The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎99v] (51/186)

590
RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.
after my first journey, I again entered Kerman. Here our parly 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 hearing 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 the
faithful Sultan Sukhru with me as a reward for his excellent work, and
reaching London late in June.
After four months at home, spent in comjnling my second journey,
I was appointed to be the first consul for Kerman and Persian
Baluchistan, 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 in 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 Sardu,
so as to trace out Marco Polo’s route, and we had a most delightful trip
while occupied with this task, 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 8000 feet was perfection. However, we
were forced to return home by quick marches to meet H.E.H. the
Farman Farma, who was once again appointed governor of the province,
and the autumn was spent at Kerman, as we found interesting occu
pation in trying to unravel the ancient history of that city. I can
not say we were unsuccessful, as our offers of a reward for old stones
and curios produced a number of reflet tiles, and I am proud to state
that we captured a wasp unknown to science, when collecting insects
for a friend.
In January, 1896, telegraphic orders came for me to join Colonel,
now Sir Hungerford, Holdich on the Perso-Beluch frontier, which instruc
tions I should have been quite unable to obey, without considerable delay,
had not my kind friend, the Farman Farma, lent me his own transport.