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diff --git a/40163-0.txt b/40163-0.txt index 2dc7c69..f67f1bf 100644 --- a/40163-0.txt +++ b/40163-0.txt @@ -1,36 +1,4 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Árminius Vambéry, his life and adventures, by -Árminius Vambéry - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with -almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Árminius Vambéry, his life and adventures - -Author: Árminius Vambéry - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40163] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ÁRMINIUS VAMBÉRY, HIS LIFE *** - - - - -Produced by Albert László, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40163 *** [Illustration: Portrait, signed "Faithfully yours, A. Vambéry"] @@ -9458,366 +9426,4 @@ after "the charm of romance", and a misplaced period was corrected after End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Árminius Vambéry, his life a d adventures, by Árminius Vambéry -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ÁRMINIUS VAMBÉRY, HIS LIFE *** - -***** This file should be named 40163-0.txt or 40163-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40163/ - -Produced by Albert László, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: rminius Vambry, his life and adventures - -Author: rminius Vambry - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40163] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RMINIUS VAMBRY, HIS LIFE *** - - - - -Produced by Albert Lszl, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40163 ***</div> <div class="figcenter" style="width: 354px;"><a href="images/ill_large_vambery.jpg" name="vambery" id="vambery"> <img id="coverpage" src="images/ill_vambery.jpg" width="354" height="600" alt="Faithfully yours, A. Vambéry" title="Faithfully yours, A. Vambéry" /></a> @@ -10017,388 +9978,6 @@ period after "Head Master of Marlborough", a quotation mark was added after "the charm of romance", and a misplaced period was corrected after "as pleasurable as it is profitable".</p></div> - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of rminius Vambry, his life and -adventures, by rminius Vambry - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RMINIUS VAMBRY, HIS LIFE *** - -***** This file should be named 40163-h.htm or 40163-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40163/ - -Produced by Albert Lszl, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or -re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included -with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org/license - - -Title: Arminius Vambery, his life and adventures - -Author: Arminius Vambery - -Release Date: July 8, 2012 [EBook #40163] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ASCII - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARMINIUS VAMBERY, HIS LIFE *** - - - - -Produced by Albert Laszlo, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -[Illustration: Portrait, signed "Faithfully yours, A. Vambery"] - - - - -ARMINIUS VAMBERY - -HIS LIFE AND ADVENTURES - -WRITTEN BY HIMSELF - -WITH INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER -DEDICATED TO -THE BOYS OF ENGLAND - -Portrait and Seventeen Illustrations - -London -T. FISHER UNWIN -26 PATERNOSTER SQUARE -1889 - - - - - FIFTH AND POPULAR EDITION. - - =ARMINIUS VAMBERY=: His Life and Adventures. Written by - Himself. With Portrait and 14 Illustrations. Square - Imperial 16mo, cloth extra, 6s. - - "A most fascinating work, full of interesting and - curious experiences."--_Contemporary Review._ - - "It is partly an autobiographic sketch of character, - partly an account of a singularly daring and successful - adventure in the exploration of a practically unknown - country. In both aspects it deserves to be spoken of as - a work of great interest and of considerable - merit."--_Saturday Review._ - - "We can follow M. Vambery's footsteps in Asia with - pride and pleasure; we welcome every word he has to - tell us about the ethnography and the languages of the - East."--_Academy._ - - "The character and temperament of the writer come out - well in his quaint and vigorous style.... The - expressions, too, in English, of modes of thought and - reflections cast in a different mould from our own - gives additional piquancy to the composition, and, - indeed, almost seems to bring out unexpected capacities - in the language."--_Athenaeum._ - - "Has all the fascination of a lively romance. It is the - confession of an uncommon man; an intensely clever, - extraordinarily energetic egotist, well-informed, - persuaded that he is in the right and impatient of - contradiction."--_Daily Telegraph._ - - "The work is written in a most captivating manner, and - illustrates the qualities that should be possessed by - the explorer."--_Novoe Vremya, Moscow._ - - "We are glad to see a popular edition of a book which, - however it be regarded, must be pronounced unique. The - writer, the adventures, and the style are all - extraordinary--the last not the least of the three. It - is flowing and natural--a far better style than is - written by the majority of English travellers."--_St. - James's Gazette._ - - *** _Over Eighty other English and Foreign periodicals - have reviewed this work._ - - - LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, 26, PATERNOSTER SQUARE. - - - - -CONTENTS. - PAGE - -PREFATORY NOTE xiii - - -INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER xv - - -I. - -EARLY YEARS. - -Tutor and Waiter--Vacation Rambles--Literary -Studies--Linguistic Studies 1 - - -II. - -THE FIRST JOURNEY. - -At Galacz--A Storm at Sea--Penniless in Pera--A Teacher of -Languages--Teaching a Turk--Hussein Daim Pasha--Ahmed -Effendi 15 - - -III. - -LIFE IN STAMBUL. - -My First Book--Seeking for an Ancient Dialect--My Friends' -Opinion of my Journey--"Reshid Effendi" 34 - - -IV. - -FROM TREBIZOND TO ERZERUM. - -At Trebizond--On the road to Erzerum 42 - - -V. - -FROM ERZERUM TO THE PERSIAN FRONTIER. - -The Frontier of Kurdistan--Attacked by Robbers--Tales of -Robbers--An Old Friend 47 - - -VI. - -FROM THE PERSIAN BORDER TO TEBRIZ. - -On Persian Soil--The Bazaar at Khoy--The Seids 56 - - -VII. - -IN TEBRIZ - -Study of the Shi-ite Sect--Holy Water--An Old -Acquaintance--A Royal Investiture--An Overworked Embassy 64 - - -VIII. - -IN ZENDJAN. - -A Persian Medico--A Persian Miracle-Play--Tragedy -Appreciated 77 - - -IX. - -FROM KAZVIN TO TEHERAN. - -The Atoning Procession 85 - - -X. - -IN TEHERAN. - -Talking to Turks of Home--Social Contrasts in Asia 89 - - -XI. - -THE SALT DESERT OF DESHTI-KUVIR. - -Choosing a Companion--Morning Prayer--The Desert of -Devils--The Caravan of the Dead 94 - - -XII. - -KUM AND KASHAN. - -The City of Virgins--The Tomb of Fatima--Kashan--Murder in -the Desert 104 - - -XIII. - -FROM ISFAHAN TO THE SUPPOSED TOMB OF CYRUS. - -The Pope of Isfahan--Movable Towers--Tales for -Travellers--Gazelles in the Desert--Fars 113 - - -XIV. - -PERSEPOLIS. - -Solomon's Throne--A Morning Reverie--Vandalism in -Persia--Embracing the Pilgrims 125 - - -XV. - -SHIRAZ. - -Fertility of Shiraz--A Linguist's Joke--Persian -Cruelty--Saadi--Europeans Feasting in Persia--An Earthquake -in Shiraz--Desolation 136 - - -XVI. - -PREPARATIONS FOR MY JOURNEY TO CENTRAL ASIA. - -Chivalrous Dervishes--Scruples--Journey with -Tartars--Committed to His Purpose 150 - - -XVII. - -FROM TEHERAN TO THE LAND OF THE TURKOMANS. - -Description of the Caravan--Incognito Unveiled--Thieving -Jackals--Unrequited Love--The Slave Trade 161 - - -XVIII. - -GOMUSHTEPE. - -Receiving the Pilgrims--How to become a Dervish--Learning in -the Wilds--Slavery--A Betrothal Feast--A Robber Chief 174 - - -XIX. - -FROM GOMUSHTEPE TO THE BORDER OF THE DESERT. - -Threatened by the Wild Boar--An Anxious Moment 187 - - -XX. - -IN THE DESERT. - -Suspicion Aroused--A Pious Brother--Karendag -Mountains--Little Balkan Mountain--Charm of the -Desert--Thirst!--Hot Weather 192 - - -XXI. - -IN KHIVA. - -An Army of Asses--Rest and Dread--Making a Friend--The -Khan--A Lion in Khiva--Fierce Barbarism 213 - - -XXII. - -FROM KHIVA TO BOKHARA. - -Intoxicated Dervishes--A Khivan Fair--Flying from -Tekkes--Thirst and Despair--Among Slaves 233 - - -XXIII. - -IN BOKHARA. - -Life in Bokhara--More Suspicions--Theology in Bokhara--The -Slave Trade--The Road to Samarkand 244 - - -XXIV. - -IN SAMARKAND. - -Tombs of the Saints--Ambition and Prudence--A Royal -Cross-Examiner 254 - - -XXV. - -FROM SAMARKAND TO HERAT. - -Taken for a Runaway Slave--A Scorpion Bite--Saved by -Prayers--Redemption of Slaves--Exorbitant Tolls 263 - - -XXVI. - -IN HERAT AND BEYOND IT. - -A City in Ruins--Yakub Khan--Freezing Weather 275 - - -XXVII. - -IN MESHED. - -A Meshed Crowd--An Unceremonious Visitor--A Welcome--A -Meshed Monument--Persecution of Jews--The Tomb of Firdusi 283 - - -XXVIII. - -FROM MESHED TO TEHERAN. - -An Old Friend--Saddle _v._ Cushions--A Curious -Phenomenon--Alone in the Desert--An Englishman--A Snug -Berth--Confounding the Disturbers--Reputation without -Foundation 297 - - -XXIX. - -FROM TEHERAN TO TREBIZOND. - -The Discomforts of Civilization--Presented to the -Shah--Persian Official Corruption--A Character--An Expensive -Photographer 314 - - -XXX. - -HOMEWARDS. - -Constantinople--London 325 - - -XXXI. - -IN ENGLAND. - -Sir Henry Rawlinson--Sir Roderick Murchison--Lord -Strangford--A Lion in London--At Burlington House--The -Sorrows of Authorship 330 - - -XXXII. - -IN PARIS. - -Napoleon III.--French Suspicions 343 - - -XXXIII. - -IN HUNGARY. - -In Hungary 349 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. - - PAGE - -PORTRAIT OF THE AUTHOR Frontispiece - -PRESSBURG 3 - -PESTH--THE STARTING PLACE 11 - -GALACZ 17 - -THE BOSPHORUS 23 - -MOUNT ARARAT 57 - -CITY OF TEBRIZ 65 - -TRAVELLING IN PERSIA 97 - -TAKH-TA-RA-WAN 127 - -MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE TARTARS 151 - -A DERVISH FEAST 163 - -A LIGHT FOR THE COMPASS 197 - -THE KARENDAG HILLS 201 - -A WELL IN THE DESERT 209 - -AN ASININE ARMY 215 - -AUDIENCE WITH THE KHAN OF KHIVA 223 - -ROAD IN CENTRAL ASIA 229 - -SAMARKAND 255 - - - - -PREFATORY NOTE TO FIRST EDITION. - - -The following pages contain a strictly personal narrative of my Travels -and Adventures in Asia and in Europe. They make no pretence whatever to -be a geographical and ethnological description of the actual Central -Asia. Upon these points recent works have greatly added to the knowledge -we possessed twenty years ago, when I performed my dangerous pilgrimage -from Budapest to Samarkand. A _resume_ of the various publications of -Russian, English, French and German travellers in this region would have -formed a separate book, but these have nothing to do with the variegated -adventures of my own career, of which I here propose to give the first -complete picture to the English reader. - -ARMINIUS VAMBERY. - -BUDAPEST. - - - - -INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER - -TO THE BOYS OF ENGLAND. - - -In presenting this narrative of my adventures in Europe and in Asia to -the juvenile reader in England, I must add a few remarks which have not -been embodied in the autobiographical reminiscences of this book. I -must, in the first place, state that the desire to see foreign countries -awoke in me at the tender age of six years. Playing with my younger -comrades on the green before our village, I tried, with a crutch under -my left arm--for I was lame--to run races with more lissome lads. -Remaining usually far behind my rivals, and being jeered at by my -comrades for my failures, I would go crying to my dear mother and -bitterly complain of the shame which had befallen me. She used with all -maternal tenderness to console me, saying, "Never mind that, my dear. If -you grow older and stronger, you will beat them all by force of -perseverance. I am sure you will yet be far in advance of them all." -With firm reliance on the words of my good mother, I did not henceforth -care very much for the scoffing of my playmates; I looked forward with -great impatience to the time when I should be _in advance of them all_. -With similar encouragements I was spurred on to my elementary studies, -and, seeing that by dint of exertion I became one of the most -industrious of students, I was fully prepared for the same success in -physical competitions. But, alas! here I was to a certain extent -disappointed, for my quick motion was generally hindered by the crutch, -which I still used at the age of ten, not so much from necessity as from -having become too accustomed to it to walk without it, but which I -intended to lay aside as soon as possible. It was one day, whilst -visiting the tomb of my father in the cemetery, that I made up my mind -to walk without that troublesome instrument under my arm. Having thrown -away the crutch, I walked, or I should rather say, I jumped, upon one -leg a few paces, in order to try locomotion without a wooden support. It -was a hard, nay, an exhaustive work; and, as the village was nearly a -quarter of an hour's journey from the cemetery, I began to despair, and -jumped back to fetch again the despised support. Having taken it in hand -and being ready to start again for home, I suddenly felt an -extraordinary agitation awakening in my breast; a desire for immediate -ease was fighting fiercely with determined resolution, and it was only -upon my remembrance of the good advice of my mother that the latter got -the upper hand. In order to avoid any future temptation, I broke the -crutch asunder, and using one half of it as a walking stick, I returned -home, of course with great fatigue and nearly bathed in perspiration. - -I relate this incident in order to prove to the young reader that a -resolute will is able to accomplish even seemingly impossible things, -and that, through persisting in our decisions, we nearly always reach -the goal of our desires. With the motto, "Forwards and never backwards!" -I, a lame man, destitute of all name, was able to see distant countries -in Asia, and to visit such places and peoples as I was anxious to know -from the time that I first read of them. For we Hungarians are, as you -must know, Asiatics by descent; our ancestors came thousands of years -ago from the East to the banks of the Danube, and it is very natural -that with us a voyage to Asia is connected with a good deal of national -piety. - -To Englishmen travels in Asia have another kind of attraction. To one, -that continent is the cradle of our holy religion, the ancient seat of -civilization; to another, it is a region for adventure, or the far -country where he may satisfy his curiosity by witnessing habits and -customs so different from his own. To the vast majority of Englishmen -Asia is a field for commercial and industrial enterprise, where a noble -and grateful task awaits the European, and where a holy duty may be -fulfilled. - -Now I can assure my young friends in England that Asia is worth seeing -and studying. There are many, many features in the character and the -social life of the Asiatic which deserve our admiration, although there -are also others which will rouse our compassion and instigate us more -greatly to love our own country and to cling the more closely to our own -religion and institutions. What will strike us most is the difference of -opinion and of view we meet at every step in the interior life of the -Asiatic. It is not only his physical appearance, his dress and language, -his food and habitation, but also his manner of thinking, nay, his mode -of walking sitting and lying, which will seem strange to our eyes, and -offer to us a spectacle such as we are unaccustomed to in our European -world. Of fine scenes, of queer looking towns, of wonderful buildings -and old monuments I will not speak at all, but I will repeat what I said -before: "A journey to Asia is quite worth the trouble involved in it." - -It would be indeed unfair should I conceal from you the fact that -travelling in the interior of Asia does not at all belong to the class -of enterprises called pleasure trips or vacation tours; for it involves -a good deal of trouble and fatigue, of privation and suffering. A man -brought up under better circumstances and accustomed to lead a -comfortable life must be prepared to nourish his body on the most -incredible food, to front all inclemencies of weather, and, what is most -difficult, to renounce his notions of cleanliness. Of course a European -is only gradually trained for such an extraordinary life of hardships; -it is only by getting gradually from bad to worse that we are able to -withstand the most trying situations; and if, reading the following -pages, you should be astonished at what I went through and what I had to -suffer, please to note that in spite of the great poverty in which I -spent my childhood my task would not have come to a successful end if my -progress from Hungary to Central Asia had not taken place gradually and -after a temporary sojourn in the countries I had to pass on my way. -Well, the preparation was certainly lengthy and wearisome, but in spite -of that preparatory school the whole undertaking was extremely -hazardous, and my sufferings were really such as could hardly be -described. The account, which you will read in the following pages and -all that I have written, contains scarcely the half of the adventures I -went through in Europe and in Asia, and ought to be taken only for the -outlines of a career I intend to sketch, but will not publish in my -lifetime. - -I do not need to add that I do not repent at all of having spent the -best portion of my life in visiting different Asiatic countries, and of -having been an eye-witness of many strange and highly interesting -customs and habits of men. The joy and in most satisfaction which I felt -whilst looking on the scenes for which my earliest juvenile fancy -longed, that same joy I derive now from the recollection of those bygone -adventures, and I feel really happy in unfolding the delightful and -variegated picture of my former life. Should my young readers in England -find an enjoyment in these pages, and should I have succeeded in -imparting to them any knowledge of the distant Asiatic world, I shall -feel certainly the more happy; for, according to the Oriental, to -receive is only a single pleasure, but to give is a twofold one. - -ARMINIUS VAMBERY. - -BUDAPEST. - - - - -I. - -EARLY YEARS. - - -When my father died in 1832 I was but a few months old. My mother was -poor, very poor indeed. By marrying again, however, she fondly hoped she -might be enabled to give her helpless and fatherless orphans a better -bringing up. But in this expectation she was sadly mistaken. Our -stepfather, although a very excellent man, did but very little towards -relieving the pressing needs of our small household. In due time, too, -our family circle got fresh additions; the number of the little ones who -stood in need of food and clothing was increasing. The consequence was -that our parents, in their solicitude for the welfare of the smaller -children, turned the older ones adrift to seek the best way they could -their own livelihood as soon as they were supposed to have attained an -age ripe enough to take care of themselves. - -My turn came when twelve years old. My mother then thought I had reached -a period of my life when I ought to look after myself. Although I had -been afflicted since my birth with a lameness from which I began to -suffer when three years old, and which compelled me to carry a crutch -under my left arm up to the time my mother declared me to be of mature -age, I was yet, on the whole, a tolerably hearty and healthy boy. The -simple fare, often barely sufficient to still the cravings of hunger, -the exceedingly scanty clothing allowed to me, and my want of -familiarity with even the meanest comforts of life had, already, at this -early stage of my life, hardened my body, and inured it to the most -adverse climatic conditions. - -I had then been attending school for about three years; and as my -teachers were lavish in their praises of my extraordinary memory, -enabling me to learn by heart, with great ease, almost anything, even -passages in Latin which I did not understand at all, I thought of going -on with the pursuit of my studies, in order to become a physician or -lawyer,--the two professions which, at that time, were considered in the -rural parts of Hungary as the goal of the most exalted ambition of an -educated man. - -My mother, too, had some such future in view for me, but inexorable -poverty stood in the way of all such ambitious schemings. I had to stoop -lower, much lower indeed. I was apprenticed to a ladies' dressmaker. -When I had got so far as to be able to stitch two pieces of muslin -together, a feeling overcame me that Dame Fortune had something better -in store for me than stitching away all my life long. I soon left the -shop of the ladies' dress artist, and was engaged by the inn-keeper of -the village to be the private teacher of his only son. I was to initiate -him into the mystery of reading, writing and arithmetic. But my duties -did not end there; I had to perform, besides, such unusual offices as -the cleaning of the boots of the family on Saturday evenings, and -occasionally waiting on thirsty guests, and handing them a glass of wine -or whiskey. - -[Illustration: PRESSBURG.] - -There was, undoubtedly, some slight incongruity between my tender age -and the position of a teacher, nor was it easy for one who stood in sore -need of instruction himself to impart it to another,--and, indeed, the -master of the house did not fail to remind me of this anomaly by a -treatment anything but in keeping with the dignity of my position as the -mentor of his son. - -But I received even worse treatment at the hands of the young master--my -pupil. The lad was two years my senior, and on one occasion, when -carried away with my pedagogic zeal I had given him a severe reprimand -for his rude doings, he, nothing loth, fell on me and would have given -me a sound thrashing but for the timely appearance of his mother. - -My tutorship proved thus a school of hardship for me; but I bravely -persevered until I could carry away with me from the Island of Schuett, -where I had spent the first years of my childhood, the large sum of -eight florins, which represented my net earnings. With this sum I -hastened to St. George, in the vicinity of Pressburg, in order to begin -there my studies at the gymnasium. - -The money I had brought with me was just sufficient to purchase me the -necessary books, and kind and charitable people helped me on in many -other ways. Seven different families each gave me one day in the week a -free meal, adding to it a big slice of bread for breakfast and another -for luncheon. I also got the cast-off clothes of the wealthier -schoolboys. By dint of application, and owing, perhaps, to the quick and -easy comprehension which was natural to me, I succeeded in passing my -examination at the first Latin class, as the second at the head of the -class. My whole heart was in my studies; I was soon able to speak Latin -with tolerable fluency; my professors remarked me and showed me some -favour, which greatly assisted me in my struggles. - -I passed, also, at St. George my examination in the second Latin class, -successfully. My fondness for roving gave me no rest. I began to long -for a change and was particularly desirous of going to Pressburg, where -there were schools of a higher grade. I therefore left St. George, -although I had my livelihood almost assured there, and the year 1846 saw -me, at the age of fourteen, within the walls of the ancient City of -Coronation. - -There began anew my struggling and striving and desperate exertions to -support myself. It became clear to me from the very first that, as -buildings became taller and crowds larger, the difficulty of making -acquaintances was increasing and the interest of others in my fortunes -was diminishing. I remained here, for three years, now in the capacity -of a servant, and then teaching she-cooks, chambermaids, and other -individuals thirsting for knowledge. Every stone of the pavement of that -beautiful little town on the blue Danube, could it but speak, might tell -some sad tale of misery which I endured there. But youth is able to bear -anything and everything! - -I continued my studies, undaunted by want and privations, and was -steadily advancing towards the object I had proposed to myself; at the -end of the first term of school I was reckoned amongst the best -scholars. In recalling these sad days, I never cease to wonder at the -never-failing cheerfulness and the high spirits which were my constant -companions throughout and helped me through all the adversities of life. -My sturdy health aided me in the good fight and did not allow my -good-humour to desert me. - -In spite of my frugal fare, consisting of bread and water only, I could -boast of the healthiest of complexions, and was the life and soul of all -fun and mischief in the schoolroom as well as at play. Every time our -school term drew to its end, I was sure to be among the first to seize -my travelling-stick, and launch at random out into the world, limping -but always on foot, without a penny in my pocket. In this manner I had -already visited Vienna, Prague, and other cities and towns in the -Austrian monarchy. Often, when tired as I was marching along the road, I -would indulge in a good-humoured parley with the driver of a waggon or -carriage that happened to pass me, and get, in return for my pains, a -lift in his vehicle for a short distance. At night I usually put up at -the houses of the reverend clergy of the place, where my Latin -conversation was sure to earn for me some regards and a few kreutzers -for my travelling expenses; and by a few happy neatly turned -compliments, bestowed upon their housekeepers, I generally succeeded in -having my travelling-bag filled with provisions for the next day. Truly, -politeness and a cheerful disposition are precious coins current in -every country; they stand at a high premium with the young and the old, -with men and women; and he who has them at his disposal may very well -call himself rich, although his purse be empty. - -These rambles were a preparatory school for my wanderings as a dervish -in after years, and it was always with a heavy heart that I put my -walking-stick into a corner at the end of the vacation. Whether or not -it was because I suffered from want and had to struggle hard to eke out -a livelihood in town, one thing is certain, I disliked living in cities -from my earliest childhood. Upon entering the narrow street with its -rows of tall houses, and watching the diminishing sky over my head, my -youthful spirits sank within me, and only the hope of standing at the -end of the school term again a free man under God's bright heaven -communing freely with Nature rendered my stay in town bearable. - -In 1847, besides continuing my regular studies at school, I began to -devote myself to private studies; for it must be owned that the -gymnasiums were rather badly managed in Hungary at that time. In -addition to reading the greatest variety of literary productions, on -travels, which I all-eagerly devoured, I was learning French. Besides my -native language, Hungarian, I had acquired German early in life. At -about nearly the same time I had mastered Sclavonian, and as my studies -at school had rendered me familiar with Latin and Greek, I found myself, -not quite sixteen years old, conversant with so many principal languages -that acquiring the idioms kindred to them had become a comparatively -easy task for me. - -I always took special delight in memorizing. Children have very vague -ideas about natural gifts, and when I was able to increase the number of -words which I could master in one day from ten to sixty and even to a -hundred, my exultation knew no bounds. I must frankly own, however, that -I had not at that time the faintest conception as to what the result of -these successful exertions, which so flattered my vanity, might be. - -Thus it happened that from the private study of French I gradually -passed over to the study of the remaining branches of the Latin family. -I did the same thing with the Germanic languages, and, beginning with -English, I soon eagerly extended my studies to Danish and Swedish. I -pursued the same method with the Sclavonic dialects, and as I never -omitted, in the zeal of learning, to read out loud and to hold -conversations with myself in the languages I was learning, I had -acquired, in a surprisingly short time, a certain kind of proficiency in -all these languages which my youthful conceit made me imagine was -perfection itself; and I am afraid I had rather an exalted opinion of -myself at that time. - -Vanity injures the character of a man in most cases, but it proves at -times a very wholesome incentive to exertion. In this instance the -conceit which was the result of my undisciplined imagination made me -abandon the path of public studies I had entered upon, and induced me to -continue my studies by myself. The friendly reader will ask what was the -object of this self-education. Indeed I myself did not then know. -"_Nulla dies sine linea_" ("No day without a line") was the maxim ever -present in my mind, and even when I was devoting from eight to ten hours -daily to teaching, I contrived to make such good use of the remaining -time as considerably to improve in my own studies. - -The pleasures of general literature had now taken the place of the dry -and monotonous memorizing of different languages of former years. I drew -to my heart's content from the rich and varied fountain of the mental -products of nearly all the European nations. The bards of Albion, the -troubadours of Servia, the minstrels of Spain and the inspired poets of -Italy; Lomonosoff, Pushkin, Tegner, Andersen, Ochlenschlaeger, nearly -all the muses of the present age and of the past ages beguiled my hours -of leisure. I always read out loud, and frequently noted down in writing -on the margin of the pages I read my feelings whenever any passage -happened to strike my imagination. - -Owing to this habit of loud reading and the violent gestures with which -I would often accompany it, the plain people who were about me often -thought me wrong in the mind; and upon one occasion this conviction had -so grown upon them that I actually lost my position as a teacher, on -that account. But what cared I for the small criticisms of these people, -so long as my mind was peopled with Tasso's struggle before Jerusalem, -Cid's valiant deeds, and Byron's heroes and heroines? Yet, I must -confess, no scenes had such a charm for me as those acting in the land -of the rising sun, Asia--which then seemed to me so very far away--with -her gorgeously brilliant robe, richly covered with pearls and gems, -constantly floating before my eyes. How could it be otherwise with one -who, in his youth, had read "The Arabian Nights," and who, as in my -case, was by birth and education half an Asiatic himself. - -I knew Asia as the land of the most fantastic adventures, as the home of -the most fabulous successes; and, having led an adventurous life at an -age when I was a child still, and being already in pursuit of some great -good fortune, my first yearnings after distant lands pointed already to -Asia. - -In order to be enabled soon to gratify this longing, I thought it -necessary to make myself, in the first place, familiar with the -languages of Asia; and I began at once with the Turkish language. The -Ural-Altaic dialect gave me less trouble than it would have given most -Occidental people owing to its affinity with the Magyar language. I -found it all the more difficult to master its strange characters without -a teacher or any direction. For whole days I went on drawing the letters -with a stick on the sand, until I became, at length, familiar with the -value of the diacritical points, that is, the distinguishing marks -indispensable to a correct pronunciation of the letters and words. In -this way I steadily improved. I was in want of a dictionary, but I could -not afford to pay the high price asked for it, a "Bianchi" costing then -nearly forty florins; and as I was compelled to trace the meaning of the -single words through the labyrinth of the Turkish text by the aid of a -so-called literal translation, "Wickerhauser's Chrestomathy," it did -happen to me that after I had got through with the study of a bulky -volume, I found out that I had been doing it all in a wrong way, and was -obliged to do it all over again. Such bitter disappointments occurred to -me more than once in the course of my autodidactic career; but what -labour or task will ever restrain the ardour of youth or damp its -enthusiasm? - -[Illustration: PESTH--THE STARTING PLACE.] - -I had now reached my twentieth year, and I was richly rewarded for all -the pains I had taken when I was able for the first time to read and -understand, without the aid of a dictionary, a short Turkish poem. It -was not, indeed, the contents of the Oriental muse, quite inaccessible -as yet for me, which kindled my enthusiasm, but rather the fruits, the -sweet fruits of my labours, which afforded me such abundant -satisfaction, and acted as an incentive spurring me to press forward -into the field of Oriental science. All my musings, endeavours, thoughts -and feelings tended towards the Land of the East, which was beckoning to -me in its halo of splendour. My spirit had been haunting ever so long -its fairy fields, and, sooner or later, my body was sure to follow it. -For one who had still to struggle for his daily bread, in his European -home, it required considerable boldness to think of a journey to the -East, a land many hundred miles away. I will not deny that even the -boldest flights of youthful enthusiasm, and the all-powerful desire of -getting to know strange countries and customs, had to halt at the -stumbling-block raised by poverty, and that luring fancy kept dazzling -my eyes for many a day before I seriously set to work to carry out my -cherished scheme. But a firm resolve with me is almost always like the -avalanche which is being precipitated from the lofty summits of the -Alps--beginning with but an insignificant ball of snow set in motion by -a favourable breeze, but soon swelling into a tremendous mass which -carries before it every impediment, crushing and driving before it with -irresistible force everything standing in its way. Such was the impulse -which I received through the patronage of Baron Joseph Eoetvoes, known in -Europe as a writer of high merit. This generous countryman of mine was -not a man of wealth, but his influence procured me a free passage to the -Black Sea. He gave me also a modest obolus and some old clothes. My -knapsack, bursting with books, was soon buckled on, and I embarked in a -steamer for Galacz, from which place I was to go to Constantinople, the -immediate object of my journey. - - - - -II. - -THE FIRST JOURNEY. - - -Who can describe the feelings of a young man, barely twenty-two years -old, who up to this day had been buffeted about by fortune, finding -himself all of a sudden hastening towards the goal of his most cherished -wishes, with (say) fifteen Austrian florins in his pocket, and about to -enter upon a life full of uncertainty, in a distant region, amongst a -strange people, who were rude and savage, and were beginning only then -to seek a closer acquaintanceship with the nations of the West? My soul -was agitated alternately by feelings of fear and hope, of curiosity and -pain. Nobody accompanied me to the landing-place to see me off, nobody -was there waiting for me, no warm presence of a friendly hand nor a -mother's loving kiss cheered me on in the journey on which I was to -start. - -I had, thus, reason enough to feel somewhat depressed; nor could I -entirely shake off this feeling; but I had no sooner come on deck, and -begun to mix with the people, forming the national kaleidoscope one is -always sure to meet on a voyage along the Lower Danube, and got an -opportunity of conversing in Servian, Italian, Turkish and other -languages of which I had had hitherto only a theoretical knowledge, than -every vestige of my former downheartedness gradually vanished. I was now -in my element. Add to this that I soon became the object of general -admiration owing to the fluency of my conversation in different -languages; the crowd being always sure to stand in a sort of awe of -every polyglot. They formed a ring around me, trying to guess at my -nationality, and received rather sceptically my statement that I had -never been abroad. - -I was, of course, very much amused at the gaping crowd, but I managed to -derive some more solid advantages from the manifestation of the good -opinion which my fellow travellers entertained for me; for, when the -dinner-bell was rung, and I preferred to remain behind on the deck with -a perturbed expression of countenance, some enthusiastic disciple of -Mercury was sure to get hold of the so-called youthful prodigy and pay -him his meal. - -In the absence of such well-disposed stomachic patrons, I would lounge -about in the neighbourhood of the kitchen of the ship, the masters of -which are for the most part Italians. A few stanzas from Petrarca or -Tasso sufficed to attract the attention of the _cuoco_ (cook). A -conversation in pure Tuscan soon followed, and the upshot was a -well-filled plate of maccaroni or risotto, capped by a piece of boiled -or roasted meat. "Mille grazie, signore" (a thousand thanks, sir), meant -that I would come in the evening, to claim a continuation of the favour -shown me. The good Italian would shove his barrett of linen on one side, -give a short laugh, and proved by his answer, "Come whenever you -like," that the seed of my linguistic experiments had not fallen on a -barren soil. - -[Illustration: GALACZ.] - -My constant good-humour and happy disposition were of great help to me -in all my straits, and, assisted by my tongue, were the means of -procuring for me many a thing upon occasions when the attempts of others -would have proved fruitless. In this manner I reached Galacz, a dirty, -miserable place at this day even, but at that time much more so. During -my voyage on the Lower Danube, the shore on the right-hand side, with -its Turkish towns and Turkish population, entirely absorbed my -attention. To me every turbaned traveller, adorned with a long beard, -upon entering the ship became a novel and interesting page meant for my -particular study, and, at the same time, a never failing object of -pleasurable excitement. - -When the sun was setting, and the truly faithful sat, or rather knelt -down for prayer in the abject attitude peculiar to them on those -occasions, I followed with my eyes every one of their movements with the -most feverish and breathless attention; watching intensely the very -motion of their lips, as they were uttering Arabic words, unintelligible -even to them; and not until after they were done did I again breathe -freely. - -The interest which I so plainly showed could not escape the notice of -the fanatic Moslem. We then lived in the era of the Hungarian refugees. -Some hundreds of my countrymen made believe that they had been converted -to Islam. A popular belief had got abroad that the whole Magyar people -would acknowledge Mohammed as their prophet, and whenever a Mohammedan -came across a Madjarli, the fire of the missionary was blazing fiercely -in his heart. - -Such an interest, or a kindred one, must have entered into the -friendship shown to me during my voyage to Galacz by some Turks from -Widdin, Rustchuk and Silistria. In this supposition of mine I may -possibly be mistaken, and it is quite as likely that their sympathies -were excited by the deep national feeling, which then manifested itself -everywhere in the Ottoman empire, in favour of the Magyars, who had been -defeated by the Russians. This state of affairs, at all events, was of -excellent service to me, not only during this passage, but during my -entire stay in Turkey. - -I was drawn by curiosity towards the half-Asiatic Turks, my fellow -travellers, and these very men were the first to introduce me into the -Oriental world. I need not say that, after having been with them for a -day or two, I improved in my Turkish, to such an extent, that at Galacz -I was already able to serve a countryman of mine as an interpreter. - -The Oriental, and, I may say, the Mohammedan element was decidedly -preponderating amongst the passengers, in whose company I went from -Galacz to Constantinople. The reader will not be surprised to learn that -I was booked for the cheapest place on the ship, namely, the deck, and -that, even for that place, I often paid only half fare. I placed my -meagre knapsack near the luggage of the Turks, who were sitting apart -from the others, and most of whom were on their pilgrimage to Mecca; I -was impatiently looking out to catch a glimpse of the long-hoped-for -sea, which I had never seen before. - -He who has got his first impressions of the sea, through the reading of -Byron's aquatic scenes, Camoen's "Lusiade," or Tegner's "Legend of -Frithjof," will be overcome by feelings of no common order in finding -himself, for the first time in his life, on the boundless watery -expanse, especially of the Euxine--gliding along its bosom and being -rocked by its waves. - -At an hour's distance from the mouths of the Sulina, I gazed, in a -reverie, at the awful grandeur of the sea, not in the least disturbed by -the deep guttural sounds and savage groans which came from the sea-sick -people around me. - -Father Poseidon had done no manner of harm to my health. I had rather -reason to complain of an unusually keen appetite; the excessive -chilliness of the evenings, too--we were then in the month of -April--cooled my blood more than I thought it desirable. I began to -shake with the cold, in spite of a surplus carpet, placed at my disposal -for a covering by the kind care of a Turk; and after having feasted my -eyes on the bright, star-covered sky for a considerable time, I fell, at -length, asleep. - -I was suddenly and rudely roused from my dreams towards midnight by -peals of thunder and flashes of lightning, accompanied by a violent -shower. I had been all day long wishing for a storm; I own my wish was -gratified at night in such a thorough manner as fully to satisfy my -romantic disposition. - -How my heart throbbed upon seeing the ship dance up and down the -towering, mountain-like waves, like a nimble gazelle! The creaking of -beams, the howling of the wind, with which the shouts of despair from -the passengers were mingling, the everlasting appeals to Allah, which -resounded everywhere, could not destroy the halo of poetry with which I -surrounded a scene, otherwise commonplace enough. Only after getting -soaking wet with the chilly rain did I shift my place. - -I got up and tried to keep myself warm by taking a walk, but the chaos -of legs stretched out, of travelling-bags, bundles, firearms and turbans -which were littering the ground rendered the walk well-nigh -impracticable. I longingly looked at the open space close by the deck, -reserved for the promenading of first-class passengers, where I -observed, in the darkness of the night a man hurrying to and fro. I had -at first thoughts of entering into a conversation with him; but, my -courage to do so failing me, I hit upon another expedient to attract his -attention. I commenced declaiming, in the midst of the violent storm, -one of the epic poems I knew by heart. My choice fell on Voltaire's -Henriade-- - - "Je chante ce heros qui regna sur la France - Et par droit de conquete et par droit de naissance!"[1] - - [Footnote 1: I sing of the hero who reigned in France, - by right of conquest and by right of birth.] - -And having roared out, with a good will, into the darkness of the night, -several verses, I had the satisfaction of seeing the much-envied -first-class passenger stop, near a crowd of Turks, in a listening -attitude; and after a while he joined me and began a conversation with -me. - -With Voltaire, acting as master of ceremonies, questions about rank and -nationality seemed to be out of place. I discovered next morning that -the figure, wrapped in the shadows of night, belonged to a gentleman, a -Belgian by birth, a diplomat by his calling, who was going to -Constantinople in the capacity of a Secretary of Legation. If the -gentleman felt some surprise at the rage of declamation prompting a -person wet to the skin to recite verses at night, his astonishment -increased considerably upon seeing me next morning in broad daylight -shabbily attired. He, nevertheless, seemed to have formed no mean -opinion of me; he asked me to come and see him in Pera, and promised me -his protection to the extent of his power. - -We were favoured by the fairest weather from Varna to Constantinople, -and nothing more charming could be imagined than this our voyage. The -sailing through the most delightful sea road of the world, vulgarly -called the Bosphorus, is apt to affect the dullest spirit, and -roused--it is needless to say--the utmost enthusiasm in me. But upon -looking about me, and seeing before me the dense forest of masts and -flags in the Golden Horn, I fancied I was placed, as it were, in the -very centre of the world; and as my fellow passengers were dropping -away, one by one, all hurrying in different directions to the shore, a -feeling of my forlornness burst upon me. My spirits were damped and I -felt anxious and ill at ease. - -[Illustration: THE BOSPHORUS.] - -Of the fifteen florins I had brought with me from Pesth, I had left just -enough to pay my fare on the boat which took me to the shore. I now set -my foot on Turkish ground, if not with a light heart, certainly with a -very light purse, and sauntered pretty recklessly up the narrow street -leading to the heights of Pera. - -With a spirit less adventurous and at a more sensible age than mine, I -should have asked myself: "Where will you sleep to-night, what will you -eat--and, altogether, what will you begin to do?" But I never put these -questions to myself--I was blind in my enthusiasm. I was quietly -stopping to look at some signs, covered with Turkish inscriptions, and -was busy deciphering them, when a stranger, a Hungarian, whose curiosity -had been roused by the long ribbon which floated from my Hungarian hat, -stepped up to me. He inquired in Italian about my nationality and my -place of destination, and upon learning that I was a Hungarian he, as a -countryman and a political refugee, of course, immediately addressed me -in Hungarian, much to the delight of both of us. - -Mr. Puespoeki had been an honest mechanic in his own country; he was -earning a living in Turkey by being, in turn, an officer of the line, a -sutler during the Crimean war, an accounting clerk on board of a ship, -and, finally, when I met him, a cook. He was occupying a small, -poverty-stricken room, on the ground floor, in the dirty quarter of the -town which lies in the rear of the walls of the palace of the English -Embassy; its modest furniture consisting solely of a mattress, running -along the wall, which he shared with me, like a brother. - -I shall never forget my first night on this couch. My hospitable -countryman had been fast asleep for some time, whilst I, unable to close -my eyes, was still pondering over the strange beginning of life in -Turkey. I became, all of a sudden, aware that now one, and again the -other, of my boots were moving about, by themselves. - -"Friend," I said, first in a whisper, and gradually raising my voice, "I -think they are carrying away my boots." - -He only muttered something unintelligible in reply. I repeated my -remark, and the good man finally exclaimed with some ill-humour: - -"Do sleep! It is nothing but rats playing." - -A very amusing game, indeed, I thought, provided they do not chew up my -boots; and I turned to sleep again. - -I spent about three days in that miserable hole. I soon extended my -acquaintance with my countrymen, and obtained, through them, permission -to live in one of the rooms occupied by the "Magyar Club," which was at -that time already nearly deserted. At this place I met with fewer -frolicsome animals, but the skipping animals were all the more numerous; -and one evening, when, suffering from the chilliness of the night, I -ventured to ask the secretary of the club to give me something to cover -myself with, that worthy gentleman took the tricolour off the flagstaff, -and handed it to me, apostrophizing me in the following touching -manner: - -"Friend! this flag has fired the hearts of many in their heroic flights, -it was itself once full of fire; wrap yourself up in it, dream of -glorious battlefields, and maybe it will keep you warm too." - -And, oddly enough, I wrapped the old rag around me, shivered yet for a -little while, and then fell into a sound sleep. - -Several days had passed in this manner. Day by day the circle of my -acquaintances was increasing, and all of them were particularly struck -with the varied knowledge I exhibited in the matter of languages, and my -being able to speak fluently and read easily the language of the -country, without having lived in Turkey, was to them a subject of -special wonder. - -To give instruction in the languages used in the country, with a view to -earning my daily bread, suggested itself as the most natural thing. -Written advertisements of my desire were distributed, and the first -lesson I was to give was, oddly enough, in Danish. - -Mr. Huebsch, a noble-minded gentleman of culture, whom I shall always -remember with pleasure, had been for some time back in search of a -Danish master, and was really glad to meet me; indeed, he made such -rapid progress as to be able, in the course of a few months, to read, -under my direction, Andersen's "Spilleman" and "Berlingske Tidninger." - -Beginning with this odd lesson, I soon obtained other engagements as a -teacher, which I should never have hoped to obtain. The all-promising -advertisements did not fail to produce their effects; and one day, when -I happened to be at the book-shop of Mr. S., a young Turk, whose large -retinue showed him to be a man of means, came in and inquired after the -Madjarli, whose name he had seen in the shop-window--and whom he wished -to engage as a "Khodja," or teacher of the French language. - -The young Bey was, as I had afterwards occasion to learn, a "Miraskhor," -that is, a person who has just come into possession of a rich -inheritance, and is trying to acquire the external attributes suitable -to his wealth. In Turkey, at that time, these attributes were as -follows: (1) a suit of the finest broadcloth, after the latest cut and -fashion; (2) tight patent leather shoes; (3) a small, jaunty fez, -rakishly worn on one side of the head, and, as a matter of course, -gloves, too; (4) an easy, graceful step, accompanied by a fashionable -carriage of the arms and hands; and (5) French conversation. European -tradesmen had provided him with the first four ingredients for the -make-up of a Turkish gentleman, and I was to furnish him with the fifth. -I was, accordingly, engaged on the spot as his teacher, the remuneration -stipulated for being ten piastres for one hour's lesson daily, besides -my expenses of going to his house and returning, as our dandy was living -at some distance in Skutari. - -This lesson procured me the opportunity of gaining admission for the -first time into a genuine Turkish house. I arrived every day punctually -at the appointed hour, but generally found my pupil, who had just roused -himself from his slumbers, still suffering from the effects of last -night's debauch, and scarcely able to lift his heavy eyelids; nor did I -discover in him the slightest disposition to acquire the language of the -Gauls. It took him an entire month to master the alphabet. - -I usually found my pupil in the company of a venerable mollah, who -fairly shuddered whenever the sounds of a language of the Giaours -reached his ears, for the father of my pupil was a notoriously pious -Mussulman, and the walls of the room in which we sat had only re-echoed -until now the canting recitals of the Koran, the sacred hymns, and other -prayers. - -I often heard the mollah muttering in his beard, "This is the way in -which the spirit of infidelity is being smuggled into our houses." - -I need not say that the instruction I imparted was highly profitable to -myself. We did at first some French, but later on we glided from the -French lesson into explanatory sketches of European life and European -ideas. I told the Bey of our social, political, and scientific -institutions, decking them out, as a matter of course, in their -brightest colours, for the European, during his first stay in the East, -is always looking back with fondness to the West he has just left, and -the very things he used to condemn look to him charming at a distance. - -My information was almost always received with approval and admiration. -Turkey had just seen a good specimen of Europe in her Anglo-French -allies who had come to her assistance against the Russians; the Turks -were, therefore, eager to learn all the particulars having reference to -the Western land, and if the descriptions of these excited now and then -their envy, roused them to disapproval or called out their conceit, they -were always listened to, and that with pleasure. - -At the close of the lesson a well-prepared and abundant breakfast was -always brought in, and I must own that from the very first the cooking -of the better classes in Constantinople had enlisted my gastronomic -partiality. It frequently happened, too, that we started immediately -after breakfast for a ride on horseback, my pupil making his calls in my -company; in short, I passed a considerable portion of the day in the -society of Turks, and I used to return to Pera, that is, to European -life, in the evening only. - -My permanent stay amongst Turks dates, however, from the time when, at -the recommendation of a countryman of mine, I was invited by Hussein -Daim Pasha, general of a division, to enter his house as the teacher of -his son, Hassan Bey. - -I removed my quarters from Pera to the charmingly situated row of houses -at Fyndykly; there I got a separate room, and enjoyed for the first time -the amenities of Oriental quiet and Turkish comfort. The life in a -strictly Mohammedan part of the town, in the vicinity of a mosque, from -whose slender minaret the Ezan resounded with gloomy melancholy, -affecting my ears with its weird-like sounds; the grand prospect from my -window taking in the sea near by, with its thousand crafts, and the -magnificent Beshikash palace; and the dignified and patriarchal air -which pervaded the whole house--were all things which had the charm of -novelty for me, and which I can never forget. - -The figure of the major domo (Vekilkhardj), a gray-bearded Anatolian, -however, has perhaps made the deepest impression upon my memory. The -good man was particularly indulgent towards me upon all occasions when I -happened to sin against the strictly Oriental customs; he took great -pains to teach me how to sit decorously, that is, with crossed legs; he -taught me to carry my head and to use my hands with propriety, and how I -should yawn, sneeze, and so forth. His attention embraced the merest -trifles. - -"You are, for the first time, in a large city; you have just entered -polite society," he benignly said, "and you must learn everything." - -Of course the old man looked upon me as a person coming from the land of -"black infidelity," a land to which, in his opinion, decency, good -manners, and morals were utter strangers, and he seemed to think that a -stranger hailing from those parts needed to be educated quite as much as -a Turkish peasant from the neighbourhood of Kharput and Diarbekir. - -The pasha himself, my chief, was a much more interesting personage. It -was he who afterwards became known as the leader of the celebrated -Kuleili conspiracy, a conspiracy whose object was nothing less than the -removal of Sultan Abdul Medjid and of all his grandees; the conspirators -flattering themselves with the belief that all the causes of the decay -of Turkey would be thereby extirpated, and that, with one stroke, the -old and infirm Ottoman Empire could be restored to its ancient power. - -I was an inmate of his house at the time when this notorious conspiracy -was being hatched and the plans for its consummation formed. A mollah -from Bagdad, by the name of Ahmed Effendi, a man of rare mental gifts, -immense reading, ascetic life, and boundless fanaticism was the life and -soul of the whole conspiracy. He had taken part in the whole of the -Crimean war as a Gazi (a warrior for religion), bareheaded and -barefooted, and clad in a garb whose austere simplicity recalled the -primitive ages of Islam. His sword never left his lean loins, nor his -lance the firm grasp of his clenched fist, either by day or by night, -except when he said his prayers, five times a day. Through the snow, in -the storm, in the thickest of the fight on the battlefield, during -toilsome marches, everywhere could be discovered the ghost-like form of -this zealot, his fiery eyes scattering flames, and always at the head of -the division, under the command of my chief. - -It was quite natural that such a man should please Hussein Daim Pasha. -The acquaintance begun in the camp, had here grown into a sort of -relationship by consanguinity; for the lean mollah, who was walking -about barefoot in Constantinople, had the privilege of crossing even the -threshold of the harem, where, under the protection of the sacredness of -Turkish family life, unwelcome listeners could be most conveniently got -rid of. There was something in the appearance of Ahmed Effendi which -terrified me at first, and only, later, upon my allowing myself to be -called by my pasha, for the sake of intimacy, Reshid (the brave, the -discreet), came this terrible man near me, with some show of -friendliness; he probably concluding, from my having adopted this name, -that I was very near being converted to Islam. A very false inference! -But I did not destroy the hopes of the zealot, gaining thereby his -good-will, and getting him to give me instruction in Persian. - -Ahmed Effendi allowed me even to visit him in his cell in the yard of -the mosque. And oh! how interesting were those hours which I spent, -sitting at his feet, with other youths who were eager to learn! It -seemed as if I had got hold of a fairy key unlocking, to my dazzled eyes -in one moment, the whole of Mohammedan Asia. - -Ahmed Effendi had an astonishing, almost supernatural memory; he was a -thorough Arabic and Persian scholar, and knew a whole series of classics -by heart. I had only to begin with a line from Khakani Nizami or Djami, -in Spiegel's Persian Chrestomathy, and he would at once continue to -recite the whole piece to the end. Indeed he would have been able to go -on with his declamation for hours. - -To this Ahmed Effendi I was indebted, more than to anybody else, for my -transformation from a European into an Asiatic. In speaking of my -transformation, I trust the friendly reader will not suppose, for one -moment, that a more intimate acquaintance with Asiatic modes of thought -had led my mind away from the spirit of the West. A thousand times, no! -Rather the reverse was the case. The more I studied the civilization of -Islam and the views of the nations professing it, the higher rose, in my -estimation, the value of western civilization. - - - - -III. - -LIFE IN STAMBUL. - - -In the year 1860, I was, perhaps, the only European who had an easy and -uninterrupted access to all classes of Turkish society, and, probably, -saw at that time more of genuine Stambul life than any one before me. -And, surely, no one will find fault with me, if I recall now, in the -midst of my European life, with undisguised pleasure, the generous -hospitality I have met with, at the hands of the noblest Turks, in their -own houses. The easy affability of persons of high positions in the -State, the utter absence of all pride or over-bearing superciliousness, -are virtues, indeed, which would often be looked for in vain in our -civilized West. The stupid pomposity, ridiculous arrogance and pitiable -ignorance of certain aristocracies present a miserable picture, when -contrasted with the behaviour of the Asiatic grandees, whom it is the -custom to sneer at in Europe. The Oriental is particular about nobility -of blood only in the matter of his horses and sporting dogs, whereas, -with us, the select are boasting of such "animal advantages" that I -should like to know in what country of Europe an unknown stranger might -succeed, solely by dint of his eagerness to learn, in obtaining access -to the most distinguished circles, and gaining their good-will and -protection. With us, to be sure, there is no lack either of protectors -and patrons of exalted station, who assist the man of books and art, but -in this they never approach the intimacy and close friendship which -patrons bestow in the East upon intellectual pursuits. In Europe, the -possessors of long pedigrees, the owners of family trees with decayed -roots and worm-eaten bark, have frequently assigned to them the -leadership in society, but not so in Asia. The Arabs will boast of the -heroic deeds and generous actions of their ancestors, but not for their -own exaltation, as is the case in many countries of Europe. - -In passing over to my literary pursuits, during my stay in Stambul, I -will only mention that I published, in 1858, a German-Turkish -dictionary, a small volume, of the imperfections and shortcomings of -which, I am by no means unaware; but it was the first that had been -written, and is, to this day, the only available one which a German -traveller, coming to Constantinople, can get. There were two main points -which I had principally in view in my studies of Turkish literature. I -had, in the first place, found, in the history of the Ottoman Empire, so -much that was of interest to the history of my own country, that I felt -impelled to make a translation of it. Through these translations, I -entered, at an early period, into relations with the Hungarian Academy. -The Ottoman historians are wanting, for the most part, in critical -judgment, but the laborious and circumstantial completeness of their -information frequently proves useful. It may not be generally known -that the Turkish Sultans who, at the head of their destructive armies, -made inroads into the South-eastern part of Europe, and against whom so -many Crusades were preached, were constantly accompanied, at every step -they took, by imperial historiographers, and have done more for Clio, -the Muse, than many a truly Catholic prince of that time. - -I had found, in the second place, in the course of my linguistic -researches in the study of Eastern Turkish, a field which had been, at -that time, barely cultivated, and devoted to it my full attention. -Besides the manuscripts I got hold of in the various libraries, which -were of great assistance to me in my studies, I frequented the _Tekkes_ -(cloisters), inhabited by the Bokhariots, and provided myself, moreover, -with a view to attaining to a thorough understanding of these works, -with a teacher who was a native of Central Asia. Mollah Khalmurad, as my -teacher was called, acquainted me with the customs and modes of thought -of Central Asia. I used to hang passionately on his lips when he was -relating stories about Bokhara and Samarkand, and told of the Oxus and -Taxartes, for he had travelled a great deal in his own country. He had -already made two pilgrimages to the holy cities of Arabia, and -possessed, to a high degree, the cunning and clearsightedness peculiar -to every Asiatic, but particularly to the much-travelled Asiatic. - -This perspicacity of theirs caused me to tremble for my life more than -once during my wanderings as a dervish. - -Apart from a scientific, I felt an engrossing national, interest in the -study of the Eastern Turkish language, on account of the rich Eastern -Turkish vocabulary to be met with in the Magyar language, my own beloved -mother tongue. - -Stambul life with all its attractions and interesting phenomena -produced a feeling of weariness in me after a while. My frequent visits -to Pera, my passing, in less than half an hour, from the innermost -recesses of Asiatic life to the turmoil of European stir and bustle, -might have continued attractive to me, as giving me an opportunity for -the comparative study of the two civilizations. But amongst the very men -whom I happened to meet, in this Babel of European nationalities, there -were some who fanned the fire within me, and who incited me, that had -remained a thorough European in spite of an Orientalizing of several -years, to the execution of the boldest feats. And did I require these -urgings on--I, who, at the bare mention of the names of Bokhara, -Samarkand, and the Oxus, was in a fever of excitement? Certainly not; -their encouragement seemed to me only a proof of the practicability of -my designs. Indeed, I was quite familiar with the literature of travel -of that day, and the only misgivings I felt were on the score of the -perils of the undertaking. - -I had just been revolving in my mind the plan of a journey through Asia, -when I was nominated, quite unexpectedly, corresponding member of the -Hungarian Academy. This nomination was to be a reward for my translation -of Turkish historical authorities, but it proved an all-powerful -incentive, urging me on to the consummation of my plans for the future. -Considerable changes had by this time taken place in the political life -of Hungary; and when, upon returning in the spring of 1861, after an -absence of several years, I went to Pesth, in order to deliver my -Academic address, it required but a gentle intimation on the part of the -then President of the Academy, Count D., to procure me a travelling -stipend of a thousand florins in bank notes, amounting to six hundred -florins in silver. At home, of course, there were many sceptics who -expressed their doubts as to the success of my undertaking. I was asked -how I could accomplish such a long journey, with scanty means and a -frail body. These gentlemen were not aware that travelling in Asia -required neither legs nor money, but a clever tongue. I paid, however, -but slight attention to such comments. - -The "Academy" gave me a letter of introduction and recommendation, -addressed to all the Sultans, Khans, and Begs of Tartary, and drawn up, -for the surer enlightenment of the Tartars, in the Latin tongue! A ready -gallows or executioner's sword, forsooth, this document meant, if I had -produced it anywhere in the desert or along the Oxus. The then -government, too, that is, the viceroyalty, were generous enough to -furnish me with a passport for my journey to Bokhara. I did not thwart -those manifestations of good intentions, and left Pesth, after a stay of -three months, for Constantinople, from which place I was to start, in -the following spring, on my wanderings through the extensive regions of -Central Asia. - -My preparations, which took me another six months, had eaten up nearly -one half of the six hundred silver florins, and consisted, chiefly, in -visits to places, where travellers and pilgrims from Central Asia -congregated and could be met with. These people, who were, for the most -part, poor, I remunerated as well as I could, for every piece of -information and for every hour of conversation that I got from them; for -I must observe, here, that already, at the outset, I was tolerably well -acquainted with the colloquial language of the countries on the Oxus. -Indeed, I may add, that many a quarter of a town and region in the -distant Mohammedan East was as familiar to me, from hearsay and reading, -as is the capital on the Seine to a European who has been a reader of -French novels for many years. - -Very remarkable and, at times, very amusing was the manner in which my -worthy Stambul friends looked upon my preparations for far-off -Turkestan. A journey prompted merely by a thirst for knowledge is -characterized by the modern Mohammedans as, to say the least, eccentric; -for the days of Masudi, Yakut, Ibn Fozlan and Batutah have passed away, -ever so long ago. But if any one purposes to undertake a journey through -inhospitable, barbarous and dangerous countries, they declare such an -enterprise a piece of sheer madness. I can very well recall how these -effeminate Effendis shuddered, and the look of unspeakable pity they -bestowed upon me, when I was expatiating, with the most intense -satisfaction, upon my passage through the deserts. "Allah Akillar" (God -lend him reason), was the pious wish they were all muttering. A person -who will voluntarily leave the delightful Bosphorus, give up the -comfortable life at the house of a Turkish grandee, and resign the -charms of sweet repose, must be, to their thinking, a madman. - -And, yet, these good people were deeply concerned to smooth my rough -path, and to retard the certain destruction before me, as much as lay in -their power. Persia was to be the first country on my route, and as a -Turkish ambassador, together with his suite, had been residing, for -years, at Teheran, and the then plenipotentiary of the Sultan, Haidar -Effendi, happened to be a friend of the family of my patron, I received, -in addition to the official recommendation of Aali Pasha, a collective -letter from all the relations and acquaintances of K. . . Bey, -commending unhappy me, in the warmest terms, to his protection. I -obtained also firmans, addressed to the authorities on my route through -Turkish territory, in all of which I was mentioned as the traveller -Reshid Effendi. Of my European descent, of the aims and purposes of my -journeyings, not the slightest mention was made in these documents, and -all I had to do was to act up to the letter and spirit of their -contents; indeed I could do little else if I wished to pass myself off -as a genuine Turk and Effendi from Constantinople. - -So much for the practical portion of my preparations. As to the mental -condition I was in, I need not say that the nearer the moment of my -departure approached the stronger became my longing, the more agitated -became my mind. What I had dreamt of as a child, mused upon as a youth, -and what had haunted my eyes, Fata-Morgana-like, during my wanderings -through the literatures of the Occident and Orient, I was to attain at -last, and feast upon it my own bodily eyes. When passion thus, like a -mighty wave, is rolling in upon us, we turn a deaf ear to the voice of -reason and prudence. All I could dread, after all, was bodily want, the -fight with the elements and injury to my health; for, at that time, the -thought of failure, that is, of death, never entered my mind. And now I -ask my friendly reader, what vicissitudes, what privations could I -undergo, which I had not already been subjected to by the hard fate of -my youth? I had been starving up to my eighteenth year, and want of -necessary clothing had been the order of the day with me, since my -earliest youth. I had learned to know the whims and foibles of mankind, -and found that man in the rude Asiatic garb was nearly the same as man -in the civilized European dress; yea, I had met at the hands of the -former so much more pity and kindness, that the frightful picture of -these barbarians, as drawn by our literature, was far from disheartening -me. Only one thing might be taken into consideration, with reference to -the undertaking I had on hand, that, after having already tasted the -sweets of affluence and repose, I was about to venture anew upon a life -of misery and struggles. For I had done well, quite well in -Constantinople, during these years. I had comfortable quarters and a -luxurious fare, and there was even a saddle horse at my disposal, and -thus the only thing that may be said in my praise, is that I exchanged -all these, of my own free will, for the beggar's staff. But good -Heavens! where could we not be led, if spurred on by ambition? And what -is our life worth if ambition is not known, does not exist or has been -blunted? Wealth, distinction and dignities are gaudy toys which cannot -amuse us very long, and of which sound common sense must tire sooner or -later. The consciousness, however, of having rendered to mankind in -general a service ever so slight, is a truly noble and exalting one; for -what is there more glorious than the hope of being able to enrich even -by a single letter the book of intellectual life lying open before us? -Thus I felt and thus I thought, and in these feelings and thoughts I -found the strength to submit to trials and hardships a thousandfold -greater than those I had been subjected to hitherto. - -Such were the conditions of my life, under which I left the peaceful -harbour of Constantinople for my voyage to the Black Sea. Unaccompanied -by any friends or parents, I bade farewell to the Golden Horn and to the -Bosphorus as to the place where I enjoyed so many agreeable days of -useful preparation for my future career. As our good ship turned towards -the Asiatic shore, I ventured only to look with a furtive glance towards -the West, uncertain whether I should see it again in my life! - - - - -IV. - -FROM TREBIZOND TO ERZERUM. - - -The boom of cannon, sounds of music and shouts of joyous welcome greeted -us, as our ship was approaching the harbour of Trebizond. This solemn -reception was not intended for me, the future dervish, who was setting -out, beggar's staff in hand, to roam through an extensive portion of -classic Asia. The ovation was meant for Emir Muhlis Pasha, the -newly-appointed Governor of Trebizond, who had been our fellow traveller -from Constantinople to this place. The people, very likely, indulged in -the hope that he would bring in his train a happier state of things than -they experienced, and relief from past misery, but they were, in all -probability, doomed to be disappointed in him, as they had been -disappointed in his numerous predecessors before. - -Trebizond, the ancient capital of Mithridates, presents a rather fine -appearance, when looked at from the sea. Upon closer inspection, the -city proves finer, by far, than most of the Turkish sea-towns. Muhlis -Pasha, whose acquaintance I had made at Constantinople, proffered me his -hospitality, during the whole of my stay in that town. I mounted one of -the horses held in readiness on the shore, joined the pasha's retinue, -and proceeded with the festive procession towards the governor's palace, -lying to the south. Our troops passed, highly pleased, through the -thronging crowds. The pasha caused some small silver change to be -scattered amongst the populace. There was a great rush and eager -scrambling for the coins, and the lucky ones were loud and voluble in -the expression of their gratitude. I remained only three days in -Trebizond. I employed this short time in the purchase of the necessary -travelling requisites, in the hiring of a horse--in short, in supplying -myself with everything needful for those adventurous wanderings through -Turkey and Persia which I was about to undertake. I resolved to keep up -the part of an Effendi as far as Teheran, but thereafter I wished to -pass myself off only as a Kiatib, a humble scribe who might appeal to -the hospitality of the authorities. My entire luggage consisted of a -_khurdjin_ (carpet-bag), containing a couple of shirts, a few books, -some trifles, two carpets, one to be used as a mattress, the other for a -covering, a small kettle, tea service and cup. The pasha repeatedly -pressed upon me the offer of an escort by two _kavasses_ (policemen), -not so much as a matter of safety as from considerations of display, -customary in these parts. I declined his kind offer with thanks, and in -the company of an Armenian _surudji_ (an owner and driver of horses), -left the Turkish seatown on the 21st day of May, 1862, wending my way -towards the mountains stretching to the east. - -The sun had already risen pretty high. I advanced, at a slow pace, along -the highway, extending to about an hour's walking distance from the -city, and then losing itself in the deep gorge of a valley. My Armenian -companion, Hadjator, reminded me that in getting near the valley we -should soon lose sight of the sea. I stopped on the height, for a few -moments, to give a farewell look to it. However stormy and rough at -times, it was just then lying as calm and peaceful before my eyes as the -water of a lake. I felt at this moment but faint forebodings of the -trials and dangers lying in wait for me; but faint as they were, they -sufficed, as I gazed upon the dark, endlessly-stretching waves of the -Euxine, to affect me most deeply. There, at my feet, was Trebizond; I -could clearly discern the whole harbour, and as I caught sight of the -Austrian ship in which I had come, the flag on the masthead beckoning a -farewell to me, a feeling of deep melancholy took possession of my whole -being. For six mortal hours on that day I continued, without -interruption, my march on horseback. They were a miserable six hours. -Although nature was very charming and beautiful all around me, it did -not prevent me from feeling extreme weariness in all my limbs. To travel -on horseback is in the beginning a rather painful thing, but it is -infinitely more so if one is obliged to hire the horse one rides from a -surudji. These men employ their animals, chiefly, in the transportation -of luggage, and the horses have, in consequence, such a jostling gait -that their riders must ache all over upon descending, and they are so -indolent, besides, that one must make good use of one's hands and feet -to make them move on. Near Koepri I put up at a _khan_ (an inn). I had to -sleep, nomad fashion, on the ground, but, owing to my excessive fatigue, -sleep would not come to my eyes. The place was swarming with horses and -mule-drivers, of whom some would scrub their animals, or cook, others -sing, and others again chat. It seemed to me as if all this din had -been especially got up to disturb my slumbers. I rose into a sitting -posture, where I had been lying, and sadly reflected upon the fatigues -to come. - -After a short nap, I was called by my Armenian. "Bey Effendi," he said, -"I think you must feel rested from the fatigues of yesterday's march. -Our road to-day will be harder; you will not be able to sit comfortably -in the saddle in the mountains of Trebizond, and you will therefore do -better to walk up, leisurely, to the top, before it gets warmer." I left -my couch at once and followed the steep mountain path. I could not help -wondering at the mules' toiling up the steep height and reaching the -top, with their heavy loads, whilst, to me, on foot, without any -incumbrance, the ascent was most painful. On our way we met a long line -of overloaded mules, descending amidst the wild screams of their Persian -drivers. It is a rare sight to watch them advancing, with the utmost -care, without any accident, upon the slippery path cut into the rock, -scarcely two spans wide, flanked by the bottomless abyss. And yet it is -a very unusual thing for a mule to be precipitated into the abyss -yawning along the path. If ever it happens it is in winter. The danger -is greatest when two caravans happen to meet face to face. In order to -avoid such an encounter, big bells, heard at a great distance, are used -by them, warning the caravans to keep out of each other's way. - -The continuously steep ascent lasted over four hours. There is hardly a -worse road in all Asia; yet this is the only commercial road which -connects Armenia with Persia, nay Central Asia with the West. During the -summer hundreds of thousands of these animals are traversing this route, -going and coming, loaded with the products of Asia and the manufactures -of Europe. - -I was indebted to my title of Effendi for quieter sleeping quarters at -the tolerably crowded Khan at our next station. Before retiring to rest -I took the advice of Hadjator, and bathed in salt water those parts of -my body which were sore with my riding exertions; the sensation was at -first a stinging one, but sitting in the saddle next day was not quite -so uncomfortable as before. - -Upon reaching the third station, on the 23rd of May, two Armenians -joined me. One of them began to speak first French, and then English -with me. He was a merchant from Tebriz, who had spent several years in -England on matters of business, and was now returning to his native -town. We became quite intimate after a while, and his society was all -the more agreeable to me as he knew very well the route on which we were -to travel together for a considerable time. Three days after that, upon -leaving the Khoshab Bunar mountains and descending, we met a Shiraz -caravan on our way. I was struck by the shape of the tall hats of the -men running into a point. They were gaily stepping alongside of their -mules, loaded with the produce of their native country, and I was -delighted to hear the songs of Hafiz sung by the leader of the caravan, -the youths who were following him joining in chorus every now and then. -These were the first Iranian (Persian) words which I heard from the -natives themselves. I wished to enter into a conversation with them, but -they did not deign to reply. Singing they toiled uphill on the rough -road, because, as I was afterwards told by my guide, the animals march -more cheerfully at the sound of singing. - - - - -V. - -FROM ERZERUM TO THE PERSIAN FRONTIER. - - -I arrived in Erzerum on the 28th of May. In entering this town I was, at -once, aware that I was now in the interior of Asia. The houses are here -already built in the Eastern fashion; the walls, built of stone or mud, -are clumsy and running irregularly in a zigzag line, with windows -looking out into the yard rather than the street; secret entrances, and -other like things characteristic of Eastern houses. - -At Erzerum I was staying at the house of the Circassian, Hussein Daim -Pasha, the commanding officer of the place, with whom I had been already -acquainted at Constantinople. I had instructed his son in French, and in -European sciences. When I told him of my Bokhara plan he was very much -surprised, and at first tried to dissuade me from it, but promised me, -afterwards, to furnish me with letters of recommendation to some of the -prominent Sheikhs of the Turkestan capital. I met amongst the other -governmental officers, at Erzerum, some whom I had known in Stambul, -and I called upon them at their offices. I shall never forget the -appearance of the offices of the Turkish government. The entrance was -nearly barricaded by a promiscuous heap of shoes, sticks, weapons and a -troop of dogs lying everywhere about. The interior corresponded with the -outside. On a couple of dirty, ragged divans were seated several -officials; in one part of the room a group of women were quarrelling, in -another a humorous individual was entertaining the officers, and in -another, again, some one gave vent to his complaints, interspersed with -oaths. - -Evidences of the poverty of the inhabitants of Erzerum meet the eye in -whatever direction one may look. The dirt, the squalor and the -underground dwellings are unbearable. The smell of their food, which -they cook by the fire made of a fuel called _tezek_ (cattle dung), is -especially loathsome. - -I was almost glad when I left this place on the 29th of May, about dusk, -in company of my Armenian fellow-traveller. It might have been about -midnight when we heard the loud barking of dogs, an indication of the -propinquity of human habitations. I rode ahead, over ditches and bushes, -towards the lights twinkling from the scattered houses. Everybody in the -place was sunk in sleep, and it was only owing to my Effendi way of -talking that I succeeded in procuring, for myself and my companion, -quarters for the night. The name of the village was Kurudjuk, and the -house where we happened to obtain accommodation belonged to the Kizil or -chieftain of the place. The dwellings hereabouts consist, usually, of -only one room, in which both men and domestic animals live promiscuously -together. The cattle are tied on to the crib running along two sides of -the spacious room, and the human beings occupy the _saku_, a species of -elevated platform. It may be justly said that people, here, are living -in stables. One may imagine what an agreeable thing it is to pass the -night in the society of from forty to fifty buffaloes, and a couple of -calves and a horse. Add to it that there is not a solitary window to -this barn. More squalid and miserable dwellings there cannot perhaps be -met with in the whole of Asia, than those in the environs of Erzerum. -One may then appreciate the feeling of pleasure with which the traveller -exchanges the foul air of his night quarters for the sweet morning air -of the spring. - -After a ride of nearly four hours we reached _Hassankale_, a place -situated on a promontory. It is fortified against the attacks of the -marauding Kurds, living in the country. They hardly dare, it is true, to -make a raid upon the villages nowadays, but smaller caravans and the -solitary traveller are still exposed to the fury of their marauding -propensities. For the sake of safety we had with us two _kavasses_ -(mounted policemen). I myself had, indeed, nothing to fear from attack, -but, out of regard for my Armenian companions, who had about them -valuable trinkets which they had brought with them from Europe, I made -use, on their behalf, of the firman given to me, as an Effendi, by the -governor of Erzerum. - -Upon crossing the Araxes river, we arrived ere long at the frontier of -Kurdistan proper, whose inhabitants had already enjoyed, in the age of -Herodotus, the unenviable reputation of being thieves and robbers of the -worst kind. We noticed on our march a lofty rock--and one of our guides -told us that the renowned Korouglu had lived on the top of it. He is the -most celebrated hero-adventurer of Mohammedan popular poetry; his -miraculous feats are told in song, at feasts and on the battlefield, -alike by the Turks on the Oxus, the Anatolians near the Mediterranean, -and the Roumelians by the waves of the Danube. - -As we were passing through a narrow mountain defile my Armenian -companions set to loading their guns and pistols, saying: "We shall meet -henceforth no more Osmanlis; only Kurds and Armenians are living here." -Letters of recommendation and polite requests have no effect upon the -Kurds; if you wish to keep them in awe you must meet them well armed. - -At a Kurdistan village, called _Eshek-Eliasz_, we hired two men to -accompany us, and we started on our way at the dawn of morning. It was a -murky gloomy morning, the tops of the distant mountains were clouded by -the fog. We sent the loaded animals ahead, and sat down at the foot of -the mountain to make our tea. In the damp and chilly hours of the early -dawn tea is a most refreshing beverage, and after having taken a cup or -two we remounted our horses in order to overtake our beasts of burden. -We overtook them after half an hour's trot, and saw them peaceably -advancing along the ridge of the mountain. The rays of the sun had now -scattered the fog, and looking about me, admiring the beautiful mountain -scenery, I happened to observe that one of our Kurdistan followers was -glancing now at the luggage-carriers, now at his companion, betraying -great uneasiness. "What is it, what is it?" I asked. Instead of any -reply he merely pointed in the direction where the servants of my -Armenian companions and a couple of mule drivers were marching on. We -looked and saw armed Kurds, on horseback and on foot, rushing in upon us -from the right and the left, making straight for the animals laden with -precious and valuable goods. "Robbers! Robbers!" shouted the Armenian -Karabegoff, who had been in Europe. Quickly seizing his revolver, he -rushed forward, followed by his friend and myself, but, although I -urged on my horse in every conceivable manner, I was the third and last -to arrive upon the scene of action. I still wore, at that time, a brass -plate on my fez, in token of my dignity, as an Effendi. The Kurds had -scarcely caught sight of me, when they suddenly stopped within a few -steps from the badly frightened group of people. "What do you want -here?" I asked them in a voice of thunder. An old, one-eyed man, armed -with a shield, lance, rifle and sword, now stepped forward, and said: -"Bey Effendi, our oxen have strayed from us, and we have been looking -for them all night. Hast thou not met with them somewhere on thy way?" - -"And is it customary to look for oxen, armed as thou art?" said I. -"Shame on thee! Has thy beard turned grey to be soiled by thieving and -robbery? If I did not regard thy old age I should take thee at once -before the Kaimakam of Bayazid, thou insolent waylayer!" - -My words and the explanations of my Kurd followers caused the band of -marauders, consisting of eight men, very soon to understand with whom -they had to deal. They are not much afraid of Armenians and Persians as -a usual thing, but they do not deem it advisable to attack an officer of -the Sultan. I still added a few threats to my former severe reprimands, -and we had soon the satisfaction of seeing the robbers disband and quit -us. We too continued our march, during which the Armenians never tired -of expressing their gratitude to me. If it had not been for me, they -said, all the valuables brought with them from London would have fallen -into the hands of the Kurds. I especially remarked, during the affray, -the dismay and pallor of several Persian merchants who had joined us the -day before. These men brought me, as we were about to retire to rest, -various sweetmeats, as an acknowledgment of my services. I could not -help admitting that, in the eyes of the Kurds, the dignity of an Effendi -carried considerable weight. - -We came in the evening to a village called _Mollah Suleiman_, inhabited, -chiefly, by Armenians. At the sight of my Kurdistan followers, our -landlord took me aside and said to me in a whisper: "Effendi, thou -mayest well deem thyself fortunate for having escaped unhurt. Thy -followers are known, far and wide, as the most desperate robbers; they -have never before escorted any one across the Dagar mountain but some -ill befell him." In an instant the whole adventure became clear to me. -These two Kurd fellows were in league with the robbers, and but for my -friend's revolver and my Effendi headgear the day might have proved -fatal to all of us. Such occurrences are by no means rare in this -region. The people and the authorities are well aware of the frequent -cases of brigandage; they know who the brigands are; but, nevertheless, -everybody is left to his own bravery to defend himself. - -Our Armenian host, who had received his fellows in faith and myself with -great cordiality, had a sumptuous supper prepared for us; the priest, -clergyman and the judge of the village too, came to pay their respects, -and there was no end to tales of robbery. In the autumn before, we were -told, a caravan, consisting of forty beasts of burden and fifteen men, -amongst whom there was an Englishman, was attacked by a robber chief and -twelve men. No sooner had the Kurds, with their customary cry of -"Lululu!" come upon them, than the Persians and Turks took to their -heels, and allowed the brigands to freely rummage in the luggage, -without molesting them. They had already driven away a couple of -animals, when the Englishman, who had hitherto coolly stood by and -watched the doings of the miscreants, raised his revolver without being -observed, took deliberate aim at the chief and levelled him to the -ground. The Kurds stood for a moment dumbfounded with fright, but they -soon recovered and made a simultaneous rush upon the Englishman. The -latter, who did not for an instant lose his presence of mind, shot dead -another and then again another man, crying out to them fiercely: "Do not -come near me or I will kill every one of you." This had its effect; one -by one the remaining Kurds slunk away. The family of the dead chief -instituted a suit for damages against the Englishman, claiming that the -chief had been out hunting, and not robbing, when he was killed. The -Turks treated the claim quite seriously, and, in all probability, would -have mulcted the brave Englishman in damages but for the intercession of -the British Consul. - -The rain was pouring down violently when we left our hospitable host -next day, and at night we had to put up at an Armenian village, -containing about ten houses; for it was too late for us to reach on that -day _Diadin_, the next place on our journey. The inhabitants of that -village are leading a strange life. Man and beast, food and fuel are all -stowed away under one roof, and whilst one part of the inhabitants are -sleeping the others mount guard, on the roofs, with their arms in -readiness. I asked several of them why they did not ask assistance of -the governor of Erzerum, and was told, in reply: "That the governor was -himself at the head of the thieves. God alone, and his representative on -earth, the Russian Tzar, can help us." And the poor people were -certainly right in this. - -We forded through the Euphrates river and reached, before long, a -monastery, the inmates of which were Armenian friars who were held in -high respect by all the inhabitants of the surrounding country, both -Christian and Mohammedan. It is a strikingly characteristic feature of -all Eastern nations, that with them friars, monks, wizards, and -fortune-tellers are indiscriminately, without regard to their religion, -the objects of deep veneration. The supernatural, the mysterious excite -the humility of the Eastern man, and the Kurds go far away, to distant -countries, in pursuit of their predatory ventures, leaving this solitary -and unprotected settlement unmolested. - -Towards evening we arrived at the border place, Diadin. After -considerable inquiry we succeeded in finding the house of the judge, at -whose hands we desired to procure accommodation for the night. On -looking round there, I saw, sitting in a corner of the barn, an American -minister, with his wife and children and his sister. They had been -living in Urumia (in Persia) for several years, and were now on their -way home, to Philadelphia. Urumia and Philadelphia, what a distance! But -the members of the missionary society know no distance. - -The Kurdistan Kizil, _i.e._, chieftain, received me very kindly, and -upon my asking him for a night's quarters, he replied: "Effendi, thou -art welcome, but I can give thee no accommodation, unless thou desirest -to share with a soldier-pasha the only spare room in my house." - -"Soldier-pasha, or anybody else in the wide world," I replied. "Just -show me into the room. A ride of ten hours will tame a very Satan. -Besides, I think, the stranger and I will very well agree together." - -The Kurd, holding a small oil-lamp in his hand, preceded me, and took me -to a place looking like a lumber-room. The soldier-pasha was squatting -in one corner. In approaching him, to introduce myself, I recognized in -the stranger, to my great surprise, General Kolmann, otherwise called -Fejzi Pasha, one of my dearest friends. "Well, this is a wonderful -meeting," he said, after our greetings were over, and we had settled -ourselves, opposite to one another, near the fire. General Kolmann, a -distinguished member of the Hungarian emigration, had always befriended -me in the most zealous manner, during the whole of my stay in Turkey. He -knew of my plans for travelling, and was overjoyed, beyond all measure, -to have an opportunity of saying "Good-bye" to me here, at the frontier -of Turkey, where he had been detailed by the government to superintend -the building of border barracks. We whiled away the time with chatting -until late into the night, and it was with a heavy heart that I took -leave next morning of my countryman and of that country to which, for -the time being, I belonged. - - - - -VI. - -FROM THE PERSIAN BORDER TO TEBRIZ. - - -Kizil-dize is the name of the first village on Persian soil. Leaving it -we came to the base of _Ararat_. Mount Ararat, whose tapering head is -covered with snow even in summer, was at that season clad in its wintry -garb to more than half its height. The inhabitants of the surrounding -country all insist that the remains of Noah's Ark may still be seen on -its top, and many a _vartabet_ (priest), rich in grace, boasts of having -seen with his own eyes the precious relics of the holy Ark in the -waters, clear as crystal, of a lake on the top of the mountain. Others, -again, produce chips from the remains of the Ark, and recommend it -highly against pain in the stomach, sore eyes, and other maladies; and -woe to him who would dare to cast the slightest doubt upon the -existence, to this day, of at least two planks and a couple of masts of -Noah's Ark on mount Ararat. During my travels in Asia I came across four -other places, of which sacred tradition tells that Noah's Ark had rested -there, and at least four other places, again, where people have -discovered the unmistakable traces of the scriptural Paradise. - -[Illustration: MOUNT ARARAT.] - -After we crossed the Turco-Persian border line the country became -visibly more and more beautiful, as if Nature meant to support the -haughty presumptuousness of the Persians. The most modest and reserved -of my Persian fellow-travellers kept on saying during the whole journey, -"Iran is a land very different from thine, Effendi! Look out, thou shalt -see wonders." The faces of the Persians beamed with indescribable joy -from the moment they had set their eyes upon the first Persian village, -for the poor fellows had a great deal to suffer, all the way from -Erzerum, in the numerous Armenian villages. According to the rigid -Shi-ite law, not only is the Christian impure, but he defiles everything -he touches, and the pious Shi-ite will rather starve than eat of any -food a Christian had come in contact with. - -We slept for the first time on Persian soil, in _Ovadjik_. Here, in -Iran, I thought it advisable to part with my dignity of Effendi, for in -the country of the Shi-ites, everything that approaches, in the least, -the Sunnite faith of the Turks, is hated and despised, although both -sects are professors of Islam. - -We started early in the morning, on the 5th of June, and as our way was -to lead us, on that day, through the _Karaayne_ mountains, which did not -enjoy the best reputation for safety, my Armenian companions thought it -proper to provide themselves with the escort of a small number of -mounted armed men. Fortunately nothing unpleasant happened. We came to -_Karaayne_ early in the afternoon, and I was delighted to hear issuing, -from the house opposite to our quarters, sounds of music, the report of -firearms, and shouts of merriment. They were celebrating a wedding, and, -upon my question, if the wedding folks would have any objection to my -going over and looking at them, I was taken there, at once, by the son -of my host. A numerous troop of groomsmen had just arrived when we -entered, in order to conduct the bride from the paternal house to her -husband. They gave notice of their arrival outside by the report of -firearms, then entered, wrapped a red-coloured veil round the bride, led -her out into the street, and two of the groomsmen assisted her to mount -her horse. Although her wide dress, falling down in many folds, impeded -her movements, she sat quite firmly in the saddle. The bride was then -surrounded by the women, singing in chorus a very curious song, the -burden of which, repeated at the end of each stanza, was: "Let friend -remain friend, and the enemy turn blind, O Allah!" At last, the -procession started for the house of the bridegroom. I, too, mixed with -the crowd, accompanying them, and was afterwards invited to take a -prominent seat at the table. Wedding gifts were collected of the guests -during the meal. The marriage rites agreed in every particular with -those used by the Turcomans. - -We had proceeded about two hours on the road leading from Karaayne to -_Tchuruk_, our nearest station, when we were startled by a peculiar kind -of barking and howling, coming from the depths of the mountains before -us. We had just reached an eminence on the road. Our little company of -travellers halted at once, and our Persian escort, bending their eyes -anxiously upon the entrance of the deep road, prepared their arms for -action. The howling grew louder and louder, and suddenly a magnificent -stag burst upon our sight, hotly pursued by two wolves. The Persians, -who are very fond of the chase, were electrified by this sight, and two -of them springing forward advanced in a run towards the animal--one of -the two, although running, took such excellent aim at it, that upon his -firing the beautiful deer fell lifeless to the ground. The wolves were -scared by the shooting and ran away. One of the wolves however, as soon -as everything became quiet again, either pushed by hunger, or feeling -sore at the loss of his prey, soon reappeared to our great surprise. The -hunters allowed him to approach, unmolested, within a few paces from the -lifeless stag, and then fired at him, killing him on the spot. Every -member of our small company was delighted with the adventure. We -dismounted, stripped off the skin of the deer, cut him up and set to -work at once to roast the best parts on the spit, leaving the rest of -the carcass and the wolf behind us. - -The first place of note the traveller from the west comes to, in Persia, -is called _Khoy_. I was particularly struck by its bazaar. The life and -commotion in it was marked by that primitive quaintness and splendour of -ancient times which are, to a great extent, wanting in the Stambul -bazaars, owing to the influence of the Europeans. Any one who has -witnessed in Khoy, during the hours of the forenoon, the stir and bustle -in the cool and narrow streets, watched the gesticulations of buyers and -sellers, seen the variety of splendid fabrics and arms, and the food -offered for sale, and observed the behaviour of the thronging and -screaming crowd, must own that in the matter of Oriental -characteristics, at least, the bazaar of Constantinople is inferior to -that of Khoy. - -The first impression was a truly bewildering and bewitching one, I could -hardly tear myself away from the strange spectacle; the peculiar sounds, -the strange din and noise, the seething life everywhere, were things I -had never witnessed before. As I was entering a place, topped by a -cupola, where about thirty braziers were striking away, with a will, -each at a kettle or pan, I was struck with astonishment upon seeing -that, in the midst of this infernal din, there were, in an unoccupied -portion of the building, two schools in full blast. There sat the -school-master--amongst the children who were ranged round him in the -shape of a half moon--armed with a long stick probably in order to -enable him to reach the children sitting on the hind-most forms. I went -quite near them and listened with the utmost attention, but could not -catch a solitary word, although both teacher and pupils were screaming -at the top of their lungs. The exertion told on them, too, for with -their inflated red faces and starting veins they looked like so many -infuriated turkeys. They pretend, nevertheless, that an improper stress -laid upon any Arabic word in the Koran, by any children, is immediately -observed and duly rebuked by the master. - -I was surprised, even more agreeably, by the neat little caravansary -which we entered. The traveller meets everywhere in Arabia and Turkey -with dirty khans only; but here, in Persia, where, from ancient times, -much care has been bestowed upon the comfort and facilities of -intercourse, the caravansaries will be found to be inns which--I am -speaking, of course, of Eastern pretensions--leave nothing to be -desired. These inns stand mostly in the due centre of the bazaar, and -generally form a square building, each side of which is divided off into -a certain number of cells. A half circular opening, doing service both -as a door and window, leads to a terrace-like elevation running round -the building. Beneath it are placed the stables, so that a traveller, -living on the first floor, can be ostler to his own horse, on the ground -floor. This terrace is from four to six feet high, and leads to what is -in reality the yard, in the centre of which there is a well, often -surrounded by a small flower-garden. The cells offer a cool and pleasant -retreat during the day, and a place of safety, for travellers, during -the night. The _dalundar_ (door-keeper), who is stationed at the -cupola-shaped entrance-door, is charged with maintaining order. This -person is quick in discerning the rank and station of a traveller, by -his horse and saddle-gear, and he provides him with corresponding -accommodation. Sentinels are stationed on the flat roofs during the -night, who are scaring away with their monotonous cries all evil-doers, -and it is a rare thing for theft or robbery to be committed at the -caravansaries. - -We left Khoy towards evening, on the 8th of June, for fear of being -interrupted in our journey, on account of the feast of _Kuram Bairam_ -(the month of merry-making after the fast), and stopped at the village -of _Hadji Aga_, inhabited altogether by _Seids_, that is, descendants of -the prophet. These men are the most pretentious men in all Persia in -their pride of descent, but they are especially arrogant in their -behaviour towards strangers, and indeed one must have Job's patience to -bear their impertinences meekly. No matter how rich they are, they will -beg wherever they see a chance of getting something. Indeed they do not -ask for any alms, but they impose a tax, due to them as the descendants -of the head of Islam. They commit capital crimes, under the plea of -sanctity, and the people rarely dare to call them to account. The -authorities seem to be less indulgent, for I was told that the governor -of Tebriz, to the horror of the whole world, condemned a Seid who had -committed robbery to death by fire. The Mollahs fell to protesting, but -the governor gave them the following reply: "If he is a true Seid he -will not be touched by the flames," and caused the culprit to be cast -into the blazing pile. - - - - -VII. - -IN TEBRIZ. - - -Tebriz is a town of remote antiquity, and is said to have been built by -the wife of Harun el Rashid. But of the ancient greatness and splendour -in which Tebriz was said to have once vied with the city of Raghes, very -little is now to be seen. Its commerce, however, is quite as flourishing -to-day as it was reputed to have been in ancient times. The grand life -of the bazaar had surprised me already at Khoy, but compared to that of -Tebriz, it was only a picture in miniature. Here the din and noise, the -stir and bustle, the pushing and elbowing, the stifling crowds are -magnified a hundredfold. At the recommendation of several persons I put -up at the Emir Caravansary, which, however, it took me over an hour to -find. Not being used to this deafening noise, and to pushing through -such dense crowds of people and mules without number, which seemed -perilous to both life and limb, I was apprehensive lest I might at any -moment ride over somebody with my horse. In recalling how the -dervishes were dancing onward ahead of me through this dire confusion, -uttering their unearthly screams, brandishing high, and casting up, into -the air their sharp axes, seizing them again by their handles upon -coming down, I wonder, to this day, how I ever got safely to the Emir -Caravansary. - -[Illustration: CITY OF TEBRIZ.] - -My Armenian companions ordered a modest cell for me, and, as they had -already reached their place of destination, they parted, with the -promise of returning the next day and installing themselves as my guides -through their native city. I sat down at the door of my narrow little -room and remained there until late in the evening, partly to take some -rest after my previous fatigues, partly to watch the life stirring about -me. Very soon, true to the custom of their country, a curious crowd -gathered around me; by some I was taken to be a merchant and was offered -goods by them, by others a money changer and was asked if I had any -Imperiales or Kopeks which I wished to exchange; others, again, offered -me their services, judging me by my attire to be a member of the embassy -of Teheran. It is wearisome work for a newly-arrived stranger at a -caravansary, this being catechised from all sides. - -I passed two entire weeks in Tebriz; I desired to rest after the -fatigues of my long journey, making, at the same time, excellent use of -my leisure in studying the peculiarities of the Shi-ite sect, a study -which revealed to me a great deal that was novel and interesting. I did -so with all the more pleasure as my uninterrupted stay, for many years, -among all the Sunnite circles, my perfect knowledge of their modes of -life, customs, and dispositions, had especially fitted me for -instituting relevant comparisons. - -I had been often told that the Shi-ites were the Protestants of Islam, -and their superior intelligence and industry led me to at one time share -this supposition. I was therefore quite astonished to find, on the very -day of my arrival, wherever I turned, instances of a fanaticism far more -savage, and of a sanctimoniousness far more glaring, than I had ever met -with in Turkey. First of all I was disagreeably impressed with the -reserve and spirit of exclusiveness shown by the Persians towards -Europeans. They are commanded by their law, for instance, in case the -hem of a European's garment but happens to touch the dress of a Persian, -that the Persian immediately becomes _nedjiz_, that is, unclean, and -must forthwith resort to a bath to regain his purity. My faith in their -cleanliness, of which they were so fond of boasting, very soon received -a rude shock, in witnessing the following scene. In the centre of the -yard of the caravansary, as everywhere else, is placed a basin full of -water, originally intended for the performance of ritual lavations, but, -as I was watching their proceedings at the basin, I saw that whilst at -one side of the reservoir some were washing their dirty things, others -placing half-tanned skins into the same water for soaking, and a third -was cleansing his baby, there were standing men on the opposite side of -the basin, gravely performing their religious washings with the -identical water, and one of them, who must have been very thirsty -indeed, crouched down and eagerly drank of the dark green fluid. I could -not repress at the sight a manifestation of loathing. A Persian, -standing near, immediately confronted me and reproved me for my -ignorance. He asked me if I did not know that according to the _Sheriat_ -(the holy law) a quantity of water, in excess of a hundred and twenty -pints, turns blind, that is, it cannot become soiled or unclean. - -In mentioning their fanaticism I cannot omit citing a remarkable -instance of it in the person of one of their wonderful dervishes. This -man happened to pass just then through Tebriz, and was an object of -general admiration at the bazaar. He was thoroughly convinced that the -divinity of the Caliphate, after the death of Mohammed, ought, by right, -to have devolved upon Ali, Mohammed's son-in-law, and not upon Abubekr, -the prophet's brother-in-law. Acting upon this conviction, he had -solemnly vowed, more than thirty years before, that he would never -employ his organs of speech otherwise but in uttering, everlastingly, -the name of his favourite, _Ali! Ali!_ He thus wished to signify to the -world that he was the most devoted partisan of that Ali who had been -defunct more than a thousand years. In his own home, speaking with his -wife, children and friends, no other word but "Ali!" ever passed his -lips. If he wanted food or drink, or anything else, he expressed his -wants still by repeating "Ali!" Begging or buying at the bazaar it was -always "Ali!" Treated ill or generously, he would still harp on his -monotonous "Ali!" Latterly his zeal assumed such tremendous proportions -that, like a madman, he would race, the whole day, up and down the -streets of the town, throwing his stick high up into the air, and shriek -out, all the while, at the top of his voice, "Ali!" This dervish was -venerated by everybody as a saint, and received everywhere with great -distinction. The wealthiest man of a town presented him once with a -magnificent steed, saddle, bridle and all. He immediately vaulted into -the saddle and sped along the streets uttering his customary fierce cry. -The colour of his dress was either white or green, and the staff he -carried corresponded in colour with the dress he wore. When he came to -the front of the Emir Caravansary, he stopped and lifted his voice, -midst the frightful din of the bazaar, with such tremendous power, -shouting "Ali! Ali!" that the veins on his head and neck started out -like strings. - -After passing a few days at Tebriz, it dawned upon me that this, indeed, -was genuine Eastern life, and that distant Stambul, the gaudily painted -curtain of the Eastern world, presented but a tame and lifeless and -somewhat Europified picture of the Orient. True, after the first -excitement at the great variety of wonderful sights was over, my mind -immediately reverted to the sweets of Western life, and right glad was -I, therefore, to meet, at the caravansary, with two Swiss gentlemen of -culture, Mr. Wuerth and Mr. Hanhardt. They at once insisted upon my -moving my quarters to their lodgings, but I declined with thanks, -availing myself, however, at times, of their cordial invitation to take -my meals with them. Through them I became acquainted with other -Europeans residing here, and it was to me a source of great delight to -change about, and after having passed with Europeans a considerable time -discussing Western ideas and conversing in a Western tongue, all of a -sudden to become an Effendi again in some Persian society. My fancy was -tickled by this almost theatrical transition from the East to the West -and back again; I used to indulge in this pastime with great pleasure -while in Stambul. - -The Persian world rather wondered at my intimacy with the Europeans, but -refrained from making any comments upon it to me, knowing that the -Sunnites, to whom I was supposed to belong, were far less rigorous than -the Shi-ites in their intercourse with persons differing from them in -faith. If my European friends communicated to me their views of certain -local institutions and customs, I did not accept them unconditionally; I -looked at them, again, in the light shed upon them by the observations -and feelings of the natives on the subject. Should some kind reader wish -to rebuke me for my seeming double-facedness, I have only to say that I -shall meekly submit to it, but that, at the same time, I am indebted to -the acting of this double part for the satisfaction I had in obtaining a -proper insight into native life, and being able to gather many and -varied experiences about the nations of the East, from the Bosphorus to -Samarkand. - -It was here, in the Caravansary Emir, that I met with a rather curious -adventure, which I must relate. One afternoon, whilst the heat was -rather unbearably strong, I sat at the door of my cell, and engaged -myself, as is usual with dervishes, in delivering my linen of certain -animals which intrude upon the poor traveller in the East in spite of -all his efforts after cleanliness. Two Englishmen, whom I recognized by -their Indian hats, and who were strolling in the caravansary, stopped -suddenly before me, and after admiring for a while my patient and -untasteful occupation, the younger one said to the older, "Look at the -hunting zeal of this fellow!" I raised my eyes and said in English, -"Will you join, sir?" Amazed, nay bewildered, one of them immediately -asked me, "How did you learn English, and what countryman are you?" From -reasons formerly explained, I abstained from a further conversation, and -notwithstanding all the exertions, I did not utter another English word, -nay, withdrew altogether to the interior of my cell. - -Years passed, and after returning to Europe I happened to be at an -evening party in the house of an English nobleman at Whitehall. Whilst -at dinner I recognized in one of the guests present my interlocutor of -Tebriz, but unsure of my discovery I did not address him. After dinner, -however, the lady of the house asked me to relate something of my -perilous adventures, and seeking courage, I asked her to introduce me to -the man in whom I supposed a former acquaintance. "Oh, that is Lord -R----," said the lady. "Well, I don't know his name, but I have seen -him," was my answer. Lord R---- received me politely, but denied the -fact of a former acquaintance. Upon my saying, "My lord, you have been -to Tebriz, and you do not remember the dervish who addressed you in -English?" The extraordinary surprise of Lord R---- was indescribable; he -recognized me at once, and related the whole adventure to the highly -amused company. - -The days I spent in Tebriz passed quickly and pleasantly owing to my -intercourse being partly with Europeans and not being exclusively -confined to Asiatics. While I was there, an interesting festival took -place, to which I succeeded in obtaining admission. The solemn -investiture of the recently nominated Veli Ahd (heir apparent to the -throne) gave me an opportunity of gazing upon the pageant and pomp of -the Orient in all its splendour. Muzaffar-ed-din Mirza, the son of the -king, now nine years old, but who, according to the custom of the -country, had been elected, in his childhood, successor to the throne, -was to be publicly invested with the Khalat, the royal parade robe. The -whole town was on the alert. The festival lasted several days, and when, -on its first day, I entered through the gate of the Ala Konak (the royal -residence), which was surrounded by a dense crowd of people, into the -interior court, my curiosity rose to the highest pitch. What a strange -contrast of squalor and splendour, of pomp and misery! There, in the -covered hall, opposite the gate, were seated the grandees of the land, -and amongst them the prince with the principal officers of his -household. Every face wore a solemnly grave expression, and the bearing -of their manly forms, wrapped in flowing garments, the dignified motion -of their arms, the proud carriage of their heads, everything indicated -that they were well versed in the art of exhibiting a public pageant. -Around the interior of the court were ranged two lines of _serbasses_ -(soldiers), sad-looking fellows, in European uniforms and with Persian -fur caps on their heads, looking as uncomfortable and awkward as -possible in their foreign clothes. The most comical things about them -were their cravats, some tied in front, others at the back, and others -again anywhere between those two points. - -One of the sides of the garden was entirely occupied by loaves of sugar -and various Persian cakes and sweetmeats, which it is the custom to -place upon huge wooden platters, and without which any festive occasion -in Persia would be considered incomplete. - -In the centre rose the throne, upon which the young boy-prince, looking -feeble and pale, took his seat, surrounded by his splendid retinue. When -he was seated, the loud booming of cannon was heard, the military band -struck up a martial march, and immediately afterwards appeared the royal -envoy bearing the robe of honour, which he placed upon the shoulders of -the young prince in token of his new dignity. The envoy then produced -the insignia of the diamond order of Shir-u-Khurshid, fastened it upon -the breast of the princely heir apparent, concluding the ceremony by -suddenly removing a costly carpet which had concealed the portrait of -the king, painted in oil upon canvas. At this moment the whole company -rose to their feet; the young prince rushed forward and imprinted a kiss -upon the portrait, which was then immediately covered up again with the -carpet. Upon the prince returning to his seat from the ceremony of -osculation, the deafening roar of cannon and the swelling sounds of -music were heard again. A high priest came forward and invoked a -blessing upon the prince, the royal order was loudly proclaimed, and -finally a young poet stepped forward, and, taking a seat opposite to the -prince, recited to his glorification a _Kascide_ (glorifying song). The -proceedings of the young poet were quite new to me, and struck me even -more than the bombastic tenor of his poetical effusion. He compared the -prince to a tender rose, to the brilliant sun, and finally to a precious -pearl fished out of the sea of the royal family, and destined to become -now the most precious ornament in the crown of Iran. Then he called him -a powerful hero, who with a single blow of his sword destroys whole -armies, at whose glance the mountains tremble, and the flame of whose -eyes makes the rivers run dry. - -The prince then joined the great lords, who were in the background, and -the sweetmeats were removed from the enormous platters and divided -amongst the guests present, the master of ceremonies expressing to each -of them, besides, his thanks for their appearance. And, now, the pageant -was over. - -These festivities were followed by the reception of Cerutti, the Italian -ambassador, who, at the head of an embassy consisting of twenty-five -members, was passing through Tebriz, on his way to Teheran. Their -arrival caused a great ferment both amongst the members of the native -government and the European colony. The former, the Persian officials -with the viceregent Serdar-Aziz-Khan, at their head, were delighted to -have an opportunity afforded them to indulge in their passionate -fondness for display, and the latter were gratified to set their eyes -upon the representatives of the new Italian kingdom. I joined the latter -in order to be present at the reception. In the early morning of a -sultry day in June we rode out of the town, a distance of about two -hours, to meet them, and when we came up to them they were just changing -their dresses. They wished to appear before the Persians in full parade, -and it took considerable time for twenty-five Europeans, diplomatists, -military men, merchants, and men of science, to accomplish the task of -donning their best attire. It was not far from noon, the heat being -intolerable, when these gentlemen entered the gates of the town, in -their highly ornamental uniforms and costumes, their breasts resplendent -with the insignia of the various orders, in plumed helmets and -magnificent swords. Of course the sight was to us Europeans a very -attractive one, but wishing to hear the opinion of the natives, I left -my company and mixed with the crowd. During the whole procession I heard -nothing but ironical remarks, the Persians looking upon things -considered by us splendid, as ridiculous. According to their notions, -our short coats, fitting the body, are the most indecorous things, -without any taste, and everything plain, tightfitting, and unassuming in -dress looks to them mean and insignificant. Their idea of the beautiful -in dress consists in what is ample, flowing in rich folds and showy. -Their prudery and mock modesty make them regard as indecent any mode of -dressing which sharply defines the limbs and outlines of the human body, -whilst Europeans affect that style, and thereby rouse the displeasure of -the Asiatics. They also criticise the stiff carriage of the Europeans on -horseback, and in this they are not far from wrong, for the European -with his protruding chest looks like a caricature besides one who sits -with easy grace, yet proudly, on his steed. - -The Embassy, on the day of their arrival, were worked very hard indeed. -For two hours they were dragged through the town, in every possible -direction, in order to gratify the curiosity of the populace. When they -got at last to the place assigned to them for their residence, they were -far from being allowed to rest. For three whole days they were besieged -by a host of polite visitors, each of them attended by a troop of -servants who were to bring back to their master's house, in return, the -ampler and more valuable presents which they expected to receive from -the Embassy. - -The roads leading from Tebriz into the interior of Persia were fairly -swarming with caravans and troops of travellers. I, therefore, deemed -the roads sufficiently safe, and resolved to continue alone my journey -to the capital of the country, accompanied only by a _tcharvador_, a man -who lets horses and animals of burden for hire. I hired from him a -rather sorry-looking nag, corresponding to the modest sum I paid for its -use, placed my scanty baggage on it, and said good-bye to Tebriz. - - - - -VIII. - -IN ZENDJAN. - - -Two days after leaving Tebriz, I arrived at a village called -_Turkmantchay_, and passed the night there. This village is celebrated -for being the place where the Treaty of Peace, which put an end to the -Perso-Russian war of 1826-28, was concluded. Nothing particular happened -on my way from here to _Miane_, except a slight intermezzo, occurring -during my noon's rest at a solitary caravansary. I had been asked before -by Shi-ites, here and there, in my capacity of a Sunnite, to give them -some kind of _nuskha_ (talisman). A Shi-ite Seid came to me there on the -same errand, and I readily granted his request by writing one or two -passages of the Koran on a slip of paper. He was not satisfied with -this, but begged of me, in addition, tobacco for his pipe, some of the -strong kind my friends in Tebriz had presented me with. "Seid," I said, -"I give it to thee willingly, but thou art used to the mild tobacco of -Kurdistan, and I am afraid this will make thee sick." As he kept on -insisting, I was obliged to let him have some. He filled his pipe -lighted it, but hardly had he taken a few puffs at it when he was, -seized by a violent attack of dizziness, became dreadfully pale and had -a fit of vomiting. The Seid rushed, screaming, into the yard and -shouted: "Help, help, Shi-ites; the Sunnite has poisoned me." I ran -after him as fast as I could, and when I overtook him I found him lying -on his back surrounded by a small group of Persians. If my eloquence had -not been equal to the task of persuading the bystanders of my innocence, -I should have fared badly. - -While yet at a distance of several hours from _Zendjan_ I was joined by -a Persian man, who, judging by his appearance, seemed to belong to the -learned class. He addressed me, to my surprise, at once as Effendi, -although I had never set my eyes on him before. He was very talkative, -like most Persians, and discoursed about a thousand things in the course -of half an hour. He introduced himself to me as a physician who was just -returning from his visits to his patients in the neighbourhood. Very -soon he was overtaken by his servant leading a mule so heavily laden -that it well-nigh sank beneath the weight of its load. The poor beast -was carrying the fees collected in kind by the physician, such as dried -fruit, corn and so forth. This loquacious disciple of AEsculap dwelt, -during the whole time, upon the miraculous cures he had accomplished, -and gave vent to his unbounded astonishment at the impudence of the -Frengis (Europeans) who dared to appear as physicians in the home of -_Ali Ben Sina_ (Avicenna). He unceasingly dilated upon the efficiency of -his amulets and talismans, and how he had driven devils out of his -patients, made the dumb speak, the blind see and the deaf hear. When we -reached the town my head fairly ached with the man's incessant flow of -speech. - -Along the road leading to the caravansary I observed a great many black -flags hoisted upon tall poles. We were in the first ten days of the -month of Moharrem, during which period the Islamite world abstains from -every kind of merry-making. But the Shi-ites begin the doleful feast one -month sooner; everybody arrays himself in mourning, fasts, and employs -his time in the recital of elegies and in visiting the _Tazies_. The -black flags marked the places where the performances were to take place. -At that time, a celebrated singer was everywhere spoken of, who had won -great distinction in the part of _Ali Ekber_, and who was to perform on -that very day in the Tazie of the governor. I was burning with -impatience to witness a Tazie, and I had hardly arrived at the -caravansary when I determined to start at once. I joined the populace, -and was carried by the stream of people into the court of the governor. -There in the centre stood an elevated platform, a little above two yards -high, around which, upon poles of considerable height, were suspended -tiger and panther skins, black flags, shields of steel and skin, and -bare swords, interspersed with here and there a lamp, to light up the -evening performance. This was the stage. The women were seated on the -right side of the court, and the men were gathering on the opposite -side. The governor himself (who had the Tazie performed) and his family, -surrounded by the prominent men of the town, looked at the spectacle -from the second story. Everything was wrapped in deep mourning, every -face wore an expression of indescribable sadness and dejection. - -The Tazie represents the tragic history of Hussein, of which a short -outline will be here in place. After the death of Mohammed, he having -designated no one as his successor, the faithful divided into two camps. -The larger portion thought Abubekr, the oldest companion and follower -of the Prophet, most worthy of the succession, whilst the minority -endeavoured to place Ali upon the throne, guided by the strength of -those words uttered by Mohammed: "Even as I am lord, so is Ali lord, -too." But Ali's party was vanquished. After Abubekr came Osman, and the -latter was succeeded by Omar. Ali's partisans, however, did not despair -of their cause; they made several attempts to seat him on the throne, -and after the death of Omar, Ali actually became Caliph. His reign was -of short duration; his enemies, at whose head the Prophet's widow -herself stood, had him assassinated. His sad vicissitudes, cruel -sufferings and tragic end only increased the number of his followers; he -was mourned as a martyr and almost deified. He had nine wives, but of -these mention is made only of Fatima, the Prophet's most beloved -daughter, who bore Ali two sons, Hassan and Hussein. The right of -succession was claimed by Hussein. The latter, upon one occasion, was -going from Mecca to the town of Kuffa, at the invitation of its -inhabitants, who were his partisans. He was accompanied by those of his -followers who expatriated themselves from Mecca. On the banks of the -Tigris, in the middle of the desert, they were suddenly attacked by -hostile bands, sent against them by Yezid, and every one of them cruelly -massacred. This catastrophe is commemorated, in Persia, by numberless -mournful and plaintive songs and theatrical exhibitions, called -_Tazies_. - -Just before the Tazie commenced, a ragged and, from excessive indulgence -in opium, rather rickety-looking dervish stepped upon the platform, -crying: "Ya Muminin!" (Oh! you true believers), and in an instant the -utmost stillness prevailed. He now engaged in a long prayer, lauding the -perfections and brave deeds of the Shi-ite great, and then enumerating -in exaggerated language the sins and wickedness of the Sunnites, and in -mentioning the names of some distinguished Sunnite men, he exclaimed, -with a fury bordering on madness: "Brethren, ought we not to curse them, -ought we not to call down damnation upon their heads? I tell you, a -curse upon the three dogs, the three usurpers, Abubekr, Omar and Osman!" -There he paused, waiting for the effect of his words on the assembled -multitude. The whole multitude expressed their approval of his curses -and anathemas by loud cries of "Bishbad, bishbad!" (More even than that, -more even than that!) The dervish went on cursing Ayesha, the Prophet's -wife, Moavie, Yezid and all the distinguished foes to Shi-itism, pausing -at the name of each, and the audience roared out every time "Bishbad!" A -speech by the same person, glorifying the Shah, the present Ulemas of -Persia and the Governor, followed the cursing, at the end of which he -descended from the platform and hurried amongst the audience to gather -in a substantial reward for the zeal he had shown. This was the -prologue. Shortly afterwards several persons clad in ample flowing robes -made their appearance on the stage, singing elegies now in solos, now in -chorus, in order to move the hearts of the hearers and prepare their -minds for the coming play. Imam Hussein comes now upon the stage; he is -on his way to Kuffa, in the very heart of the desert, and accompanied by -his family and a small band of faithful followers. They are all horribly -suffering from want of water, and Hussein is endeavouring to assuage the -woes of his family, caused by their tantalizing thirst, by words of -comfort and encouragement. Meanwhile a throne is rising in the -background, the throne of Yezid, Hussein's enemy, seated upon which is -Yezid herself, in all the pride of pomp, distributing orders of the most -cruel nature against Hussein and his friends amongst her mailed and -warlike followers. Ali Ekber, the youngest child of Hussein, is so moved -at the sight of the sad plight in which his parents and sisters and -brothers are, that he determines to fetch them water from the Tigris, -although he well knows that the enemy is lurking everywhere. His parents -and their friends dissuade him from this enterprise, in the tenderest -language, their voices attuned to the emotions of love and anxiety for -his safety. There was something really affecting in the beseeching tones -of the weeping mother and in the prayers of the father, and the sobs of -Hussein and his little band could hardly be heard on account of the -sympathizing howling round about. The women, in particular, wept so -bitterly that I could catch, at rare intervals, only here and there a -word of the beautiful and deeply affecting dialogue. - -But Ali Ekber remains firm in his resolve; his mother swoons away but -soon recovers; she wishes to see her son become a hero and utters -prayers for his safety. His own father girds on his sword, and he mounts -his steed on the spot, and rides around the stage a couple of times. He -is immediately pursued by one of Yezid's band, a powerful warrior, who, -in pursuit, is not sparing of the most violent outbreaks against the -persecuted youth. The struggle grows heated, the scene interesting, and -the interest more and more intense. The brave youth is at last -overtaken, blow falls after blow, and Ali Ekber's blood is flowing from -numerous wounds. Groans and shrieks of despair from Ali Ekber's family -and followers, who, watching the event of the fight with bated breath, -perceive the awful finale. He sinks to the ground and is carried, half -dead, to the front of the stage. At this moment, when father, mother, -sisters and brothers with loud wailings precipitate themselves upon the -yawning wounds of the unhappy youth, shedding into them their tears -instead of balm, the moaning, groaning and shrieks of spectators rise to -the highest pitch. Women beat their breasts, and everybody, as a mark of -sorrow, strews dust and chopped straw, instead of ashes, upon his head. -The spectators are indeed so carried away with the play, that I doubt if -there be anywhere in Europe a tragedian capable of producing a similar -effect upon his audience. At the sight of his dying son, Hussein's wrath -knows no bounds, and vowing vengeance, he, too, vaults into the saddle, -but is hotly pressed by Shamr, one of Yezid's knights, and killed. His -dead body is brought forward, and at the sight of it the multitude break -out afresh into never-ending lamentations and weeping. They place him -beside his son, and they are covered with black mourning shawls. At last -a general massacre ensues, and every member of Hussein's family is -killed. There they all lie stark dead, stretched out on the floor, and -the pious spectators are so filled with holy horror that they dare not -lift their eyes to look at the appalling spectacle on the stage--the -performers leave the stage, and there is an end to the tragedy. - -The other piece which followed represented a biblical scene--Abraham -being about to sacrifice his son Isaac. This, too, was acted with -considerable fidelity. After the old patriarch has patiently listened to -God's command to the end, he seizes his child, kisses him, hugs him to -his breast and finally ties him and lays him upon the altar. He then -draws his sword, places the edge of his sword upon the child's bare -throat, and just as he is about to cut the boy's throat, an angel of the -Lord appears with two lambs. Isaac starts up from the altar and Abraham -kills, in his place, the two lambs, which afford afterwards a succulent -supper to the comedians. I was particularly struck with the grave -demeanour and cleverness of the child-performers. There were some -amongst them not above six years old, who knew their parts, amounting to -a couple of hundred lines, perfectly well by heart. Their mimic acting -and gestures were quite unexceptionable, too. The parts are always sung -by the performers, and there were some actors who sang, especially the -mournful parts, with such true expression and skill that the most -delicate ear and the severest artistic sensibility would be gratified in -hearing them. - -Such and similar are the subjects of the Tazie. The performance and its -getting up, of course, vary very much, according to the person at whose -expense it takes place. The finest Tazies I saw were those performed at -the court of Teheran, to which, however, usually, no strangers, except -the members of the Turkish Embassy, are invited. As their guest I had an -opportunity to go and see it with them, and the splendour displayed -there is something not easily to be forgotten. All the actors were -wrapped in shawls of the most costly quality; their arms were studded -with genuine diamonds and precious stones, and the handles of their -swords were either gilded or made of solid silver. The acting and the -scenery were perfect; one could almost imagine Yezid, in person, to be -before one's eyes. There is one thing, however, which detracts a great -deal from the illusion of the representation; the female parts must be -assumed by men, as the law of Islam rigidly forbids women to appear in -public places. - - - - -IX. - -FROM KAZVIN TO TEHERAN. - - -My next place of destination was _Kazvin_, once the capital of Iran. -There is not at present, however, a trace left of its ancient grandeur. -The finely cultivated and luxuriant gardens in the suburbs were objects -of great interest to me, and I lost so much time in their observation -that it was already late at night when I entered the caravansary. I set -down my luggage and immediately went off to purchase the necessary -articles of food, but found, to my great surprise, all the shops closed. -After half an hour's fruitless search I was compelled to retire to my -cell hungry and worn-out with the fatigues of a whole day's travelling. -In my vain attempts to procure some food I invariably received the same -answer: "To-morrow will be the anniversary day of Hussein's death; the -Shi-ites are good Mussulmans, and much too devout to carry on their -business on the day on which Hussein and the other saints suffered so -much." There was nothing left to me but to have recourse to begging; -but the scanty alms one can obtain from the close-fisted Persian are by -no means sufficient to satisfy the tremendous appetite of a traveller. -On the following morning I succeeded in buying, under the seal of the -profoundest secrecy, of a man who was not a shopkeeper, some bread and -boiled rice. I hastened back to the caravansary and persuaded my -travelling companion to leave at once. As we were advancing through the -bazaar, towards the gate of the town, we were met by a funeral and -atoning procession--such as on this day may be seen everywhere in -Persia, in pursuance of an ancient custom,--trying to excite the -devotion of Believers by their frightful yelling and barbarous -fanaticism. No imagination is equal to the task of picturing the wild -antics in which those who participate in these processions indulge. One -is taking a mad leap, another is striking his chest until blood issues -from his mouth, a third is cutting up his body with a sharp knife, in -order to make an impression upon the crowd by his flowing blood. I -withdrew into a corner of the bazaar, waiting until the maddened crowd, -with whose yells the whole neighbourhood resounded, had passed. My -companion informed me that Kazvin--devout Kazvin, as he called -it--distinguished itself on this day amongst all other towns in Persia -by the death of at least two persons, out of devotion for Hussein. I -readily believed him, for the scenes which transpire here on the tenth -day of Moharrem vividly recall the self-mutilations of the Indians, -inspired by religious fanaticism, or that scene in Egypt when on the day -of Bairam men lie down upon the ground, in front of the mosque, to be -trampled upon by the hoofs of the chief priest's well-fed horse. - -The heat of the day compelled us to travel by night, and we were -favoured in having just then full moon. The only objection I had was -the extreme stillness of the night; I found it unsociable; for although -we met now and then with solitary travellers and smaller caravans, -returning from Teheran, yet we never had any one to join us, and were -obliged to jog on by ourselves. On the third night after our departure -from Kazvin, as we were riding in a flat country, I heard, about night, -voices in the distance, and soon after the steadily approaching clatter -of horses' hoofs. Placing my firearms before me on the saddle head, I -bent forward in order to be able to see and observe better. Three -horsemen brandishing aloft their arms came swooping down upon us. -Holding my pistols ready for firing, I called out to them: "Get out of -the way, or I will shoot you down." Either the strange sound of the -foreign dialect, or our costume, so unlike that of the Persians, -frightened them away and they took to their heels; but although my -companion looked upon the occurrence as a joke, I could not help feeling -uneasy, and had some comfort, on the evening of the following day, in -the certainty that Teheran would be our next station. - -I had brought with me several letters of recommendation from prominent -Effendis and Pashas in Constantinople, introducing me to Haider Effendi, -the then Turkish Ambassador in Persia. I was spoken of in these, for the -most part, as an eccentric person who, tired of the idyllic repose of a -quiet life in Constantinople, had set out to look for distraction in the -wilds of Persia. Some laid special stress upon my being led to the East -by the queer idea of studying the Eastern Turkish language; in one word, -they did everything to satisfy Haider Effendi that I was in no way -connected with politics, but a mere dreamer, worthy of his patronage. -Haider Effendi had, besides, the reputation of being an affable, kind -and straightforward man, and I felt convinced of a friendly reception -at the Turkish Embassy, where I intended putting up. - -I was thinking of this as I came up to the banks of a small brook called -_Keretch_. I found there a large crowd of travellers, some preparing for -their ablutions, others engaged in prayer on the banks. It was a cool -summer's morning, a sure indication of excessive heat during the day. My -curiosity to see the capital of Iran gave me no rest. I quickly washed -myself in the clear water of the brook, and, greatly to the disgust of -my companion, who wished to rest here for another half-hour, immediately -mounted my horse, and started in the direction of the capital. I -repeatedly asked, "Where is Teheran?" for I saw no indication of it. My -companion's stolid answer always remained the same: "There," he said, -pointing with his finger onward. In vain I exerted my sight, I could not -discover the city. At last the gray mass of fog which hovered over it -caught my eyes, and there was Teheran spread along the sloping base of a -mountain. We were but half an hour's distance from it. The fog soon gave -way to the rising sun. I got a glimpse first of roofs covered with green -glazed tiles, then of gilded cupolas, and at last the panorama of the -whole town unrolled before my eyes--I was at the gate of the seat of -government of the "King of Kings," as the Shah calls himself. - -I had now been serving an apprenticeship of two months to the art of -travelling, and but for having got thinner, darker and considerably -speckled in the face, I had every reason to be satisfied with the state -of my health, which had successfully resisted so far the by no means -slight fatigues of Asiatic caravan travelling on miserable nags. - - - - -X. - -IN TEHERAN. - - -The wall upon which Teheran and its inhabitants rely for their -protection is built of mud, but it is nevertheless talked about by the -Persians, with their usual exaggeration, as an impregnable wall of solid -rock. I rode into the capital of Iran through a narrow gate in this -wall, and had to push my way through the throng of pedestrians, horsemen -and laden mules that were crossing the narrow, irregular and crooked -streets. After protracted inquiry I succeeded in finding the palace of -the Turkish Embassy, but it was empty; its occupants were gone. The -soldiers mounting guard informed me that the entire _personnel_ of the -Embassy, following the fashion of the upper classes here, were living in -the country, in a village called _Djizer_, at the foot of the -neighbouring mountains, where the air was cooler and more bearable than -that of the capital. - -I was rather pleased with this news, for one day's experience was -sufficient to convince me that Teheran was almost uninhabitable during -the summer months, owing to the intolerable heat and a stifled -atmosphere choked with noxious miasmas. The new-comer feels immediately -the effects of these miasmas for I could hardly eat anything on the day -of my arrival. Towards evening the air became somewhat cooler, and as I -had parted with my fellow-traveller from Tebriz, and consequently with -my nag, too, I was obliged to hire an ass, in order to accomplish my -trip to _Djizer_, which was about two hours' distance off. It was late -in the evening when I arrived. The members of the Embassy were just then -taking their supper beneath a tent of silk, in the garden. I was -received by them with a cordiality exceeding my most sanguine -expectations, and immediately invited to join them at their meal. Haider -Effendi and his secretaries, the latter of whom had known me slightly in -Constantinople, looked at me as if I had dropped from the sky; and if -everybody in Persia, even the Persians themselves, are pleased to listen -to accounts about Constantinople, one can easily imagine with what -eagerness I was listened to by Turks, and especially by people from -Constantinople. There was no end to all sorts of questions and -inquiries. I had to tell them about the government of the new Sultan, -and a thousand other things, and spoke, of course, as in duty bound, of -the heavenly beauties of the Bosphorus, until it was midnight. When I -told them of the journey I contemplated, the kind-hearted Osmanlis only -stared at me. They could not conceive how a sensible man should wish to -go to Central Asia, a region spoken of, even in Persia, as the dreadful -desert and the dwelling-place of all that is most savage and barbarous. -The ambassador in chief was foremost in condemning my plan as eccentric. -"First of all," he said, "stay with us for a couple of months, and then -we will talk about your travels in Central Asia. Take first a good look -at Persia, and it will be time enough afterwards to proceed on your -journey." He evidently thought that I should gladly renounce, in the -meantime, my adventurous schemes. - -In order that I might fully recover from the fatigues of the journey, -the good Osmanlis surrounded me with every imaginable comfort. I was put -into a tent by myself and provided with a horse and a servant; in short, -I was transferred from a poor traveller into a great lord. I was thus -placed in a position to study at my leisure Teheran, the capital of -Iran. - -The first thing the stranger is struck with is the utter want of -cleanliness in the streets, as well as in the interior of the houses. -The Persian covers the large unfurnished halls--what we should term -drawing-rooms--of his house with costly carpets, and decorates its walls -with rich ornaments, but the kitchen, the room he lives in, and the -pantry are most shamefully neglected by him. It is the same with his -dress. A person who will spend from fifty to a hundred gold pieces for -his outer garments is rarely the owner of more than two or three shirts. -Soap is looked upon as an article of luxury, being hardly ever used, and -I have met with Khans of high social standing and refinement who made -use of their servants' pocket-handkerchiefs. The henna-painting, -however, is that which renders every Persian grandee particularly -loathsome, in spite of his outward splendour and rich dress. Henna is a -yellow powder obtained from a plant called _Lawsonia inermis_, which, by -being dissolved in water, furnishes a red dye of brick-colour. With this -henna they dye their fine black beards and their very eyes red, the -colour of bricks. Persons of standing also dye with henna their -finger-nails and hands. The coat of paint hides the dirt; and a -gentleman or lady, having made use of it, can afford to do without -washing for several days. - -Knives, forks and spoons are things unknown in Persia. It is utterly -repulsive to the European to see the master of the house pulling to -pieces, with his fingers, a boiled chicken, and giving each guest a -piece of it, or having a cup of sherbet passed round, in which a dozen -men have already steeped their henna-dyed moustaches. - -Persian refinement is confined only to gestures, speech and -conversational manner. But in these they excel all the Eastern -nations--perhaps the nations of the West, too--and these elegant manners -are, of course, to be found in their highest perfection at the capital. -Volumes could be filled with the strict laws laid down for visits and -return visits, and the proprieties of correspondence and conversation. -Each Persian wishes to surpass the other in expressions of politeness -and delicacy, which seem the more absurd the more we happen to know of -the private lives of the Persians. - -At every turn in the street the eye meets shocking contrasts of -splendour and misery. At one end of the street may be seen a swarm of -half-naked dervishes and beggars loitering about, whilst a Khan on -horseback, followed by a numerous retinue, appears at the other end. -Forty to sixty servants, armed with long staves, are ranged on each side -of the Khan, who, on his richly caparisoned horse, looks very pompous -indeed, and keeps his head continually wagging with an air of great -importance. You might suppose their lord to be at least a high officer -of state, judging by the noisy conduct and impudent behaviour of his -followers towards every one they met. Far from it! Often he is but a -poor Khan, weighted down with debts, who has been in the capital -ante-chambering and begging for some office for months past. His very -men are not paid by him; they are a set of starvelings who follow him -in the hope of his obtaining some office, and meanwhile try to add to -the splendour of his appearance in public. Nothing but deception and -delusion! - -The Persians exhibit in the presence of their sovereign the most abject -humility; but I have often heard expressions, and witnessed acts of -disrespect towards him as soon as they were out of his sight. As an -instance of their cringing manner may be cited the reply given by a -courtier who was asked by the Shah to draw nearer to him. "Sire," he -answered, covering up his eyes with his hand, "spare me, I dare not -approach nearer to thy person; the glory of thy magnificent splendour -dazzles my eyes." They do not, on the other hand, pay the slightest -attention to their sovereign's commands, requests or threats, and the -more distant the place or province is from the capital the more surely -are commands and threats ignored. The courtiers highest in his -confidence, the servants and officers standing nearest to his person, -those whom his generosity has enriched, are the very men to spread the -vilest rumours about him. These slanders find their way amongst the -people; poets compose lampoons about them, and these are declaimed in -all the alleys and byways of the kingdom. For a week or two life at the -Embassy was pleasant, but soon "Up to Shiraz" was my only thought, and -in a few days I joined a caravan to start for that city. - - - - -XI. - -THE SALT DESERT OF DESHTI-KUVIR. - - -I left Teheran on the 2nd of September, 1862, by the gate of _Shah -Abdul-Azim_, dressed in the costume of a Sunnite dervish from Bagdad, my -_entari_ (nether garment), reaching down to my heels, a red girdle round -my waist, a striped black _mashlak_ (a waterproof coat) on my back, and -on my head a neat _keffie_,[2] both useful and ornamental. As it was -usual to close the gates of Teheran after sunset, our little caravan had -fixed upon a caravansary outside the town for our place of meeting. The -travellers composing the caravan, became, for the most part, first -acquainted with each other there. The caravan consisted of about thirty -laden mules, a couple of horsemen, mollahs, pilgrims returning from -Meshed, merchants, mechanics and my insignificant self. It was two hours -after midnight when we started, and proceeded along the wide path -leading to Shah Abdul-Azim, a place which is held in high esteem by the -Teheran people as a resort for pilgrims. I walked there frequently -during my stay in Teheran. The place is full of life and noise during -the day, especially in the afternoon hours. There can be seen at all -times a troop of gaudily dressed women of the better classes, sitting on -horseback man fashion, prominent mirzahs and khans with numerous -followers, and now and then a European coach, used generally by the -court only. Of course at the time of night that we passed through it a -dead silence was brooding over it. The moon shed an almost day-like -light upon the mountain range stretching to the left and upon the gilded -cupola beneath which the earthly remains of Shah Abdul-Azim reposed. -After we had been riding in silence for two hours, some of the members -of our caravan began to thaw into a social mood, and interrupted the -monotony of our march by conversation and lively sallies. - - [Footnote 2: An Arab headgear, consisting of a large - handkerchief of silk with yellow stripes.] - -I selected for my companion a young Seid from Bagdad, who was about to -make a starring tour, as a _rawzekhan_ (singer of sacred songs), through -Southern Persia. Properly speaking only such persons are called -rawzekhans who sing Tazies, _i.e._, elegies in honour of Hussein, of -great renown in Persia. These men are the most fanatic Shi-ites, and it -may cause some surprise that we became more intimately acquainted. But -the Seid, as an inhabitant of Bagdad, and a subject of the Sublime -Porte, was willing enough to cultivate the acquaintance of an Effendi. -He introduced me to the other members of the caravan, and being a jovial -fellow, who would easily pass from his funeral songs to a livelier and -more worldly tune, he very soon became a favourite with the whole -company, and I, too, indirectly, profited by his popularity. - -I at first scrupulously avoided all religious discussions, as I wished -to ingratiate myself with my fellow-travellers, although it was by no -means easy to do so; the Persians being very fond of arguing, and -willingly entering into a discussion with Christians, Ghebers, and -especially with Sunnites. The night was a magnificent one, and in Persia -these moonlit nights are simply entrancing. The clear, transparent air, -the graceful outline of the mountains, the darkling ruins, the -spectre-like shadows of the advancing caravan, and, above all, the -wonders of the starry vault above us, do not fail to produce an -unutterable impression upon the imagination of a traveller coming from -the far West to the East. Our road, however, was the worst imaginable; -we had to make our way over fragments and boulders of rock, and cross -ditches, ravines and the beds of rivers run dry. The difficulties of the -road affected me but little; I abandoned myself entirely to the safe -gait of my trusty asinine quadruped, and watched with intense interest -every movement of the Seid, who contemplated the star-covered sky, and -had some story to tell about each star. Every star had a legend of its -own, an influence good or baneful, and I listened to his wonderful -accounts with a soul full of faith. The constellation of the Great Bear -was already inclining towards the margin of the western sky when we -reached the height of _Karizek_, upon whose downward slopes -_Kenaregird_, the village which was to be our first station, was lying. -I cast one more glance at the beautiful moonlit landscape before -descending, and as we went down on the other side of the mountain, the -soft light of the moon slowly paled at the approach of the dawning day. - -As soon as the morning star appears to the eye it is the custom, for the -whole caravan, to hail the coming day. The most zealous person in the -company engages in the recital of the Ezan, a task which quite naturally -fell this time to the lot of our Seid. The ablutions are performed in -the twilight of the dawn of morning, and before the first rays of the -sun touch the crest of the mountains, the caravan stops and morning -prayers are engaged in. - -[Illustration: TRAVELLING IN PERSIA.] - -The animals stand quietly with their heads bent low, whilst the men, -with their faces turned towards the East, are kneeling, in a line, side -by side, with such a penitent and remorseful expression on their -countenances, as may be witnessed only with Mohammedans. When the rays -of the sun reach the devout faithful, they lift up their voices and -chant the melodious prayer beginning with the words Allah Ekber (_i.e._, -God is the greatest). - -After sunrise it is customary for the caravan to march on for a longer -or shorter space of time, according as it happens to start earlier or -later the night before, or as the next station is nearer or farther off. -When we turned into our station the rays of the sun shot down -mercilessly on our heads. We put up at the spacious caravansary, near -the village of Kenaregird. The meaning of its name is, "Border of Sand," -for to the east of it extends the salt desert of _Deshti-Kuvir_. This -desert must be an awful place, for during all my wanderings through -Persia I never met with a native who had travelled over that portion of -it lying between Kenaregird and _Tebbes_. A Persian talking about the -desert of Deshti-Kuvir is always ready to frighten his listeners with a -batch of tales of horror, in each of which devils and evil spirits -conspicuously figure. The favourite legend which is most often repeated -is the story of _Shamr_, Hussein's murderer and the mortal enemy of -every Shi-ite Persian, to whom the desolation of this region is -attributed. Flying from his own remorse, he took refuge here, and the -once flourishing country suddenly became a sterile desert. The salt -lakes and the bottomless morasses are caused by the drops of sweat -rolling down his body in the agony of his sufferings. The most dreadful -place of all is _Kebir Kuh_, where Shamr is dwelling to this day. Woe to -the poor traveller who allows himself to be lured to this region by the -deceptive light of the ignis fatuus! Such and similar stories I was -regaled with by my fellow-travellers in connection with the salt desert -of Persia. As soon as we arrived at the caravansary every one of us -hastened to seek a shelter in the shade, and we were all of us soon -comfortably settled. In a few instants the city of travellers presented -the appearance of a lively and stirring settlement. Whilst the animals -were crunching their dry barley straw, the Persians looked to the -preparation of their meals. Those who were better off got their servants -to rub their backs and shoulders and to pull their limbs until they -cracked, this somewhat singular pastime being evidently intended to -restore elasticity to the body. After a short rest we breakfasted, and -then immediately retired to rest again. The caravan recuperates from the -fatigues of the journey during the heat of the day, and continues its -way at the dusk of evening. The animals follow the example of their -masters. Towards evening men and cattle are on their feet again, and -whilst the animals are being scrubbed and attended to, the men prepare -their _pilar_ (a dish composed of meat and rice). The supper is eaten -about an hour before starting. The dervish fares better than any one -else, for no sooner does the caravan arrive than he, without a care, -seeks his rest, and when the savoury steam of the kettle announces the -approach of the evening meal, he seizes his _keshkul_ (a vessel made of -the shell of the cocoa-nut), and goes the rounds of the various groups, -shouting out sultily, "Ya hu, Ya hakk!" He gets a few slices from every -one, mixes the heterogeneous contributions, and swallows it all with a -good appetite. "He carries with him nothing," say the people of the -East; "he does not cook, yet he eats; his kitchen is provided by God." - -We had to cross the desert in its entire length to get to our next -station. The silence of the night becomes, in this wilderness, doubly -oppressive, and as far as the eye of the traveller can reach he will -find no spot to repose it upon. Only here and there may be seen piled up -columns of sand, driven about by the wind, and gliding from place to -place like so many dark spectres. I did not wonder that these shifting -shadows were taken by timid and credulous souls for evil spirits pursued -by furies. My companion seemed to belong to the superstitious class, for -wrapping his cloak tightly round him, he kept close to the densest part -of the caravan, and would not, for the world, so much as glance at the -wilderness stretching to the east. - -It was about midnight when we heard the sound of bells, and upon my -inquiry as to the meaning of this, I was told that a larger caravan, -which had left an hour earlier than we did, was in front of us. We -accelerated our march in order to overtake it, but had hardly come -within a hundred paces from it when an intolerable stench, as if of dead -bodies, filled the air. The Persians were aware of the cause of this -poisonous stench and hurried silently on; but it went on increasing the -further we advanced. I could not restrain my curiosity any longer, but -turning to my nearest neighbour, I asked again what this meant, but he -curtly replied, betraying, however, great anxiety: "Hurry up, hurry up! -this is the caravan of the dead." This information was sufficient to -make me urge my wearied beast forward to greater speed, and after a -while I reached, together with my companions, the caravan. It consisted -of about forty animals, horses and mules, under the leadership of three -Arabs. The backs of the animals were laden with coffins, and we made -every effort to avoid the dread procession. In passing near one of the -horsemen who had charge of the caravan I caught sight of a face, which -was frightful to look at; the eyes and nose were concealed by some -wraps, and the rest of his lividly pale face looked ghastly by the light -of the moon. Undaunted by the sickening atmosphere, I rode up to his -side and inquired about the particulars of his errand. The Arab informed -me that he had been now ten days on the way, and that twenty more would -pass in taking the dead bodies to Kerbela, the place where, out of -devotion for Hussein, the pious wish to sleep their eternal sleep. This -custom prevails all over Persia; and every person who can afford it, -even if he live in distant Khorassan, makes arrangements to have his -remains carried to Kerbela, in order that they may be interred in the -soil wherein the beloved Imam Hussein is reposing. It takes sometimes -two months before the dead body can reach its place of destination. One -mule is frequently laden with four coffins, and whilst their conveyance -during the winter is comparatively harmless, it is of deadly effect, to -beast and man alike, in the heat of July in Persia. - -At some distance from the caravan of the dead, I glanced back at the -strange funeral procession. The animals with their sad burden of coffins -hung their heads, seemingly trying to bury their nostrils in their -breasts, whilst the horsemen keeping at a good distance from them, were -urging them on with loud cries to greater speed. It was a spectacle -which seen anywhere could not fail to produce a profound impression of -terror, but seen in the very centre of the desert, at the dead hour of -the night, in the ghastly illumination of the moon, it could not fail to -strike the most intrepid soul with awe and terror. - - - - -XII. - -KUM AND KASHAN. - - -The members of the little caravan had now been travelling together for -three days, and this short time was amply sufficient to establish the -friendliest feelings of good fellowship amongst them. Of course, no one -entertained the faintest suspicion of my being one of those Europeans, -the barest touch of whom renders a Shi-ite unclean, and with whom to eat -out of the same plate is a capital sin. In their eyes I was the Effendi -from Constantinople, the guest of the Turkish Embassy, who instigated by -a desire to travel was about to visit imperial Isfahan and Shiraz, the -paradise-like. I rapidly made friends with most of the company, although -some of the most obdurate Shi-ites could not refrain, at times, from -casting in my teeth the manifold wrong-doings of the Sunnites. One man -in particular, a shoemaker, whose tall green turban denoted his descent -from Ali, annoyed me with his everlasting reiterations of the sinful -usurpations of the three Caliphs. The quieter members of the company -would try to soothe his ruffled spirits on such occasions, and turn the -conversation into calmer channels; but my man very soon came back to the -charge, and waxing warm with his favourite topic, he would take hold of -the horse's bridle and talk with as much animation about the case of -succession mooted a trifle of twelve hundred years ago, as though the -whole affair had happened but yesterday. - -_Kum_, with its green cupolas, loomed up before our eyes on the fourth -day of our march. It is the sacred city of the Persian female world, for -here, in the company of 444 saints, repose in eternal sleep the remains -of Fatima, a sister to Imam (Saint) Riza, who, longing to see her -brother, undertook for that purpose a journey from Bagdad to Meshed, -but, on her way, was attacked by sickness in Kum, and died there. Kum, -like Kerbela, is a favourite place of burial for Persian women, who -cause their remains to be brought to this place from all parts of the -country. But the town of Kum enjoys the less enviable distinction of -being known as the abode of numerous evil-doers, owing to its having the -privilege of sanctuary; and he who is lucky enough to escape the hands -of the executioner, and to find a refuge within its sacred walls, is -safe from all molestation. - -Every member of our caravan was eager to visit Kum, some wanting to take -part in the penitential processions as pilgrims, others to make -purchases and to attend to their affairs. At a considerable distance -from Kum, the environs, like those of all places of resort for pilgrims, -are dotted by small heaps of stones, which are raised by the hands of -pious pilgrims, amidst the chanting of sacred psalms. Here and there a -bush can be seen, too, decorated with the gaudiest kind of rags which -are hanging on it. Every one is anxious to leave some mark of his -devotion in the neighbourhood; according to their inclinations, some -resort to stones, others to rags in the accomplishment of their -devotional duties. It is said that in former times another custom -prevailed by which travellers might pay their tribute of respect--every -passer-by would drive a nail into some tree on the road. I, too, -dismounted and hung upon a bush a red silk tassel from my keffie. What a -wonderful collection of fabrics from all parts of the world! On these -bushes are represented the costly handiwork of India and Cashmere, the -manufactures of England and America, and the humble frieze and coarse -linen of the nomadic Turkoman, Arab and Kurdistan tribes. Now and then -the eye is caught by a magnificent shawl suspended on the branches of a -bush, exciting no doubt the cupidity of more than one pious pilgrim -passing by; but it is perfectly safe, as no one would dare to touch it, -it being considered the blackest act of sacrilege to remove any of these -tokens of piety. - -Before reaching the town we had to pass a cemetery of extraordinary -dimensions, almost two English miles in length. My fellow-travellers, -however, perceiving my astonishment at the extent of the burial ground, -assured me that in point of size it could not be compared to that of -Kerbek. We were in Kum at last; our caravan put up at the caravansary in -the centre of the bazaar, and I learned with pleasure that we were to -take a two days' rest here. - -As pious pilgrims we allowed ourselves but little time for rest, and -shortly after our arrival, having washed and brushed our clothes, we -repaired to the holy tomb. No European before me ever saw the interior -of this sanctuary, for there is no power on earth to procure admission -to it for a Frengi. - -Innumerable Seids, entrusted with the custody of the tomb of their -"first ancestress," are camping in the outer courtyard, planted with -trees. A chapel with a richly gilded cupola rises in the centre of the -inner court. Twelve marble steps lead up to the door. The pilgrims -remove their shoes at the first of these steps; their arms or sticks are -taken away from them, and not until they have kissed the marble -threshold are they permitted to enter. The beholder is struck with the -extraordinary splendour of the interior of the chapel. The coffin, -enclosed by a strong trellised bar of solid silver, remains always -covered with a costly carpet. From the enclosure are suspended tablets -containing prayers, which the faithful either read themselves, or have -read to them by one of the numerous Seids who are loitering about. Any -amount of shouting, singing, weeping, and moaning, and vociferous -begging of the Seids is going on in the chapel; but this infernal din -does not interfere with the devotions of a great number of pious -pilgrims, who, leaning their foreheads against the cold bars of the -enclosure, gaze with fixed eyes upon the coffin, and mutter their silent -prayers. I particularly admired the many valuable and precious objects, -ornaments of pearls and diamonds, arms inlaid with gold, which were laid -down upon the tomb of St. Fatima as sacrificial gift-offerings. My -Bagdad costume offended the eye of many a person in the fanatic Shi-ite -crowd, but, thanks to the kindness of my fellow-travellers, I -experienced no annoyance whatever. From the tomb of Fatima the pilgrims -frequently go to the tombs of some of the great ones of the earth; and I -followed my companions to the tomb of Feth Ali Shah and his two sons, -who for some reason or other stood in particularly high favour with the -devout. The tomb was of the purest alabaster, and the portraits of the -departed ones were very cleverly carved into it on the outside. After -having thus accomplished our pious devotions, we felt at liberty to -wander back to the town and look at its remarkable sights. - -Here, as elsewhere, the first thing to look at was the bazaar. We were -just then in the season of ripe fruit, and the whole bazaar was filled -with the water-melons, which are so celebrated throughout all Persia. -The water-melon is, during autumnal months, the almost exclusive food of -one portion of the people of Iran, and its juice is frequently used in -case of sickness for its medicinal properties. The Kum bazaar is -remarkable not only for the abundance and delicacy of its water-melons, -but also for its earthenware, one variety of which in particular, a -long-necked pitcher, manufactured from potter's clay taken from the soil -of the sacred city, is highly valued in trade. As I was making my rounds -in the bazaar, examining everything, I happened to stop before a muslin -dyer's shop. The Persian tradesman was industriously engaged in stamping -and printing the rude stuff spread out before him, by means of stencils, -which had been previously dipped in a blue dye, pressing them down with -all his strength; and as he observed me looking at his doings, he turned -upon me angrily, and evidently taking me for a Frengi, exclaimed: "We -shall get rid of your expensive cotton fabrics, and will by and by know -all your tricks of trade; and when the Persians will be able to do -without Frengistan manufacture, I know you will all come begging to us." - -We left Kum on the third day after our arrival there, and passing -through several smaller places, where nothing worthy of note could be -seen, we came to _Kashan_, after a fatiguing march of two days. My -Persian fellow-travellers, long before we arrived in Kashan, were -praising up, in the most extravagant style, as usual, the beauty and -attractions of that town. For my part, the only thing of note I saw -there was the bazaar of the braziers, where the celebrated kettles of -Kashan are being manufactured. About eighty braziers' shops are standing -close to each other in a line, and in each of them muscular arms are -hammering away the whole blessed day. The brass wares manufactured here -are considered to be without rivals in point of solid workmanship and -elegance. Those highly polished bricks, which retain the brilliancy of -their shining colours for centuries, are said to have been invented in -this town. Formerly they were called bricks of Kashan, but now they are -known only by the name of Kashi, and serve as the chief ornaments in all -architectural monuments throughout Central Asia. The inhabitants had -also a great deal to tell about a dangerous species of scorpion, which -made Kashan their home, but from motives of hospitality never hurt a -stranger. I never came across any of these scorpions, but I had a great -deal to suffer from a no less annoying tribe of animals, the _lutis_ -(strolling comedians), who attack every stranger coming to Kashan, and -from whose clutches nothing can save you except a ransom in the shape of -some gift. About ten of them stood there looking out for me as I was -entering the caravansary, and immediately made a rush upon me, some -producing hideous earsplitting music with their fifes, drums and -trumpets, others showing off a dancing bear; and one of them, seating -himself opposite to me, engaged in a declamation, at the top of his -voice, of a panegyrical poem, in my honour, in which, to my utter -astonishment, I heard my name mentioned. Of course, he had managed to -ferret out my name from my companions. I bore the infliction for a -little while patiently enough, listening to this charivari of sounds, -but finally retired. But it was not an easy thing, by any means, to -effect my retreat, for I was followed, on the spot, by one of the -artists, evidently the chief of the strolling company, insisting upon -some remuneration; and although I argued with him that I was but a -beggar myself, he would not listen to reason, but bravely stood his -place until I had given him something. - -Leaving Kashan we had to proceed along a narrow mountain pass, flanked -by gigantic rocks and mountains of strange and fantastic shapes. The -moon shed a light almost as clear as that of the day, and the wonderful -tints in which the landscape before me was clothed seemed to vary and -change at every step we took. When we arrived beneath the great Bend, as -is called the large water-basin cut by Shah Abbas the Great into the -solid rock, in order to convey the waters produced by the snow melting -on the mountains to the sterile plain not far off, the scene before us -was startling in its rare and exceeding beauty. Although it was late in -autumn, the oval-shaped basin, formed by the enclosed valley, was -brimful of water, and the waterfall rushing down the rocky wall from a -height of fifty feet looked in the moonlit night, to borrow a Persian -phrase, like a river of diamonds. The deep roar of the waterfall is -heard far off in the stilly night, and the tired traveller coming from -the desert and quenching his thirst at the limpid waters of the basin, -would not exchange the refreshing and crystal-like fluid for all the -costly wines in the world. - -The road from _Kuhrud_ goes uphill for a time, and then inclines with a -rather abrupt slope towards the plain lying on the other side of the -mountain, where our next station was to be. The mornings had grown -rather chilly and the travellers used to dismount on the way and pick up -stray sticks of _buta_, a species of gumwood growing in bushes, which -burns very well in its green state, but blazes with a loud crackling -sound when dry. It is usual to raise a large pile of these sticks and -then kindle it; the travellers range themselves round the blazing fire -and afterwards resume their journey. We were standing for the second -time, on the same morning, around this sort of fire when we were -suddenly startled by the sound of voices, in the rear, mingling with -savage exclamations, as if people were quarrelling, and upon listening -attentively we heard two reports from firearms, and the loud yelling of -some person badly hurt. The whole caravan was thoroughly alarmed, and, -running in the direction whence the report of the firearm had proceeded, -found there lying on the ground one of our companions, with a shattered -arm. The affray had happened in this way. Several horsemen who were -conveying the annual taxes from Shiraz to Teheran had come up with a -couple of Jewish shopkeepers, whom they first insulted, and afterwards, -passing from insult to injury, were about to lay violent hands upon. One -of our company, a Persian, happening to be present, had pity on the poor -Jews, stood up in their defence and took the impudent fellows from -Shiraz rather roughly to task for their unbecoming conduct. One of the -horsemen, a hotheaded young fellow, became so enraged at this -interference, that he lifted his rifle and shot at the Jews. He -afterwards pretended that the whole thing had been a joke, that he -intended only to frighten one of the Jews by sending a bullet through -his tall fur cap, but that unluckily he missed his aim and hit, instead, -the Persian's arm. The incident so exasperated the whole caravan that -our men at once started in pursuit of the culprit, who had meanwhile -turned his horse's head and galloped away for his life, at a break-neck -speed, but he was finally overtaken, dreadfully beaten, spit at amid -loud curses, securely tied and brought back to the caravansary. Both the -Shiraz man, who was bruised all over, and our wounded companion being -unable to proceed either on foot or on horseback, they were placed side -by side each in a basket, upon the back of a mule, and in the course of -half an hour they were chatting away in the friendliest manner. They -tied up each other's wounds, consoled one another, and went so far in -their newborn friendship as to kiss each other; for according to the -Eastern way of thinking neither of them was to be held responsible for -what had happened. Fate had willed it so, and in its decrees every one -must acquiesce. - -In a village, called _Murtchekhar_, the judge of that place, evidently -desirous of currying favour with the governor of Shiraz, attempted to -liberate him, but the caravan stoutly refused to give him up, and only -delivered him over, later, into the hands of justice, at Isfahan. - -On the 13th of September I saw Isfahan, the former capital of Shah -Abbas, through the thin mist of the morning. Whenever a Persian, and, -especially a native of Isfahan, sets his eyes, after an absence of some -time, upon his native town he is sure to exclaim: "Isfahan is half the -world, but for Lahore," meaning thereby that Isfahan is, after Lahore, -the largest city in the world. But its beauty is only on the surface; -its streets are small, dirty and miserable. - - - - -XIII. - -FROM ISFAHAN TO THE SUPPOSED TOMB OF CYRUS. - - -The bazaar here, as in other cities, attracted my attention, it being -the centre of every Eastern town. For hours one can wander through these -lofty and covered streets, branching off in every direction and leading -to every part of the town, and a stranger, unless conducted by a -practical cicerone, may very easily lose his way. The sight of this -bazaar must have been a truly magnificent one while the town was in a -flourishing condition, but now it is almost deserted, and in the many -splendid and spacious shops only stray water-melon sellers still linger. - -A road leads from the bazaar to the celebrated _Meidani Shah_ (the -Shah's chief public square). This is an immense square, enclosed on -every side by shops, which were in olden times the marts for the most -costly articles of luxury, but are now crumbling into dust. I then -visited the mosque of Lutf Ali, the gates of which are said to have been -covered in ancient times with silver. From the balcony of this building -the view is a splendid one, and I enjoyed a truly impressive sight. -There lay stretched out before me the immense square of Meidani Shah, -and in my imagination I conjured up the ancient splendour of the city -and repeopled the square with surging crowds. I fancied I saw the great -Shah Abbas review from this very balcony thousands of his warriors who -had gathered from every part of Asia to pay homage to their powerful -king; the Persians who had inherited the horsemanship of the Parthians, -the Turkomans on their swift Arab steeds, the Afghans, the Georgians, -the Indians, the Armenians--these savage and stalwart forms of -antiquity, they all used to gather here. And to-day it is a sad and -forlorn desert, the silence of the grave brooding over it. One corner of -the square serves twice a week as a market-place for dealers in asses, -and occasionally, on a holiday, a green turbaned procession headed by -the chief priest may be seen passing through it. - -I had an opportunity of getting acquainted with all classes of the -inhabitants of Isfahan at the house of the Imam Djuma, _i.e._, the high -priest. He was the most influential priest in Persia, and at the capital -he went by the name of _Aga Buzurg_ (great lord). Indeed he was the real -Pope of the Shi-ite sect, and the letters of recommendation, brought -with me from Teheran, procured me admission to his house. I was very -cordially received by him and invited to call on him on the evening of -the following day. Aga Buzurg is one of those Seids whose descent from -the house of Ali is least doubted, and very proud he is of his origin. -The company I met there treated me as Shi-ites generally treat their -Sunnite guest--they could not refrain from occasionally launching out in -satirical and biting remarks. The master of the house only made a few -condemnatory remarks, blaming the government of Constantinople for its -friendship with the European Powers. But he did not omit to praise the -tolerance of the Sultan towards the Shi-ites, who could now journey, -unmolested, to Mecca and Medina, without being exposed to the annoyances -and outrages they had formerly to submit to. To avoid familiarity and -for the purpose of preserving his dignity, he was very chary of his -words, and retired very soon after supper was over. - -I found the middle classes of Isfahan to be remarkably cultivated. There -were shoemakers, tailors and shopkeepers who knew hundreds of verses of -their best poets by heart, and were quite familiar with the masterpieces -in the literature of their country. They are, as a rule, very -intelligent, poetic, and quick at a telling retort. Malcolm, the -excellent English writer on Persia, relates the story how, at the time -when most of the high offices in the Persian towns were filled by -relatives of the Vezir Hadji Ibrahim, a merchant who was unable to pay -his taxes was summoned to the presence of a brother of Hadji Ibrahim, -the governor of Isfahan, and upon entering was addressed by the latter, -in an angry tone of voice, as follows: - -"If thou art not able to pay like the others, begone, get thee gone!" - -"Where shall I go?" asked the merchant. - -"Go to Shiraz or Kashan." - -"Oh, sir, then it would be going from the frying-pan into the fire, for -thy cousin is governing in one place, and thy uncle in the other." - -"Then go to the king and make complaint." - -"This would not help me much, either, for there again thy brother is -prime minister." - -"Then go to h----," thundered at him the irate governor. - -"Oh, sir, it is not so very long that thy sainted father, the pious -Hadji, is dead," retorted the witty Persian. - -The governor thereupon burst out laughing, and said: "Since thou findest -it so hard to be reconciled to my relatives, I will pay thy debts for -thee." - -I occupied in Isfahan the same lodgings as my fellow-traveller, the -singer of elegies. He found here ample opportunity to practise his art, -and exhibited his performances several times during the day, at the -bazaar and in the courtyards of the mosques. He yelled, bellowed, wept, -indulged in the most heartrending lamentations, and could, at his -pleasure, set going "the fruitful river in the eye" and shed a shower of -veritable tears. But on returning home, after the day's hard work was -over, the spirit of tragedy deserted him at once, and he gave way to the -merriest and most rollicking humour. I went, in his company, amongst -people of every kind and rather mixed societies, but he was a man -commanding respect everywhere. He would at first sing a sacred song or -two and then pass over to worldly ones; and although he wore a green -turban in token of his descent from the family of the Prophet, he drank -like a trooper. - -The inhabitants of Isfahan are very proud of their city; they are rather -conceited, and think themselves better than the rest of the Persians. -The king and the royal family, with their Turkish soldiery, are dreaded -and hated by them. They look upon the authority of Imam Djuma as -superior to that of the king. Fabulous accounts are circulated about the -immense wealth of that chief priest, who keeps a thousand _lutis_ -(strolling players) in his hire. These lutis spread amongst the people -wonderful accounts of the chief priest's miraculous power, and it is -they who scatter broadcast the vilest slanders concerning the royal -family, for the king having power over everybody except the chief priest -of Isfahan, the relations between him and Imam Djuma were never of the -friendliest kind. - -I passed two weeks in Isfahan and had an excellent opportunity to see -the noteworthy sights and to observe all the classes of society in the -town. We made arrangements with the same leader of the caravan who -brought us to this place concerning the continuation of our journey, and -almost the entire company met at the appointed time at a caravansary -outside the town. We wasted three more days here, and I employed the -time in making short excursions in the neighbourhood. Of the remarkable -things I saw I will mention only the movable towers of _Munare -Djomdjom_. The two towers are on the mosque of the village of -_Khaledan_, about an hour's distance from Isfahan. They are about twelve -feet high and stand about twenty paces apart. I stepped with my guide on -the terrace, and upon his seizing hold of, and shaking with all his -might, one of the towers, I became sensible of a motion like that caused -by an earthquake not only in the other tower, but in the entire front of -the building. This remarkable building, the secret of whose architecture -has descended into the grave with its builder, has been considerably -damaged by the frequent exhibition of its movableness. The Persians -attribute the miracle to the saint reposing beneath it. - -We left Isfahan at last, and proceeded on our way in the direction of -the mountains lying to the south. Upon reaching an eminence I took -another look at the endless mass of houses, gardens and ruins. Our -caravan, which consisted of three divisions, two having joined us for -our journey to Shiraz, now numbered above 150 animals and about sixty -passengers, and even on this much-travelled road we were looked upon as -a caravan of considerable size. The combining of the three caravans -into one was caused by the fear of certain nomadic Persian tribes who -were camped amongst the mountains to the right, and who were in the -habit of attacking and plundering smaller caravans either from avarice -or as a pastime. Only a few days had passed since a smaller caravan had -been roughly treated by them. In the East, however, people are fond of -inventing such stories. Many a time one is told, "At this place ten men -were killed yesterday," "The day before, at another place, a merchant -was set upon and robbed;" but the traveller need not take fright at -these accounts, for he may be sure that the events related either -happened ten years ago, or did not occur at all. Indeed our party of -travellers had no need of the frightful stories with which they had been -regaling each other on the eve of their departure to make their courage -ooze out, for to a man they were remarkably deficient in that valuable -article, the virtue of courage. Since the Persian in general is looked -upon in all Asia as a most cowardly creature, who is scared to death by -his own shadow, one may easily imagine the state of mind of a caravan -consisting chiefly of pilgrims, merchants and mollahs. It was rather -amusing to see them keeping close to, and crowding, each other in their -fright, although we were only at a distance of two hours from the town. -They were conversing in whispers as if a single loudly spoken word might -have brought down upon them the most frightful calamities. One man who -was conveying wine with which he had loaded four of his mules, was -peremptorily made to leave our ranks at the instigation of a devout -mollah, lest his sinful merchandise might bring bad luck to the entire -company of the truly faithful. It was in vain the poor mule driver -whiningly insisted that he had never tasted a drop of wine all his -life, and that he was conveying this abhorred beverage to Bombay where -the godless Frengis would drink it; in vain he swore by all the saints -of the calendar he did not even know if the wine were red or white; he -had to leave the caravan and keep a distance of a hundred feet between -himself and it. - -Next day we arrived at _Kumisheh_, which is near to the dangerous place -about which we had heard so many frightful stories. About an hour before -our departure my Arab friend, the sacred singer, thought that this was a -fitting moment to collect about him the whole company and to chant one -of his elegies, in order, as he said, to invoke the prophet's protection -on our perilous journey, but in reality that a few coins might wander -from the pockets of the deeply affected faithful into his own. The -rawzekhan's proposition was immediately acquiesced in. The Persian is -prepared at any moment to lament the death of his favourite prophet, -particularly of the martyred Hussein; and it does not give him the -slightest trouble, though the moment before he may have been in the -merriest of moods, to shed copious tears in listening to the singer's -elegy. The songster from Bagdad was soon surrounded by the whole -company, and he hardly came to the end of the fourth canto of his -morning song, when there arose such a wailing and weeping as if the -nearest relation of every one of the listeners were lying stark dead -before him. The performer usually seizes this moment to rise, tear away -his dress from his breast, and to exclaim, clenching his fists: "O ye -true believers, behold thus I shall strike my breast with penitence and -pity for poor Hussein, yes, for Hussein!" His last words are repeated by -all the men of the company; gigantic fists are soon pounding away at -stalwart chests, frequently keeping in the pounding such excellent time -as to resemble the regular tramp of an approaching troop of horsemen. A -pious fellow happened to observe that, with Sunnite perverseness, I did -not thump my chest with sufficient violence, and having attentively -listened to the sound produced by my fist and not finding it hollow -enough, he furiously exclaimed: "Look at this Sunnite dog; he does not -consider our Hussein worthy of more powerful strokes on his breast. Just -wait; I shall show him how to strike his breast." With this he -approached me with his uplifted fist of iron. If he had struck me I -should, probably, have had reason to remember it all my life; but thanks -to the kind offices of my friends, particularly the Seid, the matter -proceeded no further. A friend of mine held his arm back in the nick of -time, quieting him by saying: "Let that Sunnite be! though he do not -strike his breast in this life, Azrail (the Angel of Death) will beat it -all the more for him in the next world." - -We safely left the place alleged to be dangerous without having come to -harm, and the caravan, now considerably relieved, proceeded on their -journey towards _Yezdekhast_. The country around us became more and more -flat; the desert, in the centre of which the celebrated city of Yezd is -situated, extending to the east. The sun had already risen high when we -passed through the arid grass-covered plain, its level stretch being -interrupted only here and there by gently undulating ground. I had been -informed by my companions that the country abounded in game and -especially in gazelles. And, indeed, in looking steadily at a dark dot -in the distance, I soon discovered it to be a whole herd of these timid -creatures of the desert, who scent the approach of a caravan from afar -and fly from them with the swiftness of a bird. I had some difficulty at -first in recognizing the gazelles at a distance, the colour of their fur -resembling that of the sun-dried grass of the plain; and when my -companions called out "The ahuan, the ahuan!" (The gazelles, the -gazelles!), I could see nothing, until my eyes became accustomed to -distinguish their white hind parts from the dry grass. Just as with us -the hare is supposed to be the embodiment of timidity, even so the -gazelle is looked upon in the East as the hare's counterpart in this -particular. A herd of above a hundred gazelles is seized with a panic at -the sudden rising of a bird, or the mere stirring of a leaf. If the -hound but approaches the gazelle, it throws itself upon its back with -its legs up and looks at one with such a pitiful expression out of its -lustrous melancholy eyes, that one cannot help feeling for the poor dumb -animal. As my eyes were following the flight of the gazelles, I suddenly -caught sight of a mirage rising in the south-east. These deceptive -illusions of the air are by no means of infrequent occurrence in the -Persian plain. Although they do not equal in grandeur similar -atmospheric phenomena in the great desert of Turkestan, yet, even in -that fainter form, they never fail to strike the imagination of the -traveller. As I was gazing upon the floating forms and buildings, it -seemed to me as if they were the same which had delighted my eyes years -ago on the great plain of the beautiful Hungarian Alfoeld (Lowland). -Then, too, leaning against the tall pole of a well, I was gazing at the -far-stretching plain which, panting and thirsting, was "dreaming of the -sea." The mirage recalled my own beautiful country, so far off, and when -suddenly a rising cloud of dust concealed the fairy spectacle from my -view, it seemed to scatter my day-dreams to the winds. - -The province of Fars begins beyond Yezdekhast, and its inhabitants -differ from the Persians as much, I should say, as the Neapolitans do -from the inhabitants of Northern Italy; their complexion is darker, they -are more vivacious, their feelings are more excitable, and they are -more quickwitted. The greater portion of the inhabitants make a living -by the caravans that are passing through their country. _Shulghistan_, -our first station in Fars, is noted for the tomb of a saint, supposed to -be the son of Imam _Zein ul Abedin_. Of this tomb it is told that, some -time ago, it had been attacked by enemies, who were all struck blind -upon entering the sanctuary. A blind beggar at the gate of the tomb was -shown as one of the sacrilegious band, who desired to end his days -repenting. I was sufficiently interested to wish to hear the account -from the lips of the blind beggar himself, and questioned him about this -occurrence; but he admitted to me that his blindness proceeded from -other causes, and that he had never been connected with a band of -robbers. Yet he willingly passed himself off for an evil-doer punished -by God in order to get his share of the alms distributed by the devout. - -In leaving Shulghistan we were joined on our way by a horseman of -distinguished appearance, followed by a number of servants, whose place -of destination was the same as ours. He seemed to be mustering closely -the members of the caravan, as if trying to make up his mind whom he -should choose for his associate during the journey. After a while he -approached me with the friendliest salutation. I soon found out that he -was going to visit the governor of Fars, by orders of the Shah, in order -to collect last year's arrears, amounting to 50,000 ducats. The Shah had -been repeatedly urging the remittance of the sum, but it was never sent. -The Khan was now ordered by the Shah to send the unremitting governor to -prison for a few days; and should this punishment fail to produce the -desired effect to withdraw for a couple of days his _kallian_ -(water-pipe) from him. This peculiar method of collecting debts is by -no means rare in Persia. The Khan was a person of refinement and -culture; he was very tolerant, and to him Sunnite or Shi-ite was the -same thing. He saw in me the most travelled and experienced man in the -caravan, and had therefore joined me, of which I was all the more glad, -as it had procured for me a very agreeable fellow-traveller. When we -arrived at our next station, Abade, we took a lodging together, and also -took our meals together. - -From _Abade_ we went towards _Surma_, and we met on our night's march -with several smaller caravans, consisting mostly of pilgrims, who were -either bound for Kerbela, in the west, or Meshed, in the east. In Persia -the number of pilgrims, especially during the seasons of spring and -autumn, amounts to hundreds of thousands. The poorest Persian will spend -all his savings, nay, even starve, in order to take part in such a -pilgrimage. The caravan we met with had come from the neighbourhood of -_Bender Bushir_, and was going to Kerbela. The journey there takes sixty -days, and the journey back as much again. The lively intercourse on the -highways of Persia is chiefly dependent upon these pious travellers. It -is no rare thing to see amongst them children ten years of age, and aged -women eighty years old. If two such caravans meet on the road, those -returning generally tell the pilgrims on their way to the holy places, -"Pray for me;" and receive for an answer, "May thy pilgrimage be -blessed." Both parties are deeply moved, and generally embrace each -other upon these occasions; indeed the most indifferent will feel -somewhat affected upon hearing, far off, in the stillness of the night, -the _Illahie_ (hymns) of the pilgrims. I had heard much to excite my -curiosity with regard to our next station. Many notable ruins of ancient -times may be seen in _Maderi Suleiman_, and the Persians think that the -tomb of King Solomon's mother is amongst them; but I had no difficulty -in identifying the village of Maderi Suleiman, lying in the plain of -_Passargada_, as the one where the tomb of _Cyrus_ is supposed to be. In -descending the gentle slope of the low range of mountains and entering -the open valley before us, I was delighted to discover on the right of -our road several statues gilded by the first rays of the rising sun. The -slow pace of the caravan rendered me impatient, and I finally left them, -hastening by myself through thin and thick towards the mausoleum, which -rose higher and higher as I approached, and when the caravan with their -deliberate gait at last reached the station, I was found there seated -already on a huge marble step. - - - - -XIV. - -PERSEPOLIS. - - -The first thing that strikes the eyes of the traveller on the flat land -of ancient Passargada is that mausoleum, of which Persians say that it -contains the remains of King Solomon's mother, but which some -antiquarians allege to be the tomb of Cyrus, whilst others, denying -this, maintain that it commemorates some unknown hero of antiquity. It -is built of huge marble blocks, and stands upon a marble base formed by -six marble slabs of enormous thickness placed one upon the other; each -slab terrace-like diminishing the higher it is placed, and the whole -forming six steps. The structure above it is a room, the floor and -ceiling of which consists each of one enormous block of marble. The -narrow low entrance is always open. The Mohammedans use the interior of -the room for their devotions, and several Korans are always lying about -for that purpose. After I had with great difficulty clambered up the -huge steps and gained admission to the interior of the mausoleum, I was -struck with awe at the sight before me. I gazed for some time with -astonishment at the huge blocks, to move which from their places seemed -an utter impossibility. The names of numerous celebrated European -travellers could be seen carved into the marble steps, whilst the walls -were covered with a great many Arabic and Persian inscriptions. I was -just engaged in deciphering the latter when a Persian, apparently -belonging to the nomadic tribes living in tents in this part of the -country, came up to me, evidently in the hope of earning a few pennies -by doing a guide's business, and said, "Hadji, there are no such huge -blocks to be seen in Bagdad, are there? But come with me, I shall show -thee others like them. Come and look at the ruins of ancient Guzi." I -immediately followed him to the ruins of the ancient palace, popularly -called "Solomon's Throne." At some distance may be seen a large arch of -a gate, built of black marble. If a Persian sees a stranger admiring the -beauty of these ruins, or astonished at the size of the stones, he -invariably volunteers the following remark: "Art thou not aware that -Solomon could freely dispose of the _divs_ (devils) and all the spirits -of the lower regions? It cost him but a nod of his head, and the spirits -sailing through the air brought him the largest stones and the most -costly objects from India, Tchin-u-Matchin (China) and from Kuhi Kaff." - -We continued our journey toward _Sivend_, going for several hours -through a mountain gap. We did not visit the village, but went up to an -eminence near by, where its inhabitants lived during the summer. We -found there about 120 huts standing in a line, close to each other. The -whole settlement resembled a bazaar; and as the huts were closed on -three sides and always remained wide open on the fourth, the huts and -everything in them were open to every one alike, as much as if all the -huts had formed but one house. One hundred and twenty families live here -together in simple patriarchal fashion; and although there be rich and -poor amongst them, a theft rarely occurs. Indeed people said that the -population of the whole village were the descendants of one common -ancestor, and lived together on terms of the most intimate relationship; -and that, even to this day, they were governed by the head of the -family, who was both judge and priest to them, and lived apart in a -white tent. - -[Illustration: TAKH-TA-RA-WAN (A Moving Throne used by the Persian -Nobility).] - -In leaving this place, on the 2nd of October, we proceeded towards the -most interesting parts of Persia. The caravan was not far from _Kenare_, -in the vicinity of which the celebrated ruins of Persepolis are to be -seen. With the prospect of soon seeing these ruins before me, I found -the progress of the caravan rather slow, and determined to visit them by -myself, after having inquired of some of my companions, who knew the -country throughout, the shortest road leading to them. The caravan had -left Sivend before midnight, and when we arrived at the promontory where -the extensive plain of _Mardesht_ begins, I separated from them, and, -keeping continually to the left, I followed the mountain track. For some -time yet I heard through the calm night the monotonous jingling of the -caravan bells. I marched on with watchful eyes, looking out all the time -for the much-mentioned ruins, the remarkable architectural monuments of -remote antiquity. After lapse of about a quarter of an hour there loomed -up in the dubious light of the dawning morning tall forms, looking like -so many spectres. The stillness around me seemed awful, and the clatter -of my animal's small shoe sounded far away in the unpeopled solitude. I -now came to the celebrated steps, so familiar to most people through -engravings of them. At sight of them I paused, deeply moved, and stood -motionless for a few minutes. I dismounted, and, drawing nearer, I went -up the steps with feelings of piety and profound veneration, then passed -through the gigantic gate to the row of columns. I sat down on a large -block and, sunk in deep reverie, gazed upon the columns and the ruins -around me; and sitting there for a long time without stirring, it seemed -to me as if the spectacle of these ruins of four thousand years ago had -turned me, too, into a statue. The sublimity of the ancient monuments of -Persepolis cannot fail deeply to affect the traveller from whatever -point of view he may have approached them for the first time, even if he -has seen them in broad daylight. My feelings, then, may be easily -imagined, who had been longing to see them with feverish impatience, and -saw them suddenly burst upon my sight in the spectral twilight of the -early dawn. As I sat gazing with wrapt attention at the tall columns, -they appeared to me like gigantic forms which had risen from the remote -past of forty centuries to tell me, the traveller who had strayed here -from the far West, in language mute but eloquent, of the marvels of past -ages in the East. I did not awake from my reverie until the sun had -risen from behind the mountains and touched with golden tints the heads -of the columns, showing their exquisite workmanship. And in a moment, as -if a huge curtain had been suddenly drawn aside, a very different -spectacle presented itself to my dazzled eyes--Persepolis bathing in a -sea of brilliant light. The sombre blocks of marble, the darkling -columns and walls all disappeared as if by enchantment, and in their -places, glowing in a flood of golden sunshine, beckoned to me on every -side exquisitely carved capitals of columns, reliefs of wonderful -beauty, all so natural, so fresh as if the last sounds of the chisel had -just died away. One sculptured relief shows a solemn procession, in -which every man is walking with measured step; on another a troop of -prisoners, chained to each other by their necks, are advancing slowly in -front of the proud victor; another again represents a gigantic man -struggling with a monster. Looking up you see, in several places, a king -sitting, with earnest mien, on his throne, before him the sacred fire -blazing, and at back of him standing two servants, one holding a long -staff, and the other a sun umbrella. The finished accuracy shown in the -dresses and the figures is truly admirable; but the wonderful art -exhibited in the shaping of the features and in the various expressions -of the human countenance is what lends such a peculiar charm to these -reliefs, and makes one almost imagine that the cold marble will speak. - -I passed three days among these remarkable ruins, which kindle not only -the fervid imagination of the young traveller, but rouse the enthusiasm -of grave thinkers and antiquarians rich in knowledge and experience. One -is at a loss to know which more to admire, the extraordinary manual -skill, or the exquisite taste visible everywhere, in every part of the -preserved ruins. Here, as in Egypt, may be seen huge blocks of stone, -from forty to fifty feet long, fitted together, in spite of their -enormous weight, with such nicety that one can only with great -difficulty discover the place where they are joined. - -I met in the immediate neighbourhood of Persepolis with nomadic Turks, -who were overjoyed at seeing me, a supposed countryman of theirs. The -Turkish language is not spoken much in Fars, and these poor people -seemed so delighted with the chance of having a talk in their own -language, that in the kindness of their hearts they provided me, during -my whole stay, with bread and milk, and even took care of my ass. Some -of these men advised me strongly not to remain over night at the ruins -on account of the innumerable evil spirits that haunted them, and told -me that the devs and djins were making an infernal noise. They said that -_Thakhti Djemshid_ (Djemshid's Throne)--the native name for -Persepolis--was the work of the fabled king Djemshid. - -This king is said to have had a cup, with which he had only to touch his -lips, in order to realize all his heart's desires; at the mere touch of -the cup, stones would come flying from the east, and artists from the -west. The numerous verses and inscriptions on every part of the walls -testify to the great respect entertained by the Persians for Persepolis. -The legend has it that these buildings stood intact and strong for ever -so long a time, and that during that time Persia was happy and -flourishing, and no sort of harm or misfortune ever befell her. Later on -the Arabs came, and they envied the Shi-ites for these wonderful -buildings, and in their envy they mutilated the statues and figures, -threw down the columns and left everywhere the traces of their -destructive spirit. After them came the Frengis, over Bender Bushir -(from India), to gratify their passion for treasures; they ransacked the -place and took away with them immense quantities of gold and diamonds. -The Frengis carried away besides large blocks of stone for talismans. -Since that time adversity and misery had been the lot of Persia; Shiraz -was visited by an earthquake, then came the cholera, the famine, and so -forth. - -This is the account the Persians give of the ruins, but the Turkish -Nomads, the remains of the former Seldjuk armies, look at them in a -very different light. To them the masterpieces of architecture and -sculpture are objects of the utmost indifference, and they will often -pull down the proudest and most admirable monument for the sake of -obtaining a few ounces of the lead which holds together the several -segments or portions of the gigantic columns. The children are delighted -to see one of these columns come down by itself; they immediately make a -rush at it, and scoop the lead out of the crevices of the stones. -Sometimes they manage to obtain, after all this wanton destruction, lead -enough for a couple of bullets; but the vandalism of the Turks cares -very little about the damage done to works of art. - -I felt a special interest in the names of the older and more recent -Asiatic travellers, which I found carved in many places about the ruins. -I met with even Hebrew inscriptions dating, it is alleged, from the time -of the first captivity of the Jews, and written by the unfortunate men -then dragged into slavery. Most names were those of renowned English -travellers; of German names there were comparatively few, and I grieved -at not being able to find a single Hungarian after two days' search. I -asked myself if I were the first of my countrymen who had visited this -interesting country with its remarkable ruins. Next day, I was delighted -to come across the following Hungarian inscription, "Marothi Istvan, -1839," in a recess of a window, as I was examining the base of an -immense structure, built of black marble. I examined my countryman's -writing with a childish triumph; and to relieve its loneliness, I added -my own name for companionship, writing above the latter, "Eljen a -Magyar!" (Hungary for ever!) - -A caravan, camping outside the village and consisting mostly of pilgrims -returning from Kerbela, was starting a little after midnight. I joined -it, and on the following morning I was glad to learn that I had every -reason to be satisfied with having done so, for all of the travellers -came from _Zerkum_, the place nearest to Shiraz. They had passed the -night here, although it is not far from their native place, in order to -afford time to their relatives and friends, to whom they had sent -information of their approach, to make the necessary preparations for -their festive reception. As we drew near the village we were met by -crowds of people, who were constantly reinforced by newcomers, and there -was no end to shaking of hands, embracing and kissing. Every one of the -pilgrims from Kerbela was surrounded by a group of village people, and -not only he himself, but his ass, too, were carried home in triumph. As -we were marching along the streets of the village, I could not help -admiring the patience with which the pilgrims bore the ever-increasing -felicitations of the villagers. Some of them, especially the stouter -ones, were freely perspiring from the many embraces, but they all -heroically endured the infliction; nay, they delighted in it, for to -have visited Hussein's the beloved martyr's tomb, was tantamount to -having been raised above the common herd, and to embrace such a lucky -mortal was worth nearly half a pilgrimage to Kerbela. - -I left Zerkum in the company of a _tcharvadar_ (owner of animals of -burden) and his men, and we proceeded together to Shiraz. These people -were from Shiraz, and having been absent from their native place for a -long time, they were impatient to get there. Every Persian is given to -exaggeration in speaking of the sights and wonders of his native city, -but these men went beyond anything I had yet experienced in the way of -civic glorification, and I could not help looking forward to something -extraordinary in Shiraz. The recollection of some verses by Hafiz, full -of praises of the shores of _Ruknabad_ and the flowery places of -_Musalla_, which I had retained in my memory, contributed to raise my -expectations to the highest pitch. We had been advancing for about half -an hour when the shout of "Ruknabad! Ruknabad!" burst simultaneously -from the lips of my companions. I immediately dismounted, thinking we -should have to pass over the bridge, crossing the river, and wishing, in -doing so, to lead my animal by the bridle; but my pains were all wasted. -The Ruknabad river, of which poets deemed it right to sing, had shrunk -into an insignificant brook hardly three spans wide, the shallow waters -of which gaily leap over its gravel bottom. - -I own my expectation about Shiraz received, at this sight, a slight -shock, nor were my drooping spirits revived by the appearance of the -surrounding country. Cold, bare rocks were staring at me on every side; -there was not the slightest trace of vegetation of any kind; yet my -companions kept assuring me that we were quite near to Shiraz. We -reached at last an opening, called _Tenghi Allah Ekber_ (the pass of -Allah Ekber) by the Persians. From this place the traveller obtains his -first view of the wide-spreading valley below him, in the centre of -which rises the city of Shiraz. - - - - -XV. - -SHIRAZ. - - -The sight of Shiraz, standing in the midst of groves of thickly planted -cypress trees, is quite a relief for the eye, wearied with the -monotonous look-out upon the barren desert and bare rocks. The natives -say that looking at the enchanting capital of Southern Persia from the -spot whence I first saw it, the stranger in his admiration involuntarily -bursts out into the customary "Allah Ekber" (God is greatest), and that -the place owes its appellation to this exclamation. The eye, wandering -over the extensive valley, meets everywhere, as far as it can reach, the -exquisite dark green of the cypress. The city is fringed by a garland of -cypress gardens, through which a wide brook meanders like a silvery -ribbon. Proud edifices rear their heads both inside and outside the -walls of the city, the brilliant cupola of the Shah Tchirag mosque -looming up most conspicuously. Beyond and opposite to it the -far-stretching plain is bordered by a lofty chain of mountains -stretching through Kazerun as far as the shores of the Gulf of Persia. -Thus the valley is screened by natural walls of rock both to the north -and south, and Shiraz stands foremost amongst all the cities of Persia -in the matter of climate, fertility and purity of air. - -Shiraz owes its fertility especially to its great abundance of water. -Its vegetation is so luxuriant that roses and other flowers are blooming -throughout the whole year, the plants renewing their sweet-smelling -crops every month. The fields are covered with a green sward, and whilst -in other parts of Persia the favourite mutton can be got but twice in -the year, it can be obtained here throughout all seasons. But what -challenges most the admiration of the Western traveller is the -exquisitely pure air, the beauty of its blue sky, excelling in these all -other parts of Persia, the whole of Asia and, I may add, every country -in the world. The air in Shiraz, in spite of its southern position, is -bracing enough, and I do not at all wonder that the people, under the -influence of their benign climate, are fond of pleasure, and pass their -lives in continual amusements and everlasting merry-making. They have a -proverb which says: - - "In Isfahan many scholars and artists may be, - But dancers, singers and drinkers only in Shiraz you see." - -And, indeed, I do not know of a town in Persia, the inhabitants of which -are as merry and jovial as those of Shiraz. Centuries have passed by -since Hafiz, the glorifier of wine, sung his odes here, but a sojourn of -a very few days in the capital of Fars will convince any one that the -people of Shiraz have not modified a hair's breadth their views of life -since the time of Hafiz. Everybody indulges freely in wine in spite of -the rigid inhibition of the Mohammedan law. The poor journeyman, the -mechanic, the official, and even the priests, begin their libations as -soon as the dusk of evening sets in, and keep up their merry-making -until midnight, and even later. - -As I had now reached the end of my immediate journey, and intended to -make a protracted stay, I took lodgings at the large court of the -mosque. I sold my animal, and although the funds I had brought with me -were considerably reduced, my future gave me little concern, -considering, especially, the abundance and cheapness of food. True to my -part of a dervish, I wandered through the streets of the city, on the -first day of my arrival, and made the acquaintance of a great many -people. Of course, my acquaintances, being zealous Shi-ites, never -neglected an opportunity in my presence of cruelly vilifying Omar and -his associates; but seeing that I bore their vituperations of my saints -very meekly, they were highly pleased with me, and I made so many -friends during the first weeks of my stay that they rendered my life -very agreeable. - -One day, I happened to learn that a European, a native of Sweden, was -living in the city and practising as a physician. My love of adventure -immediately suggested to me the propriety of paying him a visit; but I -determined, as a matter of precaution, to keep up my incognito and to -appear before him as a dervish. When I entered his room with the -dervish's salutation of "Ya hu! Ya hakk!" the good doctor immediately -put his hand in his pocket, in order to get rid of me by a gift of a few -coins, the usual way of dismissing a dervish. - -"What, dost thou give me money?" I exclaimed. "I come to seek thy -confidence, not thy money. I come from a far-off country. I am sent to -thee by my chief, to convert thee from the false religion that thou -followest and to lead thee to the path of the true faith. I am charged -by the Sheikh of Bagdad to make a Mussulman of thee." - -The doctor to whom such attempts at proselytizing were by no means new, -replied with a suppressed smile: - -"This is all very fine, very fine, my dervish, yet it is not usual to -try conversion in such a commanding way, but by convincing, affecting -and eloquent speech. How canst thou prove to me that thy chief has sent -thee to me, and that he can work miracles?" - -"Hast thou any doubts about it? One syllable from my master is enough to -bestow the knowledge of all the sciences and languages of the world. -Thou art a Frengi, and speakest probably many tongues. Put me to trial -in any language." - -The doctor stared at me, and I had some difficulty in maintaining my -reserve. Finally he addressed me in Swedish, his native language. - -"Swedish," I said, "I know that language as well as thou dost." As a -proof I recited to him a few verses from Tegner's "Frithiofs Saga," -which, having been my favourite reading in my youth, came vividly back -to my memory. The doctor's surprise knew no bounds. He began to try me -in German, and to his astonishment I readily answered him in German, -too. He did not fare any better with his attempt to upset me with French -and English; and after having exchanged with him a few words in various -languages, I returned to Persian and recited very impressively a verse -from the Koran for the good of his soul. The poor man was utterly -stupified, but when he began to take to guessing at my real nationality, -I abruptly rose and made the following farewell speech: "I will give -thee time to reflect until eight o'clock to-morrow morning; either thou -wilt turn Mussulman, or thou shalt feel the power of my master." - -I returned to my quarters, but I had scarcely got out of bed next -morning when I found the good doctor waiting for me. His curiosity did -not allow him to wait until I came. I continued the old game with him at -first, but finally I dropped the mask, and told him who I was. The -delight of the doctor was great, and we embraced as if we had been two -brothers. "I immediately thought you were a European," he said, "but -your Persian talk made me doubt of it." He inquired about Teheran and -his acquaintances there, and insisted, after we had been talking for -some time, upon my gathering up my things and following him to his -dwelling, in order to remain his guest as long as I desired it. To my -Persian friends I pretended that I made my stay with the doctor in order -to receive instructions in alchemy from him, a science which he was -known to have cultivated before, and, besides, my living with him seemed -less strange to them from the fact of Europeans in Shiraz living -entirely in Persian fashion. I passed six of the pleasantest weeks at -his hospitable house. I chiefly employed my time in studying the -customs, manners and modes of life of the interesting inhabitants of -Shiraz. The most striking feature about them is their extreme -excitability and irritability. Everybody, without exception, carries a -two-edged curved poniard in his girdle, and is ready to make use of it -on the slightest provocation or difference of opinion. Nor is there -another city in Persia where so many lives are taken in such a careless -manner. Once I was witnessing a richly dressed Persian walking -superciliously along the narrow side walk of the bazaar whilst another -Persian came from the opposite direction. The latter, in his hurry, did -not know exactly which side to take in order to pass the former, and, -as is usually the case on such an occasion, danced before the irate -Persian from right to left. The latter, who evidently belonged to the -better classes, drew his poniard without another word, and mortally -stabbed the innocent man. This happened in broad daylight, in the -presence of thousands of people; it may thus be easily imagined what -frightful things are occurring in the darkness and seclusion of night. -The dreadful cases one daily hears of make one's blood curdle; but the -punishment dealt out by the Government is not a whit behind these -atrocities in their extreme ferocity. To have the belly split open, the -limbs maimed, and to be torn to pieces by horses are, by no means, -unusual punishments, and once it happened that the governor caused four -culprits to be buried together in a pit and had burning lime poured over -them afterwards. - -One day, in the company of my kind host, I visited the grave of _Saadi_, -the celebrated poet and moralist. It stands in a secluded gorge of the -valley, and over it is a very fine building erected by _Kerim Khan_ and -surrounded by a little garden kept in excellent order. Mounting several -steps, we first passed through sundry minor chambers, until we came to a -large open hall, in the centre of which rose a marble sarcophagus, -bearing masterly inscriptions in Arabic. In the water-basin of the -garden there used formerly to be fish, and it is said that the -enthusiastic visitors of Saadi's grave would hang golden rings on them, -to steal which was looked upon as the greatest sacrilege. There is a -small village in the neighbourhood of the grave called _Saadi_ in honour -of the great poet, and a gate in the city, looking towards the grave, -bearing the name of _Dervazi Saadi_ (Saadi's gate), as well as a bridge, -christened _Pul Saadi_; which are all evidence of the veneration in -which he is held to this day. But this great poet and scholar is an -object of veneration not only to the people of Persia but to every -Mohammedan in the Asiatic world. His _Gulistan_ (Grove of Roses, the -title of his book) is read with admiration and rapture in the middle of -China as well as on the extremest borders of Africa. Wherever schools -are attended by Mohammedan youths, there the Gulistan is sure to form -the basis of instruction. European scholars have long since appreciated -and admired the undying freshness of his style, his brilliant language -and his witty and telling similitudes. In one of the chambers of the -mausoleum I came across a respectable-looking grey-headed man, whose -clean garb and mild aspect formed a strange contrast to the dervish's -hat, denoting his calling. With engaging good humour he hastened to -address me, and I learned in the course of conversation that he was a -native of India, and that, prompted by his veneration for Saadi, he had -resigned his rank and given up his wealth at home, in order to pass the -remaining days of his life at the tomb of the great man. It is known -that Saadi was a dervish himself, but unlike the majority of that tribe -who assume the _Khirka_ (dervish's garb) in furtherance of their own -worldly aims, Saadi went roving about for thirty years meeting with -numerous adventures during his wanderings. He was, in turn, a servant, a -slave, a lord and celebrated scholar; and he even assumed the religion -of the worshippers of Vishnu, in order to extend and increase his -knowledge of all things. He despised wealth and the favour of princes, -and sought his only happiness in--as the Orientals metaphorically -express it--"perforating with the diamond of his soul the precious -stones of his experiences, and after gathering them on the string of -eloquence, hanging them for a talisman around the neck of posterity." -The grave of Hafiz, standing in a larger cemetery, may be seen not far -from Saadi's mausoleum. The site of his grave is marked by a monument of -white marble erected by Kerim Khan, and the inscription carved upon it -is a verse from his own book, the Divan. I frequently visited the grave, -and, to my astonishment, found at times a merry carousing company seated -about it, drinking their wine; at other times it was surrounded by -penitent pilgrims. The former look upon Hafiz as their great master in a -life of carelessness and jollity; the latter consider him a saint and -come here to beseech him to intercede for them. Some sing his songs -while the cheering cup is going the rounds, whilst others deem his book -as holy as the Koran itself. When any one wishes to read the fate in -store for him, he opens at random either Hafiz or the Koran, reciting -the following verses: - - Ei Hafizi Shirazi, - Ber men nazr endazi, - Men talibi yek falem, - Tu Kashifi her razi. - -(Oh Hafiz, of Shiraz, cast one look upon me; of thee I wish to learn my -future fate, for thou art the discoverer of all secrets); and having -done his invocation, he studies the page before him, construing its text -into a prophecy of good or bad fortune. - -I had passed three months in Shiraz, and was so much pleased with the -city that I began to turn over in my mind the propriety of spending the -winter in the genial climate of Shiraz rather than in Teheran, and going -afterwards, when spring came, through Yezd and Tebbes to Khorassan. But -the arrival in Shiraz of two European travellers upset all my plans in -that direction. One of them was Count Rochechouart, a member of the -French Embassy in Teheran, who was travelling with a view to studying -the commercial condition of Persia, and the other the Marquis of Doria, -a distinguished member of the extraordinary Italian Embassy which came -to Persia at the same time that I did, travelling in pursuit of -zoological and botanical knowledge. Upon their arrival these -distinguished foreigners were received and feasted by the authorities. -After the official receptions were over, Dr. Fagergreen, my excellent -Swedish friend, invited them to his house, and the table spread before -his European guests literally groaned under everything that was good and -savoury produced beneath the southern skies of Persia. The doctor's face -beamed with inward satisfaction as he rose, glass in hand, to propose a -toast in honour of the three nations represented by the guests sitting -at his hospitable board. The good man was happiest if he could entertain -a European traveller in his house, and overwhelmed him on such occasions -with kindness. I had met such a friendly reception and generous -treatment at the hands of the kind-hearted doctor, he had proved such an -unselfish friend to me, that I became quite attached to him. I therefore -received with feelings of keen regret the invitation of Count -Rochechouart to accompany him to Teheran, where he was soon going, -leaving behind him his Italian fellow-traveller, the Marquis, who -intended to prolong his stay in Shiraz in order to enjoy its unrivalled -climate. Yet I was bound to accede to the French nobleman's proposal, -although it involved an immediate separation from my friend, as I was -nearly destitute of everything, and expected to derive some advantages -from making the journey back in his company. I had come here in the -guise of a begging dervish, and here was a chance to go back as a -European traveller, sharing in all the comforts at the disposal of a -gentleman travelling in an affair of state and representing His Majesty -the Emperor of France. I did not waver long; my mind was soon made up. -The Count remained in Shiraz three days longer in order to attend to -some matters, and at their expiration we were to return, in forced -marches, to Teheran. - -On the day of my departure I went to take leave of my generous friend, -Dr. Fagergreen. I found him still in his bedroom in the upper storey of -his house. Our conversation frequently turned upon the probability of -our ever meeting again, and whenever I happened to touch upon my -Turkestan journey the tears would start to his eyes. I was deeply moved -by this heartfelt, genuine sympathy. I had to leave; I embraced him for -the last time; I seized his hand to give it a last hearty shake; but at -the very moment I received a shock as if the whole house were falling. I -glanced at my friend's face--it was pale as death. "Quick, for the love -of God," he cried; "let us call my wife and children, there will be an -earthquake. The earthquakes in Shiraz are awful, especially if the -shocks begin early in the morning." - -We quickly collected his wife and children, and as we came down the -narrow staircase into the small yard, we heard an underground noise -approaching us with a hollow roar, as if the bowels of the earth were -about to open at our feet. The second shock was much more violent than -the first had been. The high walls and the surrounding edifices began to -totter from side to side with a loud creaking sound, and whilst I was -looking up to the sky, the cry of "Yah Allah! Yah Allah!" piercing to -the very marrow, was heard from every part of the town. The inhabitants -of Shiraz know but too well the frightful consequences of this elemental -catastrophe, and the stoutest heart may well quail at the deep roar in -the womb of the earth, at the cries of distress above, the very birds -fluttering about scared and helpless. For a few moments we stood still, -completely paralysed with fright. My host was the first to regain his -composure; he turned to me and said: "We are here in a very narrow -place. If this wall happens to come down we shall all be buried beneath -it. Take my wife and children to the nearest larger place. I shall -remain here for the mob is apt to take advantage of the general fright -to rob and plunder the house." I wished to reply, but the doctor -silenced me with a beseeching look, and taking hold of his trembling -wife and children, I left without saying another word. We passed through -a narrow alley crowded with pale and frightened people. The open space -which we reached in a few moments presented a harrowing picture of -distress and misery. Women and children were lying on the ground, -fainting, screaming and tearing their hair. Others were running to and -fro half clad or without any clothing on, as if they had just come out -of their baths. A few minutes had sufficed to deprive the whole city of -its senses. Amidst all this crying and screaming a couple of mollahs -(priests) went about continually repeating that the Frengis sojourning -in the city had brought on it this calamity. I began to entertain fears -for the safety of my friend, and retraced my steps as fast as I could. -As I reached the yard I observed the birds flying about and flapping -their wings in a restless and wild manner, which was a sure forerunner -of another shock. And indeed very soon we heard the deep roar which -usually precedes a violent thunderstorm. The earth shook beneath our -feet, and as the shocks came nearer and nearer to the place where we -were standing, the shock became so powerful that in spite of all our -efforts we lost our equilibrium, and, trying to steady one another, -sank together to the ground. I heard a frightful crash, and in another -second I had the sensation of water rolling over me, and thought my last -moment had come. This was the worst shock; a portion of the wall had -given way, and the water which had passed over our bodies came from a -neighbouring water-tank. Trembling and frightened, I looked round to see -if the building did not threaten to come down on our heads. In this -moment of despair the shout of the infuriated mob, "The Frengis are -unclean," reached our ears, followed by savage curses, and it seemed as -if the mob intended to take the house by storm. "To arms!" cried my -friend, but who would have had the courage to enter a house which -threatened to come down at any moment? We paused and looked at each -other, and then with one accord rushed into the house, returning -immediately armed with rifles and pistols. We had now to defend -ourselves both against the rage of the elements and the wickedness of -man. - -These moments will remain for ever engraved in my memory. Suddenly we -heard a loud report, and soon after saw dense clouds of dust rising in -the air. Fortunately for us a building in the neighbourhood had fallen -down and scattered the savage mob. Before long the whole neighbourhood -became quiet. We did not feel another shock, but the whole city was -wrapped in a dense cloud of dust. The very mountains, lying to the -south, had been cleft in twain by these shocks which hurled down their -precipitous sides huge blocks of stone and rocks, with a noise like -thunder. Seeing that half an hour had passed without a renewal of the -shocks, I picked up courage enough to leave the house. - -The destruction in the city had been much too cruel for any pen to be -able to present a picture of its terrible details. I met Count -Rochechouart in the street; with an anxious face he urged our immediate -departure. The leave-taking from my friend was short but affectionate. -Along the streets the huge cracks and fissures in the walls were yawning -at us, as we went on; to the right and to the left--everywhere--nothing -but desolation and misery were to be seen, whilst an expression of -indescribable discouragement and mute resignation was brooding over the -countenances of the people whom we met on our way. Our hearts yearned -towards these unfortunates in their present sad plight, but it was, -nevertheless, a feeling of relief to find ourselves, after passing -through the gates of the city, in the open air again, where our -fellow-travellers were awaiting our arrival. Outside there was an -immense crowd; those who had run to the open country for safety were -watching, with sinking hearts, for those members of their families who -had been left behind in the city, and in their unreasoning distress -inquired of us, who were perfect strangers to them, if we knew anything -about their whereabouts. Words cannot tell with what profound -satisfaction I descried at last Tenghi Allah Ekber, the spot from which -I had on my arrival admired the romantic situation of Shiraz. Ten years -before Shiraz had been visited by an earthquake far more calamitous than -the last. There is a legend amongst the people that years and years ago -the present site of Shiraz was covered by the waters of a lake, called -Deryai Nemek, _i.e._, the Salt Lake, lying to the east of it, and that -the city is doomed to final destruction by this very lake, which will -overwhelm it with its tide on the Day of Resurrection. We returned, in -forced marches, by the same way on which, three months ago, I had -wearily plodded on at the slow pace of caravan travelling. The journey -was enlivened by the fascinating conversation of the noble Count and, -now and then, by the chase of a herd of gazelles. The Persian horsemen, -riding in front, descried them with lynx-eyed quickness, and the -fast-running hounds were not long in overtaking them. At times, on our -coming to a city, solemn receptions were prepared for us, and, on such -occasions, there was no end of complimenting, sweetmeats, and feasting. -I came back to Teheran at last, in the middle of January, 1863. - - - - -XVI. - -PREPARATIONS FOR MY JOURNEY TO CENTRAL ASIA. - - -I made it of course my first duty in Teheran to revisit the hospitable -circle of my patrons. Here I learned that the war in Herat was at an -end, and that, therefore, another obstacle to the carrying out of my -programme was cleared away. It has always been customary for the Turkish -Embassy to give some assistance to the hadjis (persons who have visited -the holy tomb of Mohammed) and to dervishes going every year from -Bokhara, Khiva and Khokand, through Persia, to the Turkish Empire. This -is a great boon to the poor Sunnite mendicants, who have no chance of -ever getting a farthing from the Persian Shi-ites. As a consequence the -palace of the Embassy had annually to entertain guests from far-off -Turkestan, and upon these occasions I took particular pleasure in having -the wild and ragged Tartars come to my room, where I contrived to learn -of them a good deal about their country that was interesting. They were -quite overwhelmed by my courtesy, and it soon became a familiar -saying at the caravansary where these people used to put up, that Haidar -Effendi, the Ambassador of the Sultan, was a man possessing a generous -heart, but that Reshid Effendi (your humble servant's assumed name) was -something more than that, for he treated the dervishes like brothers, -and most likely was, in secret, a dervish himself. - -[Illustration: MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE TARTARS.] - -It was nothing to be wondered at, therefore, since I enjoyed such a -reputation, that the dervishes should have called first upon me before -asking to be admitted to the presence of the Ambassador-in-chief who -frequently would not receive them. Many a time it was through my -intercession alone that they were able to obtain assistance in money, or -to have some other requests granted. In this way it happened that four -hadjis came to see me on the 20th of March, and asked me to introduce -them to the Turkish Embassy before whom they desired to lay their -complaints against the Persians for levying upon them, on their return -from Mecca, the Sunnite tax, the collection of which had been prohibited -long ago by the Sultan, a prohibition since ratified by the Shah of -Persia. "We do not come to ask money of the Sultan's great ambassador," -said they, "we only wish to ensure that henceforth our Sunnite -countrymen shall not be compelled to pay a tax on visiting the holy -places." These unselfish words from the lips of an Oriental rather -puzzled me; I subjected my guests to a closer scrutiny and discovered in -them, in spite of the savage expression of their faces, their neglected -exterior and the shabbiness of their dress, a certain natural nobility -which did not fail to enlist my sympathies. Their spokesman, as a rule, -was a hadji from Chinese Tartary, or Eastern Turkestan, as it is -actually called; he wore over his tattered garments a new green _djubbe_ -(an upper garment of cloth) and on his head a white turban of gigantic -size. His eyes sparkled with vivacity, and his superiority over the rest -of his companions became more and more apparent in the course of the -interview. He introduced himself as the Imam (court priest) of the -governor of Aksu, one of the provinces of Chinese Tartary, and as a -double hadji, having visited twice the holy tomb, and declared that he -and his three companions present were the avowed chiefs of a -hadji-caravan consisting of twenty-four men. "Our company," he added, -"is composed of the young and the old, of the rich and the poor, of the -lettered and the unlettered, yet we live in the utmost harmony with each -other, for we are all natives of Khokand and Kashgar (the names -frequently used to designate the whole of Chinese Tartary), and have no -Bokhariotes vipers of humanity amongst us." - -The interview had lasted for about an hour, and the frank and open -manner of the men deepened the favourable impression they had made upon -me at the outset. Although the characteristic features of their race, -their careless and shabby attire, and the effects of the miseries of a -long and fatiguing journey, all combined to give them a wild, almost -repulsive appearance; yet throughout the whole interview my mind was -busy with the question of the feasibility of undertaking my travels in -Central Asia in the company of these very pilgrims. I was thinking that -being natives they would be the best guides I could possibly obtain, and -it was something to be known to them as Reshid Effendi, and to have been -seen by them as such at the Turkish Embassy. I did not hesitate long and -told them of my intention to join their caravan. Of course, I was -prepared for their putting questions to me about the purposes of my -journey, and I was equally clear in my mind that it would be both idle -and injurious to tell these men of the scientific researches I had in -view. They would have thought it ridiculous for an Effendi, a gentleman, -to expose himself to untold dangers for the sake of some ideal object, -and indeed might have entertained all sorts of suspicions against me had -I told them the truth. I had to resort to a subterfuge which both -flattered my guests and advanced my interests. I told them that my soul -had been harbouring for a long time the secret but most ardent wish to -visit Turkestan (the only country abounding in genuine Islamite virtues) -and the saints of Khiva, Samarkand and Bokhara. "This longing desire," I -continued, "had brought me from Roum (Turkey), and now after having -waited for a year in Persia for a favourable opportunity to gratify it, -I had reason to thank God for having sent me, at length, such men as -they were, in whose company I could continue my journey and attain the -most cherished object of my life." - -It was an extraordinary struggle I had to overcome in inventing this -pretext, but I sought in vain for another means. My long experience with -Orientals of many countries and of various ranks had fully convinced me -of the utter uselessness of a straightforward confession of my purposes. -I knew that with these simple and ignorant men science and curiosity -must be discredited as the chief motors of my errand, and that all my -oratorical power would fail to convince them of the possibility that a -man living under the patronage of a high official of the Sultan was -ready to undergo all the hardships and perils of a distant journey, for -the sake of philological inquiries and for ethnographical discoveries. -Hard and reluctant as it was, I had to resort to subterfuge, and to -assume in their eyes a moral as well as a physical incognito. - -The good Tartars looked at me and at each other in amazement after I -had done speaking. Finally they confessed that they had long ago thought -me to be a secret dervish, but that now they were convinced of the truth -of their surmises. They declared that they were highly pleased with the -distinction I was about to confer upon them by deeming them worthy of my -company. Their spokesman Hadji Bilal said: "We are all of us ready to be -not only thy friends, but thy servants, but I must call to thy mind that -the roads of Turkestan are not so safe as those of Persia and Turkey. -Often along our roads we do not see a house for weeks, nor can we get a -piece of bread, or even a drop of water. Besides this, we are kept in -constant fear of being killed, made prisoners and sold into slavery, or -buried by the sands in a hurricane. Therefore ponder this matter well, O -Effendi! Thou mightest repent the step later, and we should not like -thee to look upon us as the causers of thy misfortune. And, besides, -remember that our countrymen are far behind us in matters of experience -and knowledge of the world, and with all their hospitality are apt to -regard with suspicious eyes every comer from foreign lands. And how wilt -thou return, alone, without us?" - -The effect of these words upon me may be easily imagined, but my purpose -was not to be shaken. I made them easy on the score of their anxiety -about me, I told them of the fatigues I had already borne, and my -contempt of earthly comforts, particularly of my dislike to the French -dress which I was compelled to wear, _ex officio_. I continued that I -well knew this world to be nothing but a five days' inn, as our sages -say, and that we are moving rapidly from it to give way to others. I -laughed to scorn those Mussulmans who instead of caring for the present -moment only, turn their thoughts to things which are going to happen -years hence. "Oh! take me with you, my friends," I exclaimed; "I must -leave this nest of errors, of which I am tired unto loathing." - -My request touched them. The chiefs of the dervish-caravan accepted me -at once for their fellow-traveller; we embraced and kissed all around, -performances by no means pleasant considering the intolerable stench -coming from their bodies and clothing. But I scarcely looked at such -trifles, the main object of my discourse having been secured. My next -step was to hasten to Haidar Effendi, my benefactor, to tell him of my -intentions, and to request him to warmly recommend me to the hadjis I -was about to introduce to him. He objected at first to the whole plan, -and called me mad to wish to go to a country from which none of my -predecessors ever returned, and in the society of fellows who were -capable of murdering any one for the sake of a few pence. But when my -Turkish friends saw that all their arguments were of no avail, they set -to work to give me every possible assistance. Haidar Effendi received -the hadjis, settled their own matters to their satisfaction, then spoke -of me, representing my motives in the way I had put them before the -hadjis, commended me to their hospitality and protection, remarking that -they, in turn, could count upon his friendly service; "for," he added, -"he whom I give in your charge, Reshid Effendi, _is the Sultan's civil -officer_." I was afterwards told that the hadjis, at the audience where -I was not present, had solemnly vowed to fulfil their promises. And, -indeed, they honourably kept the word they had pledged. When the -audience was over the Ambassador asked for a list of the names of the -members of the dervish-caravan and distributed about fifteen gold pieces -amongst them. This was a munificent gift to people accustomed to live on -bread and water and utterly unused to comforts of any kind. The day of -our departure was fixed for that day week. Hadji Bilal's visits were -very frequent during this time, he bringing with him and introducing to -me all his companions, in turn; and I own that their exterior was not -apt to inspire confidence. These visits made me suspect that the pious -hadji looked on me as a rich prey and was anxious not to lose me. But I -conquered my suspicions, and showed the hadji, as a mark of confidence -in him, the small sum of money I intended to take with me, requesting -him, at the same time, to inform me precisely how I was to dress and -what mode of life I should follow in order to be as like to my -companions as possible, and not attract any undue attention. He was -highly pleased with my request and readily gave me his advice in the -matter. In the first place, he said, I was to shave my head and exchange -my Turkish costume for that of Bokhara; and in the next place, I must -leave behind me my bedding, linen and similar articles of luxury. Of -course I followed directions, which could be easily complied with, to -the smallest point, and was ready to embark in my perilous enterprise -three days before the appointed time. I made use of this interval to pay -a return visit to the caravansary where my future fellow-travellers were -staying. They were living in two small cells, fourteen of them in one, -and ten in the other. I never saw in my life so much of raggedness and -dirt crowded into such a small space, and the impression this misery -then made upon my mind still lives fresh in my memory. Only a few of -them were able to perform the journey out of their own means; the rest -of them had to resort to begging. When I entered they were busy with a -mode of cleansing themselves, the loathsome description of which I will -spare my reader, but which, alas! I too had to adopt in course of time. - -I was very cordially received by them, and, according to their custom, -they immediately prepared some green tea for me, of which it took all my -heroism to swallow a Bokhara cup, the green liquid without sugar being -the worst thing mortal ever tasted. As a mark of their kind feelings for -me they offered me another cup of tea--but I politely declined, my -stomach admonishing me that it would refuse to take in any more of the -vile stuff. Then there ensued a scene of general embracing; I was looked -upon by all of them as their brother, and had this affectionate title -bestowed upon me; and, finally, after I had broken bread with every one -of them separately, we sat down to settle the definite details of our -route. We had two roads to choose from, both equally perilous from the -fact of their passing through the desert where the Turkomans are at -home. One of the roads by way of Meshed, Merv and Bokhara was less -fatiguing, it is true, but it would have taken us through territory -inhabited by the Tekke Turkomans, who have the well-deserved reputation -of sparing nobody and who would sell the Prophet himself into slavery if -he ever fell into their hands. The other road runs through a country -inhabited by the Yomut Turkomans, an honest hospitable people; but this -road included a desert, where for twenty stations not a drop of drinking -water could be obtained. After exchanging our views on the subject we -decided in favour of the latter road. "It is better," said the chief of -the caravan, "to brave the rudeness of the elements than to expose -ourselves to the wickedness of man. God is merciful; we are walking in -His ways, and surely He will not desert us." Our decision was now -ratified by an oath recited by Hadji Bilal. Whilst he spoke we held up -our hands towards Heaven, and when he had finished speaking every one -took hold of his beard and said a loud "Amen" to it. Then we rose from -our seats, and I was told to join them on the morning of the day after -next in order to start on our journey. When I returned to the Embassy a -last attempt was made by my friends to turn me from my purpose. They -recalled the tragic fate of Conolly, Stoddart, and Moorcroft, and the -case of Blocqueville who had fallen into the hands of the Turkomans and -was rescued from slavery only by a ransom of ten thousand ducats. But -the sad fate of others had no terrors for me, and I remained firm in my -determination to go. - -I took leave of my friends at the Turkish Embassy on the eve of my -departure. Only two persons knew of the real destination of my journey; -the rest of the European colony thought I was going to Meshed. - - - - -XVII. - -FROM TEHERAN TO THE LAND OF THE TURKOMANS. - - -According to appointment, I made my appearance at the caravansary on the -28th day of March, 1863. Those of my friends who could afford to hire a -mule or ass to take them to the Persian border were ready, booted and -spurred; the poorer, with pilgrim's staffs in their hands, were waiting, -too, for the signal of departure. I observed with astonishment that the -shabby garments worn by the party in town had been exchanged for other -far more ragged ones, hanging down in a thousand tatters and fastened by -means of a rope across the back, and learned, to my great surprise, that -the miserable dress worn by them in town was their best holiday attire, -which was now laid aside in order to save it. But yesterday I fancied -myself a beggar in my new costume--to-day I looked fit to be a -purple-clad king amidst my companions. Hadji Bilal at last raised his -hands for a blessing on our journey, and we had not fairly seized our -beards and said our customary Amens, when those of our party who were -to walk on foot made a rush towards the gate, in order to get ahead of -us who were seated on mules or asses. - -The sun had risen to the height of a lance, as the Orientals say, when I -turned to give a last farewell look at Teheran, gilded by the early sun, -whilst my companions, like pious pilgrims that they were, raised their -voices and sang sacred songs. They did not take amiss my not joining -them, for they knew that the people of Roum (the inhabitants of European -Turkey) were not brought up in such a strict religious way as those of -Turkestan, but they hoped that in their society I should soon learn to -be more enthusiastic in religious observance. - -The caravan numbered twenty-three besides myself; they were all from -Khokand and Eastern Turkestan, and mostly natives of Kashgar, Tashkend -and Aksu. Their chiefs were Hadji Bilal, of whom I have already spoken, -Hadji Sheikh Sultan Mahmud, a fanatic young Tarter, who traced his -lineage from a renowned saint, and Hadji Sali Khalifa, who was -endeavouring to obtain the rank of an Ishan (the title of Sheikh), and -belonged to the half-priestly class. They honoured me with their -friendship, and we four were looked upon as the chiefs of the caravan. -My name henceforth ceased to be Reshid Effendi and became Hadji Reshid. - -We proceeded without any misadventure along the continually rising -heights of the mountain chain of Elburz. _Kemerd_ was our first station. -It offered nothing but a half-ruined hut of mud, in the middle of a -desert, its weatherbeaten walls threatening to give way at any moment. -The rain poured in through the chinks of the roof, and it was difficult -to find a hand-breadth of dry ground. It was dusk when we arrived, and -everybody hurried to get a dry place in the caravansary, myself -amongst the pushing crowd. My friend Hadji Bilal set to preparing the -_pilar_, and for want of fat, he poured on it grease obtained by melting -down some tallow candles. I was of course invited to take my part of -this luscious meal, but declined with thanks. Leaving the side of my -kind friend, I went amongst the beggars and Persian mule-drivers, and -drawing myself up into a corner, I thought, listening to the howling -wind and beating rain outdoors in the dark night, of my present -miserable condition, compared with that of last night at the palace of -the Turkish Embassy, where I was sitting at a sumptuous farewell -banquet, given in my honour, the wine glass freely circulating amongst -my friends. And now I should have deemed myself happy if I had but room -enough to stretch my limbs. To right and left of me fellows, ragged, -dirty, ill-smelling and abounding in a variety of little rovers, were -affectionately leaning on me; and, to cap the climax of my misery, a -Persian mule-driver, afflicted with the gout, sat down near me, now -moaning, now screaming with pain, whilst stentorian snoring was going on -all around me. My clothes were soaking wet with the rain, and I myself -was wet to the skin and shivering as if with a fit of ague. No wonder I -could not close my eyes all night, and felt so weak next morning that I -could hardly keep my seat decently in the saddle. - -[Illustration: A DERVISH FEAST.] - -We passed the following night much more comfortably in a village called -_Ghilar_. We divided into smaller troops, and I joined Hadji Bilal and -his intimates. We found quarters in a small room belonging to a peasant, -my friend inviting me again to take supper with him. This time I bravely -got over my squeamishness; my ravenous appetite made me indulgent -towards the nasty smell of the dish and the dirty hands of my -companions, who were using them vigorously in helping themselves out of -our common plate. The following morning I rose with renewed strength, -after a refreshing sleep, and began, with less anxiety, to look the -future in the face. - -I was considerably amused by the remarks made regarding myself by some -Persian villagers, who, with clownish sharp-sightedness, were quick to -discover that I was neither a Tartar, nor even an Osmanli, but a Frengi -body and soul, availing myself of the society of dervishes in order to -visit Central Asia, a land almost inaccessible to Europeans. But of -these their surmises they never betrayed a single word to my companions; -the Persian Shi-ites' hatred of the Sunnite Central-Asians being such -that nothing affords them greater pleasure than to see their mortal -enemies imposed upon. - -On the fourth day we reached an elevated plateau on which the town of -_Firuzkuh_ lies at the foot of a mountain topped by a fine ruin. I was -charmed by the beauty of both the town and the surrounding country, the -houses especially challenging my admiration for the neatness of their -architecture. A wide and deep mountain stream winds through the little -town in three different directions. Many and large caravans carry from -this place oranges, water-melons, sugar-canes, and other products of the -Caspian Sea, to Shahrud and Teheran, returning heavily laden with corn, -an article of food almost entirely wanting in this mountainous region. - -Beyond Firuzkuh our road took us through a most romantic country. The -dense forests, spreading endlessly, the far-sounding roar of the huge -mountain cataracts, the bottomless abyss yawning between precipitous -mountain sides--made me at times almost imagine I saw the most beautiful -Alpine scenery of Europe before me. Even my companions, whose sense of -appreciation of the beauties of nature was but slightly developed, -became quite enthusiastic. We breakfasted near the ruins of _Div-Sefid_ -(_i.e._, the white spirit), crowning a rocky peak. One of our Persian -fellow-travellers remarked that this rocky habitation in the air was -once the favourite resort of the White Giant whom Rustem (the hero of -Oriental legends) conquered and drove to the shores of the Caspian Sea; -that spirits of the deep then inhabited alone this paradise-like -country; and that it was fortunate that there were heroes at that time -who could expel these spirits, for surely the modern Persians would be -wanting in strength and courage to accomplish the deed. - -The Persian travellers who had come with us as far as _Surkh-Abad_, -_i.e._, Red Abode, there took leave of us. The abundant wood and -excellent water we found caused immense delight to my Tartars. Whilst at -other times six and eight of them would cook by one fire, now each of -them kindled a separate fire whereby to prepare his tea. They made use -of the very embers, by divesting themselves of their clothes, and two of -them holding and drawing tight a piece of clothing at a time over the -fire, whilst a third would gently beat it with a small stick. The whole -proceeding seemed to me rather mysterious at first, but a peculiar -sound, now crackling, now hissing, soon showed that this was a mode of -putting to death by fire victims innumerable. The practice, when I first -saw it, filled me with disgust; the time arrived, nevertheless, when, -for cleanliness' sake, I indulged in it as zealously as any of those -present. We were nearly exhausted by our long march on bad roads, and as -soon as the dusk of evening approached we were all of us looking for -some place to rest in. We should have stopped at many a place in the -woods if some Persians had not warned us that the forest was full, -particularly at this season, of wild animals who, driven by their -predatory instincts, will at night attack strongly built houses, not to -speak of human beings camping in the open air. We were especially warned -against tigers. In spite of fatigue we were compelled to march on in the -woods until late in the night, when we came near several groups of -houses, standing apart and called _Heftten_; we settled down near them -on the margin of the forest. We decided to keep up a large fire during -the whole night, and that each of us should in turn keep watch near the -fire. Our nightly fire soon lit up the entire landscape; but the thicket -close to us still resounded with the stealthy tread and deep roar of our -ferocious enemies. A herd of hungry wild boars were looking out for -their prey, and the only way to keep them off was by discharging at -intervals our fire-arms at them. The jackals showed most remarkable -impudence; they would come quite near us and gambol around us like so -many domestic animals, not even minding our sticks. These animals will -watch you when you are too absorbed in conversation to keep your eyes on -your food or clothing, and catlike pounce upon either, in an unguarded -moment, and run away with it. The night passed, however, without any -mishap. On the following day I bought for a _penabad_ (about two pence -and a half) ten large fine and savoury pheasants. My Tartar companions, -too, bought a good many, there being a drug of them in the place; owing -to their inability to rise in the air in the dense woods, they are -killed with sticks by the thousand. For days the excellent roast, -furnished by their succulent and finely flavoured flesh, supplied the -place of bread, which is very expensive. - -We entered _Sari_, which rises in the middle of a marshy country, -covered with mud from head to foot, owing to the miserable roads on -which we had to pass. The inhabitants, Persian Shi-ites, laughed at our -sad appearance, and a troop of urchins pursued us with insults and -cries, until we reached the gate of the caravansary. On entering the -bazaar, several men, in red-striped costumes and with peculiar -head-gears, stood still at our approach, raising their hands and looking -at us with great respect. They were Turkomans, residing here, who wished -to receive from us, their Sunnite brethren, just come from the Holy -Land, a _fatiha_[3] (blessing) while it was still fresh. We had passed -scarcely an hour at the caravansary when a number of others made their -appearance, bringing with them gifts of food for ourselves and our -animals. One of them paid his respects to me, and, following the example -of my companions, I gave him a blessing, which he rewarded by a gift of -tobacco worth a couple of shillings. I afterwards told Hadji Bilal of -it, and he took occasion to remark at this with brightening eyes: "Yes, -Effendi, we shall be free before long; we are coming to the land of the -Turkomans, our brethren in faith, and as much distinction is awaiting us -there as we have to suffer shame, contumely and contempt at the hands of -the Persians." I had become such a Sunnite, by this time, that his words -caused me real pleasure; forgetting, as all the while I did, the -frightful stories I had heard about the savageness and cruelty of the -inhabitants of the desert. - - [Footnote 3: _Fatiha_ means the opening chapter of the - Koran, and is recited as a blessing.] - -We passed two days in Sari. My companions were busy trying to sell their -asses, for we were to embark at the next station and wished to avoid the -trouble of shipping and taking the animals with us. In Sari we became -acquainted with several distinguished members of the Afghan colony, and -immediately on our arrival were invited by them to supper. There -happened to be other guests, merchants from _Karatape_, whilst we were -there, and our Afghan brethren warmly recommended them to the whole -caravan. These men served us, with the greatest alacrity, as guides to -their native place. - -_Karatape_ owes its name to the black hill standing in the centre of the -village, one side of it being inhabited by Persians and the other by -Afghans. The first thing I did was to climb this hill in order to take a -passing glance at the Caspian Sea. From this spot the open sea cannot be -seen, it being concealed by a long and narrow strip of land, running far -into the sea, and looking, at a distance, like a line wooded with tall -trees. All I could descry was the sheet of water between this line and -the shore. I then hurried back to my lodgings to see how the -preparations for our passage to the Turkoman desert were progressing. -After a good deal of inquiry we heard on the following evening that a -Turkoman was about to sail directly for Gomushtepe, and was willing, -from feelings of kindness, to take all the hadjis with him. He wished us -to be ready on the shore early in the morning so as to be able to take -advantage of a favourable breeze. Hadji Bilal, Hadji Salih, and myself, -the acknowledged triumvirate of the beggar-caravan, immediately went in -search of the Turkoman whose name was Yakub. We found him to be a young -man still, with an air of boldness about him. He immediately embraced -every one of us, and declared himself willing to wait another day in -order that we might procure the necessary articles of food. We had here -to provide ourselves with flour, rice and other sustenance to last as -far as Khiva; the Turkomans themselves coming to this place to make -their purchases. Before all, Yakub asked a blessing of Hadji Bilal and -Hadji Salih, and as we were turning to leave he called me aside and -asked me to remain a few minutes longer. Of course I remained. He -confided to me, with some embarrassment, a case of unhappy and -unrequited love, of which he was the victim, and that a very clever -sorcerer, a Jew who happened to be just then in Karatape, had promised -to prepare for him a very powerful _nuskha_ (talisman) if he would take -to him thirty drops of oil of roses fresh from Mecca, which were -absolutely necessary for the writing of the magic formula. "I know," -continued Yakub, "that the hadjis bring with them oil of roses and other -fragrant articles, and, thou being the youngest of the chiefs of the -caravan, I apply to thee and hope thou wilt comply with my request." Our -companions had, in truth, brought with them oil of roses, and they at -once gave him what he had asked for, to the great delight of the good -youth. - -Early in the morning of the following day we were all assembled on the -shore. We now had each of us, besides our beggars' bags, a sack of -flour, and, owing to the shallowness of the shore and the consequent -distance of the vessel, which lay about a mile off the land, it took -considerable time before we were all of us safely carried by boat to the -vessel. The craft was a so-called _keseboy_, carrying a mast and one -sail, and engaged in carrying freight; she had brought oil of naphtha, -pitch and salt from the island of _Tchereken_, and was now sailing back -freighted with a small cargo of produce. We had to sit in two rows, -close to each other, in order to allow Yakub and his two men space -enough easily to move about. Our situation was not of the pleasantest; -it was tolerable during the day, but when at night we were oppressed by -sleep, we were often compelled to support the burden of a snoring hadji -for hours. Two sleepers together would sometimes lean on me, one from -the right and another from the left, yet I dared not wake them, for it -is considered a great sin to disturb the slumbers of the Faithful. - -A favourable westerly wind swelled our sail on the 10th of April, and I -enjoyed the sail in the magnificent spring weather as well as I could in -my cramped position. A calm set in towards evening; we anchored near the -shore, and each of us in turn prepared his tea at the fireplace of the -vessel. We arrived on the following day below _Ashurada_, which forms -the southernmost point of Russia's possessions in Asia. The place makes -a favourable impression upon the traveller coming from Persia. One small -and two large Russian men-of-war are permanently in the harbour, for the -defence of the Russians in Ashurada and the sailing vessels bound for -the place. It happened more than once that, in spite of the strenuous -exertions of the military Russian governor, a great number of -unfortunate Persians, and not unfrequently Russian sailors, too, were -dragged in chains into slavery to Gomushtepe. The Russian vessels are -cruising day and night in the Turkoman waters, and every Turkoman -vessel, coming from the eastern shore and bound for the shores of -Southern Persia, must provide itself with a passport, which must be -produced in passing Ashurada. At such times the vessel is carefully -searched for slaves, arms and other articles forbidden to be carried. - -Our Yakub, too, had his papers, which he produced on the evening we -arrived at Ashurada, in order that we might go on without further delay. -But it being rather late in the evening, the Russian officer put off his -visit to the vessels till next morning. We cast anchor not far from the -shore. I was uneasy all night at the thought of these Russian officers -coming to-morrow to make their visit on board, and possibly being struck -by my European features and complexion. I was not afraid of any inhuman -treatment, but I feared they might wish me to give up my journey and -discover my identity to my companions. The pleasant sound of church -bells roused me next morning. My companions told me that this was the -Sunday of the infidels and their holiday. One of the men-of-war in our -neighbourhood was beflagged all over. I observed, after a while, that a -boat, manned by sailors in full uniform, was sent from her to the shore, -and returned to the ship immediately with an officer in full uniform. In -about ten minutes we were called upon to draw nearer to the Russian -vessel, and I perceived that several fair-haired officers were standing -near the gangway. The nearer I approached the faster beat my heart, and -I tried, as well as I could, to place myself in such a way as not to -have to meet their eyes. The day being a holiday the search was made -very superficially, their interpreter exchanging a few words with Yakub, -whilst the officers were making fun of our party of beggars. I heard one -of them say: "Just look, how white this hadji's complexion is," -referring in all probability to me whose face was less weatherbeaten and -tanned than my companions. Yakub was soon allowed to leave; and, -weighing anchor, our vessel, favoured by a fair breeze, bravely ploughed -the waters. In a few hours the Turkoman sea-shore, looking like a long, -moderately undulating line, rose before our eyes. Yakub and his men took -in the sail, the water ceasing to be navigable. We were about a mile and -a half from the mouth of the _Gorghen_, along the two shores of which -stretches the camp, called Gomushtepe, presenting the appearance of a -dense mass of beehives placed close to each other. - - - - -XVIII. - -GOMUSHTEPE. - - -We had to wait out in the sea for a while, until the boats were sent by -Yakub to take us to shore. We were conveyed in small detachments to the -dry land, Hadji Bilal and myself remaining the last. When we stepped on -land we were informed that Yakub had already announced our arrival to -Khandjan, the chief of the Gomushtepe, and that the latter was hastening -to receive us at once. He was kneeling a few steps from us, engaged in -his noon-prayers; and having done, he rose and came towards us with -hurried steps. He was a tall, slenderly built, very plainly dressed man, -about forty years old, his long beard reaching his breast. He embraced -me first, and calling me by my name, cordially bade me welcome. Then -came Hadji Bilal's and Hadji Salih's turn, and our whole caravan being -together we all followed him to the tents. The news of our arrival had -already spread, and women, children and dogs promiscuously rushed out of -the tents to see the pilgrims, who, according to their mollahs -(priests), by their mere embrace make the untravelled partakers of -divine grace, and sharers, to some extent, in the merit of the -pilgrimage. The scene before my eyes was so novel, so surprising, that I -did not know which way first to turn my attention; the oddly constructed -cloth tents, and the women in their long silk skirts, reaching to their -heels, claiming it alike. Besides I had enough to do to satisfy the -hundreds of friendly hands extended to me to be shaken. The young and -the old, children and women, were striving to get near our persons in -order to touch the hadjis, to whose garments the holy dust of Mecca and -Medina was still clinging. We arrived in front of the chief Ishan's -(priest's) tent quite exhausted by the devout and hospitable reception. -We collected in one group waiting for quarters to be assigned to us. The -inhabitants who were gathered there almost engaged in a regular scuffle -about having us for their guests; every one wished to be the host of one -of the poor pilgrims, and much as I had heard of the hospitality of the -Nomads, it was all exceeded by what I had now an opportunity of -witnessing. The women especially were vociferous in their rivalry, so -much so that Khandjan himself was compelled to put an end to their -scrambling by making an equitable distribution of the pilgrims. He took -me, Hadji Bilal and those belonging to our own set into his own _ova_ -(tent). In order to reach his tent, which was at the very end of -Gomushtepe, we had to pass through the whole camp, extending on both -sides of the river Gorghen. This river rises far away in the mountains, -abounding in fish to such an extent as to render its waters almost foul -at the best of times, and quite undrinkable in summer. Twice I washed in -it, and each time my face and hands smelt of fish. - -The dusk of evening was approaching when we arrived, tired and -exhausted, at Khandjan's tent, hoping to get a little rest. Vain hope! -True, there was the tent destined for us, standing near that of -Khandjan, on the shore of the Gorghen, but scarcely had we taken -possession of it, with the customary ceremony of walking thrice round it -and spitting at each of the four corners, than visitors came crowding -into the narrow space. They remained till late in the evening asking us -thousands of questions which it taxed our whole strength to answer -properly. Our host at length took pity on us, and called upon our -visitors to leave us to ourselves in order that we might obtain some -rest. Supper, consisting of boiled fish and sour milk, was brought us -meanwhile by Khandjan's son, a boy twelve years old, called Baba -Djan--_i.e._, literally, the father's soul. The meal was brought into -the tent on a large wooden platter by a Persian slave, who dragged a -heavy chain after him. He was relieved of the dish by Baba Djan, who -placed it before us, and sat down by his father's side, while both -looked at us with genuine satisfaction as we fell to with our keen -appetites upon the dishes before us. After the meal was over we said our -prayers in the customary way. Hadji Bilal raised his hands, every one -present following his example, and as he finished by passing his hand -over his beard and saying, "Bismillah," Allah Ekber, his action was -repeated by everybody. Then Khandjan was congratulated on all sides on -account of his guests, and the visitors dispersed. - -On the following morning, the 13th of April, as I awoke thoroughly -refreshed and invigorated by a night's sound sleep on a tolerably -comfortable couch, I found Hadji Bilal standing by my side and was -invited by him to take a walk. During the walk he sermonized me a -little, telling me that it was time I should doff the rank of Effendi, -and become a dervish body and soul. "Thou must have observed," he -continued, "that both I and all our companions, without distinction of -age, have said our _fatiha_ (blessing) on the men. This thou too must -now look to. I know that it is not the custom to do so in Roum, but here -people will wish it of thee, and they will find it very strange that -thou, professing to be a dervish, dost not fulfil the duties of a -dervish. Thou knowest the form of blessing; utter it with confidence and -a proper expression of devoutness. Thou mayest bestow the _nefes_ (holy -breath) too, if called to the bedside of the sick; but ever remember to -hold out thy hand, for well do these people know that we dervishes live -by our holy trade, and that a present is never amiss with us." He then -asked my pardon for having dared to instruct me, but, added, that he -meant it for my best. I need not say that I felt much obliged to him for -his advice and observations, which were prompted by the genuine interest -he took in me. - -On this occasion my friend told me also that Khandjan and other -Turkomans had been inquiring about me, with a peculiarly mysterious air, -and that he succeeded, with great difficulty only, in persuading them -that my journey possessed no official character whatever. The Turkomans -thought I was going to Khiva and Bokhara on some secret and confidential -anti-Russian mission of the Sultan. Hadji Bilal was too sensible to -flatly contradict their impressions in the matter, well knowing that -they hold the Sultan in high respect, and that I should be benefited by -making them think more highly of me. - -We returned to our quarters, and found Khandjan with his whole family, -his relations and numerous friends, already waiting for us. He brought -to us his wife and his aged mother, to obtain for them our blessing. We -blessed everybody present, one by one. Khandjan then declared that, -guests being according to Turkoman custom the dearest members of the -family, we could go about without let or hindrance not only amongst his -tribe, the _Kelte_, but also amongst that of Yomut, and that if any of -them should so much as dare to touch a hair of our heads, he would know -how to obtain satisfaction for such an outrage. "You must remain with us -two weeks longer, at least," continued our host, "until some caravan -happens to go to Khiva. Take now your rest, visit the other tents; a -Turkoman never allows a dervish to leave his tent with an empty hand, -and it will do you no harm to fill your bread-sacks well, for it is a -long journey from here to Khiva and Bokhara." - -We gladly followed his advice. During the first day I went visiting at -several of the tents, in the company of Khandjan, or his brother and -friends of the family. Later on I went with Hadji Bilal, bestowing -blessings, or visiting the sick in company of Hadji Salih, who dabbled -considerably in the art of healing. Whilst he gave the medicine, I -bestowed the blessing on the patient, and was rewarded for it by the -gift of a small piece of cloth, dried fish and other trifles. Whether it -was owing to my successful cures or to the curiosity of the people to -see the hadji from Roum, I do not know, but certain it is that patients -came flocking to me, and I treated them by either bestowing my blessing -upon them, or breathing upon them, or writing talismans for them. Here -and there sceptical people thought me a political emissary and strongly -doubted my dervishship, but I paid very little attention to them. - -The number of my acquaintances was daily increasing, the most prominent -people being amongst them. The friendship of Kizil Akhond, whose real -name was Mollah Murad, proved to be of particularly great service to me. -The recommendations of this distinguished scholar, who was universally -respected, opened the way everywhere. He had in his possession a book -which he got, while studying in Bokhara, treating of Mohammedan -theology, written in Ottoman-Turkish, which he found some difficulty in -understanding; and I had a chance of obliging him by furnishing the -proper key to it. He was very much pleased with my conversation, and -spoke everywhere in the highest terms of me, especially praising me for -my great knowledge of the books of Islam. I managed to secure the kind -feelings of Satligh Akhond, another highly respected priest. When I -first met him he gave thanks to Providence, in a special prayer, for -having permitted him to behold, in my person, a Mussulman from Roum, the -true source of the faith; and upon people commenting in his presence on -the whiteness of my complexion, he insisted that this was the real -_nur-ul-Islam_, the light of Islam shining from my face, and was by the -blessing of God the birthright of the Western faithful only. Nor did I -fail to cultivate the friendship of Mollah Durdis, who was invested with -the rank of a chief judge (Kazi Kelan), for I soon found out that the -ulemas were the only class who could exercise any influence over this -savage people. As a sort of scholar, I, too, shared in the general -esteem, and may cite, in point, the following instance. There were -ancient Grecian ruins on the territory of Gomushtepe, probably of a fort -built by Alexander the Great, which gave a name to the settlement. These -ruins contain the only stone walls to be met with in the whole -neighbourhood. It was considered proper, Gomushtepe being the principal -settlement of the Yomuts, to raise there a temple to God, built of -stone, particularly as the materials necessary for the same were -furnished in abundance at the ruins near by. I was selected by Kizil -Akhond, in my capacity of the most learned and experienced dervish, to -determine the place and the proper position, in the direction of Mecca -(Kibla), of the altar (_mihrab_), a task which I very readily -accomplished. - -In the company of Kizil Akhond, I made an excursion, occupying four -days, into the territory of one of the tribes of the Yomuts, living to -the east, and the Goklen Turkomans. On returning we were told that Hadji -Kari Mesud, one of my companions, living in a tent used as a mosque, had -been robbed. The stolen articles were searched for everywhere, but could -not be found. Finally the Sheikh or Imam caused it to be publicly -announced that he would pronounce a curse against the thief, unless the -stolen property were restored to its rightful owner within a given time. -The threat had its effect, for scarcely twenty-four hours had passed -when the thief made his appearance, penitent and humble, bringing with -him not only the stolen property, but some presents of expiation -besides. About the same time we received some good news in regard to a -caravan which was to go to Khiva. The Khan of Khiva, whom the physicians -had ordered to drink buffalo milk for his health, had sent his -_kervanbashi_ (chief of the caravans) to Astrabad to buy two buffaloes, -there being no such animals in his dominions. The kervanbashi had -already passed through Gomushtepe, and we were to join his caravan and -start at once with him upon his return. A better guide we could not -desire, for there was not a man more familiar with the desert than he. - -I thought it very strange that many of our party were urging our -departure, although these poor people were entertained in the most -hospitable manner. "It is impossible for us," they replied to my -queries, "to witness any longer the cruelties perpetrated against these -poor Persian slaves. It is true they are heretics and that we have to -bear much ill-treatment in passing through their country, but what these -poor people must suffer exceeds all bounds." The reader may imagine what -the fate of these Persian slaves under their Turkoman masters must have -been, if even my Tartar companions, who, it is true, know of no slave -trade in their own country, had their compassion roused at the spectacle -of their sufferings. Usually these poor people are forcibly torn, during -the night, from the bosom of their families, and often dragged here -covered with wounds. The poor man, once a prisoner, has his clothes -taken away, and receives instead a few scanty rags barely sufficient to -cover his nakedness, and heavy chains are placed upon his limbs, galling -his ankles and heels, and causing him cruel pain at every step he takes. -In this way he continues for weeks to drag out a miserable existence on -coarse food, and to prevent him from running away during the night, an -iron collar (_karabogra_) is placed around his neck by which he is -chained to a stake, the clanking of his chains betraying his slightest -movement. He continues in this sad plight until he is either ransomed by -his relations or sent to Khiva or Bokhara to be sold. - -There is hardly a Turkoman of the better classes near whose tent the -clanking of the chains of a couple of slaves is not heard. Khandjan had -also two slaves, youths from eighteen to twenty years old, and my heart -ached whenever I saw them dragging their heavy chains after them. I had -the additional mortification of being compelled to insult and swear at -them in public, as the slightest sympathy shown to them would have -roused suspicion in my host, particularly as they addressed me oftener -than the others, owing to my knowledge of their language. The younger of -our two domestic slaves, a fine youth from Iran, with black curls, -begged of me to write his parents a letter, beseeching them, for the -love of God, to sell their house and sheep, and ransom him. I did as he -requested. Upon one occasion I thought I could pass him, unobserved, a -cup of tea, but as he was about to take it from my hands some one -entered the tent. I did not, however, lose countenance for one minute; I -pretended to have only teased him, and the poor fellow, instead of -getting a cup of tea, had to put up with a few gentle blows from me, to -keep up my false pretence. Not a night passed during my stay in -Gomushtepe without firing being heard from the sea announcing the -arrival of a slaver. - -The inhabitants of Gomushtepe were untiring in the arrangement of feasts -for devotional purposes, and on such occasions the entire hadji-company -had to be present. I once wished to excuse myself, but was ushered out -of my tent by a violent poke in the ribs from my would-be host, it being -a rule of Turkoman etiquette that "the harder the thrusts, the more -cordial the invitation." Upon these festive occasions it is the custom -to spread in front of the host's tent a few pieces of cloth, or if the -thing is done in great style, carpets, upon which the invited guests -seat themselves in groups of six, each group forming a circle. Each of -these groups gets a large wooden platter, the contents of which vary in -quantity according to the ages and number of the guests, and every one -helps himself with his hands, thrusting them into the plate until they -reach its bottom. As to the quality of the dishes, the less said about -them the better; I will only mention, in parenthesis, that horse's and -camel's meat is the order of the day. - -Whilst we were the guests of Khandjan he celebrated by a feast the -betrothal of his son, a boy of twelve years, with a girl of ten; and, of -course, we had to be present at this feast. Originally the betrothal was -to have taken place in the following autumn, but he took advantage of -our presence to get our blessing for the young couple. A rather -remarkable man was the Karaktchi, by whom also an entertainment was -arranged in honour of our party. This man, all by himself and being on -foot, took three Persians prisoners, and drove them a distance of eight -miles into slavery. He gave us, as our share, a tenth part of the -plunder, being the tithe belonging to the priests and amounting to two -krans for each of us; and when we sang, blessing him, the fatiha, the -man was beside himself with joy. - -After we had passed three weeks in Gomushtepe we began our preparations -for the onward journey, Khandjan promising to assist us in every way. We -gave up the idea of purchasing camels owing to the expense it involved, -and made up our minds to hire, instead, one camel for every two persons, -which would carry at the same time the water and the flour of those two. -The latter plan, however, would have been attended with considerable -difficulty but for the assistance we got from Ilias Beg, who happened to -be the very man we wanted for our purposes. This man differed from the -others in being less religiously inclined, and being wanting in respect -towards our hadjiship, but he observed all the more scrupulously the -laws of hospitality. He was a Turkoman from Khiva, and belonged to the -tribe of Yomut. Once in every year he used to cross the desert and visit -this neighbourhood on business, and whilst on these visits enjoyed -during his stay in Gomushtepe the protection of Khandjan, without which -he would have been no more safe than any other stranger. He generally -came in the autumn and left again in spring with from twenty to thirty -camels laden partly with goods of his own, and partly with goods -belonging to others. This season he was anxious to take with him a -greater number of camels, not caring even if they were without a load, -and the conveyance of our party came to him in the nick of time. -Khandjan solemnly adjured him to take good care of us. "Thou shalt -answer for their safety with thy life, Ilias!" he said, and the latter, -fixing his eyes upon the ground, as the Nomads always do when they seem -to be in earnest, merely answered: "Thou knowest me." We settled with -Ilias to pay him two gold pieces for the hire of every camel we were to -use, but that he should convey our water and flour free of charge. The -money I had sewn into various parts of my ragged garments, added to what -I had received in money for my blessings and cures, would have permitted -me to hire a camel by myself, but Hadji Bilal persuaded me not to do so. -He represented to me that an appearance of misery, inviting pity, was -the best protection against the Nomads, whose predatory instincts are -roused at the slightest indication of ease or comfort about a person. He -mentioned the names of several of our companions who were well provided -with money, but who, for safety's sake, are compelled to be clad in rags -and to walk on foot. Yielding to his representations, I, too, hired a -camel in common with another man; with this proviso, however, that I -should be allowed to make use of a _kedsheve_ (two baskets, one hanging -on each side of the camel), because of the difficulty I should -experience in sitting, with my lame foot cramped up, in the company of -another man, for forty long stations. Ilias was not inclined to grant my -request, this kedsheve being in the desert an additional burden to the -camel, but he finally yielded to the persuasions of Khandjan. It was a -source of additional satisfaction to me that I succeeded in securing -Hadji Bilal for my neighbour, or rather counterpoise, for he became -every day more indispensable to me. - -When the bargain was concluded we paid Ilias his hire in advance, -according to custom. Hadji Bilal then said a fatiha, and Ilias having -smoothed the few thin hairs representing his beard, and answered with an -affirmative "Amen," we felt quite easy about the arrangement. We urged -him to hasten his departure, but he would make no promises, the time of -his starting depending upon that of the kervanbashi of the Khan of -Khiva, who was to go in front of the caravan with his buffaloes. - -In _Etrek_, a place on the river of the same name and the first station -on our road, we were to enjoy the hospitality of _Kulkhan_, the -_Karaktchilar piri viz_ (gray-beard of the robbers), who just then -happened to be in Gomushtepe, and to whose special grace we were -commended by Khandjan. This old rascal had a morose and repulsive look -about him. When he learned that I should be his guest in Etrek he seemed -to study my features, and exchanging whispers with Khandjan appeared not -to agree with the others. I very soon found out the reason of his -distrust. In his youth he had travelled all over Russia, had passed -considerable time in Tiflis, and had become tolerably familiar with -European life. He told them he had seen men of various nations, the -Osmanlis excepted, that the latter, too, are said to be kinsmen of the -Turkomans and to resemble them, but that to his surprise there was -nothing in my features to indicate the remotest relationship with -either. Hadji Bilal remarked to him, in reply, that he was badly -informed, as he himself had been living for a long time in Roum, and had -never observed the resemblance spoken of by him. Kulkhan was somewhat -pacified by this explanation, and, informing us that he would leave for -Etrek the day after to-morrow, he told us to hold ourselves in readiness -for the journey; for, added he, although Etrek was only twelve miles off -we could not get there without him, and he was only waiting for the -return of his son Kolman from the _alaman_ (a predatory venture). He -invited us, at the same time, to walk to the lower shore of the Gorghen -about noon, when his son would return and gladden us with a rare -spectacle. Not having anything to do I was easily persuaded to go and -mix with the crowd already assembled there, eagerly waiting for the -arrival of their friends. Before long eight Turkoman horsemen were seen -advancing in a furious gallop toward the opposite shore, bringing with -them about ten spare horses. Eager eyes, full of mute admiration, -followed every movement of the young horsemen, who in a second had -crossed swimming the Gorghen, reached our shore, dismounted, and were -now extending with indescribable gravity their hands to their friends -and relations. However much I despised their occupation I could not help -feasting my eyes on the manly forms of these young fellows, who in their -short riding costumes, their long fair hair falling in curls on their -shoulders, and with defiant looks, were the objects of general -admiration. At the sight even morose Kulkhan cheered up a little, and -after introducing his son, who received Hadji Bilal's blessing, we -parted in order to attend to the final preparations for our journey. - - - - -XIX. - -FROM GOMUSHTEPE TO THE BORDER OF THE DESERT. - - -We left Gomushtepe on the following day at noon. We were accompanied by -Khandjan and our other friends and acquaintances. They remained with us -for an hour, and no matter how often I begged of Khandjan to turn back, -I could not induce him to do so. He insisted upon rigorously observing -the laws of Turkoman hospitality, lest he might give me cause for -complaining of him. It was truly with a heavy heart that I exchanged -with him a last farewell embrace, for I had learned to love him as one -of the most noble-minded men, who, unselfishly and without the least -self-interest, had for a considerable time most hospitably entertained -myself and five others. I felt sorry at not being able to make some -suitable return for so much kindness, but what I regretted most was my -having been compelled to practise deception upon this trustiest of -friends by my disguise and compulsory concealments. - -We proceeded in a north-eastern direction through an endless plain. Our -small caravan, consisting of Ilias's camels and six horses, moved on in -close order, we having been informed by Kulkhan that there were such -karaktchis in this part of the country who did not acknowledge his -authority, and would feel no hesitation at attacking himself, if they -thought themselves the stronger party. Ilias gave me as far as Etrek the -use of a horse he had got from Kulkhan in order to save me the -discomfort of riding on a camel. But whenever we came across a puddle I -had to share my saddle with one of our companions, on foot, and he would -clutch at my clothes with such violence, that he nearly pulled me from -my seat. On one occasion we had to pass through a marsh covered with -rushes, which served as a cover for an immense herd of wild hogs or -boars. Kulkhan and Ilias had ridden in advance in order to discover some -roundabout path, by means of which the caravan might steer clear of -these wild animals. As I was cautiously feeling my way with a companion -in the saddle, my horse gave a sudden start; and before I well knew what -had happened, we were both of us sprawling on the ground. Midst roars of -laughter coming from my companions, I heard something like a cross -between a squeal and a howl, and turning to discover the place whence -these sounds issued, I saw before me two young wild pigs over which I -had stumbled. Their mother had frightened my horse, and hearing the -squeal of her litter she drew quite near us in a rage, showing her -tusks; and she would have made a rush upon us if Shirdjan, the brother -of Ilias, had not perceived our perilous position and placed himself -with his lance raised high between us and the infuriated animal. The -young pigs had, meanwhile, scrambled off, and their mother turned tail -and went back to her lair. Kulkhan's son caught the runaway horse and -brought it back to me with the remark that I was a lucky man to have -escaped being killed by a wild hog, for he who receives his death from -such an animal enters the next world in a state of uncleanness, no -matter how pious a life he had led, and must suffer the fires of hell -for five hundred years before he can be purified again, and even then -not completely. - -We passed the first night in a group of tents at a cousin's of Kulkhan. -They knew already of our coming, and my hungry hadji friends interpreted -the smoke rising above the tents, which we saw upon drawing near, as a -sign of coming good cheer. The other hadjis and myself were quartered in -the narrow tent of Allah Nazr. This aged Turkoman, poor and needy as he -was, grew wild with joy at Heaven sending him guests to entertain. A -goat was all he possessed, but he killed it to do honour to his guests. -The following day he succeeded in getting some bread for us, a thing -which had not been in his house for weeks; and upon seeing us -surrounding the plate filled with meat and falling to with our -tremendous appetites, our host and his aged helpmate, who had seated -themselves opposite to us, shed tears of joy, in the literal sense of -the word. Allah Nazr would not retain for himself any part of the animal -thus offered up to us; its horns and hoofs, which if burnt to powder are -used with effect on the galled sores of camels, he gave to Ilias; for me -he destined the skin to serve as a vessel for water, having first rubbed -it well with salt, and then carefully dried it in the sun. - -Next day we resumed our march. At this station I took for the first time -possession of my basket, having sacks of flour placed as a counterpoise -in the other basket; for my friend Hadji Bilal wished to deny himself -this luxury on that day. We had been going onward for scarcely two hours -when we lost sight of green fields and came upon a melancholy soil -emitting the pungent smell of salt. We were in the desert. The nearer we -approached the mountain ridge called Kara Sengher (black wall) the -softer did the soil get under our feet, and it became quite a bog when -we came quite near the mountain. The camels, with their legs stretched -apart, had every trouble to keep from sliding, and I was threatened -every minute with being upset and left on the ground, basket and all. I -deemed it wiser to dismount of my own accord, and after a dreadful -scramble of one hour and a half succeeded in climbing the Kara Sengher, -from whence we shortly afterwards reached Kulkhan's _ova_ (tent). - -When we arrived there I was rather startled at being immediately -conducted by Kulkhan into his own tent, and being told by him with great -emphasis that I should not stir out of it until I was called. A few -minutes later I heard him without, scolding his wife and reproaching her -with never being able to find the chains when they were needed, and -ordering her to find them for him immediately. Upon hearing this I began -to suspect that something was wrong. Several times he entered the tent -looking about him with gloomy looks, but never addressing a syllable to -me. My suspicions increased, and all at once it struck me as strange -that Hadji Bilal, who but rarely left me to myself, had not been near me -for a considerable time. The most dreadful misgivings overwhelmed me; -that fatal clanking of the chains outside the tent still continued. At -last I saw that my fears were unfounded, for the chains being -forthcoming I found that they were intended for the poor Persian slave -who had been dragged with us to this place. Kulkhan afterwards prepared -tea, and when we had partaken of it he beckoned to me to follow him to a -new tent, adjoining his, especially erected for my use. This was to -have been a surprise, and hence came the mysterious manner which had -given me such a scare. - -I must confess that this was neither the first nor the last time that -the grim look and suspicious doings of the Turkomans, who afterwards -turned out to be my best friends, filled my mind with all kind of -horror. I never felt quite safe as to my future, and the only -consolation left to me was my lameness, which made me quite valueless in -the eyes of the slave-dealers. Of course, as the time went on, I began -to be accustomed to this perpetual anxiety, and in spite of the constant -danger in which I found myself, I regained my good humour, and my wit -and jokes not only exhilarated my hadji fellows, but even the surliest -son of the desert, and the usual remark of the Turkomans was, "That lame -hadji of Roum (Turkey) is a jolly fellow; he would make a capital -merry-maker." - - - - -XX. - -IN THE DESERT. - - - -The road we traversed showed no traces of the feet of either men or -camels, and taking for our guides the sun during the day, and the polar -star during the night, we kept our course straight to the north. The -Turkomans call the polar star on account of its immobility Temir Kazik -(iron peg). The camels forming a long line and tied together were led by -men on foot. In this way we jogged along in the sandy soil without any -interruption until late after sunset. The sandy soil gradually ceased -and we felt indeed the solid and smooth ground under our feet. The tramp -of the camels sounded at a distance as if they beat time. The day was -nearly dawning when we stopped, but we had altogether gone but -twenty-four miles; the camels not being allowed to exert themselves in -the beginning, and our progress having been delayed, besides, by the -slowness of the buffaloes, the most distinguished members of our -travelling party, who with their huge bodies were unable to keep pace -with the camels. Our rest lasted from dawn till eight o'clock in the -morning, and whilst the camels were feeding on thistles and brambles of -the desert, we had time to look after our breakfast. We might well call -our breakfast an excellent one, for we had a sufficient quantity of -water wherewith to wash down our unleavened bread. As we were camping -near each other I observed that the kervanbashi, whilst talking with -Ilias and the chiefs of the hadji, had been looking at me pointedly -several times. I could easily guess the tenor of their conversation, but -pretending not to be in the least concerned, I kept on turning the -leaves of the Koran with great devotion for a while; and then, closing -the book, I rose and directed my steps towards the little company as if -to join them. As I was approaching, both the good Ilias and Hadji Salih -hastened to meet me half-way, and calling me aside informed me that the -kervanbashi suspected me and was determined not to take me with him to -Khiva. He was especially afraid of the wrath of the Khan, for he had -brought with him, some years ago, a Frengi envoy to Khiva, who had made -an exact drawing of the entire road, not omitting, owing to his infernal -skill, a single well or hill. The Khan burning with rage at this, had -immediately executed two of the men who had given the traveller -information, and spared the life of the kervanbashi only because of some -very influential protection the latter had succeeded in enlisting in his -favour. "After a good deal of coaxing," my men continued, "we succeeded -in prevailing upon him to take thee with him, on condition that thou -shalt allow thyself to be searched, in the first place, in order to see -if thou dost not carry any drawings or wood pens (lead pencils) with -thee such as the Frengis usually have about them; and in the second -place, that thou shalt promise not to make any secret memoranda of the -roads and mountains; if thou dost not agree to this he will leave thee -behind him in the middle of the desert." I listened to their speech with -the utmost patience, but as soon as they were done I assumed the -appearance of one angrily excited, and turning to Hadji Salih I said in -a voice, loud enough to reach the ears of the kervanbashi: "Hadji, thou -sawest me in Teheran and knowest who I am. Tell Amandurdi that it ill -becometh an honest man like him to listen to the words of a drunken -_binamaz_ (a man who does not say his prayers) like this Afghan. It is -not permitted to trifle with religion, and if he calls me once more -Frengi infidel I shall show him in Khiva what manner of man I am." I -spoke the last words in such a loud key as to be heard by every one in -the caravan, and my dervish companions became so enraged that, if I had -not kept them back, they would have fallen on the spot upon the sottish -opium-eating Afghan who had been trying to excite the kervanbashi's -suspicions against me. Amandurdi more than any other was startled by -this scene, and I heard him replying to every person who came near him -to inquire about the occurrence, "God knows!" He was by no means a bad -man; on the contrary, he was of a kind disposition and very clever; but -like all thoroughbred Orientals he was attracted by anything that looked -mysterious, and it was this tendency that made him suppose me to be a -disguised foreigner, although he never failed to apply to me in -questions of religion, having heard in Gomushtepe of my reputation as a -scholar. I had succeeded this time in warding off the impending danger, -but I felt that the distrust of me was growing apace, and that I should -find it exceedingly difficult to make the slightest memoranda even of my -travels. I could not even directly inquire after the names of the -several stations, and only in a roundabout way, by hook and crook, -could I gain some information about one thing or other and set it down -afterwards, with great secrecy in my notes. I must recall to the mind of -my readers, that the Afghan who set up his mind to cause my ruin, was a -runaway from Kandahar at the time when Sir Henry Rawlinson was in -command of that place. Mir Mohammed, for this was his name, had an -unspeakable hatred against every European, and particularly against the -English; and he, supposing me to belong to that nation, was -indefatigable in his efforts to penetrate my disguise and to denounce me -as a spy, who would speedily be followed by an invading army. - -After a short rest we continued our journey, but I observed that after -we had been marching for about two hours, the caravan began to slacken -pace. A couple of Turkomans had dismounted from their camels and seemed -to be carefully investigating right and left the low mounds, a great -number of which could be seen everywhere around us. I was informed that -Eid Mehemmed, one of our fellow-travellers, was trying to discover the -grave of a brother of his, who had fallen hereabouts, last year, in an -attack made upon him, after having heroically defended himself. Eid -Mehemmed had brought a coffin with him in order to take the remains to -Khiva. It might have been two o'clock in the afternoon when the grave -was found and the exhumation begun. After the customary prayers and the -recital of stray verses from the Koran, ceremonies in which I too had to -take part in the most devotional manner, the half-decayed dead body was -wrapped in rags and placed in the coffin. When the funeral ceremonies -were over Eid Mehemmed baked bread on that place and distributed it -among us. We started again, going always north. We had to make up for -lost time, and the order was given by the kervanbashi to march all -night. The weather was fine and, cramped up in my basket, I gazed with -intense delight at the starry firmament, the like of which, for -transcendental beauty, can be seen nowhere but in the desert. But sleep -soon asserted its rights. I had not been asleep an hour when I was -roused by several people shouting at me: "Hadji, look at thy _kiblenuma_ -(compass), we seem to have lost our way." I immediately produced my -flint and steel apparatus, and striking sparks with it lit the tinder, -by the smouldering fire of which I perceived that we were going east -instead of north. The kervanbashi was frightened, thinking we had come -near the dangerous marshes, and determined not to move until daybreak. -Fortunately we had left the right track only half an hour before when -the sky was clouded. In spite of the delay we reached in time the -station we were bound for, and turned our tired animals loose to feed -upon thistles and similar pasture. - -On the 15th of May our road lay through a wild country, intersected, in -every direction, by ravines. The poor camels had a great deal to suffer. -They are attached to each other in such a manner that one end of the -rope is tied to the tail of the camel in front, and the other end is -fastened at the nose, through a hole perforated for that purpose, of the -camel following it. Now if the poor beast stops from any cause, but for -a minute, those before him are tugging away at his nose, in such an -unmerciful way, that I have often seen the rope broken. To relieve the -poor animals we dismounted several times during our four hours' trudging -through the deep sand. - -There were three different roads by which the desert might be crossed, -but we were as yet kept in ignorance as to which of these the -kervanbashi would choose. Owing to the caravan's being liable to be -pounced upon by marauders at any minute, it is quite necessary to -keep the real route a secret. But at the present stage of our journey it -was easy to foretell that we should take the middle road, for our water -was giving out; and the tank of water of which we stood in great need -lay along that route. This night we were favoured by good fortune on our -march, the rope keeping the camels together having broken but twice. -When such a thing happens a couple of men are sent after the animals to -bring them back, the caravan continuing their march. One of the caravan, -however, is selected to keep up a continual conversation with the men -sent out, while they are receding, to prevent their missing their way in -the dark night. The melancholy sound of this man's voice is their only -guide in the pitchlike darkness, and woe to the poor fellows if a -contrary wind hinders them from hearing it. On the 16th of May we -perceived in a north-eastern direction the mountain-chain of _Karendag_, -and reached it on the afternoon of the same day. We had been told in -Etrek that we might look forward to meeting friendly Yomut-Turkomans at -this place, but nevertheless there prevailed a general anxiety on that -subject, the fear of the possibility of being attacked by some hostile -bands being quite as great as the expectation of meeting the former. We -dispatched a brave Turkoman to reconnoitre the neighbourhood. Before -long we caught sight of solitary tents, and, our apprehensions being -dispelled, we asked ourselves what tribe we were to meet. After all they -were Yomuts, and we passed the whole day with them. - -[Illustration: A LIGHT FOR THE COMPASS.] - -I was agreeably surprised to find near the Karendag Mountains some old -ruins; the fable attaches to them that they are the ruins of Kaaba, God -having from His special love for the Turkomans placed the Kaaba here -first, but that Goklen, a lame blue devil, pulled it down, whereupon God -carried the Kaaba to Mecca. And this was the reason why the Turkomans -lived in constant enmity with and war against the Goklens, who have -descended from Goklen. - -The Nomads sojourning in the environs came flocking to see the caravan -and to engage in trade with some of its members. In the evening, we -being ready to start, one of the buffalo cows presented the caravan with -a healthy calf, to the kervanbashi's intense satisfaction. On the road -it occurred to him that the calf was too feeble to follow us on foot, -and that he must find a place for it on the back of one of the camels. -Myself and Hadji Bilal being the only ones occupying a kedsheve he -naturally thought of us, and asked that one of us should give up our -place to the newborn animal. Hadji Bilal resigned his basket with the -utmost readiness, alleging that he did so out of kind feelings for me, -who could not with my lame foot find accommodation everywhere. But no -sooner did my counterpoise occupy the hadji's place than I discovered -the real cause of his great complaisance--the calf was exhaling a -pestiferous smell. It was passable at nights, interfering but -occasionally with my slumbers, but during the day, when the sun shone -out hot, I could hardly bear my sweet-smelling neighbour. Fortunately -for me this agony did not last long, the calf departing this life three -days afterwards. - -From the spot where we started on the 18th of May, it was calculated -that the Great Balkan was distant two days' march and Khiva a march of -twelve days. Our guides hoped we should find rain water on the flat -lands. We had last filled our canteens from the miry water of the two -miserable water-tanks of Karendag, and such as it was, it had become, -through being shaken up on the camels' backs, a liquid mass of mud, -loathsome both to the smell and taste. We had, nevertheless, to be -very economical in the use of it, for there was no prospect of obtaining -any water before passing the Great Balkan. Our marching from this time -onwards became more regular. We usually made three stoppages daily, of -one hour and a half, and two hours' duration. The first was before -daybreak, when we would bake one day's ration of bread; the second at -noon, to afford some rest to both animals and men; and the third before -sunset, in order to eat our modest supper, consisting of a little bread -and of a few drops of water carefully doled out. The soil of the country -through which we passed was a hard-baked clay producing scantily and at -intervals a few blades of sickly grass. The blazing sun marked the whole -surface with a thousand burning cracks. It is frightfully wearisome for -the traveller to see before him everlastingly the boundless plain from -which every vestige of life is banished, so much so that even the -reaching of a new station is quite a relief, as it affords some rest -from the rocking motion of the camel. - -[Illustration: THE KARENDAG HILLS.] - -On the following day, about noon, the Little Balkan Mountains loomed up -before us in the hazy distance. The Turkomans spoke to me in the most -laudatory strain of the extent and size of this mountain chain as well -as of its beauty and wealth in minerals. The kervanbashi, otherwise -always wakeful, feeling oppressed by sleep as the evening set in, left -the caravan under the care of the leader of the camels, who led us into -such danger that we were all near losing our lives. There are at the -foot of the Balkan many salt marshes, covered with a thick white -surface, formed by deposits of salt, which it is difficult to -distinguish from the solid ground. Into one of these the substitute of -the kervanbashi had taken us, and we had already advanced so far that -the animals, owing to the shakiness of the ground under their feet, -refused to go on in spite of all urging. We quickly jumped off our -animals, and my fright may be imagined when upon touching ground I had a -rocking sensation as if seated on a swing, the ground apparently giving -way under my feet. The panic became general. Finally the kervanbashi -called out that every one should remain where he was until sunrise, when -we should be able to extricate ourselves from our perilous position. For -three mortal hours we dared not stir and had to remain motionless in our -places, having besides to suffer from the pungent soda smell, making our -heads dizzy. At length the gray streak in the east assumed the rosy -tints of dawn for which our hearts had been longing. With considerable -trouble and exertion the caravan succeeding in getting out of this miry -pitfall and in retracing their steps to the solid track. Had we advanced -but a little farther into the salt marshes, part of the caravan, if not -the whole, would have been doomed to certain destruction. - -On the 20th of May we reached the _Little Balkan_, which stretches from -the south-east to the north-west. We marched on along its foot on that -day and the whole day following. The kervanbashi declared that we had -but just now reached the veritable desert. We soon came to the ancient -bed of the Oxus, and crossing it we entered on the opposite side a high -plateau. By and by the Balkan mountain chain vanished in the blue -distance, and the desert in all its awful grandeur spread before us. Man -is overwhelmed here by the idea of the infinite. The impression produced -by the absence of all sounds, by the very change in the colour and -appearance of the sun, is indescribable. Up to this time I always -thought that the charm of the desert existed chiefly in the heated -imagination of enthusiastic travellers, but I lived to be undeceived in -this my supposition. - -We camped near _Yeti Siri_ on the 22nd of May. This place owes its name -to seven wells which stood there in ancient times, and most of which are -now dry. In one or two of them some little water may be found even now, -but it is undrinkable owing to its salty taste and nasty smell. The -kervanbashi comforted us with the hope of finding rain-water towards -evening, but at this moment I was not disposed to exchange the remaining -little water (abundantly mixed as it was with mud) which was left in my -canteen for the ill-smelling contents of the wells. The animals were -watered, and several of the men eagerly competed with them in drinking -from this water. After resting a little we resumed our march and, on our -way, happened to observe, on a sand mound, raised above the smaller -heaps of sand, two empty kedsheves. In the opinion of my -fellow-travellers these wooden baskets had belonged to some persons who -had died on this spot; and the Turkomans hold in veneration every object -once possessed by man. Strange anomaly! to look upon selling men into -slavery and carrying desolation into a country as commendable acts, and -to couple with such views a tender feeling of piety for a wooden -basket--because, forsooth, a man had once sat in it. - -We went towards evening with the kervanbashi and a couple of Turkomans, -on foot, to look for the hoped-for rain-water. We were all well armed, -and went in search of water in different directions. I followed the -kervanbashi--with whom I had been on the best terms since the last -collision with him. Suddenly he caught sight of footprints in the sand -and, lighting our tinder, we followed them up by its feeble light, to -the mouth of a cavern. We entered after a slight hesitation, and beheld -there, to our utmost horror, a man in perfectly savage condition, with -long, unkempt hair and beard, and enormous finger nails, wrapped in -chamois skins. At our sight he, too, started, and seizing his lance made -a rush at us. I retreated as quickly as I could, but my companion -remained perfectly calm, and dropping the arm he had raised and saying -in a low voice, "Aman bol!" (Peace be with thee!), he left the dreadful -place. Not daring to ask too many questions, I learned from the -kervanbashi, on returning, that the man we saw was "Kanli dir" (a man -stained with blood). I was afterwards told that this unhappy being had -fled from righteous revenge for bloodshed, and had been wandering for -years, summer and winter, in the wilderness. - -Our companions, like ourselves, returned with empty hands from their -search for water, of which not the slightest indication could be found. -It was an appalling thought that the few drops of muddy dregs I still -possessed would be used up to-day. That evening I ate a few pieces of -bread soaked in boiling water, for I had heard that the water lost its -bitter taste by boiling. I determined patiently to bear everything, for -in comparison to many of my companions I had every reason to be -satisfied with my condition, inasmuch as I was in good health and they -were suffering a great deal from the consequences of their having drunk -from the brackish water. Some of the Turkomans were suspected of having -secreted a quantity of drinkable water. But to rely upon being supplied, -in the desert, with water belonging to another person, would be the -height of madness; and indeed any one wishing to borrow or to beg water -in the desert is looked upon as demented. I had lost my appetite and -could not swallow even a few bits of bread. I dropped on the ground, -exhausted and weak, and pitied my hard fate, when all at once I saw -every one rising and flocking around the kervanbashi, and some persons -beckoning to me to join them with my canteen. The word "water" was -enough to infuse new life into me; I jumped up from the ground I had -been lying on, and on reaching the crowd I saw the kervanbashi dealing -out about two glasses of clear sweet water to every member of the -caravan. This brave Turkoman afterwards told us that for years he had -been in the habit of storing away in secret places large quantities of -water, to distribute it in times of great need, when every one is -benefited by it. This is a great _sevab_ (pious act), for a Turkoman -proverb says: "One drop of water given to the thirsting in the desert -will wash away the sins of a hundred years." - -It is just as hard to determine the greatness of such a good action as -it is to describe the enjoyment afforded by one swallow of sweet water. -My craving for food was gone, I did not feel any more hunger, and -thought I could bear being without water for three days. As far as -drinking was concerned I was all right again, but it had all gone wrong -with my bread. From want of appetite and in a fit of indolence I thought -that instead of using wood for fuel, which it took some time to get as -it was at some distance, I would use camel's dung--the regular fuel of -the desert--but of this too I had gathered rather less than was needed. -I placed the dough into the hot ashes, but there was not heat enough to -bake it into bread, even if it had been left there for a week. I quickly -ran off to gather some wood, but it was quite dark when I returned. I -immediately set to kindling a little fire, but no sooner was it -perceived by the kervanbashi, than he called out to ask "If I wished to -betray by the smoke our caravans to the enemy?" I had to put out the -fire at once, and take with me the unleavened bread half done. - -On the 23rd of May the rays of the sun beat down upon our heads with a -scorching heat. The sand to the depth of a foot became so hot, that even -the most hardened Asiatic who had never worn either shoe or boot on his -feet, was compelled to fasten around them a piece of leather, sandal -fashion. It was only ten years later, when a Russian army, led by -Colonel Markusoff had crossed this part of the desert, that I learnt -that the heat in the month of May reached the height of fifty-four -degrees Reaumur (about 152 degrees Fahrenheit) in the sun! No wonder -that the effect of the refreshing beverage of yesterday was soon gone, -and that I began to be tantalized anew by thirst. At noon we were -informed by the kervanbashi that we were not far from Kahriman Ata, a -place of resort for pilgrimages. In duty bound we had to dismount and -walk for a quarter of an hour until we reached the saint's grave, where -we performed our devotions. My distress may be easily imagined at being -compelled, worn out with the heat and half dead with thirst, to join the -band of pilgrims. The tombs rose on an eminence; they crowded around it -and yelled out with dry throats, _telkins_ and citations from the Koran. -Oh cruel saint, I thought within myself, couldst thou not have managed -to get thyself buried in some other place, in order to save me the -tortures of this pilgrimage! Choking and out of breath I sank down on -the grave, which was about thirty feet long, and covered with rams' -horns, the ram's horn being looked upon in Central Asia as a symbol of -supremacy. The kervanbashi told us that the saint resting in his grave -had been a giant, as tall as the grave was long, and that ever so long -ago he had defended the wells hereabouts against evil spirits who had -threatened to block them up with stones. The innumerable smaller mounds, -surrounding the saint's grave, marked the places where poor travellers, -who had lost their lives in different places of the desert either by -the hands of robbers or by elemental visitations, were sleeping their -eternal sleep. Hearing of the wells placed under the patronage of the -saint, my heart was gladdened with a new hope, for I thought we should -find drinkable water in the neighbourhood. I hastened to be amongst the -first to arrive at the designated spot. I caught sight of a brownish -puddle-like spring, and helped myself to its water by taking some into -the hollow of my hand. It was as cold as ice, but when I brought it near -my lips I had to leave it untasted, it was so brackish, bitter, and -ill-smelling. My depression became extreme; for the first time I began -to be seriously alarmed about my future. - -[Illustration: A WELL IN THE DESERT.] - -Luckily for us a heavy rain storm came up during the night, the rain -descending in large drops, and towards morning we came to the extremest -edge of the sand. It took us three days to pass through it. We were sure -of finding on to-day's road in the loamy ground an abundance of -rain-water. The kervanbashi, judging by the numerous footprints of -gazelles and wild asses, anticipated with certainty the accomplishment -of our hope, but, volunteering no opinion of his own, only pressed -forward, and very soon discovered, with his lynx eyes, at a great -distance, a pool of rain-water. Su! Su! (water! water!) was on -everybody's lips when the kervanbashi had communicated his discovery. We -arrived there towards noon, and met on our way, besides the large pool -we had seen at a distance, numerous pits filled with the sweetest -rain-water. I was the first to run up to them, not to drink, but to fill -my goatskin and other vessels with the precious fluid before it became -muddy and murky with being stirred up. A quarter of an hour later -everybody sat at his breakfast with a feeling of infinite delight. - -From this station to Khiva we could without interruption fill our skins -with sweet water, and our further progress became, comparatively -speaking, contrasted with our former experiences, a pleasure trip. In -the evening we reached a place where everything pointed to the mastery -of a genuine spring, and camped amidst small lakes set in frames of -verdant meadows. My thoughts involuntarily reverted to my sorrowful -plight of yesterday, and it was with some difficulty I could persuade -myself that the landscape before me was not an idle dream. To add to our -satisfaction, the kervanbashi announced to the caravan that the danger -from attacks was over, and that we should be permitted to build our -fires after to-night. Our Turkoman fellow-travellers attributed the -abundance of water to the fact that we, the hadjis, had been with them. -We refilled our canteens and gaily proceeded on our journey. - - - - -XXI. - -IN KHIVA. - - -Towards evening we arrived at the ravine beyond which spread the -so-called plain of _Kaflankir_ (Tigerland). The ascent to this -table-land, which is about three hundred feet high, was excessively -fatiguing to men and animals alike. The Turkomans allege that Kaflankir -had been anciently an island formed by two arms of the Oxus, which were -flowing all around it. It is undeniable that this tract of land differs -greatly from the surrounding wilderness in its structure, the luxuriance -of its vegetation, and the great number of animals it harbours. We had -met, it is true, thus far with solitary gazelles and wild asses on our -march, but here we saw them browsing in flocks by hundreds. On one -occasion we saw an immense cloud of dust approaching from the north, -coming nearer and nearer. The kervanbashi and the Turkomans immediately -seized their arms, and their impatience increased the nearer the cloud -drew. We finally succeeded in discovering that it was caused, -apparently, by a troop of horsemen advancing in full gallop, in a -regular line. The Turkomans dropped their arms. Fifty paces from us we -perceived a herd of animals wildly running and almost concealed by the -dust; and one minute later we heard a sound reminding one of the sudden -halt of a troop of a thousand horsemen in line. We saw before us -innumerable wild asses, stopping suddenly in serried ranks. These strong -and lively animals stood staring at us for a second, and then started -away like the whirlwind in a western direction. - -On the 28th of May we came to _Shor Gol_ (salt lake) in the plateau of -Kaflankir. We took a rest of six hours in order to go through the -ablutions commanded by Islam, which for some time we had been compelled -to neglect. On this occasion my fellow-travellers opened their bundles, -and every one of them found a spare shirt in it; I was the only one who -had none. Hadji Bilal offered me the loan of one, but I declined it with -thanks, well knowing that in my apparent poverty lay my greatest -security. My face was covered by a layer of dust an inch thick. I had -numerous occasions, in the desert, to wash it off, but I preferred -keeping it on as a protection against the heat of the sun. Truth to -tell, not only myself, but all the others were dreadfully disfigured by -the _teyemmun_, or washing with the sand, the substitute for the -ablutions with water, ordered by the Prophet to travellers in the -desert. After my friends had been washing and dressing, I saw only what -great lords they looked like in comparison to me. Several of them -offered to lend me parts of their wardrobe, but I thanked them -cordially, and in refusing their kind offers, I announced to them that I -should wait until the Khan of Khiva supplied me with a garment. - -We had been toiling on for four days in the high plateau of -Kaflankir, when one morning my eyes were gladdened by the sight of -numerous tents on our right and left. The occupants of these tents came -flocking out to meet us, receiving us with the friendly greeting of -"Aman gheldinghiz!" (Happily come!) Ilias having many friends amongst -the people who were encamped here, he proceeded at once to procure from -them hot bread and other Kurban (they were just then celebrating this, -one of the most important holidays of Islam) gifts. He came back very -soon from his errand, loaded down with meat, bread, and _kimiss_ (a -sharp and acid beverage brewed of mare's milk), all of which he -distributed amongst us. Before long Nomads living at a greater distance -were arriving to shake hands with us, and thus perform an act pleasing -to God. For our share in this pious act we were remembered by gifts of -great quantities of camel's, horse's and sheep's flesh. - -[Illustration: AN ASININE ARMY.] - -As we were preparing our tea on the evening of the 30th of May, we were -startled by the wild scampering of the camels which we had turned loose. -Before we had time to investigate the cause of their fright, five -horsemen appeared all of a sudden keeping straight towards us at the top -of their horses' speed. We, too, immediately ran to our arms, and in a -second we stood prepared to meet them. But the horsemen slackened their -pace and the Turkomans soon discovered that they had been mistaken in -supposing them to be hostile, for they only wanted to go with us as -members of our caravan. - -On the following morning we came to an Uzbeg village belonging to -_Akyap_ (the white canal). At this place we had entirely left behind us -the wilderness lying between Gomushtepe and Khiva. Here I saw Uzbegs for -the first time, and I found them very kind and friendly people. As usual -we made, with our visits, the round of all the houses, and earned with -our fatihas a plentiful harvest. We might still have reached Ilias's -dwelling-place on the same day, but he had his dose of vanity and did -not wish us to arrive there unexpectedly. We therefore passed the night, -within two hours' march of his home, at the house of a rich uncle of -his, who entertained us most sumptuously. In the interval he sent word -of our arrival to his wife, and next morning, on the 1st of June, we -entered the village of Akyap. The numerous kinsmen and friends of Ilias -came out to meet us, receiving us most cordially. To me he offered a -handsome tent, for my quarters, but I preferred his garden, for my soul -had long been yearning for the shade of trees. After a brief rest we -resumed our march towards the capital, which we reached in safety on the -following day. The capital, seen at a distance, surrounded by gardens -and surmounted by its many towers and cupolas, makes a pleasing -impression upon the traveller. In entering through the main gate of the -city I could not shake off a certain fear of being found out or -suspected by the Khan of Khiva, whose cruelty was condemned by the -Tartars themselves, and at whose hands I had reason to expect a much -sterner treatment than even from the Turkomans. I had heard that the -Khan makes a slave of every stranger suspected by him, and that only -recently this had been the sad fate of a Hindoo, alleged to be of -princely origin. But by this time I was accustomed to brave almost any -danger without losing my presence of mind. I therefore kept perfectly -cool, and only busied myself devising schemes by means of which I might -outwit the superstitious tyrant. I had collected, on the way, reliable -and full information about every prominent man in Khiva who had visited -Constantinople. The name of a certain Shukrullah Bey, who had there -passed ten years in the capacity of an ambassador to the Sublime Porte, -was most frequently mentioned, in this connection. I had a sort of hazy -recollection of having met this man at the house of the Turkish -Secretary of State. This Shukrullah Bey, I reflected, knows Stambul -well; he must be familiar with the language and manners current with its -better classes. Now I should pretend to a former acquaintanceship with -him, and force it upon him whether he wants it or no; and as I thought -myself fully capable of acting the character of a man from Stambul to -such a perfection as to impose upon a native of that place, I felt sure -that I should not to be suspected by the late ambassador of the Khan of -Khiva, who would be thus obliged in a manner to countenance me. - -Many people were already waiting for us at the gate, offering us bread -and dried fruit. For years there had not arrived such a numerous party -of hadjis; and people came crowding around, and gaping at us from every -street in the city. We were greeted on all sides by the words, "Aman -essen gheldinghiz!" (Happily arrived!) "Ha shahbazim! Ha arslanim!" (My -falcon! My lion!) As soon as we arrived at the bazaar, Hadji Bilal began -with a _telkin_ (a hymn). My voice being the loudest of all, I could not -help being moved upon people kissing my hands, feet, and even the -loosely hanging rags of my garment, as if I had been some first-class -saint or had just descended from heaven. We put up, according to the -custom of the country, at the caravansary, used at the same time for a -Custom House, and I set out, before long, in search of Shukrullah Bey. I -had been told that he was now without any employment or office, and was -living in a cell at the Medresse of Mehemmed Emin, the finest building -in Khiva. I introduced myself to him through one of his attendants as an -Effendi come from Stambul, adding that I had known him there and wished -to pay him my respects in passing through Khiva. The old gentleman was -quite astonished at so strange an occurrence and came out himself to -receive me, but was quite startled upon seeing before him a tattered -beggar in rags. He nevertheless took me into his room, and no sooner had -I pronounced a few words with the genuine Stambul accent, than he began -to inquire, with increasing interest, after his friends at the Turkish -capital, the political configurations, the new Sultan, and so forth. -When, in the course of conversation, we became better acquainted, -Shukrullah Bey thus apostrophized me: "For the love of God, what has -induced thee, Effendi, to come from Stambul, that earthly paradise, to -these fearful countries?" I then told him that I belonged to an order of -dervishes, that my _pir_ (spiritual chief) had sent me on this journey, -and that a _murid_ (a novice) is bound to obey the commands of the -_pir_, even at the risk of his life. My new acquaintance was highly -pleased with my explanations, and only wished to know the name of the -dervish order to which I belonged, and when I told him that of the -_Nakishbend_, he became aware that Bokhara was the object of my -pilgrimage. He was desirous of immediately arranging quarters at the -Medresse for me, but I declined, excusing myself by mentioning my -fellow-travellers whom I had left behind, and went away promising to -renew my visit very soon. - -An officer from the Court came to me on the following day, bringing with -him presents, destined for me, from the Khan, and orders from the latter -to make my appearance at the _ark_ (palace) that very evening, in order -to bestow on him, the Khan, my fatiha, it being the Hazret's (his -majesty's) most cherished wish to receive the blessing of a dervish -coming from the Holy Land. I told him I should obey. I called upon -Shukrullah Bey in the afternoon, as he wished to be present at the -audience, and was conducted by him to the palace of the Khan. On our way -there he gave me directions how to comport myself, and described to me -the ceremonial I was to observe on being presented to the Khan. He -informed me, at the same time, that not being on good terms with the -_mehter_ (minister), who looked on him as his rival, his, Shukrullah -Bey's, recommendation might perhaps injure me rather than be of benefit -to me. But following the prevailing custom, I nevertheless had myself -first introduced to the mehter. His ante-chamber, it being audience day, -was cramful of people who, on our entrance, respectfully made way for -us, standing aside. Some women present were pointing at me, saying: -"This is the dervish from Constantinople, who will bestow benediction on -our Khan. May the Lord hearken to his words!" - -I found the mehter in a porch, surrounded by his men, who smiled at -every word uttered by him. His dark complexion and long beard reaching -to his chest showed him to be a Persian. When he saw me approaching him -he said something to his attendants. I marched up boldly to him, saluted -him with becoming gravity, and immediately sat down in the principal -place belonging by rights to a dervish. After saying the customary -prayer, followed by every one's stroking his beard, and responding with -a loud "Amen," I exchanged the usual formal courtesies with the mehter. -Then he told me that the Hazret--at which word everybody rose from his -seat--wished to see me, but that he would be very glad if I could -produce a couple of lines from the Embassy at Teheran or the Sultan. I -replied that my journey had no worldly aims, that I required nothing of -anybody, but that for the safety of my person I had brought with me a -firman provided with the _tugra_ (the Sultan's seal). In saying this I -handed the mehter my passport, which he kissed with great reverence, -rubbing the seal against his forehead: then he rose and said he would -give the document to the Khan. Shortly afterwards he returned, -announcing to me that the Khan was ready to receive me. Shukrullah Bey -entered first, and I had to wait until the necessary preparations were -made. Although I was introduced as a dervish, the Khan had been informed -by Shukrullah Bey that I knew every distinguished pasha in -Constantinople. After a while I was taken by the arm by two officers, -the curtain was drawn aside, and I saw before me _Seid Mehemmed Khan -Padishahi Kharezm_, the Khan of Khiva, seated on a terrace-like -platform, a round velvet cushion supporting one arm, and holding a short -gold sceptre in his other hand. Strictly adhering to the ceremonial -prescribed for me, I lifted my hand, all present and the Khan himself -following my example, recited a brief _sura_, a short passage from the -Koran, two _alahumu sellahs_ (God be praised) and a short prayer. As the -Khan was taking hold of his beard in order to respond with "Amen" at the -termination of the prayer every one called out, "Kabul bolgai!" (May thy -prayer be heard!). Thereupon I drew near the prince, who held out his -hand, and after having gone through the _mussafeha_ (the salutation -prescribed by the Koran--the two persons in giving a greeting extend an -outstretched hand to each other), I retreated a few steps, and there was -an end to the ceremony. The Khan now commenced to make inquiries about -the object of my journey, and the impression the Turkomans, the great -desert, and Khiva had made upon me. I replied that I had undergone a -great many trials and sufferings, but that the sight of the _Hazret's -djemal mubarek_ (his Majesty's blessed beauty) compensated me abundantly -for all my sufferings. "I thank Allah," I continued, "for allowing me -to have this extraordinary good fortune, and I believe that I must look -upon this signal favour of _Kismet_ (fate) as a good omen for the safe -progress of my journey." I was asked by the Khan if I intended to remain -a long time in Khiva, and whether I was provided with the necessary -wherewithal for my journey. I answered to him that before continuing my -journey I intended visiting the graves of all the saints reposing in the -blessed soil of the Khanate, and that as to being provided with the -needful travelling expenses, we dervishes did not trouble ourselves -about such worldly trifles; the _nefes_ (holy spirit) which was given to -me by my _pir_ (chief of the dervish order) on my journey would sustain -life in me for four or five days without taking any food. Therefore I -had no other wish but that God might prolong his Majesty's life to one -hundred and twenty years. - -[Illustration: AUDIENCE WITH THE KHAN OF KHIVA.] - -My words seemed to have pleased his Royal Majesty, for he ordered that I -should be given twenty gold pieces and a strong ass. I did not accept -the money, under the pretext that it was a sin for a dervish to be -possessed of money, but accepted the animal, adding, however, the -request to select, if possible, a white one, for it was one of that -colour which the sacred law prescribed for pilgrimages. I was about to -withdraw, when I was asked by the Khan to be at least his guest during -the short time I intended to pass at the capital, and to accept during -this time from his treasury, daily, two _tenghes_ (a sixpence) for my -board. This offer, too, was declined with thanks, and I retired after -having given my final benediction. Upon returning, I was greeted most -respectfully with _selam aleikums_ (Peace be unto you!) by the people -who were thronging the courtyard of the palace and the bazaar. I did not -breathe freely until I found myself in safety within the four walls of -my cell. - -Every feature in the Khan's face betrayed the debauched, worn-out, -dull-minded, inhuman tyrant; his eyes were deeply sunken, his lips of a -pallid white, and his voice was shaky. I was profoundly thankful for his -exceptional kindness to me, and was pleased to think that I now could -employ the time I had in wandering through the Khanate to my heart's -content without any interference. - -There was not much to be seen at the capital itself, and what little -there was worthy of note might have been easily looked at in a couple of -days. But my time was entirely taken up by invitations from the Khan, -the government officials and prominent merchants. Since it had become -generally known that I was in the good graces of the king, everybody -wished me and my dervish companions to be his guests. It was a real -torture for me, to have to accept six and even eight invitations a day. -I recall with a shudder, to this day, the number of times I had to sit -down, early in the morning, between three and four o'clock, to a plate -of rice swimming in a gravy of mutton fat. The _Toshebaz_ (the name of -the cloister where I was quartered) comprised a mosque and a large -water-tank, and was therefore looked upon as a public building, and -continually swarming with visitors. This offered me a very good -opportunity of observing the dress, the mode of life and all the doings -of the Uzbegs, and to become personally acquainted with several of them. -The men wear tall pyramid-shaped fur caps on their head, and enormously -large boots of Russian leather of shapeless bulk on their feet, besides -which their costume consists in summer of only a long shirt. The women -wear turbans of immense size, consisting of from fifteen to twenty -Russian pocket handkerchiefs rolled one into the other, and are -compelled, poor creatures, to drag jars of water during the greatest -heat, having on their feet tremendously large boots, and muffled up in -their manifold dresses. Often women were stopping at my door asking for -a little _khakishifa_ (health-powder) which the pilgrims bring with them -from _Medina_, from the house of the Prophet, and which is used as a -medicine against all sorts of ailings; or they would beg for a _nefes_ -(holy breath) and give a detailed account of their bodily sufferings. I -had, of course, to comply with all requests, and touching the sore place -I blew or breathed on it three times. Thereupon the patient heaved a -deep sigh, and many of them insisted that they immediately felt relieved -from pain. Both I and my hadji friends had reason to be gratified with -the brilliant success of our dealing in the holy breath, for I myself -earned fifteen gold pieces for the heavenly article. - -I soon had occasion to become convinced that the mehter, the Khan's -minister, was trying to injure me for no other reason except that he -hated Shukrullah Bey, who patronized me. He could not very well doubt my -being a Turk, but he endeavoured to make the Khan believe that I had put -on the dervishship as a mask merely for some secret mission from the -Sultan on which I was now going to Bokhara. Information of his -perfidiousness had already reached me, and I was not at all surprised at -being again invited to the Khan's court, a few days only after my first -audience. A large company was present, and he received me immediately -with the question, if it was true that I was versed in worldly knowledge -too, and that I could write in a flowery style. He wished me to write -something for him in the fashion of Stambul, which he was very desirous -to see. I very well knew that the request was made in consequence of the -mehter's machinations against me, who enjoyed the reputation of being -clever in fine and flowery writing and had made inquiries respecting me -of my hadji-companions. I produced my writing materials and wrote as -follows: "High, mighty and terrible king and lord! I, thy poorest -humblest servant, immersed in thy royal graces, keeping before my eyes -the proverb that every fine writer is a fool, have hitherto occupied -myself but little with studies of fine writing. On the other hand I -recalled that other saying, that every fault becomes a virtue as soon as -it pleases the king, and found courage to write down these lines." - -These high-sounding titles pleased the Khan very much, but the mehter -was too stupid to perceive the drift of my allusions. I was told to sit -down and, having been treated with bread and tea, called upon by the -Khan to come and talk with him. Politics were, this time, the exclusive -topic of our conversation, but I, remaining faithful to the character of -a dervish, showed but little interest in the matter, and every word had -to be forced out of me. All this while the mehter was attentively -listening and keenly scanning the expression of my countenance in the -hope of my saying something to justify his suspicions, but it was all to -no purpose. The Khan sent me away again with the repeated assurance of -his good graces, and told me to draw upon his treasurer for my daily -stipend. He ordered a _yasaul_ (a court officer) to take me to the -treasurer. I found the treasurer, who paid me at once the sum as -directed, singularly employed. He was arranging the _khilat_ (robe of -honour), that is, those garments which were destined to be sent to the -camp in order to invest with them the heroes, in reward of their -bravery. There were four different sorts of silk suits of clothing, all -of them the most glaring colours, richly embroidered with flowers in -gold; and dividing them into four groups, he called them suits of four -heads, suits of twelve heads, suits of twenty and of forty heads. -This nomenclature struck me as very odd, all the more so as there was -not the slightest trace of a head to be seen on those garments. Instead -of answering my question the treasurer told me to meet him in a large -public square on the following morning. I was there at the appointed -time. I found about a hundred horsemen, who had just arrived from the -camp, covered with dust, each of them leading a couple of prisoners, -amongst them women and children, who were tied either to the horses' -tails or the saddle-bows, each horseman bringing with him, besides, a -sack which was thrown across the saddle. As soon as they arrived each of -them handed over the prisoners, he had brought with him, as a present to -the Khan, or some other grandee of the land; then they removed the sacks -from the saddles and taking hold of the two sides of the one end they -spilled their contents on the ground as one does with potatoes. But -these were human heads, the heads of slaughtered enemies, which were -rolling at the feet of the official who wrote down their number. He -first carefully counted the number of heads brought by each horseman and -then gave a receipt for the same, the servant kicking them meanwhile -into a heap. The horsemen galloped away with their receipts, which were -drafts upon the treasurer for their respective rewards, in the shape of -robes of honour of four, twenty or forty heads. - -[Illustration: A ROAD IN CENTRAL ASIA.] - -The Yasaul who was to take me to the treasurer had, before doing so, -another order to attend to; I was therefore obliged to go with him. -There were three hundred Tchaudor (a Turkoman tribe) prisoners of war in -the third courtyard, and it was in reference to these that the Yasaul -had received the Khan's orders. These unfortunate people were all -covered with rags, and looked, owing to their fear of death and the -starving they had to undergo for days past, like dead men risen from -their graves. They were already divided into two groups, those under -forty years of age who were fit to be sold as slaves or to be made a -present of, and those who owing to their position or advanced age are -looked upon as _aksakals_ (graybeards or chieftains), and were subject -to the punishments meted out by the Khan. Those of the first class were -led away by their escorts, in bands of fifteen tied to each other by -iron collars. The second group were anticipating with patient -resignation, like sheep taken to the slaughter-house, the horrible fate -in store for them. Part of them were sent to the block or to the -gallows; eight of them, of an advanced age, lay down on their backs at a -hint from the executioner. In this situation their hands and feet were -tied, and he, kneeling on their chests, and stabbing with a sharp knife -the eyes of each of them, in turn, deprived them of their eyesight. -After he had accomplished his cruel task he wiped his bloody knife on -the grey beard of one of his victims. It was a dreadful sight to see -these miserable people, after the fetters had been removed from their -hands and feet, in their groping attempts to rise from the ground. Some -knocked their heads against one another, others sank to the ground again -from sheer exhaustion, moaning and beating the ground with their feet in -their agony. I shall think with horror of this scene as long as I live. - -I bestowed upon the Khan my blessing upon taking leave. He asked me to -come back by the way of Khiva as he wished to send with me an ambassador -to Constantinople, whose mission it would be to obtain from the new -Sultan the customary confirmation for himself. I replied that it was -sinful to think of the future, but we should see by and by what _Kismet_ -(fate) ordains. I then took leave of every one whose acquaintance I had -made, or whose friendship I had gained, during my stay of one month in -Khiva. - - - - -XXII. - -FROM KHIVA TO BOKHARA. - - -We met for our departure in the cool and shady yard of the Toshebaz. The -charity and liberality of the inhabitants of Khiva was manifestly -traceable in the altered appearance of the mendicant caravan. The -moth-eaten fur caps which we had adopted amongst the Turkomans had given -way to turbans of spotless white. The conglomeration of tatters, -dignified by the name of apparel, was gone, and the very travelling -outfit was far superior to our former holiday apparel. Our bags were -filled to bursting, and we experienced great satisfaction in observing -that even the poorest of us was provided with an ass, however -diminutive. The time for carrying black flour with me was now over; its -place was supplied by white cakes, and my store contained such luxuries -as rice, butter and sugar. The only article I would not change was my -dress. I had been presented with a shirt, it is true, but I did not put -it on, thinking that such superfluities, for which the time had not come -yet, might have an effeminate effect upon me. It was rather late in the -afternoon of the 2nd of June when, having happily got over the -never-ending benedictions and farewell embraces, our party left Khiva. -The over-zealous ran after us for half an hour, shedding copious tears -and saying to us in taking leave: "Who knows when Khiva will be again so -fortunate as to have so many pious men for guests within her walls!" -_Godshe_ was the name of the small town where we passed the first night. -Here we put up for the first time at the _kalenterkhane_, that is, an -inn for the separate and special accommodation of dervishes which it is -customary for every larger community to provide. From here to _Khanka_ -we uninterruptedly passed through cultivated land. In the kalenterkhane -at Khanka I found two half-naked dervishes, who were just in the act of -abandoning themselves to the indulgence of opium-eating when I entered. -They at once asked me to join them, offering me a goodly dose thereof, -and were quite astonished to hear me refuse their kind proffer. They -were not to be easily baffled in their friendly attentions, and treated -me to tea instead. While I drank my tea they swallowed their poppy-seed -poison. In half an hour's time the drug had taken effect; they were both -in the realms of the happy; but while the face of the one sleeper wore -an expression of joy and delight, the agonies of terrible fear were -depicted in the countenance of the other. - -Towards evening on the day of our departure from Khanka we came to the -Oxus. The spring rains must have considerably swelled the volume of its -waters, forcing them beyond their ordinary bed; for I found the river -much more considerable than I imagined it to be. The yellow water of the -Oxus is not so good in its bed as it is in the canals issuing from it, -or in its side-branches, where the water, flowing more slowly, is apt -to cool off sooner. Where the sand is settling in the Oxus, there the -water for sweetness and purity has no rival in the world. Toll must be -paid for crossing the Oxus, but the payment of it will in itself not -pass a person; one must also be provided with a _petek_ (a license to -cross). The hadjis had one passport, in common; I had myself been given -a separate one which ran thus: "Be it known to the guards on the -frontier and the collectors of customs and tolls that Hadji Mollah -Abdur-Reshid Effendi was granted a license. Let nobody molest or -interfere with him." - -Our transportation across the river commenced at ten o'clock in the -forenoon; and it was sundown when we reached the opposite shore. We -might have crossed the mighty river itself in half an hour's time, but -on its smaller side-branches we ran aground; the sandbanks, every ten -minutes, forcing the passengers and animals to disembark in order that -the ferry-boat might be pushed off into deeper water, and more time -being lost getting on board again. The shipping and the unloading of the -asses, particularly the stubborn ones, gave no end of troublesome and -hard work; the passengers being compelled, for the most part, to carry -the animals bodily from and into the boat. There is one laughable scene -before my eyes at this very moment; how tall, rawboned Hadji Yakub -packed his little ass on his back, gathering up in his lists the -struggling legs of the frightened animal, which meekly leant its head on -the neck of the hadji. Our caravan could proceed but very slowly. When -we were near _Akkamish_ (white reed), the kervanbashi, two others, and -myself, trusting to the speed of our animals, took advantage of the -tardy progress of the caravan, and turned aside to visit _Shurakhan_, -where the weekly fair was being held, in order to replenish our -provisions. - -Shurakhan consists chiefly of those three hundred shops which are open -two days a week, and where the permanent inhabitants of the neighbouring -country and the nomads happening to camp there, can obtain the -necessaries of life. I entrusted my companions with the making of the -needful purchases, and sauntered away to the kalenterkhane, outside the -place. Here I met again with several dervishes whose frames, reduced to -mere skeletons, plainly showed their indulgence in _bang_ (opium -prepared from hemp). Bang is most universally used for intoxicating -purposes in Khiva, and the sinful indulgence in it by many arises from -the fact that the Koran forbidding the use of wine and other spirituous -liquors, the transgression of that commandment is punished with death by -the government. I returned to the fair to join my friends, but it was -with great difficulty that I succeeded in pushing my way through the -swarming multitude. Everybody was on horseback, buyers as well as -sellers. Kirghiz women on horseback were vending _kimiss_ (a sourish -beverage prepared from mare's milk) in large skin jugs, and it was -amusing to see with what dexterity they put the mouth of the jug to the -lips of their customer, who was on horseback too, without ever spilling -a single drop. At the caravan they had been looking out for us with the -greatest impatience, and we resumed our march at sunset, for henceforth -we were to travel at night only. As we marched on by the light of the -moon, the spectacle was indeed entrancing--the moving caravan and its -fantastic shadows, upon which the pale moon shed its mysterious silvery -light, flanked on the right by the Oxus rolling its darkling waters with -a hoarse murmur, on the left the awful desert of Tartary stretching its -endless vista. We met with some Kirghiz Nomads on the following day, and -I seized the opportunity of addressing a few words to a Kirghiz woman, -asking her if she did not weary of this roving gipsy life of hers. "We -cannot be so indolent," she answered, "as you mollahs are, and spend the -entire day in one place. Man must move about, the sun, the moon, the -stars, the water, animals, birds, fish, all are moving; only the dead -and the earth lie motionless." - -As we were continuing our march along the willow-covered shores of the -Oxus, we were met by five merchants from Khiva, on horseback, who had -made their way from Bokhara to this point in four days, and who, -moreover, brought us the cheering news that the roads were perfectly -safe and that most likely we should on the following day meet with the -caravan they had left. - -It was at the break of day on the 4th of July when we suddenly stumbled -upon two men, in an entirely nude state, who in a pitiful voice could -only repeat, "A piece of bread! a piece of bread!" and then fainted -away. They were at once given some bread, water and mutton fat, and -recovering themselves they told us that they were sailors from Hevaves, -had been attacked by a band of Tekke-Turkoman robbers, numbering about -one hundred and fifty, and had been robbed by them of their boat, their -clothing, their bread and everything else they had. "For the love of -God," they said, "run or hide, for you are sure to come across them in a -couple of hours, and although you are pious pilgrims, they will strip -you of everything and leave you naked in the wilderness, for the Kafir -(infidel) Tekke is capable of everything." - -No sooner did the kervanbashi hear the name of Tekke mentioned than he -gave instant orders to retrace our steps. We were to retreat as fast as -was compatible with the pace of the poor, heavily laden camels. Of -course it was well-nigh an impossibility to get away with camels from -Turkoman horses, but we counted that it would take until morning for one -hundred and fifty horsemen to cross the river, and whilst they were -cautiously reconnoitring we might safely reach Tunuklu. There we -intended to fill our canteens with water and then to turn into the -desert of _Khalata_, where we hoped to escape from the pursuit of the -Tekkes. After tremendous exertions we arrived with our animals quite -exhausted in Tunuklu. Here we had to remain until our animals were -rested and fed, for in their present condition they could not have -reached the first station in the desert. We passed three mortal hours in -unquestionable anxiety, making our preparations for the awful journey, -and the sun had not set when our caravan was wending its way, from the -ruins of Tunuklu, along the road leading to Khalata. - -Knowing the terrors of the desert as we did, one may easily imagine with -what feelings myself and my fellow-travellers commenced this new journey -through the desert. We had travelled from Gomushtepe to Khiva in the -month of May, and now we were in July; then we found some rain-water, -now we should not find even salt-water. With what longing did we look at -the Oxus, on whose bosom the setting sun was casting a halo of light, as -it receded, to the right, from our sight. The very animals, dumb as they -were, kept their eyes continuously in that direction. The sky was -covered already with stars when we reached the sandy desert. We -proceeded as noiselessly as possible for fear of attracting the -attention of the Turkomans whom we thought not to be far off. They could -not possibly see us in the darkness of the night, and the moon would -rise late. The soft ground prevented the noise of the tramp of the -animals being heard, and the only thing we apprehended was that one of -our animals might take it into its head to give us a specimen of its -charming voice. Fortunately the spirit of singing did not descend on any -of them. About midnight we reached a place where all of us had to -dismount, as the animals were wading knee deep in the fine sand. - -Our station on the morning of the 5th of July was called _Adamkirilgan_, -that is, man destroyer, and one glance taken at the surrounding objects -was sufficient to prove the propriety of this appellation. As far as the -eye could reach, nothing but sand, sand, now like the stormy sea lashing -itself into tremendous waves, now again presenting the spectacle of the -rippling caused by gentle breezes on the bosom of a calm lake. No bird -can be seen in the air, nor insect on the earth; all the eye can -discover here and there are the sad signs of decay, the skeletons of -lost men and animals, which are placed in a heap by the travellers in -order to serve them as a guide. Here, of course, we were safe from the -Turkomans, for there is no horse in the world capable of walking the -distance of one station through this sand. According to our -kervanbashi's statement the journey from Tunuklu to Bokhara, generally -took six days, three through the sand and three on solid ground, covered -here and there with grass. We had to fear then, altogether, one day's or -one and a half day's want of water. But I observed on the very first day -that the water of the Oxus we had with us upset all our calculations, as -it diminished with frightful rapidity in spite of our utmost economy, a -phenomenon which I attributed to evaporation. Everybody of course guards -his skin most carefully, and jealously hugs it close to his bosom when -asleep. We marched six hours every day in spite of the dreadful heat, -wishing to get out of the sandy desert as soon as possible; for if we -happened to be caught dozing in the sand for only a few seconds by the -murderous _tebbad_ wind, the lives of the whole caravan would be in -danger, whilst on the solid ground of the desert beyond, such a tebbad -visitation involved only an attack of high fever. The forced march had -worn out our camels to such an extent that two of them died on the 6th -of July. - -Our toilsome march had now lasted three days; the scorching heat -enervated us all and reduced our strength. Two of our poorer -companions, who had been compelled, owing to the inferiority of their -animals, to trudge by their side on foot, had consumed all the water -they had, and became, for want of it, so sick that they had to be tied -to the backs of the camels, being unable both to walk and to sit -upright. They were covered up besides. As long as their voices did not -desert them, they were constantly begging for water. It is the pitiful -truth, alas! that their best friends denied them the boon of a few -drops of the life-giving elixir, and it was reserved for grim death to -be more generous and relieve one of them from the pangs of thirst on -reaching Medemin Bulag, at which place he expired. I was near the -unhappy man when he had breathed his last. His tongue had turned quite -black, his throat was of a grayish white, but his features were not -overmuch discomposed, except his mouth, which was gaping, owing to the -shrunken state of his lips. I am not sure if the bathing of water would -have been of any benefit to the poor fellow, but the thought that -nobody attempted to save the dying man by offering him one swallow of -water did not cease to haunt me for many a day to come. The father -hides his liquid store from his son, the brother from his brother, for -every drop of it not only represents life but relief from the dreadful -torture of thirst, the fear of the latter banishing that self-sacrifice -and generous-mindedness which we often have an opportunity to witness -on other occasions of danger and peril. - -The Khalata mountains which signalize the beginning of the hard-soiled -desert, were not yet within sight. Our camels were unable to proceed, -their weakness and fatigue necessitating a further stay of one day, the -fourth day, amid the burning sand of the desert. My store of water was -reduced to about six glasses of water, which I kept in my leather flask; -of this I durst not drink more than a drop at a time, the consequence -being that I was constantly suffering from thirst. To my horror I -discovered a black spot in the middle part of my tongue, and this was -sufficient to make me at once swallow one half of my store. I thought I -was saved, but on the following morning a burning sensation accompanied -by a violent headache made itself felt, more and more, and by the time -the Khalata mountains loomed up in the distant horizon like towering -blue clouds, my strength gradually failed me. The nearer we drew to the -mountains the scarcer the sand became, and every eye was eagerly looking -out for some herd or shepherd's hut. All of a sudden some one called the -kervanbashi's attention to an approaching cloud of dust, who seeing it -became deadly pale with fright, and exclaimed: "This is the tebbad." -Every one dismounted at once from the camels. The animals were quicker -to feel the approach of the stifling wind and had knelt down, roaring -loud, on the ground, laying down their long necks flat before them, and -trying to hide their heads in the sand. We used the animals as a bulwark -against the coming storm, crouching down near them, and hardly had we -time to do so when the wind swept over our heads with a deep roar, -covering us with a layer of sand of the thickness of half an inch, its -first grains burning as like drops of fiery rain. Had we been attacked -by the tebbad five miles more inland, we should have been all -irretrievably destroyed. I did not observe the symptoms of fever -attended with vomiting which are said to be the effects of this wind, -but the atmosphere became sensibly heavier and more oppressive. - -We scrambled up when it was over, and found to our intense satisfaction -after a short while that the sand was gone. From three roads which led -from the edge of the sandy desert to Bokhara we chose the shortest one, -and resuming our march we came, towards evening, across several wells -that had not been visited, even by herdsmen, this year. The water we -found in them was unfit for man, but the animals drank their fill from -it. We were all of us in the last stages of exhaustion, and nothing but -hope kept up the spark of life within our enfeebled frames. Coming to -the next station I was not able to get off my animal without assistance, -and was taken down and laid on the ground. I felt a dreadful internal -fire and my head stupified by the violence of the headache. My pen has -no power to describe the tortures of thirst unallayed which I underwent -at that moment, nor do I think there is any more painful mode of death, -for I had hitherto bravely faced all kind of dangers, keeping up my -manhood--but now I was completely broken down; I felt my power of -resistance had deserted me and had no hopes of ever surviving the night. -Towards noon we took up our march again; I fell asleep, and on awaking -on the 10th of July I found myself lying on the ground in a mud hut, -surrounded by men with long beards whom I at once recognized as natives -of Iran. They first administered to me tepid milk, then I had to take -some sour milk mixed with salt and water, called _ayran_ by them, and -very soon recovered my strength from the combined effect of both these -beverages. I now learned that, together with my companions, we were the -guests of a couple of Persian slaves camping here, in the desert, at a -distance of forty miles from Bokhara, they having charge of large flocks -of sheep, but being very sparingly provided with bread and water, so as -to prevent them from making an attempt to escape. Yet these Persians, -poor slaves as they were, had the broad charitableness which gives water -to their ancient and inveterate foes, the Sunnite mollahs. They became -particularly kind to me when they heard me addressing them in their -native language, the Persian. The sight of a child-boy only five years -old, who was also a slave, inspired me with feelings of profoundest -pity. He had been taken prisoner two years ago, together with his -father; and being asked the particulars of his life he answered: "My -father has bought (ransomed) himself; nor am I to remain a slave above -two years, for my father will earn the necessary money to set me free by -that time." The poor child had hardly a rag to cover his nakedness, and -his skin was as dark as tanned leather. - - - - -XXIII. - -IN BOKHARA. - - -We marched into Bokhara on the 12th of July, and betook ourselves -straight to the spacious _tekkie_ (convent), shaded by trees, which, -forming a regular square, is provided with forty-eight cells on the -ground floor. The chief of this building was the descendant of some -saint, the court-priest of the Emir, and a man enjoying universal -respect. Hadji Salih, my intimate friend and companion, had been at one -time a pupil of this holy man, our present host, and, in that capacity, -he took upon himself at once to introduce me and the more prominent -members of our party to him. The recommendation and introduction coming -from such a source, we were received in the most friendly manner by the -chief of the tekkie; and having indulged in half an hour's conversation -with me, his satisfaction seemed to know no bounds, and he loudly -expressed his regret at the Badevlet's (his Majesty the Emir's) absence -from Bokhara, which prevented him from taking me to the Emir at once. -He immediately ordered a separate cell, in the most hospitable location -near the mosque, to be assigned to me, one of my neighbours being a -learned mollah, and the other Hadji Salih. The tekkie was full of -celebrities, and I had happened to light on the principal nest of -religious fanaticism in Bokhara. The official reporter had given -information of my arrival as an event of great importance, and -Rahmet-Bi, the first officer of the Emir and commander-in-chief in -Bokhara during the Emir's absence on his campaigns in Kokhand, was -making inquiries of the hadjis about me, on the first day of my stay. -But as the Emir's power does not extend to the tekkie, the -inquisitiveness of his first officer was made so little account of, that -nobody had thought it worth while to inform me of the same. In speaking -of me my friends said: "Hadji Reshid is not only a good Mussulman, but a -learned mollah besides; and he who entertains a suspicion against him -commits a most grievous sin." - -On the following day I went out with Hadji Salih and four others of our -party, to take a look at the city and its bazaar. Although the squalid -and rickety buildings and the streets covered with sand, one foot thick, -did not tend to place "noble Bokhara" in the most favourable and -imposing light, yet upon entering the bazaar and beholding the thronging -multitude animating it, I could not refrain from being intensely -interested at the novel sight. The beauty and wealth of the bazaar were -not the things that surprised me, so much as the immense and -multifarious variety in races, dress and manners which struck the eye -everywhere. The type of Iran was visible in the faces of a great portion -of the people; but the Tartar features, which could be seen in all their -shades, from the Uzbeg to the wild Kirghiz, claimed my particular -attention owing to their prominence. The last, and generally the -Turanian race, may be distinguished from the people of Iran by their -heavy and awkward gait. Jews and Hindoos could be seen in great numbers, -too. I cast, now and then, a stealthy glance at the contents of the -shops, finding in them but few goods of the manufacture of Western -Europe, but Russian manufactures were all the more extensively -represented in them. Home-made articles have a separate place assigned -to them in the bazaar, and it is to this place that the Kirghizes, the -Kiptchaks, the Kalmuks and the inhabitants of Chinese Tartary resort to -make their purchases of clothing. - -After loitering about and observing for nearly three hours I became so -exhausted with fatigue that I had to request my guide, Hadji Salih, to -allow me to take some rest. He led me, through the tea bazaar, to a -place called the "Divanbeg's Reservoir." It was a tolerably regular -square, in the centre of which a lake, flagged with stones and shaded by -magnificent elm trees, was visible. The place is encircled by tea-shops, -in which gigantic _samovars_ (teapots), manufactured in Russia -especially for Bokhara, are standing. In numerous shops are sold -candies, sweetmeats, bread and fruit, around which thousands of -gourmands and hungry people swarm. A mosque stands on one side of the -palace, in front of which dervishes and _meddahs_ (story-tellers) -recount the heroic deeds of renowned prophets and warriors, distorting -their features in every possible way as they do, to a large and curious -audience. As we were entering the square we saw a procession of fifteen -dervishes from the cloister of Nakishbend pass before our eyes. It was a -sight not to be easily forgotten--the mad jumping about of these -dervishes, in their wild fanaticism, with tall caps on their heads and -their long flowing hair, waving their sticks, and bellowing forth in -chorus a hymn, the several strophes of which were first sung to them by -their gray-headed chief. - -Although I had put on a costume such as they wore in Bokhara, and the -sun had disfigured my face to such an extent that my own good mother -would not have recognized me, I was followed, nevertheless, by a crowd -of curious people, whose embraces and hand-shaking became very annoying -to me. Judging by my gigantic turban and the large Koran suspended from -my neck, they evidently took me to be some ishan or Sheikh, and there -was no way to escape the unpleasantness. While in Bokhara, its people -never, during the whole time of my stay there, suspected me, although -they are rather cunning and distrustful. They would come to me for -benedictions, listen to my recitals in public places, but never a -farthing did I get from them. - -The authorities did not trust me as implicitly as the people did. -Rahmet-Bi, the Emir's chief officer, whom I have mentioned before, could -not assail me publicly, but he pestered me with spies whose business it -was to engage me in conversation, dragging into it all the time the -Frengistan name, in the hope of seeing me betray myself before them, -through some inadvertent remark. Failing in this method they thought to -frighten me by stray remarks, such as that the Frengis covet the -possession of Bokhara, and that several of their spies and emissaries -had already met with condign punishment. Or they would talk of some -Frengis (unfortunate Italians) who had come to Bokhara a couple of days -ago, and were arrested owing to their alleged importation of several -boxes of tea, sprinkled with diamond dust, for the purpose of poisoning -the entire population of the sacred city. These spies were for the most -part hadjis who had been living for years in Constantinople, and were -now trying to test my knowledge of the language and the circumstances of -that place. To get rid of their obtrusions I pretended to a feeling of -indignation and impatience at their everlasting discussion of the -Frengi. "Why," said I to them, "I have left Constantinople for this very -reason, to get rid of the sight of these Frengis who have robbed the -devil of his reason. I am now, thank God, in noble Bokhara, and have no -wish to waste here my time on speaking about them." - -At one time again one of the servants of Rahmet-Bi brought to me, by -orders of his master, a thin little man, requesting me to examine the -individual, and then tell if he were an Arab from Damaskus, as he -claimed to be. Immediately on his entering I was struck by his features, -and set him down at once for a European. I was strengthened in this -opinion after having talked with him for a while, for I found his -pronunciation not to be the true Arabic at all. He told me he was going -to China to visit the grave there of some saint. He was visibly -embarrassed in the course of our conversation. I rather regret not -having met him afterwards, for I strongly suspect he was acting the same -part I was. - -The commander-in-chief, finding himself foiled in his attempts to draw -me out by spies, invited me to a _pilar_ (a dish of rice and meat) at -his house, where a brilliant galaxy of the representatives of the ulema -world of Bokhara were awaiting my appearance. As soon as I entered and -looked about me I saw at once that the whole company were assembled to -sit in judgment upon my case; that a hard task awaited me, and that my -powers of dissimulation would have to pass through a fiery ordeal. I -thought best to anticipate their design, and instead of giving them -time to address questions to me, I boldly plunged into a discussion of -some religious dogmas and requested their opinions concerning them. My -zeal met with applause at the hands of the pious assemblage, and a very -heated dispute arising soon after, in which I was careful not to take -any part, concerning some mooted points in the sacred book, I took -occasion to loudly declare the mental superiority of the mollahs of -Bokhara over the ulemas of Constantinople. At length, my trial ended -with my triumph; the learned mollahs gave Rahmet-Bi to understand by -nods and winks and words, that his official reporter had been -outrageously mistaken, and that there could not be the slightest doubt -about my identity. - -During my whole stay in Bokhara the heat was intolerable, and I had to -undergo besides the additional infliction of drinking warm water as a -preventative against getting the _rishte_, viz., the filaria medinensis, -with which every tenth person here is afflicted. People in Bokhara think -as little of feeling in summer an itching sensation in their feet or any -part of their bodies, as Europeans do of a cold. The itching is followed -after a while by a red spot, from the centre of which a worm of the -thickness of a thread issues to the length at times, of several yards, -and it must be carefully unwound in the course of a couple of days. This -is the regular course of the disease, which is otherwise unaccompanied -by any pain. But if the worm happens to break whilst being unwound, -inflammation sets in, and six to ten appear where there had been one -before, compelling the patient to keep his bed midst great sufferings -for a week. The more courageous gets the rishte at once removed from his -body, by having it cut out. The barbers in Bokhara perform the operation -with considerable skill; the spot where the itching is felt is cut open -in an instant, the worm removed, and the wound heals in a very short -time. - -Bokhara is supplied with water from the Zerefshan (gold-scattering) -river by means of open aqueducts. The canal is sunk to a sufficient -depth, but not kept clean. As it frequently happens to run dry, the -water coming in again is received by the populace with shouts and -screams of delight. First of all the people, young and old, dive into -the basin and take a regular bath; then comes the turn of the horses, -cows, and asses, followed by the dogs. When this general bathing of man -and beast is over any further going into it is forbidden; the water -settles somewhat and becomes clear again, but it remains, nevertheless, -tainted with dirt and messes of all kinds. - -There is something of the metropolitan character, withal, about Bokhara, -at least it was so to a man like myself who had been wandering for a -considerable time through the deserts of Central Asia. I had good hot -bread, I could get tea, fruit and cooked eatables; I even went to the -length of having two shirts made for myself, and indeed got to like the -comforts of civilized life to such an extent that it was with a pang of -regret that I listened to my companions talking of the preparations I -should make for our departure, as they wished to reach their distant -Eastern homes before the setting in of winter. I intended, at all -events, to accompany them as far as Samarkand, where I might easily -happen to meet the Emir, in which case my fellow-hadjis would be of -great service to me. There, in Samarkand, I should then have to choose -either to continue the journey to Kokhand and Kashgar, in their company, -or to return by myself to Teheran by way of Herat. I was warmly urged by -Hadji Bilal and Hadji Salih to remain with them, but in order to afford -me every facility, in case I would not be persuaded by them and -insisted upon leaving them at Samarkand, they made me acquainted with a -kervanbashi from Herat, who was staying in Bokhara with one hundred and -fifty camels, and was going to leave for his home, Herat, in three -weeks. _Molla Zeman_ was the name of the kervanbashi; he had known my -friends for a long time, and they recommended me to him in such cordial -terms as if I had been their brother. It was consequently arranged -between me and Molla Zeman, that in case I made up my mind to return -from Samarkand I should meet him in three weeks at Kerki, on the other -side of the Oxus. - -Before saying good-bye to Bokhara I shall make some mention of the place -where I first met him. It was one of those caravansaries where the -unfortunate slaves are put up for sale. The Turkoman karaktchi, who -hunts the Persians, cannot afford to wait a long time for his money, he -therefore usually sells his human booty to some wealthier Turkoman, who -makes a business of buying a good many of them, and then takes a large -troop of slaves to Bokhara to be sold there. He then sells as many as he -can during the first days after his arrival, the rest which he is not -able to dispose of he hands over to the dellal to be sold for him; the -latter is the person who does the real wholesale business in slaves. -Slaves of from three to sixty years of age, unless from some cause or -other they have become crippled, are constantly for sale in the marts of -Bokhara and Khiva. The tenets of their religion, it is true, forbid them -to sell into slavery any but unbelievers, but hypocritical Bokhara knows -how to elude the law. Besides the Shi-ite Persians, who are declared to -be unbelievers by the Sunnite law, any number of Sunnite true believers -are sold into slavery, conscience being salved by the simple process of -compelling them before their sale and by the most cruel tortures to -confess to being Shi-ites. - -The male slave who is exposed for sale is publicly examined, and the -seller is bound to guarantee that the article sold by him is without a -flaw. The hour in which a slave gets out of the clutches of the -slave-dealer is his happiest, for it is impossible that such -ill-treatment could await him, even at the hand of the worst master, as -he endures whilst in the warehouses of the dealer in human flesh. The -prices paid for the slaves vary according to the political situation, -being favourable or unfavourable, as the Turkomans send their _alamans_ -(robber-bands) into the neighbouring countries. At the time of my visit -the price paid for an able-bodied strong man was from forty to fifty -tillas (from. L2 10s. to L3 10s.); but at the time when the Persians -were defeated near Merv, and 10,000 prisoners were taken, a man could be -bought at the low price of from three to four tillas. This abominable -traffic, I am happy to remark, has since the time of my sojourn in -Bokhara, if not entirely ceased, yet certainly greatly abated; and it is -very probable that ere long slaves will not be exposed for sale at all -in Central Asia. For the cessation of this horrible practice we are -indebted to Russia, who has forbidden the slave trade in her own Asiatic -possessions, as well as in the countries under her protection. Nor can -the Turkomans, the chief men-stealers, continue as before their inroads -into Persia to carry away men and cattle. - -We had already passed eighteen days in Bokhara, and my friends being -unwilling to remain any longer, we had to proceed on our journey to -Samarkand. Our purses, too, were at a rather low ebb, for in Bokhara we -got nothing beyond hand-shaking. All that we had saved up in Khiva was -spent by us in Bokhara. I had to sell even my animal; and many of my -companions sharing my fate, we were compelled to hire a waggon in order -to continue our journey. Some of our fellow-hadjis said good-bye to us -here, and many and affectionate were the leave-takings and embraces. - -Before leaving I paid a farewell visit to Rahmet-Bi, who was kind enough -to furnish me with a letter of recommendation for Samarkand, and made me -promise that I would get myself introduced to the Emir. - -The road to Samarkand leads for the most part through well-cultivated -fields, populous and nicely built villages. We halted at five stations -on this road. Now that I was drawing near Samarkand all my curiosity and -interest revived to see this Mecca of my longings of old. Mount -Tchobanata, at the foot of which the city spreads, was already visible, -and climbing up an eminence we saw Samarkand, the city of Timur, before -us in all its pomp and splendour, shining out, with fairy-like -enchantment, with its many coloured cupolas and towers, illumined by the -rosy hue of the rising sun. - - - - -XXIV. - -IN SAMARKAND. - - -The Tadjiks maintain to this day that _Samarkand_, this ancient city of -Central Asia, is the centre of the world. And it does, in truth, excel -all the other cities of Central Asia, in its ancient monuments as well -as in the splendour of its mosques, its grand tombs and new structures. -We put up at a large caravansary where hadjis are provided with free -quarters, but having been invited on the day of our arrival to establish -my quarters as a guest in a private house near the tomb of Timur, I -readily accepted the invitation and left the caravansary. I was -agreeably surprised to find in my host an officer of the Emir who was -charged with the superintendence of the Emir's palace at Samarkand. The -return of the Emir, who was about to terminate a successful campaign at -Kokhand, having been announced to take place in a few days, my -fellow-travellers determined to oblige me by putting off their departure -from Samarkand until I had an opportunity to see the Emir and find -suitable companions for my return journey. I employed my time, in the -meanwhile, in looking at the remarkable sights in the city, of which a -greater variety is offered here than in any city in Central Asia. Being -a hadji I had, of course, to begin with the saints. There are here about -a hundred holy places to be visited, and the pilgrims do their visiting -by a certain established rote, according to the superior claims of -persons and places to sanctity. I would not deviate from the observance -of this routine, and looked at everything, in its proper turn, down to -the smallest object, with the zeal and devotion becoming the character I -was acting. Amongst the many, I will mention in passing only the mosque -of Timur; that castle in one of the halls of which the celebrated -_Koek-Tach_ (_i.e._, green stone) is still to be seen upon which the -great Emir had his throne erected, when its hall was crowded with -vassals who hied from all the quarters of the world to do him homage; at -that time when three messengers on horseback were always standing ready -in the precincts of the amphitheatrically constructed hall to blazon -forth the edicts of the conqueror of the world to the remotest corner of -it. The tomb of Timur, and its many brilliant medresses are worth -mentioning too. Only a portion of the latter are used as -dwelling-places, and many of them are threatened with decay. The -medresse of Hanim, once so grand, is in ruins now, and in vain did I -search within mouldering walls for even a trace of the renowned Armenian -and Greek library which Timur is alleged to have brought to Samarkand to -form one of the ornaments of his capital. - -[Illustration: SAMARKAND.] - -Whilst I was in Samarkand crowds were always thronging in the bazaars as -well as in the public places and streets, to which the soldiers -returning from the war contributed, to a great extent. The number of its -regular population hardly exceeds fifteen to twenty thousand -inhabitants, two-thirds of whom are Uzbegs, and one-third Tadjiks. The -Emir, whose seat of government is properly speaking in Bokhara, used to -spend two or three months during the summer in Samarkand, owing to its -more elevated position and more genial climate. - -I had now passed eight days in Samarkand, and I finally came to the -conclusion to return to the West by way of Herat, taking the route I -have mentioned before. Hadji Bilal still insisted on taking me with him -to Aksu, promising to send me safely to Mecca by way of Yarkend, Thibet -and Cashmere, or, if favoured by luck, to Peking by the way of Komul. -But Hadji Salih was opposed to the plan, laying stress on the great -distance and the scantiness of my means. "As far as Aksu, and even -Komul," he said, "thou wouldst experience no difficulty, for Mussulmans -and brothers are living along the road, and they would have regard for -you as a dervish from Roum; but beyond thou wilt meet unbelievers only, -who, it is true, will not hurt thee, but will not give you anything -either. Therefore be advised, and return to Teheran by way of Herat, -with the men we have selected for your travelling companions." - -There was a struggle going on within me for a while. To have travelled -by land to Peking, through the ancient fastnesses of the Tartars, -Khirgizes, Mongols, and Chinese, where even Marco Polo would not have -dared to place his feet--would have been indeed a feat without a -parallel! The voice of moderation prevailed with me after all. I -reflected that it would be a pity to risk losing the fruits of the -experiences hitherto gathered, however trifling they might be, by -embarking in an enterprise of great uncertainty and undoubted danger. -And putting off was not giving up; I was only thirty-one years old, and -what I could not well do to-day I might accomplish at some future day. I -made up my mind to return. - -My preparations for the journey had advanced considerably when the Emir -made his triumphal entry into Samarkand. Its taking place had been -announced for some days past, and a great multitude had collected on the -_righistan_ (principal public place), to witness the show, but I cannot -say that any special pomp was displayed in the pageant. The procession -was headed by two hundred sherbazes, wearing over the uncouth Bokhara -costume some sort of overall of skin, to which piece of additional dress -they were indebted for their being called regular troops. They were -followed by horsemen with banners and kettledrums, and behind these, at -some distance, came Emir Mozaffar ed-din, surrounded by his higher -officers and chief men. The Emir was forty-two years old, of middle -size, rather stout, but very pleasant in appearance, with fine black -eyes and a thin beard. After the Emir came Kiptchaks--rude, martial -warriors with features nearly Mongolian, armed with bows and arrows and -shields. - -The Emir caused a feast to be arranged for the people on the day of his -arrival, several gigantic cauldrons being erected, on that occasion, on -the righistan, in which the princely pilar was being cooked. Into each -of these cauldrons was thrown a sack of rice, three sheep chopped up, a -large pan of mutton fat, enough to make five pounds of tallow candles, -and a small sack of carrots. Then ensued a scene of eating and drinking -beggaring all description. - -An _arz_, that is a day for public audiences, was proclaimed for the -following day. I took advantage of this occasion to present myself in -the company of my friends to the Emir. As we were entering the interior -of the city, we were startled to find ourselves stopped by a Mehrem, -who gave us to understand that his Badevlet (majesty) wished to see me -alone, without my companions. My friends were this time of my opinion, -that this message boded ill to me. But what was to be done but to follow -the Mehrem to the palace. After being made to wait for about an hour I -was conducted into a room where I found the Emir reclining on a mattress -of red cloth, amidst books and papers lying about. I recited a short -Sura, accompanying it with the usual prayer for the welfare of the -governing prince, and after saying amen, to which the Emir responded, I -sat down in close vicinity to him without having first received his -invitation to do so. The Emir was struck by my bold behaviour, which was -in fact in perfect keeping with the character of a dervish. He fixed his -eyes severely on mine as if wishing to embarrass me, and said: - -"Hadji! I hear thou hast come from Roum to visit the graves of -Baha-ed-din and the other holy men of Turkestan?" - -"Yes, takhsir (sir)! and, besides, to be edified by thy blessed beauty." - -"Strange; and hast thou no other object in coming here from such distant -lands?" - -"No, takhsir! It has ever been the warmest wish of my heart to visit -noble Bokhara and enchanting Samarkand, upon whose sacred ground, as is -justly observed by Sheikh Djelal, men should walk with their heads -rather than their feet. Besides, this is my only vocation, and I having -been roaming now through the world for many a day as a _djihangheste_" -(a wanderer through the world). - -"How is this, a djihangheste with thy lame foot? This is very strange -indeed." - -"Let me be thy victim, takhsir! (This phrase answers our "I beg your -pardon, sir") Thy glorious ancestor Timur--may he rest in peace--was -afflicted in the same way, and yet he became a _djihanghir_" (a -conqueror of the world). - -Having bantered me in this preliminary conversation, the Emir inquired -what sort of impression Bokhara and Samarkand had made upon me. My -answers, which I took occasion to interlard with copious citations of -Persian poetry, seemed to make a favourable impression upon the Emir, -who was a mollah himself and spoke Arabic pretty well; but I was not -altogether sure yet of my success with him. After the audience had -lasted for a quarter of an hour he summoned a servant, and telling him -something in a cautious undertone he bade me follow the servant. - -I quickly rose from my sitting posture and followed as I had been bid. -The servant led me through a number of yards and halls, whilst my mind -was at the time cruelly agitated by fears and misgivings as to my fate; -my perplexed imagination conjuring up pictures of horror and seeing -myself already travelling on the road to the rack and that dreadful -death which was ever present to my mind. My guide showed me, after a -good deal of wandering about, into a dark room, conveying to me by a -sign that I should expect him here. I stood still, in what state of mind -any one can guess. I counted the moments with feverish excitement--when -the door opened again. A few seconds yet of suspense and the servant -approached at last, and by the light of the opening door I saw him -holding in his hand, instead of the frightful instruments of the -executioner, a parcel carefully folded up. In it I found a highly -ornamental suit of clothing, and an amount of money destined for my -onward journey, sent to me as a present by the Emir. - -As soon as I obtained possession of the parcel I hastened away to my -companions, wild with joy at my escape. They were quite as glad of my -success as I myself had been. I subsequently learned that Rahmet-Bi had -sent the Emir an equivocating report about me, in consequence of which I -was received with diffidence at first by the Emir, but succeeded in -dissipating his mistrust, thanks to the glibness of my tongue. - -My fellow-hadjis now advised me to leave Samarkand at once, and not even -to sojourn at _Karshi_, but to cross over as quickly as possible to the -other side of the Oxus, and await there in the midst of the hospitable -_Ersari-Turkomans_ the arrival of the caravan bound for Herat. I took -their advice. The hour of parting was at hand. I feel my pen is too -feeble to give an adequate picture of the parting scene. For six months -we had been sharing in all the dangers connected with travelling in the -desert; we had in common defied robbers, borne the raging elements, and -braved hunger and thirst. No wonder then that the barriers of position, -age and nationality were all broken down, and that we had come to look -on ourselves as one family. It may be easily imagined with what heavy -hearts we looked forward to the sad moment when we should have to -separate. There is hardly anything more painful to the heart of a true -man than to see those ties severed which common hardships, the exchange -of mutual acts of friendship and devotion, have firmly knit together. -And mine, especially, I own it, nearly broke at the thought of the -double-dealing I had to practise upon these friends of mine--the best I -had in the world, who had preserved my life--even in these last moments -leaving them in the dark as to my identity. But those who know the -fanaticism of the Moslems, and the danger I should have exposed myself -to by divulging the truth even at the moment of farewell, will surely -find no fault with my reserve. - - - - -XXV. - -FROM SAMARKAND TO HERAT. - - -I did not remain long with my new fellow-travellers from the Khanate of -Kokhand. But I attached myself all the more closely to a young mollah -from Kungrat by the name of Ishak, who wished to go with me to Mecca. He -was a kind-hearted youth, as poor as myself, and looking upon me as his -master, he was always ready to serve and oblige me. - -The road from Samarkand follows the direction of the road to Bokhara up -to the hill whence we saw the city for the first time. The next day -found us already in the desert. In truth, however, compared to the other -deserts through which I had passed, it might have been more fitly -denominated an extensive grassy plain or a prairie. One meets here -everywhere with herdsmen, owing to the numerous wells around which -nomadic Uzbegs have their tents erected. The wells are for the most part -very deep, and near them are tanks forming reservoirs for water, of -stone or wood, at which the cattle are watered. To avoid the fatiguing -labour of drawing water from the wells with buckets which are -exceedingly small, the herdsmen attach the rope of the bucket to the -saddle of a mule, passing it over a pulley, making thus the mule perform -the work of drawing water. Quite a picturesque scene is presented by -such a well, the flocks of sheep wandering or resting near it with their -serious shepherds, and I was forcibly reminded by it of similar sights -in the Lowlands of Hungary. On the second day after our departure we met -a caravan coming from Karshi, near one of the wells. One of this -caravan, a young woman who had been sold by her husband to an old -Tadjik, and had discovered the infamous transaction after she reached -the desert, was tearing her hair, bitterly wailing and crying, and upon -catching sight of me she frantically rushed up to where I stood and -exclaimed: "My hadji, thou hast read books: where is it written that a -Mussulman may sell his wife, the mother of his children?" In vain I told -the Tadjik that to do so was to commit a grievous sin, he only -composedly smiled; the judge at Karshi apparently not having shared my -views, the buyer felt quite sure as to the validity of the bargain. - -We proceeded but slowly owing to the excessive heat, and it took two -days and three nights to reach _Karshi_. Nakhsheb was the ancient name -of Karshi, and as a city it ranks second in the Khanate of Bokhara in -extent and commercial importance. I went in search of an Uzbeg by the -name of Ishan Hassan, to whom my friends had given me a letter of -introduction. I found him and was very cordially received by him. He -advised me to buy an ass, cattle being very cheap in Karshi, and to -purchase with my remaining money knives, needles, thread, glass beads, -Bokhara-made pocket-handkerchiefs, and particularly carnelians brought -here from India, and to trade with these articles amongst the nomadic -people we should meet along our road. All the hadjis do the same thing. -In exchange for a needle or a couple of glass beads you get bread and -melons enough to last a whole day. I saw that the good man was right, -and went on the very same day with the Kungrat mollah to make the -intended purchases. One half of my khurdjin was full of my manuscripts, -mostly of literary and historical contents, which I bought in the bazaar -of Bokhara; the other half was used by me as a storehouse for my wares, -and thus I became at once an antiquarian, a dealer in fashionable -articles, a hadji and a mollah, deriving an additional source of income -from the sale of benedictions, nefesses, amulets, and similar wonderful -articles. - -After a stay of three days I left, in company of the mollah Ishak and -two other hadjis, for Kerki, about fifty-six miles distant from Karshi. -After three days' travelling we reached the Oxus in the morning, at a -place where there was a small fort on our side of the shore, and on the -opposite side on a steep height the frontier fort surrounded by the -small town of _Kerki_. The Oxus flowing between the two forts is here -nearly twice the width of the Danube near Budapest, but owing to its -rapid current, which drove us considerably out of our course, it took us -fully three hours to cross over. The boatmen were very clever, and would -not accept anything of us for ferrying us over. But scarcely had we -placed our feet on the shore when the _deryabeghi_ (the river officer) -of the governor of Kerki stopped us, accusing us of being runaway slaves -intending to return to Persia, and compelling us to follow him -immediately with all our luggage and things to the castle of the -governor. My surprise and terror may be easily imagined. Three of my -companions whose speech and features at once betrayed their origin were -allowed to go free before long. I did not fare quite so well; things -would not pass off so smoothly with me, they making all kinds of -objections; but finally I flew into a rage, and exchanging the -Turco-Tartar dialect I had been using for that of Constantinople, I -emphatically insisted either upon having my passport shown to the Bi -(governor) at once, or upon being taken into his presence. - -At the noise I made the _toptchubashi_ (an officer of artillery), who -was of Persian origin, said something in a whisper to the deryabeghi. -Then he took me aside, and telling me that he had gone several times to -Stambul, from Tebriz, his native city, he knew very well persons -belonging to Roum, and I might be perfectly quiet, as no harm would -befall me. - -Every stranger must submit to this searching investigation; for as -slaves who had become free and were returning home had to pay a tax of -two gold pieces at the border, there were many of them who resorted to -all kinds of subterfuges and disguises to steal unrecognized over the -frontiers. The servant who had taken my passport to the governor soon -returned, not only bringing back with him my papers, but a present of -five tenghis which the governor had sent me. - -I was very sorry to learn that Mollah Zeman, the chief of the caravan -going from Bokhara to Herat, was not expected to make his appearance -before the lapse of eight or ten days. I consequently left in company of -Mollah Ishak to go amongst the Ersari-Turkomans living in the -neighbourhood. Here I entered once the house of Khalfa Niyaz, an ishan -who had inherited sanctity, science, and authority from his father. He -had a cloister of his own, and had obtained a special license from Mecca -to recite sacred poems. In reading, he always had a cup filled with -water placed by his side, and would spit into the water whenever he had -finished reading a poem. The saliva thus permeated by the sanctity of -the words he would then sell as a miraculous panacea to the highest -bidder. - -As we had an abundance of leisure, my faithful mollah and I, we visited -the Lebab-Turkomans (viz., Turkomans on the bank). We were given -quarters in the yard of an abandoned mosque. In the evening hours the -Turkomans would bring with them one of their poetical tales, or a poem -out of their collections of songs, and I was in the habit of reading it -out aloud to them. It was delightful to have them sitting around me in -the stilly night within view of the Oxus rolling onward, they listening -to me with rapt attention while I read about the brave feats of one of -their heroes. - -One evening the reading had lasted as late as midnight. I was quite -fagged out, and, forgetting to heed the advice I had been frequently -given not to lie down near a building in ruins, I stretched my weary -limbs close to a wall and very soon fell asleep. I might have slept for -an hour when I was suddenly roused by a painful sensation. I jumped up -screaming; I thought a hundred poisoned needles had run into my leg. The -spot from which the pain proceeded was a small point near the big toe of -my right foot. My cries roused an old Turkoman, lying nearest to me, -who, without asking any questions, immediately broke out in the -following comforting apostrophe: "Unhappy hadji! thou wast bitten by a -scorpion, and that at the unlucky season of the _saratan_ (canicular or -dog days). God have mercy on thee!" Saying these words he seized my -foot, and tightly swathing my foot so as almost to sever it from the -heel, he immediately applied his mouth to the wounded spot, and began to -suck at it with such a violence that I felt it passing through my whole -body. Another soon took his place, and re-swathing my foot twice they -left me to my fate, with the sorry comfort that it would be decided -before next morning's prayers whether it would please Allah to free me -from my pain or from the vanities of this world. Although I was quite -stupefied with being thrown about, and the burning and stinging pain -which kept on increasing in intensity, my memory still reverted in a -dull, mechanical way to a recollection of the act that the scorpions of -Belkh were known in ancient times for their venomous nature. My distress -was rendered more intolerable by my fears, and that I had given up every -hope during the many hours of suffering was proved by the circumstance -that, totally unmindful of my incognito, I had broken out into such -moans and plaintive exclamations as seemed to be quite outlandish to the -Tartars, who, as I subsequently learned, were in the habit of bursting -out into shouts of joy on an occasion of this kind. In a few seconds the -pain had darted from the tips of my toes to the top of my head, rushing -up and down like a stream of fire, but being confined nevertheless to my -right side only. The tortures I was suffering beggar all description, -and losing all further interest in life I dashed my head against the -ground reckless of all consequences, and seeking relief in death. This -action of suicidal violence was speedily remarked by the others, and -they, taking no heed of my remonstrance, tied me securely to a tree. -Thus I continued to be in a prostrate, half-fainting condition for -several hours, staring fixedly at the starry vault above me, whilst the -cold sweat of agony was gathering in heavy drops on my forehead. The -Pleiades were slowly moving towards the west, the beloved West, which I -despaired of ever seeing again. Being perfectly conscious I looked -forward to the hour of prayer with its sounds of devotion, or rather to -the dawn of day. Meanwhile gentle sleep stole over me, sealing my -burning eyelids, but I was soon roused from my beneficent slumbers by -the monotonous: "La Illah, il Allah!" - -When I awoke and began to arrange my ideas I thought I felt a slight -cessation of the pain. The burning and stinging sensation grew less and -less violent, and about the time that the sun had risen to the height of -a lance, I could attempt to stand on my foot, although very feebly and -clumsily yet. My companions assured me that the morning prayer had the -effect of exorcising the devil which had crept into my body by means of -the bite of the scorpion. Of course I dared not suggest any doubts as to -this pious version of my cure, but was too well pleased under any -circumstances to have got over this dreadful night, the horrors of which -will be ever present in my memory. - -After having waited for many weary days for the arrival of the caravan -from Herat we were at length informed that the looked-for event was near -at hand. I immediately hastened to Kerki, in the hope of starting at -once. But my hopes in this direction were doomed to disappointment. -There were about forty freed slaves from Persia and Herat in the caravan -of Mollah Zeman, who were now on their way home under his dearly-paid -protection. In journeying alone these poor freedmen run the risk of -being pounced upon and sold into slavery again. These former slaves -returning home must pay toll here, and this gave occasion to a great -deal of noisy demonstration, the kervanbashi having stated the number of -slaves at a lower figure than was warranted by the actual facts, whilst -the officer of customs claimed toll for others not slaves, setting down -every person who was not known to him to be free as a slave, and -demanding toll for him. And as neither of them would yield, but stood -up in defence of their respective allegations, the hubbub and anger -seemed to be in a fair way of never subsiding. It took the entire day to -examine the goods, the men, the camels, and the asses. We left at last, -not, however, without the escort of the officer of the customs, who kept -a vigilant eye upon the caravan lest some straggling travellers might -join it at some by-path. He did not leave us until we had crossed the -frontiers of Bokhara, and had proceeded on our journey through the -desert. - -At the first station I gathered that there were a great number of -people, besides myself, in the caravan who were longing to set their -eyes on the southernmost border of Central Asia. The freedmen appeared -to seek our company by preference, that is, the company of the hadjis, -and by their joining us I had occasion to hear of truly affecting -instances of the misery of some. Near me was sitting a grayheaded old -man who had just ransomed his son, aged thirty, in Bokhara, and was -taking him back to the arms of a young wife and infants. He had to -purchase his son's freedom by sacrificing all he had, the ransom -amounting to fifty gold pieces. "I shall rather bear poverty," he said, -"than see my son in chains." His home was in Khaf, in Eastern Persia. -Not far from me there was lying a muscular man, whose hair had turned -gray with mental agony. A few years ago the Turkomans had carried away -into slavery his wife, his sister, and six children. For a whole year he -had wearily to drag his steps through Khiva and Bokhara before he could -find a trace of them. When he had succeeded in tracking them a heavy -blow was in store for him. His wife and the two smallest of the children -as well as his sister had perished from the hardships of slavery, and of -the four remaining children he could purchase the freedom of only the -two younger ones; the two elder ones, girls, who had blossomed into -beautiful lasses, being rated too high and above the amount of ransom he -could afford to pay. There was a group of an aged woman and a young man -that attracted our attention. They were mother and son, he a young man -from Herat, and she fifty years old. He had purchased the liberty of his -mother. Two years before, as she was travelling in the company of her -husband and eldest son, they were attacked and made prisoners. Her -husband and son were massacred before her eyes, and she was sold into -slavery at Bokhara for twenty gold pieces. When her younger son found -her and offered to ransom her, they doubled the amount as soon as they -recognized him as a son, rapaciously speculating in his filial -affection. Let me mention the case of another unfortunate man who had -been sold into slavery about eight years previously, and was ransomed -after about six years of slavery by his father. On their way home when -but a few hours' march from their native town, both father and son were -fallen upon by Turkomans, who immediately carried them to Bokhara to be -sold. Now they had both regained their freedom and were returning home. - -We were following a southern course, through an interminable level plain -destitute of vegetation with the exception of a species of thistle, -growing sparsely, which furnishes a sweet morsel for the camel. It is -rather wonderful how these animals will pull off with their tongues and -swallow a plant the mere touch of which is apt to wound the most callous -hand. - -At Maimene, the caravan camping outside the town, I put up at the -_tekkie_ (convent) of one Ishan Eyub, to whom I had been given a letter -of introduction by Hadji Salih. The following day I set up my shop at -the corner of a street. My stock of wares, however, was quite reduced -owing to the fact that I had not replenished it since the first -purchases I had made. One of my companions came up to me and said in a -tone of warning and compassion: "Hadji Reshid, half of thy knives, -needles, and glass beads, thou hast already eaten up, the other half, -together with thy ear, will follow in a short time; what will then -become of thee?" The man was perfectly right, but what was I to do? My -future caused me many an anxious thought, the Persian border being far -away, with winter approaching. I comforted myself very soon, however, -with the remembrance of my former experiences amongst the Uzbegs, whom I -knew never to allow a hadji or a beggar to leave their door -empty-handed. I was sure of bread and fruit, and, now and then, even of -a gift of some piece of clothing; and with these I hoped to be able to -get on in my journey. - -No difficulties about the tolls retained us at Maimene, but the -kervanbashi and more prominent merchants of our caravan put off their -departure on account of their own private affairs. They wished to attend -two or three horse fairs at least, the prices of these animals being -very low here. The horses are brought to the fair by the Uzbegs and -Turkomans of the environs, and are carried from here to Herat, Kandahar, -Kabul, and often to India. Horses which I saw sold in Persia for thirty -to forty gold pieces apiece, could be bought here at one hundred to one -hundred and sixty tenghis (a tenghi being about ninepence). - -Our road now lay continuously through mountainous regions. Upon reaching -the border of Maimene, we were confronted again by a Yuzbashi, -performing the office of frontier's guard, who levied upon us an -additional toll under the title of whip money, this being the third toll -we had to pay within the Khanate of Maimene. A merchant from Herat to -whom I complained about this extortion, observed to me: "Thank God we -are called upon to pay toll only. In former days travelling in these -parts was most dangerous, for the Khan himself was plundering the -caravans." - -A troop of _Djemshidis_ who were sent by the Khan from _Bala Murgab_, -for our protection against predatory tribes through whose territories we -were to pass, joined us at the frontier, forming our escort. I was -informed that our caravan had not been exposed to such imminent danger -as awaited them here during the whole journey from Bokhara. We kept our -eyes open, carefully glancing to the right and left, and cautiously -surveying every little hill we passed. Thus we journeyed on in the -greatest suspense, but it was in all probability owing to the size of -the caravan and its watchfulness that we escaped being attacked. - -At the time the caravan left Herat for Bokhara it was spring, and Herat -was then besieged by the Afghans under Dost Mohammed. Six months had -passed since the news of the capture of the city; its pillage and -destruction had reached us long ago, and the intense longing of those of -our caravan who were from Herat to see again their families, friends, -and houses may therefore be easily imagined. We were, nevertheless, made -to wait a whole day at Kerrukh, one of the border villages of Herat, -until the officer of the Customs, who had come already upon us in the -morning, had, in the overbearing and supercilious manner peculiar to the -Afghans, finished making up, with a great deal of ado, an extensive list -of every traveller, animal, and each piece of goods we had with us. I -had imagined Afghanistan to be a country with somewhat of a regular -administration; nay, I had fondly hoped that my sufferings would -terminate here, and that I might dispense henceforth with the -assumption of the character of a dervish. Alas! I was sadly mistaken. -Nowhere had we been treated in such a brutal manner as we were treated -here by the Afghan Customs collectors. We had to pay duty on the very -clothes we wore, with the exception of the shirt. On my ass I had to pay -a duty of six krans, and he who was not able to pay had simply all his -things confiscated. - -Towards evening, when the plundering was over, the governor of Kerrukh, -who has the rank of a major, made his appearance in order that he might -examine us. At me he took a good long look, evidently being struck by my -foreign features, and immediately summoned the kervanbashi to make some -whispered inquiries about me. He then called me to come near him, made -me sit down, and treated me with marked politeness. Whilst talking with -me he studiously turned the conversation on Bokhara, smiling always in a -mysterious way as he did so. But I remained faithful to the part I had -assumed. On taking leave he wanted to shake hands with me in the English -fashion, but I anticipated the motion of his hand by raising mine as if -in the act of bestowing a _fatiha_ upon him, whereupon he left me with a -laugh. We were finally allowed to leave Kerrukh, and entered Herat on -the following morning after a toilsome journey of six weeks. - - - - -XXVI. - -IN HERAT AND BEYOND IT. - - -The large, flourishing valley, intersected by canals, in the centre of -which the city of Herat is situated, is called _Djolghei-Herat_ (the -Plain of Herat). I saw with surprise how rapidly the wounds inflicted by -war had healed. But two months ago savage Afghan hordes had been camping -in the neighbourhood, trampling down and laying waste everything, and -behold! to-day the fields and vineyards are boasting of their intensest -verdure, and the meadows are covered with a luxuriant sward dotted all -over with field-flowers, making them look like embroidered work. - -We entered by the gate of _Dervaze-Irak_ (viz., the Gate of Irak). The -gate itself and the houses surrounding it were one mass of ruins. Not -far from the gate, in the interior of the city, was a lofty -fortification, which, owing to its phenomena, was more particularly -exposed to the hostile missiles, and now there was nothing left of it -but a heap of stones. The wooden framework from door and window was -gone, it having been used up as fuel, of which there was great scarcity -in the city during the siege. In the deserted openings of the houses -were seen naked Afghans and Hindoos squatting, worthy keepers of a city -in ruins. At every step I advanced the desolation became more appalling; -entire quarters of the town were empty and deserted. The bazaar alone, -or rather that part of it covered with the cupola, which has withstood -many a siege, presented an interesting picture of life characteristic of -the confluence of Persia, India, and Central Asia at this place. It was -a wonderful sight to see the astonishing variety of types, complexions, -and costumes amongst Afghans, Hindoos, Turkomans, Persians, and Jews. -The Afghan, whose national costume consists of a shirt, drawers, and a -dirty blanket, assumes sometimes the English red coat, but on his head -he wears the never-failing picturesque Hindoo-Afghan turban. The more -civilized affect in part the Persian dress. Arms are the universal -fashion; private citizens as well as soldiers seldom come to the bazaar -without sword and shield, and persons wishing to look distinguished -carry with them a whole arsenal. The Afghan is both in appearance and -demeanour the rudest and most savage, every one passing him with a great -show of humility, but never did people hate a conqueror more intensely -than those of Herat the Afghan. The surging, variegated crowd before me -was pleasant to look at. There were moments when, seeing Afghan soldiers -in English uniforms and with shakos on their heads, I thought that after -all I was now in a country where I had nothing to fear from Islamite -fanaticism, and that I might drop the mask which had become intolerable -to me. But only for a moment, for upon reflection I could not help -remembering that I was in the East, where appearances are most -deceptive. - -As I mentioned before, my purse was quite empty. I tried everything in -my power to procure myself the necessary travelling expenses. I waited -upon the reigning prince, Serdar Mehemmed Yakub Khan, a youth sixteen -years old, and the son of the then king of Afghanistan. The king had -entrusted this youth with the government of the conquered province, he -having had to hasten to Kabul where his own brothers were plotting to -deprive him of his throne. The young prince was residing in a palace -very much battered by the siege. He was dressed in a uniform with a -high-standing collar, and would sit, most of the time, in an arm-chair -at the window: and when wearied with the great number of petitioners -which it was his official duty to receive, he would order military -drills and manoeuvres to be executed on the place below his window and -inspect them from there. - -As I was stepping into the courtyard of the palace in the company of -Mollah Ishak, the military drill was just at its height. Near the door -of the reception hall a crowd of servants, military men and petitioners -were lounging. Thanks to my huge turban and pilgrim-like appearance -every one made way for me, and I could reach the hall without -interference from anybody. When I stepped into the hall I found the -prince seated as usual in his arm-chair, with the Vizier on his right -side, whilst ranged along the wall were standing other officers, -mollahs, and people from Herat. In front of the prince were the keeper -of the seal and four or five servants. As became my position as a -dervish I entered with the customary salutation, and exciting no sort of -comment by it, I went up straight to the prince, seating myself between -him and the Vizier, after having pushed aside the latter, a stout -Afghan, to make room for me. There was a general laugh at this -intermezzo, but I kept my countenance and immediately raised my hand to -recite my customary prayer. The prince looked at me fixedly during the -prayer. I observed an expression of surprise and hesitation stealing -over his face, and after I had said "Amen," and the whole company -smoothing their beards responded to it, he jumped up from his chair, and -pointing at me with his finger, he exclaimed, laughing and yet half -astonished, "I swear by God, thou art an Englishman!" - -A loud burst of laughter followed the original remark of the young -prince, but he, in no wise disconcerted, approached, stood up in front -of me, and then clapping his hands like a child who had guessed right at -something he added, "Let me be thy victim! confess thou art an Ingiliz -in disguise." But I now pretended to act as if the joke had been carried -too far for my forbearance, and said: "_Sahib mekum_ (stop this); dost -thou know the proverb--'he who even in fun takes a true believer to be -an unbeliever, becomes one himself?' Give me rather something for my -_fatiha_ that I may continue my journey." My grave looks and the -citation made by me somewhat perplexed the young prince, and sitting -down again, half ashamed of himself, he excused himself by saying that -he had never seen a dervish from Bokhara with such features. I answered -him that I was not from Bokhara but from Constantinople; and having -shown him as a proof my passport and spoken to him about his cousin -Djelaleddin Khan, who had visited Mecca and Constantinople in 1860 and -met with a most distinguished reception on the part of the Sultan, he -seemed to be perfectly satisfied. My passport passed from hand to hand, -everybody approved of its contents, and the prince giving me a couple -of krans called upon me to visit him again whilst I remained in Herat, -an invitation of which I did not fail to avail myself.[4] - - [Footnote 4: It was the same prince who afterwards - succeeded his father Shir Ali Khan upon the throne of - Kabul. In spite of having proved himself at the - beginning of his career to be a valiant soldier, he - nevertheless turned afterwards a cowardly man by - participating in the murder of Sir Louis Cavagnari and - the rest of the English officers who took part in the - British Mission to Kabul.] - -Time dragged on heavily while I was waiting for a caravan at Herat, and -I grew very impatient at the delay. There was a sad and depressing air -about the city, terror of the savage conqueror could be read in every -face, and the recent siege and devastation continued to form the -ever-recurring topics of conversation. At length, on the 10th of -November, 1863, I left this entrance-gate to Central Asia, joining a -larger caravan going to Meshed, with which I was to accomplish the -remaining portion of my journey. The caravan consisted of two thousand -persons, half of whom were Hezares from Kabul who, for the most part -poor and miserable, were proceeding with their kith and kin on a -pilgrimage to the shrines of Shi-ite saints. The caravan forming thus a -large body of men, its members were subdivided again into smaller bands. -I was assigned to a troop of Afghans from Kandahar, who were dealing in -furs and indigo, and were conveying these articles of merchandise to -Persia. - -I thought that I had emptied the cup of bitter sufferings to the very -dregs during my wandering through Central Asia, but it was reserved for -the journey from Herat to Meshed to convince me that there may be -miseries greater still than those I had already endured. I was utterly -destitute of money, of everything, and to satisfy my daily wants I was -thrown upon the charity of the Afghans and Tadjiks. The Tadjiks were -poor pilgrims, themselves but scantily supplied with the bare -necessaries of life. And as to the Afghans, their known avarice and -meanness of character might give me a dispensation from telling how hard -it was to excite their pity. I fared best when we happened to pitch our -tents near some inhabited village. In such a case my Tartar and I -divided the village between us; I would go in one direction and beg for -wood and fuel, whilst he would go in another begging for bread and -flour, and on meeting again we would exchange parts. - -The inhabitants of this region, though very poor themselves, did not -turn a deaf ear to our appeals for charity. With food we were tolerably -supplied, poor and mean as it was in quality; but what caused us the -most terrible suffering was the bitter cold prevailing towards autumn in -this part of the world. Such was the effect of the cold cutting blasts -coming from the north-eastern plains that the intense cold would pierce -through the thickest cloak in which a person might wrap himself; and the -animals themselves came very near being benumbed by it. All the way from -Shebesh until we were two stations from Meshed, I had to pass the night -in the open air, lying on the hard frozen ground, in the ragged dervish -dress which I had on me, and which served the purposes of both pillow -and coverlet. Many a time I would not dare to close my eyes for fear of -freezing to death. I besought the hard-hearted Afghans to let me have -one of their spare horse blankets; with chattering teeth and in a most -piteous voice I vainly appealed for hours together to the cruel -barbarians bundled up in their warm fur skin cloaks. They only jeered at -me, saying, "Dance, hadji, and thou wilt get warm." The high plateaus of -Eastern Persia will for ever rank in my memory with the sand of the -deserts of Central Asia. - -Near Kafir-Kale we met with a caravan coming from Meshed. From a member -of this caravan I learned that Colonel Dolmage, an English officer in -the Persian service, an old acquaintance of mine, was still residing in -Meshed, a piece of news which was very welcome to me. Ferimon was the -first village inhabited by Persians, and a warm stable made me forget -the sufferings of many a day past. At length, on the twelfth day after -our departure from Herat, the gilded cupolas of Imam Riza loomed up -before our eyes. We had reached the city of Meshed, for the sight of -which I had been longing. - -Besides, in approaching Meshed, there were other motives--motives of -humanity--at play, which quickened my pulse and made my heart beat with -something of the regained dignity of a man who escapes from moral -slavery. In Meshed I was at length to be restored to myself; I was to -fling off, to some extent, the artful disguises with which, in fear of -life, limb and liberty, I had had to surround myself, to discard the -shameful rags which lowered me in my own estimation, to put an end to -the pitiful anxieties to which I had been continually exposed, and last -not least to exchange a life of hardship, discomforts and privations for -one of comparative ease and comfort. Nor did I entertain the usual -fears, which haunted me elsewhere, as to the reception I might meet at -the hands of the authorities; the governor of the province was an -enlightened prince, an uncle of the king of Persia, and under his -auspices the government was conducted, in appearance at least, more in -accordance with European ideas. To all these cheering reflections was -added the hope of meeting and embracing again, after all these weary -wanderings, an old friend of mine--perhaps the solitary European who had -pitched his tent so far east and was now living in Meshed. Under all -these combined impressions the very cupola, under which the mortal -remains of Imam Riza repose, blazing with its resplendent light far into -the outlying country, seemed to me a beacon which was to guide me to a -harbour of safety. I even caught the enthusiasm of the thousands of -people who were flocking to the tomb of the saint, and could almost -imagine myself one of the pilgrims who hail with emotions of unutterable -thankfulness and pious joy the sight of the holy place, after having -wearily wandered over the immense distances from their several homes. - -It may not be uninteresting to know who this Imam Riza is, the renown of -whose sanctity has made such a lasting and deep impression upon the -minds of a large portion of the Eastern world. Of the twelve Imams he is -the eighth. He was a contemporary of the Caliph Maamun, a son of the -famous Harun el Rashid. This Caliph's envy and jealousy of Imam Riza was -roused by the general esteem in which he was held, and the unbounded -devotion which was shown to him by the sect of Shi-ites, then already -very numerous, but not daring yet to enter publicly into the area of -religious sectarianism. He was banished by the Caliph to Tus, a town in -the vicinity of the present site of Meshed. The banishment had not the -desired effect; in his abode of humiliation he became again the object -of general veneration, so the Caliph had poison administered to him in a -cup of wine, thus ridding himself of a dangerous and hated rival. The -memory of his name did not die with him; from a beloved leader of a sect -he rose to be a martyred saint. His death in exile seems to have -especially commended him to the imagination of the travelling public as -their patron saint; and he was honoured, in this, his quality, with the -title of Sultan al Gureba (Prince of Strangers). - - - - -XXVII. - -IN MESHED. - - -Nature seemed to have put on her holiday garb as we were approaching the -city. The weather was splendid; it was one of those fine autumnal -mornings which are so common in the Eastern part of Persia. The road -leading to the city passes through a bare, almost, level, tract, its -monotony being relieved only here and there by a few hills. The contrast -which the city presented to the unromantic aspect of the environs was -all the more striking. With its bright and flashing cupolas, and -surrounded by gardens, it lay there like a rich and glittering gem -embedded in a rare setting of leafy verdure. My gaze was fixed upon the -buildings that seemed to detach themselves as we approached from the -confused mass presented at a distance. For the time being I was utterly -lost in thought, careless of the movements of the caravan, and even my -looking at the city was more in a dreamy vacant way than for the purpose -of gratifying my curiosity. The traveller had for once merged in the -human being; casting aside all interest in historical reminiscences, not -even caring to recall the names of the great saints whose splendid tombs -formed the attraction of the place, I fairly rioted in the consciousness -of being able now to turn my back upon the black and ugly experiences of -the past, and looked forward to the attractive vista of a bright future. - -I was roused from these pleasant reveries by our entrance through the -Dervaze Herat (Herat Gate). We passed along the wide and long street of -Pajin Khiaban (Lower Alley), and proceeded towards the Sahni Sherif (the -Holy Vestibule). A very pleasing sight is offered by the broad canal, -winding through the city, its banks studded with trees which spread a -pleasant shade; indeed this is a feature rendering Meshed one of the -most attractive cities in Iran. The concourse of people, representing -all the nations of Asia who are adherents of the Shi-ite faith, gives a -most striking character to the streets, which are pulsating with -stirring life. Every variety of costume prevalent in Persia and the -whole of Eastern Asia meet the eye wherever you look. It does not take -long to realize the fact that Meshed is one of the strongholds of -Shi-itism. The proud Sunnites, the Turkoman and Uzbeg, walk about with -an humble and apologetic air as if to beg pardon of those whom he -oppressed in his own home; whilst the men of Bokhara, Hezare, India and -Herat are treading proudly and lightly on a ground which seems to -inspire them with a consciousness of their superiority--their forms -erect, their carriage haughty and independent and their looks scornful -and defiant. The Sunnite is by no means, however, exposed to any danger -of retaliation on the part of those whose compatriots have often been -the victims of his ferocity. In Iran he is safe, but he cannot shake -off a guilty sense of the merited retribution his cruelty amply -deserves, and the impress of this unpleasant consciousness betrays -itself in his movements and demeanour. - -Especially during the bright days of autumn the streets are crowded with -a dense mass of humanity, rolling in an endless stream along the -thoroughfares, and in vain does the eye attempt to find a resting-place -amid the varied confusion of the spectacle, nor is it possible in the -throng of conflicting sights to treasure up some distinct recollection -which might shape itself into a reminiscence at some future day. The -neighbourhood of the magnificent building of the Imam for several -hundred paces forms the centre of most bewildering sights and sounds. -Standing beside their booths or stands, or in front of their shops, on -both sides of the street, on the banks of the canal, and moving through -the streets, are to be seen and heard a multitude of men, active, -scrambling, energetic, carrying their wares on their heads, shoulders, -or in their hands, pushing through the crowd, offering them vociferously -for sale, and producing a strange din and noise whilst they recommend -them to buyers with their sing-song cries. It seems utterly impossible -to elbow your way through this compact mass of humanity, and yet there -is a sort of order in this wild confusion, for an actual block but -seldom occurs. This scene of confusion is only an apparent one, -especially to the unfamiliar eye of the European, who cannot separate -order from quiet, for an attempt to push your way through the throng is -attended with no evil consequences or harm; every one is sure to reach -safely the place he is bound for. This bustling life, however, was quite -agreeable to me after the experience of the dull and stolid constraint -so characteristic of the cities of Turkestan which I had lately seen. - -I now wished to meet as soon as possible my English friend, Colonel -Dolmage, of whom I spoke before. First of all I entered a caravansary in -order to wash myself, and to put in some kind of decent order my -tattered toilet. This done, the next thing was to find the house where -my friend lived. It is always a ticklish thing to go about in Meshed -inquiring after the whereabouts of a Frengi, but it becomes immeasurably -so in the case of a person like me--who bore about him the unmistakable -garb, gait and mien of a hadji--undertaking to do it. By dint of -perseverance, and much ingenious cross-questioning I stood at last in -front of his house. Almost overcome with emotion I knocked at the door. -I heard footsteps approaching, and a moment later a servant opened the -door. The portal was as quickly re-shut in my face, for the servant just -deigning to glance at me, overwhelmed me with a volley of oaths, and -slammed the door. My emotion disappeared in the twinkling of an eye, and -angry and impatient at this unexpected rebuff, I vigorously set to -rapping at the door again. The servant reappeared, and this time I gave -him no opportunity for parley or remark, but went past him into the -court without vouchsafing a solitary word of explanation to him. The man -was quite dumbfounded with what seemed to him my impertinence, but -recovering himself soon, he asked me roughly what I, a hadji, wanted -with his master, who, as I knew, was an unbeliever. I very emphatically -told him that this did not concern him, but that he should without delay -advise his master that a stranger from Bokhara wished to see him. - -Whilst the servant was gone, I leisurely found my way into a room, on -entering which I was struck with the sight of the furniture, which -vividly recalled European comfort and civilization. The furniture was -quite plain, merely a table and chairs, but to my unaccustomed eye they -looked like an epitome of all the things towards which my orphaned heart -was warming. Yes, these lifeless, homely objects of daily use seemed -sanctified to me, and I stood gazing at them as if they were things of -life. A newspaper on the table, the _Levant Herald_, caught my eyes -next, and to seize it and devour its contents was the work of a moment. -How many things had happened since I had a newspaper in my hands! Every -item of news, the humblest and that of the highest political importance, -possessed an equally intense interest for me, and immersed in the -perusal of its columns I even forgot Colonel Dolmage, who had softly -entered and was now standing before me. Dressed in a European uniform, a -fine specimen of British manhood, he looked at me silently, searchingly, -but I vainly watched for a look of recognition. Thus standing face to -face for a few moments, the situation became almost painful. To be sure -the ravages which hunger, thirst, cold, anxiety, and the thousand trials -of the journey had made in my appearance, sadly altered my looks, and no -wonder the young colonel failed to recall in the ragged hadji before him -his former acquaintance. I broke in upon the silence by exclaiming in -English, "What, Colonel, do you not recognize me?" The familiar voice -dispelled like a charm his uncertainty as to who I was, and in an -instant we were locked in a close embrace. He now remembered everything, -knew even something by hearsay of the perilous journey I had ventured -upon, and, seeing the pitiful condition I was in, tears of manly -compassion rose to the young officer's eyes. - -Distinctions of class, profession, or nationality, entering so largely -into European life, separating man from man, lose their hold upon -Europeans meeting in the distant East. The great West, seen at that -distance, becomes their common country; they are drawn together by the -bond of common views, feelings and modes of thought which obliterate the -artificial lines of nationality--nay, they feel for, and treat each -other as only blood relations and brothers would in Europe. Colonel -Dolmage's conduct towards me illustrated this in a conspicuous manner. -His very first question, accompanied by a look of almost tender -sympathy, "For God's sake, what have you been doing? what has happened -to you?" made me feel like a long-lost brother who had found his way -home again. I saw the terrible alterations and the sad havoc which -hardships had made in my appearance reflected in his questions and -accompanying looks. He was a most sympathizing listener to the story of -my late experiences, and it was rather late in the evening when I rose -to leave him. - -Colonel Dolmage proved my staunch friend during the four weeks I stayed -in Meshed, and although I dare say I occasioned him no little trouble, I -found him unflagging in his zeal for my welfare. Not only did his kind -offices largely contribute to making my stay in Meshed an exceedingly -pleasant one but to his generosity and active friendship I was chiefly -indebted for the means which enabled me to proceed on my journey with -renewed vigour and a cheerful mind. And no matter what unpleasantnesses -the interest he bore me drew upon him, his invariable good humour and -friendly conduct to me remained unaltered. - -Upon my arrival in Meshed, after having visited Colonel Dolmage, I felt, -above all, the necessity of recuperating somewhat before turning my -attention to the remarkable sights of the city. The first few days, -therefore, I entirely devoted to rest, a species of _dolce far niente_ -which did infinite good to both body and mind, invigorating the one and -brightening the other. After my few days' rest I returned with redoubled -interest to the main duty of a traveller, to see, observe, inquire, and -remember. Nor is there any other city in Eastern Persia abounding in -such a variety of curiosities as may be seen here. Indeed I was sorely -puzzled which way first to turn my attention. Rich in monuments -appealing alike to the student of history, the curious in holy things, -and the literary man--it is hard to know where to begin. - -Probably led by the dervish instinct, developed in me by months of -devout pilgrimage, I found myself entering the Sahni Sherif, looking -about me with unfeigned admiration. The quick eyes of several loitering -Seids did not fail to discover the stranger and the Sunnite pilgrim in -me; and I was soon surrounded by them, each anxious to acquaint me with -the notable features and wonders of the holy tomb. That the sanctuary at -which Conolly, Fraser, Burnes, Chanikoff, nay, the official Eastwick -himself, endeavoured from a safe distance to steal a hasty glance, was -thrown open to me, and I was almost forced to enter it by the hungry -descendants of the Prophet, involuntarily recurred to my mind as I -declined the services proffered by them. For, truth to tell, the months -of compulsory pilgrimage I had gone through had strangely palled my -appetite for holy sights appertaining to Islamism, and I felt relieved -when I was left to myself to continue my observations. My attention was -next engaged by the monument lying to the left of the Sahn, and the -splendid mosque of Gowher Shah. The former of these two buildings -surpasses in magnificence and richness the most renowned tombs to which -the Mohammedan world perform their devout pilgrimages, not even -excepting those of Medina, Nedjef, Kerbela and Kum. It is inlaid with -gold inside and outside. Much of its former glory is gone, and many of -its richest ornaments have been carried away at different periods of -time by Uzbegs, Afghans and others. Since the monument was first erected -it has been several times plundered. Meshed suffered most at the hands -of Abdul Mumin, Khan of Bokhara, in 1587, when entering it at the head -of the Uzbegs, the city was sacked and its inhabitants carried into -slavery. It was laid waste again by the Afghans, and at different times -civil wars spread desolation within its very walls. The golden ball on -the top of the dome of the tomb, weighing four hundred pounds, is said -to have been removed by the impious hands of the sons of Nadir, and -several jewels of great price passed, in later times, into the -unhallowed possession of the rebel leader Salar. But in spite of the -ruthless conduct of foreign enemies and the violence of intestine war, -the tomb still harbours an immense amount of treasure. The walls of the -monument are fairly resplendent with jewels and trinkets of the rarest -kinds offered up to their favourite saint by the devout Shi-ites. The -eye is dazzled by the splendour of the pious gifts, consisting of -precious ornaments of every imaginable shape, a headgear shaped like a -plumed crest (_djikka_) of diamonds, a shield and sabre studded with -rubies and emeralds, massive candelabra of great weight, costly -bracelets, and necklaces of incalculable value. - -The sight without and the sights within court a like amount of -admiration, and the balance is constantly preponderating, now in one, -now in the other direction. Without the cupola and the towers with their -rich incrustations of gold, within the massive fretted work and grating -of silver, the artistically stained windows, the construction of the -dome denoting a fine perception of refinement and elegance in form, and -rich Oriental carpet stuffs with diamonds and precious stones woven -into them, continually challenged and divided my wondering interest. -This cold and glittering accumulation of wealth was not wanting in the -touch of humanity which warmed it into a scene of life and bustle. The -groups within were not mere sight-seers, come to gratify their -curiosity. They were pious visitors at a holy shrine, with silent -devotion stamped upon their features, denoting ecstasy, enthusiasm, deep -contrition, humble self-abasement, and every shade of religious joy and -sadness, which none so well as the faces of Islamite devotees know how -to express or simulate; whilst to their lips rose muttered prayers, -interrupted by guttural yells, their chests were heaving with wild sobs. -Those who did not know their prayers by heart, or could not read from -the tablets inscribed with them, which were suspended from the grating, -had them repeated by the leader of the group they belonged to. All seem -anxious to propitiate the divinity by acts and prayers of praise or -humiliation in order to secure a place in the dwellings of the blessed -and happy. One all-absorbing feeling seems to inspire at such a moment -men of all races and classes alike, whether they be lords, merchants, or -servants--the cautious dwellers in Central Asia, the shrewd men from -Isfahan and Shiraz, the guileless Turks, or the ferocious Bakhtiaris and -Kurds. None are too high or too low for the performance of acts of pious -tenderness; the sons of Khans, the Mirzas and the poor peasants mingle -freely together; and it is a touching and sublime spectacle, indeed, to -see these sons of Asia, both rude and refined, pressing forward to kiss, -with unfeigned humility, the silver trellis, the padlock hanging from -the door of the grating and the hallowed ground itself. - -Of the mosque of Gowher Shah, which I visited next, the Persians say -with great justice, that whilst the monument of Imam Riza is more -gorgeous, the mosque far surpasses it architecturally. The mosque is -situated in the same court, opposite to the monument. The _kashi_ work -(glazed tiles) enters largely into the structure inside and outside, and -there is an artistic beauty about it which more than compensates for the -comparative absence of richer materials such as gold and silver. The -lofty portal is admirable, both for the elegance of its design, and the -rich colouring it derives from the many-hued and brilliant kashi work, -especially when lit up by the rays of the sun. The gate is of the same -style as those I saw in Herat and Samarkand. - -Shaping my course after that of the numerous pilgrims and beggars, who -all went in the same direction on leaving this splendid building, I went -to the refectory of Imam Riza, or as the natives call it, _Ashbaz Khanei -Hazret_ (the kitchen of his Highness). The Hazret, so his Holiness is -entitled, _par excellence_, enjoys the reputation of being immensely -rich. He is very hospitable, and every new-comer has the choice of -becoming his guest; but this hospitality is limited in point of time to -seven days only. The wealthier pilgrims rarely take advantage of this -liberal arrangement, but the poorer classes eagerly avail themselves of -the privilege of boarding and lodging at his Highness's expense. The -convenience of the guest is cared for on a very large scale, and the -vast machinery of baths and caravansaries, boarding-houses and -soap-boiling houses, of which his Highness is the owner, is put in -motion in order to satisfy the various wants of the strangers flocking -to the Hazret. I could not resist the temptation of adding one more -experience to those for which I was indebted to my Oriental disguise. I -squatted down, unheeded in the midst of the crowd of hungry Shi-ite and -Sunnite pilgrims. Very soon large dishes of smoking rice were brought in -by a troop of servants. Rancid fat and damaged rice, of the kind of -which I had already collected reminiscences enough to last me for a -lifetime, made up the delicious dish, which gave me but a mean opinion -of the boasted riches of his Highness. I pretended to be as eager about -fishing out my share of it as any other, splashing about with my fist in -the plate, but thought it best to save my appetite for a more favourable -occasion. - -The avarice and greediness, so characteristic of the Persians, induce me -to believe that their admiration for Imam Riza is owing, not so much to -the renown of his sanctity and the inviolable right of asylum belonging -to him, as to the vast and fabulous wealth of which he is supposed to be -the owner. - -An accident led me to discover the precarious condition in which the -Jews were living in Meshed. I met one day in the streets of Meshed a -former fellow-traveller of mine, on my journey from Bokhara. As he was -about to pass on without heeding me, I called out after him, knowing him -to be a Jew, "Yehudi, Yehudi." He hurriedly came up to me and said -confidentially in a low voice: "For God's sake, Hadji, do not call me a -Jew here. Beyond these walls I belong to my nation, but here I must play -the Moslem." It was the old story over again of persecution fanned by -bigotry and fanaticism, and taken advantage of by murderers and robbers. - -The cause of their present distress and their fear of being recognized -as Jews dates from an occurrence which had happened several years ago in -Meshed. A Persian doctor, who was consulted by a Jewess about an -eruption on her hand, advised her to plunge her hands into the entrails -of a newly-slaughtered dog. She took his advice, and had one of those -unhappy street scavengers of the East killed in order to try the cure -prescribed to her. Unfortunately she had this done on the very day on -which the Mohammedans celebrated the Eidi Kurban (Feast of Sacrifice). -The rumour of it soon spread amongst the people; and the slaughtering of -the dog was interpreted as an impious mockery of the religious rites of -the true believers. The rapacity and murderous instincts of the mob -gladly seized this frivolous pretext wherewith to cloak their thirst for -the blood of the detested Jew, and their love of pillage. In an instant -the Jewish quarter of the city was overrun with a savage rabble, -rioting, robbing and murdering. Those that survived the fatal day had -their lives spared on condition of abjuring the faith of their fathers -and embracing that of their oppressors and persecutors. They yielded to -dire necessity, but in their hearts they remained Jews, conforming only -in outward appearance, as long as they had to stay in Meshed. Years had -passed since, and although the tolerant spirit, which began to prevail -under the benign influence of European interference, made the -Mohammedans relax somewhat their former rigour, the Jews still deemed it -more prudent to pass themselves off in Meshed for Mohammedans. - -Among the ruins of Tus to the north of Meshed lies, according to the -belief of modern Persians, the tomb of one of the greatest of Iran's -bards, the tomb of Firdusi. Before leaving the city I made an excursion -to it. It was with feelings of sincere piety and admiration that I -approached the modest monument which commemorates the resting-place of -one of the greatest national poets in the world. In sixty thousand -verses he sang the history of his people, without admitting more than a -few foreign, that is Arabic, words into his narration. This wonderful -feat will be especially appreciated, if the fact is borne in mind that -Persian--which he wrote as well as the modern Persian does--contains -four words of Arabic origin to every six words purely Iranian. His -generous patriotism rebelled against the thought of employing the -language of the oppressors of his country. Not only as a poet, not only -as a passionate lover of his country, will Firdusi's memory live for -ever, but his exalted private character will always excite the -admiration of mankind. He was fearless and independent. As an instance -of his high-mindedness, it is told that Sultan Mahmud, the Ghazvenite, -sent him on one occasion the remuneration of thirty thousand drachms. -This was much less than the sum the Sultan had promised. He happened to -be in the bath when the gift was brought, and immediately scornfully -directed that the entire sum should be divided among the servants of the -bathing establishment. The Sultan, probably repenting of his parsimony, -subsequently sent the poet camels laden with treasure, but they came in -time only to meet his funeral procession. The gift was sent back to the -ungrateful monarch, the poet's proud daughter declining to accept of it. -The poet had left a sting in the memory of the Sultan, in a satire which -is remembered by the people to this day, which begins with the following -verse: - - "Oh! Sultan Mahmud, if thou fearest none, yet fear - God!" - -What an abyss is there between the modern Persians and their great -poet![5] - - [Footnote 5: Amongst the various great poetical - compositions of Mohammedan Asia, we may boldly call the - poems of Hafiz, Saadi, and Firdusi the household works - of every enlightened or rather of every educated - Mohammedan. As to the latter one, I have scarcely met - with any Persian who was not conversant with the heroes - of the great epic called the "Shah-Nameh;" and there is - rarely a bath, a caravansary or any other public - building, excepting mosques and colleges, which would - not be adorned with primitive pictures, representing - the heroic feats of Rustem, Zal and Kai Khosrau. The - "Shah-Nameh" is the only popular history of the Iranian - world, it is the mirror in the resplendent radiance of - which the Persian and the Central Asian delight to find - the glory of by-gone ages; and really, without having - read the "Shah-Nameh," we shall never be able to - realize the wonderful spirit of that Asiatic world - which was superseded by Islam. A popularization of this - masterly epic is therefore a great service done to the - knowledge of the East. In Germany Rueckert and Schack - have tried this task; but owing to the form which they - selected, their success was only a partial one, and the - large public of the said country possesses but a - fragmentary notion of the "Book of Kings." - - Quite recently there has come out in England "The Epic - of Kings" (since re-published under the title of - "Heroic Tales"), stories retold from Firdusi, by _Helen - Zimmern_ (London: T. Fisher Unwin), which relates in - delightfully written prose the chief and most moving - stories referring to the great heroes of Iranian - antiquity from the Shahs of old to the death of Rustem. - Although she has written a paraphrase and not a - translation, the author, by uniting a rare poetical - gift with a true understanding of the East, has - succeeded in rendering the great epic accessible to the - large reading public, which can now taste this justly - famous poetical production of the East, and which will - certainly be thankful to Miss Zimmern for the rare - enjoyment.] - -Meanwhile I had been preparing at my leisure for the winter journey to -Teheran. The means for doing so had been furnished by the governor of -the place, who received me most affably, loaded me with presents and -overwhelmed me with marks of distinction. Teheran was still thirty days' -journey from Meshed, and so long a ride in winter was by no means a -pleasant prospect, yet my heart burned with delight as I rode out of the -city gates. - - - - -XXVIII. - -FROM MESHED TO TEHERAN. - - -The impress of the character of the reigning sovereign leaves its mark -on everything in the kingdom of Persia; and so, in a certain limited -way, does the character of the governors for the time being of the -several provinces of that kingdom determine the comparative safety and -comfort of the highways. To travel from Meshed to Teheran is looked upon -as an enterprise demanding a staunch spirit, and the bravest man may -recoil from the dangers threatening him on that first portion of the -road through Khorassan, where Turkomans, Beloochees and Kurds are an -object of terror to all men, but more particularly to the cowardly -native of Persia. Sultan Murad Mirza, surnamed "The Sword of the -Empire," was governor of the province at the time I set out for Teheran. -In the flowery language of the country the praise was bestowed on him -that a child might with perfect security carry a plateful of ducats upon -the highways, without being molested. And, indeed, he was fully -deserving of the compliment implied in this high-flown saying, for there -was not in the whole kingdom a governor devoting a greater amount of -energy and talent than he did to render the public highways safe, and to -advance and encourage commerce and safe travelling. - -My spirits rose high as I set out on my journey in the company of my -Tartar. Two routes from Meshed to Nishapur were open to me--one leading -over a mountainous tract, the other through a lower hilly country. I -chose the latter. As I passed out of the city, mounted on an active nag, -the horse of my Tartar being loaded with everything requisite for the -journey, I felt in an exceptionally cheerful humour. It was not merely -the pleasurable feeling of returning home which produced this effect. -The contrast between the journey now before me, furnished with all the -proper equipments, and that which I had made, suffering from all sorts -of privations amid the deserts of Turkestan, without doubt greatly added -to this feeling. We were continually meeting with caravans either of -pilgrims or of merchandise, proceeding towards or returning from the -holy city. On such occasions words of greeting are always exchanged. My -surprise at recognizing an old acquaintance in the leader of one of -these caravans may be easily imagined. He was a Shirazer, in whose -society I had two years before visited the ruins of Persepolis, Nakshi -Rustam, and that fair city which was the birthplace of the poet Hafiz. -To have travelled a long time with a man is in Asia looked upon as a -sort of relationship. The gossiping Shirazer was delighted to see me. -The caravan was obliged, whether or no, to submit to a quarter of an -hour's halt, while we seated ourselves on the sand to enjoy together the -friendly _kalian_ (Persian pipe). As its fragrant smoke rose before my -eyes, vivid pictures of the past, of the majestic monuments of bygone -civilizations, arose before my memory. How those recollections animated -me! Valerius in his chains, the majestic figure of the proud Shapur, -above him floating the form of the beneficent Ormuzd,--all those -magnificent bas-reliefs whirled kaleidoscope-like past my mind's eye; -but their charms were multiplied as I reflected that since I saw them, I -had seen, and left behind me, the classical realms of Bactria and -Sogdiana, which had inspired with terror the stout hearts of the -Macedonians of Alexander. - -I was obliged to assure my Shiraz friend that I would speedily revisit -his native country, for it was not until I had soothed him with this -sort of promise that he would allow me to part from him. So cheerily did -I then go on my way that the first day's journey was not in the least -fatiguing to me, and by night we reached the station of _Sherif Abad_. -This was the first evening I spent as a well-equipped traveller. In my -previous travels in Turkestan I had first of all to gather firewood and -collect flour; I had to pronounce prayers and blessings as payment for -my night quarters; and I was always liable to be turned out tired and -hungry. Now, on the contrary, I was a great man. I rode proudly into the -_tchaparkhane_ (post-house), and with a loud voice called for lodgings; -for although I was still completely Oriental, so far as outward -appearances went, the postmaster could easily observe that he had to do -with one who had at his command a sufficiency of the sinews of war. And -what will not a Persian do for money? My Tartar prepared me an excellent -supper; rice, sugar, fat, meat--in a word, everything in abundance. The -eyes of my simple Uzbeg sparkled with joy as he thought of his former -poverty and looked on the abundance which surrounded him. If the supper -which he could prepare was not exactly fit to appear on the table of a -Lucullus, it was a very good one for a Persian wayside station. - -We had before us as our next day's work, a distance of nine German miles -or thirty-six English miles to the next station, _Kademgiah_. Nine -fersakhs in Khorassan is a good deal, for there is a saying that in that -province the miles are as interminable as the chatter of women, and that -he who measured them must have done so with a broken chain. European -travellers, without exception, complain of the monotony and wearisome -character of the road. But what was that to me who had escaped from the -torments of Turkestan? Quite alone with my Tartar, and well armed and -well mounted, I now for the first time felt the charms of true -travelling. Little know they who coop themselves up amidst the heat of -July in close railway carriages, and find, perforce, delight in the -dusty, grimy countenance of the guard, what travelling really means. A -good saddle is better than all your stuffed cushions. Thereon a man -feels himself free and unconstrained. His bridle is his Bradshaw, his -sword is his law, his gun is the policeman who protects him, and though -he is an outlaw and fair game for all who meet him, so all are fair game -for him. When in addition to this, he is familiar with the languages, -laws, and customs of the land through which he proceeds, and is -independent of dragomans, firmans, and guards, then his journey is truly -delightful. Travelling the whole day in the open air, he finds the hour -of midday halt both a pleasure and a necessity. And then the enjoyments -of the evening, when having arrived at the spot where he means to rest -for the night, his steed pasturing near him, and he himself surrounded -by the saddles and baggage, gazing at the crackling fire which is to -cook his savoury supper! The rays of the setting sun are not then so -bright and cheerful as the glances of the traveller's eyes. No meal is -so savoury as his supper, and his slumber under the starry canopy of -heaven is a hundred times more refreshing than that of those who sleep -on luxurious down in princely chambers. - -Kademgiah, the name of my second station, means "footprint," and is a -place of religious pilgrimage, where pious faith discovers on a marble -stone the print of Ali's foot. Such miraculous footprints are by no -means of rare occurrence in the East. Christians, Mohammedans, and -Brahmins, all hold them in equal veneration. What especially excited my -wonder was the vast size of most of them, suggesting as they did rather -the idea of the foot of an unwieldly elephant than that of a man. But -religious credulity does not trouble itself about such trifles as logic -or the fitness of things. In the mountains near Shiraz, for instance, -there is a footprint three feet long; the one in Herat is of the same -size, as is also that on Mount Sinai; and even in the distant Kothen, in -Chinese Tartary, a large footprint is shown, where, as the story goes, -the holy Jafer once strolled near Sadik. As I have observed, their -monstrous size creates no surprise or doubt in the minds of the pious. -Under the auspices of the holy place stand numerous inns for the -accommodation of pilgrims. In one of these I had comfortably established -myself, and was just engaged in making tea in the shade of the fine -poplars, when one of the priests of the place made his appearance, and -with a devout look invited me to visit the holy spot. As the only thing -the priest seemed to want at the time was a cup of tea, I treated him to -one. His further importunities proved him to have more mercenary views; -so as the cold marble stone which contains the sacred footprint was of -little interest to me, who had seen so many of its kind already, I -contrived at the expense of a few krans (francs) to dispense at once -with the society of my guest and the performance of a religious duty. - -My third day's march took me over a region of low hills into the plain -of Nishapur, so celebrated in Persia, and I may add in all Asia. -Djolghe-i Nishabur (Plain of Nishapur) is in the eyes of the Persian the -_ne plus ultra_ of beauty and wealth. For him the air there is purer and -more fragrant than elsewhere; its water the sweetest in the world, and -its products without rivals in creation. It is difficult adequately to -describe the proud joy which is pictured in his countenance as he points -out the hills lying towards the north-east, abounding in turquoise mines -and precious metals. For myself, I must own that the plain, like the -city situated in its midst, produced a pleasing, but by no means the -entrancing effect I felt justified in anticipating. Its historical -importance would hardly have occurred to me, had it not been that a -Persian, who discovered I was a foreigner, joined in conversation with -me by the way, and unasked, began to sound with no little exaggeration -the praises of his native city. - -No less inconsiderable did I find the town of Nishapur itself. The -bazaar is tolerably well filled with European and Persian wares, but the -traveller in vain explores the town for remains of that wealth and -architectural beauty which have been so highly lauded by Eastern -historians. The only things of note in the town are workshops for -grinding and polishing the turquoises found in the neighbourhood. The -stones in their unwrought state are of a gray colour, and only acquire -their well-known sky-blue hue after repeated polishings. The deeper its -colour, the more prominent its shape, and the smoother its surface, so -much the more costly is a stone--veins being regarded as flaws. A -curious phenomenon observable in these turquoises is that in many -specimens the colour fades a few days after being polished. The -inexperienced purchaser who is not aware of this circumstance not seldom -becomes a victim to Persian fraud; and many pilgrims who have purchased -in Nishapur stones of brilliant azure, have no other choice left them on -their return home than to throw them away as faded and colourless. At -the present day these mines are by no means so profitable as in former -times, they being rented altogether for the low sum of two thousand -ducats yearly. The commerce in the stones, which was once actively -carried on between Persia and Europe, especially with Russia, has also -of late years very much fallen off. - -From Nishapur the road leads to Sebzevar, distant three days' march. The -intervening stations have been often described. No one who has travelled -in Persia can have failed to have heard the names of the four "stations -of terror," so rich are they in danger and in strange tales of -adventure. Whoever amongst the people has the ambition of laying claim -to a character for bravery, he never forgets to introduce their names -into the story of his adventures. Do you ask why? The answer is very -simple. The four stations are posted on the edge of the great plain -which extends far away into the steppes of the Turkomans. No river, no -mountain, breaks its uniformity, and as those rapacious children of the -desert have but little respect for political boundaries, their predatory -inroads are frequent, and these four places are just those which are -most exposed to their ravages. They seldom fail to profit largely by -such incursions, as here runs the principal road towards Khorassan, -which is ever full of heavily laden caravans and well-equipped pilgrims. -The Persian never tires of dwelling on adventures with Turkomans. At one -of the stations, among much else that was curious, I heard the -following story. A Persian general had sent his troops of six thousand -men on before him, and was only staying behind for a few minutes to -enjoy comfortably the last whiffs of his kalian. He had just finished -his pipe and was about to join his soldiers, followed by a few body -servants, when he was pounced upon by a body of Turkomans and carried -away on their swift horses. In a few minutes he was robbed and made -captive, and a few weeks later was sold as a slave in the market of -Khiva for the sum of twenty-five ducats. - -On another occasion a pilgrim was captured on his way to the shrine of -Imam Riza. Luckily he saw the approaching enemy, and had just time to -hide his little store behind a stone ere the plunderers came upon him. -After he had been sold as a slave and brought to Khiva, he wrote from -thence to his tender spouse as follows: "My dear child, in such and such -a place, under such and such a stone, I have hidden forty ducats. Send -thirty of them to this place to ransom thy loving husband, and take care -of the remainder until I return from the land of the Turkomans, this -house of bondage, in which I must now, perforce, perform menial -service." - -It is true that there is good cause here for fear and caution, but the -absurd pusillanimity of the Iranians is the main source of their -misfortunes. Their caravans are wont to assemble here in large masses. -They are protected by soldiers with drawn swords, and cannons with their -matches burning. Often their numbers are very considerable. No sooner, -however, do a few desperate desert robbers make their appearance than -caravan and escort alike lose their courage and presence of mind, fling -away their weapons, offer all their property to the enemy, and putting -out their hands to be fettered, allow themselves to be carried away -into painful, often lifelong, captivity and slavery. I rode from station -to station with my Tartar for my only escort--a journey which no -European had ever made before me. Of course I was warned not to do so. -But in my Turkoman dress what cared I for Turkoman robbers? As for my -Tartar, he looked wistfully around in hope that he might espy a -countryman of his. If we had fallen in with some of those Sunnite sons -of the desert, travelling as we were in a Shi-ite land, I believe that -so far from injuring a mollah of their own faith, they would have -rewarded us richly for the fatiha which we would have bestowed on them. -For four days I wandered in the steppe; once in the dusk of the evening -I lost my way, yet not a single Turkoman crossed my path. I met no one -except a few scared Persian travellers. - -The reader will easily imagine the eagerness with which the traveller's -eyes look out for the gardens which surround Shahrud. As this town is -situated at the foot of a mountain, it is visible for miles off on the -plain. The wearied horseman thinks he has already reached the end of his -day's journey, when it is in reality five German miles distant. The road -is as monotonous as can possibly be imagined. It affords nothing -whatsoever to attract the eye. In summer, owing to utter want of water, -it must be very unpleasant to travel over it. Unfortunately I had -mistaken a village which lies in the vicinity of Shahrud for the town -itself, which at the point of the road was concealed in a hollow. My -anger when I discovered my mistake may be easily conceived. It was in -truth no joke to have added to the long day's journey a good half-hour's -additional ride. I had mounted my horse before twelve o'clock the night -before, and it was already past six o'clock in the evening, when I at -last gained the badly paved streets of Shahrud, and dismounted in one of -its principal caravansaries. My poor beast was utterly exhausted, and I -myself scarcely less so. But as I looked around the square of the -caravansary, how great was my astonishment at beholding a son of -Britain, yes, actually an unmistakable living Englishman, with a genuine -John Bull physiognomy, sitting at the door of one of the cells. An -Englishman alone here in Shahrud--that is certainly a rarity, almost a -miracle. I rushed towards him. He also, although apparently absorbed in -deep thought, regarded me with wondering eyes. My Bokhariot dress, and -my evident fatigue had attracted his attention. Who knows what he -thought of me then? For myself, in spite of my extreme exhaustion, I -hastened as well as I could to this extraordinary _rencontre_. I dragged -myself towards him, and staring at him with weary eyes, addressed him -with a "How are you, sir?" He appeared not to have understood me, so I -repeated my question. At this he sprang from his seat in surprise, the -greatest astonishment depicted in his countenance, while he gave vent to -his feelings with "Well I----. Where have you learned English?" asked -he, stammering with emotion; "perhaps in India." I should have liked to -have screwed up his curiosity a peg or two higher, and at any other time -might have enjoyed a mystification amazingly. But my long ride had so -thoroughly tired me out that I had not the spirits required for carrying -on the joke. I made a plain confession of what and who I was. His joy -was indescribable. To the great astonishment of my Tartar, who until now -had always regarded me as a true believer, he embraced me and took me -into his quarters. We spent a famous evening together, and I allowed -myself to be induced to rest there the whole of next day; for it did -the poor fellow no end of good to be able to speak of the West after six -months' separation from European society. A few months after our strange -meeting he was robbed and murdered on the road. His name was Longfield, -and he was agent for a large Lancashire house, for which he had to -purchase cotton. He had to carry a great deal of money about him, and -unfortunately forgot, as do too many, that Persia is not the civilized -land which the glowing representations of its lying agents in Europe -would lead us to suppose, and that one cannot place much reliance on -passports and royal firmans. - -Before reaching Teheran I had a journey of eleven days yet before me. -The road is safe. The only point of interest offered along the stations -is the observation of the contrast between the manners of the -inhabitants of Khorassan and those of Irak. The proximity of Central -Asia has left its mark of many rude habits on the people of Khorassan, -whilst the polish of Iranian civilization is unmistakable in the -inhabitants of Irak. The traveller who is supposed to be possessed of -worldly means is always sure here of most polite treatment. Not but that -in outward appearance they pretend to a vast amount of guilelessness -with not a touch of greediness. The guest is treated as a most welcome -personage. He is overwhelmed with the very quintessence of courtly -phrases which accompany the presents offered to him. But he had better -be careful of his purse if he is uninitiated in the intricacies of -Persian politeness. I had become well acquainted with Iranian etiquette -during my travels in Southern Persia, and on such occasions I always -played the Iranian, meeting compliments with phrases even more -complimentary. I accepted, of course, the presents offered me, but never -failed with most flowery speeches to invite the giver of the gift to -partake of it. It rarely happened that he was proof against my -high-flown bombast, and quotations from Saadi and his other favourite -poets. Forgetting compliments and courtesy, he would then make a fierce -onslaught on the food and fruits he had himself heaped on the _khondja_ -(wooden table), and tell me with repeated and significant shakes of the -head, "Effendi, thou art more Iranian than the Iranians; thou art too -polished to be sincere." - -The nearer we approached Teheran the worse became the weather. We were -now in the latter part of December. I had felt the cold of the impending -winter while still on the plains; but here, in more elevated regions, it -was doubly severe. The temperature in Persia is liable to sudden -changes, and a journey of a few hours often makes a serious difference. -But the weather in the two stations of Goshe and Ahuan was so very -severe as to cause me anxiety. These two places are situated on a -mountain, and can afford accommodation to but a small number of people. -I fared tolerably well at Goshe, where I had the caravansary all to -myself and could arrange myself comfortably and cosily, while outside a -cruel, bitter cold prevailed. The next day, on my way to Ahuan, I found -snow in many parts of the roads. The biting north wind compelled me -often to dismount in order to keep my feet warm with walking. The snow -lay already several feet deep when I arrived at Ahuan, and it was frozen -so hard as to form along some parts of our road two solid walls. In -catching sight of the solitary post-house, I had but one intense -longing, to get beneath a roof and to find a good fire by which to warm -myself. The eye roving over the hills, white with snow, could not -discover within its range anywhere a human habitation or even the wreck -of one. We rode into the yard of the tchaparkhane in our usual -demonstrative manner in order to attract attention. The postmaster was -exceedingly polite, which, in itself, was a good omen, and I was -delighted as he led me into a smoky, but withal well-sheltered room; and -I paid but little attention to what he was saying, as he expatiated at -great length, with an air of great importance, on the expected arrival -of the lady of Sipeh Salar, the Persian generalissimo and minister of -war, who was on her way back from a pilgrimage to Meshed, and would -arrive either that night or the following day with a retinue of from -forty to sixty servants. To be overtaken by them in a place affording -such meagre accommodations as this post-house did, would of course be -far from pleasant. But the likelihood of such an event little disturbed -my equanimity; on the contrary I made myself and my weary beast as -comfortable as I could. As the fire began to blaze cheerily on the -hearth, and the tea to send its steamy flavour through the room, I -entirely lost all sense of the cold and discomfort I had so lately -endured, and listening to the shrill whistling of rude Boreas without, -who seemed to wish to rob me of my slumbers out of spite for having -escaped his fury, I gave no thought to the probability of being ousted -from my comfortable quarters. After I had taken my tea and felt a -pleasant warmth creeping through my whole body I began to undress. I had -thrown myself on my couch, my pilar and roast fowl were almost ready, -when, about midnight, through the howling of the wind I heard the tramp -of a troop of horsemen. I had scarcely time to jump up from my bed when -the whole cavalcade dashed into the court with clashing arms, oaths and -shouts. In an instant they were at my door, which was of course bolted. -"Hallo! who is here? Out with you! The lady of Sipeh Salar, a princess -of royal blood, is come; every one must turn out and make room for -her." I need not say that there were cogent reasons for not immediately -opening the door. The men asked of the postmaster who was the occupier -of the room, and upon learning that it was only a hadji, and he too a -heretic, a Sunnite, they began to level their swords and the butt ends -of their guns at the door, crying out, "Ha, hadji! take thyself off, or -wilt thou have us grind thy bones to meal!" - -The moment was a very exciting and a very critical one. It is but a -sorry jest to be turned out of a warm shelter, where one is perfectly -comfortable, and to have to pass a bitterly cold winter's night in the -open air. It was not, perhaps, so much the fear of harm from exposure to -the cold as the suddenness of the surprise and the shock of the -unwelcome disturbance, which suggested to me the bold thought not to -yield, but fearlessly to accept the challenge. My Tartar, who was in the -room with me, turned pale. I sprang from my seat, seized gun and sword, -while I handed my pistols to him, with the order to use them as soon as -I gave him a sign to do so. I then took up a position near the door, -firmly resolved to fire at the first person who would intrude. My -martial preparations seemed to have been observed by those without, for -they began to parley. Indeed I remarked that the elegance of the Persian -which I employed in talking with them rather staggered them into a -suspicion that they might be mistaken after all in supposing me to be a -Bokhariot. "Who art thou, then? Speak, man, it seems thou art no hadji," -was now heard from without. "Who talks about hadjis?" I cried; "away -with that abusive word! I am neither Bokhariot nor Persian. I have the -honour to be a European, and my name is Vambery Sahib." - -Silence followed this speech of mine. My assailants seemed to be -utterly dumbfounded. Its effect, however, was even more startling on my -Tartar, who now, for the first time, heard from his hadji -fellow-traveller's own lips that he whom he had looked upon as a true -believer was a European and that his real name was Vambery. Pale as -death, and with eyes glaring wildly, he stared at me. I was in fact -placed between two fires. A sharp side-glance from me restored his -equanimity. The Persians too changed their tactics. The name of -European, that word of terror for Orientals, produced a magic effect. -Terms of abuse were followed by expressions of politeness; menaces by -entreaties; and as they earnestly besought me to allow two of the -principal members of the escort to share my room, while the others would -resign themselves to occupy the barn and the stable, I opened the door -to the trembling Persians. My features convinced them at once of the -truth of my assertions. Our conversation soon became very lively and -friendly, and in the course of half an hour my guests were reposing in a -corner of the room, completely stupified by over-indulgence in arrack. -There they lay snoring like horses. I then applied myself to the task of -explaining matters to my Tartar, and found him, to my agreeable -surprise, quite willing to appreciate my explanations. Next morning when -I left the snow-clad hills, and rode over the cheerful plain of Damgan, -the recollection of the adventure came back to me in all its vividness, -and I own that on sober second thoughts I was disposed to quake somewhat -on contemplating the unnecessary danger my rashness had exposed me to -the preceding night. - -Damgan is supposed to be the ancient Hecatompylae (city with the hundred -gates); a supposition which our archaeologists will maintain at every -hazard, although the neighbourhood affords no trace of a city to which -the hundred gates might have belonged. Of course one must make large -deductions from all assertions made by either Greeks or Persians, who -rival each other in the noble art of bragging and exaggerating. If we -reduce the hundred gates to twenty, it will still remain a matter of -considerable difficulty to discover a city of over twenty gates in the -obscure spot now called Damgan. The place boasts of scarcely more than a -hundred houses, and two miserable caravansaries in the midst of its -empty bazaar are sufficient indications that Damgan's reputation for -importance in commercial respects is equally unfounded. - -From Damgan I travelled over two stations to Simnan, celebrated for its -cotton, and still more for its tea-cakes. Almost every town in Persia is -conspicuous for some speciality, in the production of which it claims to -be not only the foremost in Persia, but unrivalled in the whole world. -Shiraz, for instance, is famous for lamb, Isfahan for peaches, Nathenz -for pears, and so on. The odd thing about it is, that on arriving in any -of these towns and looking for the article so much bragged of, the -traveller is either greatly disappointed as to its quality, or, more -amusing still, he fails to find the article at all. In Meshed I heard -the tea-cakes of Simnan talked of, nay even in Herat; but as I had often -had occasion to value these exaggerations at their true worth, I did not -expect too much. Nevertheless, I went into the bazaar to inquire after -tea-cakes. My search, long and painful, was rewarded by a few mouldy -specimens. "Simnan," said one, "is justly celebrated for the excellence -of this article, but the export is so tremendous that we are left -without any." Another said: "It is true that Simnam was once famous for -the production of this article, but hard times have caused even the -quality of the tea-cakes to deteriorate." Here at any rate people had -the grace to invent some excuses, but in most places not even an -apology is attempted; and the unblushing fraud of the pretended claim to -the production of some excellent article shows itself without any -disguise. - -The same sensations which overcame me when I arrived in Meshed, I felt -now with even greater intensity as I drew near Teheran, the -starting-place of my adventurous journey, where I was to meet so many -kind friends who, in all probability, had long ago resigned themselves -to the thought of my having paid with my life the penalty of my rash -enterprise. - - - - -XXIX. - -FROM TEHERAN TO TREBIZOND. - - -The Persian capital appeared to me, when I saw it again, as the very -abode of civilization and culture, affording to one's heart's content -all the pleasures and refinements of European life. Of course, a -traveller from the West, on coming to the city for the first time, is -bitterly disappointed in seeing the squalid mud hovels and the narrow -and crooked streets through which he must make his way. But to one -coming from Bokhara the aspect of the city seems entirely changed. A -journey of only sixty days separates one city from the other; but in -point of fact, there is such a difference in the social condition of -Bokhara and Teheran, that centuries might have divided them from one -another. My first ride through the bazaar, after my arrival, made me -feel like a child again. Almost with the eagerness of my Tartar -companion, my delighted eyes were wandering over articles of luxury from -Europe, toys, stuffs and cloths which I saw exhibited there. The samples -of European taste and ingenuity then struck me with a sort of awe, -which, recalled now, seems to me very comical. It was a feeling, -however, of which it was difficult to get rid. When a man travels as I -did, and when he has as thoroughly and completely adapted himself to the -Tartar mode of life, it is no wonder if, in the end, he turns half a -Tartar himself. That doublefacedness in which a man lives, thoroughly -aware of his real nature in spite of his outward disguise, cannot be -maintained very long with impunity. The constant concealment of his real -sentiments, the absorbing work of his assimilating to the utmost -elements quite foreign, produce their slow and silent but sure effect, -in altering the man himself, in course of time, whether he wishes it or -no. In vain does the disguised traveller inwardly rebel against the -influences and impressions which are wearing away his real self. The -impressions of the past lose more and more their hold on him until they -fade away, leaving the traveller hopelessly struggling in the toils of -his own fiction, and the _role_ he had assumed soon becomes second -nature with him. - -I formed no exception to the rule in this particular; the change in my -behaviour was the theme of many facetious remarks from my European -friends, and drew upon me more than once their good-natured sallies. -They made my salutations, my gesticulations, my gait, and above all my -mode of viewing things in general, an object of their mirth. Many went -so far as to insist upon my having been transformed into a Tartar, to my -very features; saying that even my eyes had assumed the oblique shape -peculiar to that race. This good-natured "chaff" afforded me great -amusement. It in no wise interfered with the extreme pleasure I felt in -being restored to European society. Nevertheless, besides the strange -sensation of enjoying the rare luxury of undisturb I repose for several -weeks, there were many things in the customs and habits of my European -friends to which reconciliation caused great difficulty. The -close-fitting European dress, especially, seemed to cramp me and to -hamper me in my movements. The shaved scalp was ill at ease under the -burden of the hair which I allowed to grow. The lively and sometimes -violent gestures which accompanied the friendly interchange of views, on -the part of the Europeans, looked to me like outbursts of passion, and I -often thought that they would be followed by the more energetic argument -of rude force. The stiff and measured carriage and walk, peculiar to -military people, which I observed in the French officers in the Persian -service, seemed to me odd, artificial and stilted. Not but that it -afforded me a secret pleasure to have occasion to admire the proud and -manly bearing of my fellow Europeans. It presented such a gratifying -contrast to the slovenly and slouching gait of the Central Asiatics, -amongst whom I had been lately living. It would serve no purpose to -point out to my readers, and to multiply, the numerous instances of the -strange perversion of views and tastes to which my late experiences -among strange Asiatic people had given rise. Those who, from personal -observations, are enabled to draw a parallel between life in the East -and West, will find no exaggeration in my saying that Teheran compared -to Bokhara seemed to be a sort of Paris to me. - -The surprise and astonishment of the Persian public at the capital was -general when the successful issue of my perilous adventure became known. -Ketman (the art of dissimulation allowed by Islam) is a gift well known -and diligently cultivated by Orientals; but that a European should have -acquired such a degree of excellence in this peculiarly Eastern art as -to impose upon the natives themselves seemed to them incomprehensible. -Without doubt they would have grudged the successful termination of my -journey, had it not been that the joke I had played at the expense of -their arch enemies the Sunnite Turkomans tickled their fancy. The -steppes of Turkestan are many ways a _terra incognita_ to the -inhabitants of Teheran; and although they are situated near the confines -of Persia, the strangest and most fanciful ideas prevail amongst the -people in regard to them. I was the recipient of a thousand questions -from everybody on this subject. I was invited by several ministers to -visit them, and had even the distinction conferred upon me of being -presented to his Majesty, "the Centre of the World" or "Highly Exalted -Ruler of the Universe," as the Persians call him. I had to undergo the -wearisome ceremonial of the Persian court, before I was ushered into the -august presence of the Shah Nasr-ed-din, in the garden of the Palace, -and when there I received from him the condescending compliment of being -asked to tell the story of my adventures. I acquitted myself in this -with no little vivacity. The ministers who graced the interview with -their presence were quite dumbfounded with the easy coolness I exhibited -on that occasion, and as I was afterwards told, could scarcely recover -from their astonishment at my being able to endure without trembling the -looks of a sovereign whose least glance strikes terror into the heart of -the boldest mortal. The king himself seemed pleased with my performance, -for he afterwards testified to his satisfaction by sending me the Order -of the Lion and Sun, and what was more to the purpose, a valuable -Persian shawl. The insignia of the Order, consisting of a plain piece of -silver, I was permitted to retain, but the rapacity of the minister, so -characteristic of the court of Teheran, confiscated the shawl, worth at -least fifty ducats, for his own benefit. This conduct is by no means -astonishing: his Majesty the King lies and deceives his ministers, and -they, in their turn, repay his amiability towards them with usurious -interest. Inferior officials cheat the people, and the latter again -avail themselves of every opportunity to cheat the officials. Every one -in that country lies, cheats and swindles. Nor is such behaviour looked -upon as anything immoral or improper; on the contrary, the man who is -straightforward and honest in his dealings is sure to be spoken of -contemptuously as a fool or madman. - -As an instance of this general moral obliquity, I will relate a neat -little story of what occurred while I was staying in Teheran. The king, -as is well known, is an inveterate sportsman and an excellent shot. He -passes about nine months in the year in hunting excursions, to the no -small annoyance of the officers of the court, who, on such occasions, -are compelled to leave the luxurious comforts of the harem, with its -dainty food and soft couches, for the rude life in a tent, the simple -fare of the country-people, and the long and fatiguing rides of the -chase. The king, on returning from the chase, is wont to send presents -of some of the game killed by him to the European ambassadors as a -special mark of his favour. This generosity, however, must be paid for -in the shape of a liberal _enaam_, or gratuity, to the servant who has -brought the roe, partridges and other game laid low by the royal hand. -The _Corps Diplomatique_ at first submitted patiently to this exaction, -but as these royal gifts became more and more frequent, the ministers -began to surmise that these repeated acts of distinction did not emanate -from the royal household, but were a mere fiction invented by the -servants to secure the expected large fees, and that the game brought -to them was purchased for the purpose. In order to obviate the -recurrence of similar frauds, the Minister of Foreign Affairs was to -certify, at the request of the ambassadors, to the _bona fide_ character -of the royal gifts. For a while this proved to be a preventative of the -annoyance; but for a short time only, for very soon the presents began -to pour in again with an alarming rapidity. Strict inquiries were now -instituted, and the astonishing fact was brought to light that his -Excellency the Minister connived at the fraud by issuing false -certificates, and that he shared in the profits of the disgraceful -transaction. The whole thing, when it transpired, was treated as an -excellent joke; and the king himself deigned to be highly amused at the -account of this singular method of taking in the Frengis. - -As I did not intend leaving Teheran before spring, my stay there was -prolonged to two months. This time I passed very agreeably in the -society of the little European colony. Their joy at my return was -sincere, and this they demonstrated not only by cordial and warm -congratulations, but by a hundred little acts of politeness and goodwill -which rendered my stay with them exceedingly pleasant. The embassies did -not fail to acquaint their respective governments with my remarkable -adventures. As for myself I was quite astonished at the ado made about -my performances; nor could I very well comprehend the extraordinary -importance attached to my dervish trick, which presented itself to my -imagination, apart from the real dangers, rather in the ludicrous light -of a comedy brought to a prosperous end. - -I was not a little proud as I left the Persian capital to find myself -provided with letters of recommendation to the principal statesmen of -England and France. I was especially touched by the interest shown by a -Hungarian countryman of mine, a Mr. Szanto, who plied the trade of a -tailor in Teheran. Born on the banks of the Theiss, he left his country -to escape conscription, preferring the life of an honest tradesman to -that of a soldier. His wanderings took him to Constantinople, and on -leaving that city he went through Asia Minor to Arabia, and thence -through South Persia to India. This singular man had made all these -journeys for the most part on foot. He was about to set out for the -capital of China when news reached him of the rising of his people in -1848, in order to achieve independence. Without a moment's hesitation he -determined to hasten back and enrol himself in the army of those who -were ready to fight and die for their country. But he had calculated -without taking into account the immense distance from Asia to Europe and -his slender means, which permitted him only the slow locomotion of a -pedestrian and conveyance in a sailing vessel. Thus, upon arriving in -Stambul he heard of the fatal day at Vilagos, the closing act of the -glorious revolutionary drama. In his disappointment he once more seized -the wanderer's staff, and, resuming his old trade, reached Teheran by -way of Tabreez. The good man spoke a most extraordinary language, -jumbling together all the different dialects he had partly picked up in -the countries through which he had passed. He did tolerably well at the -beginning of a conversation, starting fairly with Hungarian; but no -sooner had he become animated with his subject than a perfect farrago, -consisting of a conglomeration of Hungarian, German, French, with a -still more confusing mass of Turkish, Arabic, Persian and Hindustani -words, would ensue, putting the comprehension of his hearers to a sore -trial. His generous heart warmed towards me, his countryman, at whose -escape from so many dangers he was overjoyed; and in his simple way, to -demonstrate his sympathy, he insisted upon my accepting of him a pair of -pantaloons of his own handiwork, although his circumstances were rather -straitened. As I could not be induced to accept his gift, he persuaded -my Tartar to take it. The inhabitant of Central Asia laughed at what -seemed to him a ridiculous garment; but at last curiosity prevailed with -him so far as to induce him to put it on, and kind-hearted Szanto was -beside himself with delight and pride at having been the first tailor -who had put a Tartar into a pair of European trousers. - -I must not omit to mention another European I met here, a M. de -Blocqueville, who may be justly called one of the most expensive of -photographers--at least to the Shah of Persia. In the service of the -latter, he had taken part in an expedition against the Turkomans, had -the misfortune of being taken prisoner, and was at last released upon -payment of the enormous ransom of ten thousand ducats. M. de -Blocqueville, a perfect French gentleman, had come to _la belle Perse_ -in search of adventures. He did not wish to practise as a physician, the -orthodox career of a European in the East, but preferred to try his luck -with photography, which, being less known in Persia, promised greater -success. This amiable young man, as the sequel showed, was right in his -calculations, for the king immediately engaged him to be his Court -Photographer, and he was attached to the army in the capacity of painter -of battle pieces. The king was delighted at having secured an artist who -would immortalize on canvas the gallant feats of his heroic army, and -his lively imagination conjured up visions of grand pictures in which -every one of them would be portrayed as a very Rustem. Unfortunately, -fate had willed it otherwise; the twenty-five thousand Rustems were -attacked by five thousand Turkomans and shamefully defeated. A large -portion of the brave Persian army were taken prisoners, and slaves -became such a drug in the market that they could be bought back at the -reasonable price of from five to six ducats. M. de Blocqueville, -however, on account of his fair complexion and strange cut of features, -was suspected of being worth more to his masters, and more, therefore, -was asked for his release. Of course the Persians refused to accept -other terms, but every new refusal brought on an increase of the ransom, -until finally the exorbitant sum of ten thousand ducats had to be paid -by the court of Teheran for the freedom of a French subject. Nor would -this have been done but for an energetic hint conveyed by the Government -of France through their representative, Bellaunay, that if the Persians -had not ducats enough to ransom this French subject, they would lend him -French bayonets. The gentle warning had its effect, the money was paid, -and the young photographer restored to liberty. A year and a half had -been spent in these negotiations, and M. de Blocqueville, formerly an -officer in a regiment of the Guard, was exposed during all this time to -the galling experiences of slavery among the Turkomans. The bitter -contrast between the life of a gentleman in the _Champs Elysees_ and -that of a captive loaded with irons on neck and feet must have often -suggested itself to him as he shivered in rags beneath the insufficient -shelter of a Turkoman tent, with cutlets of horse-flesh the greatest -culinary delicacy within reach. He had gone through a great deal of -suffering, and he all but wept for joy when he safely returned from that -terrible country. To a greater degree than any one else he had leisure -to study the dreadful realities of life in Central Asia, and I found in -him a ready sympathizer with the hardships I had gone through, he being -able to appreciate their magnitude. - -Now that we are on the subject of the Turkomans, I must not leave -unmentioned that several of them, who were at Astrabad on business, -hearing of my arrival in Teheran, called on me and asked my _fatiha_ -(blessing). They assured me that my fatihas had worked wonders, and that -the people in the Gomushtepe were often wishing to have me there back -again. Although dressed in European clothes, these simple people -reverently bowed down before me while I gave each of them a blessing, -citing at the same time a few verses from the Koran. They left me -apparently much edified, and they were the last people to whom I gave a -fatiha, and that was the last occasion on which I performed spiritual -functions of the kind. My imagination caught fire at the idea of my -religious fame. I picture to myself the possibilities I might achieve -among these untutored Children of the Desert, if I had only the will and -the courage to dare. Such is usually the way in which Oriental heroes -commence their career. They shroud themselves in a mysterious magical -obscurity, and crowds follow blindly their lead, and determination alone -is wanted to make a man an autocrat whose slightest command is obeyed -with slavish and unreasoning submission. - -With the very first breath of vernal air I bade farewell to the Persian -capital, the seat of Oriental civilization, and took the regular -post-road through Tabreez, Erzerum, and Trebizond to the Black Sea. As -on my journey from Meshed to Teheran I had been well supplied with all -things requisite for a traveller in the East, so now from Teheran to -Trebizond I lacked in nothing to render the journey comfortable. I was -provided with even better horses; I had more funds; and the treatment -along the road corresponded with my change of fortune. I reached the -Persian frontier in the highest spirits, and made merry all along the -road, encouraged by the finest imaginable spring weather. - -Gazing from the Pontic mountain, from whose top the Black Sea is first -visible, as I arrived in the neighbourhood of Trebizond, I saw before me -the coast upon which I had turned my back with so many strange -misgivings two years ago this very month. The harbour, the flag of -_Lloyd_ fluttering in the breeze--there they were again, as if to salute -me on my return. What a wild rush of thoughts were conjured up by those -familiar sights, from which my parting had been so bitter! - -To reach a harbour, where a ship rode at anchor ready to start, was the -same thing as to reach Europe. The comforts of a splendid and commodious -cabin on board the Lloyd steamer, the tokens of European life -multiplying round us in every imaginable form, may foster the illusion -that we are at home again, in spite of the several days' voyage -separating us from Europe. I passed two days only in Trebizond, -employing my time chiefly in disposing of the larger part of my -equipment for Eastern travel, for which I now had no further use, -retaining only a few articles as relics and keepsakes of my roamings. In -the middle of May I went on board the steamer which bore me back to the -scene of my future--Europe. - - - - -XXX. - -HOMEWARDS. - - -If my way from Tabreez to Trebizond resembled an entry in triumph, my -journey homewards was the much more marked with signs of acknowledgment -by every European I met in Turkey of the great fatigues I had undergone -during my travels. On my arrival in Constantinople, I found the Turkish -capital not only many times more enchanting than before, comparing the -howling wilderness of Central Asia with the natural beauties of the -Bosphorus, but I saw in the Turks a totally civilized nation, who are in -great advance over their brethren in faith and in nationality who dwell -in the interior of Asia; nay, men whose physical features resemble much -more the genuine European than the representatives of the Iranian and -Turanian race. My first visit was to the Austrian Ambassador of that -time, to the learned diplomatist, the late Count Prokesch-Osten, who was -always kind to me during my sojourn in the Turkish metropolis, and who -received me now with real cordiality. For a moment he gazed upon me, -not being able to recognize a former acquaintance in his emaciated and -weather-worn visitor; and it was only after I had addressed him in -German, that he nearly burst into tears, saying, "For heaven's sake, -Vambery, what have you done; what has become of you?" I gave him a short -account of my travels, and of my adventures; and the good old man, moved -to the inmost of his noble heart, tried to persuade me before all to -stay a few days in his house, in order to recover my strength, and to -pursue only after rest my way to Budapest. I declined politely, and -listened with great attention to the hints he gave me about the next -steps I had to take in Europe. "You do quite right to go straight -forward to London," said the Count; "England is the only country full of -interest for the geography and ethnography of Inner Asia. You will there -have a good reception; but you must not forget to style accordingly the -account of your travels. Keep yourself strictly to the narrative of your -adventures; be short and concise in the description; and particularly -abstain from writing a book mixed with far-fetched argumentations or -with philological and historical notes." - -My next visit in Constantinople was to Aali Pasha, the Grand Vizier of -that time, to whom I intended to report on the political condition of -Persia and of Central Asia. On my way from Pera to Constantinople--I -mean to say to the offices of the Porte--I met with many of my previous -acquaintances without being recognized by any one. The same happened -with me on my passage through the corridor of that large building of the -Sublime Porte, and it was only in consequence of my having been -announced, that Aali Pasha was able to recognize in me the former Reshid -Effendi--my official name in Turkey--the man whom he supported in his -linguistic studies by lending him rare manuscripts out of his -collection. He received me with great friendliness, and insisted on my -staying in Constantinople, but, politely declining, I hurried back to -the port in order to be in due time for departure of the vessel of the -Austrian Lloyd Company bound for Kustendje. On arriving at the port near -Fyndykly, I had to fulfil a most unpleasant duty, namely, to dismiss my -faithful Tartar, who had accompanied me from Khiva to the shore of the -Bosphorus--to say a final good-bye to the sincere and honest young man, -who had shared with me all the fatigues and privations of my dangerous -journey homewards from the banks of the Oxus, who never showed the -slightest sign of discontent, and who really had become like a brother -to me. It was an unspeakably painful moment of my life! I handed over to -him nearly all my ready cash, keeping only enough to pay for my food -until I arrived at Pesth--for the passage was free. I gave him all my -dresses, my equipment, &c., made him a long speech as to his behaviour -during his further journey to Mecca and concerning his way backward to -Khiva; and I had just extended my arms to embrace him, when he burst out -in a torrent of tears and said, "Effendi! forgive me, but I cannot -separate from you. The sanctity of the holy places is certainly a much -beguiling object; to see the tomb of our Prophet is worth a whole life; -but I cannot leave you, I cannot go alone! I am ready to renounce all -the delights of this and of the future world; I am ready to part even -with my home, but I cannot separate from you." The reader may fancy my -great astonishment when I heard the _ci-devant_ young theological -student of Central Asia speaking these words; and I said to him, "My -dear friend, do you know that I am going to the country of unbelievers, -to Frengistan, where the climate, the water, the language, the manners -and customs of the different people will be utterly strange to you, and -where you will find yourself speedily at an extraordinary distance from -your own home, and will have to remain eventually, without any hope of -revisiting again in your life your paternal seat in Khiva? Consider well -what you are doing, for repentance will be too late, and I should not -like to be the cause of your misfortune!" The poor Tartar stood pale and -dejected for a few moments, the great struggle in his soul being -noticeable only by the fiery rolling of his eyes; he pressed his lips -spasmodically, and then burst out in the following words, "Believer or -unbeliever, I care not which, wherever you go I go with you. Good men -cannot go to bad places. I have implicit faith in your friendship, and I -trust in God that he will take care of us both." Standing thus in the -midst of my confusion, I heard the ringing of the bell at the vessel. -The time for further consideration and argumentation was gone. I took my -luggage and the Tartar on board the steamer, and no sooner had we -arrived than the anchors were weighed; and away we steamed through the -Bosphorus on the Black Sea to Kustendje. - -My journey up the Danube to Pesth in the month of May, 1864, was full of -delight and interest. By every step which brought me nearer to the -frontier of Hungary, I met new friends and fresh admirers, for the news -of my successful travels in Central Asia had already spread throughout -Europe, and had in particular roused the attention of my countrymen, -with whom the dim lore of their Asiatic descent is not all unknown, and -who were now most anxious to get fresh information from the seat of -their ancestors, the cradle of the Magyar race. On my arrival in Pesth, -I was met first by Baron Joseph Eoetvoes, the Vice-President of our -Academy, my noble-hearted patron, who had assisted me in my juvenile -struggles, who had encouraged me to my travels, and who was now full of -joy in seeing me safe, although he was much worn-out by fatigues at -home. Baron Eoetvoes, the greatest literary genius of Hungary of the -present century, the author of the brilliant philosophical work "The -Reigning Ideas of the Nineteenth Century," did not at all conceal from -me the difficulties I should yet have to contend with. "Go at once to -London," he said, "and being provided, as you are, with letters of -introduction to the leading personalities, you are almost sure of a warm -reception, and of a real acknowledgment of your merits." Well, this plan -had matured in me since my leaving Teheran, where the late Sir Charles -Alison, and particularly Mr. Thompson, the present British Minister at -the Persian Court, had likewise given to me similar suggestions. I -therefore took the firm decision to go to England as soon as possible--I -mean to say as soon as I got the necessary means for the journey. This -equipment proved, however, not an easy task. Marks of recognition in the -papers, invitations to dinner-parties, &c., were not wanting on my -arrival at Pesth; but the funds for my journey to London were not so -easily got, and I was obliged to leave my Tartar behind in the care of a -friend and to proceed alone to England. It was certainly a great pity -not to be able to bring Mollah Ishak--this was the name of the -Tartar--to the banks of the Thames, for he would have made a capital -figure at Burlington House, before the Royal Geographical Society; but I -had to accommodate myself to imperious necessity, and taking with me -only my notes and a few Oriental manuscripts, I left Hungary towards the -end of May, and proceeded without stopping to England. - - - - -XXXI. - -IN ENGLAND. - - -Only a couple of weeks having elapsed since I emerged from the depths of -Asia to the very centre of Europe, and since I exchanged the life of a -travelling dervish for that of a strictly Europeanized man of letters, -it may easily be conceived what extraordinary effects this sudden -transformation wrought upon me. I shall try to describe some of the -prominent features of this change, although I hardly believe that my -feeble pen is equal to the task. It was before all the idea of having -renounced the life of a wanderer, and of being henceforward unable to -change by abode daily, which gave me great trouble. The firm and stable -house and its furniture seemed to me like fetters, and filled me with -disgust after a few days' stay. Then came the aversion I felt to the -European dress, particularly to the necktie and stiff linen, which were -quite an ordeal to me, accustomed as for years I had been to the wide -and comfortable Asiatic garb, which gives not the slightest restraint -whilst its wearer is either sitting or walking. Not even the food, and -still less the manner of eating, had any attraction for me, who for -years and years had used his fingers as knife and fork, and who had now -to observe the European table etiquette with all its rigour. And what -should I say about all the multifarious differences between the manners -and habits of Europe and those of Asia? I really felt like a child, or -like some semi-barbarous inhabitant of Asia or Africa on his first -introduction into European society, and I really do not know whether I -should laugh at my awkwardness in that time, or whether I should admire -the forbearance shown to me by English society during the first weeks of -my appearance in London. - -With these and similar feelings I spent my first days in the English -metropolis. My first care was to hand over the letters of introduction I -got in Teheran to those distinguished _savants_ and politicians who were -connected with Central Asia, and who had a pre-eminent interest in the -results of my travels. My first visit was to _Sir Henry Rawlinson_, who -was then, and is even now, the greatest living authority on all -scientific and political questions associated with Central Asia. He -received me in a most affable manner in his house in Berkeley Street, -Berkeley Square, where he was living at that time; and although I was -able to lead an English conversation, still for the sake of better -fluency I preferred Persian, of which Sir Henry, late ambassador of -Great Britain in Persia, was a perfect master, and which he really -handled with exquisite refinement. The topic of our conversation was of -course Bokhara, Khiva, Herat, and Turkestan, places of which the learned -decipherer of the cuneiform inscriptions of Behistan had an astounding -store of information. My details about the capture of Herat by Dost -Mohammed Khan, about the campaign of the Emir of Bokhara against -Kokhand in favour of Khudayar Khan, and particularly the rumours I heard -about the approach of the Russian detachment under Tchernayeff, were the -topics in which he seemed most interested. It was a kind of -cross-examination which I had to go through; and after a conversation of -nearly an hour's length, I took leave with the full conviction that my -first _debut_ was not an unsuccessful one. The next call I made was upon -_Sir Roderick Murchison_, the President of the Royal Geographical -Society at that time, whose house, at 16, Belgrave Square, gave me for -the first time an idea of the comfort and luxury surrounding an English -literary man of distinction. I need scarcely say that Sir Roderick, -whose amiability is world-wide known, received me, not like a foreigner -introduced to him by his friend, but like a fellow-traveller--as became -the good-hearted patron of all those whose efforts were directed towards -the furthering of geographical knowledge. He did not care much about the -languages, the manners, and the habits of Asiatic people, but rather -about orographical and hydrographical facts; and he actually showed some -disappointment on hearing from me that I neither brought cartographical -sketches nor specimens of the geological formations. Having been asked -whether I had brought some drawings with me, I answered not quite to his -satisfaction, that I carried only a small pencil not larger than the -half of my thumb with me, concealed under the wadding of my dervish -dress, and that if people had noticed my making any use of this -contrivance, I certainly should not have had the pleasure of my present -interview with him. The good old man was unable to realize the great -dangers I ran in my disguise, for he always thought of his own journey -to the Ural, executed under the princely protection of the Emperor of -Russia--he being provided with ample means from home. The topic which -he most decidedly shunned was politics; for whenever I touched the -question of the Russian approach to the frontiers of India, and of the -very near term of Russian encroachment upon Central Asia, he immediately -said smilingly, "Oh, you must not believe that; the Russians are a nice -people; their Emperor is an enlightened, noble prince, and the Russian -plans in Asia cannot mean mischief against the interests of Great -Britain." As to the enlightened character of the late Russian Emperor, -nobody had any doubt. His esteem and consideration for science had an -eloquent symbol in the pair of magnificent malachite vases which were in -the house of Sir Roderick Murchison, who was much liked at the Court on -the Neva; but, as events have since proved, these were only testimonials -of personal feelings, which had no influence whatever upon the course of -politics in Asia. Excepting that this single difference of opinion -occurred, my first meeting with the President of the Royal Geographical -Society succeeded beyond all my expectations. He invited me to lecture -before the society at its concluding meeting, and asked me to dinner on -an early evening. I confess the kind manner in which this noble-hearted -gentleman treated me during my sojourn in London, and the rich -hospitality which I so frequently enjoyed in his house, will be ever -green in my memory. - -The third man upon whom I called was the late Viscount Strangford, the -wonderful Oriental linguist and the brilliant writer. I say on purpose -wonderful, for I rarely met a man in my life whose almost supernatural -ability to speak and to write many European and Asiatic languages caused -me so much astonishment. Our conversation began in the Turkish of -Constantinople, in that refined idiom, whereof six or eight words out of -every ten are certainly either Arab or Persian, only the others -belonging to the genuine Turkish stock. To use this language in an -elegant way, it is requisite to adapt one's mode of thinking entirely to -that of thoroughbred Orientals, to have besides a proficiency in the -standard works of Mohammedan literature, and, above all, to have moved a -good deal in the so-called Effendi society. It is certainly no -exaggeration to say that Lord Strangford, fully adequate to these -exigencies, would have been taken by everybody for a downright Effendi, -had it not been for the peculiarly Celtic shape of his head, and for the -way in which he used to turn it to the right and to the left of his -shoulders. Finding that I had come fresh from the East, where for many -years I used Turkish as a colloquial and literary language, he was -delighted to renew with me all his reminiscences of a long stay on the -Bosphorus, and particularly to have somebody who was able to give him -oral information about the language and literature of Central Asia, in -which he was so much interested. Having flattered myself with the hope -that I should become the only authority in Europe on Eastern-Turkish, -the reader may fancy my astonishment when I heard from the mouth of an -English nobleman the recital of such poems as those of Nevai, which had -hitherto escaped my attention, and when he gave me the explanation of -words which I had vainly looked for in the Eastern dictionaries. Lord -Strangford was quite a riddle to me; for apart from his knowledge in -Eastern tongues, he spoke almost all European languages; he was a -Sclavonic scholar, he knew Hungarian, nay, even the language of the -Gipsies; and what struck me most was his vast information concerning the -various literatures and histories of these peoples. No wonder, -therefore, that I felt from the beginning a particular attraction to the -learned Viscount, and that he also, as I afterwards had ample -opportunity to learn, took a fancy to me and became my most zealous and -disinterested supporter in England. Envy and jealousy had no place in -the noble heart of Lord Strangford; he gave himself all possible pains -to introduce me everywhere, and to level the ground before me, and the -standing I gained in London society was entirely due to his exertions. - -Amongst the introductions which I had brought with me from Teheran was -one to Mr., now Sir Henry, Layard, another to the late Sir Justin Sheil, -formerly Ambassador at Teheran, and recommendations to several men of -note connected in some way or other with the interior of Asia. Sir Henry -Layard who was at that time Under Secretary of State for Foreign -Affairs, received me in his open, straightforward, British manner. Not -many years having elapsed since the politician of high standing was -himself a traveller in Asia, he behaved towards me like a colleague and -like a former brother in arms. The same I must say in reference to the -late Sir Justin Sheil and Lady Sheil; the latter was kind enough to give -me the necessary hints as to the complicated laws and social tone of the -West End; in one word, all my friends helped together to shape out of -the rough material of the _ci-devant_ dervish the lion of the London -season. No easy task of course, if you consider that the said dervish, -although a European by birth, had never before been west of his own -country, and that his education and his continual studies were not made -to facilitate such a change in his life. But what does not man attempt -for the sake of success? Necessity and assistance had soon transformed -the lame Mohammedan beggar into an admired lion of the British -metropolis; and the man, who but a few months before had to wander about -in tatters and to beg his daily bread by chanting hymns and by bestowing -blessings upon true believers in Asia, became the wonder of the richest -and the most civilized society of the Western world! - -It is the details of this extraordinary change that I have to relate to -my gentle reader. - -The account of my adventures having become known in strictly scientific -circles, my friends thought it necessary to bring me before the larger -public, and the first forum in which I had to appear was the Royal -Geographical Society. There was, however, a rather curious hindrance to -the final settlement, an incident which I cannot leave untold. A few -days after my arrival in London I noticed that some of my friends began -to have a shy look, and that they treated me with a good amount of -caution, if not suspicion. Having just finished the career of a -dangerous disguise, and being accustomed to the suspicious looks of men, -I did not at first feel disconcerted; but the fact nevertheless excited -my curiosity, and speaking just then with General Kmethy, my countryman -of Kars renown and a popular member of London Society at that time, -about the strange attitude of people, I was told by the good man, in a -half-laughing and joking manner, that I was probably unaware of the -serious danger in which I found myself in London. I heard then that -some, even the best of my friends, on seeing my sun-burned, swarthy -face, and on hearing my unmistakably genuine Persian and Turkish -conversation, got rather suspicious about me, and took me for some -Persian vagabond who had learned English in India, and who, after having -succeeded in getting letters of introduction, was now playing a comedy -for English scholars and diplomatists. It was only the formal assurance -of General Kmethy that I was a countryman of his and a member of the -Hungarian Academy, which dissipated the doubts that had arisen. "Is it -not strange?" said I to myself. "In Asia they suspected me to be a -European, and in Europe to be an Asiatic; languages have really an -immense power of fascination!" This difficulty having been removed and -an unimpaired confidence having set in, I began to work out a short -account of my travels in English, to be read before the Royal -Geographical Society--a paper which Mr. Laurence Oliphant, who was -acting at that time as foreign secretary of the Society, was kind enough -to revise. I must say that it was with a good deal of impatience and -anxiety that I looked forward to the evening of my first _debut_ before -a select English audience such as the members of the London Geographical -Society have been always, and are even now. My anxiety was the much more -justified, as it happened that on the same evening a political question -of a far-reaching interest, namely, whether England should side with -Denmark in her struggle with Germany, was to be discussed in the House -of Parliament, and my friends as well as myself apprehended the presence -of a very small audience at our proceedings. The usual dinner at -Willis's Rooms which preceded our meeting went off tolerably well. My -health was proposed by Sir Roderick Murchison in very kind terms and -drunk with much cheering; and, when I returned thanks, I concluded my -little speech by conferring a Mohammedan blessing upon the dinner -party--reciting the first Surah of the Koran with all the eccentricity -of the Arabic guttural accent, and with all the queerness of genuine -Moslem gesticulation. I need scarcely say that my mode of recital -elicited a good deal of merriment. We left the table and went straight -to Burlington House. - -Here I found a meeting much larger than I expected, an attendance which -I ascribe to the novelty of the whole case. Before all, it was the sight -of a European who had wandered about in the interior of Asia in the -disguise of a holy beggar without a penny in his pocket, and who had -succeeded in penetrating countries hitherto little or not at all known. -Secondly, it was the curiosity to hear a foreigner, only a few days in -England, address an English meeting in the language of the country; and -last, if not least, it was the interest the British public felt at that -time in Bokhara, the place of the martyrdom of two heroic sons of Great -Britain--I mean of Conolly and Stoddart--and the town from which the -Rev. Dr. Joseph Wolff had only returned a few years previously, after -his most extraordinary adventures. Suffice it to say that the meeting -was most respectable from a quantitative point of view. Sir Roderick -opened it with a good humour quite in accord with his jolly and radiant -after-dinner face; and whilst Mr. Clements Markham read my paper in his -magnificent stentorian voice, I had plenty of leisure to observe the -assembly and to prepare for the speech which had to follow. On being -asked by the President to come before the public and to give an oral -account of what had just been read, I confess that I experienced -something of the position in which I stood before the Emir of -Bokhara--with the essential difference of course, that in case of a -failure the bloody tyrant would have handed me over to the executioner, -whilst the indulgent English public would have expressed its displeasure -by benignant laughter. I collected, therefore, all my linguistic powers, -and, after the utterance of the first ten or fifteen words, the flood of -oration went off uninterruptedly. For more than half an hour I spoke -with animation of the salient incidents of my adventurous journey to -Samarkand. Oh, glorious language of Shakespeare and Milton! I am sure -nobody has ever tormented thee so much as I did in those thirty-five -minutes; nobody has murdered the Queen's English in such a cruel way as -the ex-dervish in Burlington House! And yet the English audience showed -itself exceedingly kind towards the reckless foreigner. I was much -applauded and cheered; and when, following the summons of Sir Roderick, -I gave to the meeting my blessing with the genuine Arabic text, the -whole society burst into a fit of laughter, which made the walls nearly -tremble. Then followed the long business of handshaking and -congratulations; and though all the futilities of this world may -disappear from me, Lord Strangford's "Well done, dervish!" will never -cease to resound in my ear like the sweetest music I ever heard in my -life. - -From this moment dates the beginning of my career in England. What -followed was only the effect of this first successful step. In the -report of the next morning's papers I noticed only a few reproaches of -my foreign accent; as to the account of my travels there was a unanimous -approval and admiration. No wonder, therefore, that a few weeks sufficed -to make my name familiar over the whole of the United Kingdom. London -society vied in the manifestation of all kinds of acknowledgment. -Invitations to dinner-parties and to visit in the country literally -poured in upon me, even from persons whom I never saw or met in my life; -and it happened frequently that I had to write thirty letters of refusal -and acceptance in one day. I got calls from all sorts of persons with -well-sounding names, who, provided with a card of one of my friends, -came to my humble lodging in Great Portland Street or to the Athenaeum -Club, where I enjoyed the hospitality of a guest, to shake hands and to -have a conversation with me. Infinite was the number of those letters in -which I was asked for my likeness or for my autograph. - -Surprised by these various kinds of distinction, at the outset I -endured the burdens of my reputation with patience, nay with a good -amount of satisfaction, but in the end they began to be a little too -wearisome--particularly as I had to write the account of my journey and -to work up the meagre notes written on small paper scraps with lead -pencil, which loose sheets, by having been worn concealed under the -wadding of my beggar-dress, were somewhat obliterated and had become -hardly legible. Assisted by a happy gift of memory, I succeeded, -however, in writing down my adventures; and in three months I had -revised the proof-sheets of my first book, entitled "Travels in Central -Asia." The task, I frankly own, cost me more trouble and exertion than -many of the most trying parts of my travels. Only those who for months -and years have moved about freely in the open air, and who have learned -to appreciate the charms of a continually wandering life with all its -exciting adventures--only those will know with what unspeakable pangs -and sufferings a former traveller can shut himself up in a room, from -which he sees only a small bit of the sky, and sit down to write -consecutively for hours every day for weeks and months! I need scarcely -say that I breathed more freely after having finished my book, and -handed it over to Mr. John Murray, who became my publisher on the -recommendation of Lord Strangford, and who behaved towards me in a -satisfactory way. The honorarium of five hundred pounds which I got, and -of which I spent nearly the half in London, did not make me rich at all. -The truth is, my material situation was not very much changed: a dervish -in Asia, I remained a _fakir_ in Europe; but I gained by my book -something more valuable than money, namely, the acknowledgments of the -English public, and fame and reputation over the whole European and -American Continents. - -Upon the invitation of the friends I had in the meantime made I also -went to satisfy the curiosity of leading political men, who were anxious -to hear details about the threatening collision between England and -Russia in the distant East, of which I threw out only a few hints in the -concluding chapter of my book, but which nevertheless had aroused the -greatest attention. It was in this way that I came into connection with -politics and with the political men of that time, such as Members of -Parliament, political writers, retired civilians and military officers -of India, and, consequently, got the opportunity of an interview with -Lord Palmerston, to whom I had already been cursorily introduced at a -dinner-party in the house of Sir Roderick Murchison. His Lordship -received me at his home in Piccadilly, and my visit was therefore of a -strictly private character. He did not address me exactly as he did the -late Dr. Livingstone, to whom he said, "You had a nice walk across -Africa!" But his first remark was, "You must have gone through nice -adventures on your way to Bokhara and Samarkand!" And he really listened -with greatest attention to all that I said about Dost Mohammed Khan, -about the haughtiness of the Emir of Bokhara and about the dangers I ran -in the last-named town. On touching the question of the Russian advance -towards Tashkend, I took the map out of my book which was on the table, -and pointed to Chimkent as the place where the Russians stood at that -time; but his Lordship showed, or at least feigned, great incuriosity, -trying always to turn the thread of conversation to other insignificant -topics. Whenever I thought I had caught his attention he immediately -came forward with the question, "And did you not betray your European -character?" or "How could you stand that long trial and those -privations?" or with similar remarks. It was only after renewed attacks -upon his taciturnity that he dropped, in a careless manner, a few -allusions either to the barbarous state of affairs in Central Asia or to -my over-sanguine opinions of the Russian strength in that quarter of the -world. He succeeded in showing outward indifference, but he was far from -convincing me of its existence. In my interview with Lord Clarendon I -fared much better. It took place late in the Autumn of 1864, when the -famous note of Prince Gortschakoff, after the Russian capture of -Tashkend, had been made known, and when the public opinion of England -seemed to have been roused suddenly from its stupor. His Lordship was -frank enough to admit the truth of what I said in the last chapter of my -book; but he added at the same time what has since become the standing -principle of optimists in England: "Russia's policy in Central Asia is -framed in the same way as ours in India; she is compelled to move -gradually from the North to the South, just as we were obliged to do in -our march from the South to the North. She is doing services to -civilization, and we do not care much even if she takes Bokhara." - - - - -XXXII. - -IN PARIS. - - -After being wearied by the endless series of dinner-parties in -London--or, as a friend of mine jestingly remarked, after having been -properly hunted down as the lion of the season--I felt the great -necessity of extricating myself from the splendid, but to me the already -tiresome, English hospitality; and I went over to Paris to have a look -about in French society. This became the much easier for me--Count -Rechberg, the Austrian Minister of Foreign Affairs, having provided me -with a letter of introduction to Prince Metternich, who was then -accredited to the court of the Emperor Napoleon, and Count Rochechouart, -the French Envoy at Teheran, having given me a similar letter to the -Count Drouyn de L'huys, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs. I had, -moreover, the good fortune to be introduced by my English friends to -many other literary men of distinction, such as M. Guizot, M. de Thiers, -M. Jules Mohl, and others, all of whom received me very -politely--although their first reception impressed me with the feeling -that the ground upon which I stood in Paris was quite different to that -of London. The French have never indulged a particular foible of -geographical discovery; a traveller holds with them an interesting -individuality, but is not the great man, as in England, where the -successful explorer is somewhat like what the German means when he -speaks of "_grosser Gelehrte_," or the Frenchman when he speaks of "_un -grand savant_." Whereas the English have a particular consideration for -the man who has made himself a name on the field of practical -observations, or who has enriched any branch of science with new data -collected on the spot, the French, and more particularly the Germans, -have always a predilection for the theoretical investigator, for the man -who, absorbed in his library, is able to write big books with numerous -notes; in one word, in England the spirit of Raleigh, Drake, and Cook is -still alive, whilst in France and Germany travellers and explorers have -only very recently come into fashion. - -Paris society was more impressed with the novelty of my _manner_ of -travelling--namely, my having assumed the disguise of a dervish--than -with the travels themselves; it viewed me in the light of a rather -curious adventurer. I was spoken of as a man of restless spirit and of -romantic proclivities, and I was gazed upon as some modern Robinson -Crusoe. What heightened my reputation most was my happy gift of speaking -many European and Asiatic languages. Happening one evening to meet in -the _salon_ of M. Guizot the representatives of ten different -nationalities, and having conversed with them fluently in their mother -languages, I was regarded by many as a real miracle. As to the intrinsic -value of my reception in France, I noticed in the very beginning that I -should remain a stranger there, for Bokhara and Samarkand, Uzbegs and -Turkomans are totally unknown, except among a few learned men, in the -best French society. Nevertheless, my book, which came out in a French -translation under the title "Voyage d'un Faux Derviche," had a pretty -good sale. - -After having been introduced to some of the best circles, I was told by -Prince Metternich that the Emperor would like to give me an audience; -having read the English edition of my book, he would like to ask me a -few questions. One afternoon the Prince took me to the Tuileries, and we -had just entered the gate of the Pavillon d'Horloge, when I saw Napoleon -III. on the staircase as he took leave of the Queen of Spain, who had -called upon him. On noticing Prince Metternich, with whom the imperial -family was on very good terms, the Emperor seized his arm, and beckoning -in a friendly manner to me, walked to the interior apartments. The -Prince remained behind with the Empress, whom I found surrounded by a -stately group of court ladies, in the midst of whom she was decidedly -the tallest and the finest. I was led by the Emperor to a room which -seemed to be his study; he sat upon an arm-chair, and bade me also to -sit before a writing-desk filled with a large quantity of books, papers, -maps, &c., not in any particular order. After having fixed me for a -while with his whitish-grey eyes, he addressed me in a very slow voice, -saying that he congratulated me on the courage I had shown in my -perilous undertaking, and that having read my book he was the more -astonished on finding that my slight and seemingly weak frame was not at -all in proportion to the great hardships I had endured. I remarked upon -this, that I was never ill in my life, and that I did not walk in -Central Asia upon my legs, but upon my tongue, for it was only my -linguistic study which had rescued me out of the clutches of the -Central Asian tyrants. "I supposed that that must have been the case," -said the Emperor; "but I believe there is also a good deal of dramatic -skill in you, for otherwise you would not have played successfully the -part of a mendicant dervish." The conversation turned to the ethnical -conditions of Central Asia; and the Emperor, who had finished at that -time his "Life of Caesar," said that he was anxious to know whether the -Parthians were really the ancestors of the present Turkomans; he was -inclined to believe so, but he had been unable hitherto to establish -their identity. From the Turkomans we passed over to the ruins of Balkh. -I noticed that the imperial author was tolerably versed in the writings -of Arrian as well as in Roman antiquities in general; but his knowledge -of the modern geography of Asia was sadly deficient. He had only very -dim notions about the principal names of towns and rivers, and he had -palpably to take particular care not to betray his ignorance. On -speaking of the Yaxartes I alluded to the serious political complication -which might arise in the near future from the advance of Russia towards -India, and although he tried in the beginning to conceal his interest in -that question, he nevertheless listened with great attention, and -afterwards remarked that he could hardly believe in a collision between -England and Russia in that quarter of the world; at least not very -soon,--for whereas the English had already got a firm standing in India, -as proved by the Sepoy revolution of 1857, Russia was only on the eve of -her conquests. Diverting our conversation from the Anglo-Russian -rivalry, he continued to ask me sundry questions about Persia and Herat, -and seemed to be much pleased when I assured him that the Persian people -knew a good deal about _Napliun_, as they called Napoleon I., and that -they look upon his great-uncle as a national hero, descended from -Rustem, and that they laugh at the French, who vindicate him as their -countrymen. I remained nearly half an hour with the Emperor. I am sorry -to say he did not make upon me at all the impression of such a great man -as he was then throughout the world supposed to be. - -A few days later I called upon M. Drouyn de L'huys, who showed a more -eager interest in the Central Asian question than his master. He started -by asking me whether it was true that I had given a memorandum to Lord -Palmerston on the Central Asian question, and whether I really believed -in the imminent danger of collision between the two great European -Powers in the distant East. I answered that I had not given, nor was I -asked to write any communication to the British Government, and as far -as I noticed from my conversation with the Prime Minister of the Queen -of England, they had got on the other side of the Channel quite -different views from those I held on the question. - -Besides these two official receptions, I have to mention my interview -with the Prince Napoleon, who received me in the Palais Royal, and who, -whilst seated under the life-size portrait of his great-uncle, seemed to -be watching to discover whether I noticed the likeness said to exist -between him and his uncle. Well, I was really struck with the striking -similitude existing between the prominent features of both. The two -heads resembled each other, however, only in a very external form; and -there was a difference in which the Emperor's cousin would never -believe, and from this unbelief derived so many disagreeable adventures -in his life. I need scarcely say that these official visits did not -answer much to my taste. But still less did I like the intruding call of -reporters, who interviewed me and published the next day totally false -reports of my conversation with them, which I had afterwards to I -contradict, particularly as some of them announced that I was entrusted -by Lord Palmerston with a secret mission to the Tartars, and other -similar nonsense. One writer--if I remember well, a Polish prince--went -even so far as to write a novel about my travels, in which I was -represented as a champion of romantic propensities, with whom a Tartar -princess fell in love, and who, having obtained in this way some throne -in Asia, was now on a political errand in Europe to secure the -friendship of England and France in the contest against Russia. I -laughed heartily at these exalted reports; but in the end I got tired of -a dubious sort of reputation, and I left France to proceed through -Germany to my native country, where I should have to decide whether I -should settle down quietly or whether I should plunge again in new -adventures and revisit the interior of Asia. - - - - -XXXIII. - -IN HUNGARY. - - -I have often been asked how it came about that, after my long and varied -career in Asia as well as in Europe, I made up my mind to settle quietly -down in Hungary and to look upon the Chair of Oriental Languages at the -University of Pesth as a fit reward for my extraordinary struggles in -life. It was during my first audience with the Emperor-King of -Austro-Hungary that the kind-hearted monarch asked me whether I intended -to remain in the country, and what he could do in my favour. On having -alluded to my desire for a professorship at the Hungarian University, -his Majesty suggested that such out-of-the-way studies were not much -cultivated even at Vienna, how then could I hope to find an audience at -Budapest? I remarked upon that, if nobody else would learn, I should -learn myself. The Emperor fully understood, and he kindly remarked, -"Your sufferings deserve a remuneration, and I shall look into your -case." Two or three months had scarcely elapsed, when I got my -appointment with the modest salary of one hundred pounds a year, which -sum the Hungarian Minister for Public Instruction very soon doubled; and -this, together with the income derived from the small sum I got for the -English, French and German editions of my book, fully sufficed to cover -my expenses--nay to enable me to found a family. When it became public -that I intended to marry, people generally said, "What an unhappy idea; -and what a pity for that poor girl!" People took it for sure that I must -get tired of matrimony in a very short time, and that I should leave -home, family, wife and everything, to run again after adventures in the -interior of Asia. Well, people were grossly mistaken, for neither was I -an adventurer by natural impulse, nor were all the praises bestowed upon -me strong enough to drive me again into the wilderness, or to instigate -me to renew my wanderings. It is true I was but thirty-two years old -when I returned to Europe, and although temporarily worn out by fatigue, -I regained my former strength in one year; but already I had spent -twenty years in wanderings of all sorts, and the idea of possessing my -own room, my own furniture, and my own library, made me exceedingly -happy. I revelled in the thought of being able to write down and to -publish those of my explorations which interest but a small community, -but are of so much more value. - -I may conclude with the saying, "Dixi et salvavi animam." I hope I shall -never have to repent the extraordinary fatigues and troubles with which -I had to proceed on the thorny path; and if the last rays of the parting -sun of my life approach, I still shall say, "It was a hot, but a fine -day, sir!" - - -THE END. - -UNWIN BROTHERS, PRINTERS, CHILWORTH AND LONDON. - - - - -The "Lives Worth Living" Series - -OF POPULAR BIOGRAPHIES. - -Illustrated. Crown 8vo, cloth extra, 3s. 6d. per vol. - - -1. =LEADERS OF MEN=: A Book of Biographies specially written for Young -Men. By H. A. PAGE, Author of "Golden Lives." Fifth Edition. - -"Mr. Page thoroughly brings out the disinterestedness and devotion to -high aims which characterize the men of whom he writes. He has done his -work with care and good taste."--_Spectator._ - - -2. =WISE WORDS AND LOVING DEEDS=: A Book of Biographies for Girls. By E. -CONDER GRAY. Sixth Edition. - -"A series of brightly-written sketches of lives of remarkable women. The -subjects are well chosen and well treated."--_Saturday Review._ - - -3. =MASTER MISSIONARIES=: Studies in Heroic Pioneer Work. By A. H. JAPP, -LL.D., F.R.S.E. Fourth Edition. - -"An extremely interesting book. The reader need not be afraid of falling -into beaten tracks here."--_The Guardian._ - -"A really excellent and readable book."--_Literary Churchman._ - - -4. LABOUR AND VICTORY. By A. H. JAPP, LL.D. Memoirs of Those who -Deserved Success and Won it. Third Edition. - -"We should be glad to see this volume in the hands of thousands of boys -and young men."--_Leeds Mercury._ - - -5. =HEROIC ADVENTURE=: Chapters in Recent Explorations and Discovery. -Third Edition. - -"Gives freshness to the old inexhaustible story of enterprise and -discovery by selecting some of the very latest of heroes in this -field."--_Daily News._ - - -6. =GREAT MINDS IN ART=: With a Chapter on Art and Artists. By WILLIAM -TIREBUCK. With many Portraits and Frontispiece. - -"The stories of their lives are told with accuracy and freshness; and in -an introductory essay Mr. Tirebuck lays down some excellent rules of art -criticism."--_Globe._ - - -LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, 26, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, E.C. - - - - - THE STORY OF THE NATIONS. - - Crown 8vo, cloth, Illustrated and furnished with Maps - and Indexes, =5s.= each. - - =Presentation Edition=, gilt edges, =5s. 6d.= - - - "=That useful series.=" THE TIMES. - - "=An admirable series.=" SPECTATOR. - - "=That excellent series.=" GUARDIAN. - - "=The series is likely to be found indispensable in - every school library.=" PALL MALL GAZETTE. - - "=This valuable series.=" NONCONFORMIST. - - "=Your useful series.=" Rev. W. GUNION RUTHERFORD, - M.A., Head Master of Westminster. - - "=Written by such men and illustrated so liberally, they - give promise of being both useful and attractive.=" - Rev. GEORGE C. BELL, M.A., Head Master of Marlborough. - - - _Volume XVIII. now ready._ - - =PHOENICIA.= - - By REV. CANON RAWLINSON. - - - 1. =ROME.= By ARTHUR GILMAN, M.A. 3rd Edition. - - "The author succeeds admirably in reproducing the - 'Grandeur that was Rome.'"--_Sydney Morning Herald._ - - - 2. =THE JEWS.= By Prof. J. K. HOSMER, 2nd Edition. - - "The book possesses much of the interest, the - suggestiveness, and the charm of romance."--_Saturday - Review._ - - - 3. =GERMANY.= By Rev. S. BARING-GOULD. 3rd Edition. - - "Mr. Baring-Gould tells his stirring tale with - knowledge and perspicuity. He is a thorough master of - his subject."--_Globe._ - - "A decided success."--_Athenaeum._ - - - 4. =CARTHAGE.= By Prof. ALFRED J. CHURCH. 3rd Edition. - - "Told with admirable lucidity."--_Observer._ - - "A masterly outline with vigorous touches in detail - here and there."--_Guardian._ - - - 5. =ALEXANDER'S EMPIRE.= By Prof. J. P. MAHAFFY. 3rd - Edition. - - "An admirable epitome."--_Melbourne Argus._ - - "A wonderful success."--_Spectator._ - - - 6. =THE MOORS IN SPAIN.= By STANLEY LANE-POOLE. 3rd - Edition. - - "Is much the best on the subject that we have in - English."--_Athenaeum._ - - "Well worth reading."--_Times of Morocco._ - - - 7. =ANCIENT EGYPT.= By Prof. GEORGE RAWLINSON. 3rd - Edition. - - "The story is told of the land, people, and rulers, - with vivid colouring and consummate literary - skill."--_New York Critic._ - - - 8. =HUNGARY.= By Prof. ARMINIUS VAMBERY. 2nd Edition. - - "The volume which he has contributed to 'The Story of - the Nations' will generally be considered one of the - most interesting and picturesque of that useful - series."--_Times._ - - - 9. =THE SARACENS.= By ARTHUR GILMAN, M.A. - - "Le livre de M. Gilman est destine a etre lu avidement - par un grand nombre de gens pour lesquels l'etude des - nombreux ouvrages deja parus seroit impossible." - --_Journal des Debats._ - - - 10. =IRELAND.= By the Hon. EMILY LAWLESS. 2nd Edition. - - "This clear and temperate narrative."--_Spectator._ - - - 11. =CHALDEA.= By ZENAIDE A. RAGOZIN. - - "This is an excellent book."--_Academy._ - - "Mdme. Ragozin's style makes the study of her book as - pleasurable as it is profitable."--_Church Times._ - - - 12. =THE GOTHS.= By HENRY BRADLEY. - - "Most learned and satisfactory.... Mr. Bradley's - account of the Goths in Spain is particularly - good."--_Athenaeum._ - - - 13. =ASSYRIA.= By ZENAIDE A. RAGOZIN. - - "Assyrian life has become a reality in her hands. - Assyriologists, as well as the general public, will - find her book a charming one to read."--_Extract from - Letter by Prof Sayce._ - - - 14. =TURKEY.= By STANLEY LANE-POOLE. - - "He has succeeded well, and is decidedly to be - congratulated on having presented a succinct, - interesting, and fairly full account of the rise of - Ottoman power."--_Athenaeum._ - - - 15. =HOLLAND.= By Prof. J. E. THOROLD ROGERS. 2nd - Edition. - - "A more interesting volume has not hitherto been - contributed to the admirable 'Story of the - Nations.'"--_Morning Post._ - - - 16. =MEDIAEVAL FRANCE.= By GUSTAVE MASSON. - - "The book is as instructive as it is - interesting."--_Schoolmaster._ - - - 17. =PERSIA.= By S. G. W. BENJAMIN. - - "Told with good literary skill and with ample and - accurate knowledge."--_Scotsman._ - - - _OTHER VOLUMES IN PREPARATION._ - - - LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN, 26, PATERNOSTER SQUARE, E.C. - - - - - * * * * * - - - -Transcriber's Note: The Table of Contents lists several sub-topics for -each chapter. In the original edition, these appeared as headers on -odd-numbered pages. In the HTML version of this electronic edition, -these have been placed as sidenotes adjacent to the relevant passages. - -The following typographical errors present in the original edition have -been corrected. - -In the Table of Contents, "Tragedy appreciated" was changed to "Tragedy -Appreciated", and a missing period was added after "XXVI". - -In Chapter II, a period was changed to a comma after "from the mouths of -the Sulina, I gazed". - -In Chapter IV, "I ememployed this short time" was changed to "I employed -this short time". - -In Chapter X, a comma was changed to a period after "continually wagging -with an air of great importance". - -In Chapter XI, "only such persons are called rowzekhans" was changed to -"only such persons are called rawzekhans". - -In Chapter XIV, a missing quotation mark was added after "from Kuhi -Kaff." - -In Chapter XV, "living entirely in Persion fashion" was changed to -"living entirely in Persian fashion", and a comma was changed to a -period after "their extreme excitability and irritability". - -In Chapter XX, "for which are hearts had been longing" was changed to -"for which our hearts had been longing". - -In Chapter XXI, "four days in the high plateau of Kaflandir" was changed -to "four days in the high plateau of Kaflankir". - -In Chapter XXII, "altered appear ance" was changed to "altered -appearance". - -In Chapter XXIV, a quotation mark was added after "the men we have -selected for your travelling companions", "with what heavy hearts we -looked foward to" was changed to "with what heavy hearts we looked -forward to", and "Thy glorious ancester Timur" was changed to "Thy -glorious ancestor Timur". - -In Chapter XXV, "to tread with these articles amongst the nomadic -people" was changed to "to trade with these articles amongst the nomadic -people". - -In Chapter XXVIII, "comtemplating the unnecessary danger" was changed to -"contemplating the unnecessary danger". - -In Chapter XXIX, "the aspects of the city seems entirely changed" was -changed to "the aspect of the city seems entirely changed". - -In Chapter XXXIII, "the last rays of the parting sun of my life -approaches" was changed to "the last rays of the parting sun of my life -approach". - -In the advertisement for The Story of Nations, a comma was changed to a -period after "Head Master of Marlborough", a quotation mark was added -after "the charm of romance", and a misplaced period was corrected after -"as pleasurable as it is profitable". - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Arminius Vambery, his life a -d adventures, by Arminius Vambery - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ARMINIUS VAMBERY, HIS LIFE *** - -***** This file should be named 40163.txt or 40163.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/4/0/1/6/40163/ - -Produced by Albert Laszlo, Steven desJardins, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive) - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions -will be renamed. - -Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no -one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation -(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without -permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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