Chapter I: I Go to Persia

Wanted a doctor—The Director-in-chief—Doubt and distrust—Simple
advice—Am referred to ‘Hadji Baba’—My kit—Saddle for riding
post—Vienna—Rustchuk—Quarantine—Galatz—Kustendji—Constantinople—Turkish
ladies—Stamboul—I have my hair cut—“Karagews”—Turkish
coffee—A philo-Turk—Shooting party—The theatres—The
Opera—Armenian theatre—Gambling house—A Bashi-bazouk—We
leave, _viâ_ the Black Sea—The Russian captain—Unarmed
vessels—White Crimean wine—Foreign wines in Russia—Deck
passengers—Sinope—Batoum—Poti—The post-house—Difficulty in
getting food—Travelling _en tröika_—Kutais—A tarantass—Apply
for horses—An itching palm—We start—Tiflis—Lecoq’s
beer—A happy reprieve—The joys of travel—Chief of the
Telegraph in Tiflis—Uniforms—Persian Consulate—Coffee and
pipes—Smoking, an art—Effects on the tyro—Tea—The Consul—His
age—Dyeing the hair—The Opera, varied costumes at—The
Tiflis ballet—Leave Tiflis—Erivan—The Pass—We lighten our
load—Hotel—Washing—Nakchewan—Julfa, the frontier of Persia 1

CHAPTER II.

POST JOURNEY TO THE CAPITAL.

Preparations for the start—Costume—Chaff bed—First fall—Extra
luggage—The whip—Stages and their length—Appearance of
the country, and climate—First stage—Turk guides—Welcome
rest—Weighing firewood—Meana bug—Turcomanchai—Distances—New
friends—Palace of Kerrij 20

CHAPTER III.

TEHERAN.

Teheran—The Director’s house—Persian visits—Etiquette—Pipes,
details of—Tumbakū—Ceremony—Anecdote—The voice of the
sluggard—Persian medicine explained—My prospects as a
medico—Zoological Gardens 28

CHAPTER IV.

TEHERAN.

The Gulhaek Road—Visit to a virtuoso—His story—Persian
New Year—Persian ladies—Titles—The harem—Its
inhabitants—A eunuch—Lovely visions—The Dervish—The great
festival—Miscellaneous uniform—At the Court of Persia—The
Shah—The ceremony—Baksheesh—Rejoicings 36

CHAPTER V.

HAMADAN.

Start for Hamadan—Bedding—Luggage makes the man—Stages—Meet
Pierson—Istikhbals—Badraghah—Pierson’s house—Hamadan
wine—Mode of storing it—My horses—Abu Saif Mirza—His
stratagem—Disinterested services—Persian logic—Pierson’s
horse’s death—Horses put through their paces—I buy Salts and
Senna—The prince’s opinion—Money table—Edict 54

CHAPTER VI.

HAMADAN.

Morning rides—Engage servants—Dispensary—A bear-garden—Odd
complaints—My servants get rich—Modakel—The distinction
between picking and stealing—Servants—Their pay—Vails—Hakim
Bashi—Delleh—Quinine—Discipline—I commence the cornet—The
result of rivalry—Syud Houssein—Armenians—Cavalry officer—Claim
to sanctity of the Armenians—Their position in the country—Jews 64

CHAPTER VII.

HAMADAN.

Tomb of Esther and Mordecai—Spurious
coins—Treasure-finding—Interest—A gunge—Oppression—A cautious
finder—Yari Khan—We become treasure-seekers—We find—Our
cook—Toffee—Pole-buying—Modakel—I am nearly caught—A mad
dog—Rioters punished—Murder of the innocents 75

CHAPTER VIII.

HAMADAN.

Antelope—Hunting and hawking—Shooting from the
saddle—Thief-catching—The prince offers his services
as head-servant—Our hunting party—The prince takes the
honours—Kabobs—A provincial grandee—His stud—Quail-shooting—A
relative of the king—Persian dinner—Musicians and
singers—Parlour magic—The anderūn—Cucumber-jam—Persian
home-life—Grateful Armenians—Lizards—Talking
lark—Pigeon-flying—Fantails—Pigeons’ ornaments—Immorality of
pigeon-flying—Card-playing—Chess—Games—Wrestling—Pehliwans—Gymnastics
84

CHAPTER IX.

KERMANSHAH.

Leave for Kermanshah, marching—Detail of
arrangements—Horse-feeding—Peculiar way of bedding
horses—Barley—Grape-feeding—On grass—Nawalla—Colt, anecdote
of—Horses, various breeds of—Turkomans—Karabagh—Ispahan
cobs—Gulf Arabs—Arabs—Rise in price of horses—Road
cooking—Kangawar temple—Double snipe—Tents—Kara-Su
River—Susmanis—Sana—Besitūn—Sir H. Rawlinson—Agha
Hassan—Istikhbal—Kermanshah—As we turn in another turns
out—Armenians—Their reason for apostatising—Presents of
sweetmeats 100

CHAPTER X.

KERMANSHAH.

Kermanshah—Imād-u-dowlet—We visit him—Signs of his wealth—Man
nailed to a post—Injuring the wire—Serrum-u-dowlet—Visits—We
dine with the son of the Governor—His decorations
and nightingales—Dancing girls—Various dances—The
belly dance—Heavy dinner—Turf—_Wild_ geese—The
swamp—A ducking through obstinacy—Imādieh—Wealth of
the Imād-u-dowlet—The Shah loots him—Squeezing—Rock
sculptures—Astrologers—Astrolabes—Fortune-telling—Rammals—Detection
of thieves—Honesty of servants—Thefts through pique—My lost
pipe-head—Tragedy of two women 112

CHAPTER XI.

I GO TO ISPAHAN.

Deficiency of furniture—Novel screws—Pseudo-masonry—Fate
of the Imād-u-dowlet’s son—House-building—Kerind—New
horse—Mule-buying—Start for Ispahan—Kanaats—Curious
accident—Fish in kanaats—Loss of a
dog—Pigeons—Pigeon-towers—Alarm of robbers—Put up in a
mosque—Armenian village—Armenian villagers—Travellers’
law—Tax-man at Dehbeed—Ispahan—The bridge—Julfa 123

CHAPTER XII.

JULFA.

Illness and death of horse—Groom takes
sanctuary—Sharpness of Armenians—Julfa
houses—Kūrsis—Priests—Arachnoort—Monastery—Nunnery—Call
to prayer—Girls’ school—Ancient language of the
Scriptures—Ignorance of priests—Liquor traffic—Sunday
market—Loafers—Turkeys—Church Missionary school—Armenian
schools 136

CHAPTER XIII.

ISPAHAN.

Prince’s physician—Visit the Prince-Governor—Justice—The
bastinado—Its effects—The doctor’s difficulties—Carpets—Aniline
dyes—How to choose—Varieties—Nammad—Felt coats—Bad
water—Baabis—A tragedy—The prince’s view 145

CHAPTER XIV.

JULFA AND ISPAHAN.

Julfa cathedral—The campanile—The monk—Gez—Kishmish
wine—The bishop—The church—Its decorations—The day of
judgment—The cemetery—Establishment of the Armenian captives
in Julfa—Lost arts—Armenian artificers—Graves—Story of
Rodolphe—Coffee-house—Tombstone bridges—Nunnery—Schools—Medical
missionary—Church Missionary establishment—The Lazarist Fathers 157

CHAPTER XV.

ISPAHAN AND ITS ENVIRONS.

Tame gazelle—Croquet-lawn under difficulties—Wild
asparagus—First-fruits—Common fruits—Mode of preparing
dried fruits—Ordinary vegetables of Persia—Wild
rhubarb—Potatoes a comparative novelty—Ispahan quinces: their
fragrance—Bamiah—Grapes, Numerous varieties of—At times used as
horse-feed—Grape-sugar—Pickles—Fruits an ordinary food—Curdled
milk—Mode of obtaining cream—Buttermilk—Economy of the
middle or trading classes—Tale of the phantom cheese—Common
flowers—Painting the lily—_Lilium candidum_—Wild flowers—The
crops—Poppies—Collecting opium—Manuring—Barley—Wheat—Minor
crops—Mode of extracting grain—Cut straw: its uses—Irrigation 167

CHAPTER XVI.

ISPAHAN AND ITS ENVIRONS.

Pig-sticking expedition—Ducks not tame, but wild—Ruined
mosque with tile inscription—Ancient watch-towers—The
hunting-ground—Beaters—We sight the pig—Our first victims—The
bold Gholam—Our success—Pig’s flesh—A present of pork—How
Persians can be managed—Opium—Adulteration—Collection
and preparation—Packing—Manœuvres of the native
maker—Opium-eating—Moderate use by aged Persians—My dispensary
over the prison—I shift my quarters—Practice in the bazaar—An
ungrateful baker—Sealing in lieu of signing—Seals—Wisdom of a
village judge 176

CHAPTER XVII.

ISPAHAN.

Cost of living—Servants—Our expenses—Price of
provisions—Bargains—Crying off—Trade credits—Merchants—Civil
suits—Bribery—Shopkeepers—Handicrafts—Damascening—Shoemakers—Other
trades—Bankers—An Ispahani’s estimate of the honesty of his
fellow-townsmen 186