"عبر بلاد فارس على سرج ركوب جانبي" [‎٨] (٣٦٠/٣٥)

8 THROUGH PERSIA ON A SIDE-SADDLE
oilcloth, large, light, and strong, yet folding into an absurdly
small compass. They could be repaired easily, and even
when considerably damaged were still fit for use.
As the nights were very cold, we were not greatly
troubled by small nocturnal visitors, which consist of three
species, each one worse than the last! They swarm in the
rotten matting, which covers the floors of the post houses,
and rendered sleep quite impossible when I came this way,
some two years later, in warm October weather. On that
occasion I could indeed have echoed the words of the
Frenchman, tormented in like manner, who exclaimed,
" Ce n'est pas la piqure dont je me plains, c'est la prome
nade !"
On the second day's march all the baggage was started
off on the mules by half-past seven, and we ourselves
mounted the sorry post-horses about ten o'clock, and
slowly wound up among the hills.
They were thickly wooded with trees gorgeous in their
autumn gold and scarlet, masses of maidenhair fern and
hart's-tongue clustered about pretty waterfalls, and here
and there long grass £ rides' stretched away among the
trees, reminding us much of the New Forest.
Very soon the steep part of the road began, and at
times we had to climb veritable precipices, the horses find
ing foothold up these stony staircases with marvellous
skill. For my part I did not attempt to guide my steed,
but gave him his head, clung to his mane, and fervently
trusted that he would not slip back. I should have much
preferred to scramble up on foot, but this was impossible,
as the whole place was a sea of liquid mud. Coming
downhill was far worse, as the horses had to pick their way
over and among great boulders greasy with mire. Fortu-