"بلاد فارس." [و‎‎١‎٢] (٤٨/٢٨)

15
9th November, Wednesday. —LeftLyne’s at 6 , then Khodaya let his horse'
o*o and this led to a chase for an hour in the cultivated fields south of Kum.
“ to Teheran to*
Near Passangun met Dr. Woolbert, who was
caravanmg
■join Maclean at Meshed. Changed horses at Passangun. Had a tumble, as the
horse fell with me coming down the last stony hill into Sinsin. Presh nags;
this time mine was a real beast; got 2 farsakhs out of him and changed with
the servant.
After passing Sinsin, scenery varies slightly, and at Nusseerabad vil-
lao-es begin to appear. The flora of the plateau are very scanty, as compared
with the rich production of the country below the hills towards the Caspian.
Here one gets a lovely melon called tohmeh khand or sugar egg. A few trees
now appear ; snowy hills on the right, the salt plains of Kharian on left.
Arrived at Kashan at p.m., and put up with Mr. Aganoor. Kashan is in
a hollow ; had a good bath. The place is famed for its silk and velvet.
Taxes are levied at Teheran, Kashan, Ispahan, Shiraz and Bushire on all
through and local traffic ; these are farmed out; the yield for Kashan is said to
be l^OOO tomans (£4,550,) and for Shiraz, 23,000 (£7,475). English and
Russian imported goods sell cheaper than local manufactures. Eoreign goods
merely pay a 5 °l o ad valorem duty at port of entry and departure, and are
exempt from octroi°and inland customs charges. Leaning tower at Kashan, but
did not see it.
10th November, Thursday. —Left Kashan 5-30 a.m., and got to the foot of
the hills, probably 12 miles, along a very stony track in 3 hours ;. the air was so
clear that on looking back the town did not seem to be 5 miles away. The road
then 9 ascends by a regular gorge with running water all the way, passing a big
bund which had been built across a narrow neck. The reservoir was nearly empty
but full of silt. The outlet was very small and at the bottom of the embankment
in the centre.’ On to Kohrud, a spot highly cultivated ; a fair sized village
most picturesquely situated on the hill side (see Photograph No. 7W) ; the
autumn tints at the fall of the leaf were lovely, the golden bronze of the
chestnut mixing with the purple of the plane trees. Erom Kohrud it is about
a farsakh to head of pass leading down into Soh (see Photograph No. 7T). Here
I found MacGowan and some foreigners from Ispahan on a visit. Eever and
neuralgia.
Uth November, Friday.—tett at 8 | a.m. for Bideshk. Rode on through.
Morchakar to Gaz by 5 p.m., and, as it was too late to make the next stage before
dark, slept there.
12th November, Saturday .—Into Ispahan by 8 at Dr. Hoernle’s; received a
Dost-card of 5th October from England. Telegraph to London 4 words^ 9 krans
12 shahis (say, 5s. 10(f). Outriding with Madame Balois and Rerd. G. K. Ekms.
Mnner Balois the French Consul-General, was about to call on the Zil-es-Sultan,
the Governor of Ispahan, and the eldest son of the Shah. A 6 -horsed brougham
had been sent for him, and it is a wonder how such a lumbering affair could
ever have been taken through the narrow winding alleys without any up-
, pt : Visited the arsenal, and was received by Karim Khan, the Amir Panj (see
Photnaranh No 7 0). A regiment was drawn up in the main square ; general
salute • reealed with tea, and then shewn over the different galleries ; everything
in verv stood older. Boots for the infantry to last one year, price 5 krans ; all
leather locally cured* ; water-bottles of leather with brass nozzles ; mens cloaks
of grev material with cape, 6 of them intended to form a tent d abn for 6
men • 2 cloaks form the roof supported hy 2 rifles as standards ; 2 cloaks on the
~d for 6 men to lie on ; and 2 cloaks remaining to cover them. The arms
were from Austria, Werndl pattern carbines, costing 8 tomans (£2-12-0), and
rifles for infantry costing 12 tomans (£3-18-0): these prices were considered
high - some rifles which had been made locally in imitation, piece hy piece, hand
work’ were said to have cost 15 tomans (nearly £5).
Visited the palace. The Prince’s body-guard (see Photograph 7V), wearing
Austrian helmets drawn up ; two bands playing. Different squads under m-
struction—gymnastics, fencing, sword drill, single sticks, pole jumping &c.
In the old hall at the Garden Palace th ere are many curious wall paintings
" * process of making ‘ Russia ’ leather was borrowed from Persia.