'Persia and the Persian Question by the Hon. George Nathaniel Curzon, M.P.' [‎249] (288/714)

FEOM MESHED TO TEHERAN
249
and, under favourable conditions of climate, at times almost
pleasant. In the last resort, however, more depends upon the
fortune of the traveller than upon any other consideration. If he
can avoid clashing or competing with the Government post, which
has universal priority of claim; if he is lightly equipped himself
and does not require many animals; above all, if he can get ahead
and keep ahead of any other party of travellers on the same road,
he will fare passably well. If he is unlucky in any or all of these
respects, he will leave Persia muttering deep and unrepeatable
curses against a land of rascals and jades. That this is the more
common experience may perhaps be inferred from the fact that
the main solace of a European 's life in Persia appears to be the
desire to cover a specified distance in quicker time than it has ever
been done before. A furious competition prevails. Where there
is a telegraphic line along the route the wire conveys to anxious
ears the news of the rider's progress ; and a man is seldom so
happy, or leaves so enduring a reputation, as when he succeeds in
cutting the record.
At this stage let me describe the chapar-Jchaneh, and its meagre,
but peculiar j)roperties. Sometimes in the heart, sometimes on
The outskirts of a town or village, sometimes planted in
tlxaneh ^solute solitude upon the staring waste, but usually in
the neighbourhood of water, is to be seen a small rect-
angular structure, consisting of four blank mud walls surrounding
an interior enclosure, with a stunted square tower rising above the
gateway, and a projecting semicircular tower or bartizan at each
corner. The whole presents the appearance of a miniature mud
fort. And such indeed it is intended to be ; for in a land till
lately desolated by Turkoman forays, and where promiscuous
thieving is indubitably popular, every possession, from a palace
down to an orchard, has to be safeguarded from attack, as though
the country were in a state of open war. Entrance to the chajpar-
hhaneh is gained by a big wooden door in the gateway; and
when this is closed it is unassailable except by ladders. Riding
into the gateway, one observes a low seat or platform against the
wall on either side, and two doorways leading into dark and dirty
rooms on the ground floor. The gateway conducts into the in
terior court, which is an open space about twenty to twenty-five yards
in length and twelve to fifteen yards in width. In the middle is a
chabvtra, or mud platform, usually occupied by fowls and filth, but