'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎15] (42/360)

TEHRAN
15
pierced here and there by handsome doorways, the latter
seemed to accentuate the dirt and tumbledown appearance
of the streets, about which the pariah dogs prowled. The
European quarter lies to the north of the town, in a region
of roads bordered with trees, and boasts a tram-line, shops
with European goods in their windows, and lamp-posts on
which small oil-lamps are fixed, which, however, when lit at
night only serve to make the winter darkness visible.
• Most of the houses belonging to the different Ministers
are here, and among them the British Legation is con
spicuous, being a large building in an Anglo-Indian style
of architecture, with a clock tower, and surrounded by a
beautiful garden containing avenues of trees and an abund
ance of running water.
Four square English-looking houses standing at a little
distance from the main building accommodate the secre
taries, military attache, doctor, and vice-consul; and I was
puzzled at first to account for the presence of a stone roller
on each of the flat roofs. It was, however, explained to
me that after a fall of rain or snow it was imperatively
necessary to roll the mud roofs, as if this were not done
they would leak badly, and in all probability collapse.
Not far from the British Legation are the headquarters
of the Indo-European Telegraph line, which deserves
mention, as it is one way by which India is connected with
Europe. The line runs from Karachi along the Persian
Gulf to Bushire and then traverses the whole of Persia,
being a wonderful achievement of English energy over
Oriental obstructiveness. As in many places the wire
crosses high passes, it naturally often gets broken down
during the winter snows, and the telegraph clerks, whose
duty is to test it so many times daily, are frequently