'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎2] (29/360)

2
THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
adapt myself to an uncivilised existence, never having
quitted Europe before, I was delighted at the prospect.
We could only allow ten days for our manifold
preparations, as it was all-important to cross the Elburz
Range before the winter snows began, and I am sure
that no member of my family will ever forget the rush
and hurry of that time. It was necessary to take
sufficient clothing to last for a year, to buy a complete
camp equipment, and to lay in a stock of furniture,
linen, glass and crockery for the new establishment at
Kerman, and, what was perhaps more important than
anything else, to engage a maid.
However, all was accomplished in good time, and on
November 2nd we left London for Marseilles, travelling
to Constantinople on a ' Messageries Maritimes' boat
and crossing the Black Sea to Batoum on an 'Austrian
Lloyd.' From this point the Trans-Caucasus railway
conveyed us to Baku, and one of the flat-bottomed
Russian boats took us across the Caspian, and at the
beginning of December we reached Enzeli, the harbour
of Persia.
As the sea was somewhat rough, there was much
anxiety among the passengers as to whether the tiny
launch would be able to cross the breakers of the
sand-bar at the mouth of the harbour, and come out to
convey us and our luggage from the steamer to the
shore.
If it had not done so we should have had to return
in our steamer to Baku, and make the journey afresh ■
but our luck did not desert us, and we were all landed
safely on Persian soil.
I can never forget my feelings of joy and exultation