d in the landau or 65 lbs.
in other carriages, and this weight must be in small packages, one is
compelled to hire a second conveyance, a _fourgon_, which can carry 650
lbs. Every pound exceeding these weights is charged for at the rate of
two shillings for every 131/2 lbs. of luggage. The luggage is weighed with
great accuracy before starting from Resht, and on arrival in Teheran.
Care is taken to exact every half-penny to which the company is entitled
on luggage fares, and much inconvenience and delay is caused by the
Persian officials at the scales. It is advisable for the traveller to be
present when the luggage is weighed, to prevent fraud.

It may be noticed that to travel the 200 miles, the distance from Resht
to Teheran, the cost, without counting incidental expenses, tips
(amounting to some L3 or more), etc.,

L _s._ _d._ L _s._ _d._ L _s._ _d._
Landau, 11 16 7 plus toll, 1 8 0 13 4 7
Fourgon, 10 0 10 plus toll, 1 13 2 11 14 0
------------
Total L24 18 7

which is somewhat high for a journey of only 72 to 80 hours.

This strikes one all the more when one compares it with the journey of
several thousand miles in the greatest of luxury from London across
Holland, Germany, Russia, and the Caspian to Enzeli, which can be covered
easily by three five-pound notes.

As every one knows, the road from Piri-Bazaar to Kasvin and Teheran was
opened for wheel traffic in January 1899.

I am told that in 1899--before the road was completed--a Persian
speculator offered the sum of L200 a day to be paid in cash every
evening, for the contract of the tolls. The offer was most emphatically
refused, as the daily tolls even at that time amounted to between L270
and L300.

In these last three years the road has developed in a most astounding
manner, and the receipts, besides being now considerably greater, are
constantly increasing. The Russian shareholders and Government can indeed
fairly congratulate themselves on the happy success which their
well-thought-out investment has fairly won them.

CHAPTER VI

A journey by landau and four--Picturesque
coachman--Tolls--Intense moisture--Luxuriant
vegetation--Deschambe Bazaar--The silk industry of Ghilan--The
cultivation and export of rice--The Governor's
energy--Agricultur