'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎129] (164/714)

ore
from kucha x to kelat-i-nadiri
In the fond belief that all my previous fears had been ground
less. I put my horse into the bed of the stream, and, accompanied
SSed 8 " {am f n Al1 Khan ' Gregory, and Shukurnllah. also
on horseback, rode through the central arch. No cue
appeared or challenged. I had time upon the other side to note
the inscription of Argawan Shah, and to observe a round tower
at the summit of an eminence commanding the entrance and had
already advanced about a hundred yards towards the houses of a
village that appeared upon either side of the defile, when suddenly
a terrific shouting was heard from the gate behind us, and a
miserable soldier, still half asleep, and pulling his tattered cotton
tunic about his shoulders, came running out, yelling at the top of
his voice. Answering cries were heard; and presently there
poured out of the wall, which was really a gate-tower and had
casements on the inner side, a motley band of half-clad individuals
for the most part in rags, though an occasional button with the
Lion and Sun upon it, and one pair of blue trousers with a red
stripe, showed that I was in the presence of some of the or
regular infantry of the King of Kings.
As I did not want to begin with a fracas, and as the soldiers
were clearly doing their duty, although they had been within an
Colloquy ace ot lettm g me slip through unobserved, I halted and
guSd the We eiltered into conversation. At first they were v~—
violent and tried to pull back our horses. But when i
represented that I had no intention of going further without
leave, they became calmer. I inquired for the officer in command.
ere did not appear to be such a person. I next asked where
was the Khan of Kelat. The reply was given that he was at his
village two miles away. Accordingly I despatched Shukurullah
(as a Persian and therefore free from suspicion), with a soldier
mounted on the same horse behind him, to the Khan, to tell him
who I was, and to request permission to pass through Kelat and
out on the other side; or, if this could not be granted on his own
lesponsibility, then to telegraph to Meshed.
While the Persian was away I remained in the rocky gateway
conversing with the soldiers. It was bitterly cold, for the sun
Attitude of Would not strike the chasm for some hours, so I bought
e serba * some brushwood and lit a fire. When they heard that I
was an Englishman they seemed disposed to be more friendly : for
they said that if I had been a Russian they would have shot me
vol. i.
K
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