'Journal of a Journey from Persia to India through Herat and Candahar. Also Report of a Journey to the Wahebee Capital of Riyadh in Central Arabia' [‎10r] (19/268)

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supplied with grain and vegetables. Some thirty villages are
discernible around you; and many sites of villages or forts.
Southwards, in the distance, are the Siah Koh. I could not
help figuring Alexander and his cavalry in the pass to-day.
Although I confess to remaining undecided in opinion as to which
of tho several villages and passes, with adjacent plains and forts,
may be tho gates described to us by the ancients.
My next post-house is at Kishlak, a pretty village. Some small
caravans are round the Post. They go on to-night. One of
them belongs to the family of Ibrahim, who has a note of hand
from poor Conolly. The length of the stage to Kishlak is called
seven fursacks. I mounted for it, at noon; and reached my post at
four p.m. Tho horse I rode had already carried me my one
stage. Kishlak is tho chief of a circle of villages. Every village
has its Khet-Kooda. At the chief village resides a Naib, or
Lieut.-Governor. And at Teheran resides tho Grandee by whom
tho village revenues are enjoyed during the pleasure of the Shah.
12#^ September .—Started at four a.m. for Deh Nemuck ; road
dampish after the recent rains, and gradually becoming worse
towards the half-way village of Aradar. In tho mountains to the
north is a gorge which leads up to tho district of Feroze Khoh,
and down which come the streams which make my road so
swampy. The guide got two headers; horse and all, to my great
amusement. A fellow reached me with a Persian note from
Teheran. Sent back a few lines to Watson to say I am as jolly as
a sand-boy. Met a long caravan of Bokhara Pilgrims. Such
ruffianly looking creatures: but large and sturdy, with somewhat
Tartar features. I observed only one matchlock in tho whole
caravan ; but many spears formed by sticking a spike into the hea
of a long walking stick. Two fellows had bayonets on their
sticks, stolon, I suppose, from the stragglers of the Persian
expedition, which latter tffis caravan has met en route to Morv.
Most of the Bokharians were on mules, a few on camels also.
The fellows recognised me for a Feringhee: and stared at me
proportionately. Every thing reminds me, as I pass along,