EMBARKED AT LAST. 151 



are still a long way from where you want to get to 

 before you can embark. 



In order to get from Kesht to Enzeli a series of 

 operations are required. First, you must bargain with 

 a carriage owner to take you over the four or five 

 miles of execrable road to Pir-i- Bazaar, a crowded 

 wharf on the banks of a small river. Here more 

 bargaining with a perspiring crowd of native boat- 

 owners, the possessors of an extraordinarily variegated 

 vocabulary, before you can be transferred to the mouth 

 of the river, where you may catch a small steamer if 

 you are lucky enough to hit upon its moment of de- 

 parture, which will then take you across the lagoon to 

 Enzeli. My river -boat failed to effect a connection 

 with the steamer, so I had perforce to be rowed across 

 the lagoon. Finally, I was officiously hurried on board 

 a small steam-launch which lay alongside the Custom- 

 house at Enzeli ; there was a piercing screech from the 

 steam-whistle, and we pushed pompously off for our 

 ship, which was said to be lying anchored in open 

 water close by. 



You would now suppose that your troubles were 

 really at an end ; but no, — once more were we to put 

 up with hope deferred. After steaming aimlessly 

 about in the open water a short distance from the 

 lagoon in a vain endeavour to find our ship, it was 

 decided that she had not arrived, — this was perfectly 

 obvious from the shore, since not a speck was visible 

 on the water, but I suppose it had not occurred to 

 any one to look first, — and we returned once more to 

 spend another weary hour or two on the landing-stage 

 at Enzeli. It was not till near 10 p.m. that we made 

 another attempt, and were at last successful in our 

 efforts to embark. " Alhamdu lillah ! " breathed a 

 weary passenger. " Amen," said I. 



