The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1913-06-07

sian as ne CONSIDERS Tue
transaction of business OF
the taking of journey
And before the westerner has been
long In this country he drops his shib
boleth that time is money" and falls
into the fatalistic philosophy Of the
east, where the language has no equi
valent meaning for our words, pune.
tuality and promptitude. writes q
Teheran correspondent Of the Los
Angeles Times.
Truly, Persia Is no place for the
hustler, accustomed to do country
or kingdom BY express railroad
routes and automobile transit, and
who expects to get Ritz or Waldorf
Astoria wherever he stops.
Only when the powers take hold OF
Persia and run the country will travel
become easy and pleasant for the ordi.
nary globetrotter. For the present
1t is open only to the venturesome and
leisurely, for there are scarcely any
railroads in the length and breadth OF
the land, and transit over any distance
is both perilouS and arduous, though
full of interest to the strong and sea.
soned traveller
In Persia II is no simple under
taking to prepare for caravan jour
ney Of $50 miles or SO, as your arrange
ments must allow Tor at least eight
days on the road-in many places
merely rough, stony track through
mountain gorges. A string OF six
or eight mules is required, and you
have to be smart at bargain when
you haggle with the owner OF the
hearts, though as a matter OF fact, the
muleteer generally gets his price.
The contract must then be written
out, and the muleteer aftixes his seal
to 1t, for few of them can either read
or write But you are not through
with the deal until you have paid over
half or even three-Quarters OF the
stipulated ticket Journey" The next
business is the engagement Of smart
boy for the road and cook to prepare
the meals, and upon their character
the entire comfort Of your caravan
journey depends
Expert Servants.
Persian servants could give points
to the most expert swell mobsman 60
Ing. They always make the very best
use of opportunities for plumber when
the provisions for the trip are bought
Gradually, however, the large saddle
bags begin to swell out with packets
OF tea, loaves of sugar, tins of provi.
sions rice, meat, bread, candles. Goals
and other necessares. You have also
to provide a new samovar, plates
knives, forks. spoons, together with
teapot and teacups. While the ser.
wants are busy with the dealer the
sahib chooses saddle and some camp
furniture not forgetting a travelling
carpet.
Fortunately, for eight months of the
year in Persia the sun shines con.
tinually out OF fine blue sky, SO
journeys are generally taken under
ideal conditions. Rain adds the last
note OF desolation TO the mostly barren
land, making the miserable villages
full Of hungry, begging people, and
the gloomy. fort.llke caravansaries
gray, nightmare visions OF he. eless
ness.
The chief outstanding feature of a
long tour in Persia is the massive cara
vansaries, the poorest apologies fol
hotels the world contains. They are
built by charitable people who desire
to do a good turn to the travellers
Oh the lonely roads and mule tracks
which are infested by marauding
bands OF highWaymen.
AS rule they are built square. with
rooms around the sides, opening Oh
to the interior courtyard. In bad
NSalACi tnS put lllO
stables behind though generally the
animals are tethered in the spacious
courtyard. with their loads disposed
around them and the bells on theil
harness tinkling continually.
On first alighting at one Of these
rest-houses for the night, when the
servant indicates your apartment you
are apt to be badly Jared by its ap
pearance. The opening into the black
smoke-begrimed room is doorless. The
mud floor is dirty and uneven, the
corners filled with all kinds of rubbish
such as egg-shells, fruit skins and the
like. But if the boy is a good one
he soon makes his master comfort
able. A fire is lighted. the room
swept and the meager equipment sci
out A curtain nailed over the en-
rance battles the gaze of inQuisitive
onlookers, and when in the flickerins