'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎60] (91/360)

60 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
there was any considerable population, a guard of honour
came out to greet the Consul. This consisted of ten men
armed with guns, and wearing for uniform short blue
cotton coats with red cotton shoulder-straps, which had
a comical effect, as their long Persian coats, worn under
neath, hung far below them. Their leader carried a stick
and had the distinction of sporting brass buttons on his
coat. They drew up as we rode towards them, attempting
a salute—not a brilliant success, as they persisted in
bowing at the same time—and then they marched proudly
in front of us towards the town, hopping at intervals to
keep step with one another. All the inhabitants turned
out to stare at us as we passed through the mud gateway,
but our odd escort struck out at them vigorously until
they disappeared, only to reappear in our wake. We
were conducted to our quarters, an unfinished mud house
in a so-called garden, with unplastered walls, no fastenings
on the doors, and no glass in the windows. As a high
wind was blowing up clouds of dust from the surrounding
desert, this was by no means an ideal resting-place ; yet
a Yezd acquaintance, chaparing down to Kerman on
business, was thankful to put up with us, instead of stopping
at the caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). . His eyes were sore from the dust,
and he was much fatigued with his rapid journey, as he
usually left at one o'clock every morning, reaching his
night s quarters late in the afternoon.
It may not be amiss here to explain the difference
between this fast mode of travel by post-horses and our
slow one by caravan. To go by the latter is a somewhat
leisurely proceeding, but to my mind the most pleasant
conceivable of making a journey when the weather is good,
and the servants, horses, and supplies ditto. The other