The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-02-07
PERSIAN BAzAARS
Curious Business Methods of the
Oriental Shopkeepers.
HAVE NO GENERAL STORES.

Ono Merchant Will Sell Only Muslin,
Another Nothing but Silk. Another
Spices, and So on-Water 10 Diff |
cult to Obtain and Is Very Expensive.
One curious thing about the bazaars |
Of Persia. writes Mrs. Mary A. c. 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 hat 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 q thing as
a 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 a small factory
and a shop together or side by side.
All the metal utensils used in the
copper. These substances are hammer
ed into shape. A stroll through the ba-
zaar 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 ''non-i-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 curse it is
| thin. not more than a quarter OF an
| inch in thickness. The sheet is about
a foot and a 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 a charcoal fire. Any
one desiring a lunch will buy from the
baker a sheet of the thin. crisp, fresh
" baked bread. then a 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 60 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
, which to examine 1t.
You must needs be a haggler to deal
q with any merchant in Persia, but usu'
t ally you can make a better bargain in
+ the quiet Of your own home than you
a can make in the bazaar.
Save for one month in the year the
bazaars, even in the capital of 35O,ON
IU&ODlSs axe ACVCA OPOA ~ uA6A~ Avn
ing the month when the Persians fas
all day it is customary to do some mar
F. keting, some business and much visit
n ing at night Then the food bazaars
tea shops and SO forth are open. Pc
destrians with huge lanterns Of oile'
? paper and people In carriages give al
y appearance of life and gayety to tn
Y .<.ooAs ~,hioh 10 u,,lto Unknown az 9TH
i Ell times.
,e Many occupations which in wester
" lands are carried on in shops are /
20 Persia carried on in the open air. Th1
is due partly to the poverty of the pet
:, pie, partly to the warmness Of the cl
mate, partly to the fact that the Pc
sian Is pre-eminently a social bein
o and-with the exception Of his dome
ce tic life, which is lived in great secl'
sion behind high walls-he likes to
Oh with his fellow men.
r. The barber, for example. seldom h;
a shop and never really needs one.
any street corner you are likely
stumble over a man sitting on a leds
Of the wall and being shaved or havir
- his hair cut. 1t is your one opportur
ty for seeing a man with his hat o.
NC but as you look at his tonsured pa
M you do not regret that your opportu1
ties in this direction are limited.
The only things that are free in Pc
The STA are air and sunshine. Water-n
in only in the cities, but everywhere
Did one of the most expensive commoditi
,ed and one of the most difficult to obta1
on. The entire water supply of Teher'
comes from the snow on the mountai
north of the city. It Is brought for
or distance Of many miles in u~ndergroul
'ng watercourses. There are thirty-fo
sas such channels which enter the city.
ing At various places as they pass alo
asst there are openings into these. Throu
it'll these openings the water is dipped
a with a leathern bucket and poured ir
tho a goatskin bag. which is slung over t