Chapter XVIII: Ispahan

Daily round—The river—Calico-rinsers—Worn-out mules and
horses—Mode of treating the printed calico—Imitations
of marks on T-cloths—Rise of the waters of the
Zend-a-Rūd—Pul-i-Kojū—Char Bagh—Plane-trees—The college—Silver
doors—Tiled halls and mosque—Pulpit—Boorio—Hassir—Sleepers
in the mosque—Cells of the students—Ispahan
priests—Telegraph-office—Tanks—Causeways—Gate
of royal garden—Governor’s garden—Courtiers and
hangers-on—Prisoners—Priests—The Imām-i-Juma—My
dispensary—Ruined bazaar—A day in the town—Bazaar
breakfasts—Calico-printing—Painters—The
maker of antiquities—Jade teapot—Visit to
the Baabis—Hakim-bashi—Horse-market—The
“Dar”—Executions—Ordinary—Blowing from guns—A girl trampled
to death—Dying twice—Blowing from a mortar—Wholesale walling
up alive—A narrow escape from, and horrible miscarriage in
carrying it out—Burning alive—Crucifixions—Severity: its
results 193

CHAPTER XIX.

MY JOURNEY HOME AND MARCH TO SHIRAZ.

Julfa quarters—Buy a freehold house—I ornament, and make
it comfortable—Become ill—Apply for sick leave—Start
marching—Telegram—Begin to post—Reach Teheran—Obtain
leave—Difficulty at Kasvin—Punishment of the
postmaster—Catch and pass the courier—Horses knock up—Wild
beasts—Light a fire—Grateful rest—Arrive at Resht—Swamp
to Peri-Bazaar—Boat—Steamer—Moscow—Opera—Ballet—Arrive
in England—Start again for Persia—Journey _viâ_
Constantinople—Trebizonde—Courier—Snow—Swollen eyes—Detail
of journey from Erzeroum to Teheran—The races—Ispahan—Leave
for Shiraz—Persian companions—Road-beetles—Mole
crickets—Lizards—Animals and birds—The road to Shiraz—Ussher’s
description—Meana bug legend again 206

CHAPTER XX.

SHIRAZ.

Entry into Shiraz—Gaiety of Shirazis of both sexes—Public
promenade—Different from the rest of Persians—Shiraz wine—Early
lamb—Weights: their variety—Steelyards—Local custom of
weighing—Wetting grass—Game—Wild animals—Buildings—Ornamental
brickwork—Orange-trees—Fruits in bazaar—Type of ancient
Persian—Ladies’ dress—Fondness for music—Picnics—Warmth of
climate—Diseases—The traveller Stanley—His magazine rifle
and my landlord’s chimney—Cholera—Great mortality—We march
out and camp—Mysterious occurrence—Life in a garden—The
“Shitoor-gooloo”—Bear and dog fight—The bear is killed 218

CHAPTER XXI.

SHIRAZ WINE-MAKING.

Buy grapes for wine-making—Difficulty in getting them to the
house—Wine-jars—Their preparation—Grapes rescued and brought
in—Treading the grapes—Fermentation—Plunger-sticks—Varieties
of Shiraz wine and their production—Stirring the
liquor—Clearing the wine—My share, and its cost—Improvement
by bottling—Wasps—Carboys—Covering them—Native manner
of packing—Difficulties at custom-house—The Governor’s
photographic apparatus—Too many for me—A lūti-pūti 229

CHAPTER XXII.

SHIRAZ AND FUSSA.

Cheapness of ice—Variety of ices—Their size—Mode of procuring
ice—Water of Shiraz: its impurity—Camel-fight—Mode of
obtaining the combatants—Mode of securing camels—Visit to
Fussa—Mean-looking nag—His powers—See the patient—State
of the sick-room—Dinner sent away—A second one arrives—A
would-be room-fellow—I provide him with a bedroom—Progress
of the case—Fertility of Fussa—Salt lake—End of the
patient—Boat-building—Dog-cart—Want of roads—Tarantulas—Suicide
of scorpions—Varieties—Experiment—Stings of scorpions—The
Nishan 240

CHAPTER XXIII.

SHIRAZ—THE FAMINE.

Approach of famine—Closing of shops—Rise in mule-hire—Laying in
of stores—Seizures of grain—Sale of goods by poor—Immigrations
of villagers to the towns—Desertions of children—Increase
of crime—Arrival of money from England—Orphanage—Labour
question—Kūmishah—Village ruffian—His punishment—Prince’s
accident—The kalāat—Mode of bringing it—Invitation to the
ceremony—Procession—Gala dress of the prince—The arrival of
the firman—Assemblage of grandees—The kalāat—The Kawam’s
kalāat—Return to town—Sacrifice of an ox 251

CHAPTER XXIV.

I FALL INTO THE HANDS OF BRIGANDS.

A call to a patient—Start on post-horses—No horses—I carry
a lantern—The Bakhtiaris—Fall among thieves—They strip
me—And march me off—Mode of disguise of thieves—Attacked
by footmen—Division of spoils—Fate of a priest—Valuing my
kit—Ignorance of my captors—A welcome sight—My escape—I get
a horse—Reach Yezdikhast—Old women get thorns out of my
feet—Want of hospitality of head-man of Yezdikhast—Arrive at
Kūmishah—Kindness of a postmaster—More robbers—Avoid them—Am
repaid for my lost kit—Fate of my robbers 259

CHAPTER XXV.

SHIRAZ.

The Muschir—His policy and wealth—His struggle with the
king’s uncle—He is bastinadoed—His banishment to Kerbela—The
Kawam—Mirza Naim—Siege of Zinjan—Cruelties to Mirza Naim—Reply
to an author’s statement—Cashmere shawls—Anecdote—Garden
of Dilgoosha—Warm spring—“Sau-Sau-Rac”—The Well of
Death—Execution—Wife-killing—Tomb of Rich—Tomb of Hafiz—Tomb of
Saadi—A moral tale—Omens—Incident at tomb of Hafiz 270

CHAPTER XXVI.

SHIRAZ—PERSIAN CUSTOMS.

The Tazzia—Persian pulpit—Prince’s flirtations—Month of
mourning—Details of performance—Breast-beaters—Hymn in
honour of the king—The performers—Processions—Detail
of the tragedy—Interludes—Rosehkhaneh—The Ramazan—The
fast—Hospitalities—Zalābi—Religious affectation—Reading
poetry—A paraphrase—A quotation—Books and their
covers—Calamdans—Writing a letter—Sealing—Specimen of an
ordinary letter—Apparent piety—The evil eye—Talismans—I procure
one 279

CHAPTER XXVII.

SHIRAZ.

Bagh-i-Takht—Jews’ burial-ground—Christians’ cemetery—Its
desecration—Sergeant Collins’s murder—Capture and
execution of the robbers—How it was brought home to
them—Memorial to Collins—Health of the staff—Persians as
servants—Persian cuisine—Kabobs, varieties of—English
dinners—Confectionery—Fruits—Vegetables—Pickles,
etc.—Cook-shops—Trotters—Mode of selling meat—Game—Eggs—Wild
vegetables—Potatoes—Disinclination to use new seeds, and
its cause—Narcissus—General use of flower decoration—Tame
birds—Wild birds—White ants—Damaging the line—Hamilton poles 292

CHAPTER XXVIII.

BEASTS, BIRDS, FRUITS, AND FLOWERS.

Tamed pigs—“Marjahn”—Mongoose—Persian cats—Their
value—Van cats—A fierce cat—How to obtain a Persian
cat—Grey-hounds—Toolahs—Watch-dogs—Monkeys—Tame
lions—Tame and cage birds—Superstition concerning
house-snakes—I kill a clockwinder—Wild ass—Fighting
rams—Tame partridges—Gardening—Ordinary
flowers—The broom-plant—Vine-culture—Quinces and
pomegranates—Orchards—Garden parties 302

CHAPTER XXIX.

PERSIAN CHARACTER, COSTUMES, AND MANNERS.

Character of the
Persians—Exaggeration—Mercifulness—Anecdote—Costumes of
men—Hair—Beards—Arms—Costumes of women—Jewellery—Glass
bangles—Nose-rings—Painting of the face—Tattooing—Hair—Out-door
costume—Dress of children—Their manners—Strange custom—Love of
mothers—The uncle—Cousins—Slaves—Servants—Slavery 314

CHAPTER XXX.

TRAVELLING—ART WORK—FOODS.

Travelling—Difficulties of posting—Saddles and bits—Cruel
joke—Old stories—Pastimes—Enamels—Persian pictures—Curio
buyer—Carvings—Metal-work—Calligraphy—Kahtam—Incised
work on iron—Embroideries—Silver-work—Washing of
linen—Ironing—Needlework—The bath—Washing the hair with
clay—Bread and baking—Unleavened bread—Other kinds—Travellers’
food—Inordinate appetites—Food of the poor 328

CHAPTER XXXI.

EDUCATION—LEAVE, AND RETURN VIÂ INDIA.

Education—Schools—Punishments—Love of poetry—Colleges—Education
of women—Religion—March to Bushire—Extremes of
cold and heat—Good luck—Go home to England—Leave
_viâ_ India—The “Boys”—Lisbon—Algiers—Port Said and
Suez—Jeddah—Donkeys—Coral reef—Sea-slugs—Aden—Madagascar
oranges—“Grimes”—Kurrachee—Drives—Visit to the alligators at
Muggerpir—Disgusting scene—A legatee—Black-wood furniture—A
lost bargain—Persian Gulf—Bushire—Leave for Shiraz 337

CHAPTER XXXII.

FROM THE PERSIAN GULF TO ISPAHAN.

Our start for Shiraz—Camp out—Borasjūn—Spring at
Dalliké—Kotuls—Kazerūn—Buy a horse—A tough climb—Place
of Collins’s murder—Arrive in Shiraz—Hire a house—Settle
down—Breaking horses—Night marching—Difficulties
of start—Mūrghab—Find our muleteer and
loads—Abadeh—Yezdikhast—Kūmishah—Mayar—Marg—Arrive in Julfa 347

CHAPTER XXXIII.

JULFA.

Hire a house—Coolness of streets—Idleness of men—Industry
of women—Stone mortars—Arrack—Hire a vineyard—A wily
Armenian—Treasure-trove—The “Shaking Minarets”—A
hereditary functionary—A permanent miracle—Its probable
explanation—Vaccination—Julfa priests—Arrack as an
anæsthetic—Road-making—Crops of firewood—Fire temple—Huge
trees—The racecourse—Disappearance of ancient brick
buildings—Donkeys—Healthiness of Julfa—Zil-es-Sultan—His
armoury—Prospects of the succession to the
throne—Bull-terriers—Mastiffs—Politeness and rudeness of the
prince 359

CHAPTER XXXIV.

JOURNEY TO AND FROM TEHERAN.

Proceed to Teheran—Takhtrowan—Duties—Gulhaek—Lawn-tennis—Guebre
gardener—A good road—The Shah—Custom of the Kūrūk—M.
Gersteiger—Cossack regiments—Austrian officers—New
coinage—Count Monteforte—New police—Boulevard des
Ambassadeurs—English Embassy—Tile gates—Summer
palaces—Bazaars—Russian goods—Demarvend—Drive to
Ispahan—Difficulties of the journey—Accidents—Danger of
sunstroke—Turkeys—Keeping peacocks—Armenian tribute of
poultry—Burmese and Japanese embassies—Entertainment and
fireworks—Cruel treatment of Jews—Oil paintings—Bahram and his
queen—Practice makes perfect—Pharaoh and the Red Sea—Pharaoh
and the magicians 368

CHAPTER XXXV.

WE RETURN VIÂ THE CASPIAN.

New Year’s presents—Shiraz custom—Our cook’s weaknesses—He
takes the pledge—And becomes an opium-eater—Decide to go
home—Dispose of kit—Start for Europe—Our own arrangements—Diary
of our journey home—Arrival 379

APPENDIX A.

Table of Post Stages and Ordinary Marches from Bushire, Persian
Gulf, to Teheran 410

APPENDIX B.

Duration of our Journey from Ispahan to London 412

APPENDIX C.

Travelling in Persia 413