‘Persia.’ [‎5r] (14/48)

Paper No. 7-
PERSIA.
October 24th 1887, Monday .—Paper No. 6 concludes with the return from
Trans-Caspia to Baku. The steamer Czarewitch Alexander left Asunada a day
late because she had missed a day at Petrofsk on her outward trip from
Astrakhan and had carried the delay all round her course, arriving at Baku on
Monday morning at 7 instead of 6 a.m. on Sunday (vide Table I, Paper No. 6 A.,
Meshedessa line).
The mail for Persia had started from Baku about 6 hours previously
Table III, Paper No. 6 A., Enselli Line), and there was every prospect of a
week's delay. The quickest way to get to Persia appeared to be in recrossing
tlie Caspian by the boat for Asunada at 2 p.m. (Table I, Paper No. 6 A), and so
reaching Meshedessa by Thursday the 27th. This not only required a telegram
to Teheran to send the servant from Enselli to meet me if possible at Meshe
dessa, a trip of some 200 miles, which in all probability could not be done in
the time, but also a special permission from the authorities at Tiflis to recross
the Caspian.
The difficulty was solved by a fellow passenger (Manager for some time of
the “ Caucase-Mercurie,” and now running another line), who ascertained that a
small steamer was at a quay lower down, getting ready to start at 10 a.m. for
Enselli.
The baggage was soon transferred, and the short interval available was use
fully occupied in recovering my photographs and purchasing others, breakfast
ing, purchasing provisions, telegraphing to Ealing, Tiflis and Teheran, money
changing, &c.
The correspondent of the “lettre dedication” (no object in mentioning
names) was not out of bed, but after a while he appeared and returned the 25 sove
reigns left in deposit on 25th September. He also said he had given too good a
rate of exchange for the circular notes at our first interview, and this was settled
there and then by returning 3 roubles to adjust the account. Money-changing
was another matter. This was done at an Armenian bureau on the quay, and
the name of the agent was said to be “ Guzzis. ” Eor 133 roubles in paper he
gave 391 kraus in Persian money, which, according to a rough table (11 paper
roubles = £1 = 33 krans and therefore 1 rouble = 3 krans) should have been
399. On this he cleared 8 krans or say 2 per cent. Now for the sovereigns, what
is the exchange? The exchange for one English pound is 10'90 roubles. Here,
then, are 10 sovereigns or 109 roubles, and for these at the rate of the first tran
saction (133 roubles=391 krans) the exchange will be 320 krans. Quite true,
but the figures will be 309 only, as 1 do not want sovereigns in gold ! I parted,
wishing like the man in Punch that I had only “ half his complaint. ” On the
Second transaction he probably cleared 14 krans, or 4J per cent.
Expenses £ 6-16-0. Tips £ 1 .
At present it is incomprehensible how this “ roubley ” paper commands a bet
ter price than foreign gold, and furthermore what is to prevent Russia from issu
ing paper which may depreciate more than the rupee*, and, “ flying kites ” to any
extent she chooses within her own lands (one-sixth of the territorial surface of
the globe), where silver is rarely seen and where gold never circulates.
All aboard and ship^ a sailing ! After many messages of kind recollection
by Monsieur Rodziewitch, who was about to return to Trans-Caspia, and after
farewells in which Tamamshef affectionately embraced and kissed me, the
little tub of a steamer cast off, and by 10 J a.m. she was puffing and panting
at about four miles an hour through the oil-stained waters of the bay.
The “ Euphrate ” may have been 60 tons, under a Persian commander, with
a Persian crew and flying a Persian flag of the Lion and the Sun.f Of the crew
* Wood, in “The Shores of Lake Aral ” converts the rouble at half a crown in 1876. Now thfc rate is one
shilling and ten pence.
f The treaty of Turkomantchai permits no boat to fly the Persian flag on the Caspian.
A