Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-04-15
a JAuNT IN PERSIA.
Preparations Necessary for . Mountainesr.
ing Trip In tho Shah's Dominions.


Preparations Necessary for Mountaineer.
ing Trip In tho Shah's Dominions.
This is the way we were obliged to
prepare for the trip in order to reach
our destination. 1t was essential that
we should take with US tents, bedding.
crockery and sufficient animals to carry
ourselves, the servants and the outfit.
This required the employment of much
talking and of occasional thrashing
when the insolence of the chiradars, or
muleteer, interfered with the clinching
of bargain. After several days of
preparation all seemed ready for the
start. One curious circumstance about
the journey. however, was the fact that
we were obliged to journey by night.
The great heat makes it impossible to
travel in Persia in the middle of the
day during the greater part of the year.
Our departure was therefore SO timed
that we could have the benefit of the
full moon. Once on the road, and
winding through narrow lanes at a
moderate walk. we were able to OBJ
serve what an imposing procession we
made. AT the head rode the qiliOdar,
or eguerry, mounted on a white Shira-
zee Arab stallion. Two gentlemen fol-
lowed, and next to them came several
ladies on donkeys. The tachtraran was
next in order, carrying the invalid of
the party. This is a curious vehicle
peculiar to Persia and Turkey. II \
a covered litter borne between two
mules, and contains sliding doors and
windows. 1t is rendered reasonably
comfortable by mattresses on which
person can lie at full length. The
tachtravan of the wealthy is sometimes
handsomely decorated. and mention IS
Y ade of Kings of Persia using it many
CENTURIES ago. But generally this con-
veyance is more heavily CONSTRUCTED
ION is necessary. owing to the diff
:ulty of finding wood which is at once
%S1t and strong in Persia. The march
OK tachtravan is necessarily tediously
81 wv, but it is announced for a long dis
is ace by the strings of jangling bells
carried by the y-decorated mules,
WI ich do not, however, seem to appre-
ciate the wealth and weight of orna-
ment lavished upon them. On level
roads the tachtrayan is real luxury;
but when there is 4 steep ascent or de-
scent combined with bad roads, this
form of lOcomotion is not only very try
ing to the mules, but Is also severe
strain on the rider. both on account of
the cxertiOn requisite in preserving his
position and the nervous strain caused
by watching the frequent peril of being
hurled over a precipice. At the
head of the leading mule marched
a stately Arab, Abdullah Ibn Hassan
His gait was that of prince: he
was six feet in height. sparely built and
perfectly erect. A camel's-hair tunic
reached to the ankles. His head was
mutfied with a striped mantle bound
around the forehead with white cord.
His swarthy features were haggard but
yet handsome, and the dark Orbs which
flashed from under cavernous brows
were marked by proud and romantic !
melancholy, deepening into a glow of /
injured pride tinged with sadness when |
he was refused 4 backshcesh, as if lie /
would reproach YOU for having disap- !
pointed the confidence he had reposed /
in your elevated generosity. What a /
standard is to an army was this son OF |
the desert to our humber train. He |
gave to it such a bearing that he seemed !
to be the chief person in it instead of q
poor mule-driver earning twenty cents
day traversing the wastes of an ancient
land-a mule-driver by descent and the
father OF mule-drivers of the future. IL
looking at Abdullah Ibn HasSan was
led by a very whimsical turn of the mind
to think of La Fothcringay, in Thack-
ery's ''PendenniS. Did that great
reader of human nature realize when he
delineated her character what a type
she is of numerous class who are so
richly endowed with lofty mien and
aspect that until they open their mouths
and betray themselves they pass fo4
far higher than they are
S. q. W. Benjamin. in Century.