602 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1913. 



Pusht-i-Kuh is divided into districts parceled out among the sev- 

 eral tribes. Each tribe has its warm lands and its cold lands, admin- 

 istered by a chief who as a rule does not belong to the family of the 

 vahli, but is chosen by him, some descendant of old servants of his 

 household. 



In all Pusht-i-Kuh there is not a single permanent village, the 

 entire life of ever^^ one being passed in tents on account of the very 

 mild climate of the country. 



The vahli owns a winter residence near the Turkish frontier (Hus- 

 seinieh). The house, built in the midst of date and orange groves, 

 is adorned with numerous representations of massacres of wild goats,^ 

 a decoration whose origin dates back probably to the time of the 

 Elamite Kings of Susa.^ Another residence, much larger and built 

 in the mountain, was intended for summer sojourns. But it is 

 always hot at Pusht-i-Kuh; and since they carefully choose their 

 encampments for varied seasons, they obtain an equal temperature 

 during the 12 months of the year. Thus Hussein Kuli Kahn, always 

 living in a tent, his two houses fell into ruins. 



I have on many occasions passed entire months at Pusht-i-Kuh and 

 often some weeks near the home^ (Husseinabad) of this old man, who 

 with good reason considered me as his friend. " What a misfortune 

 that you can not be a Mussulman," said he to me one day, and there 

 was in this remark the highest compliment, the most sincere that 

 could come from the mouth of a Mohammedan. 



Never did Hussein Kuli Kahn come out of his harem before mid- 

 day. Then he mounted a horse and often invited me to accompany 

 him on his rides. The little troop included, besides ourselves, the 

 minister of the vahli, his sons, some cavalry, and a few servants, one 

 of whom carried the kalian * hung on the flanks of his horse, as well 

 as the necessary burning brasier, while another servant had in saddle- 

 bags the samovar ■' tea, sugar, and all the apparatus for making Per- 

 sian tea. 



We rode along for about an hour, then rested in the shade to take 

 tea, and the vahli began to dispose of some current business matters. 

 The minister read the letters recently received, Hussein Kuli Khan 

 dictated the replies, and taking from his pocket a small cloth bag 

 drew from it his seal,*^ which the minister immediately carefully 



1 The representation of the wild goat played an important r61e in Susian decorative art 

 from the most ancient times down to the Assyrian conquest. 



2 The goat lives in great numbers in a wild state on Mount Kfibir. 



3 The amalah is the camp, the residence of the chief of the tribe. 



* What the Turks call " naigileh," more common than the Persian name. 



* The use of the samovar, which the Russians got from the Tartars, has spread through- 

 out Persia, Mesopotamia, and a great part of Turkey, as well in the homes of the nomads 

 among the sedentary population. 



•Among orientals the seal is equivalent to the signature; it Is therefore preserved with 

 the greatest care. 



