252 
ARBAB. 
The next day’s march was to Arbab, pleasantly situated in a deep 
valley close to a beautiful stream, that winds between two ranges of high 
rocky mountains, and takes its rise, as a peasant informed me, eight 
fursungs off, on a bearing of nearly due south. We remarked the 
simple construction of an aqueduct made to conduct water from one 
side of the river to the other, which was done by means of wooden 
troughs, sustained by stakes driven into the bed of the river. 
We then reached Konak kerran, Turkish words, that mean the slayer of 
guests. In travelling from Arbab to this place we came to a very steep 
ascent over a rocky and dangerous road, which forced us all to dis¬ 
mount from our horses, whilst the takhteravan or litter in which the 
Ambassadress was borne, was taken off the mules and carried on the 
shoulders of peasants, who had been previously sent to the spot for 
the purpose. The English servant maid, who rode in the kejaweh, or 
hamper, wanted also to get out and walk up the steep, but her Persian 
conductor would not let her, for he drove his mule up the dangerous 
path, exclaiming, “ Yes, indeed, if I were to let you out, what would 
“ there be to balance the boxes on the other side?” The fellow in 
treating our countrywoman just as he would have done his own, by 
this single trait spoke the sentiments of all Persians towards the 
soft sex. 
