Correspondence and Papers on Persia [‎163r] (79/245)

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deserted in a body, but, as there was plenty to occupy us in exploring
the range, this did not prove to be a serious blow.
It took us three days to scale the great peak, so deep was the snow .
but at last we arrived at the summit, and set up the plane-table at an
altitude of 11,210 feet above the sea. We were on what is generally
supposed to be an extinct volcano, and it is interesting to note that even
here there is a legend of a saint called Kedr, who still lives in the
mountain, just as in Greek mythology a giant is imprisoned beneath
Etna.
Upon returning to Basman, we enjoyed excellent moufflon-shooting,
until the Farman Farma sent some of his transp jrt for our use, and we
rejoined him at Bampur. In his company we travelled along the un
explored tract of country where the Bampur river and the Halil Rud
mingle their waters in the Jaz Morian. Additional interest was felt
by us, knowing it to have been the road that Alexander the Great used
in his march from India.
Upon arrival in Rudbar, we turned northwards and left the Farman
Farma, in order to explore the site of Marco Polos Camadi, where the
china exhibited in the next room, together with the seals and other
ourios, were all dug up. We came upon a huge area littered with yellow
bricks 8 feet square, while not even a broken wall is left to mark the
site of what was formerly a great city.
It was now late in March, so we were only too glad to traverse the
Jabal Bariz range and gain the elevated plateau of Iran, and, just a year
after my first journey, I again entered Kerman. Here our party broke
up, Surgeon-Major Brazier Creagh returning to India by Bunder Abbas,
while I continued my journey towards Tehran.
At Yezd I was most hospitably entertained by the manager of the
Imperial Bank of Persia, and at Tehran, Mr. Coningham Greene, Her
Majesty’s charge d’affaires, not only made me free of the Legation, but
also presented me to H.I.M. the late Shah, who was interested at hear
ing about so remote a corner of his empire.
I travelled to England in rather over a fortnight by the newly
opened line from Petrovsk, on the Caspian sea, taking my faithful plane-
tabler with me as a reward for his excellent work, reaching London late
in June.
After four months at home, during which my second journey was
compiled, I was appointed to be the first consul for Kerman and Persian
Beluchistan, and, accompanied by my sister, who shared my future
wanderings throughout, we reached Tehran at the end of 1894.. We
there spent a most delightful winter, enjoying the kind hospitality of
Sir Mortimer and Lady Durand, so that it was a great wrench to leave
all civilization behind and start forth on the long journey of 600 miles,
which lay between us and my district.
As far as Kashan, we followed my route of 1894, but for the onward
march to Yezd I kept a good deal to the east, passing through Natunz
and Kuhpa. Thereby I was able to fill in a large blank that has
existed on the map quite close to Ispahan, while, as so often happens m
Persia, I found the district to be quite as populous as the one bordering
the main road.
Kerman was reached at the end of March, and for some months we
were busy enough, what with consular work and settling down.
When, however, it grew hot in June, I determined to explore bar u,
so as to trace out Marco Polo’s route, and we had a most delightful trip,
during which we scaled the highest peak of the Lalazar range, 13,700
feet above sea-level-no mean feat for a lady to accomplish. There was
also the best of moufflon-shooting, and we picked up several carpets
woven by the nomads, while the climate at an altitude of over
feet was perfection.
However, we were forced to return home by quick march(* to meet
H.R.H. the Farman Farma, who was once again governor of the pro
vince, and the autumn was spent at Kerman, as we found interest g
occupation in trying to unravel the ancient history of that city,
not say we were very successful, as our offers of a reward for o
and curios only produced a number of reflet tiles, a selection owe
you will see in the next room. . . . .
In January, 1896, telegraphic orders came for me to join Co -me