'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎154] (189/714)

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154
PERSIA
of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. . 'I'heir principle of construction is as follows.
A tall square or four-sided tower is built from the roof, and
Wind- is covered at the top, but contains in its sides long
guard- and vertical slits or apertures, by which the air enters and passes
houses down corresponding partitions in the interior into a room
below, where the inmates live in the hot weather, and where there
is consequently a perpetual current of air. In still hotter places
in the South, these rooms are replaced by serdabs, or underground
chambers. Another very prominent feature of Meshed is the
number of hiraoul-ldianehs, or guard-houses, scattered throughout
the city and occupied by small detachments of the regular infantry.
They consist, as a rule, of a low verandah with a guard-room behind.
The muskets, which are old muzzle-loading smooth-bores, are usually
standing piled in front. But as a European rides by, a ragged
soldier, in a blue serge tunic and a sheepskin shako, who is pro
bably lounging behind, jumps up, and with a prodigious rattle
seizes one of these weapons and presents arms. It is then put
down again and the guard resumes his seat.
MacGregor in 1875 truly remarked that 'there is very little
in this city to induce any one to visit it, or stay long if fortune
The sacred l ias cast him into it. There is just one building, the
buildings I mam Keza's tomb, worth seeing; and that one there is
no chance of any European being permitted to see, except at a
risk quite incommensurate with the reward.' It is indeed most
irritating, as one rides down the Khiaban, suddenly to find the
passage barred by an archway in a wall surrounding the myste
rious parallelogram that contains the holy places, and shutting it
off as inexorably from the Christian's gaze as Aaron's cord between
the living and the dead. From the descriptions, however, that have
been left by such Europeans as have entered it, and from the
accounts that have been given by Mohammedans themselves, we can
form a correct idea of what is to be seen within.
Immediately beyond the barrier, above the archway of which is
a European clock, the street continues to run for 100 yards or
i. The more through a crowded bazaar up to the main entrance
Bast (Per.) A Persian custom allowing an individual to seek asylum at a designated location. 0 f the mosques. Here the greatest throng w T as always
congregated, and the busiest barter seemed to be going on. Pil
grims who reside within the enclosure can purchase there all the
necessaries of life ; while mementoes of their visit are pressed upon
them, in the shape of the local manufactures of the city, of amulets