The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-11-24
v IG.

From Ispahan to the present capital Of
Persia the road is III for carriages. and
our traveller undertook a ESQ mile drive.
To Teheran One Of no latest chapters
is devoted. According TO the author Te-
heran. although undoubtedly a combina-
ton OF East and West. is not a blend. There.
FOR instance. are the tramways Of the West;
there, on the other hand. are the bazaars
Of the East. homogeneous modern signs
project from tiny mud houses. European
roads are fringed with Asiatic dwellings
and tail OF into a purely Oriental confusion
of ruts and rubbish heaps. Here you may
see glittering gates. with fancy mosaic
work OF tawdry patterns on n brown mud
ground, while just around the corner are
the refuse pits and smells and horrors which
are the most prominent features Of any
town somewhere east Of Suez." White
men who know the drawing rooms OF
London or the salons Of Paris brush should
ers with the brown skinned mol that throngs
the alleys and bazaars. Trim stone houses
stand in the midst Of purely Persian gar
dens. A medley; not ar amalgam.
There Is no doubt. however. that in Ts-
heran the East pre~dominates. The gen.
eral appearance il Eastern, with the blue
domed brown walls and thinly scattered
trees Of most other Peroian towns. Our
author does not describe Teheran in detail
because it has been depicted more fire.
quently than any other Persian city While
he was there. however, he had an OppOr-
tunity Of seeing several characteristic cere-
monies n interesting incidents.
One Of these was a royal Salaam in the
palace. to which. attended by an escort. he
was driven about II o'clock in the morning.
He was conducted first into a garden. with
trees and %stOnegirt ponds. whose borders
are dotted at intervals with lamps supported
by cOlOred figures Of young ladies' in a sort
OF toreador costume, who unfortunately.
owing to a flaw Of some kind in the casting,
nav a universally inebriated appearance.
We are old that. unlike the palaces seen
elsewhere in Persia. the residence OF the
Shah in Teheran is in perfect repair, and
when you see h backs of buildings you
do not get the impression of stage scenery
irresistibly conveyed by most things Per-
sian. Our author was next led upstairs
a magnificent room lined with mirrors
and chandelierlike decorations, hoOred
with luxurious carpets, ornamented with
giant vases; a palatial apartment indeed.
whence you look out through huge plate
glass windows upon the fountains and pools
of the garden.
While waiting our author inspected a
beautifully tiled side room used for storing
those presents collected by the Shah which
are not in the great museum. n il. we are
told. a quaint assemblage of magnificent
lumber arranged in 10 Order-priceless
curiosities thrown down by the side Of
worthless rubbish. glorious works Of art
reposing under the shadow Of domestic
furniture. Il is an epitOme Of Persia and
the Persians in its strange incongruities.
its pitifuI disorder. it's combination Of de-
parted splendOr and present decay. In one
corner is an untidy pile Of velvets and
ermines; close by a collection Of very in
ferior photographs; in the opposite corner
a beer machine on which rests an oil paint
ing. A bookcase filled with volumes fronts
a table covered with curiOsities OF natural
history, which in turn looks onto a slab
whereon lie specimens OF ancient pottery.
Then comes a music box; typewriters lie
neglected here and there. magnificent tea
sets and services of glass that have never
seen a tableclOth. great vases containing
the dust of years, and a mar Of the British
Isles hung upside down. In a room beyond
more china. more glass unused. unprized.
All in chaos, neglect, pathetic waste. In
a huge glittering room next to that holding
the collection just described Ia the so-caIled
Peacock Throne. which. however. Is not
really the relic rapt from Delhi. Still it
is very fine, and its jewels and enamels,
IL they possess 10 historical interest. appeal
on other grounds to the imagination.
Returning to the great reception room.
our traveller witnessed the pageant. which
was made up almost entirely OF soldiers,
zach regiment proceeded by its band. Our
author was unable to ascertain whether the
various bands were playing the same tune
at different times or different tunes at the
same time; in either case the result was a
combination OF disCords vastly more deafen-
ing than any he had yet heard in Persia.
The uniforms Of the soldiers did not vary
much except in the case OF certain regi-
ments who at first sight resembled fire
brigndes. owing to the peculiar construo-
ton OF their helmets. The climax OF the
display was furnished by the Cossacks.
preceded by a very different band, playing
a well known march; the smart, frock
coated men fled in with n swing and dash
which formed a strong contrast to the scene
previously Witnessed.
When the stream Of troops had ceased
and all were in their appointed places there
was a fanfare OF trumpets and his Imperial
Majesty appeared on the balcony to the
left. There was silence n then stepped
forward a poet. who in a high singsong
voice recited the Sultan's praises; then he
pronounced the sacred name Of the sover-
sign. at Which all the auditors inclined their
heads; after which the ceremony ended and
the troops departed.
Summing up the observations made by
him In 1903, our author expressed the con-
victiOn that, with the best intentions in
the world, neither Englishmen nor any
other foreigners could do very much
toward the regeneration OF Persia. He
saw that rehabilitation, IL Il was 10 come
at all, must come from within. IL must
be achieved by Persian men and Persian
measures, and IL must be accompanied by
a development 0f a new spirit in the Persian
nation. Writing, as he does low. some
three years after his journey was completed,
he recognizes that the present moment
seems to be- the opening OF a new era in
Persia. He is inclined to believe that the
events which have lately happened may
mean fresh life for the country II they are
followed up.
u..- $4,000 rg..,.t.tl.. - ~.