Part 12 (1/2)

The inhabitants of this region, though very poor themselves, did not turn a deaf ear to our appeals for charity With food ere tolerably supplied, poor and mean as it was in quality; but what caused us thetowards autumn in this part of the world Such was the effect of the cold cutting blasts co from the north-eastern plains that the intense cold would pierce through the thickest cloak in which a person ht wrap hi benumbed by it All the way from Shebesh until ere two stations fro on the hard frozen ground, in the ragged dervish dress which I had on me, and which served the purposes of both pillow and coverlet Many a ti to death I besought the hard-hearted Afghans to letteeth and in a ether to the cruel barbarians bundled up in their war, ”Dance, hadji, and thou wilt get warh plateaus of Eastern Persia will for ever rank in my memory with the sand of the deserts of Central Asia

Near Kafir-Kale wefrom Meshed Froe, an English officer in the Persian service, an old acquaintance ofin Meshed, a piece of nehich was very welcoe inhabited by Persians, and a wars of th, on the twelfth day after our departure froilded cupolas of Imam Riza loomed up before our eyes We had reached the city of Meshed, for the sight of which I had been longing

Besides, in approaching Meshed, there were other motives--motives of humanity--at play, which quickened ained dignity of a th to be restored to uises hich, in fear of life, limb and liberty, I had had to surround s which lowered me in my own estimation, to put an end to the pitiful anxieties to which I had been continually exposed, and last not least to exchange a life of hardshi+p, discomforts and privations for one of comparative ease and comfort Nor did I entertain the usual fears, which haunted ht overnor of the province was an enlightened prince, an uncle of the king of Persia, and under his auspices the government was conducted, in appearance at least,reflections was added the hope of s, an old friend of mine--perhaps the solitary European who had pitched his tent so far east and was now living in Meshed Under all these combined impressions the very cupola, under which thewith its resplendent light far into the outlying country, seeuide ht the enthusias to the toine rims who hail with eht of the holy place, after having wearily wandered over the immense distances fro to knoho this Imam Riza is, the renown of whose sanctity hasand deep ie portion of the Eastern world Of the twelve Ihth He was a contemporary of the Caliph Maamun, a son of the famous Harun el Rashi+d This Caliph's envy and jealousy of Ieneral esteem in which he was held, and the unbounded devotion which was shown to him by the sect of shi+-ites, then already very nu yet to enter publicly into the area of religious sectarianism He was banished by the Caliph to Tus, a town in the vicinity of the present site of Meshed The banishment had not the desired effect; in his abode of hueneral veneration, so the Caliph had poison ad hierous and hated rival The memory of his name did not die with him; from a beloved leader of a sect he rose to be a martyred saint His death in exile seeination of the travelling public as their patron saint; and he was honoured, in this, his quality, with the title of Sultan al Gureba (Prince of Strangers)

XXVII

IN MESHED

Nature see the city The weather was splendid; it was one of those fine autus which are so co to the city passes through a bare, al relieved only here and there by a few hills The contrast which the city presented to the unro With its bright and flashi+ng cupolas, and surrounded by gardens, it lay there like a rich and glittering geaze was fixed upon the buildings that seemed to detach themselves as we approached from the confusedI was utterly lost in thought, careless of theat the city wased in the hu aside all interest in historical rereat saints whose splendid tombs formed the attraction of the place, I fairly rioted in the consciousness of being able now to turn ly experiences of the past, and looked forward to the attractive vista of a bright future

I was roused froh the Dervaze Herat (Herat Gate) We passed along the wide and long street of Pajin Khiaban (Lower Alley), and proceeded towards the Sahni Sherif (the Holy Vestibule) A very pleasing sight is offered by the broad canal, winding through the city, its banks studded with trees which spread a pleasant shade; indeed this is a feature rendering Meshed one of the most attractive cities in Iran The concourse of people, representing all the nations of Asia who are adherents of the shi+-ite faith, gives awith stirring life Every variety of costume prevalent in Persia and the whole of Eastern Asiato realize the fact that Meshed is one of the strongholds of shi+-itis, walk about with an hu pardon of those whom he oppressed in his own home; whilst theproudly and lightly on a ground which seems to inspire them with a consciousness of their superiority--their forhty and independent and their looks scornful and defiant The Sunnite is by no er of retaliation on the part of those whose compatriots have often been the victims of his ferocity In Iran he is safe, but he cannot shake off a guilty sense of the merited retribution his cruelty amply deserves, and the impress of this unpleasant consciousness betrays itself in his ht days of autumn the streets are croith a densethe thoroughfares, and in vain does the eye atte-place amid the varied confusion of the spectacle, nor is it possible in the throng of conflicting sights to treasure up soht shape itself into a renificent building of the Imam for several hundred paces forhts and sounds

Standing beside their booths or stands, or in front of their shops, on both sides of the street, on the banks of the canal, and h the streets, are to be seen and heard atheir wares on their heads, shoulders, or in their hands, pushi+ng through the crowd, offering thee din and noise whilst they reco cries It seeh this compact mass of humanity, and yet there is a sort of order in this wild confusion, for an actual block but seldom occurs This scene of confusion is only an apparent one, especially to the unfamiliar eye of the European, who cannot separate order fro is attended with no evil consequences or harm; every one is sure to reach safely the place he is bound for This bustling life, however, was quite agreeable to me after the experience of the dull and stolid constraint so characteristic of the cities of Turkestan which I had lately seen

I noished to e, of whom I spoke before First of all I entered a caravansary in order to wash myself, and to put in some kind of decent orderwas to find the house where o about in Meshed inquiring after the whereabouts of a Frengi, but it becomes immeasurably so in the case of a person like ait andto do it By dint of perseverance, andI stood at last in front of his house Almost overcome with emotion I knocked at the door

I heard footsteps approaching, and a moment later a servant opened the door The portal was as quickly re-shut in lance at me, overwhelmed me with a volley of oaths, and sla of an eye, and angry and iorously set to rapping at the door again The servant reappeared, and this tiave him no opportunity for parley or re a solitary word of explanation to him The man was quite dumbfounded hat see hihly what I, a hadji, wanted with his master, who, as I kneas an unbeliever I very emphatically told him that this did not concern him, but that he should without delay advise his er froone, I leisurely foundwhich I was struck with the sight of the furniture, which vividly recalled European comfort and civilization The furniture was quite plain, merely a table and chairs, but to my unaccustos towards whichYes, these lifeless, homely objects of daily use see at thes of life A newspaper on the table, the _Levant Herald_, caught my eyes next, and to seize it and devour its contents was the work of a s had happened since I had a newspaper in hest political importance, possessed an equally intense interest for ot Colonel Dol before me Dressed in a European uniform, a fine specily, but I vainly watched for a look of recognition Thus standing face to face for a few moments, the situation becaer, thirst, cold, anxiety, and the thousand trials of the journey had made incolonel failed to recall in the ragged hadji before him his for in English, ”What, Colonel, do you not recognize me?” The familiar voice dispelled like a charm his uncertainty as to who I was, and in an instant ere locked in a close e by hearsay of the perilous journey I had ventured upon, and, seeing the pitiful condition I was in, tears ofofficer's eyes

Distinctions of class, profession, or nationality, entering so largely into European life, separatingin the distant East The great West, seen at that distance, becoether by the bond of coht which obliterate the artificial lines of nationality--nay, they feel for, and treat each other as only blood relations and brothers would in Europe Colonel Dole's conduct towards me illustrated this in a conspicuous manner

His very first question, accompanied by a look of almost tender sy? what has happened to you?” -lost brother who had found his way hoain I saw the terrible alterations and the sad havoc which hardshi+ps had made inlooks He was alistener to the story ofwhen I rose to leave hi the four weeks I stayed in Meshed, and although I dare say I occasioned hi in his zeal for ely contribute to ly pleasant one but to his generosity and active friendshi+p I was chiefly indebted for the means which enabled our and a cheerful mind And no matter what unpleasantnesses the interest he bore ood humour and friendly conduct to me remained unaltered

Upon e, I felt, above all, the necessity of recuperating sohts of the city The first few days, therefore, I entirely devoted to rest, a species of _dolce far niente_ which did infinite good to both body andthe other After my few days' rest I returned with redoubled interest to the main duty of a traveller, to see, observe, inquire, and reme in such a variety of curiosities as may be seen here Indeed I was sorely puzzled which way first to turnalike to the student of history, the curious in holy things, and the literary in

Probably led by the dervish instinct, developed inthe Sahni Sherif, looking about ned ad Seids did not fail to discover the stranger and the Sunnite pilgrim in me; and I was soon surrounded by them, each anxious to acquaint me with the notable features and wonders of the holy tomb That the sanctuary at which Conolly, Fraser, Burnes, Chanikoff, nay, the official Eastwick hilance, was thrown open to ry descendants of the Prophet, involuntarily recurred to my mind as I declined the services proffered by thee I had gone through had strangely palledto Islamism, and I felt relieved when I was left to aged by theto the left of the Sahn, and the splendid s surpasses in nificence and richness the most renowned tori those of Medina, Nedjef, Kerbela and kuold inside and outside Much of its forone, and many of its richest ornaments have been carried away at different periods of tihans and others Since the monument was first erected it has been several times plundered Meshed suffered most at the hands of Abdul Mu it at the head of the Uzbegs, the city was sacked and its inhabitants carried into slavery It was laid waste again by the Afghans, and at different tiolden ball on the top of the do four hundred pounds, is said to have been removed by the ireat price passed, in later times, into the unhallowed possession of the rebel leader Salar But in spite of the ruthless conduct of foreign enemies and the violence of intestine war, the tomb still harbours an immense amount of treasure The walls of the monument are fairly resplendent with jewels and trinkets of the rarest kinds offered up to their favourite saint by the devout shi+-ites The eye is dazzled by the splendour of the pious gifts, consisting of precious ornaear shaped like a plumed crest (_djikka_) of diamonds, a shi+eld and sabre studded with rubies and eht, costly bracelets, and necklaces of incalculable value

The sight without and the sights within court a like amount of ad, now in one, now in the other direction Without the cupola and the toith their rich incrustations of gold, within theof silver, the artistically stained s, the construction of the doance in form, and rich Oriental carpet stuffs with diamonds and precious stones woven into the interest

This cold and glittering accu in the touch of huroups within were not ratify their curiosity They were pious visitors at a holy shrine, with silent devotion sta ecstasy, enthusiasm, deep contrition, huious joy and sadness, which none so well as the faces of Islamite devotees kno to express or simulate; whilst to their lips rose uttural yells, their chests were heaving ild sobs

Those who did not know their prayers by heart, or could not read from the tablets inscribed with the, had theed to All seem anxious to propitiate the divinity by acts and prayers of praise or hus of the blessed and happy One all-absorbing feeling seems to inspire at such a moment men of all races and classes alike, whether they be lords, merchants, or servants--the cautious dwellers in Central Asia, the shrewd uileless Turks, or the ferocious Bakhtiaris and Kurds None are too high or too low for the performance of acts of pious tenderness; the sons of Khans, the Mirzas and the poor peasantsand sublime spectacle, indeed, to see these sons of Asia, both rude and refined, pressing forward to kiss, with unfeigned hu froround itself

Of the mosque of Gowher Shah, which I visited next, the Persians say with great justice, that whilst the eous, the mosque far surpasses it architecturally The mosque is situated in the salazed tiles) enters largely into the structure inside and outside, and there is an artistic beauty about it which more than compensates for the coold and silver The lofty portal is adn, and the rich colouring it derives from the many-hued and brilliant kashi+ work, especially when lit up by the rays of the sun The gate is of the sa ars, who all went in the sa, I went to the refectory of Imam Riza, or as the natives call it, _Ashbaz Khanei Hazret_ (the kitchen of his Highness) The Hazret, so his Holiness is entitled, _par excellence_, enjoys the reputation of being immensely rich He is very hospitable, and every new-couest; but this hospitality is lirieerly avail thehness's expense The convenience of the guest is cared for on a very large scale, and the vast -houses and soap-boiling houses, of which his Highness is the owner, is put in ers flocking to the Hazret I could not resist the te one more experience to those for which I was indebted to uise I squatted down, unheeded in the riht in by a troop of servants Rancid fat and daed rice, of the kind of which I had already collected reh to last ave hness I pretended to be as eager about fishi+ng outabout with ht it best to save my appetite for a reediness, so characteristic of the Persians, induce , not so ht of asylu to him, as to the vast and fabulous wealth of which he is supposed to be the owner

An accident led me to discover the precarious condition in which the Jeere living in Meshed I met one day in the streets of Meshed a former fellow-traveller of mine, on my journey frohim to be a Jew, ”Yehudi, Yehudi” He hurriedly came up to me and said confidentially in a low voice: ”For God's sake, Hadji, do not callto my nation, but here I ain of persecution fanned by bigotry and fanaticise of by murderers and robbers

The cause of their present distress and their fear of being recognized as Jews dates froo in Meshed A Persian doctor, as consulted by a Jewess about an eruption on her hand, advised her to plunge her hands into the entrails of a newly-slaughtered dog She took his advice, and had one of those unhappy street scavengers of the East killed in order to try the cure prescribed to her Unfortunately she had this done on the very day on which the Mohammedans celebrated the Eidi Kurban (Feast of Sacrifice)