'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎132] (167/714)

PERSIA
whether I was more incensed at the treatment I had received or
tickled at the illustration it afforded of Oriental tactics.
The most amusing episode, however, was yet to come; for on
arriving at Meshed three days later I found the Governor-General
Report at 111 a great state of excitement, having been informed by
Meshed faithful Khan that the new British Vice-Consul had
appeared at Kelat with an armed retinue, had tried to force a
passage, and had drawn his sword upon the guard! The latter
had gallantly performed their duty and had expelled the intruder.
October 19.—Before I left the neighbourhood I determined to
make one more effort to see the interior of Kelat. I knew from
MacGregor's book that, besides the two main entrances of
ciimiTthe 0 Argawan Shah and Nafta, there were other pathways
wal1 by which it could be entered ; and at Ab-i-Garm a
hunter was found who said that he knew one of these very well,
but was afraid to conduct me himself. He had a nephew, however,
who would act as his substitute, and would appear in the morning.
I need hardly say that at the appointed hour the nephew was not
forthcoming. That my presence in the vicinity of Kelat was
beginning to be regarded with some suspicion, was evident both
from this and from an incident which occurred that evening. As
I was discussing plans in the mud hovel with Ramzan Ali and
Gregory, I heard a scratching in the roof overhead, and, looking
up, detected a man, who, it appeared, had come from Kelat, with
his ear to a hole in the rafters, eaves-dropping. As no guide was
procurable, I decided to go without one. I had noticed in riding
down the valley to Kelat that there was one place where the other
wise unbroken parapet of the southern wall dipped, and formed a
V -shaped indentation, which seemed to be accessible from below
by one of the sloping natural buttresses that swell up against it
from the plain. Any future visitor to Kelat who has read this
description will not fail to recognise the spot, about halfway
down the valley. I was called at 3.30 a.m ., the mules were laden,
and we all moved out of Issurcha at 4.30 on a black cold morning.
Sending the camp on to Vardeh from the Derbend-i-Jaur, I rode
down the valley for the last time, and leaving my horse at the foot
of the hills began the climb. It did not take long to mount the
stony skirts, though the slope was very steep; and I easily arrived
below the craggy battlements. Here the rock, the natural con-
forrmttion of which is in wavy horizontal bands, parallel with the