News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1889-08-08
AN EXTRAORDINARY SCENE.
How the Shah of Persia Travels in
His Own Country.

1t was pitch dark as we approached
the royal camp, and the appearance
presented thereby was very extraordi-
nary. There appeared to us to be miles
! of white tents, each with a camp fire
burning before it. There were camels,
mules, and horses in every direction
that our eyes penetrated. 1t was as if
we had suddenly been plunged into the
midst of a vast army, and we'll it might
be, for the following are roughly the
statistics of the retinue which accom-
panied the Shah from his capital to the
frontier: Four thousand quadrupeds,
including mules, horses, and camels,
! for carrying the luggage and drawing
! the carriages; 3, 900 tents to accOmmo-
date 1000 to 5000 individuals, % car
riages for the royal suite alone, 3 royal
wives, and their 40 female attendants.
| The Shah's tent arrangements cover
over an acre of ground. The huge red
tent inhabited by the still slumbering
monarch was visible from afar. 1t was
pitched in a grove of poplars, by the
side of n tiny lake, and surrounded by
wall about eight feet high, made of
! Resht embroidery-that is to say, an
embroidery of chain stitch, uniting lit
tie bits of colored cloth, which we know
well enough in England in the shape of
! table covers and anti -macassars, and
| for which | have never really felt any
great affection; but still, when it decor
ates q high wall inclosing an acre of
ground the effect is startling and mag
nilicent. Finer table covers of the saIno
material were spread as saddle cloths
over the many gayly caparisoned horses
around us, and just as we approached
quantities of mules were on the point of
starting with royal and other baggage,
WITH bright red pals cast over their
burdens. All the carriages were wait
ing ready before tho crate into the royal
inclosure, which was formed of poles
painted red, looking notNnlike gallows.
Anisi DowIet, the Shah's favorite wife,
was Just going to start in her gilded
carriage, drawn by six gayly caparison.
ed horses. She is remarkable woman,
| who has held her position of favOrite for
! thirty years. She has no children, she
is not young, and am told not beauti,
full; but her intellectual qualities arc
such and her manner so bright that
| they have placed her far ahead of the
! other ladies in tho royal harem. She
always started an hour or two before his
| Majesty, presumably acting rs a good
wife should, to see that all was in order
and the slippers ready at the other ond.
! There, too, was the Shahs own horse,
called "Beest Satoun," or Twenty
! Pillars" with its beautiful and neat
! gold bride and its saddle cloth of very
/ fine Resht embroidery partially cover
| ing its glossy ilanks. From the bearing
rein two straps of gold lay across his
| chest; he is n splendid animal and al
ways held in readiness for his Majesty
/ to ride when tired of driving in his car
riage. Close to ''Twenty Pillars" stood
another horse in readiness to carry his
Majesty's pipe bearer; the pipe is a
luxury INDUCED in by all Persian gran.
dees when travelling. His Majesty's
own kalyan or water pipe is carried in q
drum shaped case, covered with purple
velvet and gold, and strung from tho
saddle At the other side are suspended
the firebox and the water gourd, SINH
larly decorated and all ready, so that at
n moments notice the pipe can be pre-
pared when the Shah expresses a wish
for q Whit of tobacco. Among the
horses were the body guard with their
silver and gold batons, the running
footmen clad in red with hats not unlike
fools coxcombs, any number OF gener-
ais. officers, and soldiers. The scene
was one of the greatest animation and
brilIiancy, lit up by the rays of Per
sian sun.-[The Fortnightly Review.