The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-03-13
Land of the Lion and the Sun.


S. G. w. Benjamin, ex-United States
minister to Persia, lectured before the
Geographical Society Of New York recently
on "Persia and the Persians." Chief
Justice Charles P, Daily introduced the
speaker, who said in part:
Although shorn of some of her vast ter
ritorial possessions, which at various times
have extended from the Ganges to the
Nile and from the Don to the Indian
ocean, Persia is yet by no means an insig-
ni6cant power Her limits include more
than the area of France and Germany
combined, while the intellectual vigor OF
her people, after the lapse Of 5000 years,
shows few signs of degeneracy. Persia
has occupied comparatively SO small share
of the worlds attention for two reasons
her religion, which is Mohammedan, and
her inaccessibility, rendered so by the
mountain ranges which shut her in as COM
pletely as would a Chinese wall, Ignor-
ance of the true condition of Persia is very
general in consequence. The traveller
wishing to 90 to Teheran, the capital, can
not make his journey by rail. He must go
on horse back; if in hurry he can travel
post. at the rate of 80 miles day, spec
ial order from the Shah being necessary
for this method of locomotion. Presenting
this order to the keeper Of the road station
procures a fresh relay of horses, and after
cup of tea from the ever-smoking samo-
var or tea urn, the traveller speeds again on
his way at a steady gallop. This method
of travelling is very exhausting, and prac-
tically impossible for the inirm and most
women. 1t is rendered additionally fatigu-
ing, for during great portion of the year
one must travel at night, owing to the heat.
The country abounds with game. Wild
boars are common in the mountains The
natives hunt the animals but never eat them,
as they consider pork unclean, This re-
minds me of an American firm of sausage
manufacturers who wrote me to inquire
about opening "a trade in sausage with
Persia. Probably the articles would have
met with as enthusiastic reception there as
warming pans in Cuba or palm leaf fans at
the north pole The Shah is great sports
man, and it is partly to this that he owes
his continued robust health after reign of
forty years. In his travels the Shah has
been known to be followed by train Of
attendants numbering $4,000 persons. A
mans rank in Persia is largely reckoned
by the size of his escort. The Shah is a
courageous hunter On one of his hunt
ing excursions the party was attacked by
tiger, which, appearing suddenly, by sew
eral rapid bounds placed himself within a
few feet of the King. Every one fed but
his Majesty, who, after taking careful aim,
shot the tiger through the heart. As to
the domestic relations of the Persians, of
course polygamy exists, but the lower classes
are usually satisfied with one wife at time.
Divorce is easy, constantly practiced and
attended with no disgrace. A man has
simply to say three times in succession to
his wife, aYou are divorced, and both are
free. There is law, too, in Persia, which
allows a woman to marry for any stated
period from one up to ninety years
The stables form a very important part
of every Persian establishment Horses
are excellent and not dear. Few own less
than six and many hundred animals.
They are, as a rule, spirited and intelligent
and far more gentle and less vicious than
American horses. OF the future of Persia
it is evident that England cannot see hei
crushed by Russia, as some seem to fear
when such an act would endanger the safety
of her Indian possessions.