The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1912-05-30
PERSIAN BAzAARS
Curious Business Methods of the
Oriental ShopkeeperS.
HAVE NO GENERAL STORES.

] Tne Merchant Will Sell Only Muslin,
Another Nothing but Silk, Another
Spices, and So on-Water is Diff
cult to Obtain and is Very Expensive.
One curious thing about the bazaars
of Persia, writes Mrs. Mary A. G. Col
quhoun in the Los Angeles Times, is
the fact that all the shops of one kind
are grouped together, and so we speak
of the "cloth BAZAAR" the that ba.
Zaar," the "shoe bazaar" There are
both wholesale and retail shops. but
there are no department stores as in
America, nor is there such n thing as
general grocery or dry goods store.
One grocer keeps spices only, an
other tea, coffee. sugar etc.; one dry
goods merchant will sell you muslin.
another broadcloth. another silk. There
are no large manufactures In Persia.
1t is common to have small factory
and shop together or side by side.
All the metal utensils used in the
country are made of either brass or
ed into shape. A stroll through the ba-
2aar where this work is going on gives
one the impression that pandemonium
has broken loose.
Different kinds of bread are made in
the bazaar. One kind which is espe-
cially liked by the people and which
can be obtained fresh at almost every
hour of the day is called "noni-san-
gak," literally little stone bread. 1t is
made by pouring the dough on very
hot pebbles, which bake it quickly and
>give it a crisp crust. OF course 1t is
thin, not more than a quarter OF an
inch in thickness The sheet is about
a foot andca half wide by two and a
half long.
Near the bazaar where this bread is
baked you will usually find a place
where mutton chops are being cooked
on skewers over charcoal fire. Any
one desiring lunch will buy from the
baker sheet of the thin, crisp, fresh
ly baked bread, then few "kabobs,"
as the chops are called. Wrapping the
chops in the bread, he will proceed on
his way, eating his lunch as he goes.
AS you walk through the bazaars or
stand to examine or purchase goods,
especially If you are a foreigner, you
must expect to be jostled. not only by
crowds of curious pedestrians, but also
by caravans of horses and donkeys and
even of vicious camels. You will per-
haps have to wait also for the shop
keeper to finish his prayer.
Foreigners usually go to the bazaars
not to purchase things. but to see orien-
tai life, and in the bazaars are to be
seen many interesting phases of it. |
When you really wish to buy some
thing you will find the peddler, that SUI
preme nuisance of America, your best
friend. He will bring to your door
anything that you wish to see and give
you all the time that you desire in
which to examine 1t.
You must needs be a haggler to deal !
with any merchant in Persia. but usu-
ally you can make a better bargain in
he quiet of your own home than you
,an make In the bazaar.
Save for one month in the year the
)azaars, even in the capital of 350,000
PEOPLE, are never open at night. Dur
ne the month when the Persians fast
I'll day 1t is customary to do some mar
,eting. some business and much visit
ng at night Then the food baZaars,
ca shops and so forth are open. Pc
Iestrians with huge lanterns of oiled
laper and people In carriages give an
ppearance of life and gayety to the
treets which is quite unknown at 9th
r times.
Many occupations which in western
ands are carried on in shops are in
'ersia carried on in the open air. This
5 due partly to the poverty of the peo-
lie, partly to the warmness of the eli
nate, partly to the fact that the Per
ian Is pre-eminently a social being
nd-with the exception of his domes-
Ic life, which is lived in great seclu-
ion behipd high walls-he likes to be
nth his fellow men.
The barber. for example, seldom has
shop and never really needs one. At
ny street corner you are likely to
tumble over.a man sitting. on a ledge
the wall and being shaved or having
is hair cut 1t is your one opportuni-
: for seeing a man with his hat off,
ut as you look at his tOnsured pate
on do not regret that your opportuni-
eS in this direction are limited
The only things that are free in Per
a are air and sunshine. Water-not
My In the cities. but everywhere-is
ne of the most expensive commodities
nd one of the most difficult to obtain.
he entire water supply Of Teheran
)mes from the snow on the mountains
Orth of the city. 1t is brought for a
Stance of many miles in underground
There are thirty-four
lch channels which enter the city.
At various places as they pass along
lere are openings into these. Through
lese openings the water is dipped up
18th leathern bucket and poured into
goatskin bag, which is slung over the
BOULDER of the private servant or the
water carrier. Nothing is
ore common in the street than a sight
one Of these carriers.
Recrimination.
TT -.