116 BAGHDAD TO KERMANSHAH. 



to which they are destined, hence its additional im- 

 portance as a commercial centre. The usual discrepancy 

 is of course found in the various estimates of its popula- 

 tion. The province of which it is the capital, and which 

 bears the same name, is said to have a total population 

 of from 300,000 to 350,000, and the town itself is prob- 

 ably responsible for about 50,000. In Lord Curzon's 

 'Persia' it is put at 20,000, while Mrs Bishop, writing 

 about the same time, gives 25,000. The information 

 from the three different sources from which I sought to 

 ascertain the approximate figure was of doubtful value, 

 as may be judged by the results : (l) 100,000 (Turkish 

 Consul); (2) 60,000 (Mr H. Babino) ; (3) 40,000- 

 50,000 (Baron Weydel, chief of the customs of Western 

 Persia). The bazaars are fairly large and well stocked 

 with goods from Europe, though of the whole bulk of 

 the trade which passes through only a small proportion 

 remains in the city. 



At one end of the town is an open space known as 

 the gun square, planted with trees, some of which 

 could tell unpleasant tales. Two poplars growing 

 close together immediately outside the bank premises 

 had played the part of an extemporary scaffold 

 three years before. The criminal, suspended upside- 

 down, with one leg fastened to each tree trunk, was 

 slowly cut open with a pair of scissors ! This was in 

 the days of the Ala-ed-Dowleh, since promoted to the 

 governorship of Farz, who must be of similar stamp to 

 the genial governor of Arabistan, who, on hearing that 

 the British Minister had lost some saddles in his 

 district, hastened to assure him that there was no 

 cause for annoyance, since in the event of the saddles 

 not being immediately restored, the skins of the villagers 

 would make excellent substitutes ! I was only in the 

 town a few days, but felt I was lucky not to witness 



