Others wear trousers of brown stuff instead of white
linen; they are, however, extremely ugly, as they are really nothing
more than a wide shapeless sack with two holes, through which the
feet are put. The coverings for the feet are either enormous shoes
of coarsely woven white sheeps' wool, ornamented with three tassels,
or short, very wide boots of red or yellow leather, reaching only
just above the ankle and armed with large plates an inch thick. The
head-dress is a turban.
The women wear long wide trousers, blue shirts, which frequently
reach half a yard over the feet, and are kept up by means of a
girdle; a large blue mantle hangs from the back of the neck,
reaching down to the calves. They wear the same kind of plated
boots as the men. On their heads they wear either black kerchiefs
wound in the manner of a turban, or a red fez, the top of which is
very broad, and covered with silver coins arranged in the form of a
cross. A coloured silk kerchief is wound round the fez, and a
wreath made of short black silk fringe is fastened on the top. This
wreath looks like a handsome rich fur-trimming, and is so arranged
that it forms a coronet, leaving the forehead exposed. The hair
falls in numerous thin tresses over the shoulders, and a heavy
silver chain hangs down behind from the turban. It is impossible to
imagine a head dress that looks better than this.
Neither women or girls cover their faces, and I saw here several
very beautiful girls with truly noble features. The colour of the
skin is rather brown, the eyebrows and lashes were black, and the
hair dyed reddish-brown with henna. Among the lower orders small
nose rings are sometimes worn here.
Mr. Mansur furnished me with a very good table in the morning, I had
buttermilk, bread, cucumber, and on one occasion dates roasted in
butter, which, however, was not very palatable; in the evening
mutton and rice, or a quodlibet of rice, barley, maize, cucumber,
onions and minced meat. I found it all very good as I was healthy,
and had a good appetite. The water and buttermilk are taken very
cold, and a piece of ice is always put into them. Ice is to be met
with in abundance not only in the towns, but also in every village.
It is brought from the mountains in the neighbourhood, the people
eat large pieces of it with great relish.
In spite of the endeavours of Mr. Mansur and his relations to render
my stay bearable, or perhaps, indeed, pleasant, according to their
ideas, I was agreeably surprised when Ali came one morning bringing
the news that he had met with a small freight to Sauh-Bulak (seventy
miles) a place which laid on my road. That same evening I went to
the caravansary, and the next morning, 18th July, was on the road
before sunrise.
Mr. Mansur was to the last very hospitable. He not only gave me a
letter to a Persian living in Sauh-Bulak, but also provided me with
bread for the journey, some melons, cucumbers, and a small bottle of
sour milk. The latter was particularly acceptable to me, and I
would advise every traveller to remember this nourishing and
refreshing drink.
Sour milk is put into a small bag of thick linen, the watery part
filters through, and the solid part can be taken out with a spoon,
and mixed with water as desired. In the hot season, indeed, it
dries into cheese on the fourth or fifth day, but this also tastes
very well, and in four or five days you come to places where the
supply may be renewed.
On the first day we passed continually through narrow valleys
between lofty mountains. The roads were exceedingly bad, and we
were frequently obliged to cross over high mountains to pass from
one valley into another. These stony valleys were cultivated as
much as was possible. We halted at Tschomarichen.
19th July. The road and country was the same as those of yesterday,
except that we had more hilly ground to ascend. We very nearly
reached the height of the first snow region.
Towards evening, we came to Raid, a miserable place with a half-
ruined citadel. Scarcely had we encamped, when several well-armed
soldiers, headed by an officer, made their appearance. They spoke
for some time with Ali, and at last the officer introduced himself
to me, took his place at my side, showed me a written paper, and
made several signs. As far as I could understand, he meant to say
that I was now in Persia, and that he wanted to see my passport.
However, I did not wish to take it out of my portmanteau in the
presence of the whole of the villagers, who were already assembled
round me, and, therefore, explained to him that I did not understand
him. With this assurance he left me, saying to Ali: "What shall I
do with her? She does not understand me, and may go on further."
{279} I do not think that I should have been so leniently dealt
with in any European state!
In almost every village, a great part of the people immediately
assembled round me. The reader may imagine what a crowd had
gathered together during this discussion. To be continually stared
at in this way was one of the greatest inconveniences of my journey.
Sometimes I quite lost my patience, when the women and children
pressed round me, handling my clothes and head. Although quite
alone among them, I gave them several slight blows with my riding-
whip.
