Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-05-26
a JAUNT IN PERSIA.
Preparations Necessary for q Mountaineer-
ing Trip in the Shah's Dominions.

Preparations Necessary for q Mountainsert.
ing Trip in the 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 cbiU0ddrS, Or
muleteer, interfered with the clinching
of a 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 qtIaodar,
or equerry, mounted on white Shira-
zee Arab stallion. Two gentlemen fol-
lowed, and next to them came several
ladies on donkeys. The t0cstravan was
next in order, carrying the invalid of
| the party. This is curious vehicle
peculiar to Persia and Turkey. 1t is
covered litter borne between two
mules, and contains sliding doors and
windows. 1t is rendered reasonably
comfortable by mattresses on which a
person can lie at full length. The
tachtravan of the wealthy is sometimes
handsomely decorated, and mention is
made of Kings of Persia using it many
veyance is more heavily constructed
than is necessary, owing to the diff
Guilty of finding wood which is at once
, light and strong in Persia. The march
of tachtravan is necessarily tediously
slow, but it is announced for long dis
lance by the strings of jangling bells
carried by the gayly-decorated mules,
which do not, however, seem to appre-
ciate the wealth and weight of orna-
ment lavished upon them. On level
roads the tachtravan is a real luxury;
but when there is a 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 a severe
strain on the rider, both on account of
the exertion requisite in preserving his
position and the nervous strain caused
by watching the frequent peril of being
head of the leading mule marched
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
muffied 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 glow of
injured pride tinged with sadness when
he was refused a backsheesh, as if he
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 bearing that he seemed
to be the chief person in it instead of a
poor mule-driyer earning twenty cents a
| day traversing the wastes of an ancient
land-a mule-driver by descent and the
father of mule-drivers of the future In
looking at Abdullah Ibn Hassan I was
led by very whimsical turn of the mind
to think of La Fotheringay, 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 for
something far higher than they are
S. G. ". Benjamin, IN Century.