248 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



images was forbidden in the Book, and they there- 

 fore strictly forbade the Faithful purchasing his 

 manufactures. Still undaunted, he determined to 

 try some other line of business, and put himself 

 as apprentice to a German watchmaker at Tiflis, 

 and in the prosecution of his studies in this branch 

 he ultimately found his way to Teheran. Here an 

 ambassador arrived on his road to Kokaun (near the 

 Chinese frontier), and delighted my poor friend be- 

 yond measure by offering to take him to Kokaun ; 

 "for," said he, "though perhaps the bigoted fools 

 may refuse my images, still they will eagerly pur- 

 chase my clocks ; and, thank God, at any rate I 

 can hardly fear to find a rival at Kokaun in either 

 branch." 



The man cannot read, but he is shrewd, and has 

 promised me to keep a list of his bearings and dis- 

 tances on this journey, which has never before been 

 travelled by a European. He says that though he 

 cannot write any known language, still he has in- 

 vented a system of hieroglyphics of his own, so 

 that, "if I ever get back to you, I shall be able to 

 explain my notes." 



It may be as well, now that this journey from 

 Herat is over, to make a few remarks respecting 

 it. The fatigue was certainly very great, but I 

 know not whether the climate of Herat has improved 

 my constitution, or whether habit has made me in- 

 different to many little comforts but I did not 



