'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎34] (65/714)

PERSIA
the tigers along the Caspian littoral are not man-eaters. They
are frequentlv of immense size ; and I saw the skm of one, k.lled
near Kesht which a noted Indian shikarri declared was larger
than anv that he had seen in that country. The xmpenetra nhty
of the jungle and its malarial fevers are presumably the obstacles
that have Led from the clutch of the Englishman one of the tew
remaining sporting grounds in the neighbourhood ot Europe.
Higher up in the Elburz Mountains is found the big game that is
common to loftier altitudes—ibex, mountain sheep, wild goat,
antelope, and huge bears. Arter twelve miles the road begins to
rise and soon after leaving Kuhdum enters the hills. In this
section it has at one time been paved with cobbles, but, like most
things in Persia, the causeway has fallen into rum, and m wet
places is apt to become a treacherous quagmire, whilst on a steeper
acclivitv it often resembles a staircase rather than a ramp.
Beyond Kuhdum, the left bank of the Sefid Eud (White River) is
reached and, through lovely scenery, where woodland is variegated
bv open glades and rocks, is followed as far as Rustamabad. At
this stage, and as the elevation increases, vegetation begins to
dwindle ; the forest trees are replaced by olives, and finally by low
bushes and shrubs ; the scenery gains in ruggedness and grandeur,
until at length, a little before the station of Menjil, the river is
crossed by a seven-arched bridge (not infrequently broken down),
over which the wind sometimes whistles through the narrow gorge
with concentrated fury. Between Menjil and Paichenar the road
skirts first the Shahrud (King's River) as tar as the Loshan bridge,
and then the Paichenar river, which is a tributary of the Selid
Rud; and steadily but laboriously, and over heartrending inequali
ties in the ground and beside savage precipices, mounts to the
Kharzan pass, some 7,500 feet above the sea. This is a teiiibk
spot in winter, being frequently blocked for days by snow; and
many are the camels and mules that have left their bones to bleach
on its cruel heights. Nevertheless, there is a village here and a
large caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). . Thence, the apex ot the ridge having been
conquered, the descent begins on the other side to Mazreh, one (it
the Persian villages famous for the visitations ot the loathsome bug
(variously called gherib-gez, i.e. Bite the stranger, or shab-gez, i.e.
Night-biter, better known to science as Argas Persicus), that is one
of the horrors of Persian travel. After passing the village of
Agha Baba, level ground is reached, and the traveller endeavours
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