'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎211] (246/360)

THROUGH THE DESERT TO BAM PUR AND PAHRA 211
place, and push on to meet the Persian Commissioner
and his suite.
Our servants were almost as excited as if we had been
entering Tehran, smartening themselves up and polishing
saddles and bridles for our horses to look their best; for
as we were to be met by an istakbal, sent by the Governor
of Baluchistan, we must muster an imposing array to
make an effective entry into the town, the position of a
traveller in the East being high or low in proportion to
the number of his followers. A cavalry escort in non
descript apparel, but armed with rifles, closed in behind
us, and about a farsakh from the masses of date-groves
hiding the town the istakbal appeared, headed by the
Governor's nephew, a good-looking young man in a
lavender cloth frock-coat adorned with brass buttons.
White horses with silver collars and trappings were led
before us, and, surrounded by a crew of men in the
shabbiest of clothing, mounted on the veriest screws con
ceivable, we rode forward very slowly in the direction of
a huge, square, castellated enclosure having mud towers
at intervals, and much resembling a caravanserai A roadside inn providing accommodation for caravans (groups of travellers). . Outside
this fort the Governor's army was drawn up to welcome
us, clad in grey cotton coats and trousers, while the strains
of our National Anthem burst forth from the band,
gorgeous in a parti-coloured blue and red uniform,
profusely braided in yellow. Though "God save the
Queen" was played with queer variations, yet we could
not but be touched with the compliment to our Sovereign.
Our tents were pitched on a stony plain not far from
the large Persian camp. There was abundance of water
in the place, and I was charmed with my first view of
Faraj, with its cool, shady groves of palms, rippling