t, two changes of clothes and underclothing, a warm
coat, and a rug--all, except what I wore, packed in a Tatar bag. In a
small leather bag suspended by a strap from the shoulder I kept a
revolver, a sketch-book, a note-book, and two maps of Persia. Baki
Khanoff had a large cloak, a silver-mounted gun, and a dagger. Half the
money we had was sewed up in belts round our waists. The equipment was
therefore small for a journey of 2000 miles, through Persia and back.

For two days and a night we were compelled by a violent storm on the
Caspian Sea to wait on board before the vessel could take us to the
Persian coast. As soon as we landed we were surrounded by Persians, who,
with loud voices and lively gestures, extolled the good qualities of
their horses. After a cursory examination we chose two small, squat
steeds, secured our baggage behind the saddles, mounted, and rode
through dark woods and fragrant olive groves higher and higher towards
the Elburz Mountains.

We passed a night up on the heights in a village called Karzan. When we
set out next day it was snowing fast, and had snowed so thickly all
night that all the country was buried under deep drifts. We muffled
ourselves up as well as we could, mounted our horses, and rode on,
accompanied by their owner.

The snow fell silently in large, whirling flakes. Down in the valley it
melted off our clothes, but higher up on the open, windy heights it
froze to a cake of ice, and before long our clothes on the windward side
were converted into a thick cuirass which prevented every movement. At
last we were practically frozen fast in the saddle. Our hands were
benumbed, the reins fell on the horses' necks, our eyes were sore from
the snowstorm which dashed straight into our faces. I was so stiff that
I lost all feeling in my arms and legs, tumbled off my horse, and went
on foot, but I had to hold on to the animal's tail lest I should lose my
way in the blinding snow.

We could not go on long in this way, for we could not see where we were
going, so we decided to turn in at the first village on the road. Some
squalid huts soon came in sight through the snow. Outside one of them we
tied up our horses, shook off the snow, and entered a dark cabin with an
earthen floor. Here a large fire was lighted, and we sat down beside it
in a close circle with some other travellers who arrived at the same
time. The place had a low roof and was small, damp, and full of vermin,
but at any r