came to a section of a tower,
heptagonal in form, which had just been dug out to a depth of 4 feet by
the natives of the village of Zaidan. The Katkhuda--who could have given
points to an Irishman--told us that this was the tomb of the renowned
legendary "Forty Saints of Zaidan," and added, that they numbered
forty-four! On being asked why it was called the tomb of the forty saints
if their number was forty-four, he did not lose his presence of mind, but
explained that four had been added afterwards when this sacred spot had
already received its legendary name.

[Illustration: East View of the Zaidan Citadel.]

For a very long time the Zaidan people had searched for this sacred spot,
and they seemed very proud to have discovered it. It is called by them
_Chil-pir_, or the "forty saints." As the tower is not large enough to
contain them all, a number of them are said to be buried in the immediate
neighbourhood to the south and west of the structure, and the Katkhuda,
to prove his words, showed us some three graves, more elaborate than the
rest. There were also others that were anxiously searched for, but had
not been located yet.

The graves which I was shown were entirely of kiln-burnt bricks, and so
was the wall of the tower itself, as can be seen by a portion of it
showing in the illustration facing page 218, behind the marble
inscription and columns.

Since its discovery the natives had made this into a _Ziarat_ or shrine,
and on its western side (towards Mecca) had adorned it with a bundle of
sticks, horns, and a number of rags, or pieces of ribbon, white, red or
blue. Every Mussulman visiting it leaves an offering of a piece of cloth
generally from his coat or turban, if a man, or from the chudder or other
feminine wearing apparel if a woman.

The Katkhuda told us that a great many things had been found in digging
near here, but the more valuable ones had disappeared, sold to officials
or rich people of Sistan. A great many seals, coins, stone weapons, lamps
and pottery had been found, the latter often glazed. Innumerable
fragments of earthenware were strewn everywhere round about these ruins,
some with interesting ornamentations, generally blue on white ground. The
"parallel lines" and "heart pattern" were common, while on some fragments
of tiles could be seen quotations from the Koran in ancient Arabic. Some
pieces of tiles exhibited a very handsome blue glaze, and on some plates
the three leaf pattern, alm