Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-18
Washington Mans Journey
in Persia and Turkestan.
is ROBBED BY BRIGANDS
WARNED BY HIS FRIENDS
British Amazed That He Was Able
to Make Trip in 3afety-Meets
Boy Shah.

The experiences OF Arthur w. Du Bots,
son of James I. Du Bots. former Wash
irgtonian, now United States consul gen.
eral to the Straits Settlements. in the
course of horseback ride of 100 miles
through Turkestan and Persia. rival a
fiction tale OF adventure. and are told in
a series of letters received from Mr.. Du
Bots.
: He started from Bushire, on the Gulf
of Persia, and travelled through the heart
OF the country most affected by the pres
cnt political troubles in Persia, via
Shiraz and Ispahan, to Teheran. which
was then and Is now the scene of much
turmoil.
When he reached Bushire he found that
the British consul. Mr.. Bill, with a good
escort, In attempting to reach Shiraz
from Bushire. few days before, had
been attacked by bandits. or tribesmen
two of his men had been killed and sew
eral wounded. Mr.. Du Bots was received
kindly by the British Officials-America
has no consul there--but they advised him
not to attempt the journey to Shiraz, as
the route was infested with bandits
After waiting for a week at Bushire he
writes:
Il am advised not to attempt to go to
Snraz, SO I may go to Bagdad. The way
t. ShiraZ is said to be impossible at pres
ent. owing tn rowing tribesmen who are
holding up everything that attempts to
reach that place from BuShire.
A Bandit-Like. Escort.
Some time later letter was received
from Shiraz in which he writes:
Against the advice of good friends in
Bushire. l started with Il small escort.
made UP of men who looked like bandits.
My party was held up now and then by
tribesmen, but a few dollars satisfied
them and they let us go on. l think my
band.t-iooklng escort was very helpful in
III matter.
Along the route l found a grim-Iook-
ii4s fellow who was returning from three
Year. military service without pay. He
wanted To go with me and l took him
along He helped me over many tight
places when annoyed by beggars and
robbers.
The country through which we passed
looked much like New Mexico. The val
leys were green, but the mountains were
bare and forbidding. At Shiraz 1 was
invited to stay with the British consul.
who is fine specimen of English man
hood.
"Shiraz has a charming location, but
the town is not attractive. Still it was
more interesting than Bushire. There are
some fine private houses In the midst or
delightful gardens filled with luxuriant
foliage and wealth of flowers.
After midday the women walk out.
deeply yelled, while the men sit on the
floor in tea houses and gossip about the
political confusion that seems to exist
everywhere. There is no law or order ex-
cept in the larger places. with but little
there, and there are evidences every
where of a growing unrest. I would not
be surprised to see widespread trouble
in southern Persia before the year has
passed
Mr. Arathon, whose brother is at
Raffies, was very kind to me at Bushire.
and gave me letters to friends here who
have been helpful. l am off for 1spahan
i'm two days in spite of the fact that all
traffic and travel between here and that
place have been suspended owing to the
activity of the lawless tribesmen. l have
four new men, bandit-like fellows. to
guide and guard ME. They seem eager
Tor the long journey. and / hope We may
get through all right"