pleasing prospect. Indeed, in some rug-ged
places we were fain to dismount and trust to our feet. For the
tachtravan the descent was attended witli enormous ditliculty,
as the weight constantly tended to impel the poor patient mules
over the edge of the road ; and several narrow escapes did not
add to our sense of security. But finally, after several hours
of this sort of work, we came to a more level spot. The tall
Arab charvadar here began to pick up small stones and toss
them back towards the other muleteers. "Why do vou do
that?" I inquired. " Because, praise be to God the Preserver!
we have at last got over the wt)rst of the road, and now it will
be easy going."

Happily his statement proved true, and before long we were
again meandering through the winding, leafy lanes of Aftcha.
A halt was cried at the shops of the village. These shops wei'e
open to the road and facing the orchards along the stream that
dashed musically througli the place. What attracted us was the
fiuit, which for the first time in the season we found both a'ood
and abundant. In a few moments every one of our party was
busily occupied in discussing the delicious grapes and melons
which were liberally handed around. It was a curious spec-
tacle, — this little group of Amei'icans on horseback or in litters
and kajevehs, huddled together in a narrow lane of a handet
in the heart of this distant land, eating fruit with keen zest ;
while the neighboring roofs, walls, and doorways were thronged
with a picturesque assemblage of peasants, — men, women, and
children, — gazing with eager eyes at so unexpected a sight. But
although the curiosity of these simple people ^^as so gi'eat that
many a pretty young girl occasionally lowered her veil an in-
stant to get a better view of the strangers, and the bare-legged
urchins crept fearlessly among the horses to obtain more certain
information concerning these queer foreigners, and the black-

268 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

smith forgot to raise his hammer, and the baker, lost in mute
sm-prise, neglected the dough ready to be thrust in the heated
oven, jjoliteness reigned over the scene, and not a word was
said to disturb our content. On the contrar}-, several individuals
offered to bring us water, or volunteered information about the
attractions of this lovely haiulet nestling in a hollow of the
mountains and garmented in almost perennial verdure. It is
on such occasions that one realizes how very handsome is the
race which inhabits Persia. Nowhere are children to be found
whose cheeks are more rich in bloom, or whose eyes are kindled
witli a brighter glow. Large-eyed they are, well formed, in their
type of beauty akin to the Greeks and the Spaniards. Nor
does squalor or poverty rob the Persians of their native grace.

It was with a considerable sense of relief that ^^■e at last
arrived at Gelandevek and found the tents ready for us, by the
side of the old plane-tree. There we remained for several days,
enjo3nng the grateful shelter afforded by this venerable tree,
under which it is quite possible Marco Polo encamped wli^n
passing through Persia eight hundred years ago. Among other
facts \vliicli he records of this country, is the statement tliat Per-
sia was in his time celebrated as the land of plane-trees. It was
in fact the country called by Polo the " Arbor Sec," referring to
the plane-tree, which was considered by the early church to be
the tree that became dry at the bidding of our Lord.'

The tent we occupied was worthy of notice. It formerl}'
belonged to a Persian general, wlio used it when accompany-

' So generally was this tlie caso a tlioii.sand years ago tliat Persia was often spoken of
simply as the " Arbre Sec " or the " Arbre Sol." Marco Polo says : " To the Arbre Sec,
I mean the land so called." Again he says, " Cassius being so far a«ay as the Arbre
Sec." And he speaks of Persia, or the eastern part called Khorassan, as the Arbre Sol.
Arbre Sec and Arbre Sol, it is now well known, were names given at an early period to
the )ilane-trce, on account of the legends and superstitions which clustered around this
solitary and majestic denizen of the arid wastes of eastern Persia. C'hri.<tians, Magians,
and Mahometans alike agreed in giving a, legendary importance to the plane-tree. The
Christi.ans called it .\rbre Sec bccau.se the dry tree of the New Testament cursed by the

MOUNTAINEERIXO IX PKRSIA. 2G9

ing the Shah or the arniv in the tiehl. It was of a pattern
pceuhar to Persia, where it has been the custom for tlie Court
to spend the summer in tents. Consequently, the making of
tents lias been carried to great perfection in Persia, and has
given good scope to the decorative talents of the native artists.
My tent was of the sort called kalcmkdr, the designs of the
interior and the colors being applied or stamped by hand.
Nothing could exceed the beaut}- of the intricate designs
which completely covered the interior of this tent. Each panel
had in the centre an agreeable representation of the conven-
tional figure of a cypress, or tree of life, which we are in the
habit of calling the pahn-leaf pattern when we see it on ('ash-
mere shawls. But this is an error; it is the cvpress tliat is
intended in this design. Around this figure were wreaths of
flowers, interwoven with birds-of-paradise, and at the base of
the picture were grotesque elephants pursued by hunters bran-
dishing scimitars. Over the junction of the panels was a pair

Saviour was a i-ycamnre yielding no fruit, lilce all of tlie genus. The Magiaus, or
Guebres, esteemed the eheuiir one of tlie chief trees of Paradise. The Mahometans call
it to this day dirdcht-i-fazl, " the tree of excellence."

There seems to have been a cbenur of extraordinary antiquity at Damgban ; Persian
history locates the decisive battle between Alexander and Darius near that tree. And
the Shah Nameh, or Book of Kings, the great epic poem of Persia, gives a mystical
account of an interview held by Alexander tlie Great with the Arbre Sec in the north of
Persia. This particular tree represented, it seems, two individuals, — a male and a
female. The former from its upper branches gave forth a voice during tlie day, ami the
latter by night. From this remarkable source Alexander learned of the approatdiing
termination of his career. Herodotus, in turn, speaks of a venerable clieiuir in the
centre of Asia Minor which was decorated by Xerxes with precimis ornaments of gold,
when he was on his march to Greece.

It is evident that the character of the ehenur tree made a great impression on the
Oriental mind at an early age. Its enormous sizP, the smooth, gray, columnar branches '
springing from the vast rugged trunk, the gratefulness of its shade in a dry and thirsty
land, and the enormous age to which it attains, undoubtedly contributed to make the
plane-tree, after the cypress, the most reinarkalile growth of Asiatic vegetation out of
India. But the feature of the chenar that probably produced the most vivid impression
is the fact that it seems to grow in the midst of arid solitudes destitute of water, rain,
or dew, as if it drew its sustenance from the sun alone. It is true that it often reaches
a great size by the side of pleasing watercoucses, but does not seem to be dependent on
humidity for the attainment of its magnificent verdure and enormcius dimensions.

270

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

of exquisitely comical lions of the most ferocious aspect, bearing
naked swords in their right paws. This is but a feeble descrip-
tion of the graceful and fertile fancy displayed in this intricate
and lovely system of decoration. As in all oriental decoration,
the individuality of the artist was apparent in a score of repeti-

'"^^Sfe

OLD PLANE-TREE AT GELANDEVEK.

tions; for while repeating the same general plan in eacli jianel,
the artist allowed liimself to vary the arrangement of color in
several places.

Another charm of our life at Gelandevek was tlie nn-ival of
our mails twice a week, brought liy courier fi-om Teheran. The
capital seemed far away, and yet a swift rider from it could
reach our camp in six or sevon hours. Letters from our distant
home in America liad a peculiar charm when read in that quiet
scene of rural seclusion, thirty-five to forty days after the\- liad
received the stamp of the United States at New York.

CHAPTER XI.

A GLANCE AT THE ARTS OF TERSIA.

EVERY school-boy has heard of Per.sepoht<. Fcnv of the
great works of the ages have been more copiously de-
scribed and ilhistrated than the famous Chelicl Mhiar, or " Forty
Pillars," as the Persians call Persepolis ; or more often Taclit-i-
DjemsJieed, that is, the " Palace of Djemsheed." It is therefore
tlu' more extraordinary that so little is knciwn outside a small
circle of specialists concerning the numerous and widely diverse
examples of the general love for the beautiful which is demon-
strated by the history of the progress of the arts in Persia. The
present is perhaps a favorable time to glance at Persian art as
it is in a transition state, passing, as it has often done already,
from one form of expression to another.

One of the most peculiar features of contemporary Persian
art is the eA-idence it affords that it is coming under European
influences. This is not the first time that foreign, and especially
occidental, art has directed the development of Persian art : but
it is interesting to be able to note from a contem^jorary pomt
of view the agencies at work in producing such results. There
are two methods open for treating such a subject. One is simply
to give a running statement of actual facts, as in a catalogue,
lea\'in2- the reader to form his ovm conclusions. The other —
and to the writer, at least, 1 )y far the more fascinating method —
is to seek, in however an imperfect way, to ti-ace the vai-ious
influences to which a national art owes its existence, and to note
the kevs of national sentiment as they are touched by the hand

272 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

of Time, evoking lovely and varied harmonies ot" expression.
As regards Persian art, it is especially true that while endeavor-
ing to follow its present du'ection, one is so constantly reminded
of its past achievements that he cannot well comprehend the
present without having also some intelligent perception of its
growth in preceding ages. Although it is likewise true, as ilrs.
Browning has beautifully observed, tliat —

" Every ago,
Through beiug behekl too close, is ill uiscerned
By those who have not lived past it ; "

yet it may be equally the case in art as well as in poesy, as
she further observes, that —

" Poets should
Exert a double vision ; sliould liave eyes
To see near things as comprehensively
As if afar they took their point of sight,
« And distant things as intimately deep

As if they touched them. Let us strive for this."

A characteristic which until recentK' has 1)eeu universal to
the art of Persia, is its essentially decorative and therefore prac-
tical tendency; hence, also, its spontaneity and its thorough
harmony with the acknowledged canons of festhetic develop-
ment. Persian art has l)een essentialK- industrial ai-t. Tlie
Persian artist has displayed his genius and taste in a(la])ting
his practice to the materials at hand, and t(t the iuHuences of
Ms age and clime combined Avitli utility, — much if not all the
arts of that historic race being eminently constructive, as may
be said when both liuilder and architect act in concert in design-
ing a liandsome building. By ever adhering to tlie practice
of rendering his A\'orl< siiboi-diiuitc to this principle, the Persian
artist has been not only true to liis instincts, Imt has given a
vitality and endui'ance to liis work wliicli make it indeed
national, and therefore immortal.

A GLANCE AT rilK AIMS OF I'KKSIA. 273

'Vhcv \vliu arc wi'ddcd to tlu: thct)ry that ca.scl pahitinys and
.sculptures, iiidc|K'udcnt of decorative aim, are necessarily tlio
liig-liest form and end uf ;estlietic expression, would prolialily
relegate the greater part of the art of Persia to an inferior posi-
tion. None the less the fact remains, that no people was ever
more permeated 1)\- the true art .spirit than the Persians. Grant,
if you please, that it is not of the Ingliest order, — as I am in-
clined, to admit, — and yet one may conscientiously ascribe to
Persia a verA* hiijh ])o.sition among- the races that have contrih-
uted most to the progress of the arts. The long-continued
existence of Persia as an integral j)eojjle, exhibiting for twenty-
five hundi'ed years an almost unbroken career of national and
intellectual activity, is almost without a parallel in the history of
the arts. The arts of Egypt, As.syria, and Greece cuhninated
hm"' ages ago: so also have those of the Saracen and of many
another nation since. But the artistic life of Persia is still
active; and it would be a mistake to assume that the present
decline of some of the most important branches of Persian art
indicates anything more than that it is passing thi-ough one of
the numerous periods of transition, in which her arti.sts and
artisans have seemed to rest while gathering inspiration for a
new departure after the pursuit of the ideal.

Consider, for example, the far from dormant genius still dis-
played at this verv time in the practice of architecture in Persia.
It was in architecture that she acquired her first triumphs, and
her hand has not vet lost its cunning. An interesting and im-
portant feature of Persian ai'chitecture has alwa\-s been and
still continues to be, with some recent exceptions, its entire
adaptability to existing conditions. In the south, where good
stone and marble are easily pi-ocurable, they entered larg(dy
into construction. In the Caspian provinces, where wood is
abiindant, it is the chief building material, — the roofs being-
made of wood covered with tiles, and the house decorated

274 PERSIA AND THE PEKSIANS.

with wooden piazzas such as one might hjok tor in vain else-
where in Persia. The beams, lintels, and eaves are quaintly,
sometimes elegantly, carved and tinted with brilliant hues.
The climate also suggests windows of such turin, that on being
tlu'own open they leave almost the entire side of an apartment
clear to the unobstructed passage of the breeze. This naturally
affords a rare opportunity for artistic effects, \\hich has been
successfully seized by the Persian architects. It may be affirmed
that nowhere have the ai'tistic possibilities offered by the decora-
tion of mullions and casements been more achuirabU' availed
of than in Persia. Everywhere one tinds hunself amazed at
the beauty of the designs represented in the windows of Per-
sian houses, facing fountains and gay parterres. Often the effect
from within is heightened by the addition of stained glass, ri\al-
ling in result the splendor of rose- windows in Gothic cathedrals.
It is qiute common to see humble dwellings in an obsciu'e ham-
let possessing as their sole merit a l)road window, with a casement
of foi'm and decoration to till an artist with delight.

Although coming into prominence onlv since the begiiniing
of this century, Teheran is not a new citN", and possesses
some old dwellings ^^'hicll otter bits of great beauty to the con-
noisseur. Owing to the scarcit\' and expense of w^ood at the
capital, the building materials used In that citv and en\i-
rons are with scarcely an exception sun-burned bricks and
cargel, or nmd, toughened with straw. The better class of
buildings are reinforced at the angles witli kiln-burned bricks.
One Avould hardly imagine that out <it' such pi-osaic inntcrials
the artist could evolve forms of bcaiit\ : but the fact tliat lie
lias done so is a strong additional j)i-o()f of the innate and uni-
versal taste existing in Persia for artistic dccoratidii. Wv the aid
of gatch, or phister-of-1'nris, the artisan of Teheran often ti'aus-
forms these mud sti'uctures into dreams of Io\cl:ness. In tlie
Babvlonian provinces of i'ersia during the Sassanid period, the

A GLANCE AT THE AllTS OF PERSIA. 275

same materials were eiujjloved. Nor let it be hastily assumed
that the skill exhibited in )il;niiiiuL;' or decorating a Teheran
house is confined to a tew prix ileged architects, and displayed
only on the houses of the wealthy. The arrangement and dec-
oration of the humblest dwellings reveal the .skill ;nid retined
taste of the simple mechanics employed in its construction.
The open porches are supported by slender pillars ; these are
made of crooked, roughly-trinmaed branches of trees. 15ut the
plasterer comes and overlays these rude posts with gatch ; and
measm-ing with his eye alone, he shapes the gatch into a light
and graceful spiral or tinted shaft, crowned by a harmonious
capital. It is an interesting fact that the ti;it-sided, inverted
capital most connnon now in Persia, although varioush' modi-
fied and elaboi"ated, is in its general outline sunilar to the
capitals of the Acha^meuid period, although veiy few Persian
architects of our time are probal)ly aware how closeh' the\'
are follow^ing in the footsteps of their ancestors.

The skill of the Persian architect is once more apparent in
the method taken to avoid the appearance of Aveakness or dis-
proportion siiggested by roofs of enormous weight supported
l)v slender shafts. Massive piers are therefore alternated A\ith
the jiillars, or })lai-e(l at the corners of the colonnades. The
result is a sing-ularly effective combination of li<i-htness and
strength, gi'ace and rej)ose. Sometimes the effect is increased
b\' tlie continuation of the capitals into delicate arches, that
relieve the otherwise heavy horizontal sky-line of the roof.
The consummate skill of the Persian architect is also exempli-
fied in the involved aiTangement of arches, b^' ^vhit'h he obtains
great strength with excpiisite optical effects.

What a wcidth of decoration is sometimes lavished on the
elegant dwellings of Teheran mav be gathered from the Aie\\' of
a portico of the superb country-seat called the Bagli Ferdose, or
Garden of Paradise given on a previous page. It belongs to

276 PERSIA AND THE PEKSIANS.

the Moayer-iil-Mamolek, and during his exile has nnfortunately
been left in an incomjilete condition. The entire interior of
this stately establishment is consistently carried out on this
sumptuous scale, completely bewildering the eve with the opu-
lent fancy and marvcdlous handiwork displayed. It will be per-
ceived that the scheme of decoration at the Bao-h Ferclose is
semi-European, or classic, a sort of bastard Eenaissance, — as
if an architect of old liad for once cut loose from the severe
canons (if liis art, and given the reins to a fancy intoxicated
by the freedom it liad usurped. This indicates the transition
througli whicli Persian art is passing. At the same time it
must be admitted that this luxuriant system of- decoration is
allied to the marvellous beauty of tlie faqade of Machita, con-
structed during the Sassanid period.

Tlie residence of the Moayer-ul-Mamolek in tlic capital is
still more foreign in its character, — the fac^'ade, alt]K)iigh always
of gatch, being altogether of a florid Renaissance type. There
is a tendency now becoming apparent among the better class
of new buihlings rising at Teheran to imitate European ideas ;
but the imitation is genei'ally far from sla\nsh, being i-athcr an
adajitation or assimilation. So long as the tendency proceeds no
further than this, no harm can come of it. Ihit it would be a
great mistake here, as it is elsewdiere, to make absolute imita-
tions of foreign styles; for by so doing the first princi]i]e of
archit<'cture — ada])tation to climate and social conditions —
would be ignored. The incdination to borrow art-ideas from
abroad has been a characteristic of Persian artists in all ages and
ill almost ('vcr\' form of the national art, as a\ ill ap]K'ar in tlic
sequel, Imt never to such a degree as to (n-ercoine the ('(nitrarv
tendenc\- to stamp whatever the}' do with an iiidividiialitv of
their own.

One of the most remarkable features of the Pagh Ferdose is
the womh rl'iil grotto-like hall on the first lloor. The apartment

A GLANCE AT THE ARTS OF PERSIA.

21'

is about sixty feet lon^ hy torty t'cet wide, and carpeted by a
single piece of felt iiiadc especially lor it at Vczd. I may add,
tliat it is comiiioii for wcalrliy I'crsians to order carpets made
in one j)iece to tit even their larg-est apartments. 1 have seen a
iianidd, or felt carpet, eighty feet long and tifty feet Avide, A\ith-
oiit a seam. The name of the maker is Avoven into it, — as the
l)ainter puts his name on his painting. The great weight and
bulk of these felt carpets forbid their exportation. Indeed, the
chief item of expense connected with them is the cost of trans-

MSSK?.-f?^'\S ' I, ■•/ Iff

OI,11 NASCH WRITINn. (REOfCED ONE-HALF.)

})ortation from Yezd and Ispahan, where they are made, to the
residence of the purchaser. Ihit nothing in the wav of_a
carpet can be so luxurious and suggestive of comfort as a
Persian namad an inch thick.

In entire contrast to the general Renaissance-like scheme
of decoration exhiljited in the Bagh Ferdose, may properly
be considered the hall of which we have just spoken. Or-
dinary T\'rsian gatch-decoration is called (jafcli pourree; but
tliat jiresented in the ceiling of this apartment is designated as
mokarness. Those familiar witli an-liitectui-e will recognize
tliis honeycond)-like pfitteni for tilling arches as especially
Saracenic. lirilliantly colored and gilded, it fonns one of the

278 PERSIA AXD THE PERSIANS.

most striking attractions of the Alhambra and other celebrated
oriental monuments. Few are aware that this beautiful stvle
owes its origin to the Persians, from whom it was borrowed,
like several other imjjortant features ap])ropriated by artistic
nations. The jn-inciple of the arch, so thoroughl}- understood
in Persia at tliis time, AA'as apprehended and ])ractised in Iran
before the Parthenon and the Colosseum challenged the ad-
miration of the world.

Of the taste and skill displayed by the artisans who can
devise and construct siudi a building there can be no question.
I'ut one is still more astonished when he learns that these
patient idealists are aided by little or no scientitic study, l)ut
are guided entirely l)y natural instincts supplemented Ity j)rac-
tice. One may see a workman carefully moulding an intricate
design out of a mass of plaster without any jiattern to guide
him, often with neither rule nor compass, and using onh- a
slight shaping-tool of wood ; and if lie be questioned as to who
were his instructors, and \\ liat principles he follows in reaching
siich exquisite results, he will reply that lie had no systematic
insti'uction, and gives himself little trouble al)out art principles :
he grew up to tlic business, and produces such designs because
he feels inspired to create them. It is true that Shah Abbass'
established art institutions under Oovernmcnt ])atronage, to
which artisans were only acbnitted after satisfactory proof of
ability. His immediate successors continued to foster the cul-
ture of the arts in like manner. It is reasonable to believe
that Darius and Anurshirwan, the greatest moiiarchs of the
AclKcmeniil and Sassanid (Knasties, also encouraged the arts
of Persia by a ])atronage as liberal if not exactly identical in
method. Manee, the founder of the Manirh.ean sect, brouo'ht
home hints of ('hinese art when he returned to Persia tiom his
exile; and there are traditions as well as internal evidence that

' Tlii.'i iiiiiMc is ]ir(iiioniicr(l as if spcllcil Ahhauss.

A GLANCE AT THE ARTS OF PERSIA. 279

AniU'sliirw an and ( 'liosroes Parveez invited Byzantine sculptors
to Persia, and it is well known that tlie revival of a hin'li order
of clecoraTcil pottery in Persia, under the name of Kavhee, owes
its existence to the skilled ('liinese artisans ln-onylit to Ispahan
and Kaslian bv Shah Abbass I. Hulagn is also said to liave
brought artisans from China three centuries earlier. The Per-
sians recast the art ideas they Ijorrowed, and stamped them witli
the mark of their own native genius.

Doubtless each tif these periods of artistic renaissance has had
its iniluence in perpetuating- the art-instinct in a race naturally
imbued witli trsthetic feeling: but it is (piite certain that several
centuries have now elajjsed without anv public and systematic
methods of art instruction being applied in Persia. Xotwith-
standing- this, the national love of the beautiful as disjdayed
bv the practice of the arts seems no less ]»ronounced in that
country than formei-ly, although in some directions showing;
either signs of decline or of transition to new forms of expres-
sion. A few names of living architects seem, however, to be
prominent above the average, — such as Ustad (or Master)
Houssein, the designer of Bagh Ferdose ; and Ustad Alee,
the architect of the Ark, or royal palace.

One of the most beautiful arts of Persia, of comparatively
recent origin it is true, is the foiin of (jafch ponrree called
ahmh hirree. The g-atcli ceiling and wall are moulded into the
most intricate forms with daring contidence. While the plaster
is yet soft, the surfaces, or facets, are inlaid with an incrustation
of luinute mirrors of every fonn and often of very small size.
The amount of toil, patience, and skill requisite to inlay a large
apartment in this magnificent style is almost incalculalde. It is
needless to add that the effect is one of bewildering s])lendor, as
if the light were flashed from the })olished facets of millions of
gems. Altliough tl;e materials enn>loved are comparatively in-
expensive, the immense labor requh'ed to complete such an

280 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

apartment natiu-ally renders this a costly style of" decoration.
The Persian Department at the last Paris Exposition was em-
bellished with a room ornamented with this sort of mirror-work.
Several apartments of the palace and many of the mansions of
the wealthy at Teheran are thus decorated. Among the finest
examples I have seen of it are the parlor in the summer-house oi
the Shah at Doshan Tepe, and a su})erb salon of the resideiu-e
now occupied by the Minister of Justice ; it was erected by the
celebrated Super Salar, or Premier, who died in 1882. Although
of moderate dimensions, about sixty feet by fiftv feet, the apart-
ment is so well proportioned that it easily appears much larger.
One side of the room is devoted to an immense doul)]e window,
with casements carved with intricate geometric patterns, partly
filled with stained glass. The vaulted ceilings are incrusted
with mosaic of aindh karree. But one of the most thorou"hlv
characteristic rooms of this sort is in the fine old house erected
over a hundred 3'ears ago, belonging to the family of the late
Sedr Azem, and built by his ancestors. It is surprising that
while searching the past and present, and almost the future,
for designs rare and dazzling enoug-h to Avhet the pampered
appetite of New York millionnaires, our architects lun-e not yet
borrowed from Persia a style of decoration whose splendor
eclipses all their previous efforts.

Tiles ! methinks I hear the tile devotee say, " T>nt what
about tiles'? Are there any tiles in Persia?" "Well, tlicn, to
speak frankly, it must be stated that what the Persian artist
does not know^, or did not know in fornu'r times, about tiles
is scarcely worth the mention. Tlie tiles now made in Persia
are (if a far more common order tliaii were those of former
ages. This i'act however does not t)b.scure the great interest
attaching to the present use of decorati\'e tiles in I'ersian art.
The absence of good mai-lile in the viciiiit\' of Teheran, or the
cost of working it, causes a great demand foi- tlu' incrustation of

A GLANCE AT THE ARTS OF PEKSIA. 281

floors and walls with elegant colored pattei'ns, composed of
glazed tiles of ^ari()us degrees of excellence and of endless
vai'ietv of desiffn.

The interior of the baths is often covered with tiles ; the
effect of glistening walls and roofs in the demi-twilight of these
vaulted rooms is artistic and beavitiful. The exteriors of the
domes of the mosques and minarets and city gates are also
overlaid with glazed tiles, producing at the proper distance fine
chromatic effects, which tell in a magical way against the intense
azure of the cloudless skies of this semi-tropical clime. When
smitten l)y tlie full rays of the setting sun they flash like gold.
In this connection one natm-ally calls to mind the face-bricks
glazed like tiles, which fonn one of the most common means
of decoration in Persia, and especiallv at Teheran. In skilful
hands they adai)t themselves readilv to manv forms of con-
structional decoi-ation, and might Avith great propriety be intro-
duced into the facing of gate-ways or even entire fa(jades in the
United States, where it is becoming the fashion to employ a va-
riety of colors in architectural decoration. Unlike the American
decorator, however, the Persian artist generally understands
the importance of combining these bricks in such a manner as
to produce broad designs effective at a proper distance, instead
of suffering them to be dwarfed and practically made useless by
a mincing scrupulositv in the rendering of minute details that
are entirely lost sight of at a short distance.

But the subject of Persian tiles is one of vast extent, as every
collector well knows : and the success still achieved by the Per-
sian artisans of to-day makes one marvel what must have been
the beauty of their tile decorations in former ages, and question
how a })eople who still retain so much taste and skill in this
verv art of colors and cflazes should have so soon forsrotten the
secrets of the superior Keramic art of their ancestors only a
few centuries dead.

282 PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

In considering the old tile-work of Persia, and indeed tlie
greater part of its art develojiment during the last dozen cen-
turies, one cannot avoid obser\'ing- tlu-ee or four prime influ-
ences, which, although apparently having little relation with the
pursuit of the tine arts, have nevertheless exerted a powerful
influence in directing the art progress of Persia since the fall
of the Sassanides. These influences are the conversion of tlie
country to the doctrines of Mahomet; the cons(didation of tlie
legends of Persia into a popular form l^y Firdoiisee in his great
national epic of the Sliali Nameh, thus reviving the interest in
subjects wliicli foruierly attracted general attention, and stimu-
lating the fancy of tlic people at a time when the arts were
entering on a new phase of expi'ession ; tlie induction into power
of the Sefavean dynasty ; and the importation of Chinese and
Indian artisans into Persia. Numerous minor influences may also
be traced, giving direction to the former artistic instincts of tlie
people, but these seem to be the most important.

The acceptance of the faith of the Prophet brought with it
the Arabic language, Avhich has since that time entered largely
into the literature and language of the cultivated classes of
Persia, exactly as Latin has modified the Anglo-Saxon. Indeed,
one might venture to assert that the change in the former case
has been even greater than in the latter, for the Latin-English of
the Johnsonian period has given English forms to Latin words ;
whereas a multitude of Arabic words liave been incorporated into
the Persian language without mulergoing any change whatever.
])Ut in nothing is the influence of the Saracenic invasion more
evident, than in the results following the adoption of the Arabic
character. Never was there a greater revolution than that
eff"ected over half the known woild in less than a centurv bv
a liorde of enthu.siastic nomads. The (Christian who has never
lived in the East but little apprehends how complete was the
transformation which attended the overwhelming conquests of

A GLANCE AT TIIK ARTS OF PERSIA. 283

till' lollowcrs of Mahomet. History ailurds no parallel to tlio
career of the Saracens; ihvx not only oxcrthirw eiiii)ires hoai-y
witli a,ij;e, but they actuallv chaiioed tlie institutions, the beliefs,
the very character of the peoi)l(' to snch a degree that wlieii the
Saracenic yoke wa.s thrown off, the people still remained Sai-a-
cens at heart. The history of religious enthusiasm may be
searched in vain for any events eipial to this.

With the acceptance of Islamism, the Persian artist renounced
for a time the delineation of the human figure ; but -with the
acceptance of the Arabic character, he found new scope for his
exuberant fancy. The Saracens also introduced into I'ersia and
the regions bevond a turn for mathematics, which it mav be
justh' inferred was one cause of the origin of the intricate geo-
metric designs in which ^Mahometan art has been so successful
that the word Arahesqitc has become one of the most prominent
terms in the nomenclature of decorative art. We may add here,
that the astronomical triumphs achieved by Omar Khayyam and
his colleagues under Alp Arslan, indicate incidentally the manner
in which the astronomer and the artist of those days learned to
associate their separate pursuits. T^J'ing before me as 1 write
is a brass astrolabe nearly one thousand years old. It is an
exquisite piece of work ; not content with carefully designating
the scientific lines, the maker of this wonderful instrument has
so shaped and decorated it with loving interest in his work as
to make of it a complete trinniph of art In a similar s])int the
florid fancy of the Hindu formulated arithmetic jn-oblems in
poetic verse.

The religious fervor of the people made it a natural task to
erect numerous tombs and shrines of prayer over the length and
breadth of the land. To make of these mei-e receptacles for
people living or dead, without comeliness or attraction, — after
the fiishion of oiu* good old ancestors, who perched cheap,
square meeting-houses on the bleak hills of New England, —

284

PERSIA AND THE PERSIANS.

was altogether foreign to the genius of the Persians. Like most
imaginative races, tlieir religious fervor deniiuided outward and
ocular demonstration in agreeable art-forms. 'J'he result was a
school of architecture and decoration Saracenic in some of its
features, but unmistakably native in its general direction. The
lofty conical dome of Persian architecture is Indian in shape, or
more properly Aryan. It would be a mistake to attribute all
the resemVdances which Persian art bears to that of the East
Indies to bald imitation, although doubtless this explanation

might apply in some cases.
k'l The Aryan stock of each
race, closely allied as they
are ethnically and geo-
grapliically, is sufficient
to account for a frequent
resemblance in tliought
and expression. The Per-
sian artist found a conge-
nial source of decorative
inspiration in the pitliv
precepts of the Koran and
the singvdarly suggestive and pictorial forms of tlie A)-al)ic
letters. His quick iancy discerned the opportunities tlie\- sug-
gested; his new interest in mathematical ])ursuits and his native
love for flowers, aided by a feeling for color, added to his deco-
rative resoiu-ces, while the scarcity of wood and tlu^ abinidance
of various clays suggested the emphivmeiit of the kiln as the
means for giving the final strokes to the results of his artistic
aims. Hence a school