182 
ISPAHAN TO TEHERAN. 
take a fresh departure. Even this became impracticable, for the 
town was not to be found. The Mehmandar then, seemingly in great 
trouble, went forward himself to seek the place, .and after much 
delay returned to us, bringing along with him a poor wretch, whose 
hands he had tied behind his back, and to whom he occasionally 
administered blows. This was our new conductor, but he was so 
much frightened, that he could not proceed, until the Envoy pledged 
himself, that he should meet with no harm; but on the contrary 
should receive a reward of fifteen tomauns , if he led us in safety to 
Kinar-a-gird. We again advanced, and were again unsuccessful ; our 
new guide was more perverse or more stupid than his predecessors, 
and we were once more obliged to return in the hope of regaining 
the caravanserai. In search of this place we roamed about four long 
and melancholy hours, hearing the cries of wanderers, as we supposed 
like ourselves, in all parts of the plain. Unfortunately we had then 
no compass with us, nor was there a star to be seen that might direct 
us. At length however we espied a light, which happily proceeded 
from the walls of our caravanserai , and guided us again to it. 
We departed again the next morning, and discovered to our sur¬ 
prise that the road, which to us had been rendered so intricate, led 
straight to the opening of the mountains through which we were to 
pass. It was impossible therefore to wander from it except pur¬ 
posely, and the Mehmander at length acknowledged that he had 
himself contrived the delay, and the mortification of the preceding 
night. The Envoy refused to speak to him, threatened a complaint 
to the King, and terrified him so effectually, that with every oath 
common to a Persian, he cursed himself as “ an old fool, and a stupid 
“ senseless wretch/' The Envoy at length relented, and assured him 
that he had nothing to fear. At the distance of six miles from Pool 
Dallauk , we entered the swamp of Kaveer , which (to its termination 
at the caravanserai called Haooz Sultan) we crossed in three hours, 
a length of ten miles. It is part of the great desert which reaches into 
Khorassany the soil of which is composed of a mixture (at least equal) 
