![Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎127r] (260/1814)](https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0271.jp2/full/!1200,1200/0/default.jpg "Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎127r] (260/1814)")
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [127r] (260/1814)
The record is made up of 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios). It was created in 1892-1924. It was written in English, Urdu and German. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
I
*
.
FROM KUCHAN TO KELAT-I-NADIRI
117
Camp life
It is impossible to tire of the interest and humours of camp
life. The traveller arrives first on his superior mount, and selects
a favourable spot, beneath the protection of trees, and if
possible near to running water. Stretching himself at
full length upon an outspread carpet, he enjoys the luxury of
relaxation and repose. The villagers crowd round and stare.
Some firewood and forage are bought for a few coppers. A flame
is soon crackling and blazing ; the samovar puffs out its grateful
steam ; and an excellent cup of tea proves to be the best beverage
in the world. By this time the remainder of the camp has
arrived. The horses are unsaddled by their grooms, currycombed,
wrapped in thick felts from ears to tail, picketed, and fed from
nosebags containing grass and chopped straw. The tents and beds
and cooking utensils and baggage are pulled with a crash from the
backs of the mules, who, relieved of their burdens, immediately
seek the nearest tree to scratch their hinder parts, and then
incontinently lie down, and kicking their heels in the air, do their
ineffectual best to turn a somersault in the dust. Meanwhile the
cook is hard at work on one side scooping a hole in the ground,
into which he transfers the already lighted fuel, and over which he
props an iron grid. On the other side the tent-pegs are driven in ;
the tent soon rises, and, extended on his couch, the traveller recalls
the incidents of the day, tries to summon up resolution to write
his diary, and awaits the crowning consolation of dinner. By
8.30 or 9 p.m. all is still save the tinkle of the mule bells and
an occasional sneeze from the horses; for at five next morning the
forward movement must again begin.
And here, before I proceed further, let me introduce to my
readers, for the purposes of this chapter only, the names and
individuality of my attendants, who will appear several
My retinue ^ meg w ^} 1 | n -jy s pages. Their leader was Ramzan Ali
Khan, an Afghan of Persian extraction (i.e. a descendant of a
Persian ancestor who had accompanied either Nadir Shah or
Ahmed Shah Durani into Afghanistan in the previous century,
and had settled there), himself a
duffadar
A Non-Commissioned Officer in the Indian Cavalry.
, or sergeant, in the
Indian Corps of Guides, who are recruited on the north-west
border of India very largely from these sources, and whose mem
bers are commonly employed upon frontier expeditions or foreign
service. Ramzan Ali had accompanied General Maclean, the
British Consul-General at Meshed, from India, and was a fine
About this item
- Content
These two volumes are George Curzon's own personal annotated copies of both volumes of his book Persia and the Persian Question , which was published in 1892. Alongside the volumes are various loose papers relating to Persia [Iran], consisting of the following: received correspondence; newspaper cuttings; publishers' press releases; cuttings from various booksellers' catalogues; various journal and magazine articles; two items of printed official British correspondence; several prints of photographs and sketches; and a few handwritten notes by Curzon.
In most cases these papers, which range in date from 1892 to 1924, relate to the chapters in the book where they were originally inserted, suggesting that they were kept by Curzon with the intention of using them to inform a revised edition of the book.
Of particular note among the small amount of correspondence are two letters received by Curzon in 1914 and 1915 from retired schoolmaster and Islamic scholar Sayyid Mazhar Hasan Musawi of Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India (ff 5-9 and ff 44-53). These letters, which are written in Urdu and are accompanied by English translations, discuss in detail several inaccuracies found in the Urdu version of Persia and the Persian Question .
The various prints of photographs and sketches, which were originally inserted into volume two, are of different locations in the Gulf region. Several of these appear to have been produced in preparation for the publication of the second volume of John Gordon Lorimer's Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , Oman and Central Arabia (i.e. the 'Geographical and Statistical' section) in 1908, as they are identical to the versions found in that volume.
Also of note among the loose papers are an illustrated article from Country Life dated 5 June 1920, entitled 'The People of Persia' (ff 36-37), and a printed family tree of the Shah of Persia [Aḥmad Shah Qājār], produced in preparation of his visit to Britain in 1919 (f 233).
Volume one of Persia and the Persian Question contains a map of Persia, Afghanistan and Beluchistan [Balochistan], which is folded inside the front cover (f 1).
The German language material consists of a publisher's press release for two books authored by German archaeologist Ernst Emil Herzfeld (ff 29-30).
- Extent and format
- 2 volumes with inserts (898 folios)
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: this shelfmark consists of two physical volumes. The foliation sequence commences at the first folio of volume one (1-463), and terminates at the last folio of volume two (ff 464-898); these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio. Each volume contains a large number of loose leaves, which have been foliated in the order that they were inserted into the volume; for conservation reasons, these loose folios have been removed from the volume and stored separately. The foliation sequence does not include the front and back covers of the two volumes.
Pagination: the file also contains an original printed pagination sequence.
- Written in
- English, Urdu and German in Latin and Arabic script View the complete information for this record
Use and share this item
- Share this item
Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Question by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [127r] (260/1814), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, Mss Eur F111/33, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000043> [accessed 8 June 2026]
https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000043
Copy and paste the code below into your web page where you would like to embed the image.
<meta charset="utf-8"><a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000043">Annotated Copy of <em>Persia and the Persian Question</em> by George Curzon, with Inserted Papers [‎127r] (260/1814)</a> <a href="https://www.qdl.qa/en/archive/81055/vdc_100157213843.0x000043"> <img src="https://iiif.qdl.qa/iiif/images/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/Mss Eur F111_33_0271.jp2/full/!280,240/0/default.jpg" alt="" /> </a>
This record has a IIIF manifest available as follows. If you have a compatible viewer you can drag the icon to load it.https://www.qdl.qa/en/iiif/81055/vdc_100000001491.0x00033b/manifestOpen in Universal viewerOpen in Mirador viewerMore options for embedding images
Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- Mss Eur F111/33
- Title
- Annotated Copy of Persia and the Persian Questionby George Curzon, with Inserted Papers
- Pages
- 54r:135v, 147r:149v, 158r:180v, 183r:221v, 224r:224v, 227r:246v, 248r:257v, 259r:260v, 268r:362v, 364r:364v, 367r:388v, 390r:400v, 402r:416v, 419r:432v, 434r:444v, 448r:462v, 464r:471v, 475r:481v, 483r:513v, 516r:525v, 527r:544v, 546r:563v, 566r:598v, 600r:622v, 624r:656v, 658r:665v, 667r:675v, 678r:684v, 687r:688v, 691r:691v, 693r:693v, 695r:708v, 711r:721v, 724r:726v, 728r:729v, 731r:736v, 742r:742v, 746r:757v, 759r:761v, 763r:763v, 765r:765v, 772r:777v, 780r:789v, 793r:794v, 797r:809v, 811r:821v, 825r:840v, 843r:898v
- Author
- Curzon, George Nathaniel, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston
- Usage terms
- Public Domain