Journey in Fars, S.W. Persia. 509 



oak-wood at an elevation of some 7500 feet. Here I wished 

 to camp, but for want of food and water was unable to do 

 so, and I could only blame myself for putting trust in the 

 assertions of the nmleteer, whose knowledge of this part of 

 the country was supposed to be profound, but whose fertile 

 imagination regarding streams and villages greatly outran 

 the truth. However, we were able to return to this spot 

 well equipped later, and meanwhile we passed on and 

 soon reached the eastern limit of the oak-wood, which 

 stopped abruptly and gave way to an undulating grassy 

 country. Here, again, the bird-life suddenly changed and 

 Nuthatches and Tits were replaced like magic by Larks and 

 Buntings. 



On reaching Sliul we struck south-westwards across a 

 great grassy plateau at an altitude of over 7000 feet. As 

 we were climbing up this plateau the muleteers came running 

 to me with a circumstantial tale about a band of GOO robbers 

 who were lying in wait for us at the top. We had experi- 

 enced many robber-scares, but had never yet seen one brigand 

 in the flesh, so I told the muleteers that it was a good thing 

 that there were 600 robbers, for now we should surely see 

 them. At this they laughed heartily, and naively confessed 

 that they had only sought to frighten the Sahib, as they 

 wished to go straight to Shiraz. It was not of much use to 

 explain to them that I was going back to Dasht-i-arjan for 

 the sole purpose of getting the nest of a tiny bird (Phyllo~ 

 scopus neglectus), which was unfinished and eggiess a fort- 

 night before. The result, however, was worth the two (lays' 

 detour. 



Personally I was glad to leave Dasht-i-arjan for the 

 second and last time, for it was a wonderful place Lor sudden 

 and frequent thunderstorms, and after getting wet through I 

 g< uerally had fever — of a mild character, but always annoy- 

 ing. Two days' journey through a barren and dusty country 

 brought us to Shiraz, where all again was green. 



At Shiraz we received the greatesl possible kindness from 

 Mr. J. Wartenby, who entertained us most hospitably in the 

 Bagh-i-Mallock, the charming compound of the [udo- 



