Latest information - Steam communication on the Caspian - Change of terminus to Krasnovodsk - Further improvements - Workshop at Kizil Arvat - Stations, culverts, and bridges - Oxus flotilla - Merv irrigation and the Sultan Bund - Rolling stock - The telegraph - Speed and service - Balance-sheet - Goods traffic - Organisation of Customs - Great commercial future - Facilities for English travellers - Extensions of the Transcaspian Railway - Parallel European extensions - Russian morale in Transcaspia - Administrative changes - Independence of Transcaspia - General Kuropatkin - Russian consolidation in Central Asia - The futureĪrrival at Ashkabad - Start for the frontier - History of the Ashkabad-Kuchan road - Russian section - The Border Mountains - Projected railroad - Persian section of the road - Durbadam and Imam Kuli - Zobaran to Kuchan - Reception on arrival - Hospitality of the Khan - General description - Plantation and power of the Kurds - Their character - Authority of the Ilkhani - Ruling family - The present Ilkhani - His son - His reputation - Two interviews - Appearance of Amir Husein Khan - Conversation - Question and answer - Gift to the Khan - Dinner from the Khan's kitchen - Town of Kuchan - Buildings - Native bazaars - The Kuchan principalityĬHAPTER VI: FROM KUCHAN TO KELAT-I-NADIRI Journey from Paris to Constantinople - Professor Vambéry - Tank-steamers on the Black Sea - Town and population of Batum - Daily life - Petroleum industry - Russian Custom-house - Trade and harbour - Russian military dispositions - Railway from Batum to Tiflis - Suram Tunnel works - Tiflis - Hôtel de Londres - Departure from Tiflis - Baku - Across the Caspian - General Annenkoff - Native passengers - The Desert Baghdad-Teheran route - Means of reaching Baghdad - (1) Trebizond and Samsun routes - (2) Alexandretta-Aleppo route - (3) Damascus route - (4) Persian Gulf route - Baghdad to Teheran - Mountains, cities, and monuments - Summary - Caravan equipment - Chapar-riding - Baggage - Saddlery - Kit - Bedding - Food and cooking - Medicine - Arms and ammunition - Minor suggestions - Seasons for travelling
Tiflis-Tabriz route - Tabriz to Teheran - Places of note - The Mianeh bug - Zinjan and Sultanieh - IV. Enzeli-Teheran route - Means of reaching Enzeli - Caspian steamers - Landing at Enzeli - The Murdab - Pir-i-Bazaar - Resht - Choice of means of progression - Chapar-riding - Caravanning - Cost of chapar-riding - Character of route - Resht to Kazvin - Kazvin - Carriage road to Teheran - Postal road - Caravan routes - Length of journey - II. Necessity of information - Situation of Persia - Scheme of chapter - I. Threefold object of this work - Meaning of the Persian question - Its relation to the Indian Empire - History and geography - Travel - Interest of Persian nationality - Drama of Persian history - Anglo-Persian connection - Fourfold division of journey - (1) Khorasan - Contiguous provinces - (2) Central provinces - Monuments of antiquity - (3) South-western Provinces - (4) The Persian Gulf - Changelessness of the East - Its abiding charm - Contrast between the East and West - Extreme in Persia - Intrinsic contradiction - The lies of life - Literature of travel - Division into periods - Eighteenth century - Nineteenth century - Order of merit THE UNWORTHY TRIBUTE OF THE PEN TO A CAUSEīUT WHOSE ULTIMATE SAFEGUARD IS THE SPIRITĬlick on chapter title to jump to that chapter TO THE OFFICIALS, CIVIL AND MILITARY, IN INDIA