he poorer class. The trade is
of little importance. There are silk manufactures in nearly every
province. Cotton and woollen fabrics, carpets, shawls, and felt goods
are largely produced; and the trade is carried on between the chief
towns of Persia with the interior of Asia by caravans. They exchange
these goods for cloth, printed calico, tea, coffee, and fancy goods.
Teheran in the north is the capital and the most important place;
Ispahan is in the centre, Shiraz in the south, and Bushire is the
principal seaport on the gulf.

"The government is an absolute monarchy of the most pronounced kind,
though somewhat influenced by the priests, the dread of private
vengeance, and insurrection. Taxation is heavy, and very burdensome to
the subjects. Persia has a standing army of 200,000, but it is said to
exist largely on paper. Incidentally you have learned considerable about
the history of the country, and I shall not go over it. The present
shah, as he is called, is Nasr ed-din, born in 1831. He ought to be a
progressive monarch, for he has visited England and France several
times."

The professor retired, and the conference adjourned till afternoon.

CHAPTER XXIX

VIEW OF MOUNT SINAI IN THE DISTANCE

When the professor concluded his lecture for the forenoon, the audience
scattered, some of them feeling the need of more exercise; but Captain
Ringgold went to the pilot-house. Like the cabin passengers, he
immediately gave his attention to the mountains of the peninsula; for
the African shore was little better than a blank, with nothing there
worthy of notice. The pilot was an intelligent man, and he proceeded to
question him in regard to the peaks in sight.

Just then there was nothing difficult in the navigation; and Twist, the
quartermaster, was at the wheel, steering the course which had been
given out, south south-west half west. The pilot knew the mountains as
though they had been old friends of his for a lifetime. It did not take
the commander long to learn his lesson; and he returned to the deck,
where the passengers were gazing at the lofty points, thirty to forty
miles distant, but still very distinctly seen in the clear air of the
day. As soon as the captain appeared they gathered around him. He had
ordered all the spy-glasses on board to be brought out, and those who
had opera or field glasses had been to their staterooms for them.

"Isn't it time to see something, Captain Ringgold?" asked Mrs. Be