The Geographical Journal (Journal of the Royal Geographical Society): Volume X, No. 6 [‎90v] (33/186)

572
RECENT JOURNEYS IN PERSIA.
Strips of carpet are stretched round wherever there are joinings in
the felt, and altogether, when the fire is lit on the hearth, one enjoys a
feeling of real comfort.
I had a letter of introduction from Colonel Stewart for my host,
and in it my plan of travelling up the Atrek was mentioned. Moussa
at first, however, utterly declined to help me, averring that I was
sure to be robbed, if not killed, in which case he would be held re
sponsible by the Persian Government. He was also at a loss to know
the object of my journey, and, as Colonel Stewart had not mentioned
that I was an officer travelling on leave, I told him that I was a Pellow
of the Royal Geographical Society. When he found out that the object
of this Society was the collection of geographical information, he could
not conceal his contempt for a body which existed solely for this purpose,
while I am afraid that he thought me mentally weak for taking so much
trouble without the hope of making money thereby. For three days
nothing was settled, a hot discussion being eternally carried on in
Turkish, until I told him that if he would not help me, he would
lower his reputation for hospitality in Europe—this is always a terrible
threat—and, as I also presented him with a revolver, he finally agreed
to send me on to the Atrek, where further arrangements would be
made.
It was across the snowy steppe that we marched, after bidding fare
well to our host at the ford of the Gurgan, or Wolf river, which is
apparently the same as Hyrcania, the Greek name for this district.
After a long day we sighted the Atrek, and were glad to reach an
encampment, as the snow was falling somewhat heavily. In the morning
I was informed that forage for the next five stages must be bought, as
none could be procured further on. This was followed by an intimation
that I must purchase a camel for £40 to carry it. Fortunately, I guessed
that the desire to sell me a camel at five times its value was the reason
for the alleged scarcity of barley, so I declined to do anything but move
on. This was not so easy, as the Yomut Turkomans are very loth to
speed the parting guest without first fleecing him, so that it was noon
before the march was resumed, more or less parallel to the yellow-
coloured Atrek, to which river, as to the Tiber, the epithet of “ flavus ”
is most appropriate. Our way lay across what should be a fertile
country, but the treeless, snow-covered steppe looked extremely dreary,
and, to add to our discomfort, no meat was procurable, as all the sheep
were dying of some disease, and we had, consequently, to depend upon
shooting a few pigeons, which were hard to approach.
For two or three days we were accompanied by a “ mollah,” or priest,
and, under his guidance, we steadily ascended the left bank of the
Atrek, as far as a point opposite Chat, where we forded the river, and
followed up the right bank through a mass of low hills. Our escort
consisted of three or four Turkomans, who, whenever they met another