'Through Persia on a side-saddle' [‎306] (349/360)

306 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
leave the track and plunge into the deep snow at the
side. We noticed, with some anxiety, that the sky was
covered with grey clouds and had a steely blue line on the
horizon ; but our muleteer was positive that it would not
snow: nevertheless, fine flakes began to descend as we
picked our way to the chaparkhana of Masrah, dirty and
tumbled-down, with its balakhana in ruins.
We knew that a fall of snow would probably block the
Kharzin Pass over the Elburz Range, which was the
crux of our journey, and we by no means relished a lengthy
sojourn in two small rooms, reported to be infested with
the poisonous bugs for which Masrah is notorious. How
ever, the snow was falling fast when we woke next
morning, and a heavy white pall rested low on the hills,
making it impossible to see many feet ahead; while
the track was completely obliterated by six inches of
snow.
In spite of this we hoped to start, but our charvadar
and the other muleteers declared it would be as much as
their lives were worth to make the attempt, and even
refused to try and get to the little village of Kharzan,
only six miles off and at the top of the pass.
We were thankful that we had allowed a spare day for
our journey, as otherwise we should have missed the
steamer at Enzeli, and were yet more thankful when the
morrow dawned clear and bright, and we left our dirty,
stuffy refuge and started off at J.ys a.m. to do the worst
part of our ride. Our horses stepped briskly in single
file along a narrow track, beaten down on the crisp, frozen
snow, and we felt that at this rate the ride to Kharzan,
where we intended to lunch, would be a mere bagatelle.
Ahead of us were some fifty or sixty mules and donkeys.