1 48 TABREEZ. 



dents are in the habit of camping-out during the hot 

 weather ; to have explored the peninsula of Shahi, said to 

 afford the best sport in this part of Persia ; and to have 

 ridden round the southern shores of the lake to Urmia, 

 which was described to us as a very pretty place. A 

 colony of American missionaries — who make it their special 

 aim to encourag'e and assist the Nestorian Christians 

 found in this part of Persia — has settled there, and estab- 

 lished schools and a church. Time, however, was against 

 us, and we made up our minds to return by the same 

 road to Erivan, and not to risk delay or stoppage at one 

 of the less-frequented fords of the Araxes. 



Before we left, we were anxious to obtain some me- 

 mentoes of our visit to Persia, and, afraid of coping 

 unaided with the native merchants, gave a list of things 

 we had remarked in the bazaars, and wished to purchase, 

 to one of the European residents, who promised to put us 

 in the way of getting them at fair prices. We went by 

 appointment to his office, where we met a sort of market- 

 committee, each of whom had brought something to show 

 us. One man dealt in Shiraz shawls, another in Pescht 

 tablecloths, a third in Bokhara lambskins. There were 

 some half-dozen in all. They sat in a semicircle before 

 us, and when one brought out any ' choice article,' all the 

 rest nodded their heads, and uttered a deep ' wa-ah ' of 

 admiration. One toothless old fellow, a dealer in swords 

 and antiques, who might have sat for a picture of Avarice, 

 was most demonstrative in praise of his neighbours' wares, 

 and altogether upset our gravity by his pantomimic ex- 

 pressions of delight. Our bargains were at last con- 

 cluded, and a box was packed and directed to London, 

 not without some fears (unfounded as it turned out), as to 

 whether we should ever see it again. 



Jiine 2nd. — We ordered post-horses to be ready at 

 7 A.M., and succeeded in getting oS an hour- later, amidst 



