'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎72] (103/360)

CHAPTER VI
housekeeping at kerman
W e began our new life at Kerman at the end of March,
the most charming season of the year in Persia, before the
heat of summer has scorched up all the flowers and
vegetables.
During the previous October we had sent off our stores
and luggage from London via Karachi to Bunder Abbas,
on the Persian Gulf The historical term used to describe the body of water between the Arabian Peninsula and Iran. , and as this port is only a fifteen days'
journey from Kerman, it was a disappointment, on our
arrival at the latter town, to find that not more than half
our baggage had reached its destination.
Our glass and china, piano, camera and pictures, with
many other treasures, were still at the coast, nor could
repeated letters to the Custom House officials and Persian
agents there bring our belongings to Kerman before the
end of September; while the piano only turned up half
way through January of the following year, just three days
before we left our home for good!
I had started life in Persia, however, with a firm
determination not to worry more than was strictly need
ful, and so was not greatly overcome when I discovered
that some of my dresses were ruined by bilge-water
getting into the packing-cases, our consignment of wax
72