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THE DIARY 
 
 EM. THE SHAH OF PERSIA 
 
H.M. THE SHAH OF PERSIA. 
 
 (at home.) 
 
•V*- N * 
 
 o 
 
PX\ 
 
 THE DIARY 
 
 OF 
 
 EM. THE SHAH OF PERSIA 
 
 HIS TOUR THROUGH EUROPE IN A.D. 1873. 
 BY j/wi^EEDHOUSE, 
 
 MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, 
 
 CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ORIENTAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA, 
 
 EXTERNAL MEMBER OF THE ACADEMY OF SCIENCE OF CONSTANTINOPLE, 
 
 ETC., ETC., ETC. 
 
 A VERBATIM TRANSLATION. 
 
 % 
 
 V 
 
 D v 
 
 WITH FORTRAIT. 
 
 THIRD TEOV 
 
 LONDONj 
 JOHN MURRAY. ALBEMARLE STREET. 
 
 1874. 
 

 .N 
 
 '3/3 
 
 LONDON : 
 BRADBURY, AGNLW, & CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRf AR8. 
 
g — ♦-^ 
 
 TEANSLATOE'S PEEFACE. 
 
 1 is not often that a Sovereign, at the com- 
 pletion of a tour, addresses his subjects in a 
 personal narrative of his adventures, and of 
 the attentions with which he may have been 
 received by foreign potentates or peoples. Less frequent 
 still is it that such a narrative, addressed by an Eastern 
 Monarch to those under his rule, is laid verbatim before 
 the distant nations whose guest he lately was. 
 
 The Shah's Diary of his Tour through Europe in 
 a.d. 1873 is not the firstfruit of his royal authorship, 
 nor was that journey the first of his travels. He had 
 previously visited and inspected his own Caspian pro- 
 vinces of Gilan and Mazandaran, having also journeyed 
 beyond his own dominions, to the sacred shrines of Baby- 
 lonia. Of each of these excursions he had published a 
 narrative for the information of his people, therein 
 following a praiseworthy example set by several ancient 
 Eulers of his own original Turk nationality. 
 
 Those accounts, equally with the contents of the 
 
 b 
 
vi Translator s Preface. 
 
 present Diary, were communicated to the Persian public 
 in the official part of the Tehran Gazette, and are there- 
 fore more or less of the nature of what we daily read at 
 home in the " Court Circular; " but with this difference, 
 — that they are written in the first person, are personal 
 communings of the sovereign traveller with his readers, — 
 his subjects. 
 
 As Court Circulars, then, written day by day, they 
 naturally contain a proportion of the merely formal 
 notices that constitute this class of state documents. But, 
 as personal narratives, they are written in the plain, 
 unvarnished style of the private gentleman, much as any 
 one of us may have used in letters sent home to gratify, 
 inform, or amuse friends. 
 
 If the pages of the Diary, however, are thus entirely 
 void of all the strained ornamentations of diction supposed 
 to be inherent in all oriental compositions of literature, 
 they are, on the other hand, brimful of enthusiastic 
 expressions of the varied feelings called forth by the 
 beauty or novelty of the scenes or manners witnessed, 
 and by the genuine gratification derived from the splendid 
 and cordial reception everywhere experienced. 
 
 The Shah's continued attention to the charms of 
 natural scenery while pursuing his journeys, and to the 
 splendid results of agricultural, commercial, or mechani- 
 cal skill and industry, as also to the wonders of the sea 
 and sky in his vo} T ages, whenever the weather permitted, 
 evinces great natural taste. His sustained pleasure in 
 visiting the various zoological and botanical collections 
 and museums, together with his remarks on these, and on 
 
Translator' s Preface. vii 
 
 the wild animals of the parks and forests, no less than those 
 on the racecourse, show an especially keen talent of ob- 
 servation, and a discriminating acquaintance with animate 
 and inanimate nature. His scrupulous conformance to 
 every tittle of those ceremonious, but graceful observances 
 that shape the personal intercourse of royal hosts and 
 guests, bespeak the finished courtier ; while the patience, 
 the bonhommie, with which he admitted and recorded 
 the sometimes fussy, but always kindly and respectful 
 advances of every class with which he was brought into 
 contact, give proof of a rare adaptiveness. His interest 
 in armies and navies is a mere natural impulse in a 
 sovereign ; but his visits to factories, public establish- 
 ments, schools, hospitals, &c, are witnesses to a strong 
 desire for information ; and several incidents of the tour 
 have drawn forth spontaneous expressions of deep sympa- 
 thy and kind commiseration, such as are the sure indicators 
 of a humane disposition. 
 
 On the whole, a more interesting book of the kind 
 can hardly be imagined. Even the mistakes occasionally 
 made — and they were to be expected as inevitable — are 
 easily overlooked by a candid mind, when the obstacles 
 of languages, novelty of subjects, and press of time, are 
 taken into consideration. The use of the first person 
 plural, alternating with that of the singular, when the 
 Shah speaks of himself, is in very common use by all in 
 the East (to say nothing of the sovereign phraseolog}^ of 
 the West), and is balanced by his employing the third 
 person plural when mentioning other royal or illustrious 
 personages ; though this latter observance of courtesy. 
 
 h 2 
 
viii Translator s Preface. 
 
 not unknown in several European languages, necessarily 
 vanishes in our idiom. Another instance of attentive 
 delicacy may be remarked, in the nicely poised modifica- 
 tion of the oft-repeated, simple expression " men and 
 women " into "women and men." 
 
 The translator wishes, and ventures to hope, that his 
 effort to put the whole work into an English dress may 
 give to its readers the same amount of pleasure he has 
 himself felt hi the performance. May he be further per- 
 mitted to express a heartfelt trust that ever-strengthening 
 ties of friendly and beneficial intercourse may be facili- 
 tated and multiplied, through the effects of this torn, 
 between the Court and people of Persia on the one hand, 
 and the Western Rulers and nations on the other, — some 
 of them then not remotely allied cousins by race, as 
 indicated by affinities of language,* and who are no 
 longer personally strangers to their travelled Sovereign. 
 
 London, Nov. 1874. 
 
 Note. — In pronouncing the Persian names mentioned in 
 this volume, a should always be sounded short and surd, 
 as in the first syllables of above, aloft, alone ; a long and 
 open as in father ; e as in pen ; i as in pin ; % as in 
 caprice ; o or 6 as hi go, and u or u as in rule, but shorter 
 when without the long accent. Into modifications we do 
 
 * As instances, the following may bo mentioned : padar, father; madar, 
 mother: biradar, brother; dukhtar, daughter; gaw, cow or ox; yiig, a 
 yoke; tu, thou; tin, two; marwarid, /xapyapir^s, a pearl, &e., &c. 
 
Tra,7islators Preface. ix 
 
 not here enter ; and we prefer the use of this old Latin 
 "long accent" to > the "dash" used in some works, 
 because every scholar knows the value of the old mark, 
 and because the new one is based on the erroneous as- 
 sumption that " in Italian " it marks a long syllable. 
 
 The simple consonants have their English values, 
 excepting that h must always be aspirated, and s always 
 be kept hard — never pronounced as z* 
 
 Compound vowels are not known; but of compound 
 consonants (in English orthography only, being simple 
 letters in the original), ch and sh sound as in English ; 
 while kh, as in khan, is the Scotch and German ch, in 
 which it is far better to sound only the h, than only the 
 k, until the true pronunciation be acquired. Neither the 
 hard nor the soft sound of our th is used in Persian ; but 
 sometimes t is followed by h, even in the same sjllable, 
 both being then sounded separately. 
 
 Doubled consonants in a word, such as Muhammad, 
 should be redoubled in pronunciation, as when we say 
 mid day, get two, &c. 
 
 The apostrophe, ', has the same use as in English, 
 that of indicating a suppressed vowel, as in Nasiru-'d- 
 Din. The pair of. marks ' and ', adopted in imitation of 
 the Greek " spiritus lenis" and " spiritus aspcr," show 
 the suppression of two different originally Arabic guttural 
 consonants, the first soft, the second hard, both of a 
 choking sound, for which European languages have no 
 equivalents, and which are generally dropped in Persian 
 conversational pronunciation, the preceding or following 
 vowel alone being sounded. Like other consonants, they 
 
Translator s Preface. 
 
 are both susceptible of being doubled, though no instance 
 occurs in the Diary. 
 
 A few explanatory notes have been appended at the 
 end of one or two chapters, and some others are inter- 
 spersed, in parentheses, through the text. 
 
 The original meaning of the Persian word tuman is — a 
 myriad, ten thousand. It became the name of the gold 
 com of Persia because this coin, in matters of account, 
 contains ten thousand dinar (the Latin denarius), a mite, 
 a pice. Its fractions are the hazar (thousand), other- 
 wise called hazar-dmar (thousand pice), and qiran (short 
 for sahib-qiran, Lord of the fortunate conjunction — a 
 title assumed by Tlmur-lang, TimCLr the Lame, Tamer- 
 lane), of silver, ten of which equal one tuman ; and the 
 shahi (royal), of copper, twenty of which make one qiran. 
 The tuman is worth about eight shillings English, the 
 qiran about ten pence, and the shahi one half-penny. 
 The gold and silver are without alloy, pure. 
 
 The correct name of the Prussian frontier station, 
 towards Russia, mentioned in p. 68 as Aidgone, is 
 Eydtkuhnen. 
 
 With respect to the weight of the guns and projectiles 
 of Fort Constantine, mentioned in p. 57, I learn that 
 the heaviest Prussian guns furnished for the forts of 
 Cronstadt are of 26 tons, throwing projectiles of 250 
 kilogrammes. The Shah's 420 ass-loads may therefore 
 possibly be for 520 hundredweights, exactly 26 tons, and 
 the weight of the projectile may be about right. 
 
Translators Preface. 
 
 XI 
 
 I also learn that the number of hands employed by 
 M. Krupp, as mentioned in p. 96, is even understated. 
 The total amounts to 17,000, of whom 10,000 are housed 
 or boarded within the estate of the works; and two 
 hospitals, with 220 beds, are available for the sick. 
 
 The message sent by the Shah to the Contessa di 
 Mirafiori (mentioned in p. 300), as an act of courtesy, 
 was accompanied, in compliment to the King, by the 
 presentation of a jewel with the monogram in brilliants 
 of His Persian Majesty. 
 
 J. W. K. 
 
Translator's Preface 
 Preliminary Notice 
 
 v 
 xix 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 TEHRAN TO ASTRAKHAN ; 26 DAYS. 
 
 Leave Tehran, 1 ; reach Qazwin, 6 ; arrive at Rasht, 13 ; reach Enzeli, 
 16 : embark for Astrakhan, 17 ; accident to Russian Admiral, 20 ; 
 anchor at Quarantine-ground off the Volga ; ascend river in boats, 22. 
 
 CHAPTER IT. 
 
 RUSSIA ; 14 DAYS. 
 
 Astrakhan. Aspect of the delta, 23 ; reach Astrakhan ; triumphal 
 arch ; bread and salt, 25 ; palaces, 26 ; bath and fire-brigade, 27 ; 
 theatre ; levee, 28 ; mosques, 29 ; museum, 30 ; leave by water for 
 Tsaritsin, 30 ; aspect of Volga, 31 ; Tsaritsin; 31 ; railway to 
 Moscow, 32. 
 
 Moscow. Arrive at Moscow ; lodged in the Kremlin, 35 ; Kremlin 
 described, 36 ; theatre, 37 ; lower apartments and museum of the 
 Kremlin, 38 ; Lazarof College ; ball ; fire brigade ; Ethnographic 
 Museum, 40 ; leave for St. Petersburg by rail, 41. 
 
 St. Petersburg. Arrive, 41 ; lodged in the Winter Palace, 43 ; 
 theatre, 44 ; review, 55 ; Prince of Oldenburg, 46 ; ball of the 
 nobles, 47 ; the Hermitage, 48 ; state banquet, 49 ; Michael theatre, 
 50 ; visits, 51 ; the Hermitage again, 53 ; bank ; mint, 55 ; state ball, 
 56 ; Cronstadt, 57 ; Peterhof, 59 ; fireworks, 61 ; Tsarskoi-selo, 63 ; 
 leave for Prussia, Q6. 
 
xiv Contents. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 PRUSSIA, GERMANY, BELGIUM ; 20 DAYS. 
 
 Railway. " Hole in a mountain ; " frontier reached, 68 ; Prussian 
 station, 69 ; Konigsberg, 70 ; Frische-Haff, 72 ; Custrin, 73 ; reach 
 Berlin, 73. 
 
 Berlin. Palace, 74 ; Potsdam, 76 ; Whitsunday ; relics of Frederick 
 the Great, 77 ; mill in ruins, 78 ; palace of Prince Charles, 79 ; state 
 banquet ; theatre, 80 ; Zoological Gardens, 81 ; cemetery, 84 ; the 
 Empress, 82 ; Aquarium, 85 ; dinner, 87 ; theatre ; coronation of the 
 Emperor, 85 ; review, 88 ; dine with the Empress, 89 ; gala night at 
 theatre ; Sardanapalus, 89 ; lion of Holstein, 89 ; Order of Black 
 Eagle, 90 ; Charlotte Pavilion ; Orangery ; Babelbrig, 91; Frederick 
 the Great's tomb, 92 ; Crown Prince's house, 92 ; Parliament ; the 
 Ecole-des-Cadets, 93 ; Prince Bismarck's house ; Museum ; visit 
 of adieu, 94 ; Aquarium again, 95 ; leave for Cologne, 95 ; M. Krupp's 
 factory, 96. 
 
 Rhine Country. Reach Cologne, 97 ; cathedral, 97 ; Botanical Gar- 
 dens, 98 ; Zoological Gardens, 99 ; Coblentz, 100 ; Wiesbaden, 101 
 Mr. Blundberg's garden, 103 ; Prince Nicholas of Nassau, 104 
 Frankfort-on-the-Main, 105 ; the Palms, 106 ; Zoological Gardens,107 
 tomb of the Duchess of Nassau, 108 ; the Kur-Saal, 108 ; Emperor 
 of Russia at Darmstadt, 110 ; Heidelberg ; Carlsruhe ; Baden troops, 
 111 ; Palace at Carlsruhe, 112 ; Baden-Baden, 113 ; Chapel and tomb, 
 of Prince of Roumania, 115 ; palace, 116 ; steam down the Rhine, 
 118 ; Coblentz, 120 ; Bonn ; Cologne ; by rail to Spa, 120 ; Aix-la- 
 Chapelle ; frontier of Belgium, 121. 
 
 Belgium. Spa, 122 ; Peter the Great ; footstep of St. Mark, 124 ; 
 procession of the Virgin ; theatre, 126 ; Liege, 129 ; arrive at Brus- 
 sels ; the King, 130 ; arrival of the English Officials in waiting, 131 ; 
 theatre, 132 ; cathedral ; museum ; Chateau of Laken, 134 ; Zoolo- 
 gical Garden ; Hotel de Ville, 13o ; state banquet, 136 ; leave Brus- 
 sels ; Ostend ; embark on board the 'Vigilant,' 137 ; cross the 
 straits, 138 ; Channel squadron ; arrive at Dover, 139 ; reach London, 
 141. 
 
Contents. xv 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 ENGLAND ; 18 DAYS. 
 
 Visits of ceremony, 144 ; receptions, 145 ; banquet at Marlborough 
 House ; ball at Stafford House, 146 ; visit to the Queen, 147 ; Order 
 of the Garter, 148 ; drive to Virginia Water and back, 149 ; evening 
 party at Guildhall, 151 ; Woolwich, 155 ; theatre, 157 ; Zoological 
 Gardens, 158 ; Naval Eeview at Portsmouth, 160 ; concert at Albert 
 Hall, 164 ; review at Windsor, 167 ; ball at Foreign Office, 170 ; 
 Tower, 171 ; trip down the river ; the Docks, 172 ; Greenwich Hos- 
 pital ; Lord Nelson, 173 ; Naval College ; Observatory ; return ; 
 tides, 174 ; state ball, 175 ; to Liverpool, 176 ; emigrants, 177 ; 
 Trentham Hall, 179 ; works at Crew, 182 ; Manchester, 183 ; Chis- 
 wick, 185 ; Kichmond, 187 ; Lord Eussell ; Whigs and Tories, 188 ; 
 receptions ; Lord Stratford de Redcliffe, 189 ; fire brigade, 190 ; box- 
 ing, 191 ; Crystal Palace, 191 ; gymnasts, 193 ; beggars ; perambu- 
 lators, 195 ; Tower ; St. Paul's, 196 ; Bank, 197 ; Parliament, 198 ; 
 Westminster Abbey, 200 ; visit of adieu to Windsor, 201 ; Prince 
 Consort's tomb, 203 ; Mme. Tussaud's, 204 ; Crystal Palace, 206 ; 
 balloons, 209 ; Albert Hall ; donkey picture, 210 ; St. Thomas's, 211 ; 
 Duke of Argyll's ; bagpipes ; sword-dance ; telegraph, 212 ; Albert 
 memorial ; Drury-Lane, 213 ; leave London, 214 ; reach Portsmouth ; 
 embark in the "Rapide"; reach Cherbourg, 216. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 FEANCE, SWITZEELAND ; 19 DAYS. 
 
 Feance. Cherbourg, 218 ; Caen, 219 ; reach Paris, 220 ; Jardin 
 d'Acclimatisation, 225 ; Bois de Boulogne, 226 ; Diplomatists, 227 ; 
 Versailles, 228 ; group of Apollo, 229 ; Canrobert ; Palikao ; Due 
 d'Aumale ; Prince de Joinville, 231 ; banquet, 232 ; the Invalides, 233 ; 
 M. Cremieux ; M. de Rothschild, 236 ; M. Lesseps ; M. Nadar ; M. 
 Tardieu, 237 : M. Larrey ; M. Cloquet ; M. Boure, 238 ; review, 239 ; 
 races, 240 ; illumination and fireworks, 243 ; circus, 244 ; Louvre 
 246 : Panorama, 247 ; Notre Dame, 248 ; Ecole des Mines, 249 : Luxem- 
 bourg, 250 ; Pantheon ; St. Sulpice ; Madeleine ; Palais Royal, 252 
 Mint, 253 ; river-baths, 254 ; Gobelins, 255 ; Louvre again, 256 
 Tuileries, 257 ; Sevres porcelain, 258 ; the Assemblee Nationale, 259 
 
xvi Contents. 
 
 Jardin des Plantes, 261 ; party at the Elysee, 266 ; party at the 
 
 Foreign Office, 267 ; Vincennes, 268 ; Sisters of Charity's school, 
 
 269 ; Circus, 270 ; cafes chantants, 271 ; Jardin Mabille, 272 ; leave 
 
 Paris, 273 ; Dijon, 274. 
 Switzerland. Geneva, 277 ; Lake of Geneva, 279 ; Vevay ; King of 
 
 Holland, 281 ; excursion into Savoy; 283 ; banquet ; presents ; 
 
 museum, 285 ; M. Favre, 286 ; Swiss system, 287 ; leave Geneva, 288 : 
 France again. Aix-les-Bains ; Chambery ; Modane ; Mont Cenis 
 
 tunnel, 289 ; Turin, 291 ; Royal Family; 293 ; Superga ; Synagogue, 
 
 294. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ITALY ; AUSTRIA ; 19 DAYS. 
 
 Italy. Turin Palace, 295 ; dinner-party ; royal presents, 296 ; theatre, 
 297 ; wild beasts, 298 ; illumination, &c, 299 ; the Countess di Mira- 
 fiori, 300 ; leave Turin, 301 ; reach Milan, 303 ; the Duomo, 304 : 
 banquet ; illuminations, 306 ; leave Milan, 307 ; Lake of Garda ; 
 Peschiera ; Verona, 308 ; Valley of the Adige ; Ala, 309. 
 
 Austria. Franzansvest, 310 ; Innsbruck, 311 ; Rosenheim ; Trau- 
 enstein ; Saltzburg, 312 ; Schonbrunn of Saltzburg, 314 ; Lintz, 317 ; 
 Emperor at Penzing, 318 ; Laxenburg, 319 : Knight's Castle, 321 ; 
 dinner at Schonbrunn of Vienna, 323 ; Exhibition, 325 ; shooting- 
 party, 331 ; screw-pump, 334 ; opera, 335 ; review, 337 ; the Empress : 
 evening party, 339 ; leave-taking, 341 ; King of Hanover, 342 ; Saltz- 
 burg, 343 ; Innsbruck, 346 ; Schelleberg ; Gossensasse, 347. 
 
 Italy again. Ala ; Verona, 348 ; Bologna, 349 ; leaning towers, 350 : 
 theatre, 352 ; library and museum, 353 ; leave Bologna ; Rimini : 
 Ancona, 355 ; Brindisi, 356 ; embark for Constantinople, 357 ; Corfu ; 
 phosphorescence of the sea, 358 ; Cephalonia ; Zante ; Navarino ; 
 Cape Matapan, 359 ; Cape Malea ; Cerigo ; Cape Sunium ; Zea, 360 ; 
 Negropont ; Andros ; Psara ; Scio, 361. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TURKEY ; 11 DAYS. 
 
 Tenedos ; Lemnos; Dardanelles, 363; Gallipoli ; Sea of Marmara, 
 366 ; Islambul sighted ; steamers and Persians, 367 ; Princes' Islands ; 
 walls, 368 ; Seven Towers ; Seraglio Point, 370 ; Bosphorus ; Beyler- 
 
Contents. xvii 
 
 Beyi ; the Sultan, 371 ; Palace of Beyler-Beyi, 372 ; Golden Horn, 
 37G ; receptions, 377 ; Gytik-Su, 378 ; breakfast at Chiragan palace, 
 
 380 ; Chamlija (erroneously called Mount Boulgourlou on the maps) , 
 
 381 ; Prince Yusuf ; Aya-Sofiya, 382 ; Persian Mission ; state banquet 
 at Beshik-Tash palace, 384 ; receptions ; trip to Princes' Islands, 386 ; 
 Sultana-Mother's vineyard, 387 ; steamers, 388 ; conflagration ; palace 
 of Chiragan, 389 ; gardens ; wild beasts, 390 ; bath, 391 ; conjurer, 
 392 ; visits of adieu, 395 ; leave for Poti, 396 ; accident to Eshref 
 Pasha, 397 ; Sinope ; porpoises, 398 ; birds from the land ; Trebizond ; 
 coming storm, 399. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 GEORGIA ; RETURN ; 11 DAYS. 
 
 Storm , 401 ; transhipment, 402 ; land at Poti ; Grand-Duke Michael, 
 403 ; Open-Heads, 404 ; railway ; Kutais, 405 ; Tiflis ; palace, 406 ; 
 Grand-Duchess ; theatre, 409 ; storm at Poti, 410 ; Bahman Mirza, 
 411 ; banquet, 412 ; Tiflis to Baku, 413 ; Ganja, 414 ; Nizami's tomb, 
 416 ; Kur ferry, 417 ; Aq-Su— New Shamaka, 420 ; Shamakhi, 421 ; 
 Baku, 423 ; embark, 424 ; storm for three days, 425 ; land at 
 Enzeli, 427. 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS. 
 
 POETRAIT OF THE SHAH FrontisjricCC. 
 
 (By kind permission of the Proprietors of the Graphic ne-wspaper.) 
 
 The Fan-Tail Posture in Dancing . . . . xviii 
 
 Monogram or Cypher of the Shah, As-Sultan Nasiru-'d- 
 DIn Shah Qajar xx 
 
 </ 
 
The Chetr (Fan-tail) posture in Dancing. 
 
 (From a Persian painting.) 
 
DIARY OF A TOUR IN 
 EUROPE. 
 
 IN THE NAME OF GOD, 
 THE COMPASSIONATE, THE MERCIFUL ! 
 
 PKELIMINAEY NOTICE. 
 
 HIS is a Diary of the Tour in 
 Europe, which we propose to 
 write in auspiciousness and 
 sanctification, under the will of God most 
 high, the All-powerful, the Matchless, 
 the Forgiving, the Beneficent, provided 
 that health be accorded us. 
 
 The details of the country between 
 Tehran and Enzeli have been formerly 
 given in the (account of my) journey to 
 Gilan, and therefore require no further 
 elucidation here. I will, however, under 
 the Divine will, note down the facts 
 
XX 
 
 Preliminary Notice. 
 
 attendant upon our leaving Tehran, our capital, and any- 
 thing interesting that may occur on our road to EnzelL 
 Subsequently to that, from the day of our embarkation 
 on board ship, the detailed adventures of the company 
 will be noted in the diary of the ship, with the help of 
 God, and His merciful aid. 
 
DIARY OF A TOUR IN EUROPE 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 TEHRAN TO ASTRAKHAN ; 26 DAYS. 
 
 ATURDAY, 21s* Safar, 1290 (a.h., i.e., 19th 
 April, 1873). — We started from Tehran in the 
 intention of prosecuting our tour in Europe. 
 It is now a whole year since information was 
 given of this (intended) tour in Europe ; and it is also 
 some days that we have been suffering from a pain in the 
 chest, and a severe cold in the head, so as to be very 
 unwell, with sensations of fatigue and weakness ; to so 
 great a degree, that I have never experienced the like 
 before. 
 
 Placing my trust in God, however, I sallied forth from 
 my private apartments, my Grand- Vazir, and others, being 
 in waiting to receive me. We tarried awhile, and then 
 started, mounting a carriage at the gate named Shamsu- 
 'l-'imara (Sun of the Palace). Crowds were assembled 
 inside and outside the city, in the streets and roads, and 
 elsewhere. We drove to the race-course, where to-day 
 races were held. We went up into our pavilion. Masses- 
 £,? B 
 
2 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 of soldiery, and of private people, men and women, were 
 assembled. They served breakfast, of which I took a 
 little, though without the least appetite. Our master of 
 the horse, Timur Mirza, the Husamu-'d-Dawla (Prince 
 Tlmur, the Keen Sword of the State), with Hajji Aqa 
 Isma'Il, and others of our household, were in attendance. 
 The Amm-i-Huzur (Lord Chamberlain, Comptroller of 
 the Presence), who had been unwell for some days past, 
 was to-day present on duty. 
 
 After breakfast, the horse-races took place. The 
 liorses of Murad Beg, Na'ib (Lt. Murad, a Beg), which 
 belong to the royal stables, carried off the four first 
 flags. The horse of Wajihu-'l-'lah Mirza (Prince Wajihu- 
 1-'tah) carried off also a first flag. Iqbal Mahdi-quli 
 Khan (Gentleman of the Chamber Mahdi-quli, a Khan) 
 carried off the fourth flag in the last heat. 
 
 The races being concluded, the foreign representatives 
 were admitted to an audience of adieu, the Grand- Vazir 
 and other officials being present. We then mounted a 
 carriage and drove to the village of Kan, where the new 
 tents of figured and brocaded silks were pitched on the 
 hank of a stream. After a while the " Royal Maternal 
 Household " came to Kan, and I had an interview with 
 the " Shah's mother," who remained there two days. A 
 bitter wind was blowing. 
 
 Tuesday, 24th (Safar—22nd April).— Went to the 
 royal palace at Kan ; and this same da}-, mounting a 
 horse, went out shooting in the rising grounds around the 
 village, the Prince Regent accompanying me, as well as 
 several of the officers of my household. The Grand 
 
chap, l] Tehran to Astrakhan. 3 
 
 Huntsman had come out from town, and had found 
 some game. Before breakfasting, I shot a buck of two 
 years old, with slugs. Thanks be to God, all went off 
 pleasantly, and I returned home in comfort. I am 
 grateful that my health is perfectly restored, and no 
 •sense of weakness remains. It is now the season of 
 new green plums, which are still very small, and not fit 
 to eat. Green almonds and blossoms on the trees are 
 well-nigh over ; yellow and red roses are to be seen here 
 and there. Mahdi-quli Khan went to town for one 
 night, and came back unwell. 
 
 Wednesday, 25th (Safar — 23rd April). — Eemained at 
 the palace of Kan. Dr. Tholozan, and several of those 
 who are to accompany me to Europe, arrived to day 
 from town. 
 
 Thursday, 26th (Safar — -2Uh April). — Proceeded to 
 •Quru-Chay (Dry-Brook), where we breakfasted. The 
 brook was much swollen. • Our chief photographer, and 
 others of our attendants, were in waiting. Our sun-shade 
 tent was pitched in a hollow, and the weather was very 
 sultiy. At the time of afternoon worship we returned to 
 our station at Kan. The Anisu-'d-Dawla (Familiar of 
 Boyalty ; a harem lady) came from town, but somewhat 
 in bad health. 
 
 Friday, 21th (Safar — 25th April). — We were at Kan 
 in the morning. A vast concourse of officers of the 
 household, and others, came from town, the Grand- Vazlr 
 being among them. This day, Munlf Efendi, the 
 Ottoman Envoy, who has newly arrived, is to be received 
 in audience. In this, our first station, they have pitched 
 
4 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 our tents of figured silks, &c. Four hours and a half 
 before sunset we went to our tent, to which the Grand- 
 Vazir came. Five of our princes wore their swords at 
 our levee. Thanks be to God, the wind is not blowing. 
 The Envoy was introduced, with two Attaches ; the 
 Charge-d' affaires, Nazim Efendi, came with him for his 
 audience of leave, as he has to return to his own country. 
 Munif Efendi speaks Persian and French, the former 
 particularly well. He is of middle age. Asafu-'d- 
 Dawla has arrived. 
 
 Saturday, 28th {Safar — 26th April). — In the morning 
 we mounted, and proceeded on our journey to the pass of 
 Sulgan, where there is a fine waterfall on the left-hand 
 side of the road, with water to turn one mill. They 
 pitched our sun-shade tent there, and we breakfasted in 
 that spot. The Prince Regent was in attendance, and 
 several other princes also. 
 
 Sunday, 29th {Safar — 27 th April). — To-day several 
 princes and others, the colonel of a regiment of our 
 guards, and our Secretary for Foreign Affairs also, 
 though a convalescent from illness, came to our camp and 
 were received. Munif Efendi, too, had another audience. 
 Aqa Sayyid Isma'il, the jurisconsult, of Bihbihan, came 
 to visit me. The Lord Treasurer brought out the 
 jewelled regalia that are to be taken with us. 
 
 (Monday, 30th — 28th April, is not mentioned in the 
 Diary.) 
 
 Tuesday 1st, Rahi'u-'l-aiuwal (Former Rdbi' — 29th 
 April). — In the morning levee all the princes and others 
 who had come out from town were received. The 
 
£hap. i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. 5 
 
 Friday precentor of worship (a kind of equivalent to a 
 bishop) came out and offered up a prayer for our 
 journey. A son of the precentor of Ispahan also came. 
 Five Arab horses, brought for the royal stables, were led 
 past our presence, and reviewed ; and then we took our 
 departure for Karj. On our road thither we were joined 
 by the Grand- Vazir from town, who had good news from 
 STstan (the ancient Ariana or Draugiana), which he sub- 
 mitted. The Dabiru-'l-Mulk (secretary of state), too, 
 mounted on a tall Turkman horse, came out with the 
 Grand- VazTr. The Prince Regent received permission 
 to depart when not far distant from Kan, and returned 
 to town. Several princes followed in our suite ; one 
 returned to town from Quru-Chay. M. Beger, the 
 Russian Envoy, who is to accompany us to Enzeli, was 
 of our party. We arrived at Karj four hours before sun- 
 set. We lodged there in the palace. Several of our 
 household, our chief photographer, and Dr. Tholozan, 
 came from town. Mahdi-quli Khan went out shooting, 
 and brought in a female antelope. 
 
 Wednesday, 2nd (30th Aiwil). — Proceeded from Karj to 
 Qasim-abad, a distance of five leagues. Weather very 
 sultry; dust excessive. One of our princes took leave 
 and returned to the capital; our Grand Usher is to 
 accompany us to Enzeli. Some join us from the capital; 
 others, taking leave, return thither. The duty of acting 
 ^as scouts and sentinels to our camp as far as Enzeli 
 devolves upon the 2nd regiment. Our Chief Groom-in- 
 ' Waiting, Biwak Khan, returned to town from Kan. 
 
 Thursday, 3rd (1st May). — In the morning mounted 
 
6 Diary of a Totcr in Etcrope. [chap. i> 
 
 on horseback, many of our princes and officers riding in 
 our suite. The Grand Usher had purchased sixty 
 horses for the artillery of Azarbayjan (the ancient Atro- 
 patene) ; he passed them in review in our presence. A 
 troop of cavalry of Makran (the ancient Gedrosia), com- 
 manded b} r Hajjl Aqa Beg, were also reviewed. We 
 rode a certain portion of the way conversing with the 
 Grand- Vazir ; after which we entered our carriage. Our 
 station to-day is at Kazran-Sang, three leagues' journey. 
 We breakfasted there, where the camp had been pitched 
 in a beautiful meadow, where all was green and luxuriant. 
 Sari- Asian (Yellow-Lion) came from town and was seen 
 (by us). 
 
 Friday, 4th (2nd May). — Mounting our carriage early 
 in the morning, we proceeded to 'Abdu-'l-'lah-abad, a 
 distance of five leagues ; weather sultry ; dust abundant. 
 On reaching the last outskirts of winter cultivation, we 
 breakfasted ; but, in the first place, taking our fowling- 
 piece in hand, we sauntered about the environs, and shot 
 a hare, a quail, and a yellow-hammer (or ortolan, lit., 
 yellow-belly). This day I have seen Dr. Dickson ; and 
 also Mr. Thomson, Secretary to the English Legation, 
 who accompany me to Europe. Mirza 'Isa, governor of 
 Tehran, and another official of state, with Mirza Musa, 
 paymaster of the forces, took leave and returned to 
 Tehran. 
 
 Saturday, 5t1i (3rd May). — To-day we arrive at 
 Qazwln ; that is to say, they have pitched our camp at 
 Hazar-Jarib (Thousand-acres), near that town. The 
 distance to travel is five leagues. Passed the village of 
 
chap, i.] Telu'an to Astrakhan. 7 
 
 Khak-i-'AH (Ali's-lancl), and others. In the morning, as 
 we mounted, the Grand- Vazir brought to the side of our 
 carriage the Russian Envoy, with his interpreter, Grebel, 
 and we had some converse with him. A body of about 
 three hundred irregular cavalry of nomadic tribes was 
 drawn out. The Registrar of Azarbayjan was received 
 in audience. Lt. Muhammad- Sadiq Khan, of Qara- 
 bag, his aide-de-camp, was with him. Several princes 
 detained at Qazwin, several of the Doctors (of law and 
 divinity), of the nobles and notables of the town, with 
 the mayor and aldermen, &c, were presented to us in 
 batches b}^ Ilkhani, the governor of the place. We 
 breakfasted on the road ; and afterwards a violent wind 
 set in. Our Chief Groom of the privy chamber, who had 
 remained behind, now joined our party, having ridden 
 post from the capital. The cavalry, under the command 
 of Asad Khan, of Qara-bag, who is a member of the 
 corps of couriers, had come out with the paymaster from 
 Azarbayjan, on their way to the capital to be reviewed. 
 The son of Asad Khan, who was in charge of them, is a 
 nice youth. As we approached the town we mounted on 
 horseback, and, conversing with the Grand-Vazir, we 
 reached our camp. He, with our permission, went to 
 the town. A cold and violent wind was blowing ; and, 
 as we had passed the night before with very little sleep, 
 we soon felt an inclination to take our repose. 
 
 Sunday, 6th (4th May). — To-day Aqa-Baba, is our 
 station. It rained heavily in the morning ; and, though 
 it had already rained a certain while, it poured down 
 afresh. This rain was of great advantage to Qazwin. 
 
% Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 Ilkhani brought and presented to us Mirza Abu-Turab, 
 uncle of the late Mirza Buzurg, the physician, a very- 
 aged man. After this, mounting, we passed by the out- 
 skirts of the town in conversation with the Grand-Vazlr, 
 and reached the high-road to Aqa-Baba. The Secretary 
 •of State now left us to return to the capital. To-day, 
 differently to what had hitherto been the case, the 
 weather was pleasant, with a cool and refreshing breeze. 
 The fields are one mass of verdure and blossoms. In 
 the gardens of Qazwin we observed a species of thorn in 
 bloom, with a flower like a yellow rose, very beautiful 
 and pleasing. We gave orders that some roots and 
 seeds thereof be taken to Tehran and there planted. 
 We took our breakfast in our carriage below the village 
 <of Mahmud-abad, so named after a late Shaykhu-'l- 
 Islam. A bitter wind was blowing. Several of our 
 courtiers were in attendance. We reached our quarters 
 four hours to sunset, when an intensely cold wind was 
 "blowing with great violence, so much so that it tore 
 down all the canvas fences and tents, and continued 
 the whole night. No one could go out of doors, and all 
 were benumbed with cold, so as to be incapacitated for 
 any service. 
 
 Monday, 1th (5th May). — Have to reach Kharzan ; but 
 the cold wind and the frost is so intense, that even in the 
 severest winter one does not see such, nor has such ever 
 been heard of. We rode a couple of leagues in our car- 
 riage. Then, the road becoming very bad, we mounted 
 on horseback and sent the carriages back. The country 
 to-day is all verdant and in bloom ; but the frost con- 
 
chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. 9 
 
 linues so severe that one could not admire, or even notice, 
 the beauty and freshness of the landscape. In spite of 
 my having put on a coat and cloak lined with fur, the 
 cold was so penetrating that it seemed as if I was devoid 
 of all clothing. Below the pass of Kharzan there was 
 ■a valley with but little water in its stream ; and there we 
 breakfasted, several of my princes and officers, with Dr. 
 Tholozan, being in attendance. After breakfast we as- 
 cended the defile. The mountain of Kharzan has no 
 rocks or stones; it is all soft earth, and everywhere 
 •covered with verdure, flowers, and odoriferous herbs. In 
 many places we saw cultivation without the aid of irri- 
 gation. The tribe of Giyaswancl do the cultivation of 
 this mountain. General Has an- 'Ali- Khan, one of those 
 to accompany me, joined the party to-day. Conversing 
 with the Grand- Vazir, we ascended the steep. At the 
 top I saw a village, which I took to be Kharzan. On 
 enquiry, it proved to be Isma'il-abad, lately erected and 
 peopled bylsma'il Khan Giyaswancl, chief of the tribe of 
 Giyaswancl. A beautiful spot has he populated, as its 
 produce needs no irrigation. From thence we proceeded 
 a league and a half to Kharzan. I saw some of our 
 princes on the road, and spoke with them. They com- 
 plained bitterly of last night's cold and wind, from which 
 they had suffered much. Thanks be to God, we reached 
 our station. There was then no wind, but a dense fog 
 filled the air, with occasional showers of rain. The frost 
 was so intense that the water froze as in winter. 
 
 Tuesday, 8th (6th M ay).— To-day we reach Lushan. 
 Mounting our horse at daybreak, we set out chatting by 
 
io Diaiy of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 the way with the Grand-Vazlr, Ilkhani, and the Pajonaster 
 (of Azarbayjan). The road hereabouts has been some- 
 what improved by order of the Government. Cultivation 
 goes on in the valleys and on the hills. Mahdi-quli 
 Khan had gone on ahead for a little sport after partridges,, 
 and he mentioned having found the yellow jessamine in 
 flower in all the valleys. We went over the whole of the 
 ground that he had explored. They had erected our sun- 
 shade tent. The Shah-rud (King River, which falls into- 
 the Saf Id-rud at ManjTl,) was very full of water, and 
 extremely turbid. Many of our princes and officers were 
 present. Breakfast was served. One of the attendants 
 on Prince Wajihu-'l-'lah Mirza, who had plunged into the 
 Kufa branch of the Euphrates (when the Shah visited the 
 sacred shrines of 'Ali and Husayn at Najaf and Kerbela 
 in Babylonia), here also most bravely urged his horse 
 into the stream. Truly it was an exhibition of courage. 
 "We remained there till the middle of the afternoon, and 
 then proceeded towards our station. Below the bridge I 
 noticed two carriages, very elegant, which a merchant of 
 Shirwan (in Georgia) was taking up to Tehran to sell. 
 We reached our station at sundown. They had pitched 
 our camp in a wide valley at a considerable distance from 
 the bridge. Thanks be to God, there was no wind 
 neither. The Grand- Vazir brought us some dispatches 
 from the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, which we read. 
 
 Wednesday, 9th (7 th May). — To-day we go to ManjlL 
 We started earry in the morning on horseback. Prince 
 Husamu-'s-'Saltana joined us from the road to Bakandi, 
 which he has recently purchased, and to which he had 
 
chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. i r 
 
 diverged from our camp at Aqa-baba. We journeyed on,, 
 chatting with him, the Grand- Vazir, and Ilkhani. Con- 
 trary to what we had experienced for some days, the 
 weather was warm, and the flies were numerous. The 
 pathway was very bad, and we rode along out of the 
 track until we reached the forest of Bala-bala. We 
 reached the bank of the river at breakfast- time. At dawn 
 to-day we had taken some quinine. After breakfast we 
 again mounted and pushed on. During the journey we 
 saw Mirza. Ibrahim Khan, Governor of Ralmiat-abad, 
 Ni'matu-'l-'lah Khan of Rasht, and Nasru-'l-'lah Khan, a 
 Talish-man from Gurgan-rud (on the Caspian). The 
 cavalry of this latter chieftain were very well dressed and 
 armed. Nearing our quarters, his Reverence the Mulla 
 HajjT Rafi', a jurisconsult of Gilan, had an audience. As 
 it was not possible to pitch our camp on the same spot as 
 in our former visit, at the foot of the cypress of Harzabil, 
 by reason of its having been laid under crops, we found 
 it erected in a valley near to Manjil, sheltered from the 
 wind. In spite of this precaution, a high wind arose in 
 the afternoon. It is one of the wonders and singularities 
 of nature, that in this valley, at all seasons of the year, a 
 violent breeze sets in every afternoon, so impetuous, and 
 with such force, that all the olive-trees growing there lean 
 over in one direction, according as the blast has impelled 
 them. The whole of the lands of Manjil and Harzabil 
 are under cultivation, so that the countiy has an aspect 
 of fertility and joy. 
 
 Yesterday a snake bit one of the tent-pitchers, and 
 Dr. Tholozan treated him ; according to his report, the 
 
12 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 man's life is saved. Hereabouts snakes are very numerous 
 (as was found by Marc Antony when he invaded the 
 country). 
 
 Thursday, 10th (8th May). — Rustam-abad is our next 
 station. We started rather later than usual, and journeyed 
 on, conversing with the Grand- Vazir ; also we had an inter- 
 view with Mulla RafP the jurisconsult at the foot of the 
 bridge of Manjil, which spans the Safld-rud (White River), 
 &nd over which they pass who journey to or from GTlan. 
 Formerly there was a wooden bridge here, the passage 
 over which was very difficult for caravans ; but a few 
 years since a strong stone bridge has been built at the 
 cost of the public exchequer, and under the superintend- 
 ence of his Reverence HajjT Mulla Raf I*. His Reverence 
 is in the same state of robust health that he enjo} T ed 
 when we first saw him, eight years ago. Passing his 
 bridge, we pushed on to FTl-dih (Elephant-village), and 
 in the very spot where we had breakfasted several years 
 before, in our journey to GTlan, did we take our morning's 
 meal to-day. The oranges are in bloom, and the pome- 
 granates have just done flowering. The length of to-day's 
 journey fatigued me. We reached our quarters three 
 hours to sunset, and found the tents pitched on the river- 
 bank. As we journe} T ed to-day we saw mairy swimmers 
 and bathers amusing themselves in the river, along which 
 our road lay. 
 
 Friday 11th (9th May). — We go to Imam-zada Hashim. 
 Mounted at dawn, and journeyed conversing with the 
 Grand- Vazir. In some places the path was bad to-day ; 
 tthat is to sa} T , that above Rustam-abad some places were 
 
chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. 13. 
 
 under water, and a distance of over a thousand feet was- 
 veiw deep with mud. In other places again rocks and 
 stones abounded. Here and there I was forced to dis- 
 mount and walk; and, as I conversed in one place 
 with the Grand- Vazir, the foot of his horse slipped hx 
 the mucl, and he was thrown; fortunately, he was not 
 hurt. It was reported, however, that one man had fallen 
 from his beast; and, upon enquiry, I found it was an 
 attendant of the Ammu-'s-Saltana, who had fallen from a 
 mule, and was killed. Some of our princes, &c, received 
 permission to go on from this station to Kasht. A bridge 
 (now completed) over the Siyah-rud (Black Eiver) has 
 also been built, under the care of Mulla Eaf V, with the 
 public money. There was, however, but little water in 
 that stream, and a child might have waded across it. 
 Sometimes again it runs with so full and impetuous a 
 flood as to be unfordable by horsemen. We reached the 
 mouth of this stream, where it falls into the Safid-riid, at 
 breakfast- time. There was a pretty meadow, and we sat 
 down in the shade of a tree, several of our household 
 being in attendance. As we approached the end of our 
 day's journey, the mountains were left behind, and we 
 entered on a level country, where my droshka had been 
 prepared for me. Mounting this carriage, I drove to the* 
 vicinity of our station. 
 
 Saturday, 12th (10th May). — To-day we arrive at the 
 town of Easht. Last night the air was very cold. Eising 
 betimes, we rode a certain distance on horseback ; then 
 took our seat in the droshka, and drove on. The Eussian 
 Envoy, with M. Grebel, the interpreter, was waiting by 
 
14 Diary of a Tour in Eitrope. [chap. i. 
 
 the side of the carriage, and we had some chat with them. 
 The sun was very hot. The nightingales every now and 
 then sang in the woods. "We passed the villages of Sara- 
 wan and Shah-Aqachi. Below this latter we saw the 
 Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, who had come out from Rasht to 
 meet us; and also the Sa'idu-'l-Mulk, Mirza 'Abdu-'r- 
 Rahlm Khan, who had come from St. Petersburg with 
 Prince Menschikoff, appointed to attend upon us. The 
 Hakimu-'l-Mamalik, commissioned from Tehran to go 
 and meet the Russian officials sent to attend upon us, 
 also joined our party. "We took our breakfast in the 
 shade of some forest trees on the left-hand side of the 
 Toad; and before we had gone very far forward from 
 thence, we observed on the road a very handsome bazaar, 
 entirely built of bricks and mortar. We were informed 
 that the Mu'inu-'t-Tujjar-i-Gilani, in partnership with 
 some others, had erected this bazaar. From Lahijan a 
 large company of Doctors of law and divinity, &c, had 
 come forth to meet us. Near to the town (of Rasht), 
 Their Reverences Hajji Mulla Rafi', Hajji Mulla Tahir, 
 and Hajji Mirza, 'Abdu-'l-Baqi, jurisconsults of the town 
 of Rasht, formally met us. There we dismounted from 
 the carriage and got on our horse, the Grand- Vazir and 
 the Russian Envoy being also on horseback, and con- 
 versing with us. A large concourse of women and men, 
 inhabitants of Rasht, also came out to ; meet us. Six 
 hours to sundown we reached the Nasiriyya Palace, where 
 a tent had been pitched for us. At one hour and a half 
 to sunset Prince Menschikoff, in attendance on us, Colonel 
 Bazak, special aide-de-camp of the Emperor of Russia, 
 
-chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. 15 
 
 the Eussian Envoy, with his interpreter, M. Grebel, and 
 the Hakimu-'l-Mamalik, were admitted to an audience. 
 Prince Menschikoff is a personage of distinction, one of 
 the notables of the Eussian empire, and a special aide- 
 de-camp general of the Emperor ; he is about sixty years 
 of age. 
 
 Sunday, 13th (11th May). — In the morning we mounted 
 •our horse and started for Enzeli, passing through the 
 whole of the town and bazaar (of Easht). Multitudes 
 were assembled along the road as far as Biisar. From 
 henceforward we rode in our droshka. They have made 
 the road to Pira-Bazar very nicely. At this latter place 
 we breakfasted in front of the gate of the custom-house. 
 Here they had prepared barges and man-of-war boats, 
 &c. ; and after breakfast we mounted a barge to go off to 
 the small steam-vessels that were anchored somewhat far 
 from the mouth of the river. One of these belongs to 
 our own Government, and has been very nicely fitted up. 
 Two others belonged to Eussia. In one of the latter 
 the Eussian Envoy, Admiral Sivnikin, and Dr. Tholozan 
 were mounted; in the other was a Eussian band of 
 musicians ; while we embarked in our own ship, which 
 hj our orders had been recently built and despatched. 
 Whatever is necessary as an ornament, whether plate- 
 glass or sumptuous cabin furniture, is all present in this 
 ship. It has a speed of three leagues per hour. After 
 viewing and admiring her cabins, we went on deck, where 
 an awning of embroidery in flowers upon broadcloth 
 formed a shade. The Eussian Envoy presented the 
 Admiral in an audience. We remained a sufficient time 
 
1 6 Diary of a Tour in Ezirope. [chap. t. 
 
 for all our party to embark on board our vessel, princes 
 and household officers. Orders were then given for the 
 ship to proceed, and four hours to sunset we arrived at 
 Enzeli. Immediately upon this, the Grand- Vazir, the 
 Mu'taraadu-'l-Mulk, and the Ammu-'s-Saltana proceeded 
 to the Russian ships that were anchored in the offing of 
 Enzeli, in order to arrange the berths of each of our 
 attendants and the stowage of our effects. Five ships 
 had come by orders of the Russian Government ; all men- 
 of-war, acknowledged by the Russian State, but not fast 
 ships. The vessels owned by " The Company" are more 
 commodious than the men-of-war, and of greater speed. 
 These men-of-war will not go with us, but will return (to 
 their stations) from Enzeli. Our quarters are in a tower,, 
 built by our command by our Minister of Foreign Affairs 
 when he was governor of Gilan, and subsequently fitted 
 up by Mirza Muhammad-Husayn while he was acting as 
 deputy-governor of Gilan for the late Nizamu-'d-Dawla. 
 It still wants a little of completion, which the Mu'taniadu- 
 '1-Mulk will see to. This tower is of five stories, and 
 each story has a saloon and a balcony all round. It is 
 entirely built of bricks, stone, and lime ; excepting the 
 balconies, which are of timber, painted. All kinds of 
 needful furniture, as carpeting (or its substitutes, matting, 
 floor-cloth, &c), chairs, tables, candlesticks, &c, are there 
 existing and ready. The view from this tower, on all 
 four sides, is over the sea. Well; a cold wind was 
 blowing, but the night was one of beautiful moonlight. 
 It was settled that we should embark to-morrow. There 
 was an exhibition of fireworks at Gaziyan. 
 
chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. ij 
 
 Monday, litli (12th May). — To-day, God willing, we 
 embark on board ship, and, under the Divine favour, 
 proceed to Hajji-Tarkhan (Astrakhan, lit., the Tarkhan, 
 the pilgrim to Makka — a Tarkhan having been a kind of 
 superior feudal baron with the Tatar and Mogul sove- 
 reigns, by one of whom probably the place was founded). 
 We rose early in the morning. Looking out over the 
 sea, we saw an unbroken line of boats and barges, con- 
 veying men and effects from Enzeli to the ships. The 
 air was rather hazy, and a light wind was blowing on to 
 the shore. This rather alarmed us. After awhile, how- 
 ever, the air cleared up, the haze disappeared ; but, as 
 the sky was somewhat threatening, it was judged better 
 to hasten our departure. I sent therefore for the Grand- 
 Vazir, and ordered all my suite to embark. I then came 
 down from the tower ; and the jurisconsult, Hajjl Mulla 
 Rafi', offered up a prayer for our vo} T age. A wonderful 
 assemblage of all sorts and conditions had collected. In 
 the first place I embarked in my own steamer, and in her 
 proceeded to the " Constantine," sent on purpose for me. 
 Prince Menschikoff and the others in attendance were on 
 board. We waited another couple of hours while the 
 baggage and our followers were being shipped, and then, 
 five hours to sunset, the ship's anchor was got up, and 
 we started. Three of the men-of-war present incessantly 
 fired guns, and got under way, one ahead of our ship, 
 one astern, aud one on each beam. After awhile they 
 stopped; and our ship then put on full speed. This 
 vessel has beautiful cabins ; all with embellishments, and 
 sumptuous, and clean by rule. Servants were on board, 
 
1 8 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i_ 
 
 specially sent from St. Petersburg", of the Emperor's 
 household, with all the requisites for taking coffee, &c. 
 
 The following is the list of the personages who accomr 
 pany us to Europe : — 
 
 1. Those on hoard the " Constantine," our own ship. 
 
 The Grand- Vazlr. 
 
 The Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk. 
 
 The <Azdu-'l-Mulk (Privy Seal ; cousin to the Shah). 
 
 The Court Secretary. 
 
 The Aminu-'s-Sultan. 
 
 The Sani'u-'d-Dawla (Private Secretary to the Shah)- 
 
 The Aminu-'s-Saltana. 
 
 Mahdi-quli Khan (a chamberlain). 
 
 Dr. Tholozan. 
 
 The Chief Photographer. 
 
 Gulam-Husayn Khan. 
 
 The Muhaqqiq (Court collector of information). 
 
 The Chief Groom of the Privy Chamber. 
 
 Farrukh Khan. 
 
 Prince Wajihu-'l-'lah (cousin to the Shah). 
 
 Ja'far-quli Khan. 
 
 The Chief Groom of the Coffee-Service. 
 
 Aqa Biz a, Corporal. 
 
 Mirza 'Abdu-'l-'lah, (Groom of the Privy Chamber). 
 
 Mirza <Abdu-'r-Kahim Khan, the Sa'idu-'l-Mulk 
 
 (Minister Plenipotentiary at St. Petersburg). 
 Prince Sultan Husajm Mirzii. 
 Hajjl Haydar, Special Barber. 
 Aqa Hasan- 'Ali, (Water-Bearer). 
 
chap, i.j Tehran to Astrakhan. 19 
 
 Aqa Muhammad- 'Ali Jabbar, (Groom of Coftee- 
 
 Service). 
 Three attendants of the Grand- Vazir. Aqa Baqir. 
 
 2. Those on board the ship " Baratinski." 
 
 The 'Azzu-'d-Dawla. 
 
 The I'tizadu-'s-Saltana (great-uncle to the Shah ; 
 
 Minister of Commerce). 
 The Husamu-'s-Saltana. 
 The Nusratu-'d-Dawla (uncle to the Shah). 
 The 'Imadu-'d-Dawla. 
 The 'Ala/u-'d-Dawla. 
 The Ilkhani (Governor of Qazwin). 
 Hasan- f Ali Klian, (Minister of Public Works). 
 The Paymaster- General of the Forces. 
 The Haklmu-'l-Mamalik. 
 The Ihtishamu-'d-Dawla. 
 The Nasru-'l-Mulk. 
 The Mukhbiru-'d-Dawla. 
 The Shuja'u-'s-Saltana. 
 General Hasan- 'Ali Khan. 
 
 Mirza Eiza Khan, (Aide- cle- Camp to Grand-Vazir). 
 Lt. Ibrahim Khan. 
 
 Mirza, Ahmad Khan, (son of the 'Ala'u-'d-Dawla). 
 Two Equerries. 
 One groom. 
 
 Eight servants to members of the suite. 
 M. Dubeski, (Austrian Envoy). 
 Mr. Thomson, (Secretary of Legation of England). 
 Dr. Dickson, (Physician of Legation of England). 
 
 c 2 
 
20 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 Names of the horses : — 
 
 The horse Julfa. 
 
 The horse Zillu-'s-Sultan. 
 
 The horse Jan. 
 
 The horse Sabahu-'l-Khayr (he with a " blaze " in his 
 forehead). 
 
 (The horse of) the Husamu-'s-Saltana. 
 
 Dr. Tholozan informed me that the Bussian admiral 
 had been opening a bottle of soda-water, when the bottle 
 burst and a piece of the glass flew into his eye, so as to 
 make him blind of that one eye. I afterwards saw the 
 admiral, who had put on blue spectacles. I enquired 
 of him what had happened, and he narrated the same 
 circumstances. I was grieved. Towards the middle of 
 the afternoon, when I went up on deck, I saw the " Bara- 
 tinski " was a full league distant. I slept in great comfort 
 during the night. 
 
 Tuesday, 15th (IBth May). — At sunrise we had reached 
 the commencement of the promontory of Absharan (The 
 Waterfalls ; Cape Abcheran, of Black's Atlas ; C. 
 Aspheron or Shakoo, of General Monteith ; the pro- 
 montory of Baku). The more we advanced, the more 
 and the better did the land of the promontory become 
 visible. These coasts are arid and treeless, and are 
 included in the district of Bad-Kuba (Wind-beaten; 
 Baku) ; many tamarisk-bushes were growing on them, 
 and in some places rocks were visible. The ship hugged 
 the shore so closely that the men and animals thereon 
 were distinguished. On the central point of the pro- 
 
chap, i.] Tehran to Astrakhan. 21 
 
 Hiontory, a square tower is built for the purposes of a 
 sea-lamp (lighthouse) ; and around it several houses of 
 stone for the attendants of the tower. On our right 
 there .was an island (Sviatoi, of Black; Piralagai, of 
 Monteith), on which we observed some large buildings. 
 On enquiry I learnt that they were a manufactory for the 
 purification of naphtha, but are at present unoccupied, 
 there being no one on the island. From what was said, 
 the proprietor had been ruined. Here they stopped the 
 ship for a short time, while the Grand- Vazir wrote some 
 telegrams, which he gave to be carried to Bacl-Kuba, to be 
 from thence telegraphed to Persia and to Europe. The 
 sea was calm until about two hours to noon ; then, little 
 by little, it became agitated, so that the waves rolled 
 mountains high, and eveiyone on board was taken unwell, 
 excepting ourselves, our Chief Photographer, the Sani'u- 
 'd-Dawla, the Corporal, and Dr. Tholozan. We were 
 not cast down, but proved our self-possession. The 
 whole of the officers and crew of the vessel were cast 
 down also, with the exception of the admiral and a few 
 of the sailors, &c. In fine, we should have been caught 
 in a peril of great magnitude, but the Divine mercy 
 encompassed our situation, and a favourable breeze sprung 
 up astern, carrying us more quickly forward to our 
 desired haven. All night, until dawn, the sea continued 
 thus agitated and billowy ; in spite of which, however, I 
 slept a little. Basing at dawn and looking out at the sea, 
 I saw it was still boisterous. I desired the admiral to be 
 called, and with him I examined the chart that I might 
 know our exact position. The admiral gave me an 
 
22' Diary of a Totcr in Europe. [chap. i. 
 
 assurance that in ten hours' time we should arrive off the 
 mouth of the river Volga, where there would be but four 
 or five cubits (or ells, of forty-two inches each), of water, 
 and that therefore the sea would be smoother. In the 
 middle of the afternoon we saw some sailing vessels ; 
 and among them was one bound on a vo} r age to the 
 coasts of Langaran and Mazandaran. We also saw a 
 man-of-war steamer, named the "Iran." One hour and 
 a half after nightfall we arrived at a place called the 
 " Quarantine," beyond which large ships cannot enter. 
 It was therefore necessary for us to leave our steamer 
 and go on board a small vessel that would carry us to 
 Hajji-Tarkhan. Our ship anchored in that spot, and we 
 dined. They who had been sea-sick and unwell gradually 
 recovered. After dinner Prince Menschikoff brought 
 and presented the Governor of Hajji-Tarkhan, who was 
 named M. Pipine, and who had every appearance, to 
 one's eyes, of being a man of integrity and ability. He 
 spoke French well. On leaving our presence he returned 
 by night to Hajji-Tarkhan, so as to be in attendance on 
 our arrival there. The small vessel that is to carry us 
 to the city is named the " Coquette," and is very hand- 
 some. After the time of night Divine service, we went 
 on board this vessel ; another, similar to her, having been 
 provided for our suite, and a small steam-tug taking us 
 in tow. This night I enjoyed a delicious and comfortable 
 sleep. 
 
CHAPTER II. 
 
 RUSSIA ; 14 DAYS. 
 
 EDNESDAY, 16th (14*7* May).— Arrived at 
 Hajji-Tarkhan. At dawn I rose and looked 
 around. Thanks be to God, we have escaped 
 from the high sea, and have entered a large 
 river named the Volga, which has a great charm. This 
 stream is very wide ; so much so, that the one branch of 
 it which we were navigating is at least a thousand ells 
 {about 1200 yards) across, and an ordinary musket-ball 
 would not carry from bank to bank. Its waters are 
 turbid, and flow with a rapid current, so as to raise 
 waves like those of the sea. The banks are everywhere 
 clothed with green forest-trees, common willows and 
 Egyptian willows ; the land is all grass and pasturage. 
 For the most part these regions are inhabited by tribes 
 of pagan Kalmuks, who pitch then felt tents by the side 
 of the streams and rear vast herds of cattle, horses, 
 mares, oxen, sheep, &c. We saw also some large villages, 
 Russian villages, pertaining to the district of Hajji- 
 Tarkhan, and standing on the banks of the river. Seen 
 from a distance, they appear to be of considerable extent 
 and very populous. In each village a church has been 
 built, very fine and majestic. The occupation in general 
 
24 Diary of a Tour in Etcrope. [chap. n. 
 
 of the people of these villages is that of fishing. As our 
 vessel came opposite to each of these villages in suc- 
 cession, the inhabitants flocked to the river-bank, and 
 cried out . hurrah ! They did not appear to have any 
 gardens or sown fields, excepting in one instance where 
 we saw a very large mansion and an extensive garden of 
 trees in a village at a distance, belonging to the tribe of 
 Sapogenikoff. They had shot down a good quantity of 
 dead fishes into their vessels, and had made the banks 
 of the river stink. Such fishes as they had not been 
 able to salt and preserve, and which had consequently 
 putrefied, they cast into the river. The water of the 
 Yolga is very light of digestion. We noticed many birds, 
 such as magpies, crows, and cormorants (? lit., great 
 piscivorous starlings), flying in the air ; we shot one of 
 each of the latter as they flew past. We saw two small 
 vessels with steam and sails, laden with merchandize. 
 We thus continued our course, until about mid-day the 
 mass of Hajji-Tarkhan began to appear, the first building 
 seen being the large church of the cit} r , which is very 
 lofty and majestic. The city is like an island encom- 
 passed by two or three branches of the river. One large 
 branch skirts the town, and another branch passes 
 through it, being spanned by many bridges, and its banks 
 occupied by streets and houses. It has numerous 
 mosques, the greater part of which belong to the Tatars, 
 one very fine one belonging to the Muslims of Iran 
 (Persia). Well, we arrived at the town. Skirting the 
 town were all kinds of craft, and windmills in abundance 
 were seen. Astonishing multitudes of men and women 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 25 
 
 were congregated, of various nationalities; — Tatars, 
 Russians, Persians, Cossacks, Circassians, Kalmuks, &c, 
 in groups on groups, were in the streets and thorough- 
 fares, continually shouting hurrahs at each spot we arrived 
 at along the course of the river, until we reached the 
 landing-place and our vessel stopped. It then wanted 
 four hours and a half to sunset. 
 
 This day, early in the morning, Mirza Malkani Khan, 
 and Nariman Khan, with MTrza Asadu-'l-'lah Khan, our 
 Consul at Tiflls, and Mirza MIka'il, brother of Mirza 
 Malkam Khan, had come down from HajjI-Tarkhan and 
 joined our party on board ship. 
 
 Descending from the vessel, we landed. The instant 
 we put our foot on shore, the whole of the men and 
 women assembled there simultaneously raised a loud 
 shout of hurrah! It was an extraordinary crowd, a 
 strange hubbub of voices. In the streets and thorough- 
 fares men and women were standing, as closely packed 
 as the space would hold. They had raised a triumphal 
 arch of great altitude and of imposing appearance. A 
 triumphal arch is customary to be erected on the arrival 
 of sovereigns in a town. From the landing to the 
 triumphal arch the passage was carpeted over. In con- 
 formity with a Russian custom, observed by them when 
 the Emperor or a King, but no one else, arrives in a town, 
 the mayor brought forward bread and salt. On the salt- 
 cellar of gold, and on the gilt silver salver, on which the 
 salt and bread were presented, the date of our arrival at 
 HajjI-Tarkhan had been inscribed. An open carriage 
 harnessed with four handsome horses, and the coachman, 
 
26 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. ir. 
 
 Eussian fashion, standing with the reins in his hand, was 
 in waiting. We made Prince Menschikoff mount this 
 carriage with us. A troop of mounted Cossacks followed 
 as our escort, and a crowd of men and women, old and 
 young, ran along by our side shouting hurrahs. Dust 
 and noise there were in plenty. Everywhere, by the 
 sides of the streets, in the balconies, and on the roofs, 
 were people standing to witness the spectacle, until we 
 reached the Government House, in which they had ap- 
 pointed our quarters. A battalion of troops was drawn 
 up in military order opposite the gate of the Government 
 House, all handsome young men, dressed and armed in 
 the most desirable manner. I dismounted and walked 
 down their line. They saluted me with military honours, 
 and shouted hurrahs. We then entered the house. 
 
 The edifice of the Government House is a very im- 
 posing and spacious structure, full of inhabited apart- 
 ments. By the sides of the staircase by which one 
 enters the house, and which leads to a great hall, nume- 
 rous vases of flowers had been collected especially for 
 our reception. The house contains many apartments 
 and halls, reception-rooms, dining-rooms, bed-chambers, 
 &c, all furnished and decorated. In most of these they 
 had served sweetmeats, sherbets, fruits. The stoves of 
 the establishment are the reverse of the ordinary Persian 
 hearths, — that is, in a corner of a room a portion of the 
 wall forms a kind of projection, which is tesselated with 
 white glazed tiles, and behind this they light the fire. 
 Tubes are arranged within this projection, and through 
 them warm air comes into the room. 
 
chap, il] Russia. 2 7 
 
 The bath of this establishment is on the ground floor, 
 and one descends to it by a flight of many steps. The 
 bath-room was elegantly fitted up with chairs, tables, 
 couches ; perfumes, flowers, and the like, were collected 
 there in abundance of varieties. In one corner was a 
 basin with two taps for water, hot and cold, so that the 
 temperature of the water in the basin could be regulated 
 and kept to any desired degree of heat. The floor of 
 the bath was covered with a very soft mat. At a certain 
 point there were a few wooden steps, with a kind of trap- 
 door at the top ; and whenever it is desired that hot air 
 enter the bath-room, they open it. There were many 
 taps for hot, cold, and tepid water, all round the room. 
 
 When I quitted the bath, M. Dubeski, the Austrian 
 Envo}^, and Mr. Thomson, Secretary of the English 
 Legation, had an audience of leave, being introduced by 
 the Grand-Vazir ; they precede us to Moscow. After 
 them, the Governor of HajjI-Tarkhan, Prince Menschi- 
 koff, Colonel Bazak, and M. Grebel, came and enquired 
 whether we would feel an inclination to witness the 
 practice of the fire brigade. We having signified our 
 assent, the " alarm " was given — i.e., the signal was given 
 that a fire had broken out, and caused a general pertur- 
 bation. This signal was displayed on a tower that 
 dominates the town. Immediately, from every ward the 
 firemen presented themselves with their wheeled fire- 
 engines and their ladders, the horses of the engine of 
 each ward being of a special colour. No sooner were 
 they assembled in the square in front of our quarters, 
 than their officer feigned that fire had broken out in a 
 
28 Diary of a Tour in Ezirope. [chap. n. 
 
 building that stood on one side of the square. Instantly 
 did they direct the whole of their engines on that build- 
 ing, and incessantly did they discharge water upon it. 
 They performed a very fine exercise. 
 
 In the evening there was an illumination in front of the 
 house, and after dinner we went to the theatre, where the 
 air was excessively hot. The theatre is small, and the 
 crowded state of the audience was wonderful. The house 
 has two galleries ; no more. As soon as we entered the 
 curtain rose, and various actings were produced. At 
 first we might have imagined that the players were figures 
 of pasteboard ; but, little by little, it became evident 
 that they were human beings. Thrice did the curtain 
 rise, and three different plays did they enact. Each time 
 the curtain fell, an interval of a few minutes elapsed ere 
 it rose again. This interval was of sufficient duration 
 for us to go from the pit of the theatre to an upper 
 chamber by the side thereof, and to become somewhat 
 refreshed from the heat, when we returned. Had it not 
 been for the heat, the sig'ht would have been something 
 worth witnessing. 
 
 Thursday, 11 th (15th May). — This is the day of the 
 festival of the nativity of His Holiness the Seal of the 
 Prophets (i.e., of Muhammad ; whom we vulgarly call 
 Mahomet), upon whom, and upon whose household be 
 salutations and benedictions. And to-day we have to 
 start by water for Tsaritsin, from whence we shall pro- 
 ceed by railway. 
 
 Early in the morning we breakfasted, and then went to 
 the state saloon to hold a leve'e, to which all the nobles 
 
chap ii.] Russia. 29 
 
 and notables of Hajj I-Tarkhan, and all the officers of the 
 
 regular and irregular forces in garrison there, came and 
 
 were presented. The levee over, we mounted a carriage 
 
 and drove to the mosque belonging to the Muslims of the 
 
 ShI'a sect, the Precentor of which is Mulla Muhammad- 
 
 Husayn, of Tabriz, — a very agreeable man. Again, 
 
 to-day, through whichever street we passed, the people 
 
 ran by the side of our carriage shouting hurrahs. Rain 
 
 had fallen in the night, and had laid the dust of the 
 
 streets. The mosque is in the form of an upper chamber, 
 
 reached by a wooden staircase. Arrived there, we found 
 
 a great concourse present, of merchants and others, 
 
 subjects of Persia, all being of the Shi'a sect. They were 
 
 received in audience. The princes of our suite were 
 
 there also. We there acquitted ourselves of our noon 
 
 and afternoon service of Divine worship. After the 
 
 service, Mulla Muhammad-Husayn, the Precentor, recited 
 
 a glorious Khutba (discourse, sermon ; vide Lane's 
 
 ' Modern Egyptians,' p. 85, 1. 26) in the Arabian tongue ; 
 
 following upon which, a certain Mulla Ahmad, of Rasht, 
 
 a Licentiate of Law and Theology, recited some Persian 
 
 verses of his own composition. 
 
 From thence I went to the mosque of the Tatars, 
 where a large congregation of Tatars and of Doctors of 
 the Sunni (Traditionist) sect were assembled. Men of 
 handsome form and features met my sight, who offered 
 prayers for me. One of their Doctors ascended a pulpit, 
 and recited a Khutba ; he also presented me with a copy 
 of the Qur'an (vulgarly known as the Koran). The build- 
 ing of this mosque is similar to that of the Shi'a sect. 
 
o 
 
 o Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. h. 
 
 Next I proceeded to an establishment where are pre- 
 served various relics of Peter the Great, Emperor of 
 Kussia. I saw there two large boats built by Peter the 
 Great with his own hands, and more especially one of 
 them that is ornamented with very fine carvings. There, 
 too, are portraits of Peter and Catherine. An immense 
 glass tumbler was also shown, out of which it is well 
 known that Peter the Great drank wine with Prince 
 Menschikoff, ancestor of the very Prince Menschikoff 
 who is in attendance on us. There was also a large 
 chair presented by Catherine to the Governor of HajjT- 
 Tarkhan of her day : and further, a law book {query, 
 charter), which Catherine sent for the inhabitants of 
 Hajji-Tarkhan. Again, there were the carpenter's tools 
 of Peter — his saw, chisel, axe, &c, with which he built 
 vessels. On the walls were certain ancient weapons and 
 warlike instruments suspended, such as fire-arms, &c. ; 
 and outside the door, on either side, a pair of old bomb- 
 shells. These are not devoid of some interest. 
 
 I now got into nry carriage and drove to the steam- 
 boat named the "Alexander," belonging to "the Com- 
 pany," and embarked in her, my suite being already on 
 board. She is a very handsome vessel, with excellent 
 and spacious cabins, elegantly fitted up. Five hours 
 to sunset she got imdei way. Besides her other good 
 qualities, she is a very fast boat. On our passage we 
 noticed several vessels on their voyage from Tsaritsin to 
 Hajji-Tarkhan, and with a numerous company of mixed 
 passengers on board. 
 
 The river Volga, as before mentioned, is like a sea ; 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 
 
 i.e., in some parts is so wide that the banks cannot be 
 seen. Large islands are embraced in its channel ; exten- 
 sive villages are found on its banks. On the right bank 
 of the river (in ascending) an enormous and beautiful 
 temple was noticed, which belongs to the idolatrous 
 Kalmuks. The whole of the banks of the river, where 
 visible, are hilly, with grass and trees forming a pleasant 
 aspect. Herds of swine, piebald and black, were pas- 
 turing on shore. The flesh of these animals is eaten by 
 the inhabitants of the countries bordering on the river. 
 No other river of equal magnitude and with equally beau- 
 tiful sites on its banks was seen by us in those parts. I 
 could not for one moment cease to admire them. The 
 vessel never stopped. At nightfall we dined, and subse- 
 quently retired to rest. 
 
 Friday, 18th (16th May). — When I arose in the 
 morning it was evident that it had rained heavily all 
 night. The river banks are like those seen yesterday, 
 but the number of villages is less. A telegraph from the 
 Dabiru-'l-Mulk was received and read : " On the 16th of 
 this month (Wednesday, 14th May,) a typhoon of furious 
 wind occurred in Tehran. The inhabitants of Tehran 
 were in a state of alarm lest this typhoon should have 
 assailed us at sea." At three horns and a quarter to 
 sunset we arrived at the town of Tsaritsin, from whence 
 the railway commences. 
 
 Tsaritsin is built on an eminence on the bank of the 
 river Volga, the length of the town following the course of 
 the stream, and a branch of the river flows through it, 
 dividing the town into two parts united by a bridge, over 
 
3 2 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 which people pass from one section to the other. Multi- 
 tudes were assembled from the town and its environs. As 
 soon as the vessel anchored, on board of which we were 
 travelling, the railway train that was to carry us forward 
 made its appearance. We performed our devotions, and 
 then came out of the ship's cabin. The Governor of 
 Saratov, within whose jurisdiction the town of Tsaritsin is 
 situated, was presented. His name was Gavkin Varafski. 
 He was a noble, pleasant-faced man, and had come a great 
 distance. The Chief of the Nobles of Saratov, &c, and 
 many officers of all kinds, were assembled and were pre- 
 sented. There was also an excellent band. The landing- 
 place was beautifully decorated, and the Persian flag 
 hoisted over a triumphal arch. After giving audience to 
 these who had thus come to receive us, we returned to 
 the ship's cabin, performed our devotions of sunset, and 
 dined, proceeding to the railway one hour afterwards. 
 The Governor of Hajji-Tarkhan here took leave and 
 returned. 
 
 From the wharf, for a certain distance, the railroad 
 was illuminated on both sides. Our railway carriages 
 are a special train of saloons for the use of the Em- 
 peror, very handsome, spacious, and beautifully fitted 
 up. They contained mairy different apartments, dining- 
 saloons, sleeping-carriages, reception-saloons, all fur- 
 nished with lamps, tables, chairs, sofas, and couches. 
 They all communicated with one another, so that one 
 could go and come from end to end of the train. Those 
 of our suite who accompanied us on board the " Constan- 
 tine " were placed in the same saloon with ourselves ; our 
 
chap, it.] Russia, 
 
 princes and the rest following in a separate train. This 
 is the first time we travel on a railway, and very nice and 
 comfortable it is : it goes five leagues in an hour. 
 
 Eising in the morning (17th May) it became evident 
 that during the night we had been passing through a 
 beautiful country; for, whichever way we looked out over 
 the land, we saw green fields, meadows, flowers, grass, 
 tented tribes, mares, sheep, swine, &c, and every two or 
 three leagues a handsome, populous village. These parts 
 are celebrated for their productiveness. Everywhere we 
 looked we saw sown fields that required no irrigation, or 
 else grass lands. We crossed a large and handsome 
 bridge over a stream, full of water, that flows into the 
 river Don. Every now and then we passed over smaller 
 bridges in great numbers. At distances of two or three 
 miles were guard-houses for the care of the road ; and a 
 few leagues apart were stations. A "station" is a place 
 where the trains stop to have their wheels greased, and 
 where the passengers take coffee and refreshments ; so 
 that it really is a post-house. These stations are prettily 
 built ; and at each of them there are always several car- 
 riages for the conveyance of passengers and merchandize. 
 To-day we are passing through the government of Tam- 
 bov; and at one of the stations we alighted from our 
 carriage, and found a concourse of officers, troops, 
 women, and men assembled. We walked down in front 
 of the line and inspected the troops, who were all fine 
 young men and well armed. This station was at the 
 town of Borisoglebsk, the whole of the civil and military 
 functionaries of which had come out to meet us. After 
 
34 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. h. 
 
 receiving them we returned to our carriage and continued 
 our journey. Our road now lay chiefly through forests 
 of fir and pine. The pace of the train was such that we 
 overtook the flying crows, passed them, and left them 
 behind. Emerging from the forests, we again came upon 
 cultivation, meadows, and open country. At this season 
 the crops in these parts are not more than one finger- 
 joint out of the ground. 
 
 We now arrived at Kozlov, where we found all the 
 local authorities assembled, as well as a crowd of spec- 
 tators. It is a fine town, and a handsome hotel of large 
 dimensions was by the roadside, in which they had pre- 
 pared a breakfast. The nobles and wealthy men of 
 Russia have here a breeding stud, where very fine horses 
 are reared. They brought several for our inspection. 
 A few Russian generals and officials were presented in 
 audience. After a stroll we returned to our train, and 
 shortly proceeded on our journey. In less than every 
 half hour we passed by a very large village. The night 
 found us still continuing our onward course. Early in 
 the morning (of May the 18th) we traversed a long 
 bridge over a river (the Oka) that falls into the Volga, 
 having passed Riazan about midnight ; and two hours 
 after daylight we reached the station of Faustovo, where 
 our train was made to wait until the other, with our 
 princes, &c, should come up. We then all of us put on 
 our state dresses for our entry into Moscow. Prince 
 Dolgoruki, the Governor of Moscow, an old and vene- 
 rable man, full of honours and dignities, had come here 
 to meet us, and was admitted to an audience in our 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 35 
 
 carriage. M. Garnasoff, the interpreter of His Most 
 Exalted Majesty the Emperor, was also introduced to 
 our presence, having been sent by the Emperor. He is 
 a very old man, and has visited Persia. 
 
 We now proceeded till the city of Moscow appeared in 
 sight. The cupolas of its churches — all gilded, the 
 magnificent houses, the gardens, the parks, the summer 
 residences, the manufactories, were well seen. We ar- 
 rived at the station — the terminus, where the train stops, 
 and where an immense multitude of men and women 
 were assembled. We alighted from the train. The Go- 
 vernor of the city, the Generals, the Civil Functionaries, 
 were all there. The crowd was beyond all calculation. 
 A carriage and four, with escort, and with footmen in the 
 splendid liveries of the Emperor, awaited us. The 
 Grand- Vazir, the princes, the officers of our household, 
 and the rest, were placed in other carriages, forming 
 a cavalcade behind us. In this manner did we pass 
 through the streets ; everywhere marvellously thronged 
 with women and men, until we reached the gate of the 
 citadel-palace of the Kremlin, which is one of the grand 
 palaces of Eussia — nay, of all the Franks. It has a 
 brick wall of great height and ancient construction, 
 being situated on the top of a hill-like elevation, and 
 so overlooking the city of Moscow. The arsenal and 
 armoury are also within this palace, and we passed near 
 them. There is a very large gun placed in the entrance 
 to the palace, such that few so large will be seen. The 
 bell of the church of Moscow, which fell down in times of 
 old and was broken, is near the Arsenal. No bell of its 
 
 D 2 
 
36 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. n. 
 
 size is visible in any other place. Cannon captured from 
 the first Napoleon in the battle of Moscow are collected 
 in the Arsenal. 
 
 At length we reached the steps of the palace. Count 
 Lensdorf, Marshal of the Palace and Intendant of the 
 Parks and Domains of Moscow, a pleasant-looking young 
 man, who speaks French extremely well, showed us the 
 way, and explained the details of the palace. I really 
 cannot undertake to write a description of the Palace of 
 the Kremlin. We went up many stairs, so constructed 
 as to be mounted with the utmost comfort. In the corri- 
 dors are huge columns of porphyry and other stones. 
 The middle part of the staircase and corridors is car- 
 peted. As one goes up the stairs, one sees on the right 
 hand a picture representing a battle between the Russians 
 and the Moguls. Thence one enters a large saloon, and 
 from it passes into the still vaster Hall of the Knights 
 of St. George, i.e., of those who are decorated with the 
 insignia of the Order of St. George, the names of every 
 one of whom, ancient or recent, is inscribed in this hall, 
 which is very spacious and lofty, with large candelabra 
 and chandeliers. Thence one passes to the Throne- 
 Eoom, — also a very large, oblong, and lofty hall, on a 
 dais in which the throne is placed, embroidered with a 
 crown, seated on which the Russian Emperors are 
 crowned. Still passing on, I entered two or three other 
 rooms, and from thence to the sleeping apartments. 
 From the hall there is a door leading to a kind of terrace, 
 from whence the whole city of Moscow and the surround- 
 ing country is visible, and where I walked about a while. 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 37 
 
 In this palace they have executed some surprising 
 works in the art of converting lime (or plaster) into 
 stone, so that the plaster is as lustrous as a mirror, and 
 as hard as stone. There are some beautiful columns in 
 these rooms ; for instance, two columns of porphyry, 
 lofty monoliths, in the bed-chamber ; while in the hall 
 there are many columns of malachite. All the stairs are 
 of marble. The number of apartments in the palace, up- 
 stairs and downstairs, is so great that a stranger would 
 lose himself among them, and that one cannot inspect 
 them all in a day. There are large numbers of crystal 
 and china vases in it; also a small winter-garden, like 
 the orangeries (conservatories) of Tehran, contiguous to 
 it, and filled with strange exotic flowers, brought and 
 cultivated there, — very pretty. The palace has a pic- 
 ture gallery, — an oblong hall, filled with ancient paint- 
 ings in oil, — very fine pictures, and set off with rows of 
 large china vases. 
 
 After dinner, a meal partaken of before the sun had 
 gone down, we started for the theatre. Crowds were in 
 all the streets. Arrived at the theatre we went upstairs, 
 passed the crush-room, and took our seat in a box 
 fronting the stage, — the place where the acting is per- 
 formed. The theatre is of large size, and was built by 
 the Emperor Nicholas. It has six tiers of seats, and all 
 of them were crowded with women and men. A large 
 chandelier is hung in the middle of the theatre. Prince 
 Dolgoruki, the Governor of Moscow, sat in our box. 
 The curtain rose, and a strange world made its appear- 
 ance. A large number of dancing- women set-to dancing. 
 
38 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, n. 
 
 This dancing and performance is called a ballet, i.e., a 
 performance and dance without speaking. In its course 
 they both dance and perform in various ways, which it is 
 not possible to describe. Opposite the audience and 
 below the stage there were also a great number of musi- 
 cians who unceasingly sounded their instruments. Every 
 now and then a light, produced by electricity and variously 
 coloured, was thrown from the corners on to the stage ; 
 this had a very pleasing effect. The dancers, too, every 
 now and then changed their costumes. Such dancers 
 as danced well were applauded by the audience clapping 
 their hands, and crying "bis," i.e., "encore." At the 
 conclusion of one act the curtain fell ; and after a quarter 
 of an hour, when people had reposed somewhat, the 
 curtain again rose and another act was performed. At 
 the end of one act, I went to another box near to, and 
 looking on to, the stage. Our princes and attendants 
 were seated in our first box. Five times did the curtain 
 rise, and five times was a different kind of play brought 
 out. It lasted till midnight. The theatre was extremely 
 hot. We went home. The name of the director of the 
 theatre was Gavelin. 
 
 Tuesday, 22nd (20th May). — We remained at Moscow. 
 This day we visited the lower apartments of the Kremlin, 
 where the jewelled regalia, ancient crowns of the Empe- 
 rors, &c, are collected; and these we inspected. It is a 
 magnificent edifice, apartment within apartment, being 
 both an armoury and a crown-jewel office. All the 
 various articles are tastefully arranged in glass cases ; 
 ancient porcelains, gold and silver utensils, objects of 
 
chap. iL] Russia. 39 
 
 curiosity and virtu, spoils taken in battles, &c. ; and all 
 were pointed out to us by the custodian and registrar, 
 whose name was L Soloviessa. Among them were some 
 things taken from Charles XII. of Sweden by Peter the 
 Great at the battle of Pultawa ; especially the litter on 
 which Charles, after being wounded, caused himself to be 
 carried about as he gave directions for continuing the 
 fight ; also some of the flags of that king. There were 
 about ten crowns, — crowns of the old sovereigns down 
 to the time of Peter the Great, most of them set with 
 fine precious stones in gold of old-fashioned work- 
 manship : there were jewelled sceptres, and one without 
 jewels that had been used by Peter the Great ; there 
 were old royal robes and dresses, and others more 
 recent ; also the furniture of the chamber of Alexander I. 
 and of that of Peter the Great. I saw two thrones set 
 with turquoises and gold and other precious stones, 
 which had been sent as presents to the sovereigns of 
 Russia by Shah 'Abbas, the Safawl (i.e., of the race 
 of the Shaykh Safi or Sanyyu-'d-Dm, who lived in 
 the days of Timurleng, and whose descendant in the 
 sixth degree, his great-great-great-great grandson, Shah 
 Isma'il, founded the Safawl djmasty of Persia in a.d. 
 1501 ; the title of Son, or Sophi, attributed to the 
 kings of this dynasty by European writers, being an 
 ignorant corruption of this word Safawl). I also saw 
 two saddles, with their equipments, jewelled, sent by 
 the Ottoman Sultan ('Abdu-'l-) Hamid Khan to the 
 Empress Catherine ; also the boots of Peter the Great 
 and of Alexander I. ; and furthermore, a colossal marble 
 
40 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 statue of Napoleon I. There were also some ancient 
 carriages. 
 
 From thence I went to visit the Lazarof College, a 
 beautiful place of education, where Armenian, Muham- 
 madan, and Kussian youths are taught the Oriental and 
 European languages. The name of the superior was 
 Delianof. Eeturning from the college, the generals and 
 military officers stationed at Moscow were received in 
 audience. The General commanding-in- chief the whole of 
 the forces in Moscow, a tall old man, was Gildenstol. In 
 the evening I went to the theatre, and saw some nice 
 acting. From thence to the house of Prince Dolgoruki, 
 to a ball. As his wife was dead, his niece, daughter of 
 his sister, did the honours of the evening. 
 
 23rd (Wednesday, 21st May). — In the morning I 
 mounted a carriage and for a space drove about the 
 streets of Moscow. The companies of the fire-brigade 
 went through a portion of their exercise ; and afterwards 
 I went to the Ethnographic Museum, a fine building, in 
 which they have collected wax images of all the different 
 tribes and nationalities subject to Russia, each dressed in 
 its special local costume, so as to look like living men. 
 There I also saw the arms and implements of the savages 
 of America and Africa, which are exhibited as curiosities. 
 There is also a library said to contain two hundred 
 thousand volumes. Whenever the Emperor visits Moscow, 
 he resides in the apartments on the ground-floor of the 
 Kremlin; and these too we went through. They are 
 beautiful rooms ; and nothing can be conceived finer than 
 the furniture there seen, the porphyries, the balustrades of 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 41 
 
 marble, the tables, chairs, looking-glasses, and couches. 
 In the Emperor's own room there were the skins of two 
 bears shot by himself and serving as rugs in front of 
 couches. Having finished this survey, I drove to the 
 Nicholas terminus, the end of the railway to St. Peters- 
 burg ; as, under God's will, we go to-night to that city. 
 The streets were illuminated all the way from the 
 Kremlin to the terminus, and vast crowds of citizens 
 lined the road and showered upon me the extremest 
 tokens of respect and reverence. 
 
 The population of Moscow is three hundred and fifty- 
 one thousand souls. The Order of my Portrait was con- 
 ferred upon the Governor of Moscow. Our princes were 
 put into my own carriage, in which I dined and then lay 
 down to sleep. 
 
 24:th {Thursday, 22nd May). — Awaking in the morning, 
 I saw that both sides of our road was a forest of firs. We 
 crossed two iron bridges of great length, carried over two 
 wide valleys, of which the one was waterless, the other 
 possessing a stream. After a while the road passed over 
 a large river named the Wok, which is spanned by a very 
 long iron bridge that carries the railway over. This 
 river forms numerous backwaters, among which are large 
 numbers of villages. We proceeded until we came to 
 a station where we alighted amidst an immense crowd, 
 and some officials of the Ministry for Eastern Affairs were 
 presented by Stramakof, the Under-Secretary of Prince 
 Gorchakof, and an elderly person, but very shrewd, able, 
 and diplomatic. We had a little conversation, and then, 
 re-entering our carriage, we continued our journey. 
 
42 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap.il 
 
 Nearing St. Petersburg, we put on our state costume, 
 ready for our arrival. When the train stopped at the 
 terminus, His Most Exalted Majesty the Emperor, with 
 the Nawwab ! the Heir- Apparent, and his other sons, as 
 also the whole of the princes of the Imperial House, the 
 Commanders-in-Chief, and Generals of the army, were 
 there. His Most Exalted Majesty the Emperor Alex- 
 ander II., Autocrat of all the Kussias, received us with 
 the perfection of warmth and friendship. The Nawwab 
 the Grand Duke Nicholas, Commander-in-Chief of all the 
 Eussian forces and brother of His Most Exalted Majesty 
 the Emperor, handed in a state of the forces stationed at 
 (St.) Peter (sburg). The Nawwab the Grand Duke Con- 
 stantine Nicholaievich, another brother of His Most 
 Exalted Majesty the Emperor, was also present. In short, 
 giving our hand into the hand of the Emperor, we walked 
 forward on foot. Very many officials in uniform lined the 
 passage, and we thus reached the head of the street known 
 by the name of Newsk}', which is a very wide and long- 
 street, with houses three and five stories high on both sides. 
 On each side of the streets there are stone pavements, 
 while the middle is of wood, which makes no noise when 
 carriages pass over it. Whenever a vehicle passes over a 
 stone pavement, a disagreeable sound arises therefrom ; 
 but they roll along over the wood noiselessly and with 
 great comfort. 
 
 At length we took our seat with the Emperor in an 
 open carriage, the air being serene and the sun shining. 
 Both sides of the road, the balconies, and the roofs, were 
 full of men and women, who shouted hurrahs. Inces- 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 43 
 
 santly did we and the Emperor bow to the people. For 
 a while we drove on, until at length, passing beneath an 
 arch and a lofty gateway we entered the square in front 
 of the Winter Palace. In this square there is a very tall 
 and stout column of stone, a monolith, bearing on its 
 summit a statue in metal of the Emperor Alexander I. 
 Leaving the square we entered the palace, and went 
 upstairs with the Emperor. Decidedly there were at least 
 a thousand officers and generals on the steps and stairs, 
 and in the halls. We passed through rooms, each one 
 more sumptuous than the other, and more perfect. 
 Beautiful paintings, columns of porphyry, tables of choice 
 stones, chairs, vases, and other articles of furniture im- 
 possible to describe in writing, (did we see) ; especially a 
 vase of malachite was there, at the head of the staircase, 
 most choice. The Emperor pointed out the rooms one 
 by one, until we reached the apartments allotted to us. 
 There the Emperor took leave and went to his own resi- 
 dence. The Emperor is a man tall of stature and majestic, 
 who speaks with great gravity, and walks with a stately 
 gait. We sat down a while, and then Count Alderberg, 
 Minister of the Court of His Most Exalted Majesty the 
 Emperor, and a very pleasant man, of robust frame, came 
 and brought to us from His Most Exalted Majesty the 
 Emperor, the Order of St. Andrew set in diamonds, with 
 its blue riband, — the most noble of all the Eussian orders. 
 After the lapse of a minute or two we went to return the 
 Emperor's visit. He was standing in his own chamber. 
 Taking each other's hand, we sat down, our Grand-Vazir 
 and M. Gamazof, the Emperor's interpreter, being pre- 
 
44 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. n. 
 
 sent. A long and pleasant conversation ensued. The 
 Emperor has two very handsome black slaves, dressed in 
 the costume of Constantinople, who waited on us. In a 
 few minutes we rose and returned home. After an interval 
 we set out to return the visit of the Nawwab the Heir- 
 Apparent. The residence of the Heir- Apparent is at a dis- 
 tance from the imperial palace. The Nawwab the Heir- 
 Apparent is a young man of graceful form, and about 
 twenty-five years of age. His wife is the daughter of the 
 sovereign of Denmark. Having sat there a little while, 
 we took tea, chatted considerably, and returned home to 
 dinner. About the hour of sunset His Most Exalted 
 Majesty the Emperor came to our quarters ; we mounted 
 a carriage together and drove to the theatre. The air was 
 so cold that we stood in need of a wadded cloak. The 
 way was long. We alighted at the door of the theatre, 
 mounted many steps, and took a seat in a box facing the 
 stage. In this box were the Emperor, I, the Heir- 
 Apparent, the wife of the Heir- Apparent, the Grand Duke 
 Constantine, the rest of the Emperor's sons and of the 
 imperial family. The pit was filled with officers, generals, 
 &c. This theatre has six tiers of seats, and every tier 
 was full of women and men. The Persian princes and 
 others of our retinue were present. The chandelier hung 
 in the middle of the theatre was lighted with gas, which 
 burnt beautifully. But the theatre of Moscow was larger, 
 and its players were better than here. As soon as the 
 curtain fell the first time, we went to another box. Here 
 we saw the French Ambassador, a very old man, named 
 General Le Flo ; also the Ottoman Ambassador, Kyamil 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 45 
 
 Pasha. When the curtain was again raised we went with 
 the Emperor to a lower box nearer to the stage. Two 
 acts were played here, after which we returned home. 
 
 25th (Friday, 23rd May).— In the morning Prince 
 Gorchakof, the Eussian Prime Minister, came to us, and 
 with him we had a long conversation, M. Grebel acting 
 as interpreter. Prince Gorchakof is a man of great intel- 
 ligence and shrewdness, and is seventy -five years old. 
 After he had left, His Most Exalted Majesty the Emperor 
 came, and we went together in a carriage to the Champ 
 de Mars, i.e., the parade ground, where more than twenty 
 thousand troops were drawn up, infantry and cavalry. 
 Crowds of spectators, women and men, stood around the 
 square. A tent somewhat like a sun- shade tent was 
 pitched in one part of the ground, in which were the wife 
 of the Nawwab Heir- Apparent, the foreign representatives, 
 and our princes. After going down the whole of the 
 lines of infantry and cavalry with the Emperor, we came 
 to the vicinity of that tent and took up a position, 
 sitting on horseback. The troops then marched past us. 
 Two buglers on horseback, posted behind the Emperor, 
 conveyed his orders to the troops by notes of their bugles. 
 First came a company of Mussulman cavalry of the Guards ; 
 next the regiments of Foot-Guards in various beautiful 
 uniforms ; then the other troops followed, artillery and 
 infantry ; and, lastly, some squadrons of cavalry, all hand- 
 some young men, with choice uniforms and powerful 
 horses all of the same colour. 
 
 The review being over, we went as we were, on horse- 
 back, to the house of the Prince of Oldenburg, where we 
 
46 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 became his guests at breakfast. His house looks on to 
 that square. The daughter of this prince is the wife of 
 the Nawwab Grand Duke Nicholas, brother of His Most 
 Exalted Majesty the Emperor, and she was our hostess and 
 mistress of the house. She is a lady princess very much 
 venerated. We went upstairs ; our princes, the Grancl- 
 Vazir, and others were present. At this breakfast 
 members of the imperial family alone were invited. 
 Before breakfast we saw the maidens that study at a 
 college, under the protection of the Empress, and also 
 their teachers. The Empress herself is not at (St.) 
 Peter(sburg) ; having a chest complaint, she is gone to 
 Firangistan (Europe). We now sat down to table. The 
 wife of the Nawwab Grand Duke Nicholas, mistress of 
 the house, was on my right, and His Most Exalted Majesty 
 the Emperor sat on my left. The Emperor conversed 
 with Dr. Tholozan. I too conversed in French. 
 
 Breakfast over, we mounted our carriage at the same 
 time with His Most. Exalted Majesty the emperor, who 
 went to his house at Tsarskoi-selo, one of the imperial 
 summer residences outside of the city, by railway ; for he 
 has to return to town and be present at a ball given to-night 
 in the club of the nobles. We took a little turn in the 
 museum of the Hermitage, which adjoins our quarters. 
 It possesses some splendid jewels and various objects 
 worthy to be seen. I made the resolution to visit them in 
 detail on another occasion, if God so will. 
 
 About midnight I went to the ball of the nobles. The 
 chiefs of the nobles met me at the foot of the staircase. 
 The Emperor had come there beforehand and was 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 47 
 
 awaiting us. He came forward ; we took each other by 
 the hand, walked about a while and then sat down. There 
 was a numerous assemblage of women and men. The 
 following is the arrangement of this edifice : In the middle 
 there is a very large hall, which is the place for dancing ; 
 around this and looking down on the hall is a gallery where 
 people walk about or sit down. After a while I went home. 
 
 The river Neva flows from the north of (St.) Peter- 
 sburg) in a direction between south and east; and is 
 a very large river. Large steamers navigate it. Every 
 day many pieces of ice like mountains are brought down 
 by it from the north, which are extremely pure and 
 beautiful, like the ice in ravines of the Alburz mountains. 
 It is said that the water of the Neva is not wholesome ; 
 and the Emperor cautioned us against drinking it. On 
 one side of the stream is the palace in which we have our 
 quarters, and on the other side is the old fort built in the 
 time of Peter the Great, within which there is a church 
 with a high tower and spire of gold. The tombs of the 
 sovereigns of Russia are in that church. The mint of the 
 Government is also within the fort. The streets of 
 St. Petersburg are lighted with gas. 
 
 26th (Saturday, 24th May). — Arose in the morning, and 
 after a while the foreign representatives came and were 
 received in an audience. Four were Ambassadors, who 
 were introduced singly in a private chamber, and on 
 retiring remained in the hall (of audience), to which we 
 followed. There I spoke to each of the representatives, 
 enquiring after their health. They then presented the 
 members of their establishments. Our princes and others 
 
48* Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 were also present. It was a grand ceremony. The 
 following are the names of the four Ambassadors : General 
 Le Flo, Ambassador of France, an old man of sense ; 
 Lord Loftus, the English Ambassador; Kyamil Pasha, 
 the Ottoman Ambassador ; the Prince of Reuss, the 
 German Ambassador. Ministers and Charges -d' Affaires 
 from most of the states of Europe, America, and 
 Greece, came to the audience. After seeing them, I 
 came back and breakfasted. The Prince of Oldenburg, 
 at whose house I breakfasted yesterday, came also to pay 
 a visit ; and then His Most Exalted Majesty the Emperor 
 came. We had a little friendly chat, and he went to a 
 parade of troops. We, however, having arranged to visit 
 the Hermitage, did not go to this parade. The fire- 
 brigade went through their manoeuvres to-day at the foot 
 of our palace, which we witnessed from a window. We 
 now went to the Hermitage. The director, a M. Kidianof, 
 who is also the director of the theatre, and is an old man, 
 was presented, and one by one pointed out the various 
 objects,— rooms full of pictures, of marble statues, large 
 and small water-basins of rare stones from Siberia and 
 elsewhere, the most part of their columns being monoliths 
 from Finland, tall and stout; tables of stone enriched 
 with mosaics in colours, tables and vases of malachite, 
 which is a Siberian stone, and many strange and wonder- 
 ful things worthy to be seen. More especially, there were 
 marble statues in the form of men, women, and children, 
 standing, or lying down, at which one marvelled. One 
 standing (figure of a) woman was most graceful, so that 
 one could have admired it, seated before it for three whole 
 
chap, il] Russia. 49 
 
 days. To see every picture and every statue in every 
 room would require ten days or more ; as we merely 
 looked on them for a moment, we really compre- 
 hended nothing about them. We incessantly strolled 
 from room to room and from hall to hall, and then 
 descended by a great number of steps, by the sides of 
 which were tall and stout columns of porphyry, to the 
 ground floor, where also many ancient statues from Egypt 
 and elsewhere were seen, which the director had himself 
 gone for, purchased, and brought there. There was one 
 colossal statue of a man sitting, as large as an elephant, 
 but with all the limbs and parts in due proportion. There 
 were ancient coins, vessels of gold, &c, dug up in the 
 Crimea out of the earth, or out of graves. All these were 
 in glass cases. The pictures were by old masters, 
 English, Italian, or Spanish, — most beautiful pictures, 
 more beautiful than which cannot be imagined. After a 
 long inspection, we returned home, rested a while, and 
 then dressed for the banquet to which we were invited by 
 the Emperor, for the middle of the afternoon. 
 
 At the proper time we went. One hundred and seventy 
 individuals were invited, — members of the Kussian 
 imperial family, with our princes and officials. It was a 
 numerous assembly. We first went to a private chamber, 
 where the Heir-Apparent, his wife, and others were. We 
 sat there a while, and then, proceeding to the banquetting- 
 hall, we took our seats at the table. The Emperor was 
 on our left, the wife of the Heir- Apparent on our right. 
 The dinner was eaten. In the middle of the dinner the 
 Emperor arose, upon which we all got up. He drank a 
 
5o Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 glass of wine to my health ; and at the very instant guns 
 were fired from the fort. After a minute or so I rose, 
 and again all rose ; I drank a glass of sherbet to the 
 health of the Emperor. At length the dinner ended ; it 
 had passed pleasantly. 
 
 We now went to the apartments of the Emperor's 
 mother and walked about. The Emperor presented his 
 ministers and some generals. We then retired, and the 
 Emperor also returned. 
 
 An open carriage was ready ; mounting it, we drove 
 about the city and passed near to a statue of the Emperor 
 Nicholas, in cast-metal of large size, and seated on 
 horseback. It is opposite the church of St. Isaac, which 
 too is a grand structure entirely of stone, its domes being 
 gilt and its columns of porphyry tall and stout in large 
 numbers. The air was cold; so we returned home. 
 
 In the evening we went to the Michael theatre. The 
 Emperor did not come, being at Tsarskoi-selo. Our 
 Grand-Vazir and the Eussian Lord Chamberlain, &c, were 
 there. We sat in another box. This theatre is smaller than 
 the one first visited, but is very pretty and nicely decorated. 
 It has six tiers of seats. Women and men were there in 
 crowds. We were extremely near to the stage. In this 
 theatre they act comedies, i.e., they talk. One Swedish 
 woman performed well on the tight-rope. Some indivi- 
 duals performed wonderful feats. For example, one man 
 brought forth from a locked wooden box a lad, a graceful 
 woman, and another human being, after having opened it 
 to show it was empty. Another stood upon a large globe, 
 and walked about with it, at the same time casting knives, 
 
 
chap, il] Russia. 5 1 
 
 &c, into the air with both his hands and catching them 
 during a considerable space of time. Again a fat woman 
 clothed in tights, with naked bosom and legs, mounted a 
 three-wheeled velocipede and went along at a rapid rate ; 
 then, a black man brought many wine-bottles and placed 
 them on the floor which was covered with cotton-wool 
 wetted with spirits of wine ; this was set fire to and the 
 woman then urged the velocipede about among the bottles 
 at a high speed ; ultimately she fell over from the vehicle 
 to the floor, and her skirts took fire. It was a great piece 
 of folly. Again, they several times represented a tableau- 
 vivant, which was a very strange and pretty sight. Several 
 women, children, and others, stood or sat motionless in 
 beautiful postures, which were exceedingly interesting, 
 and like the pictures of a painter. While motionless they 
 were turned round and round by a rotating floor, so that 
 they might be seen in various aspects. When all was 
 over, we returned home and went to bed. 
 
 News has come from Paris that M. Thiers, President of 
 the Republic, has resigned, and that they have made 
 Marshal MacMahon president, who was Commander-in- 
 Chief of the army. 
 
 27^/t (Sunday, 25th May). — When I rose in the 
 morning it was raining heavily. The Emperor is at 
 Tsarskoi-selo, and it had been arranged that to-night 
 there should be a display of fireworks at the islands. 
 This was put off on account of the rain. We paid some 
 visits to-day. We first went to the house of the Grand 
 Duke Constantine, brother of the Emperor, and an 
 admiral. He has a very fine house, with many rooms, all 
 
 e 2 
 
52 Diary of a Tour in Eztrope. [chap. n. 
 
 full of things ; especially, there is a room fitted up Con- 
 stantinople fashion. Here we sat. Water flowed into 
 basins from the walls and from taps. Around the room 
 were written verses from the Kur'an (Koran), the blessed 
 name of ('All) the Commander of the Faithful, with those 
 of the Iman Hasan and the Iman Husayn, upon each of 
 whom be peace. The names of the Caliphs (Khalifa) 
 were also there. It was a small circular room very cheer- 
 ful ; and there I smoked a qalyan (a Persian huqqa, 
 hubble-bubble, or water-pipe). We then rose and went 
 to see the other rooms. There were many models of 
 naval appliances, of ships, of guns, &c, also a library and 
 a museum. We went upstairs, and there too were man} T 
 things. The Grand Duke Constantine leaves to-morrow 
 for the Black Sea, where a ship has been built which he 
 is to launch. 
 
 Eeturning thence, we went to the house of the Grand 
 Duke Nicholas, another brother of the Emperor, who 
 was not at home. His wife, the daughter of the Prince of 
 Oldenburg, and his son, a handsome youth, tall in stature, 
 were in. Daughters and sons, small and grown up, of his 
 family, were also there. He has a fine palace. We sat 
 a while, took tea, left, and went to the house of Prince 
 Gorchakof, which is his official residence. We sat down 
 in a back room, after ascending many stairs, and we had 
 a little conversation with him. Returning from there, we 
 proceeded to the quarters of Barinyotiski, which are under 
 our own residence. This person is the friend of the 
 Emperor, and was at one time the Governor of the 
 Caucasus. He it was who brought to a close the war 
 
chap, il] Russia. 53 
 
 with Shamil, and took Shamil prisoner. He was lying on 
 a bed, with a coverlet drawn up over his face, so that no 
 part of him was visible but his head. He is an old man. 
 It was merely because he was a great man, respected, and 
 unwell, that I went to visit him. He shaves his chin, but 
 his cheeks have whiskers. He spoke in French. We sat 
 down awhile. His wife, who is a native of Georgia, was 
 received. Then I returned home. 
 
 After an interval, I went to the jewel-office of the 
 Hermitage. There was a golden peacock there, which 
 they wound up, and which then spread its tail beautifully. 
 There was also a golden cock, that crowed as the domestic 
 fowl. We walked about a considerable time, arrived 
 at the back door of the building, and then went up a 
 staircase to where are kept the Emperor's crown, the 
 Lazarof diamond, which is mounted on the top of the 
 Emperor's sceptre, and the jewels of the Empress. All 
 these we saw. The large diamond is a fine stone. The 
 crown also is set with many fine brilliants, with a large 
 ruby on the summit. There was also a small crown in 
 diamonds, with a necklace of very fine brilliants, belong- 
 ing to the Empress. There were also other jewels. We 
 now returned home again. 
 
 In this palace there are eleven hundred rooms, the 
 greater part of which we went through. 
 
 At night, after dinner, we went to the great theatre, 
 where we found the Emperor, and had a long conversation. 
 We sat in a lower box near the stage. The Grand- Vazir, 
 Alderberg, the Grand Duke Constantine, &c, were also 
 there. The acting lasted a long time in different modifi- 
 
54 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 cations. When the curtain fell we went with the Emperor 
 to a small room and there smoked a cigar. In one of the 
 intervals between two acts we went on to the stage with 
 the Emperor, where there was a great crowd. The girls 
 threw themselves down and kissed the Emperor's hands. 
 Our princes, &c, were in a box opposite the stage. All 
 being over, we mounted our carriage with the Emperor 
 and went home. Praise be to God for all things ! 
 
 In HajjI-Tarkhan, Moscow, and (St.) Peter(sburg), 
 multitudes of pigeons walk about the streets and city, 
 without taking flight for fear of man. 
 
 Monday, Z8th (26£/& May).' — In the morning rose, 
 breakfasted, and dressed. To-day the Grand-Vazir had 
 an audience *of His Most Exalted Majesty the Emperor, 
 and afterwards we drove with the Emperor in an open 
 carriage to the parade-ground, where two or three thou- 
 sand regular cavalry and Cossacks were drawn up to be 
 reviewed. The sky was cloudy, and it began to rain, so 
 that our clothes were wet. Arrived on the ground, we 
 mounted our horses, and the troops were put through 
 some manoeuvres. The rain ceased awhile. After their 
 evolutions, the regular cavalry dismounted and fired 
 volleys like infantry. The artillery also opened fire, 
 Afterwards the Circassian, Cossack, and Muhammadan 
 horsemen of Qara-Bag, to the number of over a hundred, 
 went through their equestrian feats in our presence, dis- 
 charging their muskets and pistols. Some of them had 
 severe falls, the ground being very muddy. After this I 
 got into my carriage and drove home, the Emperor pro- 
 ceeding by railway to Tsarskoi-selo. 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 55 
 
 Arriving at our quarters, we reposed a while and then 
 drove to the fort and the State Bank. We first reached 
 the bank, which is a wonderful place. In reality, it is 
 the treasury and storehouse for the cash and for the gold 
 and silver of the Government. There were altogether to 
 the value of at least two crores of Persia (500,000 tihnans 
 each ; i.e., 1,000,000 tumans, at eight shillings per turnan, 
 is 400,000Z.) in cash and ingots of gold and silver. 
 The ingots were made in the form of half bricks of Tehran, 
 and laid on the floor. The Russian Home Minister, whose 
 name is Reiterne, explained all to us on the spot. 
 
 Leaving the bank, we mounted and drove a considerable 
 distance, passed over a great and long bridge that crosses 
 the river Neva, and entered the fort. The governor of 
 the fort is a very old general who shakes with palsy. His 
 name is Karsakof. We proceeded first to visit the tombs 
 of the Russian sovereigns, in a place like a church. The 
 marble sarcophagi over the imperial tombs are collected 
 in the corners (or, in chapels). From Peter the Great 
 to Nicholas, all are buried here. 
 
 From thence we went to the mint, which is within this 
 fort. Gold imperials and silver coins are struck here. 
 After looking on a while, we proceeded on foot to the place 
 where medals are struck. They struck a large gold 
 medal in memory of us, on one side of which is the profile 
 of the Emperor, extremely resembling, and on the other 
 side, in Persian characters, the date of our arrival and 
 visit, together with our name. We now returned home. 
 
 To-night there is a ball at the Emperor's palace. In 
 the night we went to the ball, again passing through 
 
56 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. it. 
 
 those saloons and long halls. Our princes, court officials, 
 &c, were present. First we went to the apartments of 
 the second son of the Emperor to return his visit. After 
 sitting there a short time, I went to the Emperor's 
 chamber, the Heir- Apparent and others being present. 
 The Emperor invited me to proceed to the ball-room, 
 where was a numerous assembly of men and women, 
 officers, and generals. Our own suite were also present, 
 with the exception of the I'tizadu-'s-Saltana and the 
 'Ala'u-'d-Dawla, who had pleaded indisposition. The 
 entrance to the ball-room was in this wise. In the first 
 place, I took the hand of the Heir- Apparent' s wife and 
 walked in advance, and then the Emperor, taking the 
 hand of the wife of Prince Alderburg, followed behind. 
 The women and men had formed a circle. Two complete 
 rounds did we walk in this fashion, and then stood still. 
 The foreign Ambassadors — the Ottoman, the English, the 
 German, and the French — were all present. The women 
 and men of the imperial family and others set-to dancing, 
 and all danced much. We sat with the Emperor a while, 
 we stood up a while, we went to another room and reposed 
 a while, incessantly conversing with the Emperor, the 
 Ambassadors, and others. After the dancing, again in the 
 same manner did I take the hand of the wife of the Heir- Ap- 
 parent and went to the supper-room, a large hall lighted 
 up with many lamps. Numerous date-palms in vases were 
 beautifully arranged in the hall, and around each palm-vase 
 were collected a table and man} r chairs, food being placed 
 ready. The Emperor led us to the large middle 
 table, placed the other people at the other tables, and 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 57 
 
 he himself walked about. Every individual present at 
 the ball sat down to a table. According to the number 
 of persons were there palm-trees. So many flowers, 
 roses or hyacinths, were there collected or scattered 
 about that it is impossible to imagine more. The 
 musicians also pla} r ed. Around our table were seated 
 the Ambassadors, the Heir-Apparent's wife, the Grand- 
 Vazlr, and others. After supping I again took the hand 
 of the Heir-Apparent's wife and returned to the ball-room, 
 where I stood a while, and again they danced. This 
 finished, I went home. All passed off very pleasantly. 
 
 Saturday {Tuesday), 29th (27th May). — To-day I have 
 to visit Peterhof and Cronstadt. The air is very clear, 
 with a beautiful sunshine. All my suite accompanied 
 me. Mounting our carriage, we went to a landing-place 
 which they had constructed. Alighting at this landing, 
 we went on board a small steamer, in which the whole 
 party was collected. We started towards the sea and 
 Cronstadt. As far as Cronstadt the sea is very calm and 
 smooth. The air was very cold. We breakfasted in the 
 steamer. In an hour and a half we reached the tower 
 and forts of Cronstadt. It has several very important 
 forts. They have built some turrets and batteries of 
 stone, with several tiers of embrasures for guns. The 
 most important work is named Fort Constantine, which 
 is above the town of Cronstadt by a space of a thousand 
 ells or more. Alighting from the steamer, we first went 
 to see an iron man-of-war steamer named the Kremlin, 
 and went all over her, above and below. She has about 
 ten guns of very large size. The crew were put through 
 
58 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 their exercise, and a few shots were fired from the upper 
 tier of large guns. We then descended, and mounting a 
 small steam launch, we went to Fort Constantine. The 
 foundations of the batteries and fort are of stone. About 
 twenty large guns are placed in two batteries, such that 
 each gun weighs 420 ass-loads (of one-third of a ton ; i.e., 
 140 tons) 2 , while each shot is of the weight of 70 maunds 
 (of7jlbs. ; i.e., 525 lbs.). These guns are of Prussian 
 make, and are breech-loaders. They bring the shot on 
 a truck, lift it with a mechanical apparatus, and then 
 pass it into the gun. The loading of a gun occupies a 
 space of five minutes. There is another battery and 
 turret, named Fort Menschikof ; and yet another, named 
 Fort Alexander ; but these are small. Again, another 
 turret was seen in the distance. Leaving the fort and 
 mounting a small vessel, we pushed off. On reaching 
 the landing-place of the town, we alighted amid a great 
 concourse of women and men. Our suite followed after 
 us. The Governor of the town of Cronstadt, named 
 Kazakevitch, with the mayor, aldermen, and notables 
 of the place, as also the military officers, had brought a 
 gilt tray and a golden salt-cellar, with bread and salt. 
 We walked a little way and then mounted a carriage. 
 Everywhere were we surrounded with men and women 
 on both sides of the streets. Passing over the bridge of 
 the dockyard, we went to the workshops for iron, where 
 two ships had been built, but not yet finished. The port 
 of the town was full of merchantmen and other craft. 
 This town carries on commerce with Denmark, England, 
 the coasts of Eussia, Prussia, Sweden, and Norway. In 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 59 
 
 the works they had cast a large slab of iron ; with 
 certain apparatus established in the upper part of the 
 shop they brought this slab, red-hot as it was, under a 
 press and bent it somewhat. It is an important (estab- 
 lishment for the) casting of iron. After going about 
 a while we turned back, mounted our carriage and went 
 to our steamer. The town of Cronstadt is very beautiful. 
 Its inhabitants are all sailors, or soldiers, or artificers. 
 It has a public garden, fine houses, and a population of 
 thirty thousand. Thence we proceeded to Peterhof. 
 
 In half an hour we arrived there. The Governor is an 
 old man of robust form, and named Bomgarden. Numbers 
 of officers and of men and women had come to the land- 
 ing-place. From the very seashore it is a park with 
 avenues, the end of which cannot be discovered. The 
 carriage-drives are covered with a red earth, as soft as 
 collyrium, while beneath the trees all is greensward, 
 lawns, and flowers ; but the trees are not yet in leaf, nor 
 the flowers in bloom. We mounted a carriage and our 
 suite followed. The Governor went before us in a 
 carriage, and led us from avenue to avenue, from path- 
 way to pathway. Everywhere jets-d'eau were methodically 
 disposed in order. Children besieged us in our carriage, 
 and ran after us everywhere. It is really impossible to 
 give a written description of the parks, avenues, fountains, 
 which must be seen with one's own eyes. There are 
 four hundred jets-d'eau, all lofty and large, their source 
 being very elevated and distant. Whenever they wish, 
 they can in one instant set them all playing at once, or 
 turn them all off. These fountains are of different kinds. 
 
60 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. n. 
 
 There was a stone colonnade without a roof, and very 
 elegant, out of every part of which &jet-d'eau spouted up. 
 Some of them play together, like one mountain of water ; 
 others separately from one another. Some are like water- 
 falls ; in some places the water fell from the roofs of 
 buildings. After a long drive, we went to the house of 
 Peter the Great, which is in a park, is very pretty, and 
 full of things. There were many articles that had 
 belonged to Peter himself. Returning thence, again we 
 mounted. In one place there was the Emperor's bath, a 
 spacious enclosure without a roof, in four walls. Nume- 
 rous fountains sprang from the interior of the basin of 
 this bath, like a white mountain. It was a place like 
 paradise. At times the Emperor there takes a cold bath. 
 Diverging from this, we saw a fountain like the mass of a 
 Pyramid of Egypt, of a conical shape — a beautiful foun- 
 tain. Next we visited the middle palace, which is better 
 than the rest, and has two facades ; two hundred jets-d'eau 
 play in front of it. Statues of men and other figures, of 
 cast metal, are there arranged, out of the mouths or orifices 
 of which the water runs. One of the fountains threw its 
 water to a height of twenty ells (70 feet). The water of 
 these jets becomes a cascade, flowing down a succession 
 of steps. In front, too, there is an avenue and a long 
 basin of water, with jets on either side. The sea even 
 enters into the view from this palace. To say the truth, 
 a description of the palace and its abounding contents does 
 not admit of being recorded. The palace is one of the 
 buildings of Peter the Great and Catherine. Descending 
 thence, we again drove on to the palace of the Emperor 
 
chap, ii.] Rtissia. 6 1 
 
 and to that of the Heir- Apparent. In fine, there was no 
 end to this visiting of palaces and of drives ; besides which, 
 we had not the time ; so, with the utmost reluctance, we 
 turned back, and getting out of our carriage near to some 
 magnificent and numerous fountains, we walked about 
 a while. The wonder is that in this vast park and ample 
 space such neatness and cleanliness were maintained, that 
 not a leaf from a tree, not a chip or a straw was seen 
 on the ground. The trees are all forest trees, but 
 planted out regularly, and made to interlace over the 
 avenues. There are also avenues of firs and yews. 
 
 We at length regained our steamer, and paddled away 
 back to the islands of Ilakin, which are near to the city 
 of (St.) Peter (sburg), where to-night there is to be an 
 exhibition of fireworks. 
 
 Crossing the sea, we arrived at the mouth of a stream, 
 both sides of which are occupied by houses and by green 
 and pleasant trees. On the right-hand side of this river 
 the preparations for the fireworks were ready ; while on 
 the left tents were pitched. Passing a little farther up, we 
 landed at the stairs on the left hand. Here were collected 
 great numbers of officers, of women, of men, and of 
 carriages in which the people had come out from the city 
 to witness the fireworks. The arrangement of the ground, 
 trees, and avenues was the same in this place as at 
 Peterhof. We walked on until we arrived at a very 
 handsome house, where we found the wife of the Heir- 
 Apparent, the Heir-Apparent himself, the princes, and 
 others. We sat down a while, and the Emperor came. 
 Salutations and conversation ensued. Remaining still a 
 
62 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap, n 
 
 little space, we then mounted our carriage with the Em- 
 peror, the wife of the Heir- Apparent, the Heir-Apparent, 
 the wife of Prince Alderburg, and the other children of 
 the Emperor, setting out for a drive to pass away the 
 time until darkness should set in and the hour for the 
 fireworks come. Our suite followed us in other carriages. 
 The air was exceedingly cold. Driving about in a devious 
 manner, we went about a league. Numerous detached 
 houses and innumerable avenues, neat and cleanly, were 
 seen. We then turned back to the same house from 
 whence we had started, stopped there a little, mounted 
 again, and went to the tent we had noticed before. An 
 assembly of Europeans and of Iranis was in the tent, and 
 a crowd of spectators was in ships, in boats, and on the 
 river-banks. We sat down within the tent. The fire- 
 works were excellent, with a novelty. They had written 
 our name in Persian characters, with the device of the 
 " Lion and Sun." It was plainly legible. After the 
 fireworks, we mounted a carriage with the Emperor and 
 drove back to the former house. Tariying there awhile, 
 our carriage was announced. We then left, and driving 
 by many a pretty place and beautiful summer residences, 
 in front of the mint, and along the fort, we crossed the 
 long bridge, and reaching home, dined, and retired to 
 rest. 
 
 The admiral that accompanied us to-day from (St.) 
 Peter (sburg) was a short man, who had lost an arm by a 
 shot at the battle of the Alma in the Sebastopol campaign, 
 and his name was Skolkof. 
 
 1st Rabi'u-'s-Sdni (tlie Second Rabi' ; Wednesday, 28th 
 
chap, ii.] Ritssia. 63 
 
 May). — Kising in the morning from sleep, we dressed in 
 state to receive Prince Gorchakof, with whom we had a 
 lengthened conference, and then drove to a photo- 
 grapher's. Dismounting at his door, we went upstairs. 
 His name was Levitski — a fat, bulky man, with a certain 
 wit. He possessed good and numerous apparatus, and 
 spoke French well. He took several negatives of us, 
 which were extremely good. After concluding this busi- 
 ness, I returned home, performed my devotions, and took 
 some tea. This evening we are invited to dine with the 
 Emperor at Tsarskoi-selo, a special palace and park of 
 the Emperor's, rather less than four leagues from town, 
 which are got over in half an hour by the railway. 
 
 At the appointed time we drove to the station, where a 
 great crowd had gathered, and took our seat in an elegant 
 and comfortable carriage, special to the Emperor. Start- 
 ing thence, we reached the first buildings of Tsarskoi-selo 
 in half an hour. It is a beautiful town, nicely situated, 
 and with a large population. Its streets are all straight 
 and clean. Alighting, we mounted a carriage, and our 
 suite were placed in others ; thus we reached the palace, 
 which is very grand and beautiful. There is a church 
 adjoining it, and special to it, with four or five gilded 
 cupolas. We passed along by beautiful and spacious 
 avenues like those of Peterhof ; we then turned back, 
 alighted at the steps of the palace, and went upstairs. 
 It is impossible to imagine a more delightful residence. 
 All these improvements are from the time of Catherine. 
 The Emperor had not arrived, so we sat down a while 
 in an apartment that had been specillay designated for us 
 
64 Diary of a Tour in Etcrope. [chap. n. 
 
 until lie came. We went together to stroll through the 
 rooms, and we saw numerous and charming halls and 
 saloons, which cannot be described. Exquisite pictures, 
 the works of old and modern painters, were there. One 
 room was visited in which the whole of the walls were 
 inlaid with amber ; i.e., infixed piece by piece. It was 
 truly a magnificent room. These pieces of amber were 
 sent by Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, to Cathe- 
 rine II., and she had them set in this room. I visited 
 the rooms separately, one by one ; all were beautiful. At 
 the back there is a private chapel for the Emperor, with 
 gilded cupolas — a very attractive fane. This place of 
 worship is on the ground-floor, and above it are windows 
 and an outlook over what is below. We then returned 
 through the same chambers to the first one, in order to 
 take our dinner ; and we passed through a marvellously 
 beautiful hall — impossible to describe — and thence to a 
 room where we stayed a short time with the Emperor, 
 after which dinner was announced. The Emperor, the 
 members of the imperial family of Eussia, the great 
 officers of state, and others, with our princes, the Grand- 
 Vazir, and others, were present. An exquisite dinner 
 was served, during which a band played. Then, rising, 
 we walked about for a time with the Emperor on a 
 terrace overlooking the park ; and afterwards I retired to 
 my own room. Standing there a short time, the Emperor 
 came to join me, and, with two of his sons, we got into a 
 carriage and drove for some time about the avenues of 
 the park. Many women, on foot and in carriages, went 
 also about the park. Everything here resembles the 
 
chap, il] Russia. 65 
 
 park at Peterhof, but there are no fountains. There are 
 some handsome barracks for the military, cavalry and 
 infantry ; and never is any untidiness seen in this park. 
 Some ancient ruins were seen ; and all these buildings, 
 ruined or inhabited, are from the times of Catherine. 
 At length we returned to the palace, and the Emperor 
 told me he had a winter apartment on the ground floor, 
 inviting me to see it. We alighted and entered. There 
 were there two large dogs of the Emperor's, the one black 
 and the other yellow. In this apartment were all sorts of 
 things that could be imagined, such as Kurdish lances, 
 Turkman spears, muskets, and pistols, and swords, and 
 other implements of the Red-Heads (old Persian militia 
 of the Safawi dynasty), bow-horns and quivers, skins of 
 lions and tigers, daggers and the like set with precious 
 stones and sent by the Khan of Bukhara, china coffee- 
 cups with holders of gold, and a scrap-book, bound in gold 
 covers, enamelled, sent by the late Prince-Regent ('Abbas 
 Mirza, grandfather of the Shah) after the peace of Turk- 
 man- Chay, were all collected there. It was a collection 
 well worth seeing ; but, alas ! there was no time. Issuing 
 from hence, we again went to the palace ; and after an 
 interval, mounting in carriages, we all went together to a 
 theatre in the park. I and the Emperor, with the wife of 
 the Heir- Apparent, went to a box near the stage. It was 
 a pretty theatre with three tiers of seats. The Grand- 
 Duke Nicholas, the Prussian Ambassador, with other 
 officials and notables, were in the pit on chairs. The 
 curtain rose, and the play of Don Quixote was acted. 
 They had got up a Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, 
 
66 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. n. 
 
 his servant, that were very funny and suggestive. In the 
 meanwhile, maidens in very pretty costumes danced. 
 When all was over, we departed. The sky was brilliant 
 as though it were day. We also saw the new moon of 
 the second KabP, and we returned many thanks unto 
 God. We next got into the train, returned to town, 
 descended, mounted our carriage, and went home. 
 
 This night his Imperial Majesty the Emperor presented 
 to every one of our suite, to each according to his rank 
 and dignity, either an order, a ring, a watch, or the like ; 
 I, too, presented to the Emperor my Jaf I horse, and to 
 the wife of the Heir- Apparent my Julfa horse. 
 
 Mirza Ahmad, Aide-de-Camp to the Grand- Vazir, who 
 had been sent from Tehran to Constantinople, was 
 received in audience at (St.) Peter(sburg). 
 
 2nd (Thursday, 29th May). — To-day I have to go, 
 God willing, via Wilna, a Eussian town, and Konigsberg, 
 a Prussian city, to Prussia and Germany. To-morrow, 
 also, the Emperor, with the Heir- Apparent, the wife of 
 the Heir- Apparent, and others, is to start for Firan- 
 gistan (Europe). 
 
 As I rose from sleep in the 'morning the Emperor 
 came. After expressing our adieux, we mounted together 
 in an open carriage, and started. A great concourse 
 was collected on either side of the way, who cheered. 
 Many manufactories were seen at a distance on the out- 
 skirts of the city ; and so we arrived at the terminus of 
 the railroad to Prussia. Alighting with the Emperor, we 
 again mutually said good-bye, and then passed down the 
 line of troops drawn up at the station. We then took 
 
chap, ii.] Russia. 67 
 
 our seat in the train, but again said good-bye to the 
 Emperor, and started with our suite. This was the very 
 same train of carriages in which we had travelled from 
 Tsaritsin to ^Moscow. 
 
 Again every spot on the plain was green and smiling, 
 with forests of fir and yews, &c. We passed several 
 bridges. About sunset we dined. At the station of 
 Pskow, which is the seat of an important government, 
 we made a stay of about fifty minutes, and the Governor 
 was received in audience. Then again we sped along ; 
 and every now and then halting a few minutes, we con- 
 tinued our journey until night. Eain also fell. This 
 day we have seen a good deal of cultivation and signs of 
 population. The farther we went the warmer did the air 
 grow. The trees in these parts were in flower and in 
 leaf. During the night we slept with difficulty, through 
 the motion of the carriage. 
 
 Of the things frequently seen in Russia were the 
 abundance of carriages in (St.) Peter (sburg), many tram- 
 ways of iron in the streets, and also many beautif ul dogs, 
 large and small. 
 
 1 This title of Xawwab (Nabob) is never used in Persia, but is imitated 
 from expressions probably used by English officers from India, and is in- 
 tended to represent " Son Altesse Imperiale, " or "Son Altesse Eoyale," 
 &e._j. w. R. 
 
 2 The weight of 140 tons for a gun is evidently a confusion of weights. 
 If we take the Persian "ass-load" here to stand for the Paissian "pood," 
 of 36 lbs., the 420 ass-loads become 135 cwt, or nearly 7 tons, which may 
 be the true weight.— J. TV. E. 
 
CHAPTER III. 
 
 PRUSSIA, GERMANY, BELGIUM; 20 DAYS. 
 
 3RD (Friday, 30th May). — In the morning, on 
 arising, they told me immediately that we were 
 on the limits of the government of Wilna, and 
 that the Governor, named Patapoff, had to come and 
 say adieu before returning. There was a halt until he 
 came and left. We then passed over a very long iron 
 bridge, which they have built over the river Niemen. In 
 the morning, whilst I slept, as they said, the train 
 passed through a "hole in the mountain" (tunnel), of 
 about 400 ells (470 yards) in length. After a short 
 interval we came to another "hole," of a thousand four 
 hundred ells (1633 yards) long, and as dark as night 
 It occupies six minutes to traverse it. We now went on 
 till we reached the frontier place between Russia and 
 Prussia, named Aidgone. At the station of the Prussian 
 town we alighted. There were many soldiers, officers, 
 and peasants, men and women, present. The officials 
 sent by the Prussian Government to be in waiting on me 
 all came into the carriage and were presented. The 
 chief official in waiting was a general of distinction, 
 aide-de-camp (to the Emperor), and named Bo'ien. We 
 passed down in front of the troops, and then retired to a 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 69 
 
 room in the station. The rooms of this station and 
 their furniture are plain. A breakfast had been prepared 
 for my suite, of which they partook. They transferred 
 our luggage from the Eussian to the Prussian train. 
 We had to wait a considerable time. I was in a small 
 room with the officers of my household, and for a while 
 I wrote up my Diary. A great crowd of spectators, men 
 and women, scrambled up to the glass of the windows to 
 have a look, and they squabbled with each other. The 
 liberty (or licence) of this place is very much more than 
 what was seen in Russia. When they dispersed we went 
 and seated ourselves in our carriage. The Prussian 
 train, unlike that of Russia, has carriages that do not 
 communicate with one another ; so that, wherever one 
 takes one's seat, you have no knowledge of the rest, 
 excepting at intervals when a halt occurs for a minute 
 or so. 
 
 Prince Menschikof and General Bazak came and took 
 leave ; and at length we got in motion. The pace was 
 several degrees swifter than that used in Russia. My 
 carriage was spacious and handsome. On either side 
 there was a small coffee-room. In these regions every- 
 thing became changed, — the men, the country, the 
 carriages, the food, &c. The populousness and cultiva- 
 tion in the land of the Prussian are greater than in 
 Russia. Whenever I looked out there were villages, 
 houses, men, horses, oxen, mares, sheep, meadows, 
 sown-fields, water, and flowers of all colours. We 
 crossed many rivers. Human improvements of charm- 
 ing aspect came in sight, near and afar. And so we 
 
Jo Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. in. 
 
 came to a station. The train stopped ; the Grand- Vazir 
 came to our carriage. The Prussian telegraph officer 
 handed in a number of telegrams from Tehran, and these 
 were perused. Thanks be to God, they conveyed good 
 tidings. 
 
 Again we started. As the Prussian trains travel very 
 fast, it was but two hours and a half since leaving the 
 Russian frontier before we arrived at Konigsberg, a city 
 of Prussia, and very near to the Baltic Sea. A large 
 river passes through this city, which is named the 
 Pregel. Merchant steamers come up from the sea to 
 the middle of the city, and return in like manner. It is 
 a small city, but pretty ; its population is 95,000 souls. 
 We have to-day seen in the Prussian territory the culti- 
 vation of rape, which has a yellow flower of a very 
 charming tint. It is sown for its oil (colza oil), which is 
 much used for the lubrication of machinery on railways, 
 and the like. It was very extensively cultivated, and it 
 gave a peculiar charm to the landscape. Naturally, the 
 whole country is a meadow, with forests of fir and yews, 
 though in much less quantities than in Russia. 
 
 We reached the station, where there was a large body 
 of troops and officers, all very handsome young men, 
 with helmets on their heads, and beautiful clothing on 
 their bodies. They were a very pretty soldiery. The 
 Prussian kingdom is all, soldiery. The bands here, like 
 those in Tehran, have all drums and fifes, whereas in 
 Russia this kind of fife was not observed. Infinite 
 numbers of men and women lined both sides of the streets 
 everywhere. I mounted an open carriage and drove off. 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 71 
 
 Crowds of children ran by its side. It was a curious 
 hubbub. A long street was passed down. The houses 
 are all of three or four stories, small, and narrow. We 
 arrived at an ancient palace, built five hundred years 
 ago ; dismounted at its gate, and went up many stairs. 
 It is an old structure. The whole of our suite, princes, 
 household officials, &c, all came there. As the people 
 of this city had never seen a Persian, they were much 
 surprised at sight of us. The name of the Governor of 
 the city is Vivekler. The carriages of this place, and 
 the horses in the carriages, are not so numerous nor so 
 beautiful as those in Eussia. 
 
 Black- tailed tumbler pigeons, and others, swifts, 
 storks, and magpies, appeared very numerous in this 
 country ; windmills are in great plenty. 
 
 In the night several bands of music stood beneath the 
 palace and played a long time, i.e., they beat the retreat 
 on the drums. The harmony of the fifes of these bands, 
 and the tenue of the men, were excellent. A great 
 military drum, too, was fastened to a large dog, with a 
 truck beneath it, which the dog drew. Heavy rain fell, 
 but great crowds congregated. 
 
 4th (Saturday, 31st May). — This day, God willing, we 
 are to go to Berlin. This city (of Konigsberg) being- 
 near the sea, the air was extremely cold. The palace 
 contains some small pictures by old masters, which are 
 very good. On the ground-floor is a very large oblong- 
 hall, with a low-pitched timber ceiling, in which the 
 kings of Prussia are crowned. We had to wait some 
 little while; then mounted a carriage, and by the very 
 
7 2 Diary of a Tour in Etcrope. [chap. hi. 
 
 same road we had followed in coming did we return. It 
 was early morning, so that the congregations of people 
 were less than yesterday. We reached the station ; we 
 all took our seats, and started. The train went at an 
 extremely rapid pace, and in an hour-and-half s travel- 
 ling we came in sight of a lake (the Frische-Haff) on our 
 right, which must he twenty leagues round. Its environs 
 were all populous, with trees, while sailing-vessels and 
 others were on it. On both sides of our road every- 
 where we saw villages, towns, cities, populousness, 
 forests, numerous trees, firs, yews, and others. Here 
 the forests of firs are more frequent than in Russia. 
 Some parts of the forests were hilly and elevated. 
 Many very pretty avenues of willows and great poplars 
 were seen, which are places of promenade for carriages 
 and pedestrians. We passed many streams, large and 
 small, hut all bridged over, and so went by the town of 
 Marienburg, through which the Vistula, a great river, 
 flows. Numbers of vessels ply on this stream. It has 
 an iron bridge over it of very great length. At the 
 stations and guardhouses along our line of road we saw 
 very pretty gardens, and cultivations, and many pretty 
 flowers. The jasmine of Shirwan, called by the Franks 
 the lilac, was everywhere in flower. As far as the eye 
 could reach, all was cultivation, human improvements, 
 rivers, guardhouses, hotels, avenues, forests, flowers, 
 meadows. Many oxen were seen, resembling those of 
 Mazandaran. 
 
 And thus we sped on our way, until, in the middle of 
 the afternoon, we arrived at a station to breakfast. 
 
chap. in. Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 73 
 
 They brought me a little food in the carriage, of which I 
 partook; the rest went out to breakfast, and then re- 
 turned. Again we proceeded, and reached a large town 
 with very strong fortifications, named Custrin, where a 
 salute of cannon was fired. We stopped ; the Governor 
 of the city, and the General of the place, were received in 
 audience. Women and men in crowds were collected. 
 After an interval we went on, and arrived at another 
 station, where we had to put on our state costume, being 
 near to Berlin. Our suite did the same. We then 
 drove on a long way, and ultimately reached the out- 
 skirts of the city. Our train was taken sometimes over 
 a bridge, sometimes up and sometimes down, and then 
 again turned back, like a horse, the bit of which is in 
 the hand of a man. This was to us a source of wonder. 
 Many lines" of railway are laid down in every direction. 
 Carriages and engines without number were seen on the 
 lines, and many trains passed us on the road to-day. 
 
 At last we reached the station, and alighted. His 
 Most Exalted Majest}^ the Emperor of Germany, — Wil- 
 liam, the Nawwab the Heir-Apparent, — his son, the 
 Nawwab Prince Charles, — his brother, Frederick- Charles, 
 — son of a brother of the Emperor and captor of Metz, 
 together with other princes of the royal family, such as 
 Prince Hohenzollern, a youngster, and the very prince 
 respecting whom the war between Germany and France 
 occurred, as the French were not willing that he should 
 become king of Spain; also Prince Bismarck, — the famous 
 Chancellor of Germany, Marshal Boon, the Minister of 
 War and Premier of Prussia, and General Moltke, now 
 
74 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. tit. 
 
 Marshal and Generalissimo, very celebrated, and much 
 spoken of, and other generals and officials, with a batta- 
 lion of the Guards, a band, a cavalry regiment, and others, 
 as also a concourse of people beyond all compute on the 
 roads, were there to receive us. They gave us a most 
 cordial reception. Taking the hand of His Most 
 Exalted Majesty, we mounted an open carriage, and 
 drove along a wide street, bordered on either side with 
 ancient trees and white cluster roses in flower, every- 
 where paved with stones, and spacious, with houses the 
 whole way. The crowds were great, and shouted 
 hurrahs. I saluted them all, together with the Emperor. 
 We conversed together in French, until we reached a 
 place like a gateway, where the trees ended. It was a 
 wide street, with sumptuous palaces on either side, of 
 several stories. We noticed a column recently erected 
 in commemoration of the victory over France, and not 
 yet completed. A statue of Frederick I., i.e., of Fre- 
 derick the Great, cast in metal, was in our path. We 
 passed by the University, a great place of instruction 
 where two thousand students are taught; by the Arsenal, 
 which was on our left hand ; while on our right was the 
 Emperor's own palace, in which he has resided from the 
 days when he was Heir- Presumptive until now. Next 
 we passed the palace of the Heir- Apparent, and so 
 reached a square with two basins of water, from which 
 sprang lofty jets-d'eau. On our right was a royal resi- 
 dence, that was assigned to us. There was a crowd up 
 to the very edifice. We alighted. Veteran troops in 
 beautiful uniforms, who are the guards of the palace, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 75 
 
 were in the rooms ; patrols of cavalry, all handsome 
 young men, with good figures, and well dressed, were at 
 the gate, with officers of the household, &c, all sta- 
 tioned. We went upstairs. The middle of the square 
 in front of the palace was laid out in beautiful beds of 
 flowers and shrubs, lilacs, and the like. There were 
 also two statues of horses, of cast-metal, each held by the 
 mouth by a man. 
 
 The Emperor showed me all the apartments. There 
 are some beautiful paintings and portraits in this palace. 
 I presented the Grand-Vazir, the princes, and others ; 
 the Emperor also at the station had presented his 
 princes and servants. Next we went to a private apart- 
 ment with him, and had some conversation, at which the 
 Grand-Vazir was present. When the Emperor left, I 
 waited a short time, then mounted my carriage, and 
 drove to his residence. He came to the foot of the 
 stairs to meet me ; we went in ; we sat down ; a conver- 
 sation ensued ; and after a few minutes I returned. The 
 Emperor is seventy-six years of age; his brother seventy- 
 three. Both of them, however, are perfect in bodily 
 health and strength. Prince Bismarck is fifty-eight ; 
 Marshal Moltke seventy-five. The Nawwab the Heir- 
 Apparent is of the age of forty- two. 
 
 This evening I went nowhere. The city of Berlin is 
 lighted with gas ; the lamps being more numerous here 
 than at (St.) Peter (sburg). Opposite our palace, on the 
 other side of the square, is the establishment of the 
 Museum of Berlin. On one side is a church, and oppo- 
 site it, the Armoury. In the centre of the square is a 
 
J 6 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. hi. 
 
 raised platform, with steps all round, on which is a cast- 
 metal equestrian statue of Frederick the Great. The 
 exteriors of the buildings of Berlin are coloured ash- 
 colour, which takes away somewhat from the appearance 
 of the city ; on the contrary, at (St.) Peter(sburg) the 
 edifices are of all colours. The river that flows by one 
 side of Berlin is named the Spree, a branch of which 
 runs through the middle of the town ; but it is narrow, 
 and its waters very filthy. To-day we travelled eighty 
 leagues distance in eleven hours or less. 
 
 5th (Sunday, 1st June). — To-day we went to the town 
 of Potsdam, which is outside of Berlin. Mounting our 
 carriage, we drove along the same track, and through 
 the very gateway that we had traversed j^esterday, passed 
 by many avenues, noble forest trees, beautiful houses 
 with exquisitely pretty flower-gardens in front of them, 
 and basins of water with fountains and jets-d'eau, so 
 arriving at the station. We took our seat in the train, 
 started, and in half an hour's time, getting over the 
 journe}^, arrived at that town. 
 
 It is a small place, with forty-two thousand inhabi- 
 tants, for the most part regular troops. The Governor 
 of the town, &c, came to receive us. We alighted. 
 There is also a large river here, named the Havel. We 
 mounted a carriage, and passing by the houses, &c, of 
 the town, we entered an avenue. The parks, avenues, &c, 
 here are similar to those in Bussia. Of the two palaces, 
 one is called Potsdam, and the other Sans-Souci; both 
 built by Frederick the Great. The quarters of the Heir- 
 Apparent are in that of Potsdam. We drove in our 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. jy 
 
 carriage to that palace; lie was not at home. We then 
 drove for a promenade, and passed through magnificent 
 avenues in beautiful parks. The parks here are great 
 forests, like those of Mazandaran. To-day being 
 Sunday (Whitsunday), the whole world was out for a 
 promenade, and great crowds were in the avenues. We 
 came to a large fountain, the water of which spouted 
 thirty ells (105 feet) high. Statues of marble, very 
 beautiful and antique, were seen around the gardens and 
 the basins. In short, this fountain is one of the wonders 
 of the world. Its head is due to steam power, by the 
 force of which the water is raised. Through the throng- 
 ing of the people, we were somewhat impeded in going 
 about. Lilacs abounded. Nightingales and wrens sang 
 in the trees. It was a world of delight. We next went 
 into an avenue opposite that fountain, at the end of 
 which was another basin, the jet-d'eau of which was very 
 lofty, but not equal to that of the first. We then got 
 into our carriage, and went to the palace of Sans-Souci 
 to visit the Queen Dowager, wife of the former Sovereign 
 of Prussia, who was a brother of the reigning Emperor. 
 The first Lord-in- Waiting and the Chief Usher of the 
 Queen (Dowager) and others received us. We went to 
 the apartment of the Queen (Dowager) ; she rose and 
 came outside of the apartment. She is a woman seventy 
 years of age, or even more of her life may have elapsed. 
 We sat down, and conversation ensued. We then arose 
 and passed on. This is the special palace of Frederick the 
 Great. The very room in which he died was seen by us. 
 The chair in which he expired, his writing-table, a time- 
 
78 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. hi. 
 
 piece, and other effects of Frederick, were all there. 
 Some things were placed on chairs merely from venera- 
 tion, and the hands of the timepiece have remained since 
 his death in the very same position to a minute, never 
 having been set since then. There were many beautiful 
 paintings, left from that time. They told me that when 
 the first Napoleon took possession of this town, he tore 
 the cloth on the table of Frederick, and that it has been 
 so preserved since, torn. There were beautiful rooms, 
 and many relics of antiquity. 
 
 We then descended. In front of the palace there is a 
 lofty terrace. In front of the eminence there are very 
 beautiful gardens, with small basins of water. From the 
 top they have arranged statues, from the mouths of which 
 water flows into basins. The view from this terrace and 
 this eminence has not its equal in the world. That lofty 
 jet-d'eau is opposite to this eminence. In short, the 
 fountains, the parks, and the beautiful avenues were 
 numberless. We walked about a while ; we then mounted 
 our carriage, and drove to a place where we saw a ruined 
 mill, which has remained from the time of Frederick the 
 Great, and has a date on it. From this we gathered 
 that when Frederick wished to build this place, he was 
 unable, do what he would, to content the proprietor of 
 the mill, and induce him to sell his property, so that the 
 park might not remain incomplete. He would not con- 
 sent ; and, as an instance of equity, the mill has been 
 preserved in the same condition ever since. 
 
 We next went to the hot-houses and orangeries (con- 
 servatories), which are constructed with brickwork, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 79 
 
 glass, and other appliances; but we did not enter them, 
 the whole of the flowers and shrubs having been brought 
 out of doors. In front of the conservatory there is a 
 garden, a basin of water, and a terrace, which have beau- 
 tiful parterres of flowers, with statues of marble. From 
 hence there are many steps, as they have arranged very 
 beautiful parterres range upon range. Here we walked 
 about a bit ; and then, mounting our carriage, we drove 
 to the palace and summer residence of the wife of Prince 
 Charles, a sister of the Queen of Prussia, i.e., of the wife 
 of the Emperor, and is mother of Frederick Charles. 
 It has a pretty courtyard, with statues and ancient stone 
 figures and carvings, of Egypt, Syria, Nineveh, Mawsil 
 (Mosul), &c, such as a leg, a head of a shoulder, an 
 arm (or hand), of the figure of an animal or man, large 
 or small, imperfect or whole, collected therein of every 
 kind, and fixed to the walls in an artistic manner. It 
 became evident that Prince Charles and his wife are 
 persons of learning and taste. 
 
 In short, most beautiful gardens, fountains, lawns, and 
 the like, were there seen. We went upstairs and sat 
 down a while in a room. The wife of Prince Charles 
 offered many excuses, and expressed great chagrin that 
 notice had been given to her late, saying : They tele- 
 graphed to inform me that you would not come to- 
 day. She brought out a book, and we inscribed our 
 name therein. She is an aged woman. 
 
 Rising from thence, we took our seat in our carriage to 
 go to the residence of the wife of Frederick- Charles. 
 She was not at home. In front of the avenue leading to 
 
So Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 the gate of Frederick-Charles, there were two statues of 
 stags lying down, on the top of the railings, most beau- 
 tifully executed. We drove on ; we passed some charm- 
 ing spots ; and we came upon a small pavilion most 
 beautifully placed, which belongs to the Emperor. It 
 has some pretty gardens, and a charming prospect over a 
 large river. 
 
 We then went to the station and returned to the city. 
 On our passage we remarked a singular pastime which 
 they had devised. They had fitted up a kind of g} 7 psey- 
 tent, and around the tent there were pasteboard carriages 
 and horses, on which people's children rode, while the 
 tent revolved incessantly, causing the carriages, the 
 horses, and their riders to go round also. 
 
 We reached home. This evening the Emperor gave a 
 special banquet in this very palace where our quarters 
 are. Our princes, the Prussian princes, our Grand- 
 Vazlr, Prince Bismarck, Marshal Moltke, Marshal Eoon, 
 and others, were present, as also Marshal Wrangel, with 
 whom we conversed. He is a short and very old man, 
 ninety years of age, but full of mental vigour. He 
 served everywhere in the wars of the first Napoleon. 
 
 After dinner we went to the theatre, a beautiful house 
 with five tiers of seats, about the size of the Michael 
 Theatre at (St.) Peter(sburg). The audience was crowded. 
 The play was a ballet this evening, and they danced well. 
 The dancers wore strange costumes. I and the Emperor 
 went on the stage and looked about a little. We then 
 returned, and another scene commenced. They danced, 
 and represented some interesting situations. Prince 
 
chap, in.] Prztssia, Germany, Belgium. 8 1 
 
 Charles, the Emperor's brother, also was present. When 
 all was over we went home. 
 
 On the day when we came away from (St.) Peter- 
 sburg), the Mukhbiru-'d-Dawla remained behind to see 
 his son, who is to come to (St.) Peter (sburg). 
 
 6th (Monday, 2nd June). — After our breakfast the 
 foreign representatives came to an audience. The French 
 representative did not come, because, M. Thiers having 
 resigned, he had no credentials. We then went to another 
 chamber, and spoke to each of the representatives, one 
 by one, enquiring after their health. Subsequently Prince 
 Bismarck came, and with him a long conversation ensued. 
 Next Marshal Boon, the War Minister, came ; and then 
 Marshal Moltke, with whom we conversed a little. 
 
 After this, changing our (state) costume (for a private 
 one), we mounted our carriage and drove to the Zoolo- 
 gical Gardens. To-daj^ also (Whit-Monday) was a festival 
 of the Franks, and the whole population of the city were 
 in commotion. There was an enormous crowd, and 
 numerous equipages in the road, and on both sides. Bands 
 were playing hi the gardens. There were many ponds, and 
 various species of aquatic fowl in the ponds. Next we 
 came to beautiful separate large cages, in which the 
 various kinds of beasts were kept apart. Different birds 
 of prey, — eagles, a pair of condors, which are a well- 
 known bird of prey brought from the New-World (Ame- 
 rica). It is a singular creature, of a dusky black colour, 
 and of great ferocity ; but its talons are not like those of 
 the eagle, since it belongs to the class of feeders on 
 carrion. 
 
82 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. m. 
 
 There were various kinds of cranes from Africa, India, 
 the New-World, and other parts ; much more wild and 
 beautiful than the common crane of Persia. All the dif- 
 ferent species of birds produced in the whole world are 
 there collected together, so that it is impossible to mention 
 them all. What we had formerly seen pourtrayed in 
 books, we here saw living. 
 
 We then entered the corridor in which are the cages of 
 the carnivorous quadrupeds, — the beasts of prey. Here 
 were wild beasts that cannot be imagined, maned-lions of 
 Africa, — which I had not hitherto seen, save in books, — 
 huge in bulk, terrible in appearance, with very thick 
 black manes hanging down, their heads as large as those 
 of elephants, or larger ; with glaring eyes especially ter- 
 rific ; with graceful bodies resembling velvet. The keeper 
 raised high a piece of flesh ; the lion rose on his hind 
 feet and seized the flesh. His stature was from three to 
 four ells (10 J feet to 14 feet). The flesh was placed on 
 a truck, and so conveyed from den to den and given to 
 the beasts. 
 
 The compartment which looks out on this corridor, 
 and is subdivided to hold the different beasts, has a door 
 of stout timber that can be raised by a chain. The other 
 side of the door is where the animals walk about. When 
 the door is raised, the beast goes to that other side ; the 
 door is then quickly lowered, and the den is swept clean. 
 The compartment is floored with timber very carefully. 
 No one is allowed to go near these creatures ; and the 
 flesh is given to them through the interstices of the fronts 
 of their cages. 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium, 83 
 
 I was extremely tempted to sta} r and observe these 
 lions a long while ; but, through the thronging of the 
 crowds of spectators, this was impossible. 
 
 I saw several enormous tigers, African and Indian; 
 two black leopards, from Africa, very singular and ter- 
 rific. Also some other lions; one, a maned-lion, of a 
 good size, though his mane was not as yet so large as 
 those of the two lions first seen. There was a lioness 
 that had given birth to several cubs in that very establish- 
 ment, her cubs having grown up. There were many 
 leopards, various chetahs, strange-looking hyaenas from 
 Africa that made curious noises. In short, I saw nume- 
 rous cages, in each of which were animals of many kinds, 
 various monkeys, and the like. There were two elephants ; 
 one very large, that had been brought from India ; the 
 other from Africa. The African elephant is very diffe- 
 rent from that of India, its ears being much broader and 
 larger. There were three giraffes, and a zebra, i.e., a 
 wild horse, the body of which is in stripes, and very 
 beautiful. Also many bisons, — the wild buffaloes of 
 Africa and the New- World ; and large and small buffaloes 
 (yaks ?) of Tibet, from the sides of which so much wool 
 hung as to trail on the earth ; they looked very ferocious. 
 Llamas, an animal between the cainel, ox, argali, and 
 other species, and which runs very fast, were kept in 
 spacious gardens enclosed with railings. There were 
 argalis, mountain-goats (chamois or ibexes ?), and ante- 
 lopes, from India and Africa; for instance, there was one 
 argali as big as a horse, with long, thick, sharp horns, 
 having no resemblance to the argali of Persia. Also 
 
 g2 
 
84 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, im 
 
 various kinds of swine and wild boars : curious animals, 
 too, of other species, and in such varieties, were collected 
 in that place as cannot he ; computed. Every animal, 
 wherever it may naturally exist, *was to be found there, 
 and are there fed with all care and cleanliness. Various 
 parrots, peacocks, golden pheasants of -'Australia, that are- 
 very prett} r , were there ; also many lands of birds with 
 magnificently-coloured plumage flew about, played, and 
 amused themselves in very large aviary cages. The 
 name of the director of these Zoological Gardens is 
 Doctor Bodines, a learned and distinguished man. 
 
 We now returned home, and somewhat later took a 
 drive through various streets of the city. One place 
 attracted my attention as being a park. I alighted and 
 entered ; then I saw that it was a cemeteiy. But it was 
 a charming place, where there were many nurse-maids 
 with infants and little children. These flocked around 
 me. 
 
 Again mounting, we arrived at a circular open space- 
 surrounded by buildings, and having pretty flower-beds 
 in the middle. Here, too, w r e got down and strolled 
 about for a while ; thence returning home again. 
 
 The official in attendance upon us, whose name is 
 General Bo'ien, was also in attendance on Napoleon 
 during his captivity and seclusion ; as also upon the 
 Sultan of Turkey while in Prussia. 
 
 7th (Tuesday, 3rd June). — To-day I wish to go to the- 
 Aquarium, a place where they keep marine animals and 
 plants as a spectacle. 
 
 In the morning, on rising, we went to visit the Empress 
 
ciiAr. in.] Prtcssia, Germany, Belgium, 85 
 
 Augusta, who had newly arrived. As the Emperor was 
 unwell, we did not see him, hut went to the apartments 
 of the Empress, which are in the Emperor's palace.- She 
 is an elderly woman, seventy years of age. We sat and 
 conversed ; then, leading me away, she showed me over 
 the apartments, which are nicety furnished. 
 
 Next we went to the residence of the Heir- Apparent to 
 see his wife, a daughter of Her Most Exalted Majesty the 
 Sovereign of England, and her firstborn child. We sat 
 and conversed a little. She has three sons and two 
 daughters by the Heir-Apparent,, her eldest son being 
 fifteen years of age, and her eldest daughter ten. The 
 Heir-Apparent's house is plain. 
 
 Keeping in mind the Aquarium, we rose, mounted our 
 carriage, drove there, alighted at the gate, and went 
 upstairs. The Heir- Apparent and a large assemblage of 
 people were there. We were taken to some very strange 
 and marvellous places, — dark corridors and caverns, hills 
 and dales, cascades, fountains, all constructed of rocks 
 from the mountains in such a manner that at first one 
 cannot comprehend that he is not really in a cavern of a 
 mountain, but is in the midst of a city. It is a curiosity 
 of design, and is one of the things in this world worthy 
 to be seen. The director, whose name is Hermess, 
 explained all to us. They have placed various kinds of 
 fishes, with other marine animals and seaweeds, in tanks 
 covered over with large sheets of plate-glass or common 
 glass ; and the water is incessantly renewed. From the 
 spot where we stood the bottoms of the tanks were seen ; 
 so that the fishes, the other animals, and the plants 
 
86 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. m. 
 
 appeared to lis in their natural states, as though actually 
 in the sea. Some were asleep, others in motion. There 
 was one kind of animal like a bunch of flowers, roses, or 
 lilies, full of filaments of various colours, and attached to 
 a rock or to- a plant, without the least visible movement. 
 Never could it be known that this is an animal endued 
 with life ; but when the keeper of this place conveys 
 down into the water a worm, and then lets it go, so as to 
 fall into the midst of this bunch of flowers, then it moves, 
 draws to itself the worm, and eats it. 
 
 There were many sorts of strange fish, of all colours, 
 some large, and others small ; there were numerous shell- 
 fish, various crabs of many colours, frogs, and other 
 things extremely interesting. Descending some more 
 steps, we reached another place, the roof of which . was 
 equally of rocks from the mountains, having no difference 
 from a natural cavern. Here were varieties of aquatic 
 birds, parrots of all colours, one kind of large white 
 parrot (cockatoo) that has a voice extremely like that of 
 a man. There was an inclosure (aviary) like a cage, in 
 the middle of which a fountain was playing, and around 
 which again were compartments like cages, in which 
 artificial trees or shrubs were arranged; and every kind 
 of bird that can be imagined in the world, from cold 
 countries and from tropical places, are there to be found. 
 All the forms of birds that I had seen in books, there, 
 colour for colour, did I witness them. To all of them, 
 with the utmost cleanliness, do they supply food 
 and water. All these birds would at one time cry out 
 together, at another would play or fly about ; and . the 
 
chap, hi.] Prussia^ Germany) Belgium. 8 7 
 
 contemplation of them inspired me with the utmost 
 amazement. 
 
 There was another pair of animals, male and female, 
 very curious, for which they had constructed in one 
 corner a2?art a small house to them alone, which had an 
 extremely small hole for an entrance, hy which they hoth 
 went in together. They are of a yellow colour. Their 
 head, mane, shape, and tail, are like those of the African 
 maned-lion ; but their hands and feet resemble those of 
 man and the monkey. Besides, they have a finger like 
 the spur of a cock, at the end of which is a claw like the 
 talon of a hawk. They were very tame, had a singular 
 cry, and were fed on worms. (Mr. Bartlett, of the Zoolo- 
 gical Gardens, Regent's Park, concludes from this descrip- 
 tion that the animals seen were Silky Marmosets, or Lion 
 Monkeys, midas rosalia, natives of Brazil, ivhich have 
 more than once bred in the Society s gardens. I see they 
 are also mentioned by the names of Marikina and jacchus 
 rosalia.) 
 
 Again two other animals were noticed, exceedingly 
 interesting ; but these were said to be also visible at the 
 Zoological Gardens. They are called " Sloths," and 
 resemble melancholy, sorrowful men, are very inoffensive, 
 and continually utter a cry like the chirping of a cricket. 
 
 In short, I witnessed many wonders, and' then returned 
 home. 
 
 In the afternoon we were the Emperor's guest at dinner 
 in the upper story of this very palace in which we are 
 quartered. All the wives and lady princesses, all the 
 princes of the Prussian royal family, all our princes, the 
 
SS Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. m. 
 
 Heir- Apparent, Prince Bismarck, Marshal Boon, Marshal 
 Moltke, and others were present. A band played. This 
 tipper palace is very ^magnificent, having many pictures, 
 with sumptuous halls and apartments. 
 
 After dinner we descended, and in the evening went to 
 the city theatre, which is small, and has four tiers of 
 seats. The Heir- Apparent, the Grand- Vazlr, and others 
 were present. We sat in a box near the stage. They 
 gave a beautiful entertainment, the last scene represent- 
 ing the palace and gardens of Versailles, with the coro- 
 nation of this very Emperor. The representatives of the 
 Emperor, of all the leaders, of Marshal Moltke and Prince 
 Bismarck, were dressed exactly like those personages. It 
 was a beautiful scene ; i.e., it was not a picture, but a 
 collection of men dressed up. At the conclusion we 
 returned home. 
 
 8th (Wednesday, 4th June). — To-day I have to go and 
 see a review. Having breakfasted, I mounted my carriage, 
 the Grand- Vazlr, my princes, and others with me. We 
 went to the outskirts of the city, where a large concourse 
 was assembled. The parade-ground was a beautiful piece 
 of grass-land. Descending from our carriage, we mounted 
 the charger of the Husamu-'s-saltana (sharp sword of 
 sovereignty). The Empress, the wife of the Heir-Ap- 
 parent, and others were present. The Emperor is still 
 unwell. The battalions of infantry, together with the 
 cavalry, were about eighteen thousand strong. We slowly 
 went down in front of the line. The Heir- Apparent, the 
 whole of the officers, and the Prince of Wurtemberg, who 
 was in command, and is an old man, tall of stature, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 89 
 
 Frederick- Charles, Prince Charles, and others accom- 
 panied us. We then took up our position, and the troops 
 marched past, the infantry, cavahy, and artillery, in 
 beautiful uniforms, and well armed, being reviewed. 
 After .the ceremony, we remounted our carriage, and 
 returned home. 
 
 We were invited to dine with the Empress in the 
 evening. We went ; all were there ; dinner was eaten ; 
 and we returned home. From thence we went to the 
 theatre. This evening was a gala evening at the theatre. 
 All the women wore magnificent costumes ; all the men 
 were in court dresses. We, the Empress, the other 
 women, the Grand- Vazir, the Prussian princes, and our 
 princes, sat in a large box fronting the stage. It was 
 very hot. They brought out some pretty scenes. They 
 danced nicety. After two acts, we went for a little space 
 to a large saloon and had some conversation, and from 
 thence to a box near the stage. The last scene enacted 
 was of a king of Mawsil (Mosul, for Nineveh ; the king, 
 Sardanapalus), who, after being vanquished by his ene- 
 mies, cast himself, with all his effects and family, into 
 the fire. It was a magnificent scene. From thence we 
 came home. 
 
 To-day, while returning from the review, we visited 
 the Arsenal, i.e., the armoury. On the lower floor they 
 have collected specimens of the cannon taken from the 
 French and Austrians, with those of ancient artillery. 
 In the middle of the court of the Arsenal there was a 
 colossal figure of a lion in metal, which had been cast 
 and set up in Holstein by the Danish Government, in 
 
90 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. hi. 
 
 memory of the conquest of Holstein from Germany. 
 When the Prussians retook the two provinces of Schleswig 
 and Holstein, they brought away this lion, and placed it 
 here. It is as big as a mountain. We went to the 
 upper story, which is very spacious, and where, they 
 have collected an enormous number of muskets. Of 
 every model, ancient, modern, or otherwise, were muskets 
 to be seen there. The general in charge of this Arsenal 
 was a tall man, of the name of Treh, who spoke French 
 well. His left arm had been carried away by a French 
 shot in the battle of Gravelotte, the last that was fought. 
 
 It is worthy of remark that in this city the noise of 
 carriages never ceases from evening until morning, nor 
 from morn to night. One evening the Fire -Brigade came 
 with torches and went through their practice at the foot 
 of the palace. 
 
 9th {Thursday, 5th June). — This morning I started by 
 train and went to Potsdam with all my suite, excepting 
 the Ptizadu-'d-Dawla, who remained in town, as they 
 have completed the telegraphic wires to Tehran, and he 
 is talking with them. The Order of the Black Eagle in 
 diamonds, with its yellow riband, &c, was sent for us by 
 the Emperor through General Boien, who is in attendance 
 on us. 
 
 Well; we arrived at Potsdam, alighted, and at once 
 went upstairs. The Empress, the wife of the Heir- 
 Apparent, with others, were there. The garrison of this 
 place is to be reviewed to-day. The whole of the troops 
 were drawn out in a parade-ground at the foot of this 
 palace. When the review was over, the Heir- Apparent 
 
chap: in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 91 
 
 and others came upstairs, where breakfast was prepared. 
 As I had no appetite, I excused myself to the Heir- 
 Apparent, mounted my carriage, and went for a drive to 
 the Orangery. It has a very handsome and cheerful hall, 
 well lighted, its roof being partially of marble, like a 
 vault. Paintings, marble statues, and beautifully fur- 
 nished apartments there were. It is one of Frederick's 
 buildings. From thence we went driving about, and 
 alighted near a large fountain, sat down awhile on the 
 steps, and contemplated the jet-d'eau. Again we drove 
 about. In the park there is a mansion, which is magni- 
 ficent, named the Charlotte Pavilion. It was the resi- 
 dence of Dr. Humboldt, so celebrated, who died ten years 
 ago. It has a grassy terrace, a fountain, a basin of water, 
 some small rooms, full of curiosities, preserved like those 
 of a museum. It had a curator, who could not speak 
 French. At the top of the steps of this building there 
 was the figure of an antelope, which had been cast in 
 metal, of a very graceful form. 
 
 From thence we again returned to the Orangery, per- 
 formed our devotions, and towards the middle of the 
 afternoon went to the palace of Babelbrig to dine by 
 invitation with the Emperor. It was a long way off. 
 Passmg over a long bridge across the river Havel, which 
 separates the town of Potsdam from this palace, and 
 through many a charming site and beautiful avenue', we 
 reached the gate of the mansion. The Empress, the 
 Heir-Apparent, Prince Bismarck, Marshal Boon, the 
 Prussian princes, our princes, with others, and the lady 
 princesses, were all present. The building is very fine, 
 
92 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. hi. 
 
 •and was erected by the present Emperor. It has hand- 
 some basins of water, good prospects, lawns, flower- 
 gardens, all very beautiful. We had dinner, and conver- 
 sation ensued. After dinner we took a walk on the lawn. 
 There was a fountain that rose from the middle of the 
 river to a very great height, and of great volume, that 
 caused great pleasure to see. The Empress was in a 
 carriage with the Heir- Apparent. He alighted, and we 
 walked together for a space. Then I mounted with the 
 Empress, and we went to the residence of the Heir- 
 Apparent. He and the others followed on foot. There 
 we alighted, and I, with the Heir-Apparent, set off to 
 visit the tomb of Frederick the Great. We now repassed 
 that bridge over the river, and entered the town of Pots- 
 dam, so reaching the door of the mausoleum, which is a 
 building like a church. Flags taken from the French 
 and others were there seen. Two tombs were in the 
 mausoleum, one of Frederick, the other of his father. 
 After standing there a space, we returned, and again went 
 to the Orangery, where we spent a short time, and then 
 the Heir- Apparent went to his own mansion, that was 
 now illuminated. Later, we followed him to his mansion, 
 which is a charming place. All the Diplomatic Corps, 
 women, princes, and others were there. The park oppo- 
 site was illuminated in colours. The fountains threw up 
 red water, which was very beautiful; but there were no 
 fireworks. The wife of the Heir-Apparent wore the 
 Order which I had conferred on her, with its riband. 
 Later, the Empress took my hand and led me down- 
 stairs ; we sat a little, and we walked about a little ; 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgitcm. 93. 
 
 then went to a long room where a buffet was laid out, 
 i.e., where they had spread many kinds of food on a 
 tahle. The lady and gentlemen guests all sat down at 
 the table, and eating of the viands was achieved. We 
 then took leave of the Heir- Apparent and others, and 
 went to the station. 
 
 In that place one beautiful saloon was seen, that was 
 of the time of Frederick, the whole being inlaid with 
 mother-of-pearl, haliotis, and similar shells in beautiful 
 designs. 
 
 The train started, and we arrived at the city station,, 
 which is a noble work, with many chandeliers, all of iron 
 and glass. Thence we proceeded home, driven in our 
 carriage. 
 
 10th (Friday, 6th June). — In the morning, after break- 
 fast, went to the Parliament, i.e., to the Council-House 
 of Germany, which is in an outskirt of the town. We 
 sat in a gallery. There were about a hundred deputies 
 present, the rest of the chairs being unoccupied. Prince 
 Bismarck was in his place, to the right, and below the 
 seat of the President of the Council. The name of the 
 President of the Council is Simpson. The Under-Secre- 
 tary of War was standing below Prince Bismarck, and was 
 speaking to the deputies, and refuting, on the part of the 
 Government, the proposal of the deputies about the 
 maintenance of the Ecole des Cadets. He delivered a 
 long speech. This Ecole des Cadets is a college in 
 Potsdam for young nobles and the sons of living and 
 deceased officers. The excellent officers of Prussia issue 
 from this college. The Heir-Apparent was himself edu- 
 
94 Diary of a Tour in Etcrope. [chap. m. 
 
 cated there. One day the Heir- Apparent brought those 
 students in front of our palace, where they went through 
 their exercise. The students are seven hundred in 
 number. As the expense of maintenance is heavy, the 
 nation is dissatisfied; but Prince Bismarck wished to 
 augment it. 
 
 We soon rose from there and went to the residence of 
 Prince Bismarck to return his visit. He was at home, 
 and came to meet us. His house is small and simple. 
 His wife and daughter were seated in a room. A long 
 conversation ensued. 
 
 We then left, and proceeded to the Museum, which is 
 opposite our palace. The Director, an aged person 
 named Lepsinius, came (to receive us). On the walls of 
 the staircase of the building there are designs and scenes, 
 very beautiful and old, drawn on the surface of the 
 plaster. Going upstairs, we walked about. There was a 
 crowd. Plaster figures, small and large, all imitatively 
 prepared after the works of Greek and other artists, were 
 there in great numbers. Other objects also, in porcelain, 
 crystal, ivory, amber, wood, &c, were seen. We went 
 about a while, and then returned home. 
 
 Before long we set out again to go and pay a visit of 
 adieu to the Emperor. The Emperor's wife was present. 
 This day, on the bank of the Ehine, Prince Aldeberg 
 (Adalbert), cousin of the Emperor, and Director of all the 
 war-ships of Germany, has died ; the aged grandmother 
 of the Emperor also is dead; and for this reason a 
 concert, instrumental and vocal, appointed for this even- 
 ing, is put off. Well; the Emperor came in also, sat 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium, 95 
 
 down, and we conversed. The wife of the Emperor 
 presented me with a china vase as a gift. 
 
 We then went to the Aquarium, walked about a bit, 
 and to-day have examined attentively that slothful animal 
 (the sloth ; choloepus didactylus ; bradypus didactylus). 
 On its front paws it has two long claws like those of an 
 eagle, and on its hind paws three such. Wherever it 
 attaches itself, it is with difficulty that it is separated. 
 Went home. 
 
 Wtli (Saturday, 7th June). — We have to go to the cities 
 of Cologne and Wiesbaden. Rose early in the morning. 
 There was a violent wind, the weather being cloudy and 
 cold. We dressed in anticipation of the arrival of the 
 Heir- Apparent. When he came, we mounted a carriage 
 and drove to the station in an outskirt of the city ; there 
 got into the train, said good-bye, and started. Much as 
 we wished to sleep, it was impossible. As soon as my 
 eyes closed, we would arrive at a station, talking and 
 discussion would ensue ; there was nothing for it but we 
 must dress and hold ourselves in readiness until the 
 governor of such a town, or the commander of such a 
 fortress, should be introduced by the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk 
 and took himself off again. 
 
 Mirza Malkam Khan has remained in Berlin to settle 
 with the Prussian Government a contract for the purchase 
 of muskets. 
 
 Well ; the appearance of the country, the grass-lands, 
 the trees, the forests of fir and yews, the flowers, the 
 . rivers, the populousness of the villages and towns, every- 
 where, were just the same as those seen when we were 
 
96 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. m. 
 
 coming to Berlin. We passed the city of Hanover, 
 which is very pretty, and then the cities and regions of 
 Westphalia, which are charming spots. Here we saw a 
 few mountains and high hills, and crossed numerous 
 rivers, one very large, — and at an hour to sunset we 
 arrived at the works of M. Krupp, who came himself to 
 the railway (to meet us). He is a tall, thin old man. 
 He has himself, in a certain space of time, created the 
 whole of these works. The cannon of every government 
 does he furnish from hence. Guns of every description, 
 such as large cannon for forts, cannon for ships, and 
 cannon for field use in campaigns, are all manufactured 
 here. His plant and workshops, of which steam is the 
 motive power, resemble a mighty city. He employs 
 15,000 workmen, for the whole of whom he has erected 
 houses and lodgings, paying them salaries and wages. 
 After deducting his expenditure, his own yearly income 
 amounts to 800,000 tumans (320,000?.). 
 
 We went to the shop of the steam hammers. They 
 are singular hammers, like mountains ; and, worked by 
 steam, fulfil the office of forging cannons. They make 
 these of any pattern' they desire. When the hammer 
 strikes the gun, the earth floor of the workshop emits a 
 sound and trembles. It was a marvellous thing. We 
 went all over the works, and they turned out some large 
 and some small cannon. We then went to a house which 
 he had prepared, and there we dined. He gave us an 
 excellent dinner. In the conservatory of this house we 
 saw a tree, the leaves of which were two ells (seven feet) 
 long, and half an ell (twenty- one inches) wide. The 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 97 
 
 steam-hammers, in spite of their great distance from this 
 room, made the earth shake here as though in an earth- 
 quake. M. Krupp made us a present of a most mag- 
 nificent hreech-loading six-pounder cannon, with all its 
 appliances. 
 
 We now went back to the railway. It was night. I 
 lay down. Sleep overtook me. It was two hours' journey 
 to the city of Cologne. All at once we sprang up from 
 sleep ; I heard the sound of music, and of voices speak- 
 ing. I knew that we had reached that city, and that the 
 authorities were waiting to be received in audience. I 
 dressed ; I stood up ; the authorities came up ; then I 
 alighted and inspected their troops. Now we mounted a 
 carriage again and entered the city. There was a great 
 concourse. A beautiful city appeared before my sight ; 
 it has a large, lofty, well-placed church, which they say 
 is the first in Europe. I went to an hotel, a cheerful 
 building, and there we took up our quarters. After 
 awhile I again slept. 
 
 12th (Sunday, Sth June). — This afternoon we have to 
 go to the city of Wiesbaden. In the morning on arising 
 from sleep we breakfasted, mounted a carriage, and drove 
 to the Botanical and Zoological Gardens, which are near 
 the city. The wealthy of the city have supplied the 
 funds, and maintain these two gardens for their own 
 amusement and that of the people. We passed by at 
 the foot of the great church. It is a most imposing 
 edifice. It is more than four hundred years that they have 
 built it here, and they are still busy working at it, as 
 it is not yet completed, the cranes being on the spot. 
 
98 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 At one side of it is a very magnificent structure, into 
 which we did not go, but we examined it all round. It 
 has many conical domes. It has so many openings and 
 apertures, and is so vast and so high, that many crows 
 have therein made their nests. 
 
 Thence we passed on, and saw a very long iron bridge 
 that spans the river Rhine. The river flows through the 
 middle of the town ; but the bulk of the populous part 
 of it was on one side of the river, where our quarters 
 were. We arrived at the Botanical Gardens. It has a 
 building, in front of which are beautiful beds of flowers, 
 basins with fountains, and lawns. They had laid down 
 an india-rubber tube, which incessantly revolved in the 
 water, and from its orifice water flowed to all parts of the 
 lawn. Some had two tubes; they revolved like the 
 catherine-wheels of fireworks, and so scattered the water. 
 Well ; we entered the room and the hall of the plants, 
 where we saw some flowers, some date-palms, and others ; 
 we passed on into a small hot-house to which they had 
 given the temperature of India, and in which they had 
 reared African, American, and Indian plants. There 
 was a plantain-tree, which has large leaves. One tree 
 was seen, the leaves of which were narrow, but were five 
 ells (seventeen feet six inches) long. 
 
 Coming out from thence, we entered a fish-house 
 (aquarium), which was small. As at Berlin, the fishes 
 were behind sheets of plate-glass. We surveyed them 
 and came out again. We sat down awhile. From the 
 other side of the glazed windows the people looked on in 
 great numbers. The weather was very cold, with rain 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 99 
 
 falling at intervals. Red roses were newly come into 
 bloom. 
 
 We now went to the Zoological Gardens, which are 
 very beautiful and grand. Such animals as we had seen 
 at Berlin, such as maned-lions, black leopards, &c, we 
 found here also, though in somewhat less numbers. The 
 small, beautiful, many-coloured birds were few ; but 
 there were many strange and wonderful large birds, of 
 charming plumage, that I did not see at Berlin. A 
 large crowned pigeon (gaura coronata) from the Molucca 
 Islands, which is a splendid bird ; various kinds of 
 turkeys, crested, with fine plumage, but strange-looking, 
 there were in numbers f the condor was there ; also 
 two ostriches. The feet of the ostriches had two toes, 
 of an unusual form. Large black bears, white polar 
 bears like snow, diminutive horses, one white male 
 camel in heat, were there. It is very strange that a 
 camel should be in heat during the summer season. 
 There was a humped ox from India (zebu, bos indicus) ; 
 the horns and every other particular of which are similar 
 to those of ordinary oxen, but which is of the size of 
 a sheep. A kind of male argali — bearded argali (aoudad, 
 ammotragus tragelaphus) was seen, brought from Morocco, 
 the head, the colour of body, and the horns of which 
 were like the vicious rams of Persia, but the hair on the 
 breast of which was yellow and very long, and from the 
 knees to the soles of the feet of which hung a thick 
 fringe of hair. There were so many kinds of birds and 
 quadrupeds that one became bewildered. As a pen for 
 the argalis and antelopes, a kind of artificial mountain 
 
 h2 
 
i oo Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, hi, 
 
 was formed, with fountains of running water, that had 
 caused grass and flowers to spring up on the stone pave- 
 ment, — all most surprising. 
 
 We then remounted and drove over the bridge. It 
 had two roadways, one for ordinary horse vehicles, the 
 other for railway trains, between which an iron network 
 acted as a partition. The bridge must be a thousand 
 feet hi length. Il is all of iron. The river Rhine is a 
 mighty stream, very wide, clear, and pleasing. Large 
 steamers ply thereon. Merely for a drive, we went to 
 the further side of the city, and again returned to Cologne 
 over the bridge, and by the foot of the dome and of the 
 great church. There were beautiful shops, magnificent 
 houses of wealthy men. 
 
 Now we went to the station and took our seat in the 
 train. The HakTmu-'l-Mamalik and Mr, Thomson both 
 started to-day for London. Every place hi the country 
 was beautiful, populous, full of cultivation, trees, woods, 
 and forests ; through such did we pass till we reached 
 the city of Bonn. Here the train stopped, and we 
 alighted. A regiment of hussar cavalry, special to the 
 Emperor, was drawn out on foot, the colonel of which is 
 the Prince of Eeuss, brother of the German Ambassador 
 at (St.) Peter(sburg), whom we had seen there. He was 
 received in audience. There was also an old marshal of 
 distinction, retired from service, and residing here, whose 
 name was Hervard Bitenfeld. We next reached Coblentz. 
 The train stopped; the Governor of the place, with 
 others, came to an audience. The guns of the town 
 fired a salute. It is a large place. .We crossed the 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belghcm. ior 
 
 Rhine by a bridge, the river here being narrow, with hills 
 on either side. The bank of the river is all villages, 
 towns, cultivations of vines, cherry-trees, and the like. 
 The cherries were ripe and the trees laden with fruit. 
 Each vine was bound to a stout stake. The whole hill- 
 side and the plain is one continuous vineyard, the famous 
 Ehein-wein being produced from these very vines. On 
 either side of the river is there a railway, and continually 
 do the trains run. There are also roads for carriages, 
 waggons, and pedestrians, well made and kept. The 
 whole region is a garden. All the mountains and plains 
 are grapevines, fruit-trees, flower-gardens, and avenues ; 
 with towns and cities at frequent intervals. One wonders, 
 and is never tired with admiring. Every now and then a 
 beautiful solitary pavilion, with large and small summer- 
 houses, in the best taste and of the most graceful forms, 
 are seen erected on the river's side, or up on a hill over- 
 looking the stream, like a paradise. Some ruins of old 
 castles were also noticed on the mountains and on the 
 river bank. The going and coming of the trains, the 
 buildings, the verdure and flowers, whether natural or 
 artificial, put one beside one's self. For several leagues 
 our road was (through a country) similar to that witnessed 
 on our first visit to the land of Gilan and the river 
 Safid-rud. Sometimes our trains passed over the tops 
 of the roofs of houses in streets of villages. In fine, it 
 was indescribable. After awhile the mountains and 
 valleys terminated, and the river flowed on our right. 
 By degrees we left the river at a distance, and we turned 
 in the direction of Wiesbaden, where at length we arrived. 
 
102 Diary of a Totir in Europe. [chap. hi. 
 
 There was a crowd of all denominations. As this city 
 possesses hot mineral springs, strangers flock to it from 
 all quarters. We mounted a carriage with the Grand- 
 Vazir and the General (in Waiting), and drove to our 
 quarters, a palace belonging to the Government. Our 
 own apartments are in the middle story, the others being 
 lodged higher up. The windows of our room look out 
 on a street and a square where there is a church of great 
 height; the spire thereof, being the spire of the clock 
 (tower), rises to an extremely acute point. At the four 
 sides of the church, there are other four constructions 
 with sharp-pointed spires. 
 
 In the evening a band played, a large crowd collecting. 
 In niches and apertures in the front of the church, elec- 
 tric lights and Bengal lights were exhibited. They had 
 improvised, by means of a pumping-engine, a very lofty 
 jet-d'eau in front of the church, with a great body of 
 water; and this was made to assume various colours, 
 according to the nature of the light thrown upon it, 
 which was very charming to behold. 
 
 To-day we saw Nazar Aqa, our Minister Eesident at 
 Paris, and also Mirza Ahmad, son of Mirza Muhammad 
 Ra'is, who had both come here from Paris. 
 
 ISth (Monday, 9th June), — We rose in the morning, 
 and having taken breakfast, mounted our carriage and 
 drove out to the town of Schierstein, near the river 
 Rhine, where there is a manufactory of champagne, a 
 variety of wine. Quitting the city (of Wiesbaden), we 
 followed a very delightful avenue, for the space of about 
 an hour. This avenue is arranged as a carriage-drive, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 103 
 
 and is exceedingly beautiful. The weather was cloudy 
 and cold. We passed through a village and a town where 
 there was an assemblage of people. Quitting this, we drove 
 along the river-bank at about the distance of five hun- 
 dred feet from the water. Passing by some pretty sites, 
 a charming garden attracted my attention. It had a low 
 wall, and an iron gate that was closed. We there got 
 out of our carriage, and on knocking (or ringing; lit., 
 making a noise), the gardener came and opened the gate. 
 There were several Prussian officials with us, who entered 
 the garden likewise. It was a sweetly-pretty place with 
 nice walks and delicious spots, lawns, red roses, &c. 
 The Ehine in prospect, with its surroundings, resembled 
 a paradise. The mansion was magnificent and tastefully 
 built ; its little hot-house, very pleasing ; its trellises in 
 decussated work, for the support of vines, were con- 
 structed in the best style. In it there was a wooden 
 hive for the honey-bees, which was quite a novelty. 
 There were basins with fountains, the source of these 
 latter being in a high turret built of stone, to represent 
 a natural hill, from whence the water was brought to the 
 fountains, through pipes, &c. There were edible cherries 
 of veiy fine sorts. The doors of the rooms were locked, 
 but the interiors of those on the ground-floor were 
 visible through the plate-glass windows, each being 
 furnished with chairs, tables, looking-glasses, carpets, 
 and various numerous articles of embellishment. This 
 house was the propeiiy of a man of consideration, named 
 Blundberg, but he was himself away at (St.) Peter (sburg), 
 and his wife in Wiesbaden ; they were consequently not 
 
104 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 presented. It is a most charming summer residence, 
 and he bought it for thirty-five thousand tumans 
 (14,000L). There was also in a cage within this garden 
 a handsome monkey, the tip of the nose of which 
 was of a light blue colour. There were also several 
 elderly damsels, who brought us tea, bread, sweetmeats, 
 and the like. We walked about here a considerable 
 time, and I then mounted my horse " Blaze," the others 
 got into the carriage, and we started for the town of 
 Biebrich (Biberich), which is of some importance. 
 
 On the bank of the Rhine we noticed a large park and 
 mansion belonging to the Duke of Nassau, who was, a 
 few years ago, the independent sovereign of this region. 
 He is now in Vienna. His brother, Prince Nicholas, 
 was riding in the park with his wife and her brother. 
 The prince wore spectacles and a long yellow beard ; his 
 wife was from Russia, and wore a black riding habit 
 as she rode. We conversed together a while. I then 
 galloped my horse about a bit and again mounted 
 my carriage, when the prince, with his wife and her 
 brother accompanied us on horseback for the space 
 of half an hour. They then left us, and we entered 
 Biebrich. 
 
 This town is populous and very flourishing, has good 
 shops, many houses, and considerable traffic. Passing 
 through it, we fell into an excellent avenue, and drove 
 towards Wiesbaden. This avenue had three roadways — 
 the middle one for carriages, very wide ; on one side was 
 a ride for horsemen, and on the other a path for 
 pedestrians. 
 
•chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 105 
 
 When, on quitting the town and garden first mentioned 
 above, we turned to proceed to Biebrich, we observed at 
 •a distance, as we went along, the bridge and town of 
 Biebrich coming into view. It is a place of some im- 
 portance, and has regular fortifications. 
 
 We reached home in the middle of the afternoon. In 
 the evening there was an illumination, with performances 
 of legerdemain in a garden within the city ; but as it was 
 not a befitting place, we did not go to see it. The 
 prince, Wajlhu-'l-'lah Mirza went, and was loud in his 
 praises of the conjurer. The Grand- Vazir, the princes, 
 and the rest of our suite have all visited the place. We 
 did not go out for a promenade this evening, but retired 
 to rest. 
 
 \4$i (Tuesday, 10th June). — Hose in the morning and 
 breakfasted. Mounted a carriage, leaving the Grand- 
 Vazir and others behind at Wiesbaden, and drove to the 
 station. Got into a train and started for Frankfort- on- 
 the-Main, taking with me all our princes, &c, excepting 
 the I'tizadu-'s-Saltana, the Nusratu-'d-Dawla, and the 
 Il-Khani. The distance to Frankfort is about the same 
 as that from Tehran to (the village of) Karj. We did it 
 in an horn' or less. Every part was populous and culti- 
 vated. We went by the side of the city of Mayence, of 
 which the chief part is on the other side of the Bhine. 
 
 We reached the station (at Frankfort), alighted, 
 mounted a carriage amidst the usual military honours, 
 and drove through the streets, where crowds were col- 
 lected. The cities of Firangistan (Europe in general) 
 all resemble one another. When one has been seen, the 
 
106 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. m. 
 
 arrangement, condition, and scale of the others is in 
 one's possession. 
 
 We went a little way outside the town and arrived at a 
 suburban district, where we remarked better and more 
 beautiful detached mansions than those within the city. 
 The whole environs of the town are full of parks y 
 avenues, and flower-gardens. We came to a garden 
 known by the name of " The Palms." It is now three 
 years that this garden has been established with funds 
 contributed by the wealthy inhabitants for the pleasure 
 and pastime of the public. There was a large concourse 
 of men and women assembled. Troops of the line were 
 drawn up, their bands playing. We alighted. It was a 
 garden exquisitely laid out in flower-beds with many kinds 
 of flowers. There was a basin of water in the midst, a 
 fountain from which spouted to the height of five ells 
 (seventeen feet six inches). The Director of the garden 
 came forward and made a speech. We passed on among 
 the women and men, went up some steps into a building 
 covered over and laid out in beds of flowers. Further 
 on we entered a covered park, which is the palm-house. 
 The roof is arched and glazed, so as to be protected 
 from frost in winter. There were some tall and hand- 
 some palm-trees, but they never yield dates. There 
 were also various American plants, a fountain, and 
 further on a cascade, from which the water fell over 
 rocks, as in a natural mountain. There were a number 
 of private women and men, with great numbers of officers. 
 We went to the upper story of the Conservatory. This 
 building has been constructed solely for the purposes of 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany \ Belgium. 107 
 
 instrumental music, eating, and drinking wine. The 
 band played. There was a nice view over the city and 
 the garden. We sat there awhile, descended, mounted 
 our carriage, and drove to the Zoological Gardens. 
 Although this establishment was not equal to that at 
 Cologne, it was not bad. It possessed many animals ; — 
 white and black bears, some argalis, a ram and ewe of a 
 certain kind (mouflons), from the island of Sicily or 
 Sardinia in Italy, like those of the regions of Persia, but 
 somewhat blacker ; also parrots of various plumage, in 
 cages hanging from trees. There was one kind of very 
 handsome parrot, small; a large maned-lion, a lioness, a 
 panther and two tigers. There was a big elephant, to 
 which they brought a large musical box (an organ), the 
 handle for playing which the elephant turned round 
 rapidly with his trunk, so playing it, while he himself 
 danced to the tune. The keeper then brought to him a 
 different instrument, that children and others play with 
 their mouths ; the elephant took it unhesitatingly in his 
 trunk, and began to play it and to dance ; — which was 
 very singular. 
 
 We now returned by the train to Wiesbaden. After a 
 short rest they brought our carriage, and I went out for 
 a drive. Leaving the city behind us, we got into avenues 
 and gardens, where the notables and others have beau- 
 tiful detached mansions with nicely laid-out beds of 
 choice flowers. Flocks of women and men were taking 
 the air in these walks, where we drove about for a time, and 
 then went further up to an eminence with many trees and 
 knolls, that overlooks the city. Still, every spot was full 
 
io8 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. hi. 
 
 of avenues and carriage roads. The tomb of a niece of 
 the Eussian Emperor Nicholas, wife of the Duke of 
 Nassau, was there, erected on a mountain, she having 
 died when only nineteen years of age. She was buried 
 here, in this country, and the Russian Government has 
 built this tomb of stone and marble in a most beautiful 
 manner. It has more than one gilt dome. Her own 
 statue, recumbent as in the throes of death, beautifully 
 carved in marble, is placed over her grave. She was a 
 •daughter of (the Grand-Duke) Michael, brother of 
 Nicholas, and her husband was the former sovereign of 
 this country, who is still alive, and resides in Vienna. 
 
 This country is called Nassau, and Wiesbaden is its 
 capital. It is now possessed by the Prussians. The 
 city of Frankfort, also, to which we went to-day, formerly 
 was part of it; but, after the war with Austria, it was 
 conquered by Prussia, and a heavy fine was imposed 
 upon it. 
 
 We now returned home, dined and again mounting 
 our carriage, we drove to a very fine building (the Kur- 
 Saal), in front of which was a square with a garden and 
 trees. There was a fountain playing in the middle, 
 and all around were shops. They had prepared a dis- 
 play of fireworks here, and in the upper story of the 
 building they had arranged chairs. Here we sat down, 
 with the Grand-Vazir, the princes, and the rest. There 
 was also a large concourse of women and men in the 
 balcony and in the square. The fireworks were very 
 successful. 
 
 This over, we walked round the rooms and halls of 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 109 
 
 the building, which are very sumptuous, with many chan- 
 deliers and other furniture, being now the property of 
 the State. In some of the rooms they still play at 
 chess ; in others there are large tables, and the news- 
 papers of the whole world are brought there for people 
 to read, and thence to acquire information. From thence 
 we went out into the garden, and sat down by the brink 
 of the basin. A daughter of Malkam (Sir John Malcolm), 
 the English Minister Plenipotentiary to the Presence of 
 the late Khaqan (Fath-'Ali Shah, great-grandfather to 
 the author), of pious memory, was seen here, — a fat old 
 woman with a very pretty daughter, both of them being 
 presented to us. We conversed ; they are now residing 
 in Prussia. The wife and daughter of General Bo'ien 
 were also presented. We then returned home. 
 
 Mirza Malkam Khan, who had remained behind in 
 Berlin for the purchase of muskets, rejoined us this 
 evening. Dr. Tholozan will go to-morrow to see M. 
 Krupp about the purchase of cannon. 
 
 Of mornings the wives of villagers bring in on carts 
 fruit, vegetables, and the like, to sell ; and form a 
 market for these commodities opposite our quarters 
 around the church. After a time, when all are sold off, 
 they go away. 
 
 Saddle- donkeys are much in use ; especially the women 
 hire them and ride on them. 
 
 15th (Wednesday, 11th June). — God willing, we have 
 to go to Baden-Baden, and to be the guest for one night 
 of the (Grand-) Duke, whose wife is the daughter of the 
 Emperor of Germany. He is free and independent; 
 
1 1 o Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. m. 
 
 coin is struck and prayer is read in his name, which is 
 Frederick ; that of his wife being Louise. 
 
 In the morning, therefore, we rose, breakfasted at 
 home, and then proceeded by train, the Grand- Vazir, 
 the princes, and all the rest of my suite accompanying 
 me, excepting the Il-Khani, who, with a few others, re- 
 mained behind at Wiesbaden. 
 
 We passed the city of Mayence, which is strongly 
 fortified. This very general who is in attendance on us 
 is the Governor of the place, in this sense, that he 
 commands the forts and the garrison, whereas the 
 Administrator of the Finances and such like is ap- 
 pointed by the Duke of Darmstadt. The town is the 
 property of the Duke, and the Prussians have forced the 
 garrison upon him. 
 
 Passing by Mayence to Frankfort, and from thence to 
 the city of Darmstadt, we here fell upon a curious coin- 
 cidence. At the very moment of our arrival, we saw a 
 train come in and go past us, when it stopped. We 
 were informed that it was the Emperor of Russia on his 
 way from Vienna to go to the hot-baths at Ems. We 
 sent the Grand- Vazir to make enquiries after His Ma- 
 jesty's health; upon which, the Emperor himself, his 
 Heir-Apparent, his Heir-Apparent's wife, Alderberg, 
 and others, came (to see us). They were all dressed in 
 plain clothes, not in uniforms. We alighted, went (to 
 meet them), and shook hands. We had a very affec- 
 tionate interview. Afterwards, the brother of the Em- 
 press of Russia, — a tall man, and independent ruler of 
 this country, over which Prussia exercises no rule, and 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 1 1 1 
 
 also his wife, were presented ; as also a daughter of the 
 Sovereign of England, wife of the son, or grandson, of 
 this ruler, whose child lately fell from a window and died 
 in consequence, for whom she was still in mourning, — the 
 full details of which have been previously given.* 
 
 After taking leave, we again joined the train and 
 arrived at Heidelberg, the first place within the domi- 
 nions of the Grand-Duke of Baden. Here the train 
 stopped, and a few individuals — the Governor and some 
 Professors of the Colleges of Baden — were introduced. 
 One of the Professors made a speech in Persian. Then 
 we proceeded to the city of Carlsruhe, the capital of the 
 Grand-Duke of Baden. He himself, with the whole of 
 the grandees of his State, Ministers, Commanders, and 
 others, was at the station (to meet me). I alighted; 
 military honours were observed, there being a band, and 
 a company of the (Grand-) Duke's troops drawn up, which 
 we inspected. The nature of the uniform, the musket, 
 the cap, and everything else, of these troops of Baden, 
 were similar to those of the Prussians ; only their caps 
 bore a distinguishing mark for Baden. In the French 
 war the Baden contingent showed great firmness ; twenty 
 thousand men having been furnished. Now, in time of 
 peace, they are but ten to fifteen thousand (under arms). 
 
 Carlsruhe, the capital of Baden, is a beautiful city and 
 prosperous. Its population is thirty-seven thousand. Its 
 streets are long and straight. All the produce of this 
 region is independent of irrigation. 
 
 * No such details are in the printed work. They were probably struck 
 out, without attention to this reference to them. — I. W R. 
 
1 1 2 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 I and the (Grand-) Duke mounted together in a car- 
 riage and drove off, being followed by the others. The 
 weather is always cloudy. Women and men in great 
 numbers stood on both sides of the horseway in the 
 streets, very respectful and quiet. The (Grand-) Duke 
 himself is a very handsome, noble, and courteous man; 
 He has a yellow beard, very long and thick; his face is 
 fair and rosy ; his eyes are large, his body robust. We 
 talked together for a while in French, until we arrived in 
 a square fronting the ancient, ancestral palace of the 
 (Grand-) Duke. The square was very pretty, with flower- 
 gardens and fountains. Some regular cavalry marched 
 before us. We alighted in front of the palace ; the wife 
 of the (Grand-) Duke came forward, to whom we gave 
 our hand. The wife of the (Grand-) Duke's brother, 
 who is a Russian lady princess of distinction, by name 
 Marie, and niece or cousin of the Emperor of Russia, 
 was also present. She wore magnificent jewels on her 
 head. We shook hands with her also ; and then went 
 upstairs. It is a beautiful palace, full of ornaments and 
 furniture, &c. The (Grand-) Duke led us away to a 
 private chamber that was specially assigned to us. We 
 rested awhile and changed our costume, going thence 
 to the dining-room, where all were assembled. The 
 (Grand-) Duke was seated on our right, and his wife on 
 our left. We had an excellent dinner ; after which we 
 walked about a bit, and then went down to the lower 
 garden of the palace, which contained some beautiful 
 flowers. All were there with us ; we again walked about 
 a little, and then, mounting a carriage with the (Grand-) 
 
chap, in.] Pntssia, Germany, Belgium. 113 
 
 Duke, we drove along the road by which we had come, 
 went to the station, got into a train, and started for 
 the city of Baden-Baden. The (Grand-) Duke returned 
 home, to come on to-morrow. 
 
 As we passed by Darmstadt, everywhere to our left the 
 mountains and forests were near at hand ; while to our 
 right was a level country. But at first the mountains to 
 our left were like hills and had not much forest. As we 
 went further and got near to Baden (-Baden), the forests 
 were denser and the hills somewhat higher. The whole 
 surface of the plains and mountains here was green with 
 grass, and the climate very cool, like a summer mountain- 
 station. We arrived at the town of Baden-Baden after 
 sunset. It is a town in a valley, having mountains all 
 round, with meadows, woods, and green crops, exactly 
 like the mountains of Kalardasht in Mazandaran. The 
 weather was cloudy and mist}', very cold, and every now 
 and then heavy rain fell; which is very similar to the 
 climate of Ashraf and Saf I-abad in Mazandaran. Wealthy 
 people from Firangistan have here built detached resi- 
 dences of great magnificence and beaut} r ; for, during the 
 summer season, the greater portion of the pleasure- 
 seekers congregate here. It has a climate like that of 
 Paradise ; a river, like that of Shahristanak, that issues 
 from a valley and flows through the town. In verity, it 
 is not a town with the contemplation of which one can 
 tire. For lovers, pleasure-hunters, sybarites, it is a 
 capital nook. Pretty women and graceful ladies conti- 
 nually promenade about its avenues, lawns, and hills, on 
 foot, on horseback, and in carriages. In truth, it is a 
 
 1 
 
ii4 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, m.. 
 
 fairy abode. It has a fine church for those of the 
 Eoman faith, and there are those who are Protestants. 
 The whole town is lighted with gas. There are mineral 
 hot-baths and others. To the very tops of the moun- 
 tains there are winding, tortuous carriage-roads every- 
 where, as well as avenues by which carriages travel in 
 every direction. Prince Menschikoff, who was in attend- 
 ance upon us in Russia, has here a beautiful seat, a wife, 
 and all the appliances of life. He was here himself. He 
 came, and we conversed. The wife of the Prince, too, 
 was presented. In short, our quarters were in a very 
 charming hotel. 
 
 We alighted and went upstairs. Crowds of women 
 and men, spectators, looked on. In the evening, after- 
 dinner, we went downstairs for a stroll. A band was 
 playing. Light rain fell from time to time. In the 
 neighbourhood there were some handsome shops and a 
 very pretty square, all grass and flowering shrubs. We 
 entered the shops and bought some pretty things. Every- 
 where women and men, spectators, collected in numbers.. 
 Our purchases took up much time. We returned home ; 
 fireworks were exhibited ; we went upstairs ; we sat 
 awhile, and then retired to rest. 
 
 16th {Thursday, 12th June), — In the morning we arose 
 and dressed. Prince Gortchakof, the Russian Premier,, 
 had also arrived here } r esterday for travel and pleasure. 
 He came to an audience, at which the Grand- Vazir was 
 also present. We sat and had a long conversation. He 
 left, and I went to a bath. It was a beautiful bath ; with 
 a stove, &c, had they made it warm. It had a small' 
 
chap, in.] Prtcssia, Germany, Belgitim. 115 
 
 basin of marble. We went into the water ; came out ; 
 dressed ; and went home. After a short interval had 
 elapsed the (Grand-) Duke arrived. Mounting an open 
 carriage together, we went for a drive. The General 
 likewise was with us. The weather was cloudy and very- 
 cold ; rain also fell occasionally. I had come out of the 
 bath in a state of perspiration, and had not put on an 
 overcoat. As we drove about I was very cold. We went 
 about, up hill and down dale, passing through charming 
 sites, until we arrived at the summit of an eminence 
 where there was a church. Here we alighted and entered 
 the church. It was an edifice erected by the former 
 Prince of Eoumania, i.e., of Wallachia and Moldavia, in 
 memory of a young son of his who had died. The Prince 
 and his wife now live in this town. They have had a 
 beautiful marble statue of their son executed, whose tomb 
 is in one corner of the church, and a marble group is 
 over his tomb. Opposite to that is another tomb which 
 they have prepared for themselves, that they may be 
 buried there after their deaths. Statues in marble of the 
 prince and of his wife are placed upon this tomb, that of 
 the prince pointing with its hand to the tomb of the son. 
 The church is built in coloured marbles, and is a beau- 
 tiful edifice. Its cupola appears to be gilt outside, like 
 that of the tomb of the daughter of Michael, the brother 
 of Nicholas, Emperor of Eussia, that we had seen at 
 Wiesbaden. 
 
 Coming out from thence, we again mounted the car- 
 riage with the (Grand-) Duke and the General, went over 
 ascents and descents, through many a delightful vista, 
 
 12 
 
1 1 6 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. hi. 
 
 but the rain came on heavily. We returned to town, 
 passing in front of the residence of Prince Menschikoff, 
 through a handsome avenue ; saw a beautiful fountain on 
 the bank of the stream, around which they had arranged 
 stones after the fashion of a single natural rock, and 
 from the fountain the appearance of a cascade was pro- 
 duced, which flowed down into a basin. The (Grand-) 
 Duke pointed out to me the house which the English 
 Sovereign, Napoleon of France, the Emperor of Kussia, 
 and others, have occupied on the occasions of their visits 
 to these parts. As we drove along in the rain, I and the 
 (Grand-) Duke were seated alone in a close carriage, and 
 so we reached home. 
 
 After remaining a short space, we again mounted with 
 the (Grand-) Duke, and drove to his own palatial castle, 
 a very ancient structure, built on an eminence, the work 
 of his ancestors, and possessing a most extensive look- 
 out over the town and its environs, the forests, and the 
 hills. We arrived at the gate of the castle. A crowd of 
 women were there. We alighted and went upstairs. On 
 the first floor a breakfast was laid out. There were 
 beautiful rooms, grand and sumptuous, with chandeliers 
 and other furniture, pictures and fine portraits; more 
 especially those of the ancestors and of the parents of the 
 (Grand-) Duke, hung up on the walls. After a while we 
 went to the table, the Grand-Vazir, the princes, and 
 others, being present. The air, tempered by the rain, was 
 very cool and pleasant. 
 
 After breakfast, we enjoj-ed for a while the prospect 
 afforded from the windows of the palace over the country, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany \ Belgium. t 1 7 
 
 the hills, and the town. The effect was splendid. The 
 mountains and former frontier places of France, sites 
 which, before the war, had been included in the French 
 territory, were there in sight ; but now that the provinces 
 of Alsace and Lorraine have been taken from France by 
 the Prussians, the French frontier is removed to a dis- 
 tance from hence. 
 
 "When we had viewed this landscape for a little time, 
 the (Grand-) Duke led us to the upper story of the 
 palace, and showed us the pictures, painted of old and 
 hung on the walls, of the various birds and beasts hunted 
 in this country. In particular, there was one bird, called 
 " coq de bois " (cock of the woods, mountain cock, caper- 
 cailzie, capercaillie, auerhahn, tetrao urogallus), i.e., the 
 jungle-cock, which is found in these woods. Its head and 
 shape are like those of the pheasant ; but it is larger, and 
 its tail is not long like that of the pheasant, but resembles 
 that of the " umbrella-bird." It is a beautiful animal, 
 and none of the kind are found in Persia. These woods 
 give shelter to the red deer, the " shuka," the wild boar, 
 and have in them large numbers of this kind of bird, 
 and of others also. 
 
 We now came down stairs, got into a carriage, and 
 drove to the station, where we had to wait a little. Prince 
 Gortchakoff, the Russian Minister, Prince Menschikoff, 
 and a numerous company, were there. At length we 
 took our seats in the train, the (Grand-) Duke and the 
 Grand Vazir being in front of me ; and so we started. 
 
 Between Baden-Baden and Carlsruhe there is a cele- 
 brated town and fortress named Rastadt, one of the 
 
i.i8 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 strongest and most famous in all Europe. We saw it at 
 a distance. In the (Grand-) Duke's castle there was a 
 very large looking-glass, five ells (17 feet 6 inches) in 
 height, by more than two ells (7 feet) in width. I was 
 informed that it was manufactured at the plate-glass 
 works of Mannheim, in the territory of this very state of 
 Baden. 
 
 When we reached Carlsruhe, the (Grand-) Duke's 
 capital, we took leave of each other, and he left. We 
 continued travelling by the line over which we had passed 
 in coming, and arrived at Wiesbaden by nightfall. The 
 distance between Baden-Baden and Wiesbaden is about 
 thirty-five leagues, and this is got over by rail in five hours. 
 
 The (Grand-) Duke has three sons by the daughter of 
 the Emperor of Germany, his eldest son, seventeen 
 years of age, being his designated successor to the 
 Grand-Duchy. To judge by his looks, the (Grand-) 
 Duke himself is about forty. 
 
 17th (Friday, 13th June). — To-day we have to go to 
 the town of Spa, the first place in the territory of the 
 kingdom of Belgium. Rising early, and having dressed, 
 we mounted a carriage with the Grand- Vazlr and the 
 General in attendance upon us, and, by the road that 
 leads to Biebrich, we travelled and arrived at the wharf. 
 Troops were drawn out, whom we inspected, and then 
 went on board a steamboat. The deck was furnished 
 with chairs, and decorated with shrubs and flowers in 
 vases. We took a seat. The weather was very cold. 
 My suite and luggage were all put on board this vessel. 
 Her cabins were on two decks, very long, and very hand- 
 
chap, m.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 119 
 
 some. The upper cabin was a dining-room, where the 
 princes and our other attendants took their breakfast. 
 The lower one had been designated for our use ; but we 
 were on deck most of the time, going below now and then 
 only. When we embarked, the Aminu-'s- Sultan and 
 Gulam-Husayn Khan had lagged behind, not having 
 kept up with us, (and did not make their appearance) 
 until we had cast off and got under wa} r . Then they 
 arrived at the wharf and made all kinds of signals, took 
 off and waved their caps, but no one paid attention. 
 Ultimately a person was sent with instructions to bring 
 them by rail to the city of Cologne ; and we went on. 
 
 The river Khine is like a paradise. On both sides of 
 it, everywhere, there were castles, pavilions, populousness, 
 cultivation, railroads ; and trains incessantly ply back- 
 wards and forwards. Numerous steam- ships, like the 
 one in which we were sitting, navigated it upwards and 
 downwards, carrying passengers and travellers, goods 
 and merchandize. The depth of the river is as much as 
 ten ells (35 feet). Each of its banks is hilly, with ridges 
 and peaks ; but there are no high mountains. The 
 whole of the hills are covered with woods and vineyards, 
 and one is never satiated with gazing on them. At each 
 moment some new feature, some new castle or palace of a 
 different style of architecture, comes in sight, which have 
 been built by men of wealth as summer-residences, where 
 they take their pleasure and enjoy life. Truly, for the 
 purposes of a promenade, no place could be better than 
 these regions. Some of these structures are perched on 
 the very tops of eminences, on rocks, or in forests ; and 
 
120 Diary of a Totcr in Etcrope. [chap. m. 
 
 in front of them are orchards, flower-gardens, and the 
 like, which surpass all powers of description. We saw T 
 many towns, villages, and manufactories carrying on their 
 respective operations. 
 
 And thus we arrived at Coblentz, where our vessel 
 passed under an enormous bridge of iron, of three arches, 
 over which a railway crosses. On both sides the river is 
 a very strong fortress ; but the greater proportion of the 
 inhabitants of the place live on the left-hand side. From 
 the fortress on our right hand, which stands on rocks and 
 hills, and which is entirely constructed of stone, a salute 
 was fired. It was in this city that the Ottoman Sultan, 
 during his tour in Europe, met the Emperor of Germany, 
 and was a guest for three nights. All round the city of 
 Coblentz there are very strong forts. 
 
 We left it behind, and reached Bonn, where our ship 
 was taken alongside a wharf, and our suite and luggage 
 were landed. They went to the station, and at length 
 we followed. There were crowds of men and women. 
 We reached the station. Our train had been changed. 
 We took our seat in a car, started, and arrived at Cologne. 
 Here we turned our faces in the direction of Belgium, 
 and again were on our way, the whole countiy being 
 verdant, with meadows, and populous. We went through 
 a "hole in a mountain" of about five hundred ells (583 
 yards) in length. Hereabouts the greater part of the 
 region on both sides of our road was hilly, and the rail- 
 way is in a narrow gully (a cutting). This is why to-day 
 the greater part of our road was beneath mountains, and 
 before reaching Spa we traversed fifteen " holes," six of 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 121 
 
 which were long, varying from two to three and four 
 hundred ells (233 to 350 and 470 yards), the rest being 
 from fifty to seventy or eighty ells long (60 to 100 yards), 
 not more. 
 
 We passed by Duren, a Prussian town, and arrived at 
 Aix-la-Chapelle, a city belonging to Germany. Here 
 troops were drawn out. "We alighted, inspected them, 
 and again returned to the train. After proceeding a 
 short space of time we reached a station near to the 
 Belgian frontier. The train stopped. General Boien, 
 in waiting on us, came into our presence and took leave, 
 returning with all those of his suite. The interpreter 
 Grebel, and one Bussian officer, who had accompanied us 
 until now, received their conge at this station also, and 
 left us. 
 
 We then went on, and shortly reached a small stream 
 with a little bridge over it, which forms the frontier 
 between Belgium and Germany. But what a difference 
 has the All-Wise and Almighty Creator placed between 
 the two nations and the two countries ! Man's mind is 
 lost in amazement thereat. In one moment a total 
 change came over the people, the language, the religion, 
 the appearance of the land and water, mountains, and 
 plains ; — all were different, nothing here resembling what 
 is in Germany. The mountains are rather more lofty 
 and more wooded, the air is colder, the tongue of all is 
 French, the people more tranquil, the arrangement and 
 uniform of the troops and citizens utterly different. The 
 whole population of Belgium speak French, but have a 
 special dialect of their own; they are chiefly of the 
 
122 Diary of a Tour in Eicrope. [chap. m. 
 
 Romish faith. This nation has more liberty than is 
 enjoyed in Germany. Their sovereign is King Leopold 
 II., and their capital is named Brussels. From Wies- 
 baden to Spa, by boat and by rail, we travelled in a little 
 more than eight hours. 
 
 Proceeding now over hills and dales, through forests 
 and other scenes, we arrived at Spa. True, we were not 
 yet officially arrived (in Belgium) ; but still, the Governor 
 and notables of the town, with some regular cavalrj', and 
 a large concourse of spectators and others, had come to 
 meet us in the station and streets. We alighted from the 
 train; the Governor made a speech, to which we pro- 
 nounced a reply. They are nice people. The Governor's 
 name was Henri Peltzer. We mounted a carriage and 
 drove into the town, which is small, but pretty, and is 
 situated in a valley and on the hills, its environs being 
 hilly and full of trees. Everywhere we saw crowds, until 
 we reached the Orange Hotel, which became our quarters, 
 we ourselves having our apartments on the ground-floor, 
 while our princes and officers were upstairs or down- 
 stairs. 
 
 After dining, we sallied forth with the Grand-Vazir, 
 and others, going about the streets for a walk. Immense 
 crowds of men and women now collected around us, hem- 
 ming us in, and following us about wherever we went. 
 They had illuminated the streets. The name of the 
 street is " Seven-o'clock," and a fine street it is. We 
 entered the shops and bought some articles, such as 
 desks, dressing-cases, pictures, and the like. The}' had 
 very nice wares. The fronts of the shops are of single 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 123 
 
 sheets of crystal (plate-glass), so that all the goods are 
 visible behind these. We continued our stroll to the end 
 of the street, where there was a basin of water with a 
 fountain. This was lighted up with the electric light, 
 and by means of coloured glasses they caused the water 
 to assume various hues. They had also constructed a 
 sort of two-storied pavilion, and illuminated it. There a 
 band stood and played, singing songs and catches also, 
 very charmingly. 
 
 We now retreated by degrees to our hotel. The 
 Aminu-'s- Sultana and Gulam Husayn Khan rejoined us. 
 They, too, had embarked in a steamer after our depar- 
 ture, had arrived in Cologne, and thence came on by 
 train. At Biebrich, where we left them, a person of 
 Austrian nationality from the States of Hanover had 
 turned up, who spoke Persian, and who rendered them 
 his assistance. 
 
 In Germany the women are very much occupied in 
 business and at work; especially at agriculture and in 
 gardening do they labour much more than their husbands. 
 The ears of the carriage-horses, and others, are covered 
 over with red and other coloured cloths, as a protection 
 against the flies. In Berlin, and in other towns, the 
 little boys fasten soldiers' knapsacks on to their own 
 backs, run about the streets, and play on fifes. How 
 excellent is it that they, from infancy upwards, thus learn 
 to be soldiers. They pave their streets with stone most 
 artistically. They cut the stones into small squares, and 
 do the work with these, joining them together very 
 closely. The bricks of Firailgistan are not like those of 
 
124 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [char m. 
 
 Persia, large and square, but are of the shape of the cut 
 bricks of Tehran. 
 
 Spa is a small town, with only one good street ; the 
 rest are all of an inferior class. 
 
 ISth {Saturday, 14th June). — We awoke in the morning 
 at Spa. We took breakfast, and then mounted a carriage 
 for a drive about. The Governor also was seated in a 
 carriage, and preceded us, showing the way. From the 
 street we drove up-hill to a bath which we were informed 
 was the establishment where Peter the Great, when un- 
 well, was treated with the mineral waters. We mounted 
 the ascent a little further, and the town terminated. 
 Carriage-roads and avenues now commenced. Ibrahim 
 Khan, with another groom, had brought out our horses 
 after us. We pushed on until we arrived at a place where 
 there was an hotel, with two basins of mineral water ; i.e., 
 these were springs flowing out of the earth, with steps to 
 go down to them. At the bottom of the steps there stood 
 a woman, who had some tumblers, in which she gave of 
 the water to the people. Invalids who suffer from weak 
 stomachs, or who are thin and meagre, and especially 
 women, come here before breakfasting, drink of the 
 water, sit down on chairs, call for food from the cook of 
 the hotel, and eat. Strangers, and particularly the 
 English, travel to this place. I drank a little of the 
 water, which tasted very nast3 r . On the outside of the 
 basin there was a large foot-print on the surface of 
 a stone ; of which the Governor said : " This is the 
 vestige of the footstep of St. Mark ; " which saint is 
 one of the holy men of the Franks. " Whatever woman, 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 125 
 
 when childless, comes here and places her foot in this 
 vestige, conceives (and bears children)." This is a very 
 surprising thing. In Persia such beliefs are rife. 
 
 We drove off from thence and entered a different 
 ■avenue to reach another hotel with another mineral 
 spring. Several Frank men and women followed after us 
 in another carriage. I mounted my horse " Blaze," and 
 took a canter in the woods and along the avenue ; and so 
 we reached the hotel, and the other mineral spring, which 
 was worse-tasted than the first. At a distance I espied 
 two Frankish individuals, urged nry horse, and came up 
 in front of them. I conversed with them a bit in French. 
 He was an English nobleman, who had generally resided 
 in India at Allahabad, and was recently returned to 
 Europe. His wife was reading a story-book. I took the 
 book and looked at it a little. I then rode off by a 
 narrow path, by the side of which a rivulet ran, with 
 about water enough to turn one mill- stone. They took 
 the carriages round by another road. Rain came on. 
 We then made off for another hotel, sat there, and again 
 went on. 
 
 Arrived at home, I became quite unwell, — all through 
 that bath at Baden-Baden, from whence I had issued in 
 a state of perspiration, had gone on a drive with the 
 (Grand-) Duke, and had taken cold, which now showed 
 itself. I shivered a whole hour ; a headache seized me ; 
 Dickson came. Tholozan, likewise, who had gone to 
 see M. Krupp, returned in the night. We went to bed ; 
 slept through the night; and, thank God, my health 
 returned. 
 
126 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 19th (Sunday, 15th June). — On rising in the morning, 
 I was all right again. The weather is cloudy, and rain 
 is falling. The sun is never seen in these parts. To- 
 day is a festival of the Franks. A body of damsels and 
 women, after passing along the street that faces our hotel, 
 went into the church. They had stuck up lamps in all 
 the streets; also, bringing out many shrubs grown in 
 vases, and strewing the streets with fresh-cut grass, they 
 escorted the chief priest with many honours to the church. 
 About two hundred pretty maidens, all engagingly dressed 
 in white, with white head-dresses, and carrying each a 
 nosegay of flowers, — followed by another company of 
 younger girls to the number of two to three hundred, each 
 holding in her hand a stick with a nosegay attached to it, 
 and by a third company of charming little children, girls 
 and boys, nicely dressed, and each carrying a stick with a 
 taper bound to it, or a gold-embroidered velvet banner, 
 — carried the portrait of Her Holiness Miryam (the Virgin 
 Mary), on whom be peace ; and sang with a sweet melody, 
 repeating litanies. Behind these was an ornamented 
 wooden frame, with the figures of Jesus and Mary on it, 
 upon both of whom be peace, and with the space below it 
 unoccupied. Meanwhile, the priest walked out on foot, 
 and four individuals took up this frame and supported it 
 over the priest like an umbrella. 
 
 In the evening we went to the theatre on foot, which 
 was very near to our hotel. Many women and men were 
 congregated. The theatre is very small — less even than 
 the one at HajjI-Tarkhan, but very pretty, with three tiers 
 of seats, and with a handsome chandelier lighted with 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgnim. 1 2 7 
 
 gas. The curtain rose. A number of men and women 
 conversed in French, representing love, love-making, and 
 the like. Afterwards an astonishing conjuror came for- 
 ward, — a young man of short stature, who had a very 
 graceful wife. His name was Kaznow. In French 
 jugglery is called " prestidigitation." He performed 
 some astonishing tricks, so that one became dumb- 
 foundered. 
 
 For example. He took the people's watches out of 
 their fobs, and without interfering in any way with their 
 regulation — without even laying them down — he showed 
 that all of them pointed, for instance, to three hours after 
 sunset. He then opened them and showed them, when 
 one watch pointed to four, another to eight, a third to 
 two, and so on. 
 
 He opened a large padlock. He then locked it, and 
 gave it to the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, who was sitting in a 
 box near to him. The Mu'tamad again locked it himself, 
 and essayed to force it open, but could not. He then 
 passed the lock on to a stick, and gave the two ends of 
 the stick to two persons to hold. He next asked of the 
 Mu'tamad : " How many do you wish that I shall count, 
 and that the lock shall come open as I name that 
 number?" The Mu'tamad said: "Twelve." The 
 juggler counted this number out, one by one ; and when, 
 on his pronouncing the word " open," in the place of 
 " twelve," the lock opened. 
 
 He performed also some surprising feats of hocus- 
 pocus. The Mu'tamad wrote down something on a piece 
 of paper, which the conjuror burnt in the presence of all. 
 
128 Diary of a Totcr in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 He then went and fetched a packet that was carefully 
 sealed with wax, which he gave into the hands of the 
 Mu'tamad. He broke open the packet, and found therein 
 a second packet similarly sealed up, and so on until 
 twenty sealed packets had been broken open. Enclosed 
 within the last was the paper with the writing upon it 
 which the Mu'tamad had written. 
 
 He placed four large coins one b}>- one in a small box, 
 and consigned this into the hands of one of the company. 
 He then placed a table at some distance, on which stood 
 a china vase. He now ordered the coins to come into 
 the vase ; and one b} r one, as they passed from the box 
 and fell into the vase, we heard them chink. When the 
 box was empty, he went and fetched the vase from its 
 place, and the whole of the coins were found in it. 
 Before placing the vase on the table, he had shown to the 
 company that it had nothing in it. He performed also 
 many other tricks, which I cannot here narrate. 
 
 He now brought forward his wife and seated her on a 
 chair. She was a very pretty woman, and elegantly 
 attired. He put her to sleep by sundry rubbings with 
 his hands. When she was asleep, his wife gave informa- 
 tion of absent things ; as for instance, the Mu'tamad wrote 
 down : " This is a fine evening." The conjuror asked his 
 wife what had been written, and she, in the most charming 
 manner, repeated the very words. 
 
 20£/t (Monday, 16th June). — To-day, God willing, we 
 are to proceed in health and safety to Brussels, the capital 
 of Belgium. 
 
 I saw Khanikof, the Bussian, at Spa, where he had an 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 129 
 
 audience. Twelve years ago I had seen him in our camp 
 at Sultaniyya (a town or village about half way between 
 Tabriz and Tehran). He is now younger-looking and 
 stouter. He is a member of the Academy of Sciences of 
 Kussia, but is staying at Paris. 
 
 To-day, thanks be to God, I feel quite well. We 
 mounted a carriage with the Grand-Vazir, and drove to 
 the station. They had brought there for us the railway- 
 carriages of the King, which were extremely handsome. 
 We took our seat amid a great concourse of people. We 
 also perceived the wife of last night's juggler. The 
 Grand-Vazir and Dr. Tholozan occupied seats in our 
 carriage. We started. The Belgian train is very com- 
 fortable and pleasant, not jolting much, and travelling 
 very swiftly. In a short time we reached Liege, where 
 there are extensive manufactories of fire-arms and railway 
 rolling-stock. The whole road, so far, was hill and dale 
 and forest. We passed through three or four "hols?," 
 one of them being about three hundred ells long (350 
 yards) ; but from Liege onwards the country is flat. 
 
 At Liege we stopped ; a most extraordinary crowd had 
 assembled. The Governor and notables of the town had 
 come. We alighted from the train. Troops were drawn 
 up clothed in broadcloth, with a band playing. The 
 throng was to such an extent that there was no passing. 
 After we had walked down (the line of troops), they 
 forced the crowd back, we remounted our carriage, and 
 again got in motion. 
 
 The town of Liege is very large and handsome. The 
 whole place is up-hill and down-dale, upon hills and in 
 
130 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 valleys. It has very handsome parks and flower-gardens. 
 The whole of the carriage-roads in Belgium are paved 
 with stones. The whole country is green and smiling, 
 under cultivation, and populous. In these roads, as far 
 as Liege, there was a profusion of a kind of }^ellow flower, 
 extremely beautiful, and resembling the flower of the 
 bean (the laburnum being probably meant). 
 
 At length, after four hours, or perhaps three hours, 
 after leaving Liege we arrived at Brussels, the capital of 
 Belgium. At the station His Most Exalted Majesty 
 King Leopold II., together with his brother, the Count 
 of Flanders, the whole of the military officers, the civil 
 functionaries, and others were present. The mutual 
 gratulations of etiquette were gone through. The King 
 ^.presented those of his suite ; we also presented those of 
 ours. Taking our seats in an open carriage, we drove 
 off, I and the King conversing together. On both sides 
 of our road a large concourse of people stood, and 
 incessantly did I and the King salute them. In return 
 they shouted hurrahs, and ran along with us. We came 
 to a royal palace situated in the centre of the city. We 
 went upstairs, where, on the first floor, the King, having 
 shown us our apartments, retired to his own residence in 
 the back apartments of this same palace. I sent the 
 Order of my own Portrait to His Majesty, and shortly 
 followed myself to return his visit. The King's wife came 
 forward to meet me, and we sat down ; after a space I 
 returned to nry apartments. 
 
 The King is a man thirty-eight years of age, tall, 
 somewhat thin, and with a long yellow beard. During 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany \ Belgmm. 131 
 
 the period when he was Heir-Apparent he travelled to 
 India, to Constantinople, to Egypt, and to the Syrias. 
 He is the grandson of Louis Philippe, the former King of 
 the French, whose daughter was the King's mother ; and 
 he is cousin to the actual Sovereign of England, son of 
 her maternal uncle. He has three daughters, but has no 
 son ; and his brother, the Count of Flanders, is his Heir- 
 Presumptive, who is somewhat younger in years than the 
 King. The wife of the King's brother is a lady-princess 
 of Prussia, while the King's wife is an Austrian lady- 
 princess, being a Hungarian by birth. 
 
 The Kingdom of Belgium is very free, the ordering of 
 all matters being in the hands of the Parliament, where 
 the Deputies meet together and give judgment. The 
 Parliament House is a sumptuous edifice, and is in the 
 city. It was in active session (when we arrived), the 
 members being assembled. The editors of the public 
 papers in this country are extremely free. Whatever 
 they may write, they are in fear of no one. The popula- 
 tion of Brussels is of about a hundred and seventy-two 
 thousand souls ; that of all Belgium, ten crores and a 
 fraction (five millions odd). Its income is about thirty- 
 seven crores ; its army in time of war, one hundred thou- 
 sand. Formerly, the whole of this country was subject 
 to Holland, but forty-two years ago, the kingdoms of 
 England and France, with others, combined and separated 
 it from that State, giving it to Leopold I., the maternal 
 uncle of the Sovereign of England, and making him King. 
 Laransun Sahib (General Sir Henry C. Kawlinson, 
 K.C.B.), Kambal Sahib (Colonel Sir Arnold B. KembaU, 
 
 K 2 
 
132 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 K.C.S.I.), Tamsun Sahib (Ronald F. Thomson, Esq., 
 Secretary of Legation, Tehran), and a few other English- 
 men, who had come to be in attendance upon us, were 
 here received in audience and were conversed with. 
 Twelve years ago Laransun was Minister (Plenipoten- 
 tiary) at Tehran ; now he is somewhat aged. 
 
 After breakfast we indulged in a little quiet. They 
 have made a small garden in this palace, with plants 
 grown in vases, and have covered it in overhead with 
 glass. It had chandeliers with gas, a basin and fountain, 
 small but very pretty, from which the water flowed like a 
 bubble. The flowers were of various sorts and kinds. I 
 walked about there. 
 
 Before the palace is a square, around which are very 
 beautiful gardens for the public to walk in ; but I did 
 not go there. There is also a private garden belonging 
 to the palace. The city of Brussels is extremely hand- 
 some ; its streets are straight and wide, but the town is 
 up-hill and down-dale, the streets and houses being now 
 low down, now high up; and there are hills and valleys 
 in it. It possesses a very ancient and grand church, 
 which does not fall short of that at Cologne. 
 
 In the evening we took a seat in a carriage with the 
 King and the King's wife, and went to the state theatre. 
 It was a long way off, and the people had formed a pro- 
 digious throng. We arrived at the theatre, and went up- 
 stairs, being there seated in a special box with the 
 Grand-YazJr and the wife of the King's brother. Our 
 princes and attendants, in state costumes, were in other 
 boxes, with the whole of the Diplomatic Corps. There 
 
chap, in.] Pntssia, Germany, Belgium. 133 
 
 were about three thousand men and women present. 
 The theatre is large and has six tiers of seats, the whole 
 being lighted with gas. It is not inferior to the large 
 theatre at (St.) Peter (sburg). The play was an opera ; 
 i.e., they sang pieces, and an orchestra played beautifully. 
 They sang very melodiously. After much singing and 
 dancing, they gave a ballet. Women danced. It lasted 
 very long. At length, the curtain having fallen, I arose. 
 The King and his wife again rode with me in the carriage, 
 and we went home. We said adieu, and they went away. 
 I went to bed. The greater part of our attendants are 
 quartered in an hotel. This palace, in which I have nry 
 apartments, is a very handsome palace, ornamented with 
 beautiful pictures and portraits ; though it is small, but 
 well designed. It has many handsome and large chan- 
 deliers, its furniture is rich, and it is well supplied with 
 tables, chairs, and the like, all good. The street lamps 
 are lighted with gas and are numerous. 
 
 21st (Tuesday, 11th June). — Remained in this city. 
 In the morning after breakfast the Diplomatic Corps were 
 received in audience. There is a Representative here 
 from every State. The Belgian Ministry came also, and 
 were followed, after their departure, by the King, with 
 whom we mounted a carriage and went out for a drive. 
 We passed along the streets and came to an open space 
 where a statue of the father of this present Sovereign has 
 been placed on a high column. Here we had a beautiful 
 view over the city and its environs. We here came in 
 sight of the princes of our suite, who were taking a walk 
 on foot. I told them to accompany us. We now drove 
 
134 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. m. 
 
 to the large church, alighted, and entered the fane, which 
 is a magnificent building, erected five hundred years ago. 
 A priest came and led us to the different parts of the 
 edifice, which we thus inspected. The tomb of George, a 
 former King of England, and also the tomb of an ancient 
 sovereign of Belgium, are in this church. Builders and 
 labourers were bus} 7 at repairs. It is a grand and lofty 
 structure. It has some curious pulpits and altars of 
 carved wood, very beautiful. 
 
 After a good survey, we left this place and then saw a 
 tower, in appearance like a palace, anciently erected within 
 the city, and so preserved ever since, — now used as a 
 museum. There are in it the arms and implements of 
 (all) nations, — even many of the daggers, straight and 
 curved, and of the knives of Persia, — all arranged with 
 great taste. Skins of celebrated horses of antiquity, 
 ridden by such a hero, or by such a king, are made up 
 into the very likenesses of the horses themselves, and 
 stand there. Helmets, armour, horse-armour, weapons, 
 complete and from head to foot, as worn of old by the 
 champions of the Franks and others, are there (exhibited). 
 
 Leaving this at the conclusion of a general survey, we 
 descended and drove out to the Chateau of Laken, the 
 summer residence of the King and Queen. We passed 
 along one long and very beautiful avenue, with a canal on 
 our left hand, excavated by human labour, and by which 
 ships ply to and from the port of Antwerp, which is one 
 of the important fortresses of Firangistan, and belonging 
 to the kingdom of Belgium. There is no river here that 
 flows through the middle of the city ; so they have 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 135 
 
 brought from a distance with great labour potable water 
 into the city, and distributed it to the houses. 
 
 Travelling thus a certain distance, we reached, at the 
 outskirts of the capital, the park-gate of the Chateau of 
 Laken. Its parks and its avenues are very fine. It is a 
 private park, special to the King's use, into which no one 
 has a right of passage. Its woods and large trees are 
 magnificent. Here and there water has stagnated and 
 formed, as it were, lakes. Its grass and flowers are 
 pleasant. We went slowly along in the carriage until we 
 reached the Chateau. The Queen was there and came 
 to meet us. We conferred upon the Queen the Order of 
 the " Sun," with its ribbon; and she herself put it on. 
 We sat down in a domed hall, which had a capital view 
 of the city and park. On each side of the hall there were 
 apartments. A band was playing. The princes and 
 others arrived. We went into the apartments. Tapes- 
 tries were hung on the walls, woven of old in this very 
 city of Brussels, and figured with portraits beautifully 
 executed. The manufactory for the weaving of these is no 
 longer at work. The park and lawns of the Chateau of 
 Laken are very charming. 
 
 We now returned to the city and visited the Zoological 
 Gardens ; but, as I had not the time, I could not examine 
 them properly. I saw some singular dogs in a cage, large 
 and small, and of different colours. It had a small 
 aquarium, into which we took a peep, and then went home. 
 
 Before driving out to Laken we" paid a visit to the 
 Hdtel-de-Ville ; i.e., the residence of the Governor and 
 functionaries of the city. It is a very imposing and 
 
136 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. m. 
 
 ancient edifice. Above it there is an exceedingly lofty 
 tower ; and it has a hall, the ceiling of which is painted 
 in a very striking manner. There is the figure of Israf Jl 
 blowing the last trump, executed with so much talent 
 that wherever one places one's self to examine it, the eyes 
 of the figure appear directed on the observer. The works 
 of the artist who painted this picture are marvellous, and 
 are well known to all the world. The walls of the edifice 
 are hung with figured tapestries. In front of it is a large 
 square, where immense crowds had collected, and to which 
 the fire-brigade came, performing their various exercises 
 in a very satisfactory manner. The firemen here were not 
 mounted, but go on foot. They have pulled down the 
 greater portion of the streets and houses of the city, and 
 are building them anew. They have erected the Law 
 Courts in a very imposing pile. 
 
 In the middle of the afternoon we returned home, where 
 we are invited to dine with the King. "We all went in 
 our state uniforms, the Diplomatic Corps, and others, 
 being present also. We ate a good dinner, and then 
 retired to our apartments, as we had to rise betimes in the 
 morning and proceed to the port of Ostend on our way to 
 England. We therefore went to bed early. 
 
 22?id (Wednesday, 18th June). — In the morning we 
 arose earlier than usual, thoroughly worn out with a 
 sleepless night, and hastily dressed. It was very cold. 
 The inhabitants of the city were not yet astir. A battalion 
 of infantry, with their band, arrived and were drawn up 
 in front of the palace. There were also some cavalry. 
 The King came. We took our seats in a carriage, drove 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 137 
 
 through streets and avenues, and arrived at the railway 
 station. The same train was there in readiness for us 
 which we had used two days previously. A battalion of 
 infantry, with band, was drawn up; others also were 
 there. We said adieu to the King, took our seat, and 
 left Brussels. 
 
 We traversed the Flemish provinces, where all was flat 
 plain, populous, green, grassy, full of gardens and flowers. 
 In these parts the people speak Flemish ; i.e., Dutch. 
 We at length arrived at the sea-port town of Ostend — an 
 important commercial town, where we found many ships. 
 It is a flourishing place. We performed the distance 
 from Brussels in less than three hours, as the train to- 
 day travelled at great speed. 
 
 The Belgian officials took their leave, and the Governor, 
 with the functionaries of Ostend had an audience. 
 They delivered an excessive speech. We then alighted 
 and passed from the wharf on board of the ship of Her 
 Most Exalted Majesty the Sovereign of England, which 
 was named the "Vigilant." Laransun Sahib and the 
 Englishmen who accompanied us led the way and per- 
 formed the presentations. 
 
 The distinguished Admiral of the English ships is 
 named M'Clintock. He has several times gone on 
 voyages to the islands of the North Pole, and enjoys a 
 great reputation. He had come to meet us, and was in 
 the ship. There were also a great number of naval 
 officers besides. 
 
 We went to the cabin specially designated for our use, 
 and there seated ourselves. The ship is very handsome 
 
138 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. hi. 
 
 and of great speed. The Grand-Vazir, with our personal 
 attendants, and a few others, were in our ship ; the 
 princes, and the remainder, were in two other vessels 
 similar to her. We waited a considerable time for the 
 baggage to be brought, and our travelling companions 
 dispersed themselves. On account of my drowsiness, I 
 myself went below and took a little repose ; after which I 
 went up again. On the table I found some fine fruit, — 
 excellent peaches, white and black grapes of exquisite 
 aroma, some banana fruits, — which are a very nice thing. 
 There was also a little melon, — very sweet. These fruits 
 are all raised in hothouses, and the price of them is very 
 high. For instance, they sell a single bunch of grapes 
 for two thousand (Persian mites, — about twenty pence 
 English) ; from whence the rest may be inferred. 
 
 From the port of Ostend to Dover, — the first place on 
 the coast of England, — takes five hours to cross ; and the 
 sea of the British Channel is much noted for its storms 
 and roughness. But, thanks be to God Most High, — the 
 sea was very calm, like the palm of one's hand, so that 
 no one was incommoded. It was like a trip on a river. 
 Behind us followed another ship, while two large ironclad 
 ships of war accompanied us, to show us honour, the one 
 to our right, the other to our left. Occasionally the} r fired 
 guns. When we had advanced a certain distance, there 
 appeared another* ship, with two turrets, and each turret 
 with two guns ; which turrets they can turn round in any 
 direction they choose. This ship also is covered with 
 iron, and, as they said, has a steam power of five thousand 
 horses. The ship's sides w r ere not high out of the water. 
 
chap, in.] Pntssia, Germany, Belgium. 139 
 
 They informed me that the projectiles from her guns 
 would smash to pieces the other ships. They fired two 
 or three rounds from her guns, which made much noise. 
 
 Many merchant ships came and went, as well as 
 others. At length, as we neared the English coasts, the 
 hills on the seashore became visible, and a large number 
 of men-of-war hove in sight, coming to meet us. They 
 all fired guns. The surface of the sea was covered with 
 ships, and boats, and large steamers, in which the mag- 
 nates and nobles of the English had seated themselves, 
 and were come forth to witness the spectacle. The hills 
 at the seaside are not very high, their stones being 
 white, like quarries of lime. 
 
 Our ship now reached the port of Dover, where they 
 have constructed a long stone pier, so that the ships in 
 the harbour may be safe from storms and the waves. It 
 projects a great distance into the sea. Upon it were 
 women and men, dames and nobles, infantry and 
 cavalry, in great numbers. Here we stopped. The 
 sons of Her Most Exalted Majesty the Queen of the 
 English Dominions, with the Secretary for Foreign 
 Affairs, Lord Granville, and the notables and authori- 
 ties of London, had all arrived ; — the second son of the 
 Sovereign, the Duke of Edinburgh, — and the third son, 
 Prince Arthur. We stood up in the ship ; the Sove- 
 reign's sons, the Foreign Secretary, and the Chief Usher 
 of the Sovereign, — a man of consideration and official 
 in waiting, came. We went into the ship and sat down 
 in the cabin, where we conversed until the baggage was 
 carried out of the ship. The Queen's second son is a 
 
140 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. hi. 
 
 youth with a very pleasing countenance, and stout. He 
 has crow's eyes (bluish grey) and a small beard ; in 
 stature he is not tall ; his age must be twenty-seven or 
 eight. The third son is shorter than he, and his com- 
 plexion is darker, his body slighter. The Chief Usher 
 (Lord Chamberlain) is named Lord Sydney. He is a 
 robust old man. 
 
 At length we rose and went up on the jetty, where 
 there was a wonderful assembly. We took our seat in a 
 railway carriage, — I, the Sovereign's sons, the Grand- 
 Vazir, the Foreign Secretary, and the Principal Official 
 in Waiting, being together in one compartment. They 
 were exceeding beautiful carriages ; none such had 
 hitherto been seen. We gently went forward a few 
 feet; and, at a building where they had prepared food, 
 we alighted. I went into a small room. The Hakimu- 
 '1-Mamalik, who had been here some time, was admitted. 
 They then told me the Governor of the town of Dover 
 had prepared a speech which he must recite. I went into 
 a hall and stood at the top of a high flight of steps, the 
 whole of the English princes and notables, our princes 
 and others, with our servants, being present, and the 
 Governor (Mayor) recited his speech at great length, in 
 which there was much praise and laudation of us. We 
 replied, and Laransun explained in English. The people 
 clapped (their) hands. Returning from thence, we went 
 to breakfast, accompanied by all the princes. They 
 served hot cooked food, fruit, and other things, of which 
 we partook. Then arising, we returned to our train, 
 and took our seat in a carriage with the self-same per- 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgium. 141 
 
 sonages. We started. Everywhere we passed over tlie 
 bosoms of mountains and across valleys, traversing 
 numerous tunnels, of which two were about a quarter of 
 a league in length, very dark and suffocating. 
 
 The country in England has no resemblance to that in 
 other territories. It has much forest, large trees, popu- 
 lation without interval, and cultivation enormous. The 
 wealth of the English is famous throughout the world ; 
 there is no need to describe it (here). 
 
 We passed by the town and outlying districts of 
 Chiselhurst, the abode of Napoleon III., and where he 
 died. His tomb is also there. The train travelled at 
 so furious a rate that it was impossible for one to dis- 
 tinguish any place. From the rapidity of our motion 
 fire came out of the wheels, and one carriage caught fire. 
 It wanted but little for all to be burnt. They stopped 
 the train, got down, and extinguished the fire. All was 
 right, and again we went on until we reached the begin- 
 ning of the city of London. Again it is impossible to 
 describe the prosperity, the populousness, the extent of 
 the city, the numbers of lines of railway over which in- 
 cessantly the trains come and go in every direction, the 
 smoke of the manufactories, and the like. We travelled 
 over the exteriors of the roofs of the houses ; and thus 
 we reached the station and stopped. 
 
 There was an assemblage of spectators, and a crowd, 
 beyond all limits ; there were the armour-wearing 
 English household cavalry ; there was the Nawwab the 
 Heir-Apparent of England, known as the Prince of 
 Wales ; and the whole of the Ministry, of the notables, 
 
142 Diary of a Tour in E^irope. [ckajp.ui. 
 
 and of the nobles, were present. We alighted. I, the 
 Heir-Apparent, the Grand-Vazlr, and Lord Morley, — 
 the Lord-in- Waiting upon us, took our seats in an open 
 carriage, and drove off. Both sides of the road, the 
 roofs, the upper stories of the houses, were full of women, 
 men, and children, who exhibited much joy and pleasure 
 by shouting hurrahs, by waving handkerchiefs, by clap- 
 ping hands. It was a surprising turmoil. I saluted in- 
 cessantly with head and hands. The crowd of spectators 
 was never-ending. The population of the city is said to 
 be over eight crores (four millions) of souls. It has 
 most lovely women. The nobleness, the greatness, the 
 gravity and sedateness of the women and men shine out 
 from their countenances. One sees and comprehends 
 that they are a great people, and that the Lord of the 
 Universe has bestowed upon them power and might, 
 sense and wisdom, and enlightenment. Thus it is that 
 they have conquered a country like India, and hold 
 important possessions in America and elsewhere in the 
 world. Their soldiers are very strong of frame and 
 beautifully attired; their armour-wearing household 
 cavalry are very strong and handsome young men, 
 exquisitely dressed, like the cavalry in Eussia. Their 
 horses are very fine and strong, but their number is few. 
 They are but four regiments, each of four hundred 
 men. 
 
 In this way did we reach the half of our ride, when a 
 heavy rain set in and wet the people through and 
 through. I was myself also a good deal moistened ; but 
 I requested it, and the carriage was closed (in part), the 
 
chap, in.] Prussia, Germany, Belgmm. 143 
 
 Grand- Vazlr and Lord Morley remaining exposed to the 
 rain, so that they were wet through. We arrived at our 
 destination — Buckingham Palace, where quarters were 
 allotted to us, and there we alighted. 
 
 This palace is the town residence of the Sovereign. 
 It is a very imposing and extensive structure. The 
 Heir-Apparent and the other princes accompanied us, 
 and led us into the palace. The whole of our suite are 
 also accommodated in this building. There is an exten- 
 sive and beautiful garden in front (i.e., at the back) of 
 this palace, with magnificent lawns and beautifully kept. 
 They have a kind of reaping-machine like a cart and 
 drawn by a horse. This cuts down the grass in strips a 
 cubit (21 inches) wide, and collects it into the cart. There 
 is a very pretty natural lake, with ships and boats to row 
 about in. They have also erected several very elegant 
 tents. In every corner of the garden there are some 
 very large forest trees, and also most beautiful flowering 
 shrubs. There were a large number of peacocks, and a 
 crane was walking about on the lawn. 
 
 I was very tired and worn out; so I went early to 
 bed. The Sovereign is at Windsor Castle, a distance of 
 six leagues from town, but got over by rail in half an 
 hour. 
 
 Upon the stairs, and within the palace, there are 
 posted some elderly English soldiers in costumes four 
 hundred years old, dating from the time of Elizabeth, 
 Queen of England. An extremely singular costume. 
 
CHAPTEK IV. 
 
 ENGLAND ; 18 DAYS. 
 
 ^% ^ ED {Thursday, 19th June). — In the morning 
 <^*4 ^ I arose, and in the course of the day paid a 
 *^ visit to the Nawwab the Heir-Apparent. 
 The road was not far to go. He has a nice house, with 
 seven or eight sweet children. The wife of the Heir- 
 Apparent is a daughter of the Sovereign of Denmark, 
 and sister to the wife of the Heir-Apparent of Russia, 
 who, with his wife, was present, having arrived a few 
 days before on a visit, for which they will stay a month. 
 We sat and conversed a while. Every place in the 
 house, as far as the walls of the rooms, &c, go, were 
 covered with figures of deer, &c, with tiger-skins, and 
 the like. 
 
 On leaving, we went to visit Prince Alfred, whose title 
 is the "Duke of Edinburgh." His house, too, is very 
 fine. Heads of stags, of deer, and the head of an 
 elephant he had shot at the Cape of Good Hope, 
 together with many beautiful birds, striped or speckled, 
 dried and stuffed, were collected in glass cases, and the 
 like. There were also implements of the chase. Prince 
 Arthur was not at home, having gone to an exercise of 
 the troops. 
 
chap, iv.] England. 145 
 
 Tlience we proceeded to the residence of the Duke of 
 Cambridge, cousin-german to the Sovereign 1 through 
 her paternal uncle. He has a nice house, and is Com- 
 mander-in-Chief of all the English army, besides being 
 the Colonel of the (Eoyal Eegiment of) Artillery and 
 Ordnance. He is an old man, but hale and stout, rosy- 
 cheeked and fair, with a pleasing countenance. He is a 
 man of importance. We had a little chat, and I next 
 went to his sister's, wife of the Duke of Teck, a prince 
 and nobleman of Germany, a very handsome young man 
 with scanty mustachios and a good figure. He has a 
 good house and garden, given by the State. 
 
 As it was now the time appointed for the recep- 
 tion of the Diplomatic Corps and of the English 
 Ministry, we soon rose and returned home, put on my 
 (state) dress, and went up into a saloon of the upper 
 story of the palace, where all our princes and officials 
 were assembled. The Sovereign's Chief Usher had 
 come with the whole of the Diplomatic Body, and they 
 were waiting on foot. I addressed a few words to each, 
 enquiring after their healths. The Eussian Ambassador, 
 Baron Brunnow, is an old man, and has been now thirty 
 years in London as a Eepresentative. Musurus Pasha, 
 — the Ottoman Ambassador, is a Greek, and an elderly 
 man. M. Beust, Austrian Ambassador, is an old, but 
 intelligent great man, who was formerly the Austrian 
 Premier, and is a German. The French Eepresentative, 
 Count d'Harcourt, is a nobleman of France. The others 
 were also present, even the Japanese Minister. The 
 Nawwab Eaja Dhuleep- Singh, son of the celebrated 
 
146 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. iv. 
 
 Ranjit- Singh, came likewise. It is twenty years that he 
 has lived in London, as the Government gives him a large 
 allowance. He is a young man, with pleasing eyes and 
 eyebrows. He speaks English. He had decorated him- 
 self with some beautiful jewels and pearls. He is an 
 Indian prince. 
 
 When these were all gone, the present English 
 Ministry, of the Whig party, Lord Granville — Foreign 
 Secretary, Lord Gladstone — the Premier, the Duke of 
 Argyll— Indian Secretary, together with the other 
 Ministers and people of importance, were received in 
 audience. We had a lengthened conversation with Lord 
 Gladstone and the English Foreign Secretary. They 
 also went away, and we were left to ourselves. 
 
 We made a tour of the upper apartments of the 
 palace, which is a wonderful building. It has some very 
 fine pictures and portraits. 
 
 For the evening we were invited to dinner with the 
 Heir- Apparent at his house, and to an evening dancing- 
 party at the Duke of Sutherland's, an English nobleman 
 who has an income of a crore (500,000 tumans; about 
 200,000L). We went to the Heir-Apparent's, and par- 
 took of dinner. Our princes, the Grand-Vazir and 
 others, the English Ministers, the Eussian Heir- 
 Apparent, and the wives of the two Heirs-Apparent, 
 were present. After dinner we proceeded to the Duke 
 of Sutherland's, who has for wife an intelligent, noble 
 lady. His house is beautiful. There was a numerous 
 company. We took our seat in a long hall. The 
 English Princes, with their wives, the Indian Prince, 
 
chap, iv.] England. 147 
 
 and the Nawwab Nazim, of Bengal, with his son, were 
 present. It is two years since he came to London about 
 some business, and has remained here. He is a grandson 
 of the renowned Tipu Sahib (sic, read Tipu-Sa'ib). 
 When the dancing was over, we returned home and went 
 to bed. 
 
 24th (Friday, 20th June). — We have to go to Windsor 
 Castle, the residence of Her Most Exalted Majesty 
 Victoria, Sovereign of England, which is one hour's 
 journey by rail. So we dressed, and then taking our seat 
 in the carriage with the Grand- Vazlr and Lord Morley, 
 started. Crowds beyond limit were standing at the 
 ends and on both sides of our road. There were that 
 number of carriages that no one could count them. 
 Passing along the drive in Hyde Park, and through the 
 town, we reached the station, and took our seat in the 
 train. The carriages were most sumptuous, each side 
 being a single sheet of plate glass. We traversed inha- 
 bited places, the open country, and green meadows ; and 
 at length Windsor Castle rose to view at a distance, 
 appearing like a fortress with four turrets. Arriving 
 near thereto, we alighted and got into a carriage. All 
 our suite were of the party. At the foot of the steps of 
 the Castle we alighted. Her Most Exalted Majesty 
 the Sovereign advanced to meet us at the foot of the 
 staircase. We got down, took her hand, gave our arm, 
 went up stairs, passed through pretty rooms and corri- 
 dors hung with beautiful portraits, and entering a 
 private apartment, took our seat. The Sovereign pre- 
 sented her children, relations, and officers. We, too, on 
 
 l 2 
 
148 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 our part, presented our princes, the Grand-Vazir, and 
 the others. The Lord Chamberlain, who is the Minister 
 of the Court of the Sovereign, brought for us the 
 Insignia of the Order of the Garter set in diamonds; i.e., 
 the Knee-tie, which is one of the most esteemed English 
 Orders. The Sovereign rose, and with her own hand 
 decorated us with the Order, and cast the ribbon upon 
 us, presenting us at the same time with a long stocking- 
 tie. The history of this Order is as follows : — 
 
 " Two opinions are current among historians as to the 
 (origin of the) Order that is called the ' Order of the 
 Garter,' and which was instituted by Edward III., King 
 of England, in a.d. 1349, at Windsor Castle. 
 
 " One opinion is that he instituted this Order in com- 
 memoration of the victory at Cressy, where the power of 
 Philippe IV. of France was broken. 
 
 " The other is that on an occasion at a ball the 
 stocking-tie — the garter, of the Countess of Salisbury, 
 Edward's sweetheart, fell off, and became a source of 
 merriment among those present. The Sovereign, out of 
 the perfect zeal and attachment that he had for her, 
 lifted up the stocking-tie, and pronounced the motto : 
 ' Honi soit qui mal y pense,' which is to this day 
 embroidered on the strap of the Order, and said : ' This 
 stocking-tie will I raise to such a degree of estimation, 
 that all, to obtain it, shall risk refusal.' " 
 
 Thus it was that he made it the first Order of his 
 kingdom; and, besides the Sovereign of England, who 
 is the Head and Governor of the Order, the English 
 Princes, and foreign Sovereigns, this order is given to 
 
chap, iv.] England. 149 
 
 no one ; also, the number of its wearers, home and 
 foreign, can never be more than twenty- six. 
 
 I received the Order with the utmost respect, and sat 
 down. I too presented to the English Sovereign the 
 " Order of the Sun," set in diamonds, with its ribbon, 
 and also the Order of my own Portrait, which she 
 received with all honour and put them on herself. 
 
 We then rose and went to table. Three daughters of the 
 Sovereign and one young son, who does not yet go any- 
 where away from her, and whose name is Leopold, were 
 already seated. This son to-day had come to the station 
 to meet me. He is very young-looking and very grace- 
 ful. He wore the Scotch costume. The peculiarity of 
 the Scotch costume is this : the knees are left visible up 
 to the thighs. One of the Sovereign's daughters, six- 
 teen years of age, is always at home with her, and has 
 not a husband as yet. Her other two daughters have 
 husbands. The princes, the Grand- Vazir, Lord Gran- 
 ville, and others, were present. A beautiful breakfast 
 was eaten. There were some fine fruits at the breakfast. 
 
 The Sovereign again took my hand and led me to a 
 private apartment, she herself going away. I sat there 
 a while. The armour- wearing household cavalry, together 
 with a battalion of infantry, were drawn up in a small 
 court in front of the Castle. They are very handsome 
 cavalry and very choice infantry. The English troops 
 are, it is true, few in number, but they are extremely 
 well dressed, disciplined, and armed, being very stout 
 young men. A band played beautifully. 
 
 There is a wide avenue in front of the Castle, a league 
 
i5o 
 
 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 in length, and on either side of it two rows of ancient 
 and strong forest trees, very lofty. The ground is all 
 grass, with flowers and verdure. We descended, 
 mounted our carriage with the Grand-Vazir and the 
 Lord-in -Waiting, and drove along this avenue, our suite 
 following us in other carriages. Along the road there 
 were numerous women and men ; also beautiful women, 
 children, and grown persons of the inhabitants of 
 Windsor itself, were promenading in the avenues, on 
 foot, on horseback, and in carriages. It was a pretty 
 sight. 
 
 When we had proceeded a certain distance the con- 
 course of people dwindled away. They have turned 
 loose on the lawns and in the avenues about a thou- 
 sand head of antelopes (fallow-deer), which were now seen 
 in numbers, like a flock of sheep, feeding in separate 
 batches, and not very timid of man. But no one is 
 allowed to molest them. In reality, they are not ante- 
 lopes, but of a kind between the red-deer, the antelope, 
 and the roebuck (?), very graceful. 
 
 The avenues, the lawns, the trees were interminable. 
 We drove two leagues, and passed along another avenue 
 resembling paradise, both sides of the avenue being a 
 mass of tall trees (or shrubs), all in bloom with large 
 light-blue, red, and other coloured flowers, of the 
 oleander family (probably rhododendrons). So charming 
 was this, that nothing superior can be imagined. 
 
 We came to a lake of water of some extent, around 
 which were multitudes of women and maidens. We 
 crossed the lake to a small palace, very pretty, the 
 
chap, iv.] England. 151 
 
 property of the Sovereign. There we alighted and 
 partook of some fruit. All our princes and suite came 
 there also, and then went off to the station. "We got 
 into a boat and went about. On the other side of the 
 water there was a crowd of women and men. After 
 remaining on the water a little while, we went to a small 
 model of a man-of-war, that has been constructed and 
 armed with twenty-four guns about the size of swivels. 
 We went on board, saw all over her, returned to our 
 boat, and in her to the palace, where we again got into 
 our carriage and drove to Windsor by a different road 
 that was still all avenues, lawns, and numerous antelopes. 
 There we rejoined our train and left for town. Similar 
 crowds to those of the morning were waiting about, and 
 mutual greetings continually took place until we reached 
 home. 
 
 Windsor Castle is very ancient, and externally has 
 not much ornament. It looks like an old building 
 reared of stone, and each stone is about the size of a 
 brick (or Roman tile). It has one large tower, with 
 several smaller, lofty turrets. But the interior of the 
 Castle is highly ornamented, is pretty, and full of 
 objects, with very handsome rooms, halls, and corridors, 
 and a museum of arms and armour. The age of the 
 Sovereign is fifty, but she looks no more than forty. 
 She is very cheerful and pleasant of countenance. 
 
 We are invited this evening to the house of the Lord 
 Mayor, — the Governor of the old city of London, for an 
 evening party and supper. At night, therefore, we 
 mounted our carriage and drove off. From our palace 
 
152 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. it. 
 
 to the Lord Mayor's house was quite a league. The 
 whole of both sides of the roads and streets was crowded 
 with so many women and men as passes all calculation. 
 All shouted hurrahs, and we continually saluted them 
 all. Every street is lighted with gas ; and, besides this, 
 electric lights from the roofs and windows of the houses 
 made the streets as clear as the day. They had also 
 arranged various designs with gaslights upon some of 
 the houses, in the streets, and elsewhere. They had 
 further dressed out the city and the streets with flags, &c. 
 We passed along in front of imposing public buildings, 
 magnificent shops, and open squares, and so came to the 
 gate of the City (Temple Bar), i.e., of the old town of 
 London, over which the Lord Mayor is Governor, 
 though he has no authority over the other townships and 
 parishes ; i.e., the remainder of the town has no Go- 
 vernor, but each parish has a council (vestry), and if anj- 
 (grave) event happen, it is referred to the head police- 
 man, i.e., the head patrol-man, of the parish, and he 
 refers to the Home Secretary. The police of this town 
 is eight thousand strong, all handsome young men, in a 
 particular dress. The citizens set great estimation on 
 the police; whoever behaves disrespectfully to the police, 
 is adjudged worthy of death. 
 
 Well; we arrived at the door of the Lord Mayor's 
 house, ascended some steps, and there was a hall, where 
 were assembled the Heirs-Apparent of England and 
 Kussia, their wives, all the Corps Diplomatique, our 
 princes and others, the princes, the lady-princesses, 
 ladies of distinction, the magnates, and the English 
 
chap, iv.] England. t 53 
 
 Ministers. We shook hands with each of the Heirs- 
 Apparent, and saluted. This is a Government building, 
 in which the Governor of London resides. It is called 
 The Guildhall. Once a year, at the discretion and 
 choice of the citizens, this Governor is changed. The 
 members of the local administration wear a remark- 
 able costume, large sable caps, gowns and robes lined 
 with sable, &c, carrying in one hand a long thin stick, 
 and in the other a small sword in the ancient fashion. 
 They walked hi front of us. 
 
 We remained in that room, where the Lord Mayor 
 made a speech, and we gave a reply. After that, in a 
 ceremonious manner, we went into an extremely spacious 
 hall in which were chandeliers and jets of gas, having 
 given our arm to the wife of the Heir- Apparent of 
 England. The company of women and men was great. 
 This evening three thousand individuals were invited. 
 The Lord Mayor had on a robe the hinder skirt of which 
 was very long and trailed on the ground. We went to 
 the place of honour, where there were some steps, up 
 which we mounted and then sat down on a chair. The 
 wives of the two Heirs-Apparent sat on either side of 
 us ; all the rest were standing. The Lord Mayor read 
 out a written address felicitating our arrival and 
 enlarging on the friendship and union existing between 
 the two States of England and Iran (Persia). This 
 address they had caused to be printed in the Persian 
 language, and they gave a copy of it to each of those 
 (present) who knew Persian. When the Lord Mayor 
 had finished his recital, the Grand- Vazir read out, with 
 
154 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 perfect elocution, the Persian (version) thereof. "We 
 delivered an answer, which Laransun Sahib interpreted 
 in the English tongue. The ceremonious session was 
 now at an end. 
 
 They then gave into the hand of each person a gilt 
 pen, having its ink in it, together with a slip of paper 
 on which they had written a name ; so that each 
 one might write thereon the name of whomsoever he 
 might wish to dance with. Thejr also offered the gift 
 of a gilt casket. Now the dancing began, which we 
 surveyed sitting in that self-same place. Both the 
 Heirs- Apparent, together with the ladies and others, all 
 danced. 
 
 When the dancing was over, we again gave our arm to 
 the wife of the English Heir- Apparent, and went to supper 
 — a dinner after midnight. We passed through large halls 
 and many staircases and corridors, all full of men and 
 graceful women, and in the rooms and staircases of which 
 they had arranged all sorts of flowers and shrubs grown in 
 vases. Thus we reached a large hall, where they set out 
 the supper-table. About four hundred persons were 
 seated around this table. An individual, one of the 
 citizens, who was the Lord Mayor's deputy, stood behind 
 me, and every now and then made proclamation with a 
 loud voice to the persons of the company, that they were 
 to prepare themselves for a toast ; with this signification : 
 " The Lord Mayor drinks wine to the health of the great ; 
 all must stand up and drink." First of all the Lord 
 Mayor drank to our health ; then the Heir-Apparent of 
 England gave a toast, and again the Lord Mayor gave 
 
chap, tv.] England. 155 
 
 one. Each time, that individual gave notice to the 
 company beforehand. 
 
 Supper finished, we rose, returned to our home, and 
 went to bed. Throughout our return drive, too, when it 
 was midnight, there was the same dense crowd. This 
 evening the Chief Usher and the Grand-Vazir rode with 
 me in my carriage. 
 
 The Sovereign of England keeps a book, in which each 
 person who goes to Windsor Castle to see her inscribes 
 his name ; I, too, wrote mine to-day. 
 
 26th (Saturday, 21st June). — To-day we went to see 
 the workshops at Woolwich, which is the arsenal, the 
 cannon factory, and the iron-works of the English 
 Government. From our quarters to that place is a two 
 hours' drive in a carriage, the whole being through the 
 town and inhabited suburbs. Woolwich, a town of itself, 
 is really a parish of London, and inhabited quarters join 
 the two. 
 
 In the morning we mounted our carriage and drove 
 thither, the princes and others, with our personal at- 
 tendants, accompanying us. We passed through populous 
 quarters of the town, and over the river Thames by a 
 bridge, then through the outskirts where butchers mostly 
 do congregate, with labourers and pliers for hire, the 
 faces of the whole being black with the smoke of coal, 
 and so reached the town and city of Woolwich, a place 
 of great importance, where are all the barracks of the 
 entire cavalry and infantry of the realm of England. It 
 is seated on the banks of the river Thames. 
 
 The Duke of Cambridge, Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, 
 
156 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap.tv. 
 
 General Wood, Commander of the Artillery, and Military 
 Governor of Woolwich, together with other commanders 
 of artillery, infantry, &c, all came forth to meet us, and 
 formed a procession in front of us. We, in our carriage, 
 drove to see the factories. We traversed a considerable 
 distance through streets and public places, where crowds 
 were assembled on both sides of our path, shouting 
 hurrahs, and whom I saluted in turn, until we reached 
 the workshops. We alighted and entered these. 
 
 It is now the system no longer to cast cannons in 
 moulds. They make, with implements they use, sheets of 
 iron into pipes, of the size they wish the cannons to be. 
 These they convey to another shop, 'place them under 
 steam-hammers, and squeeze them, and weld them, so 
 that they become cannons. They told me this system is 
 held in greater consideration. 
 
 One by one w T e visited the workshops. In one place 
 the}' draw rifled cannons (as they draw wire), in another 
 they cut, in another they bore, in another the} T hammer. 
 Quantities of useless cannon of old pattern were lying in 
 front of the workshops ; and numbers of shot, with large 
 supplies of material, were collected ; this place being the 
 arsenal of all England. 
 
 After all these visits and venturing near to the furnaces 
 of fire, — which were pretty warm, we mounted our carriage 
 and drove to the edifice, by the flank of which we had 
 before passed. There a breakfast was laid out. It is a 
 hall where the officers of the land and naval forces, as 
 well as those of the artilleiy, eat breakfast. It was a 
 nice place. We took breakfast; after which we mounted 
 
chap, iv.] England. 157 
 
 our charger " Blaze," and, with the sons of the Sovereign, 
 the Duke of Cambridge, and the rest of the officers, 
 went on to a plain (Woolwich Common) of grass-land to 
 see the artillery exercise. It was not over spacious. 
 More than twenty thousand individual women and men 
 were standing around the plain and grass-land to witness 
 the spectacle. There were seventy pieces of cannon, 
 large and small. According to what they said, these 
 cannons had newly arrived from India, and were to return 
 thither. The gunners and officers were beautifully dressed. 
 The English cannon are after the old pattern, being loaded 
 from the muzzle 03^ ramming, and are not breech-loaders 
 like those of Krupp. 
 
 The horse and foot artillery marched past in our 
 presence ; the second time they came at a trot, then at a 
 canter, and lastly at a gallop. After the exercises they 
 fired a salute ; they also made me a present of one of the 
 nine -pounder guns. 
 
 We now mounted our carriage anew, and by the road 
 we had come we returned home. 
 
 Having to go to the theatre in the evening, we dressed ; 
 and having taken our seat in a carriage with the Sove- 
 reign's Master of the Horse, — who is an intelligent man, 
 and the Lord Chamberlain, we drove there. There were 
 great crowds by the way, all of whom we saluted. We 
 arrived at the theatre. The Heirs- Apparent of England 
 and Eussia, the wives of both, the princesses, the princes, 
 and the magnates, were all present. It is a very large 
 and beautiful theatre, with six tiers of seats. They 
 acted some beautiful scenes, the number (of actors) being 
 
158 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 also large. They had sent expressly to Paris and had 
 called from thence Patti, who is one of the renowned 
 songstresses of Firangistan. She sang most exquisitely. 
 She is an exceedingly graceful woman. She accepted a 
 fabulous sum of money, and came to London. There 
 was another also, Albani by name, from Canada in 
 America, who sang extremely well and performed some 
 wonderful feats. At last we rose and went home. 
 
 %6th (Sunday, 22nd June). — This day, after breakfast, 
 we went to the Garden of Wild Beasts (Zoological 
 Gardens), the Husamu-'s-Saltana and the Nusratu-'d- 
 Dawla being seated with me in the carriage ; the officers 
 of our household, and others, going with us. 
 
 As it was Sunday, the streets were empty, 'all the 
 people being in the fields and lanes taking walks. So 
 soon, however, as they saw our carriages, they ran from 
 all quarters and came towards us, shouting hurrahs. 
 
 The journey was long. We passed through streets, 
 squares, and the like, and so reached the gate of the 
 Garden of Wild Beasts, where we alighted. There were 
 many carriages at the gate of the Garden and in the 
 road, which made it evident that, by reason of its being- 
 Sunday, a large company had come to the Garden of 
 Wild Beasts. 
 
 The Director of the Garden, an old man hard of 
 hearing, came forward, and as he knew a little French, 
 we conversed with him. There were great numbers of 
 women and men, and we passed along a narrow way 
 between these men and women, who unceasingly shouted 
 hurrahs. In justice, — they do entertain a love towards 
 
chap, iv.] England, 159 
 
 us, and they conduct themselves with boundless respect 
 and good manners. 
 
 Well ; the wild beasts here are separated from one 
 another in special cages. There were here several in- 
 teresting animals, which had not been seen (by us) else- 
 where. First, the hippopotamus, i.e., the marine horse, 
 which is a curious thing. There were three of them ; one 
 pair, male and female, with one young cub born in this 
 very place, and already of considerable age. This was 
 standing out of the water, the full-grown ones being in 
 the water. People threw food into its mouth, which it 
 opened like a gateway. It had very rugged teeth, and 
 was of an enormous size. From what I could make out, 
 this is the marine rhinoceros. Secondly, there was a 
 monkey of great size ancl very repulsive in appearance ; 
 it was exactly like a human being, and more especially had 
 it the hands and feet of a man. Its keeper made it dance ; 
 he stamped with his foot, it stood up ; he spoke (to it), 
 it understood English ; it then walked forwards towards 
 us, but it continually evinced the desire that they should 
 hold it by the hand ancl lead it. They then sent it into 
 the cage of the monkeys, where it leapt and sprang about 
 in a wonderful manner, and played like a rope-dancer. 
 Thirdly, the sea-lion and the sea-fox, which were in a 
 basin of water, around which was a railing. An indi- 
 vidual spoke to them in French ; they showed great 
 intelligence. The lion was of a considerable size, its 
 body being covered with a fine down, and its feet re- 
 sembling the fins of a fish and the wings of a bat, but it 
 ran along with them at a good pace. At the side and in 
 
160 Diary of a Tour in Eztrope. [chap. it. 
 
 the middle of the basin there was a bench, on which a 
 chair had been placed. It got up on the chair, and sat 
 down. The fox (seal) was like the lion, but smaller. 
 They dived beneath the water ; the keeper gave a sound ; 
 immediately on which, they came out of the water and 
 kissed their keeper, who had seated himself on the bench. 
 He said: "One kiss;" "Two kisses." As many as 
 he asked for, kisses they gave him. It was a strange 
 sight. Fourthly, there were some very small monkeys, 
 no bigger than the rat of Sultaniyya (perhaps the 
 marmot, arctomys marmotta), — very curious. There 
 were elephants, rhinoceroses, maned-lions, black panthers, 
 tigers, and other beasts ; also birds, and j^arrots of all 
 colours. Besides these there were many other places to 
 visit ; but I was tired and could not go about. The 
 crowds, too, were very great ; so we returned home. 
 
 27£/i (Monday, 23rd June). — This day we have to pro- 
 ceed to the town and harbour of Portsmouth, to witness 
 a review of the men-of-war ; Portsmouth being one of the 
 principal military harbours of England. In the morning 
 I therefore arose early, though languid from sleepless- 
 ness, dressed, took my seat in a carriage, and with the 
 Grand-Vazlr, princes, and others, drove to the station of 
 the Portsmouth railway. A great crowd had collected. 
 We took our places in the train, and waited until the 
 Heir- Apparent of England, the Heir-Apparent of Russia, 
 with their wives, and others, arrived. They occupied 
 another carriage in the same train with ourselves, and we 
 started. The whole of the road was populous, green and 
 smiling, with larch forests. AVe travelled about three 
 
chap. it. ] England. 1 6 1 
 
 hours or less before arriving at Portsmouth. This is a 
 town of importance and a great military harbour, with 
 strong forts and batteries. At the wharf we alighted. 
 The Governor, with his subordinates, came and made a 
 speech, formal presentations being also gone through. 
 They fired many guns on shore and on the water. We 
 entered the ship named the " Victoria and Albert," — a 
 ship special to the Sovereign, very fast, large, and beau- 
 tiful, together with the two Heirs- Apparent, the princes, 
 the naval commanders, and others. The captain of this 
 ship is named Prince-Linoge (sic, for : His Serene High- 
 ness Ernest Leopold V.A.J.E., Prince of Leiningen, 
 G.C.B.). They had laid out a breakfast. We and the 
 others went into the cabin and sat down to breakfast. 
 Afterwards, the Heir- Apparent of England said: "Arise, 
 and let us go up in the ship; the ships are going to salute. " 
 We arose and went up. All came. Two little sons of the 
 Heir-Apparent of England had also come, dressed in 
 the costume of sailors. We stood up. The men-of-war, 
 about fifty tillers in number, were stationed at anchor in 
 a double line, like a street on the sea. They fired a 
 volley. The sailors had gone up into the yards, raised 
 their voices, and shouted hurrahs. Other spectators, 
 also, that had come from London, the seaports, and else- 
 where, were in steamers and boats, large and small, 
 innumerable. The surface of the sea was blackened with 
 spectators, who all shouted hurrahs. They had hoisted 
 flags with the Irani device on board every ship. It was 
 a commotion ! 
 
 We went on approaching near to the Isle of Wight, 
 
 M 
 
1 62 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. iv. 
 
 •which is in the English Channel, and is a very pretty 
 island. A town was visible on the island, nestled in the 
 bosom of a hill and named Eyde, which had its hand- 
 some houses arranged in successive tiers. On this island 
 the Sovereign has a castle, built by her and her husband, 
 and called Osborne, which was sighted at a distance. It 
 appeared, from its external aspect, to be a nice palace 
 built on a hill, with woods and lawns around it. 
 
 Still proceeding, we passed through the street of men- 
 of-war, all of which fired guns and gave a salute. When 
 we had finished the promenade, we got into a boat for 
 the purpose of examining two ships. We went first to 
 the ship " Azincourt " (sic, French for Agincourt), which 
 is the largest ship of war of the English Government. 
 The captain of this ship is named Fibs Hurubi (sic, for 
 Admiral G. T. Phipps Hornby ; her captain being 
 K. 0. B. Fitzroy), who was present with many naval 
 officers. The length of the ship is more than 150 feet 
 (sic; she is. 400 feet between perpendiculars), with a 
 steam-power of 15,000 horses * (sic ; her indicated power 
 is 6867 horses) ; her guns are very large, some of them 
 being on the upper deck, but the greater number on the 
 lower deck. We went below and saw all over her, even 
 
 * The " Agincourt " is really 400 feet long between the perpendiculars ; 
 probably the r mistake has been made of saying "feet" instead of "ells," 
 though the latter, 150 ells =520 feet, would have been in excess. The 
 indicated power of her engines is 6867 horses. 
 
 The Kussian ship "Kremlin," mentioned in p. 57, is said to be armed 
 with eighteen guns, six smooth-bore 60-pounders, of 97 cwts., ten 
 breech-loading and rifled 180-pounders of about nine tons, and two 
 90-pounders of jibout four tons each.— J. W. E, 
 
chap, iv.] England. 163 
 
 the kitchen, the sailors' mess-tier, and other places. 
 They sounded a fife, for thern to prepare for action. In 
 one instant all the sailors came down from the upper 
 deck, and with extreme celerity went through their fight- 
 ing exercise. With the apparatus furnished they turned 
 those guns ahout, notwithstanding their enormous size ; 
 which had much to surprise one. There were about 
 thirty of these colossal guns (really twenty- eight). The 
 ship is also armour-clad. 
 
 From her we went by boat to the other ship, named 
 the " Sultan," which is also a very large ship, armour- 
 clad on both sides. The name of her nakhuda (captain) 
 is Vansittart ; her guns are less (in number, being but 
 twelve in all), but much larger. When we had inspected 
 her, we descended, seated ourselves in our boat, and 
 returned to our own ship. In our boat the Heirs- 
 Apparent of Russia and England, their wives, the 
 Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, the Duke of Cambridge, and others 
 were seated, and we were taken in tow by a small steamer. 
 As it arrived at the foot of the accommodation-ladder of 
 our ship, it shot past that spot and went under the 
 steam-paddle-wheel of the ship, at the very moment when 
 the steam-paddle-wheel was set in motion. It wanted 
 but little for the paddles of the wheel to strike our boat. 
 If, — which God avert, — only one of the paddles had 
 struck our boat, we should all have been drowned. 
 Thanks to God Most High, the wheel stopped, we 
 escaped uninjured, ascended into our ship, and returned 
 to the seaport-town of Portsmouth. There again they 
 had set out breakfast in a room ; of which we partook. 
 
 m 2 
 
1 64 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, it.. 
 
 Then, mounting a carriage, we went to see the workshops 
 where they make the various objects used in steamers 
 and for maritime purposes. We went through them ; it 
 was an interesting sight. 
 
 We now took our path up a ladder, and mounted to 
 where they were building a very large ship of war, into 
 which we went. The artificers were at work upon her. 
 They had given her the name of " Nasiru-'d-Din Shah " 
 (the " Shah," 26 guns, 5696 horse-power). We again 
 descended (went to the station), took our seats in the 
 train, and started for town, where we arrived at sunset. 
 
 This evening there is to be a concert, i.e., a meeting 
 with vocal and instrumental music, at the Albert Hall, to 
 which we are to go. After our evening meal, therefore, 
 we again got into our carriage and went, with the Grand- 
 Vazir and others, through Hyde Park, and entered that 
 edifice, where the Heirs-Apparent of England and 
 Russia, together with all the English officials, and others, 
 were present. 
 
 We first were shown into a corridor more than six or 
 seven ells wide (21 ft. to 24 ft. 6. in.), and covered over 
 with glass. It was said to be of iron. On either side of 
 this corridor were ranged various factory machines, i.e., 
 small machines like models, but beautifully made, and 
 very pretty, — that were put in motion by steam power. 
 We noticed many industrial processes, — sweetmeat- 
 making, cigar and tobacco-making, the cutting of the 
 flour threads, called macaroni by the Franks, lemonade- 
 making, soda-water-making, where the bottles are filled 
 and securely corked in an instant, Tunbridge-ware-mak- 
 
■chap, iv.] England. 165 
 
 ing, silk- winding, cloth-weaving, newspaper-printing, and 
 many various branches of art and industry that we cannot 
 enumerate. They were performed with ease by these 
 machines. It was in great detail. 
 
 The management of this exhibition is in the hands of 
 the magnates of England, — of the Foreign Secretary 
 Lord Granville, and others. They walked on before us, 
 the Heirs-Apparent of England and Kussia being present, 
 with others. 
 
 Having inspected these for a considerable time, we 
 mounted a great many stairs, and arrived at numerous 
 halls hung with portraits, panoramic views, and other 
 paintings. There were very choice portraits painted in 
 oil, such that we had not yet seen so beautiful in any 
 other place. The President of this collection of pictures 
 is Prince Alfred, son of the Sovereign of England, who is 
 the chief of the navy ; and the paintings have all been 
 done by naval officers and navy officials each out of his 
 own imagination, and then sent here. 
 
 Leaving these, we entered into a series of corridors 
 where were collected, for the purpose of sale, the articles 
 produced by the machines we had inspected below. 
 There were beautiful women and maidens, some em- 
 ployed at work with those machines in the manufactory 
 below, and others occupied in the business of selling 
 them here above. 
 
 Passing through these we came to a place the very 
 picture of paradise. All these corridors, apartments, 
 and manufactories were lighted up in various wonderful 
 manners by jets of gas. 
 
1 66 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, iv. 
 
 The very concert itself was in an exceedingly spacious 
 enclosure with a roof in shape of a dome, very vast 
 and very lofty. Around this dome were seven tiers of 
 seats, all occupied by people, all filled with beauteous 
 women magnificently apparelled, a great assembly, and 
 all nobles and magnates. The pit, too, was full of 
 women and men. Multitudes of gaslights were burning. 
 We, likewise, went below, where, in the midst of all that 
 assembly, they had arranged chairs. Together with the 
 Heirs-Apparent of England and Eussia, with the grandees 
 of Persia, and with the ministers and magnates of 
 England, we took our seats in due order. In front of 
 us was a very large organ of the size of a palace, with 
 iron columns, and with tubes from whence issue the 
 sounds of musical instruments. Outspreading like a 
 plane-tree, it was fixed to one side of the wall of the 
 building. Eight and left of the organ eight hundred 
 individuals, beautiful women and maidens, were seated 
 in tiers, four hundred on the one side, four hundred on 
 the other, all dressed in white, but four hundred wearing 
 blue ribbons, four hundred red. Above these women 
 there were boys in handsome dresses, also to the number 
 of eight hundred. These all sang in extremely sweet 
 accord to the tunes of the orchestra and organ. This 
 latter was played by one person, and its sound reached 
 to a great distance. He played well; but wind was 
 supplied to it by steam. Otherwise, how could one indi- 
 vidual, with his feet, or with his hands, blow the needful 
 blast ? On the lower benches there were also a great 
 many musicians. From no one did there arise a sound 
 
chap, iv.] England. 167 
 
 all quietly lent ear and looked on. It lasted more than 
 an hour. When all was come to an end, we returned 
 home and went to bed. 
 
 28th (Tuesday, 24th June). — To-day, at 2 o'clock in 
 the afternoon, we have to go to Windsor Castle, to 
 witness a review of some troops by the Sovereign. I 
 arose in the morning, and the English Secretary of State 
 for India, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, and 
 the Prime Minister, came to an audience. A great deal 
 of conversation took place, which lasted an hour and a 
 half. The Grand- Vazir was also present. The meeting 
 passed off pleasantly. We then went to breakfast. 
 
 The Grand- Vazir now came and represented that the 
 Indian Secretary was waiting and wished to present his 
 subordinates, and that the inhabitants of the cities of 
 England had brought an address, i.e., a petition of felici- 
 tations on our arrival, which they wished to recite. We 
 went into a hall ; deputations were come from the great 
 cities of England, and presented the felicitations of 
 arrival. The members of the Persian Mission (in London) 
 were then presented. The Jews of London, the Magians 
 (Parsees), the Armenians of Manchester, and others, had 
 addresses or speeches which they delivered. 
 
 Afterwards, the Indian Secretary presented his subor- 
 dinates, who were in great numbers ; among them being 
 Gold-Ismlt (Col. F. J. Goldsmicl, K.C.S.I.),— who had 
 gone to the frontiers of Sistan and Baluchistan, Ismit 
 (Major Smith), the telegraph-men of Tehran, and others. 
 
 We now mounted our carriage and drove to the station. 
 The Heirs -Apparent of England and Russia, with their 
 
1 68 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 wives, and others, as also the greater part of our suite, 
 were there. We started and arrived at Windsor. 
 
 Windor Castle is, in truth, a strong fortress, built of 
 stone in times of old on the summit of a hill. We 
 alighted at the foot of the steps. The Sovereign had 
 again come to the foot of the staircase to receive us. We 
 took each other's hands, and went upstairs. All came. 
 We stopped (there) a little, when I, with the two Heirs- 
 Apparent, and the others, descended and mounted on 
 horseback. I rode the charger of the Yaminu-'d-Dawla. 
 Some English Generals and Officers, with a squadron of 
 cavalry, aH rode in front of us, and we went down the 
 long avenue that fronts the Castle, at the end of which 
 was an open space, the parade ground. The road was 
 exactly a league in length. On both sides of our path 
 women and men stood in such crowds, that it was (almost) 
 impossible to get along; and they shouted hurrahs in 
 such a fashion, that, at the sound thereof, the horses of 
 our cortege took fright and began to act as though mad. 
 My horse, however, by reason of its long journeys, and of 
 the shakings it had sustained at sea and on the railways, 
 showed no signs whatever of taking fright, but remained 
 quiet. 
 
 In this way we proceeded until we arrived at the end of 
 the avenue, near to the parade ground. There we halted 
 until the Sovereign should come up, with the wives of the 
 two Heirs-Apparent, who were seated with her in the 
 same carriage. So soon as they approached, we pushed 
 on, and the Sovereign followed behind us. We went on 
 to the parade ground, — a spacious greensward, around 
 
chap, iv.] England. 169 
 
 which were trees and forests. On one side, hi form of a 
 semicircle, women and men, spectators, were standing in 
 such numbers that no computation of them was feasible. 
 There were also erected, in a row, about ten or fifteen 
 timber huts, like tents, in which the grandees and nobles, 
 men and women, were seated, tier upon tier. They had 
 hoisted flags of the " Lion and Sun," and the English 
 flag, everywhere in front of this semicircle ; while two 
 large standards, one with the device of Persia, the other 
 with that of England, were hoisted in the centre of the 
 circle, where we were to take up our positions. 
 
 Well; we arrived under the standards, and there 
 stopped. The Sovereign also came, and stopped, in her 
 carriage. Mutual salutations took place. Then, we, with 
 the Heirs -Apparent and the Duke of Cambridge, &c, 
 started, passed down the ranks of the troops, returned, 
 and took up our positions by the side of the Sovereign's 
 carriage. The weather to-day was cloudy and inclined 
 to rain. We offered thanks to the Lord that rain did not 
 fall. There were seven or eight battalions; three or 
 four battalions of Guards, who had splendid uniforms, 
 with enormous fur caps of bear-skin, &c. These caps are 
 very awe-inspiring. The battalions were very beau- 
 tiful. There were two battalions in Scotch costume, and 
 another battalion named after the Heir-Apparent of 
 England, and called " Archers " (Kifle-Brigade ; Col. in 
 Chief, H.K.H. the Prince of Wales, K.G.). The artillery, 
 the armour-wearing household cavalry, the hussar cavalry, 
 were all very beautiful. Altogether there were seven or 
 eight thousand men present, who went through their 
 
1 70 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. it. 
 
 manoeuvres beautifully. Several times they marched 
 round the parade-ground; and then, retiring to a dis- 
 tance, they practised firing. I gave with my own hand a 
 jewelled sabre to the Duke of Cambridge, Commander- 
 in-Chief of the English (Forces). Much conversation 
 took place with the Sovereign. 
 
 When the exercises were finished, — which was about the 
 time of sunset, I, with the two Heirs -Apparent, the Duke 
 of Cambridge, and others, gallopped through the crowd 
 to Windsor Castle, a distance of a league ; and on ar- 
 riving there, dismounted and went upstairs, retired to a 
 private room, and took our repose. In half an hour's 
 time we returned to the Sovereign's presence, took leave, 
 and went to the station. 
 
 We were invited for this evening to a dinner and ball 
 at the residence of the Foreign Secretary Lord Granville. 
 As the Heir-Apparent of England and his wife were 
 fatigued, they telegraphed from Windsor to ask for the 
 entertainment to be put off. On account of this telegram 
 we dined at home. But, since we had given our promise, 
 we went to the evening party and ball at the residence of 
 the Foreign Secretary. But the ball was at the Foreign 
 Office, i.e., at the Government Office of the Ministry for 
 Foreign Affairs. The Heirs- Apparent, and others, were 
 present. We went there. It is an imposing and beau- 
 tiful building. The wife of the Foreign Secretary came 
 forward. We gave her our hand and went upstairs. 
 They had collected numerous flowers and shrubs on the 
 stairs and in the passages. The whole of the nobility of 
 England, women and men, the Diplomatic Corps, with 
 
chap, it.] England. 171 
 
 their wives, were invited. We went into a room and 
 took a seat, where there was a table with chairs round it. 
 We then arose, took the hand of the Foreign Secretary's 
 wife, and walked round the whole of the rooms and stair- 
 cases ; after which, performing mutual salutations with 
 all, we returned home and went to bed. 
 
 29th (Wednesday, 25th June). — To-day we have to 
 go to Greenwich. It is not connected with the town, 
 nor outside of it. It is on the bank of the river Thames ; 
 and, in reality, is accounted a suburban parish of the 
 town. 
 
 In the morning we arose early. The Grand- Vazir was 
 not present. We took our seat in a carriage with the 
 Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk and the Lord-in- Waiting, and so 
 started. We passed through the streets of the town and 
 entered the city — the old town of London. We passed 
 down the well-known street named Eegent Street — full of 
 beautiful shops, where the whole of the business of buying 
 and selling is carried on, and which is very famous. 
 There was such a concourse of people, and such a throng 
 of carriages, that one became bewildered and stupefied. 
 Again, we passed through other streets, and so entered 
 the old Tower of London. The Governor of the Tower, 
 who is a General, came out with all the notables and 
 Aldermen of the City. The walls and turrets of the 
 fortress are all of stone. The jewels, arms, &c, of the 
 ancient monarchs are all kept there. We had wished to 
 see them to-day, but there was no opportunity. We came 
 out on the bank of the river Thames, where a battalion of 
 infantry, with the band, was drawn out. The crowd, too, 
 
172 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 was such that one marvelled. They had carpeted the river- 
 bank and hoisted flags. All the officers and grandees of 
 England were present. They had prepared for us a large 
 and handsome steamer. The English Heir- Apparent, the 
 Kussian Heir- Apparent, with their wives, and others, had 
 all arrived before us, and had taken their places in 
 another steamer. As soon as we arrived with our suite, 
 — all our princes and followers, with the exception of the 
 'Imadu-'d-Dawla, being present, we went on board. The 
 weather was very cold, and a nasty wind was blowing. 
 The smoke of ships and manufactories invaded our vessel. 
 This river has an ebb and flow. In the morning, up to 
 noon-time, the water rises ; and from the middle of the 
 afternoon it diminishes, so as to make a difference of one 
 or two ells (3 ft. 6 in. to 7 ft.). Of the English, DIksun, 
 Tarns fm, Laransun, and others, were present. 
 
 Our ship took the lead, that of the Heirs-Apparent 
 followed, and we steamed off. There were such numbers 
 of spectators on steam and sailing vessels, that they could 
 not be counted, while there were multitudes of large and 
 small boats; the whole coming along with us. We 
 passed through the middle of London. Both banks of 
 the river were covered with public buildings, manufac- 
 tories, and lofty edifices. We entered a Dock. A " clock " 
 is a number of basins constructed for ships, — in which 
 merchantmen and others are repaired, — in which, having 
 entered, they take in their cargoes of merchandize, or 
 discharge the same. There are warehouses, too, built on 
 the quays of the docks, which are furnished with mecha- 
 nical appliances of large size, by which thej' lift the 
 
chap, iv.] England. 173. 
 
 cargoes of merchandize from the ships to the shore, or 
 from the shore to the ships, with great facility. These 
 docks have a gate of iron arranged to the river, which is 
 opened and shut with ease at the time of ships' passing 
 in or out. The width thereof is small, so that large 
 vessels pass with difficulty. So many ships, and so many 
 spectators were seen as to set one wondering where they 
 could all have been; and all were well-dressed, the 
 women all good-looking. 
 
 We left the dock again and returned to the river. The 
 same crowds in ships, — some accompanying us on our 
 course, others fast to the shores of the stream, and all 
 gazing at us. They fired cannons everywhere. 
 
 After continuing a certain distance, we arrived at 
 Greenwich, where is the Naval College of England, and 
 which possesses an imposing palace. Landing from our 
 ship, we went to the palace of the Minister of Marine, — 
 a very large and ancient palace, built two hundred years 
 ago. The Heirs-Apparent, with their wives, and others, 
 were of the party. In this hall there are some portraits 
 of ancient commanders, and some paintings of naval 
 engagements. It had a dais, ascended by some steps, up 
 which we went. Here they had prepared breakfast for 
 us, and we sat down to it with the princes and others. 
 The table where the remainder breakfasted was very long, 
 and there a large party of men and women sat down to 
 the repast. 
 
 The collation over, they showed me the blood-stained 
 garments of Lord Nelson, which are preserved in a case. 
 A bullet struck his epaulette and passed down by his 
 
1 74 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 shoulder-blade. We examined his white waistcoat, which 
 bore the marks of blood. The action is known as 
 the Battle of Trafalgar, in which the English Fleet en- 
 gaged those of France and Spain, and, notwithstanding 
 that Lord Nelson was killed, the English gained the 
 victory. 
 
 We now descended, and the Heirs-Apparent, with their 
 wives, took leave and departed, as I wished to go to the 
 Observatory. 
 
 I proceeded to the open ground of the Naval College, 
 in the middle of which there was a large ship of war fully 
 rigged, for the exercises of the naval boys, who there 
 practise their manual drills. About five hundred naval 
 pupils, too, were drawn up in line. We stopped a while 
 to see them exercise ; and then, mounting a carriage, 
 drove off to the Observatory. 
 
 The tower of the Observatory is built on a high hill, 
 and is ascended by stone steps. Large telescopes are 
 mounted in a species of turrets, winch are made to 
 revolve by machinery, so that the telescopes point in any 
 required direction. It has a celebrated Chief Astronomer, 
 who has so often ascended into the air in a balloon. Its 
 view over the city of London and the environs of the 
 river Thames is magnificent. We descended, drove to 
 the landing-place, and again mounting the same ship 
 (that had brought us), proceeded on our return. The 
 water of the river towards the afternoon, acted upon by 
 the influence of the tides, becomes low. This time, as 
 we passed the docks by, and went straight on our course 
 up the river, we passed under several large bridges of 
 
chap, iv.] England. 1 75 
 
 iron and of stone, — on which great crowds were standing, 
 and arrived opposite to the Houses of Parliament. 
 These are a majestic pile of building, surprisingly lofty, 
 and with a very high tower. They told me that twelve 
 crores (6,000,000L) have been spent in its erection. The 
 Houses of Parliament are on the right of the river (as 
 you ascend the stream), and opposite to them, on the left 
 bank, stands St. Thomas's Hospital, which is also an 
 imposing structure. 
 
 We left the ship, mounted our carriage, and drove 
 home. This evening there is to be a ball in the upper 
 rooms of this very palace of ours. In the evening, 
 therefore, we went upstairs. Everybody was there. We 
 took the hand of the wife of the Heir- Apparent, walked 
 off, and sat down. Everybody danced the ordinary ball 
 dance ; after which a man of Scotland came attired in 
 the Scotch garb and played the bagpipes, which make a 
 noise like the trumpet of Iran. Prince Alfred, Prince 
 Arthur, and others, danced a Scotch dance. Well; 
 after this dance the company broke up, and we went to 
 another room to supper. They had placed food and 
 fruit, &c, on the table ; of which all ate. The Indian 
 prince was also there. We then descended and went to 
 bed. 
 
 To-morrow we have to go to the cities of Liverpool and 
 Manchester ; also to the castle of Trentham, which is the 
 property of the Duke of Sutherland. 
 
 Thursday, 30th (26th June). — We arose from sleep 
 early in the morning, mounted our carriage, and started. 
 The Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk and Lord Morley rode with me ; 
 
i j6 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 the Grand- Vazir, the princes, and the greater portion of 
 our retinue remained behind in London . 
 
 Well; we passed through Regent Street, which has 
 many beautiful shops, full of goods of every kind in the 
 world. We also noticed in that same street a most 
 magnificent hotel, where Americans chiefly resort, and 
 therefore called The American Hotel. We continued our 
 course, arrived at the station, took our seat in a train 7 
 and started. 
 
 From London to Liverpool is a five hours' journey r 
 and a distance of fifty leagues. To-day the train passed 
 through very many "holes in mountains," the ground 
 being extremely hilly and intersected with valleys. 
 Everywhere we found woods, green fields, cultivation, 
 and populousness. We passed by towns, large and smalL 
 The town of Stoke, which possesses a very celebrated 
 manufactory of porcelain, was on our waj r . It is here 
 they make the English china-ware. In contiguit} T with 
 the town of Liverpool we passed through a very long 
 "hole," that occupied five minutes to clear it. Im- 
 mediately on quitting it, the Liverpool terminus was 
 visible. An immense crowd was there collected. To-day, 
 in the course of our journey we passed over an enormous 
 bridge, very lofty, built across the river Merse}', which 
 flows through this very town of Liverpool, and falls into 
 the sea. It is not a long river, but it is broad and 
 grand. 
 
 Well; coming out from the terminus, we mounted a 
 carriage. The Governor, with other officials and mag- 
 nates of the city, was in front of the terminus. The 
 
England. 177 
 
 Governor mounted a carriage and preceded. We followed 
 him, the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, with the Lord (Morley), 
 being in front of us again. The city of Liverpool is one of 
 the great cities, ports, and commercial marts of England, 
 and does business chiefly with America, from whence it 
 principally draws wheat and cotton. The wheat crop of 
 England is not sufficient for the food of its inhabitants. 
 Emigrants in large numbers embark at this port for 
 America, coming from England, Germany, and elsewhere. 
 According to what was learnt, more than two hundred 
 thousand emigrants annually leave this port for the New 
 World, not one of whom ever returns. The region of 
 Firangistan has an important company for the expedition 
 of emigrants. There were two large ships, with emi- 
 grants, anchored in front of the city in the river, that 
 were, according to arrangement, to have left this morning, 
 but put off their departure merely to witness my arrival, 
 and will start this evening. The name of one of them 
 was the " Oceanie " ; she was a very large ship, and had 
 a thousand emigrants on board. 
 
 Well ; the crowds along our road, on each side, were 
 innumerable ; and the streets having been made narrow, 
 there was no getting along with the carriages. From 
 the windows, roofs, and roadsides such vociferations of 
 hurrahs were there, that one's ears were deafened. Not 
 one old woman or child was left in the town, that did not 
 come to see the sight. It is a city of commerce and 
 manufactures ; it has therefore many working people. 
 In proportion to the inhabitants of London, many more 
 poor people were noticed in these parts, on whose counte- 
 
1 78 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 nances were visibly stamped the signs that they obtained 
 a living with difficulty. 
 
 We arrived at an open space, alighted, and entered a 
 public building named St. George (St. George's Hall), 
 where there were a large hall and upper chamber, and on 
 a platform in the hall of which they had arranged a 
 throne, on which we took our seat. In the hall were 
 crowds of women and men. The Governor read an 
 address and commented on the friendship and concord of 
 the two States of England and Persia. To this we 
 made a reply, which Laransiin interpreted. Tarns Cm and 
 Diksun were both present. 
 
 We now rose, returned to the carriage, and drove to the 
 residence of the Governor, — a nice building, where we 
 waited a while in a room, as a light rain was falling. 
 Thence we went into a large hall, where a breakfast was 
 laid out on tables. We took a seat and ate some fruit, &c. 
 The Governor drank my health as a toast, after which 
 the breakfast came to an end. An immense crowd had 
 collected in the square and courtyard of the edifice. We 
 went in front of a window and saluted them for a while, 
 returning thence to a private room, where we remained a 
 certain interval, and then descending, remounted the 
 carriage, and drove to the riverside. 
 
 Here we went on board a ship, together with our whole 
 party, proceeded to the mouth of the sea and back again. 
 The river is very broad and has a town on both shores. 
 The air of the town was cold. We now retraced our 
 course through the crowds and reached the station, got 
 into our train, and by the same railway that we had come 
 
-chap, iv.] England. 1 79 
 
 •travelled back, after an interval of three hours, to 
 Trentham Castle, the seat of the Duke of Sutherland. 
 
 Our train stopped before the gate of the park, where 
 the Duke, with his following, was waiting. We got into 
 a carriage and drove in. There were lawns, avenues, 
 •flowers ; and deer of the same kind that we had seen at 
 Windsor were grazing on the lawns. The Duke has 
 ^erected here and there detached houses for his gardeners, 
 his keepers, and others. He has also built a hotel, and 
 has a small chapel. We arrived and alighted at the door 
 of the Castle, entered the apartments, and went to a 
 private conservatory that was within the house. We 
 there saw varieties of flowers, palm-trees, and the like, 
 which are found in but few places. In the centre was a 
 small round basin of water, with a fountain, over which 
 was the figure, in marble, of a naked woman seated. 
 Beneath this water flowed, extremely clear and pellucid. 
 The perfume of the flowers clung about the place ; 
 especially the odour of a species of large white and 
 •variegated lily, of seed from Japan, that was beautiful 
 and fragrant beyond conception. 
 
 We sat there awhile and smoked a galaydn (Persian 
 huqqa, hookah, hubble-bubble, water-pipe), and then 
 went in front of the facade of the building, where is a 
 large garden, but of which the trees are small shrubs of 
 cypress, larch, and others like orange-trees, grown in 
 pots, placed out in the flower-beds, and clipped round 
 into globular heads. The flower-beds were very exten- 
 sive and beautiful, full of bloom, and with all sorts 
 of evergreens permanently planted out. There were 
 
 N2 
 
180 Diary of a Tour in Eitrope. [chap. it. 
 
 avenues, lawns like velvet, numerous fountains playing ; 
 and beyond these beds and gardens a natural lake, long, 
 crooked, and tortuous, in which were several small 
 islands full of copses, flower-beds, and walks, to which 
 access was had by boats. Around this lake, again, is a 
 rising ridge covered with green and smiling verdure ; and 
 beyond all are avenues covered in with trees, flowers, and 
 grapevines, for which they have set up trellises of iron 
 wire ; and external to these trellises and avenues are 
 the Duke's hothouses ; which are extremely neat and 
 handsome, being stocked with all sorts of flowers, and 
 plants of variegated foliage, from the New World and 
 elsewhere. 
 
 The banana was seen there, which is a pretty-looking* 
 edible thing, like a small, long, fresh pumpkin ; it has a 
 yellow skin, and when ripe has the flavour of a musk- 
 melon, is soft, and in like manner can be taken with the 
 fingers and eaten, though it is somewhat nauseating ; it 
 is called muz in Persian or in Hindustani, and is pro- 
 duced largely in that part of Baluchistan which is held 
 by Persia, and in Makran. There were also nectarines, 
 peaches, white and black grapes, figs, plums, straw- 
 berries, cucumbers, and other things. The whole of 
 these fruits are found in these hothouses in the various 
 stages of unripeness, half-ripeness, and maturity. With 
 the assistance of apparatus and screws which they have 
 applied, the gardener has only to turn these, and he can 
 open the windows and rooflights, or close them, as 
 required. 
 
 Well ; we returned to the apartments. The edifice 
 
chap, iv.] England. 181 
 
 possesses grand rooms, full of objects, cheerful, and 
 adorned with beautiful paintings. The English Consul- 
 General in Egypt, Ostantene {sic, for Colonel, now Major- 
 General E. Stanton, C.B.), was there; he has recently 
 arrived here. Lord Choseby {sic, for the Earl of 
 Shrewsbury), who is a nobleman, and has a palace in the 
 neighbourhood, with a garden laid out in the Swiss 
 fashion, was also present. An Englishman who, before 
 the war with the English and French, had been a pri- 
 soner in the hands of the Chinese, whose name was Cok 
 {sic, for H. B. Loch, Esq., C.B.), and who had a long, 
 thick beard, was there too. I asked him the particulars 
 of his captivity, and he told me that the Chinese in his 
 captivity had tortured him exceedingly. Some English 
 noblemen were present, who for years have been the 
 companions and associates of the Duke. A brother, a 
 brother's son, and a son of the Duke, were there like- 
 wise. The Duke's son is entitled the Marquis of 
 Stafford; his eldest brother is Lord Albert Gower, and 
 his younger brother is Lord Konald. 
 
 Well ; in the evening we partook of an excellent 
 dinner, and a beautiful illumination was carried out. 
 We took a stroll. There was a place arranged for the 
 game of bowls. In the middle was a long plank, hollow 
 down the centre, and in two stages ; within these they had 
 passed many bowls, large and small. On either side of 
 this a line on the ground is laid down with planks, 
 • ridgeways ; and on both sides of this is a channel. One 
 must throw the bowl with force, so that it may go and 
 strike certain objects collected together at the (other) 
 
1 82 Diary of a Totir in Europe, [chap. iv.. 
 
 end. Every bowl that strikes an object they take away;: 
 and each one that does not strike, falls into those 
 channels. The players form two sides ; one party plays 
 on this side of the wooden line, the other party on the- 
 other side. Several people stand also at the further end. 
 When the bowls are cast into the wooden line, they come 
 along of themselves to the players ; and the objects which 
 have been struck and have fallen down, are again set up. 
 
 We went to that place ; and at that conjuncture, the 
 Duke and the rest came also. I asked him whether he 
 himself played. In one instant the Duke and the other 
 Englishmen stripped, took off their hats, and played. 
 It was a beautiful game, well worth seeing. 
 
 The intendent of the Duke's household, who, a few 
 days before, had been wounded in the leg (or foot) by the 
 charge of a gun that went off in the hands of one of his- 
 men, limped. His name was Eai'te (sic, for H. Wright,. 
 Esq., — the Duke's private secretary). 
 
 Friday, 1st of Jnmacla-l-'ula (First Jumada, 27th 
 June). — Having breakfasted in our quarters, we took our 
 seat in a train, and started to go into the city of 
 Manchester. The train went at a very rapid pace. The 
 greater number of our household, &c, remained behind 
 at home. To-day also we passed through some dark 
 "holes." Leaving behind us various towns and "popu- 
 lous places," we went in the first instance to the works 
 at Crew. Alighting from the main line of railway, we 
 mounted a very diminutive steam-carriage that went 
 through the works. It was a very pretty and novel 
 thing. But soon alighting, we went on foot to see the 
 
ch a p. i v. ] England. 183 
 
 workshops. In that place they manufacture the various 
 parts and appliances of engines, locomotives, and railway 
 carriages ; and they saw with great facility very large and 
 thick masses of iron, while they are red-hot. Conveying 
 them under rollers, they soften them, form them into 
 plates and sheets that excite surprise. And furthermore, 
 the masses of iron which, being destined to be made into 
 chains (probably, for rails), are rendered long and thin, 
 were like so many red snakes running about on the 
 ground. Again, in order to unite the plates of iron, to 
 forge them, and to weld them, they had machines like 
 two rams butting one another. They place the iron 
 between these ; they butt. 
 
 Well ; after surveying all, we came away, and pro- 
 ceeded to another shop where finer work is done. This, 
 too, we witnessed. Then, rejoining our train, we 
 journeyed to Manchester. It is two hours and a half s 
 journey from Trentham Castle to Manchester. We 
 arrived at the station, where there was a greater as- 
 semblage and more sightseers than at Liverpool. 
 
 The city of Manchester, by reason of its exceeding 
 number of manufactories, has its houses, doors and 
 walls, black as coal. So much so, that the complexions, 
 visages, and dresses of the people are all black. The 
 whole of the ladies of that place at most times wear 
 black clothing, because, no sooner do they put on white 
 or coloured dresses, than lo ! they are suddenly black. 
 
 The Governor, magnates, and nobles of the city, with 
 the magistrates of the environs, were at the station 
 waiting. We mounted a carriage and drove to the 
 
1 84 Diary of a Toitr in Ettrope. [char iv. 
 
 Government House, where there was a large hall. On 
 the top of a flight of steps they had placed a chair, on 
 which we took our seat. The Governor made a speech ; 
 and we gave a detailed reply, enunciatory of our friend- 
 ship with the Government of England, and of the pleasure 
 and gratification we had experienced from the fact that, 
 from the first of our arrival on the soil of England, the 
 greatest regard had been shown us by the Sovereign and 
 the nation. Laransun Sahib interpreted this in English. 
 Every one approved. 
 
 We then went to another room, where breakfast was 
 laid out. We ate a little ; and then, mounting a carriage, 
 we drove to see a manufactory of cotton yarn. We drove 
 down a very long street, both sides of which were densely 
 crowded with people. They so shouted their hurrahs 
 that one's ears were nearly deafened. They showed a 
 very great desire to see us. 
 
 We arrived at the manufactory, which was of five 
 stories, in each of which one kind of work was carried on. 
 For the most part, women were employed at the work, 
 and made the yarns and other things. On the ground- 
 floor they wove cotton cloths, which, when taken to 
 another place, were coloured as chintzes, and are carried 
 to all parts of the world. The lower workroom was 
 exceedingly interesting, and was as spacious as a large 
 public square. Certainly there were about two thousand 
 looms there for weaving, and at each loom four women 
 were occupied. I walked past the whole. Suddenly the 
 manufactory was (as it were) overthrown by voices. 
 Maidens, matrons, and men sang a pretty song. After 
 
-oHAr.'iT.] England. 185 
 
 the singing was over we went forth, mounted our carriage, 
 and drove to the station, whence we started on our return 
 to Trentham. 
 
 The Castle was reached an hour and a half before sun- 
 set. The Duke and others were present. We went on 
 foot to look at the deer in the park, and then mounted a 
 boat, the Duke himself accepting the fatigue of rowing. 
 We landed on the islands and walked about. All passed 
 off pleasantly. In the evening, after dinner, they played 
 again at bowls ; all were there ; the Duke's son played 
 better than any one else. 
 
 Saturday, 2nd (28^ June). — We have to go to London, 
 as we are to be the guest, in the afternoon, of the Heir- 
 Apparent of England at Chiswick for a stroll, conversation, 
 and refection. 
 
 In the morning we rose, mounted a carriage, exchanged 
 adieux with the Duke, and started. It was more than 
 a three hours' journey. We passed some towns and 
 through numerous tunnels. Two of the "holes" were 
 long, each occupjdng five minutes in the transit. We 
 also passed along two narrow and protracted gullies 
 (cuttings) ; the height of the (escarpments of these) 
 gullies is not very great, but they were (sheer) like walls, 
 one being all of stone, the other of stone and earth mixed 
 together. It became apparent what expenses are in- 
 curred in the construction of these "iron-roads." 
 
 Well ; we arrived at the London terminus, — where there 
 were crowds, and from thence reached home. One hour 
 later we left for Chiswick. 
 
 This mansion and garden are the property of the Duke 
 
1 86 Diary of a Totir in Europe, [chap, iv, 
 
 of Devonshire, — one of the wealthy men of England, and 
 a relation of the Duke of Sutherland. He has given it, a& 
 a trust, to the Heir- Apparent to serve as a summer resi- 
 dence for him. Crowds innumerable were in the streets, 
 at the windows, and on the roofs. The Grand- Vazir and 
 Lord Morley were in the carriage with us. The distance 
 took about an hour. Numerous carriages were journeying 
 to Chiswick, and bearing thither the invited. Entering 
 the avenue that leads to the garden, we drove along until 
 we reached the gate of the private garden. Here we 
 alighted and entered the garden. The princes and others- 
 were of the party. They had set up some tents on the 
 lawns and about the garden, which has a poor (or, small) 
 mansion. In a tent were the Heirs-Apparent of Eussia 
 and England, their wives, with many ladies, the foreign 
 Eepresentatives, the English Ministers, and others. We 
 stopped (there) a while ; the Sovereign also came. We 
 went into her presence ; we sat in a tent a little while 
 and conversed ; after which I went for a stroll with the 
 English Heir- Apparent. There was a pretty flower- 
 garden, which also had its hothouse. The whole of the 
 men and women walked about. In a large tent food had 
 been set out in profusion. The people stood on foot, 
 and all ate something. After this they made ready in 
 the garden a cedar-tree and a spade, that I might plant 
 the tree in memory of myself. I planted it. This custom 
 in Firangistan is a high honour in respect of great 
 personages. We then went to the tent of the Sovereign, 
 exchanged aclieux, and she left for Windsor. We waited 
 a little, and then returned by the same road we came. 
 
chap, iv.] England. ' 187* 
 
 Arrived at home, as we had 110 engagement for the 
 evening, we retired to rest. 
 
 The brother of the wives of the Heirs-Apparent of 
 Eussia and England, — a son of the Sovereign of Denmark, 
 had to-day newly arrived. He is a youth fourteen years 
 of age, and has a rank in the naval service. His name is 
 Valdemir. We made acquaintance with him also. He 
 has come to see his sisters, and leaves again in two days. 
 
 Sunday, 3rd (29th June). — To-day the weather is very- 
 cloudy and foggy; heavy rain is also falling. After 
 breakfast we mounted a carriage with the Mu'tamadu-'l- 
 Mulk and (Lord) Morley, and took a little drive in Hyde 
 Park. Although it was Sunday, and there was no one in 
 the roads ; and notwithstanding that the rain was violent, 
 — still we saw a goodly number of men and women. 
 
 We now turned into the road to Chiswick, which we 
 had gone over yesterday, and took our way to Richmond, 
 passing by the side of the Botanical Garden (at Kew). 
 There great numbers of people were walking about. It 
 is a very large garden, but we did not go inside. It has 
 a tall and slender tower within it, built after the Chinese 
 fashion, and of many stories. It is a very pretty place ; 
 but we saw it from afar. 
 
 Well ; we went to Richmond, which stands on an emi- 
 nence. Richmond is not a separate place ; in reality, it 
 is one of the suburbs of London. It has some pleasant 
 avenues, and a beautiful view over the surrounding 
 country, — especially over the river Thames. On the 
 lawns here, also, there were many deer of the kind we» 
 saw at Windsor. 
 
1 88 Diary of a Totcr in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 As rain was still falling, and it was impossible to go 
 ..about, it was proposed to proceed to the house of Lord 
 Eussell, — one of the olden English Ministers of celebrity, 
 which was near at hand. I experienced a desire to go. 
 We went, alighted, and entered. He and his wife came 
 to meet us. He is an old man, nearly eighty years of 
 age. He is short of stature. In spite of his years, he is 
 in possession of a fine intellect and understanding. He 
 is of the Whig party. 
 
 It is here necessary to detail what the Whigs are. All 
 the Ministers of the realm of England are in two parties. 
 The party now in office are of the Whigs, the chiefs of 
 whom are Lord Gladstone, the present Prime Minister, 
 and Lord Granville, the Secretary of State for Foreign 
 Affairs, together with the other Ministers. The other 
 party, who oppose the policy of this group, are named 
 Tories, the chiefs of whom are Disraeli, Lord Derby, 
 &nd others. Whenever the first-named set may go 
 •out of office, the whole of the Ministers and others 
 must be changed, and replaced by others from the latter 
 party. 
 
 Well ; we sat a while. De Beust, — the Austrian Am- 
 bassador, and other diplomatists were there. After a few 
 minutes we mounted again, and drove to the hotel of 
 Eichmond, which is a very beautiful establishment. A 
 few years ago it caught fire, and they have rebuilt it. 
 The view was very fine, but the haze and clouds pre- 
 vented its being seen properly. The rain fell unceasingly ; 
 so we sat there a little, took some tea and fruit, and then 
 drove home. 
 
chap, iv.] England. 189 
 
 Monday, 4th (30th June). — When we arose in the morn- 
 ing, the whole of the Tory Administration came to an 
 audience. The Nazim of Bengal, with his son, was also 
 present. Lord Russell, too, came, to whose house we 
 went yesterday. Seymour (the Right Honourable Sir 
 George Hamilton Seymour, G.C.B., G.C.H.), who, in 
 the time of the late Emperor Nicholas of Russia, before- 
 the Sebastopol war has caused a cessation of relations 
 with Russia, was (Envoy Extraordinary and) Minister- 
 Plenipotentiary at (St.) Peter (sburg), was also (admitted 
 and) seen. In like manner, Lord Derby, Lord Malmes- 
 bury, who had each formerly been Secretaries of State 
 for Foreign Affairs, and are of the celebrities of the Tory 
 Administration, had audiences. 
 
 Next, some Indian merchants came, who had a sin- 
 gular costume and appearance. Chiefs of the Armenians,, 
 of the Jews, and of the Christians, and afterwards some 
 other men — inhabitants of the Panj-Ab (the Five Rivers ; 
 vulgarly, Punjab) in India, with others, came (also). 
 Among these was Iskandar Ahmad, son of the late 
 Sultan Ahmad Khan, the Afgan; and who had been a 
 certain time with his father in Tehran. He is a smart 
 youth, and a capital horseman. He said he had been 
 several years in Russia, and he has been some time in 
 England. He had changed his Afgan costume and 
 turban for an English dress, and he came without his hat 
 (on). His colour and complexion were sallow and pale. 
 
 Well ; next came Lord Radcliffe (the Right Honourable 
 Lord Viscount Stratford de Redcliffe, K.G., K.C.B.), so 
 well known, and had an audience. He sat down, and we 
 
1 90 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. iv. 
 
 conversed much. This personage is one of the great 
 diplomatists of Europe. He was for more than twenty 
 years the English (Ambassador Extraordinary and) Mi- 
 nister Plenipotentiary at Constantinople, where he exer- 
 cised great influence. In the Sebastopol war he upheld 
 the policy of England and opposed the Eussians. In the 
 days of the first Napoleon even, when Qardan Khan 
 (General Gardanne), — the French Envoy, left Persia, 
 and the late Khaqan, Fath-'Ali Shah, of pious memory, 
 xeceived the English, he had entered the service, though 
 not in Persia. According to one's recollections of those 
 times, he must be nearly eighty-five years old ; and still 
 lie conversed with the utmost wisdom and knowledge. 
 He suffers from gout. Were he not so afflicted, I am of 
 opinion that he still is in possession of the judgment, 
 intellect, and stamina for the English Government to 
 confide important missions to him. 
 
 When he left, we arose and performed our service of 
 worship. This evening we have to go to the Crystal 
 Palace, which is outside of the city of London, and where 
 there are to be fireworks and hospitality. 
 
 To-day, before seeing the Ministers and others, the 
 English Fire Brigade came, and in the garden at the 
 hack of our palace went through their exercise. They 
 planted ladders, with the supposition that the upper floor 
 of the palace was on fire; they mounted these ladders 
 with perfect celerity and agility, and brought down people 
 who were burnt, half-burnt, or unharmed, some taken up 
 on their shoulders, and others let down by ropes made 
 fast round their waists. They have invented a beautiful 
 
oHAr. iv.] England. 191 
 
 means of saving men. But, the wonder is in this, that 
 on the one hand, they take such trouble and originate 
 such appliances for the salvation of man from death, 
 when, on the other hand, in the armouries, arsenals, and 
 workshops of Woolwich, and of Krupp in Germany, they 
 contrive fresh engines, such as cannons, muskets, projec- 
 tiles, and similar things, for the quicker and more multi- 
 tudinous slaughter of the human race. He whose inven- 
 tion destroys man more surely and expeditiously prides 
 himself thereon, and obtains decorations of honour. 
 
 Well; among the others came some English prize- 
 fighters, and performed boxing. To box is to strike one 
 another with the fists, which requires great skill and 
 dexterity. But they wore on their hands a kind of large 
 gloves stuffed with wool and cotton. Had they not worn 
 these gloves, thej^ would have killed one another. It 
 was very ludicrous and amusing. 
 
 In the afternoon we mounted our carriage and drove to 
 the Crystal Palace, in which building the first Exhibition 
 took place, that was held eighteen or nineteen years ago, 
 and the building is still standing. It took an hour to 
 .arrive there ; but a heavy rain came on, which threw a 
 deep gloom over the spirits of the people. In spite of 
 this, however, great crowds of women and men were 
 standing along our road, and greeted us. We arrived and 
 alighted in front of the building. The Grand- Vazir, our 
 princes and household officials, &c, were of the ■ party. 
 In front of the building a tent was pitched. Prince 
 Alfred, the lady-princesses, and nobles were waiting for us 
 there ; and they had prepared fruit, ices, and the like. 
 
192 Diary of a Totir in Europe, [chap, iv; 
 
 We tarried there a few minutes, until the Heir- Apparent 
 of England, the Heir-Apparent of Bussia, their wives,, 
 and others arrived. We then took the hand of the 
 wife of the English Heir- Apparent, and entered the 
 building. 
 
 A wonderful assembly came in view. On each side of 
 our path they had arranged chairs, on which beautiful 
 women in splendid attire, with men, were seated in rows, 
 leaving a space through which we were to pass, so that it 
 was necessary to traverse the whole of them. 
 
 The palace is of iron and crystal. It is so lofty and 
 spacious that this evening forty thousand individuals 
 came here with tickets. 
 
 Well ; we went to the centre of the building, which has 
 a lofty arcade. In the middle of the arcade there is a 
 basin of water, made to represent natural rocks and 
 mountains, with a beautiful fountain, from which water 
 flowed plentifully. On the left hand side there was a gallery 
 with steps to it, at the top of which was a balcony with 
 many chairs arranged in it. I, the Heirs-Apparent, their 
 wives, the lady-princesses, and the princes, all sat down 
 there. The Duke of Cambridge was not present ; they 
 said an attack of gout had seized him. 
 
 Facing us there was a large organ, similar to the one 
 in the Albert Hall. There were also a numerous 
 orchestra and singers. They played; they sang; and 
 such an assembly was there in that place, above and 
 below, around and on all sides, seated on chairs, that 
 one's eyes were dazzled. They brought me a double 
 opera-glass, through which I looked. 
 
chap, iv.] England. 193 
 
 Beyond the windows which were behind our back most 
 charming fountains were playing. The wife of the Duke 
 of Sutherland, with her daughter, was seated behind us. 
 The Duke's daughter is extremely graceful. 
 
 In front of us some English gymnasts performed their 
 feats ; and wonderful tricks did they do, by way of leap- 
 ing, springing, and hanging upon a rope, &c, which few 
 could perform. They then brought out the gymnastic 
 pillars of Persia, and performed pillar feats. 
 
 After these a company of Japanese came forward, from 
 little children, up to full-grown men and women, dressed 
 in the costume of their own country. They performed 
 some wonderful tours, at which one's senses became 
 bewildered. For the most part they performed then- tricks 
 with their feet. They lay down. They took a large 
 wooden chest and caused it to spin about as they wished 
 like a blade of grass, and threw it up into the air, whence 
 it fell again on to the soles of their feet. One of them 
 lay down on his back with his eyes blindfolded, and held 
 upright, upon the soles of his feet, a very long ladder. 
 A child of about ten years old went up to the top of this 
 ladder, and there went through some feats. He threw 
 some curious balls up into the air, and held in his hand 
 a case with holes in it, so that the balls always fell into the 
 holes of the case. Still continuing to lie similarly on his 
 back, he took the fold of a door on his feet and spun it 
 about in a manner that is not to be described. 
 
 There was a stout and long rope suspended from the 
 roof of the arcade to the ground, a height of forty ells 
 (140 feet). Two or three English gymnasts, acting just 
 
194 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, i v. 
 
 as they pleased, took hold of the rope, and with all 
 celerity mounted to near the roof. There, standing on 
 one foot, they leant on one side, and one of them came 
 down head foremost. This was very surprising. 
 
 Again, they had fastened ropes to the sides of the 
 arcade, so that these hung down, and beneath them a 
 rope netting was secured. One Englishman performed 
 on these ropes in a manner that up to this day I had 
 never seen or heard of. I will simply note it down that 
 it was not a performance with ropes, — he performed magic, 
 — he flew. For instance, he leapt ten ells (35 feet) from 
 this trapeze to that trapeze which was suspended in the 
 air ; and as a finish, he threw himself from his trapeze 
 and fell into the net. 
 
 The play being now concluded, the company broke up* 
 "We went to- the top of the building and dined at a table 
 where all the magnates and notables were. 
 
 The garden of the Crystal Palace, which is the finest 
 of all the gardens of England, was visible from this 
 height ; and there were fountains in the gardens, in great 
 numbers, each one of which sprang to a height of more 
 than twenty ells (70 feet). The source of these jets is a 
 lofty tower built in front of the door of the palace (by 
 which visitors of distinction are admitted privately). 
 
 Well; great numbers of people, with umbrellas over 
 their heads, remained in the garden at the foot of the 
 building, in spite of the rain, and shouted hurrahs. 
 
 After dinner there were fireworks in the garden, — very 
 fine fireworks; and they discharged a great number of 
 bombs, out of which there issued stars of many colours. 
 
chap, iv.] England, 195 
 
 The fireworks over, we came downstairs. They had 
 arranged an electric apparatus like a telegraph wire ; and 
 the instant that I put my hand to it, a large flight of 
 rockets mounted from the garden into the air, which 
 formed a grand spectacle. 
 
 On our return we again took the hand of the wife of 
 the Heir- Apparent, and went home. 
 
 The beggars of Firangistan, instead of asking for 
 alms, play musical instruments, as guitars or violins, 
 and never beg. If some one gives them money, they 
 take it ; if not, they gd on playing. 
 
 In the garden at the back of our palace a great 
 number of cock and hen pheasants were seen in the 
 trees. 
 
 There are multitudes of pigeons in Firangistan ; and, 
 as in Persia, pigeon-fliers send them up. Especially in 
 Belgium did we see many of them. 
 
 They place sucklings and little children in small 
 carriages (perambulators), and during the day-time 
 wheel them about by hand in the avenues and on the 
 lawns, in a very pretty manner ; and the children go to 
 sleep in the carriages. 
 
 We have received from the Duke of Sutherland four 
 head of the deer which were feeding in his park, and 
 which are a kind of argali, but resembling the stag. We 
 have consigned them to Ibrahim Khan, that we may 
 God willing, bring them to Tehran, and that they may 
 breed and multiply. 
 
 Tuesday, 5th (1st July). — To-day we have to visit the 
 Bank, the Tower of London, the churches of St. Paul's 
 
 02 
 
196 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 and Westminster, as also the Houses of Parliament. In 
 the morning,* therefore, having breakfasted, we mounted 
 our carriage, drove to the city, entered it, and went to 
 the Tower. The Chiefs of the locality were admitted to 
 our presence. We went up into a very old and ancient 
 turret in which was a large glass case with an iron 
 railing round it. Several of the crowns of ancient 
 English kings were within this, enriched with rare jewels ; 
 more especially, in one crown there was a large ruby, 
 exceedingly choice. There were staves (sceptres) of gold, 
 and a few vessels of gold. A model of the diamond, the 
 Kuh-i-nur (mountain of light), in crystal, had been made 
 and placed there ; but the diamond itself has been cut 
 into a brilliant in London, and the Sovereign has had 
 it made into a brooch which she wears on her bosom. 
 On the day when I went to Windsor to make my 
 adieux, she wore it on her bosom. It is a very beautiful 
 diamond. 
 
 Well; as time was scant, we did not go into the 
 armouries which are in this Tower ; but I drove to the 
 church of St. Paul's. The head priest of that place was 
 unwell, and was not present ; his substitute was there. 
 We walked about in the church, which is a very lofty 
 and ancient edifice. Many women and men were there. 
 The people of celebrity interred in this church are as 
 follows : Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington. . . . 
 
 Coming out of there, we went to the Government 
 Bank (Bank of England), passing by the Koyal Ex- 
 change, — the Merchants' Mart. The merchants of 
 renown of London, together with a crowd, were there. 
 
chap, iv.] England. 197 
 
 We reached the gate of the Bank. The Governor of the 
 Bank, with all the writers and members of this business, 
 were present. We ascended some stairs. It is an 
 imposing edifice. We saw its repository of archives, 
 its council-chambers, — all. For the purpose of printing 
 the receipt and assignat-papers (bank-notes, treasury- 
 bonds, &c), for assaying the weights of gold and silver 
 (coins), and for cutting up the light coins, they have 
 beautiful machines and instruments, as also steam- 
 engines; the whole of which we saw. Next, we inscribed 
 our own name in their book; and from thence going 
 downstairs, we went underground, where numerous 
 ingots of gold and silver were seen, each ingot being (of 
 the value) of two thousand tiimans of Persia (800L). 
 There was existent in that place (the value of) three to 
 four crores of money (1,200,0002. to 1,600,000L) 
 
 Well ; returning thence, we went home. There were 
 three curious things seen in that place. Firstly, — in 
 each machine that prints the bank-notes, there were 
 three (dials like those of) compasses, each with hands 
 like those of a watch. For every number that was 
 printed, these compasses, by the revolution of their 
 hands, took and kept an account. At each movement 
 given to the machine, one note came forth printed ; and 
 a hand moved from subdivision to subdivision (of the 
 dial). The reason of this is that no one may be able 
 to purloin any from the number of bank-notes (printed). 
 
 Secondly, — there were engines for trying and testing 
 the weights of coins ; so that large quantities of gold 
 coins flowed down a place similar to a spout, on each 
 
198 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. iv. 
 
 side of which was a repository like a till, and every coin 
 that was light of weight was made to fall, hy machinery, 
 into one of those tills, while those of full and perfect 
 weight fell into the other. 
 
 Thirdly, — there were machines that cut in two, like 
 shears, the coiils that were light of weight, throwing 
 them out of circulation, so that they have to be reminted. 
 
 Well; we went home, and rested a while. Then, 
 mounting our carriage, we went to the house of Glad- 
 stone, the Prime Minister. He had an elderly wife, 
 and they both came to meet us. We gave our hand to 
 his wife, and went upstairs. It had nice rooms. An 
 exceedingly small basin of water, with fountains, was in 
 the upper room, — very pretty. It had a nice outlook 
 towards the Houses of Parliament and over the town. 
 The Austrian Ambassador, the Ottoman Ambassador, 
 the German Ambassador, and, of English grandees, 
 Lord Granville — the Foreign Secretary, the wife of the 
 Duke of Sutherland, and others, were present. We sat 
 down a while, and then went to the Parliament-House. 
 
 A description of this building, and an enumeration of 
 its rooms, upper chambers, and corridors, is beyond the 
 power of man. They say that a fabulous sum has been 
 spent, in course of time, on this edifice. Its foundation 
 is from eight hundred years ago ; but ten years pre- 
 viously to the present time, they added very much to 
 the pile. 
 
 The Regulator of the assembly of the Lords, who is 
 an old man of the name of Clifford (Sir A. C. Clifford, Bart.) 
 went before us, and we visited the rooms one by one. 
 
chap, iv.] England. 199 
 
 It is a very grand, solid, and majestic structure. In 
 point of fact, so great a palace is worthy and seemly for 
 the Parliament of England. We passed through a large 
 hall, called the Waterloo Hall, in which were two large 
 pictures, most beautifully painted, and hung on the two 
 sides. One is of the battle of Trafalgar, formerly men- 
 tioned in detail; the other, a representation of the 
 meeting of Wellington with Marshal Blucher, Com : 
 mander of the Prussian forces, and participator in the 
 battle of Waterloo. After the rout of Napoleon on the 
 field of Waterloo, the}*- met one another on horseback, 
 shook hands, and offered mutual congratulations. 
 
 Well ; we went into the chamber of the House of 
 Lords, where the Peers were assembled. The number 
 of Peers in this congregation is about one hundred 
 {really, four hundred and eighty-one, barring recent 
 changes). We sat a little while, rose, passed through 
 rooms and corridors, and so reached the hall of the 
 House of Commons, the number of whom is three 
 hundred and fifty (then present, perhaps ; the total number 
 being six hundred and fifty-eight, barring any subsequent 
 changes). Lord Gladstone, Disraeli, and the other 
 Ministers, Whig and Tory, were present. The Whigs 
 were (seated) on one side (of the house), the Tories on 
 the other side. We took our seat on a chair in a gallery 
 overlooking the assembly, to which a narrow passage 
 led. They brought forward a question, on which there 
 was a difference of opinion. The President (Speaker) 
 of the House adjudged according to the " majority," i.e> 
 the greater number, the lesser number being called the 
 
200 Diary of a Totcr in Ettrope, [chap. iv. 
 
 " minority." The whole of the members went forth, to 
 be counted outside ; the (place of) assembly remained 
 vacant, no one being left except the President. After a 
 minute or so they came (back) ; the Whigs were the 
 victorious party, who now hold office. Then Lord 
 Gladstone — the Premier, came up to us, and we had a 
 little conversation. 
 
 Eising, we went to the church of Westminster (West- 
 minster Abbey), which is near to the Parliament (House). 
 It is a very grand, beautiful, and harmonious pile. Its 
 structure is ancient, and all of stone. • It has a lofty and 
 long- extending roof. Henry VIL, King of England, 
 built a chapel, most magnificent, and contiguous to the 
 great church, being like a royal balcony, with numerous 
 sculptures in its roof and on its walls. The tomb of 
 Henry himself is in that place, in the middle, and has a 
 large iron railing. 
 
 Of other sovereigns, of generals of celebrity, and even 
 of poets, a great number are buried within this church. 
 Its length is five hundred and thirty English feet ; its 
 height, two hundred and twenty-five. The names of 
 the other monarchs buried here are : Edward the Con- 
 fessor, Henry III., Henry V., Henry VIL, Elizabeth, 
 all the Sovereigns of the House of Stuart, and all those 
 of the House of Hanover. Those of ministers are : 
 Pitt, Fox, Eobert Peel, Lord Palmerston ; of generals, 
 Outram, Lord Clyde. 
 
 There was a very ancient throne in that place, seated 
 upon which the English, monarchs must be crowned in 
 this church. The stone of the patriarch Jacob — upon 
 
chap, iv.] England. 201 
 
 whom be peace — is set in that throne. It is a large 
 stone, upon which the patriarch Jacob slept ; and it came 
 from Egypt to Europe ; i.e., passing from the hand (of 
 one possessor) to the hand (of another possessor), it 
 became the property of the monarchs of England. 
 
 Well ; we returned and went home. 
 
 In the Houses of Parliament there is a very important 
 library, in which are the written reports of the ancient 
 and modern debates of Parliament, the laws of England, 
 and other matters, in separate volumes. 
 
 Wednesday, 6th (2nd July). — We must go to Windsor 
 to take leave of the Sovereign. 
 
 We breakfasted at home. The Heir-Apparent of 
 Eussia came, with whom we conversed ; for we are 
 going awaj T , and he too, to-morrow, has to go to one of 
 the English seaports ; i.e., he has ordered a yacht for 
 himself, which is now ready, and which is about to be 
 launched. 
 
 After his departure we set out for Windsor, all the 
 princes, the Grand- Vazir, and others, being in attend- 
 ance. We -arrived at Windsor ; the Sovereign came to 
 the foot of the stairs to meet us. We took each other's 
 hands and went upstairs. She led me, and took me 
 round all the apartments of the palace. It has very 
 sumptuous rooms and halls ; the view towards the city 
 of London and over the country is very fine. There is a 
 pretty flower-garden at the foot of the building, towards 
 the country ; also an extensive library. We saw some 
 books in the Persian language and characters ; in par- 
 ticular, a history of India, written like a diary, and very 
 
■202 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 beautifully illuminated in the Indian style. There was 
 also a magnificent armoury, in which all the ancient 
 weapons and armour that have been obtained from India 
 and elsewhere are preserved in glass cases ; also some 
 objects of jewellery and gold, as, for instance, the royal 
 throne and the jewelled saddle of Tipu Sahib (read 
 Tipu Sa'ib), the Indian, which were set with many 
 precious stones. In like manner there were great 
 quantities of ancient arms and armour in the European 
 styles, of presents from sovereigns, and of similar 
 objects, arranged in the rooms ; — a very large vase of 
 malachite sent by Nicholas, the Emperor of Eussia ; the 
 musket-ball that killed Lord Nelson in the battle of 
 Trafalgar, and that had been extracted from his body, 
 was preserved in a case ; the mast of the veiy ship in 
 which Lord Nelson was, and which a cannon-shot had 
 pierced through, together with several of those cannon- 
 balls, were in one of the rooms, and were surrounded 
 with a railing; some Kussian cannon-balls, also, taken 
 in the Sebastopol war ; two soldiers' muskets with flint 
 locks, as used by the Kussian troops, and serving as spe- 
 cimens, were placed there likewise. A bust of Nelson, 
 carved in stone, was placed on the half-mast of a ship, 
 pierced by a cannon-ball. Two cannons sent as pre- 
 sents by Kanj it- Singh were also there. In the halls were 
 painted the portraits of the sovereigns and ministers of 
 celebrity in the times of the first Napoleon, who were 
 called " The Holy Alliance." 
 
 When we had strolled about a considerable time, we 
 went into a room and sat down at a table, I being there, 
 
chap, iv.] England. 203 
 
 and the Sovereign, her youngest daughter, and Prince 
 Leopold, who to-day again had come to the station to 
 meet me, and who was dressed in the Scotch garb. He 
 is a very nice prince. After partaking of a little fruit, 
 we arose, and the Sovereign conducted me to the door 
 of a room assigned to me, and went away. I gave my 
 reflexion (photograph) to the Sovereign as a souvenir; 
 she gave me hers, and that of Prince Leopold. In truth, 
 from my first arrival on English soil, down to this very 
 day, the Sovereign has exercised towards us the fulness 
 of kindness and friendship. 
 
 We now descended, took the Sovereign's hand, and 
 went down to the door of the carriage ; there saying 
 adieu, we seated ourselves in the carriage. The 
 Sovereign expressed her desire that her special photo- 
 grapher should take our likeness in the carriage; and 
 he took several negatives of us. Then we drove off. 
 
 Proceeding a short distance along the avenue, we 
 changed our direction and went to the house of the 
 Princess Helena, daughter of the Sovereign and wife of 
 Prince Christian, one of the princes of Holstein in 
 Germany, whose territories are now held by Prussia, 
 though he still makes a claim thereto, and may perhaps 
 one day obtain possession of them. Well; we arrived at 
 the Prince's house, and sat there a while. He has a 
 beautiful house and flower-garden. 
 
 After partaking of some fruit we drove to the mauso- 
 leum of Prince Albert, the Sovereign's husband. It was 
 a long way off. We passed by the side of the tomb of 
 the Duchesse.de Quint (Duchess of Kent), the Sovereign's 
 
204 Diary of a Tour ill Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 mother, and at length arrived at the mausoleum of 
 (Prince) Albert. We alighted and went to the tomb, 
 which is very imposing and in good taste, built of stones 
 of various colours. The sarcophagus is of stone, and a 
 figure of Prince Albert himself lying in death, of very 
 beautiful marble, is placed upon the sarcophagus. I 
 laid on the tomb a nosegay which I had in my hand. I 
 became extremely dejected and full of sadness. 
 
 Coming out from thence, we mounted and drove off. 
 Everywhere Prince Leopold accompanied us. All these 
 parts are occupied by the hothouses for flowers and 
 fruits, the kitchen-garden for vegetables, the orchards, 
 the fields for cows, and the dairies for taking the milk 
 and butter, for the Sovereign's use. We alighted and 
 planted a mountain cypress (perhaps, a cedar or welling- 
 tonia) as a memorial of ourselves. We then drove to 
 the station, bid adieu to Prince Leopold, returned to 
 London, and went home. 
 
 A short repose soon enabled us to set out again and 
 drive to Madame Tussaud's Exhibition. Madame Tus- 
 saud was a woman, and has now been dead for twenty 
 years, having left a son and grandson. She originated 
 a place in which are arranged the effigies in wax of 
 monarchs, of men of celebrity, and of great poets, ancient 
 and modern, clothed in the very garments of the persons 
 themselves or of their periods, whether they were men 
 or women, even to artificial jewels, such as crowns, neck- 
 laces, finger-rings, and the like. These figures are 
 arranged in rooms and halls, in standing or sitting pos- 
 tures, &c, in such a manner that there is no possibibrty 
 
chap, iv.] England. 205 
 
 for one to distinguish whether they are human beings or 
 wax figures. Well ; the son of Madame Tussaud was 
 unwell, and her grandson explained. 
 
 They have made a figure of Napoleon III., dressed in 
 his own clothes and lying on a bed in the agony of 
 death, such that it appears exactly like a man still alive, 
 but moribund. There were some living women sitting 
 about among the figures ; and however much I tried to 
 distinguish which were in reality human beings, and 
 which were wax figures, I could not, until the women 
 rose, walked, and smiled; then alone did it become 
 certain that they were living women. The effigy of the 
 present Sovereign of England, those of her children, and 
 of the ministers, were all there ; also that of Louis- 
 Philippe, and of the Heir- Apparent of France, with his 
 mother Eugenie. They were excellent figures. 
 
 In addition to the effigies of sovereigns and great 
 men, they have also taken, in a very striking manner, 
 the likenesses of certain individuals, assassins or repro- 
 bates, notorious throughout the world for their diabolic 
 acts and wickedness, such as Orsini, — who attempted to 
 kill the third Napoleon, and Mazzini, the Italian. 
 
 They had bought in France a galloivs, on which, by 
 hanging, they put people to death, and placed it here to 
 show the manner of killing men. They said that with 
 this gallows-tree nearly twenty thousand individuals had 
 been executed. (Evidently the guillotine is meant. — 
 J. W. K.) 
 
 There were also, besides these, in a room, numerous 
 mementos of bygone days. A large number of effects 
 
206 Diary of a Tcntr in Etirope. [chap, iv. 
 
 that had belonged to the first Napoleon were there, such 
 as the carriages captured by the English in the battle of 
 Waterloo ; so that we saw the very carriage in which 
 Napoleon used to ride, and also a plan of battle traced 
 by himself, the whip used by his coachman on the day of 
 Waterloo, his cloak, and some of his garments. There 
 were likewise various effects that had belonged to certain 
 sovereigns or magnates of England and elsewhere, in 
 ancient or modern times. 
 
 We then came away. Below this exhibition there is 
 an extensive bazaar, in which they sell every kind of wares 
 that can be imagined. We walked about there a little, 
 bought some articles of crystal and the like, and, return- 
 ing thence home, retired to rest. 
 
 Thursday, 1th (3rd July). — To-day, after breakfasting 
 at home, we went to the Crystal Palace. We drove to 
 the Yictoria Station, took our seat in a train, and 
 started. The railway looked down on the roofs of the 
 houses, — not in one place, not in two places ; the train 
 went uninterruptedly either over the housetops or through 
 " holes " in hills. It took us twenty minutes to reach 
 the Crystal Palace Station. There we alighted and 
 walked upstairs, where there were innumerable women 
 and men. We bought a few photographs and the like. 
 The dealers in this bazaar are all women. Articles of 
 every description are there to be had. The following is 
 the history of this building. 
 
 Twenty years ago, when the English Government 
 made the first Exhibition-Bazaar in Hyde Park, which is 
 in the town of London, some members of the Committee, 
 
chap, iv.] England. 207 
 
 when it was over, brought the building here, where it is 
 outside of the town, set it up again in the same manner,, 
 and established within it a perpetual exhibition, with 
 refreshment-rooms, building also places of recreation for 
 the inhabitants of London ; and arranging fountains, 
 basins, parks, gardens, and everything that can amuse 
 .people. It is now the very best of all places of pastime 
 in London. Every day seven or eight thousand indi- 
 viduals go there for amusement or for taking the air, 
 without any intermission ; and they who originated the 
 enterprize derive a profit therefrom. 
 
 Well ; after making our purchases, we walked through 
 the assembled women and men. I saw some black 
 women, of the natives of the Jamaica islands (mulattoes 
 from the West Indies), who were very graceful, and who 
 had husbands as well. In spite of their black faces,, 
 with which they were seated in the midst of the fair and 
 rosy-cheeked women of England, they still, through a 
 certain sweetness they had, were very coquettish. Their 
 complexions were of the colour of raw coffee-berries, and 
 they had beautiful curls. 
 
 Well ; after getting past, we arrived at a place where 
 an African maned-lion and a tiger of India were fighting* 
 one another, and a dead stag was lying beneath them. 
 All three of these animals, formed out of the stuffed 
 skins of the very beasts themselves, were arranged in 
 such a manner, and so made to stand up, that there was 
 no way to distinguish them from a live lion, a live tiger, 
 and a dead stag. Their claws with which they had 
 attacked one another, and the blood that had flowed,. 
 
208 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 were as though the flesh of their bodies were torn and 
 blood were flowing. So well was this group executed, 
 that in ten days one would not become tired of con- 
 templating it. We now went to a department where 
 they have arranged an imitation of the palace Al-Hamra 
 (the Ked Palace, ot which the word Alhambra is the 
 Spanish corruption), built by the Arabs during the time 
 of their occupation of Andalusia and Toledo in Spain. 
 I examined it. It is very good and very pretty. They 
 have there done some nice work in plaster and glazed 
 tiles. This department took fire a few years ago, and 
 was burnt. They have now restored it again as it was at 
 first, though it was not quite finished. They have done 
 the plaster- work, &c. ; but the jDlaster-work of this 
 country is not carried out by the same method as in 
 Persia. There, the whole of a piece of plaster-work is 
 cut out by hand with great labour ; here, they have made 
 moulds of glue which have various designs upon them ; 
 and whichever pattern they require, thej^ place the mould 
 thereof on the surface of a sheet of plaster, which 
 instantly takes the design and dries ; it is then fixed 
 on the wall as though it were a tile. It is furnished with 
 basins and pretty fountains arranged in the Arabian 
 taste. 
 
 We now went on to the aquarium, descending by some 
 steps to a place underground, a long hall, roofed, with a 
 cool, pleasant atmosphere. Various lands of marine 
 animals and plants were in it, as in the one at Berlin ; 
 but at Berlin the species of fishes and of some other 
 things were in greater numbers than here. 
 
chap, iv.] England. :o 
 
 Again we ascended, passed through the people, went 
 up the stairs we had mounted on the night of the fire- 
 works, admired the garden and the fountains, and then 
 again went through the garden to see two balloons that 
 were to ascend into the air with men in them. We 
 walked a great distance on foot, through multitudes of 
 women, men, and policemen, arriving at length at the 
 end of the garden, where the two balloons, of immense 
 size, were already inflated with vapour and prepared to 
 ascend ; so that there was no power to restrain them. 
 They are made of a cloth of silk, on which something is 
 applied to make it like wax-cloth, and to give it strength. 
 There is also a kind of network over the balloon, formed 
 of several cords knitted together like a fisherman's net ; 
 and beneath the balloon a basket is arranged in which 
 people sit, and large enough to hold two or three men. 
 
 With the first balloon to start, a man named Smithe, 
 with another named Evenau, took their seats and went 
 up into the air, and were lost to sight. The second 
 balloon was also full and ready. A son of Smithe, — a 
 young man, who said he had already been up with his 
 father a hundred and seventy times, ascended in this 
 one. On the following day, when intelligence was 
 brought, it was learnt that the first balloon had descended 
 at a distance of ten leagues from London, and the second 
 at a distance of one league. 
 
 We then turned back on foot to the basins and foun- 
 tains. The people were crowded together in such a 
 manner as to prevent one's seeing. We did however 
 manage, in one way or other, to see all the basins For 
 
 p 
 
2 1 o Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 our return to the palace they had made ready a carriage, 
 in which we took our seat. Now, in spite of our road's 
 being uphill, and of our driving pretty fast, still, the 
 ladies, the damsels, and the children all kept pace with 
 the carriage, and not one remained behind. 
 
 Once more we mounted to the top of the building, 
 partook of some fruit, had our photograph taken, and 
 then descending, went to the train, seated ourselves, and 
 returned home. 
 
 After resting awhile, we drove to the Albert Hall ; but 
 the machines were not at work. We therefore went to 
 some halls, where they had made a collection of all the 
 tobacco-pipes, hubble-bubbles, and drinking utensils of 
 every nation, together with all kinds of silken stuffs of 
 China, Japan, and Europe, &c, ancient and modern. 
 Having viewed these, we went up from that place to see 
 the pictures which people, during the three months the 
 exhibition remains open, bring and hang up here, some 
 for sale, others merely on view. We examined the 
 whole ; but the greater part of the more beautiful pieces 
 were either sold alreacty, or were not to be sold at all. 
 We selected about ten or fifteen fine paintings, Ismit 
 Sahib (Major E. M. Smith, E.E., Acting Director of the 
 Persian Telegraph) interpreted for me. 
 
 The picture of a donkey was seen, and I asked the 
 price of it. The Director of the Exhibition, a fat, white- 
 bearded man, who gave information about the prices, 
 told me it was a hundred pounds sterling, — equivalent to 
 two hundred and fifty tumans of Persia. I remarked : 
 " The value of 5 live donkey is at the outside five 
 
chap, iv.] England. 211 
 
 pounds. How is it then, that this, which is but a picture 
 of an ass, is to be paid so dearly for ? " The Director 
 said : " Because it is not a source of expense, as it eats 
 neither straw nor barley (the eastern substitutes for hay 
 and oats)." I replied: "True; it is not a source of 
 outlay ; but neither will it carry a load, or give one a 
 ride." We laughed heartily. Then, as time was short, 
 and we were extremely fatigued, we went home. The 
 Albert Hall, too, has its own special garden, very nice. 
 
 Friday, 8th (4th July). — After breakfast this morning, 
 I went to pay a visit to the English Heir- Apparent. The 
 wives of the two Heirs-Apparent, Russian and English, 
 with Prince Alfred, too, were there. We sat a while, and 
 then we came back home. After an interval we went to 
 St. Thomas's Hospital, which is opposite the Houses of 
 Parliament. This hospital has been built by the nation. 
 It was founded in the time of Edward IV., and it is now 
 two or three years since it was completed. It possesses 
 property held in mortmain ; and from the time of its 
 foundation till now people, of their own free will, have 
 collected money and given it for the sustentation of the 
 hospital ; for the medicine and food of the whole of the 
 patients is gratis. It is a very beautiful building, and 
 there are always in it four or five hundred patients, men 
 and women, children or adults. Dr. Tholozan, too, 
 was present. The Director of the Sanitary Board of 
 London, whose name is Simon (J. Simon, Esq., Medical 
 Officer, Local Government Board), together with other 
 London physicians and surgeons of repute, were also 
 there. The little children had each a separate bed and 
 
 p 2 
 
212 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. iv. 
 
 lied clothes, with nice clean garments ; to each one, for 
 the purpose of amusement, playthings and pretty things, 
 that had been collected, were given. As attendants, 
 many women were there. 
 
 We went to other wards where the men were. In 
 spite of their ailments, they shouted loudly their hurrahs. 
 
 On the lower floor they have appliances, by which, 
 having placed a sick man on a bed, they lift him to the 
 upper stories without his having to move. The first 
 stone of the building of this hospital was laid by the 
 Sovereign. 
 
 We next proceeded to the residence of Lord Dargil 
 (the Duke of Argyll), Secretary for India. His house 
 was at a distance. We went through Hyde Park, &c. r 
 and arrived there. The wife of the Indian Secretaiy y 
 who is the sister of the Duke of Sutherland, and an 
 elderly woman', together with a daughter of the Sove- 
 reign, who is the wife of the son of the Indian Secretary, 
 came forward. Having shaken hands and strolled a 
 space in the garden, we went into a room, sat down to 
 table, and ate some fruit. The Duke of Sutherland was 
 also of the party. We then went down into the garden, 
 where a tent was pitched, in which we took a seat. 
 A Scotch individual, in the Scotch garb, came and for a 
 while played the pipe and drone (bagpipes). Another 
 individual in the Scotch garb, danced a Scotch dance. 
 He arranged four swords on a round board, and for a 
 time danced about the swords. 
 
 An individual of celebrity, whose name is Viteston 
 (Sir Charles Wheatstone, F.R.S.), has invented a kind 
 
chap, iv.] England. 
 
 of telegraph, such that when, for instance, you converse 
 by its means from London to Tehran, the sentence 
 becomes printed upon paper, and can be read with perfect 
 facility. They had set one up in the garden ; we went 
 and saw it in operation. 
 
 We then returned, and alighted in Hyde Park at a 
 structure which the Sovereign has reared to the memory 
 of her husband (Prince) Albert, which we inspected. It 
 is all of stone and has upon it most beautiful sculptures, 
 in which they have represented the celebrities, the poets, 
 and the painters of the world, and others, in stone ; the 
 reason being that (Prince) Albert himself was a man of 
 science and of art. The crowd, however, prevented us 
 from examining it properly; so we turned away, mounted 
 our carriage, went home, and in the evening drove to the 
 theatre of Drulelam (Drury-Lane Theatre). 
 
 In the streets the crowds were prodigious. We reached 
 the Theatre, where the Heir- Apparent of England had 
 also come. He met me, and gave me his hand. We 
 went up into jn, box near the stage and took our seats. 
 Prince Alfred came also. There was an opera, and also 
 a ballet. They sang and danced charmingly. The 
 dancers were graceful and prettily dressed. The theatre 
 has five tiers of seats. It is somewhat small, but very 
 pretty. There was a young woman, a celebrated singer, 
 of the name of Nelson (Nielson), from Sweden, whom 
 the Heir- Apparent caused to be sent up, and with whom 
 some conversation was had. She was very loquacious 
 and shrewd. She goes every year to the theatres of (St.) 
 Peter (sburg), the New World, &c, and makes a large 
 
214 Diary of a Tour m Europe, [chap. iv. 
 
 income. She is now married to a Frenchman of the 
 name of Gousseau. 
 
 The play over, we passed, in returning home, by St. 
 James's Palace. The palace is an ancient building; and 
 the Court of England is still designated as the Court of 
 St. James. The Sovereign used formerly to sit there 
 in state (at drawing-rooms) ; but since the death of her 
 husband she has never gone there. At present, the 
 mother of the Duke of Cambridge is held to reside there. 
 We reached home. 
 
 Yesterday the Sani'u-'d-Dawla left to go to Paris, in 
 order to arrange our halting-places and the like. 
 
 Well ; had we the wish to write as they deserve all the 
 particulars of the city of London or of all England, we 
 should have to write a voluminous Histoiy of England ; 
 but during a stay of only eighteen days in London it 
 really has not been possible to write more than we have 
 done. In justice (we can but say that), the demeanour 
 of the English, and everything of theirs, is extremely 
 well regulated and governed, and admirable. In respect 
 to populousness, the wealth of the people, the commerce, 
 the arts, business, and dolce far niente, they are the 
 chief of all nations. 
 
 Saturday, 9th (5th July). — To-day we have to go to 
 the seaport of Cherbourg, in France. In the morning 
 early I arose from sleep. During these eighteen days of 
 our stay in London, every day has been cloudy. Many 
 purchases, too, have been made in London. 
 
 Well ; the Heir- Apparent of England, Lord Granville, 
 — the Foreign Secretary, Lord Sarni (Lord Sydney?), 
 
chap, iv.] England. 215 
 
 Prince Alfred, Prince Arthur, and others came. We 
 mounted a carriage and drove for the station. Large 
 crowds were present, showing great regret. It was 
 evident that the people of England were all sorry and 
 grieved in their hearts at our departure. We arrived at 
 the Victoria Station, where the Heir-Apparent took 
 leave and returned. Prince Alfred, however, with Prince 
 Arthur and the Grand- Vazir, took seats in our car. 
 The son of the Hakimu-'l-Mamalik remained behind in 
 London to study. 
 
 We started for the seaport town of Portsmouth, the 
 journey occupying three hours, or less. But on our 
 arrival (in England) we did not travel by this road. In 
 (point of) proximity the (proper) port (for proceeding 
 from London to the continent) is connected with our 
 former route. The following are among the towns and 
 populous places through which we passed : Mitcham, 
 Epsom, Dorking, Horsham, Arundel, Chichester. 
 
 We reached the seaport town, where crowds were 
 collected. They fired guns from the forts and ships. 
 The Admiral-in- Chief resident there, Reaucham Seymur 
 (Rear-Admiral Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour, 
 C.B.), received us; after which we went on board a 
 French ship, — a vessel named " L'Aigle," which had 
 belonged to Napoleon III., he having ordered it to be 
 built as a yacht for himself; but now that a republic has 
 come about, its name has been changed, and they have 
 called her " Rapide." She is a beautiful ship. 
 
 We breakfasted. M. Nicholas — the French Inter- 
 preter, together with the interpreter Biberstein, M. 
 
2 1 6 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. if. 
 
 Meline— newly-appointed French Envoy to Tehran, M. 
 Bel — lately French Charge d'Affaires in Tehran, M. Blie 
 — captain of the ship, and the other naval officers, were 
 received in audience. A few minutes later the ship 
 started on the voyage. The direct, best, and nearest 
 route is that by the port of Dover, in England, to Calais, 
 a French port, which is a sea voyage of only one 
 hour and a half; whereas, by this route from Ports- 
 mouth to Cherbourg, the sea voyage is of eight hours' 
 duration. 
 
 Well ; there was another ship behind us, in which our 
 household and the rest were embarked. Four large 
 English ships of war, too, were on both sides of us as (a 
 convoy of) honour. As soon as we got to sea the waves 
 arose; the weather, too, was cloudy and hazy. Every 
 one became so unwell that not an individual could either 
 walk about or sit down. They all fell prostrate. I my- 
 self became so ill that I went and lay down until we 
 arrived near to the port of Cherbourg. Eight tillers 
 (sail) of French men-of-war came out to mid-channel to 
 meet us. They fired many guns. The English ships, 
 too, having fired guns, consigned us to the French and 
 returned. 
 
 We arrived at our port by the time of sunset, the ship 
 dropped anchor, all became quiet, and we had dinner. 
 
 French officials, as here below detailed, came onboard : 
 Vice-Admiral Penhoat, — Marine Prefect of the town of 
 Cherbourg, Vice-Admiral Begnaud, — Naval Commander- 
 in-Chief, General Dumoulin, — Commanding-in-Chief 
 the forces at Cherbourg, M. Vaultier, — Prefect of the 
 
CHAP. IV.] 
 
 England. 
 
 217 
 
 Department of La Manche, M. Larnac, — Prefect of the 
 town of Cherbourg ; as also other officials, adjutants, &c, 
 military and naval ; who were received in audience and 
 returned. On board the men-of-war a beautiful illumi- 
 nation and exhibition of fireworks took place. 
 
 1 The Persian word "padshah," rendered by "Sovereign" in this work, 
 applies to Emperors, Kings, or Queens equally. There is no exact 
 -equivalent for either in Persian. — J. W. E. 
 
CHAPTEE V. 
 
 FRANCE, GENEVA; 19 DAYS. 
 
 UNDAY, 10th (6th July),— To-day we have to 
 reach Paris. We rose early in the morning, 
 went down into a boat, and pushed off for 
 the shore. The weather was very cold. We 
 arrived at the landing, — a very handsome flight of steps. 
 A very pretty and choice triumphal arch had been erected 
 also, of flowers and shrubs, bunches of flowers, chande- 
 liers and the like, various devices with weapons — such as 
 pistols, muskets, lance -heads, &c. In truth, they had 
 displayed talent. 
 
 We went up the steps ; a numerous assemblage of 
 officials, military, naval, and civil, national guards, 
 Government clerks, and the like, were drawn up in 
 ranks; and the Prefect of La Manche presented the 
 whole. I, too, inquired after their healths. And thus 
 we reached the train and took our seats in a carriage, 
 which had yet to wait a little. 
 
 The majority of the women and men in France are 
 small made and attenuated of limb ; they are not like the 
 inhabitants of Russia, Germany, and England, but more 
 resemble the people of the East. 
 
 The fortifications of Cherbourg are very strong. Facing 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 219 
 
 the sea, it has turrets and batteries of great power ; 
 and on the land side also, it has its works and a wide 
 ditch always full of water. The capture of this city by 
 force would be a very difficult matter. The town is 
 not so very large, but it has a population of more than 
 thirty-seven thousand souls. It is an excellent harbour* 
 The commencements of the forts date from the clays of 
 the first Napoleon ; they were completed in the time of 
 Napoleon III., but some work is still going on. 
 
 Well; our train started. To-day we traversed the 
 province of Normandy, — a beautiful countiy, abounding 
 with produce. Extensive meadows, trees, flowers, grass, 
 in abundance were there. Beautiful oxen, mares, sheep, 
 are kept in great numbers, by reason of the plentiful 
 pasturages which they possess. We saw quantities of 
 shrubs and of tamarisk-trees, which cause it to resemble 
 Persia. To-day I saw the greater part of the flowers and 
 trees of Persia in these parts, such as the willow, the 
 "tabiizi", the tamarisk, and others. The surface of 
 the soil hereabouts is all up-hill and down- dale, with 
 many peaks. The apples of the province are famous for 
 their good quality ; and we saw large numbers of apple- 
 trees. 
 
 Well; we reached the city of Caen, the capital of 
 Normandy. We stopped there half an hour, when break- 
 fast was taken. It is a very pretty town. After leaving 
 it, we passed through many " holes in mountains," one 
 of them being about a league in length. During the 
 transit (through these), one feels a very suffocating kind 
 of sensation about the heart. From Cherbourg to Paris 
 
220 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 the journey by rail occupies eight hours, and the distance 
 is ninety leagues. At about an hour to sunset we arrived 
 in the environs of Paris ; we passed over the river Seine 
 by a bridge that is outside the city, and so entered into 
 the capital. Thence, taking the line of railway that goes 
 all round the city within the continuous walls, we reached 
 the quarter named Passy, where the whole of the present 
 Government and leading men of France, together with a 
 crowd of spectators, were awaiting us. 
 
 The Sani'u-'d-Dawla, Marshal MacMahon — the pre- 
 sent Chief of the French Government, the Duke de 
 Broglie — the newly appointed Minister of Foreign 
 Affairs, other officials, ministers, &c, were at the station. 
 We alighted ; compliments passed with the Marshal and 
 the Foreign Minister. There was an avenue that they 
 had carpeted and greatly ornamented. We walked a 
 certain distance on foot, and the Marshal presented the 
 commanders, the military officers, and others, until we 
 reached a carriage, in which we took our seat with the 
 Grand-Vazir, the Marshal, and the Minister for Foreign 
 Affairs. Our suite, too, were seated in other carriages. 
 We started, and a volley of cannon was fired. From that 
 place to the Corps Legislatif, our appointed quarters, on 
 both sides of the road were posted infantry of the line, 
 cavalry, and gens-d'armes, all in beautiful uniforms. 
 Behind the ranks of the troops crowds of spectators were 
 standing. We passed through the Bois de Boulogne, 
 which is outside of the fortifications ; again entered the 
 enceinte of the city ; went along the Avenue de la Grande 
 Armee, and arrived at the Arc de Triomphe, which is one 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 221 
 
 of the grand structures of the first Napoleon, is built of 
 stone, and on it are sculptured, within, without, and 
 all round, the battles of that leader. It is a very impos- 
 ing pile ; but in the late wars with Prussia, great damage 
 has been done to it by cannon-balls. 
 
 The interior of the Arc de Triomphe was carpeted, 
 chairs were placed there, and much ornamentation had 
 been achieved. Here we alighted and sat a while. The 
 Governor of the city, a fat man and bulky, named M. 
 Duval, came with the " Kalantar " (mayor), and made a 
 speech, to which we replied. Several persons charged to 
 represent the Deputies of the city of Paris came also and 
 made a speech, which we answered. We then rose, re- 
 mounted our carriage, and entered the avenue of the 
 Champs Elysees, which is very spacious and pleasing. 
 On both sides of all these avenues through which we 
 passed they have planted handsome trees, and built 
 beautifully-grand houses. And so we reached the Place 
 de la Concorde, where they have erected a lofty obelisk 
 brought from Egypt. This is a charming public place, 
 having two basins of water with fountains. The fountains 
 do not always play ; but whenever they wish, they cause 
 them to flow. Passing by a bridge over the Seine, we 
 entered the edifice which they have assigned to us. At 
 the foot of the steps of this edifice M. Buffet, — the actual 
 President of the National Assembly, together with some 
 of the Deputies, made a speech based on congratulations 
 for our arrival ; and we replied thereto. 
 
 We went upstairs. It has rooms and halls spacious 
 and very handsome. The bedstead which they had pre- 
 
222 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 pared for us, was the bedstead of the first Napoleon at 
 the time when he espoused Marie Louise, daughter of the 
 Sovereign of Austria. 
 
 To-day we noticed a singular frame of mind in the 
 French. First of all, they still keep up the state of 
 mourning that followed the German war, and they are all, 
 young or old, sorrowful and melancholy. The dresses of 
 the women, ladies, and men, are all dresses used for mourn- 
 ing ; with little ornamentation, and very plain. Now and 
 then some of the people shouted: "Vive le Marechal," 
 " Vive le Schah de Perse ; " from another one I heard, 
 as I strolled about by night, a loud voice saying : " May 
 his reign and rule be firm and enduring." From the 
 whole of these (circumstances) it becomes evident that 
 there are at present in France numerous parties who 
 desire a monarchy ; but they are in three sections, one 
 desiring the son of Napoleon, another the dynast}^ of 
 Louis-Philippe, and the third Henry the Fifth, who is of 
 the Bourbon family ; and although this and the family of 
 Louis-Philippe are really one race, they have distinctions. 
 The wishers for a republic, on the other hand, have great 
 power ; but they are not all of one mind. Some are for 
 n Ked Kepublic, which is a fundamental commonweal. 
 Others are for a moderate republic, in which monarchical 
 institutions shall be found, without a monarch's existing. 
 Others again wish otherwise. Among all these diversities 
 of opinion it is now a very difficult matter to govern, and 
 the consequences of these incidents will surely eventuate 
 in many difficulties, unless that all combine on one plan 
 and establish either a pure monarchy or a pure republic. 
 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 
 
 Then, France is the most powerful of States, and all 
 must take her into their calculations ; whereas, with all 
 these dissidences it is a difficult matter for her to preserve 
 her institutions. 
 
 Well ; the troops drawn up to-day in line were nearly 
 twenty thousand in number. This edifice which is 
 allotted to us as our residence, was formerly the Council- 
 House, i.e., the House for the meeting of the Deputies 
 of the nation. Since the expulsion of the third Napoleon 
 from the sovereignty, and the establishment of a re- 
 public in France, the Deputies and the Government have 
 all gone to Versailles, and have left the city of Paris 
 entirely void of the governmental administrations. The 
 -city of Paris is now in reality the property of the 
 peasantry and common people, who do whatever they 
 like, as. the Government has no adequate means of re- 
 pression. The palace of the Tuileries, which was the 
 finest building in the world, is now a mass of ruins, as 
 the men of the Commune set fire to it. Nothing remains 
 of the palace but its walls. We were sadly grieved for 
 this ; but, thanks be to God, the palace of the Louvre, 
 which adjoins that of the Tuileries, has been saved and 
 is not destroyed. 
 
 The Hotel- de-Ville, one of the fine buildings of the 
 world, and the Palace of the Legion of Honour, were 
 entirely burnt. The column of the Place Vendome, 
 which the first Napoleon cast out of the materials of the 
 enemy's guns, and on which he set up his own statue, 
 pourtraying all his wars around the same, has been 
 broken up by the Commune, and carried away, so that 
 
224 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 nothing of it remains but the block that was the base of 
 the column. 
 
 Paris is a beautiful and graceful city, with a delicious 
 climate. It generally enjoys sunshine, thus much re- 
 sembling the climate of Persia. 
 
 In the evening we mounted a carriage and drove about 
 the city with the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk and General Arture.. 
 We passed through the Hue de Rivoli and the Boulevard 
 Sevastopol, — well-known thoroughfares, through the 
 Place Vendome, and by the palace of the Tuileries, near 
 to certain bazaars and the like. The lamps of the cit}- 
 are all illuminated with gas ; so that it is a very bright,, 
 beautiful, and charming city. Numbers of people were 
 seated in carriages and driving about ; or, seated in the 
 cafes and similar places, were enjoying themselves. 
 
 The river Seine is not like the river Thames. It has 
 less width and less water. Large ships cannot navigate it. 
 
 Within our palace there is a pretty little garden, with 
 a basin of water and a fountain of porphyry in three 
 stages. A tent, too, has been erected there. From 
 here one can go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which 
 has been assigned as quarters for our princes. It is a 
 grand and beautiful building, where formerly the depart- 
 ment of the Minister for Foreign Affairs was located. It 
 has a very pretty flower-garden ; and a small fountain 
 throws up its water. The upper floor of our palace 
 possesses a handsome bath-room, which I admired ex- 
 ceedingly, and which is supplied with hot and cold water, 
 so that in whichever way one wishes to have it, there is 
 no difficult}'. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 225 
 
 Monday, 11th (7th July). — After breakfast we mounted 
 our carriage and set out for a drive about town. We 
 passed along a street named Parc-Monceau — a veiy 
 beautiful street, by a very pretty flower-garden, and 
 arrived at the Arc de Triompbe, going from thence to- 
 wards the Bois de Boulogne, where we first visited the 
 Jardin d' Acclimatisation. Here we alighted and entered 
 the garden. There were some flowers ; and there was 
 a place built up of rocks, like a natural mountain. 
 Passing by these, we came to the park for wild 
 animals, and for birds. They had prepared nettings of 
 wire around rooms, and within these they had set up 
 trees and introduced water for the use of the animals 
 and birds. We here saw various kinds of birds 
 and of parrots from the New World, Africa, India, 
 and Australia. There were also monkeys and other 
 things. There is an animal called the kangaroo, that 
 is found in Australia, — very similar to the jerboa. It 
 is a singular thing ; it jumps swiftly, but cannot 
 walk. Its fore-legs are short, its hind-legs long. It 
 must jump always. It is of the size of a large jackaL 
 The female has a pouch on the lower part of her 
 belly, where she puts her young after they are born, 
 and so jumps and runs about. They are very swift 
 runners. 
 
 There were some very curious pheasants, with beau- 
 tiful plumage, of all colours, that we saw also. There 
 were likewise two elephants on which litters were 
 arranged, and so women and children rode about on 
 them. There was also a droshka in which a man was 
 
 Q 
 
226 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, t 
 
 seated, harnessed to an ostrich, which drew it about 
 easily, having the strength of a small horse. 
 
 After a long stroll, we went to the aquarium, which 
 resembled those of other countries, but was very circum- 
 scribed and of no account. The Director of these 
 gardens and plants is (M.) Drouin de l'Huys, who for- 
 merly, in the time of Napoleon, was Minister of Foreign 
 Affairs. He was not himself present, but was repre- 
 sented by his substitute (M.) Geoffroy de Saint- Hilaire, 
 who pointed out to us the plants, and other objects. 
 
 We now mounted again and went for a drive in the 
 Bois de Boulogne, where there was an island in the 
 midst of a piece of water. We got into a boat and went 
 there. A military officer chanced to be present on the 
 island, who gave us some account of the circumstances 
 of the war, and pointed out to us where cannon-shot 
 and musket-balls had struck the trees. The greater 
 part of the trees bore the marks of shot ; from which it 
 was evident that severe engagements had occurred in 
 that neighbourhood, both with the Prussians and with 
 the Commune. At the further end of the island there 
 was a small wooden pavilion called Pavilion de l'lm- 
 peratrice, i.e., the pavilion of the wife of Napoleon. It 
 was built of wood, was very handsome, and small. 
 
 Having admired this for a while, we returned to the 
 other side of the water, remounted our carriage, and, 
 wandering as we went, drove home. 
 
 Again in the evening we went out, and noticed a 
 covered bazaar, like a corridor. Here we made a few 
 purchases and returned to our palace. 
 
*OHAP. V.] 
 
 France, Geneva. 
 
 227 
 
 It is extremely difficult to write up our diary in Paris 
 day by day and in detail. Our strolls about the beautiful 
 promenades by night as well as by day leave no chance 
 for us to carry on the diary. However, all that is needful 
 ■shall be entered in a succinct manner. 
 
 One day the members of the Diplomatic Corps came 
 all to an audience. There is here an Ambassador, or a 
 Minister, or a Charge d' Affaires, from every Govern- 
 ment, — even from Japan, and from the Eepublic of the 
 Island of Haiti. The Ambasosadrs were : Chigi — the 
 Papal Nuncio, i.e., the envoy of the Pope; Lord Lyons — 
 Ambassador of England ; Olozaga — Ambassador of 
 Spain ; Prince Orloff — Ambassador of "Russia, whose 
 left eye was struck by a ball at the siege of Silistria 
 during the Crimean war, and became injured ; he also 
 received other wounds from sabre-cuts and the like ; he 
 had a black bandage tightly bound over his injured 
 eye ; Appony — Ambassador of Austria ; Server Pasha — 
 Ambassador of Turkey ; M. Nigra — Envoy of Italy ; Mr. 
 Washburn — Envoy of the United States of America ; 
 Naonobon Sameshima — Envoy of Japan. 
 
 We here received also Prince Menschikoff, who attended 
 us in Kussia, and Mirza, 'Abdu-'r-KahJm Khan, the 
 Sa'idu-'l-Mulk, (Persian) Envoy at (St.) Peter(sburg). 
 Furthermore, we received M. Pichon, M. Miniac, and 
 M. Sartiges, former French Envoys at Tehran, as well 
 as M. Mouny, a former French Charge d'Affaires at that 
 capital. They were all fatter, and all younger looking. 
 
 One day after breakfast we went to the palace and 
 park of Versailles. The weather was very sultry. We 
 
 q 2 
 
228 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 went in state. There were great crowds on both sides of 
 the road. We passed along the Champs Elysees, by the 
 Arc de Triomphe, through the Bois de Boulogne, and 
 across the river Seine. The prefect and other authorities 
 of the department of Seine et Oise, a separate depart- 
 ment on the other side of the river, came to an audience 
 and delivered an address, to which we replied. We then 
 proceeded through the town of Sevres — famous for its 
 manufactory of porcelain, the village of Chaville, and 
 the village of Ville-D'Avray, so reaching Versailles. 
 Troops of cavalry and infantry were drawn out, and stood 
 in a line on either side of our road. Great crowds were 
 also collected. 
 
 We went to a mansion that was the residence of M. 
 Buffet, the President of the National Assembly, and one 
 of the palaces built by Louis XIV. ; that is to sa} T , the 
 whole of Versailles, palace and park, was called into 
 existence by him. I saw some beautiful paintings and 
 portraits in these few rooms. The whole palace is of 
 stone, and very solidly built. It is the first building 
 of the Franks in point of sculptures, paintings, and 
 architecture. 
 
 M. Buffet came to meet us at the bottom of the stairs, 
 the other Ministers of the Government being present. 
 We went upstairs into a room, and sat down on a chair. 
 The wife of M. Buffet came into our presence. We then 
 rose ; and by the same route through which we had 
 arrived, we returned ; until, at about half way, we came 
 to a palace where Marshal MacMahon has his quarters. 
 Alighting there, the Marshal, with other commanders, 
 
chap, t.] France, Geneva. 229 
 
 met us, and we went upstairs, taking a seat in a room. 
 That place was also an imposing, handsome, and highly 
 decorated palace, heing part of the pile of Versailles. 
 The wife of the Marshal was received in our presence. 
 She is a very noble woman. The Marshal has one son, 
 grown up, apparently of about seventeen or eighteen 
 years of age ; also two daughters. They came into 
 the room. The Due de Broglie — Minister of Foreign 
 Affairs — was also there. 
 
 We now descended ; we and the Marshal took seats 
 in a carriage, went into the gardens of Versailles, and 
 drove about. They have many basins and fountains of 
 water, the source of which, like that of the fountains at 
 the Crystal Palace of London, is derived from a steam- 
 engine. They had opened the sources and let the water 
 on in the fountains. There was a lake below the basins 
 and fountains, very beautiful and spacious avenues, forest 
 trees, the heads of which were all intertwined so as to 
 form a kind of roof, with every here and there a circular 
 open space of grass with trees around, having in the 
 centre a large basin with a fountain of great altitude. 
 It is a very charming place. 
 
 One spot was formed into a kind of artificial mountain, 
 with a cascade falling from the mountain. Several 
 marble statues were placed behind the cascade, — one, a 
 group named Apollo, who was the specific deity of manly 
 beauty, of light, and of poetry. He is adorning (him- 
 self), the others round him are holding a mirror, flowers, 
 or implements of the toilet. It was so beautiful a piece 
 of statuary, that one could not even imagine it. I 
 
230 Diary of a Tour hi Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 formed the desire to go up near to these statues under 
 the cascade. The Marshal and General Arture said it 
 would be very difficult to go there, as the path was 
 altogether precipitous, of rocks, and steep. I said I 
 would go ; I alighted from the carriage, and went up. It 
 is true that the way was disagreeable ; but to us, who- 
 had seen and traversed much worse paths in the hunting- 
 grounds of Persia, it offered no difficulty. When we had 
 arrived near the statues, General Arture came (also) ; 
 but, meeting with a fall, all his clothes were bemired, and 
 his sword was either bent or broken. The Marshal like- 
 wise came up ; but with great difficulty, and with the 
 assistance of several persons. But this manner of 
 getting up there by a Marshal and a general of France r 
 is in no way derogatory to their firmness and courage.. 
 Well ; the statues were very beautiful, though somewhat 
 soiled, and covered with cobwebs. 
 
 Coming clown from there, we went to another place 
 made like a circus. In the middle of it were a basin of 
 water and a fountain, and all round it two rows of stone 
 columns. Between these columns was a tall stone basin 
 on a pedestal, from the middle of which a very lofty 
 fountain spouted. There were about eighty or ninety 
 basins of water, from each one of which a fountain 
 sprang, the whole of the columns, fountains, and floor r 
 &c, being of stone. 
 
 In like manner, in other parts of the garden, there are 
 numerous fountains, marble statues, and other adorn- 
 ments, with many spacious and beautiful avenues, to do 
 full justice to which, in writing their description, is an 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 
 
 impossibility : what is requisite is that a person should 
 see the whole for himself. Women and men, spectators, 
 had formed a rare crush ; they uttered cries, they 
 shouted hurrahs. 
 
 We turned back and went upstairs in the palace, 
 strolling about for a while through the apartments. 
 Marshal Canrobert, and Palikao — who commanded the 
 expedition to China, were received in audience, and con- 
 versed with. Palikao is now unemployed. He said that 
 from want of something to do, he was engaged in 
 writing a diary of (his expedition to) China. Canrobert 
 is also out of employ, but is a very able commander,, 
 possessing judgment and firmness. In the SebastopoL 
 war he commanded in chief, and at the siege of Metz 
 was under the command of Marshal Bazaine. At the 
 surrender of that fortress to the Germans he was among 
 the captives, and was greatly mortified at being under 
 Bazaine's command. 
 
 We next saw the sons of Louis-Philippe. In the 
 time of Napoleon they were expelled from France and 
 went to England, returning to the French territory after 
 the republic (had been proclaimed). We saw two of 
 them to-day; one, the Due d'Aumale; the other, the 
 Prince cle Joinville. The Due d'Aumale is a very 
 talented man ; de Joinville is also a handsome prince,, 
 but is somewhat hard of hearing. The Comte de Paris,, 
 grandson to Louis-Philippe, and heir to the royalty of the 
 House of Orleans, was not there ; i.e., he had gone to a 
 house that he possesses at a summer station near Paris* 
 We had some conversation with the princes, who then 
 
232 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 retired. They are now deputies in the Assembly on the 
 part of the people. As they were officers in the military 
 {and naval) service in the time of their father, so they 
 now also, on state occasions, wear military (or naval) 
 uniforms. They have a claim to the sovereignty of 
 France, up to the point which God may ordain. The 
 names and orders of these princes are the following : the 
 eldest son of Louis -Philippe is the Due de Nemours ; 
 after him, de Joinville ; next, the Due d'Aumale ; and 
 then the Due de Monpensier — who is now in Spain and 
 has a claim to the sovereignty of that country. The 
 Comte de Paris is a grandson of Louis-Philippe, and son 
 of the Due d' Orleans, who was a son of Louis-Philippe, 
 and his heir-apparent ; when he fell from his carriage 
 and died, his son became the heir-apparent. 
 
 Well ; after a while Marshal MacMahon came, and we 
 went to the room in which is the bedstead, with the 
 bedding, of Louis XIV. After seeing these we went to 
 table to dinner. The table was very long ; the dinner 
 very good. The most part of those present were mili- 
 tary commanders and officers, deputies, and the like. 
 On our right was seated M. Buffet, the President of the 
 Assembly ; to our left, the Minister of Foreign Affairs. 
 Opposite to us was Marshal MacMahon, with the Grand- 
 Yazir to his right. In like manner, the princes of 
 Persia, with the others, were seated along the two sides. 
 The Sani'u-'d-Dawla stood behind our chair and acted 
 as interpreter. It passed off very pleasantry. 
 
 The (dining-) hall was a long apartment, very hand- 
 some, and highly decorated, with numerous chandeliers. 
 
■chap, v.] France, Geneva. 233 
 
 After dinner we came down stairs, and I, with the 
 Marshal, took my seat in a carriage,, proceeding to 
 witness the illuminations of the palace and gardens. 
 Armour-wearing cavaky, each man holding a flambeau in 
 Lis hand, preceded us ; and the crowds were very great. 
 Afterwards we turned in another direction of the 
 gardens, where there was a lake. The further side of 
 this was arranged in stages, over which water flowed as 
 in a cascade, while fountains spouted from the basins. 
 Great numbers of commanders and grandees, the 
 members of the Diplomatic Bodj^, nobles, notables, 
 deputies, and others, were present. They had placed a 
 chair, and on it we took our seat. Then all sat down, 
 and a very beautiful display of fireworks took place. It 
 was moonlight ; the weather, too, was extremely beautiful 
 and pleasant. 
 
 At the conclusion of the fireworks we mounted our 
 carriage, and went past St. Cloud — which was a noble 
 royal palace, but took fire, and was burnt in the German 
 war, though its avenues and park are still left, — through 
 the Bois de Boulogne, to the city, and home. On our 
 road we everywhere conversed with General Arture. 
 
 One day we went to the Invalides, where are seen the 
 tomb of the first Napoleon, those of his commanders 
 and brothers, together with others of older commanders 
 of the days of Louis XIV., &c. At our quarters, which 
 were formerly the Palace of the National Assembly, i.e., 
 at the Palais de Bourbon, there is a vast area fronting 
 the Invalides, with avenues full of trees. We arrived 
 there. The aged veteran soldiers, wounded, some with- 
 
234 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, v, 
 
 out arms or legs, and some blind, were drawn up in line, 
 and did us military honour, we returning their salute. 
 In the court of the Invalides are some large old cannon,, 
 mortars, and the like. The Governor of the Invalides,. 
 a very aged personage, and palsied, was present, whose 
 name was Martinprai. He came to meet us with his 
 aides-de-camp and other officers. He was formerly a 
 Governor in Algeria, and Chief of the Staff in the 
 Crimean and Italian campaigns. 
 
 We entered the chapel, where was a handsome altar of* 
 stone, with gilt-work, which Louis-Philippe, the former 
 King of the French, had set up. It is a grand structure.. 
 On the other side of the altar, under a dome, is the tomb 
 of the first Napoleon, whose body was brought from the 
 island of St. Helena by Louis-Philippe, and buried here.. 
 The stone that covers the tomb, of a pea-green colour, 
 was brought from the island of Corsica ; while the stone 
 above that, a most beautiful Siberian stone, with a ruddy 
 tint, was sent by the Eussian Emperor Nicholas. The 
 general structure of this chapel of the Invalides is of 
 the time of Louis XIV. ; but the altar and some other of 
 its arrangements were constructed by Louis-Philippe. 
 It was the latter who excavated the interior of the dome, 
 in which the sarcophagus of the tomb is placed. Around 
 it, above, is a walk to which people come to visit the 
 tomb. The palace of the Invalides is a very noble pile,, 
 the dome of which was gilt by Napoleon. 
 
 We saw there a few veterans who had been in the 
 battles of Waterloo, Friedland, or Iena, who were still 
 hale and hearty, and who gave descriptions of those 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 235 
 
 battles. The following are their names : Captain 
 Ducheinin, Chassy, Branche. 
 
 On the other side of the tomb was a place where, in a 
 glass case, they had placed the hat worn in his battles by 
 the first Napoleon. We lifted the hat and examined it 
 long. We held in our hands the hat of a very great 
 monarch and commander. It was evident from the hat 
 itself that Napoleon had always worn this very hat which 
 was a plain hat. The sword of Napoleon that was by 
 his side on the field of Austerlitz, was also there. We 
 took it up, and examined it. The sword was small and 
 straight ; its hilt was of gold, but the sword was rusted, 
 and could not be drawn from the scabbard. With the 
 utmost veneration did we replace both articles, and came 
 away. 
 
 We now proceeded to the museum, in which they have 
 collected and arranged specimens of ancient and modern 
 cannon, with inventions relating thereto, ancient weapons 
 of commanders and champions of old, quantities of 
 armour for man and horse, all ticketed with a number 
 and with the names of their owners. There were also 
 other places used as armories, &c, but, as we were 
 somewhat fatigued, we deferred to another day a visit 
 to them, and returned home. 
 
 The present number of inmates of the Invalides, offi- 
 cers and men, is five hundred and ninety souls. Of these,, 
 thirty-five are from the clays of the first Napoleon, the 
 rest from later times. The palace was founded in a.d. 
 1670 by order of Louis XIV., Louvois being then the 
 Minister of War, and its builder. 
 
-2 2,6 Diary of a Tour in Europe. l chap. v. 
 
 There are thirty-two pieces of artillery at the gates of 
 ihe Invalides, which are fired when any event of import- 
 .ance occurs, such as a great victory or the like. On our 
 arrival in Paris, too, these guns of the Invalides were 
 fired. 
 
 The flags taken from the enemy in battle in the time 
 of the first Napoleon, and since, are kept at the Invalides, 
 ^as are also those taken in the days of Louis XIV., down- 
 wards. Around the tomb of Napoleon forty-six flags are 
 -disposed, taken by himself in battles ; while within the 
 chapel other two hundred and fort} T -five flags are seen, 
 taken at earlier periods, or later. 
 
 The following are some of the commanders of France 
 (Marshals), ancient and modern, buried in the Invalides, 
 where most of those officers have their tombs : Turenne, 
 Vauban, Lannes, Colbert, — who were marshals and 
 ministers of Louis XIV. ; Mortier, Jourdain, — generals 
 of the first Napoleon. Around the tomb of Napoleon are 
 those of Jerome, his brother, of Marshal Duroc, and of 
 Marshal Bertrand. 
 
 Three days before our arrival in France, two trains 
 •came into collision on the Cherbourg Kailway, when a 
 number of people were killed or wounded. 
 
 M. Cremieux, one of the French national deputies, and 
 a Jew, who was always in opposition to Napoleon III., 
 and is a marvellous orator, came to an audience. He is 
 an old man, and very short. He still speaks in the 
 Assembly, and is in opposition to the Government. 
 
 The celebrated Kothschild, a Jew also, who is exceed- 
 ingly rich, came to an audience, and we conversed with 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 237 
 
 him. He greatly advocated the cause of the Jews, men- 
 tioned the Jews of Persia, and claimed tranquillity for 
 them. I said to him : "I have heard that you, brothers,. 
 possess a thousand crores of money. I consider the best 
 thing to do would be that you should pay fifty crores to 
 some large or small State, and buy a territory in which 
 you could collect all the Jews of the whole world, you 
 becoming their chiefs, and leading them on their way in 
 peace, so that you should no longer be thus scattered and 
 dispersed." We laughed heartily, and he made no reply. 
 I gave him an assurance that I do protect every alien 
 nationality that is in Persia. 
 
 M. Lesseps, so well known, who has joined the Medi- 
 terranean to the Ked Sea, — i.e., a large company having 
 been formed, has, through the exertions of this personage, 
 opened that road, and by this means shortened for com- 
 merce the passage to India, Persia, China, &c, from 
 Europe, by about two thousand leagues, — came to an 
 audience, together with his son, a youth. He has now a 
 fresh scheme in his head, — that of making a railway from 
 the town of Orenburg in Eussia to the city of Samarqand, 
 and thence on to Peshawur in British India. But this is 
 a notion very remote (from reason) and distant (from 
 practicability) . 
 
 Nadar, a Parisian photographer of talent, had an. 
 audience, and took our photograph. Formerly, he has 
 several times made ascents in balloons ; but has now 
 dropped that fancy, and occupies himself with his photo- 
 graphy. He is a pleasant man and corpulent. 
 
 M. Tardieu, Chief of the Sanitary Council of Paris,, 
 
238 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 had an audience, together with Larrey, a distinguished 
 surgeon, and son of the Larrey who was Surgeon-in- 
 Chief to Napoleon L, and Jules Cloquet, uncle to the 
 Cloquet who was Principal Physician to the late Shah 
 (Muhammad Shah, father of the present monarch), and 
 also physician to ourselves, who of himself by night in- 
 advertently at Tehran drank some (tincture of) cantharides 
 in lieu of wine, and died (in consequence). 
 
 M. Boure', a former Minister Plenipotentiary at Tehran, 
 and subsequently Ambassador at Constantinople and else- 
 where in the time of Napoleon III., was also received and 
 conversed with at length. He is a man of ability. 
 
 Well; very many Prussian shots struck this very 
 Palais Bourbon, so that the marks thereof are still 
 patent. 
 
 One day we went to Longchamps to a review of troops. 
 We breakfasted and mounted our carriage. All (our 
 suite) accompanied us. We went by way of the Champs 
 Elysees, the Arc de Triomphe, and the Bois de Boulogne. 
 In the middle of this latter Marshal MacMahon was 
 waiting with (a number of) generals, officers, and others, 
 on horseback. There were also great multitudes of 
 women and men. The Due de Nemours, — eldest son of 
 Louis-Philippe, whom we had not before seen, was also 
 there, mounted, and we conversed with him. I, too, 
 alighted from my carriage, and mounted my charger 
 " Blaze." 
 
 General Ladmirault, the Commandant of the garrison 
 of Paris, together with his staff, i.e., his aides-de-camp, 
 was present. 
 
■chap, v.] France, Geneva. 239 
 
 Well; in this very order did we proceed and came 
 upon the armour-wearing cavalry — the Cuirassiers, and 
 the light cavalry — the Hussards. They were drawn up 
 on either side (of our road), and were a thousand strong. 
 
 After passing down between these cavalry, we went on 
 to the plain and meadow of Longchamps — a spacious 
 piece of grassland. To our left an artificial mountain 
 had been constructed, down which much water poured, 
 like a waterfall, and which is a part of the Bois de 
 Boulogne. 
 
 The regular troops (on the ground), too, were about a 
 liundred and twenty battalions ; but each battalion had 
 only about four or five hundred men present, not more ; 
 the remainder being on furlough at home. We went 
 down in front of the ranks of the infantry and artillery. 
 These troops are from the remoter environs of Paris. 
 For instance, some of the battalions had come a distance 
 •of thirty leagues to be present at this review. There 
 were three hundred pieces of artillery present, harnessed 
 to their horses. The whole of the troops in military 
 fashion, and, as a mark of respect and honour, drooped 
 their colours. We, too, returned the salutes. 
 
 Bound about the grassland, within the woods, up in 
 the trees, everywhere were people. 
 
 After inspecting the ranks, we went to some rooms 
 ouilt of timber long ago on this plain for the purpose of 
 similar reviews and horse-races. We went upstairs and 
 took our seat; upon which the Marshal went into the 
 grass and meadow. French commanders, together with 
 •certain military attaches — Ottoman, Austrian, Russian, 
 
240 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. v. 
 
 Prussian, drew up in front of the Marshal. In the upper 
 chamber where we were, the French Minister for Foreign 
 Affairs, the President of the Assembly — M. Buffet, Mar- 
 shal Canrobert, and others, were present. As Canrobert 
 is not now in the army, and has no appointment, he was 
 not on horseback. 
 
 Well; the infantry and artillery came and marched 
 past ; after them, the cavalry did the same. The whole 
 of the deputies of France, — five hundred in number, had 
 come, and had all taken their seats. In the building to 
 our left the Diplomatic Corps, and others, were seated. 
 The wife of Marshal MacMahon was there. Around us 
 were seated an assemblage of graceful women and ladies. 
 As each battalion passed by, the national deputies clapped 
 hands and shouted hurrahs. Marshal MacMahon, too, 
 took off his hat to each battalion. It lasted nearly three 
 hours before the whole of the infantry, artillery, and 
 cavalry had inarched past. All included, too, they were 
 more than eighty thousand men. The forces went through 
 an admirable review. 
 
 After all those defeats and ruin of the French, no idea 
 had been entertained of such a collection and such disci- 
 pline of their forces. They were beautifully dressed; 
 the muskets of the men were the same old Chassepots, 
 and the artillery the same guns used in the German war 
 and anterior to that. When all was over we returned 
 home by about sunset. 
 
 Another day we went again to Longchamps to witness 
 the horse-racing. The Marshal came himself to our 
 residence, where we mounted a carriage and started. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 241 
 
 The rest (of our people) went also. We followed the 
 same route to the Bois de Boulogne that we had taken 
 on the day of the review. From thence, however, we 
 went behind the cascade, but only to arrive at the same 
 •stand where we were seated to witness the march past. 
 The Minister of Foreign Affairs, M. Buffet, the wife of 
 the Marshal, the commanders and others, the Ottoman 
 Ambassador, and the Austrian Ambassador, were there. 
 Women and men in multitudes were assembled around 
 the race-course. Four heats were run. They had given 
 to each race the name of a Persian province ; such 
 as Ispahan, Shiraz, &c. In the first heat they ran 
 half round the course, which is one horse-distance. 
 One jockey, whose dress was green, in accordance 
 with the Persian ribbon, won the race. In the next 
 two heats they ran round the entire course ; but, as 
 the distance is not great, most of the horses came in 
 together. The horse that gets ahead, say, by one 
 head and neck, of the others, is counted to have been 
 first in. The Persian rule for horse-racing is better, 
 and affords a better spectacle. The Persian race- 
 course is half a league round; six rounds, that is, 
 three leagues, and sometimes seven rounds, are run in 
 one heat. Whichever horse gets the start has given 
 proof of his power. Here, where at the utmost once 
 round is the length of a race, which is but half a 
 league, the powers of a horse are not fully brought out 
 in evidence. 
 
 In the last race the horses had to jump at full gallop 
 over several barriers of wood about an ell in height 
 
 
242 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, v, 
 
 (42 inches), and garnished at top with wild brambles and 
 furze. This was much better as a spectacle. 
 
 The races lasted rather more than an hour, after which 
 we returned home. The Marshal went his own way, in 
 order to be present in the evening at the fireworks and 
 illuminations. 
 
 We came along, and having reached the Arc de 
 Triomphe, alighted. A number of our suite were with 
 us. We went to the top of the building. It had two 
 hundred and eighty-five steps. It is very high; the 
 steps are narrow and winding, so that it is exceedingly 
 irksome to mount. I got to the top in a breath, but the 
 others followed slowly. From the summit the whole of 
 the city of Paris is visible, with its environs and its forts, 
 The people that were returning from Longchamps and 
 the races were all in sight. From the Bois de Boulogne 
 to the end of the Champs Elysees seven rows of carriages 
 were counted ; and in like manner, in the other streets 
 multitudes of carriages were seen. It was a grand 
 spectacle. 
 
 After a certain stay there, we descended and remounted 
 our carriage. On starting there was no possibility to get 
 along, by reason of the crowd of vehicles and of pedes- 
 trians ; so that we had great trouble to reach home. 
 
 In the evening the Marshal came; we mounted together, 
 and passing through the Champs Elysees, &c. From 
 our residence to the site of the fireworks, both sides of 
 the road were full of people. This evening there must 
 have been a collection of a crore (half a million) of 
 women and men seen by us. They all shouted : " Vive 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 243 
 
 le Schah cle Perse," and they also spoke well of the 
 Marshal, saying: "Vive la France." 
 
 They had prepared a beautiful illumination. In 
 all the streets they had suspended crystal lamps like 
 round globes ; but the wind somewhat interfered with 
 these. 
 
 We drove a long way, and at length reached a place 
 where the river Seine occupied the middle, and the fire- 
 works were prepared on the other side of it. On that 
 side of the river, and opposite to us, was the parade- 
 ground and the military College (the Champ de Mars and 
 the Ecole Militaire), which were all illuminated. The 
 place where we were seated is named the Trocaderc. 
 On this side of the river, also, every avenue was illumi- 
 nated. They had prepared some sumptuous apartments 
 for us, of timber, hung with numerous chandeliers and 
 furnished throughout with curtains newly woven of silk, 
 velvet, and satin. But the wind and the rain somewhat 
 disarranged the preparations. The lamps, however, being 
 lighted with gas, were but seldom extinguished. The 
 fireworks were magnificent. The whole of the French 
 high officials, of the Corps Diplomatique, &c, were pre- 
 sent. Thanks be to God, the whole passed off pleasantly, 
 and we came home. The Marshal again rode with us in 
 our carriage to our residence. 
 
 During the fireworks the armour-wearing cavalry — the 
 Cuirassiers, to the number of three thousand, passed 
 along the bank of the river, flambeaux in hand, and their 
 band playing. It was a majestic sight. 
 
 One evening we went to the Circus, which is near our 
 
 e2 
 
244 Diary of a Totir in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 quarters. It is a place like a theatre, but is better. 
 They have constructed a circular edifice, around which 
 are tiers of wooden stages, on which people sit. It has 
 also a roof, and many chandeliers are suspended. The 
 middle part of the edifice is like the pit of a gymnasium, 
 strewed with earth. The place is spacious enough to 
 hold three thousand spectators. On the night, more 
 especially, that we went there the assembly was very 
 numerous. They had hired seats at the prices of thirty 
 to fifty tiimans {121, to 201.) • There were some extremely 
 beautiful women. The Grand- Vazir, the princes, and 
 others, were all present. 
 
 The place had three doors. One of these is the door 
 to the stables of the circus, and is near to the arena 
 where the performances go on, as (the horses and actors) 
 come and leave by that way. They have from fifty to 
 sixty very handsome horses, of curious coats. I had 
 never seen similar horses anywhere. There were some 
 extraordinary speckled horses, which must have been 
 worth a thousand or five hundred, tumans (4001. or 
 2001.) ; and in such a manner had they disciplined and 
 accustomed these horses that, at one signal, they did 
 whatever was desired. The whole of the horses under- 
 stood the language. Their teacher said: "Stop;" 
 they all stopped ; he said : "Go on quickly;" they all 
 ran; he said: "Stand up;" and lo, suddenly they 
 reared up on their hind feet; he said: "Bun away;" 
 and they did so. In short, whatever he told them to do, 
 they did. Many a moral lesson could be learnt there. 
 There was a large whip in the hand of the master of the 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 245 
 
 horses, which he continually kept in action, and which 
 made a report like that of a musket. 
 
 Beautiful women, elegantly dressed, rode upon the 
 horses and cantered round. They jumped upon the 
 horses' backs, they turned summersaults, forwards and 
 backwards, and again they fell to the earth without 
 receiving injury. 
 
 Several men, stationed round the arena, held scarves, 
 and all put up their hands on high. One lovely woman 
 mounted a horse and put him to a canter around the. 
 place ; and when the horse was at the top of his speed, 
 she, on arriving successively at each scarf, sprang up 
 from the horse's back, turned a summersault backwards, 
 passing over the scarf and coming down on her feet 
 again upon the back of her steed. Twice she succeeded 
 in performing this feat all right ; at the third scarf she 
 fell to the ground. She was not hurt, however; but 
 again leaped on the horse and thrice repeated her 
 summersault. 
 
 They then held up wooden hoops, and a young man 
 mounted a horse, put him to a gallop, and, as he arrived 
 near the hoops, leaped up, passed through the hoops, 
 and alighted on his feet upon his horse. 
 
 Some hoops were prepared like tambourines by having 
 skins stretched over them. The horses, running at a 
 gallop, dashed violently through, tearing the skins to 
 pieces ; while a man, mounted on them, leaped over the 
 hoop and again alighted on the horse. 
 
 Several women and children mounted and performed 
 such feats as cannot be described or recounted. For 
 
246 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 instance, in one breath and all together the} 7 turned over 
 five hundred (many) summersaults backwards upon the 
 horses; — a thing beyond the power of man. Little chil- 
 dren, of graceful forms, turned summersaults in a fashion 
 that cannot be imagined ; performed most beautifully 
 upon ropes, so that monkeys and spiders alone could 
 imitate them. In short, they worked wonders, and it 
 was a delightful spectacle. 
 
 We went from thence to the palace of the Louvre, 
 where all the philosophers and learned men of Paris 
 were assembled. The Minister of Sciences, — a very fat 
 and tall man, whose name is Batbie, was also present. 
 We went to the ground-floor of the building, where the 
 marble statues, ancient and modern, are arranged. The 
 armour- wearing cavalry, flambeaux in hand, preceded us. 
 The philosophers and learned marched on either side, 
 and the Minister of Sciences walked near us. After a 
 protracted promenade, we came back to our own home. 
 
 Some very fine statues had been viewed. There was 
 one large statue of marble, of colossal proportions and 
 gigantic mould, leaning against a mountain and seated 
 with his feet extended, having in his hand a vase out of 
 which water was pouring. This water is the water of 
 the river Tiber, which is seen at Rome, the capital of 
 Italy. There were also some marble statues of Venus, 
 the specific deity of beauty, one of which has been beau- 
 tifully carved, but both its arms are broke away at about 
 the middle of the upper-arm. There were also many 
 other statues that are rarely to be matched elsewhere. 
 
 One day we went to an establishment called the 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 247 
 
 Panorama, i.e., a scene all round. This is a very wonderful 
 piece of science and art, the inventor of which is a man 
 from the New World. It was not far from our residence. 
 The Grand- Vazir and the others were all present. We 
 came to a place where a circular edifice rose to view ; 
 having a small door. We entered, and first we reached 
 a panorama representing a street, — one of the streets of 
 Paris, at the time when the Prussians were besieging the 
 city. Shot and shell were falling like hail from the sky. 
 The time was the winter season. People were coming 
 out of their houses, holding their wives and children by 
 the hand, and fleeing awajr. The more one examined 
 this scene with attention, the more real and substantial 
 did it appear, so that one could not tell it was a painted 
 picture and not an actual occurrence, an incident of the 
 struggle. One man had fallen down, his head broken, 
 and the blood flowing. It was impossible to discern 
 the pigment from real blood; and so of the other 
 features of the scene depicted. 
 
 From thence we had to ascend by some stairs to a 
 place where was a circular enclosure, from which one 
 could look in every direction. The city of Paris, its 
 forts and environs, the guns and their projectiles, the 
 turmoil of battle and siege, the flight and bursting of 
 shot and shells in the air, all appeared before one. It 
 was as though at that moment one were in the city of 
 Paris, and all the incidents and confusion of the war 
 with the Prussians were before his eyes. In short, 
 unless one see it with his own eyes, he cannot under- 
 stand how it is that a fictitious picture and a non- 
 
/ 
 
 248 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 existent circumstance cannot be distinguished from a 
 real event and a current fact. 
 
 This place has always been used for the exhibition of 
 works of the same kind, so that whenever people have 
 felt inclined, they could come here, pay their money, 
 and obtain entrance to view the spectacle. The keepers 
 of the place make a good income by it. The won- 
 derful part of the matter is that for a length of time 
 they exhibited here a view of the conquest of Sebas- 
 topol, in which the English and French defeated the 
 Kussians. This was removed to make place, during a 
 certain season, for a panorama representing the victories 
 obtained over the Austrians by the French forces at 
 Solferino, Magenta, and elsewhere. Now they have 
 depicted and exhibit the defeat and humiliation of 
 France. 
 
 But as the air is very much confined in this establish- 
 ment, should any one remain in it more than ten minutes 
 or so, he becomes subject to headache and other more 
 disagreeable ailments, so we also soon withdrew. 
 
 On another occasion we went to the church of Notre 
 Dame and to the Cite, which are on an island in the 
 river Seine, and are within the city of Paris. We passed 
 by the Hotel de la Monnaie, and by the Conseil d'Etat — 
 a large edifice and office of one of the Ministers, built in 
 the time of the first Napoleon and utterly burnt by the 
 men of the Commune ; so arriving at the church. The 
 priests came forward to meet us. The edifice of the 
 church is very grand, and is entirely of stone. It has 
 been built five or six hundred years. Entering, we 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 249- 
 
 surveyed every part of it with great attention. It 
 possesses some pulpits and some railings (screens), of 
 ancient carved wood, exceedingly rich. Its windows are 
 all of coloured glass in various tints and very beautiful.. 
 We saw the treasury of the church, where were some 
 chalices and vessels of gold, gilt, silver, and so on. I 
 there held a conversation with the chief priest ; I asked, 
 him : " What is your belief concerning His Holiness 
 Jesus, on whom be peace ; used he to drink wine or 
 not?" All at once, the whole of the priests, as though 
 I had asked a strange question, unanimously said : " He 
 certainly used to drink wine. That is a small matter. 
 He himself also made wine." I then said : " Used he to* 
 drink seldom or often?" They all said: "He used 
 even to drink often." 
 
 We now left and went to the Ecole des Mines — the 
 mining academy. The name of the Director is M. 
 Doubre. It is a surprising place. In it there are spe- 
 cimens of all the mineral ores of the world, beginning 
 with gold, down to coal, and the like. The whole of 
 them are numbered and ticketed, being kept in glass 
 cases. There is an emerald mine in New Grenada,. 
 America, from whence emeralds are now obtained. 
 Some crystals of emerald, of good colour and free from 
 defects, were seen, still imbedded in the matrix. I saw 
 also specimens of the emeralds from the mines of Siberia 
 and elsewhere ; but these were all large and of bad 
 quality. In short, there were so many specimens of 
 minerals that their number is unknown ; and it would 
 require the power of a person's examining them one by 
 
-250 - Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 one through a long period and with all attention, of put- 
 ting questions to the professors and hearing their answers, 
 for him to comprehend something about them ; not for 
 us, who had to see the whole of these stones in five 
 minutes, as well as to hear from whence each came, so 
 that it was an utter impossibility to understand airything 
 -as to their natures and properties. 
 
 We then proceeded to the upper floor, where fossils 
 ;are kept ; i.e., the bones of animals from before the time 
 •of Noah's flood, and since then, as well as animals (qy., 
 plants) that have become petrified. There were many 
 strange and marvellous things, a knowledge of which is 
 :a science by itself, incompatible with the scope of this 
 narrative. After these wanderings we returned home. 
 
 The palace of the Luxembourg is another place to 
 which we one day rambled. This is a stately and exten- 
 sive palace with its gardens, of the time of Louis XVI., 
 its gardens being now open to the public, so that people 
 go there every day to walk about. Its beds of flowers are 
 very beautiful. The Hotel de Ville or town-hall being 
 now a ruin and burnt down, this edifice has been 
 .assigned as the place for the offices of the city. 
 
 On our arrival in the garden, M. Duval, the Prefect of 
 Paris, together with M. Alfand, the city architect, and 
 -others, were waiting for us. The streets of Paris, — thus 
 straight, broad, and level, together with the avenues in 
 which trees have been planted so regularly and tastefully, 
 were all planned and laid out on the instructions and 
 under the supervision of M. Haussman, formerly Prefect 
 -of Paris in the days of Napoleon, and of this architect. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 251 
 
 We sat in the gardens awhile, and then entered the 
 palace to view the pictures and other objects. M. 
 Vautrain, President of the Municipal Council of Paris, 
 was received in audience. This palace of the Luxem- 
 bourg is one of the finest edifices in Paris ; and in it did 
 Louis-Philippe establish the Senate, adding to it a very 
 sumptuous structure in which that body should hold its 
 meetings. The Senate continued to sit here until the 
 end of the reign of Napoleon, but was abolished when 
 republicanism made its appearance, and we saw in that 
 very chamber of the Senate one or two professors who 
 were examining pupils from the colleges. Each pupil 
 who passes this examination, has the right to enter 
 gratis into the other superior places of instruction. 
 
 The Senate consisted of one hundred members, more 
 or less, of the magnates, notabilities, and aged com- 
 manders of the State, in order that they should not be 
 without something to do. To each of them was assigned 
 a salary of three thousand tumans (1200Z.), with a seat 
 in this Council, for the purpose of reconsidering every 
 enactment that came from the Chamber of Deputies ; 
 since, until it had received the ratification of this 
 Council, it was not put in force. Now it is altogether 
 abandoned. 
 
 Well ; the palace had some very magnificent halls and 
 rooms ; but alas, a thousand pities, — the whole of these 
 apartments were cut up and partitioned off with wains- 
 cotings, and in each subdivision an office, or a committee 
 of the municipal administration, was installed, each with 
 a number of members, and with registers, ledgers, books, 
 
252 Diary of a Totir in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 and writing materials thrown about, such as paper, pens, 
 ink, and the like. In short, they have deposed the 
 palace from all its majest}% Still, whenever they may 
 desire it, they can remove these boards, and restore the 
 place to its pristine condition. It possessed many beau- 
 tiful portraits, ancient and modern, which we examined 
 in great detail. 
 
 There is in Paris a very large and lofty church, whiclt 
 I had noticed from the top of the Arc de Triomphe, and 
 which is named the Pantheon. Louis XV. built it. First 
 of all it was a church ; then a cemetery for men of emi- 
 nence ; and now again, latterly, it is a church and place 
 of worship. There were numerous scaffoldings all around 
 it to carry out repairs, as the Communists, in the days 
 of anarchy, had done much damage to it. 
 
 Another church also is in Paris, ranking next after 
 that of Notre Dame, and named St. Sulpice, which is 
 very handsome ; and again the Madeleine, built by the 
 first Napoleon, and also extremely grand. Many other 
 churches were likewise seen, of which it is not here 
 necessary to give any account. 
 
 The Palais Royal we visited one evening. This is a 
 very extensive place. In the middle of its court there is 
 a garden and a basin of water, around it a colonnade 
 with a walk covered in overhead, and on each side of this 
 walk rows of shops to the number of four or five hun- 
 dred, where everything is sold — most beautiful jewels, 
 real and supposititious, cutlery, glass, porcelain, and 
 the like. I strolled into every shop, and I laid out sums 
 of money. There were crowds of spectators. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 253 
 
 The Mint formed another day's visit. It is called the 
 Hotel de la Monnaie ; its Director is named M. Mar- 
 cott, and he came to receive us/ together with numerous 
 other persons. 
 
 We first went to the upper floor, where there is an ex- 
 tensive collection of the coins of different nations, ancient 
 and modern, arranged in glass cases — coins of the an- 
 cient monarchs of Persia and Tartary, China, India, and 
 the various countries of Europe ; coins of every descrip- 
 tion, and medals of all kinds. 
 
 Next we visited a chamber called the Chamber of 
 Napoleon, in which were collected everything pertaining 
 to that sovereign, such as obverse and reverse dies of 
 his coins, as well as those of the medals struck in his 
 days in commemoration of the battles won or provinces 
 conquered, of decorations for his troops, and the like. 
 A model of the column of (the Place) Vendome was also 
 there, which column the men of the Commune destroyed 
 altogether. This was about two ells high (7 feet), and 
 made of cast metal. It is the fac-simile of the column 
 itself; but the height of the real column was forty-six 
 ells (161 feet), with a diameter of two ells (7 feet) ; 
 whereas that of the model is only one span. There 
 were also in that place several figures of Napoleon. A 
 shot from the Communists had come in there, had per- 
 forated the glass over the obverse dies, and then pene- 
 trated into the wall. They have preserved these things 
 exactly in that condition, and have not changed that 
 glass, saying they so keep it as a memorial. To this I 
 remarked : " It is a sad memorial." 
 
254 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 Well ; we came clown stall's and viewed the coining 
 machinery. It is worked by steam. The coins they were 
 striking were of silver, each of five francs, a very large 
 coin. They said that gold, owing to the sums paid to 
 Prussia, was very scarce. Silver, however, was plentiful, 
 and all the money was silver. 
 
 Three large medals, one of gold, another of silver, and 
 the third of copper, were struck, then and there, in our 
 presence, in commemoration of our visit to the Mint, 
 with Persian inscriptions, and offered to us as a present. 
 
 We now went forth, and mounting a small steamer, 
 went up the river against the stream, passed be} r ond the- 
 fortifications of the city, and arrived at the spot where 
 the river Marne enters the Seine. From thence we 
 returned. The banks of the river had no beauty. The 
 water of the Seine was scant, and its depth about two 
 ells (7 feet). At a short distance after leaving the city, 
 both sides of the river are occupied b}^ the poor tene- 
 ments of peasants, principally washerwomen or bathing 
 establishments. These are all built of wood in the 
 stream of the river, as we saw. The baths are in this 
 wise : — a large wooden room with a roof is constructed in 
 the river, through the middle of which the water flows. 
 Every one who wishes to bathe must go into that room 
 and there wash himself. Clothes-washing-houses, again, 
 are on the same principle. They sit in them, and the} T 
 wash the clothes in them. The clothes-washers are all 
 women. There are also baths heated by steam, where 
 a man may really wash and cleanse his body. After all 
 this, we went home. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 255 
 
 The establishment of the Gobelins was the object of 
 another day's excursion, and far enough off it was. It 
 is a very ancient manufactory where they weave car- 
 pets, rugs, and similar things, which they sell and buy 
 for fabulous prices. The manufactory belongs to the 
 State. The heads of the manufactory, as also the work- 
 men, are salaried and paid by the Government. These 
 rugs and tapestries are to such a degree beautiful and 
 choice, that they are hung in the halls and apartments of 
 monarchs in lieu of paintings, simply as ornaments. In 
 Prussia, in Belgium, in England, and in France itself, 
 I saw that they are kept in mansions with the utmost 
 consideration. A tapestry was in progress of manufac- 
 ture, being woven for a hall in the palace of Fontaine- 
 bleau, a town of the towns of France. But they told me 
 that over each tapestry of that size they had to work- 
 eight years. Very long are they in completing such. 
 And then again, a defect they have is that the sun causes 
 the dyes of the tissues to facie ; whereas the dyes of 
 Persian carpets are not easily deteriorated by the sun. 
 
 They weave these tapestries according to any portrait 
 or painting of celebrity that may be desired. They place 
 the copy of that painting before them : if the copy bo# 
 small, they enlarge it ; if it be too large, they reduce it in 
 weaving the tapestry. In short, just as they please, they 
 manage it. It is also a very perfection of art, that by 
 merely looking at the copy, they weave its fac-simile. 
 
 There were several beautiful pieces of tapestry half 
 woven for the great theatre, that Napoleon III. had or- 
 dered, and are still in hand; but I know not when that 
 
256 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. v. 
 
 theatre and those tapestries will be finished. It is an 
 extensive establishment, and the workmen are numerous. 
 The Director's name is M. Darsela. 
 
 From the Gobelins we went to the National Printing- 
 Office, where thejr print books and the like. Some by 
 hand, some by steam, in whatever way they wish, they 
 can print with celerity and despatch. 
 
 Turning our steps from thence, we went to the palace 
 of the Louvre, and on our road viewed several places 
 burnt and ruined by the men of the Commune. More 
 especially, one great storehouse, the Halle au Ble, a very 
 large and imposing structure where the Government 
 stores of wheat were kept, and which was utterly de- 
 stroyed. They likewise ruined several bridges. 
 
 "We also passed through the Place de la Bastille, where 
 there is a column known as the Colonne de Juillet, — one 
 of the structures of Louis-Philippe, and very lofty, with 
 the statue of an angel in gilt brass upon it. The column 
 itself, too, is of cast metal. 
 
 Well ; we reached the Louvre, which is a noble edifice, 
 and, as to sculptures, paintings, and the like, has no 
 equal. There was a long hall, of very pleasing arrange- 
 »ment, and named the Galerie d'Apollon, i.e., of the 
 specific deity of beauty, poetry, and singing. Here were 
 large numbers of vases in jasper, and jewelled, in rock- 
 crystal, and the like, of ancient goldsmiths' and silver- 
 smiths' work, of articles of gold and silver dug up out of 
 the earth, and of curiosities and gems of art of the 
 whole world, — the whole in cases or under glass. There 
 is also, in a case, an arm-bone of Charlemagne, who was 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 257 
 
 Emperor of the whole of Firangistan. A gold casket, 
 antique, in most exquisite goldsmiths' work, was the 
 property of Anne of Austria, mother of Louis XIV. This 
 hall is itself one of the buildings of the last-named 
 monarch. They have made a copy of the Crown of Louis 
 XV., with false jewels, and have placed it there. The 
 sword and sceptre of Charlemagne are there also. 
 
 We then visited the whole of the halls where the 
 paintings are hung. These are all works of artists of 
 celebrity, and one would have to sit under each of them 
 all day to understand the subtleties of the master's art ; 
 whereas I, being hurried in my survey, have necessarily 
 not been able to seize those niceties. There were some 
 works by Kaphael, a renowned painter, though I nryself 
 gave a preference over all others to the productions of 
 the pencil of Albani, who was a master of great taste. 
 Murillo, too, was very good. There were also many pic- 
 tures by other artists ; for instance, there was one valued 
 at more than thirty thousand tiimans (12,000L). 
 
 Having completed this survey, we went into the gar- 
 dens of the Tuileries, and had a thorough view of the 
 burnt ruins of the palace. It was an edifice without an 
 equal in the world, and is now an utter wreck. To 
 rebuild it as it was would be difficult, as the expense 
 would be enormous. They burnt this palace, with all it 
 contained ; thereby causing damage to the extent of at 
 least a hundred crores of tiimans (20,000,0002.) . I was 
 grieved beyond measure. The garden of the Tuileries, 
 too, by reason of the ruin of the palace and a lack of 
 constant care, has fallen from its beauty. A band plays 
 
258 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 there of afternoons. We walked down to the very end of 
 the gardens, thereby greatly fatiguing ourself ; and thence, 
 mounting the carriage, drove home. 
 
 Napoleon III. built a theatre better and more magni- 
 ficent than all the other theatres of Firangistan, spending 
 upon it five crores, although it is not yet completed. To 
 finish it will require two crores more. It remains as he 
 left it. I did not go to see it, but I heard much about it. 
 
 Again another day we went to Versailles, taking the 
 Porcelain Manufactory of Sevres on our way. This is an 
 ancient and very famous manufactory, and is situated on 
 an eminence. There was a very extensive collection in 
 the rooms of ancient and modern porcelains, among 
 which some eminently beautiful articles were observed. 
 There were some that were painted from works by the 
 great artists of antiquity, such as Eaphael and others, 
 and the estimation in which each of these works is held 
 Is equal to that of the finest and grandest pictures. I 
 should have wished to buy the whole for any price they 
 might have named ; but these specimens are never parted 
 with, are sold to no one, and never leave the works. 
 The establishment belongs to the State ; and any order 
 thence given, is executed. In the same manner as at the 
 manufactory of tapestry, the workmen receive wages, and 
 the chiefs are salaried. They told me that a new manu- 
 factory has been prepared, that the present site will 
 be abandoned, and the works transferred to the new 
 establishment. 
 
 We went about for a long time from one department to 
 another, until we arrived at a place where they were 
 
chap, v.] . France, Geneva. 259 
 
 manufacturing, painting, and baking the porcelain, which 
 we went and inspected also. From thence we returned 
 through all the places we had seen, and they presented 
 to us, as a souvenir of our visit, two large and most mag- 
 nificent vases,* together with two cases, each containing a 
 very choice service of tea things. 
 
 Proceeding from thence, we reached Versailles. At his 
 residence, M. Buffet, President (of the Assembly), met us, 
 and we went hito the Chamber of the (National) Council 
 of Deputies. We passed through a gallery where were 
 arranged most beautiful statues in marble of ancient kings^ 
 ministers, magnates, commanders, and the like, all carved 
 by the old masters; and so reached the Assembly itself; 
 taking our seat in a chamber. Seven hundred deputies 
 were present at that sitting, and on the upper tiers of 
 benches a great company of women and men were looking 
 on. This hall in which the Assembty now sits was 
 formerly the theatre of (the palace of) Versailles, and was 
 Imilt by Louis XIV. 
 
 As the President, M. Buffet, had been away at his own 
 house for the purpose of our reception, his substitute was 
 acting as President in his stead. The two sons of Louis- 
 Philippe, d'Aumale and Joinville, were also present. The 
 
 * Of the two vases, each in the Etruscan style and of the value of 
 about two hundred guineas, one was ornamented with a view of the 
 Chateau of Pierrefonds, the other with one of the Chateau of Pau, both 
 by Jules Andre. Of the tea-services, one for four persons, with its tray, 
 painted by F. Rolard and representing a hunt and view of Fontainebleau, 
 was of the value of about six hundred, and the other, for six persons, also 
 with its tray, painted by Devilly, and representing the ceramic art, of 
 .about three hundred and fifty pounds. 
 
 s 2 
 
260 Diary of a Tottr in Etirope. [chap, t, 
 
 deputies of the Left and of the Eight were all in their 
 places. Those of the Left are in opposition to the present 
 administration. Several generals and others spoke, 
 among them being General Noisel. His voice was very 
 slender and weak ; no one could hear what he said. In- 
 cessantly did the deputies of the Left call out for him to 
 speak louder. It was a strange wrangle. The President- 
 substitute continually rang a bell to induce silence. It is 
 a difficult matter for any one to speak in this Assembly, 
 It was very interesting to witness, and we sat there an 
 hour. 
 
 Eising at length, Ave returned by the same way we came. 
 
 Marshal MacMahon had then arrived. We now went 
 
 over all the rooms, halls, and galleries of (the palace of) 
 
 Versailles with the Marshal, M. Buffet, and others. 
 
 These apartments are extremely handsome. There were 
 
 so many pictures, statues of marble, and other objects, 
 
 that one forgets them. There were some grand pictures, 
 
 the works of Horace Yernet the painter, very beautifully 
 
 drawn, pictures of battles with the Arabs of Algeria in the 
 
 days of Louis-Philippe, &c, of the battles of Napoleon 
 
 III. in Italy with the Austrians, &c, of those of Napoleon 
 
 I., &c, and also many of older masters. So that, should 
 
 one wish to survey them all carefully, he would not finish 
 
 them in a year. The greater part of these rooms are 
 
 now converted into offices for the deputies, ministers, and 
 
 others. By reason of the great traffic of feet, and the 
 
 scattering of papers, the heaping of registers, the placing 
 
 of chairs and tables for the ministers, their secretaries 
 
 and clerks, the halls are degraded from their majesty. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 261 
 
 I was much fatigued. I came down and drove about 
 the gardens for a while in a carriage. They had opened 
 the source of the fountains of a part of the garden. 
 These were therefore playing, and produced a very 
 agreeable effect. 
 
 We now returned home, passing by the village of Ville 
 d'Avray, St. Cloud, Boulogne, the Bois de Boulogne, 
 and so to our quarters. At St. Cloud several battalions 
 of troops were encamped in tents, and at Boulogne there 
 was a good market where all kinds of commodities were 
 collected. 
 
 To-day at Versailles, among the statues I saw one of 
 Joan of Arc that the princess Marie, daughter of Louis- 
 Philippe, had executed, and was extremely beautiful. 
 The princess died young, unmarried. 
 
 I one day went to see the Zoological and Botanical 
 Gardens (the Jardin des Plantes), which was a long 
 distance from our residence. The Director of the es- 
 tablishment, named M. Blanchard, of whose days seventy 
 and five years had passed away, came to meet us, with 
 his assistant and others. A large company was present, 
 from the quarters hi the outskirts of Paris, generally 
 peasants and artizans, who had come with their wives to 
 see the sight. 
 
 These gardens are of great extent. In the botanical sec- 
 tion, most beautiful flowers were planted out in great taste. 
 Every flower and plant in this part is numbered and 
 ticketed, and all plants and medicinal herbs that are em- 
 ployed in the curative art are here raised and propagated. 
 Professors of botany and zoology are constantly at work 
 
262 Diary of a Tottr in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 there investigating and teaching the qualities and proper- 
 ties of each vegetable product. 
 
 "We first visited the hothouses, where they raise, grow, 
 and multiply tropical plants, and thence proceeded to 
 view the animals. Here they keep, shut up in cages, all 
 kinds of animals, whether birds, or carnivorous or 
 herbivorous beasts. Birds great and small, of all' 
 colours, and beautiful, beasts of prey and others, of 
 every sort were seen. The establishment is of greater 
 extent than the zoological gardens of other countries ; 
 but every animal that I saw here, I had seen elsewhere, 
 with the exception of a few I had not yet observed. 
 
 One of these was a large and strongly built bird, called 
 the Cassowary, that is brought from Australia. It is a 
 very singular creature, about the size of an ostrich, which 
 it also somewhat resembles ; but it is of a different species. 
 Another was a quadruped, called the Tapir, from South 
 America, very much resembling the rhinoceros, but 
 smaller, being an animal half way between a rhinoceros, 
 a pig, and a calf. There were some savage, ferocious 
 tigers, and some curious leopards ; also a species of brute 
 between a tiger and a leopard, called the Jaguar; but 
 more approaching the leopard. It is a very ferocious, 
 bloodthirsty creature. The leopards had given birth to 
 two young cubs, very graceful. There were some African 
 maned-lions, together with lions of other kinds, and one 
 elephant. In one large cage there were about fifty 
 monkeys; and there were also various kinds of ante- 
 lopes, &c. 
 
 A source of the greatest interest was a collection of 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 263 
 
 dead animals, kept in the museum of the establishment, 
 winch I had not seen in any of the countries hitherto 
 visited. We here saw animals of every class, fishes from 
 all seas, and other creatures, such as snakes, crabs, croco- 
 diles, tortoises, and all kinds of birds, which afforded 
 much pleasure and gratification. For instance, the 
 fishes, small or large, up to the crocodile, are arranged in 
 such fashion that one cannot say whether they are alive 
 or dead. Every bird, again, small or large, that is on 
 earth, from the little humming-birds of the New World, 
 up to the ostrich, all are there. The humming-bird (lit. 
 fly-bird, bee-bird) is a bird of the most beautifully-coloured 
 plumage, and small — no larger than large bees (wasps, or 
 hornets) ; but all its parts are those of a bird. There is 
 no bird in the world prettier than these, and they are 
 found nowhere else, but in the New World only. 
 
 The whole of these dead birds have been procured in 
 pairs, male and female, with their eggs, and with the very 
 nests they had constructed for themselves; and are 
 arranged in glass cases. They are placed in the postures 
 they assume when they sit on their eggs in their nests, 
 and in such a manner that they cannot be distinguished 
 from live birds. Beginning with the eggs of the humming- 
 birds, than which no others are smaller, being less in size 
 than a pistachio-nut, up to the egg of the rukh and the 
 ostrich, the largest of all eggs, have they collected in one 
 room. But I there saw four bird's-eggs, each of which 
 was of the size of a large melon, and they informed me 
 that the kind of bird to which they belonged is no longer 
 in existence in the world. These four eggs have been 
 
264 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. v. 
 
 found and ultimately brought from Africa and the New- 
 World after great research and much travel in every 
 region of the earth. They lifted these eggs ; they were 
 very heavy. According to analogy, the chick that would 
 come out of one of those eggs would be of the size of a 
 very large domestic cock. The birds called Simurg and 
 Rukh, that we read of in books, must have been the pro- 
 duce of eggs such as these. At present, they would not 
 sell one of those eggs for a thousand tumans (400L). 
 
 Strange and marvellous fishes were seen, which, in 
 respect of immensity of bulk and singularity of form, 
 admit of no description. Monkeys, too, of curious or 
 uncouth forms, were there of various classes ; one kind 
 I>eing of the bulk of a horse, another no larger than a rat. 
 According to their varying sizes, these were also arranged 
 in like manner, as though alive. Among them w^as one 
 species called the Gorilla, that is found in Africa, bigger 
 and taller than a tiger, with its bulk and size, its strength 
 and muscular limbs, its claws, feet, and teeth. Its stature 
 was twice that of a man, or even more. There were a 
 pair of them, male and female ; the latter being the 
 smaller. 
 
 Another of the monkey tribe, a native of the islands of 
 Borneo, Sumatra, and Timor, is the Orang-outang, 
 smaller than the gorilla, but still well worthy of remark. 
 It is very large and fierce. 
 
 They had placed a tortoise upon a table, which was of 
 the size of a donkey, — extremely large. That, too, was a 
 wondrous thing, that required to be seen in order to be 
 imagined. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 265 
 
 There were some enormous snakes, which, in reality, 
 are the dragons of which one hears. They had arranged 
 .an artificial tree, and around it had coiled the folds of one 
 •of those large snakes, in a manner to he mistaken for a 
 live reptile. It was wonderful to look at. Not that they 
 have increased or diminished hy one hair's hreadth the 
 size of these creatures with a view to deceive people by 
 artifice ; but, whether large or small, every thing in that 
 museum is a real animal, such as the Lord of the universe 
 created it ; and the Franks have realty, with great trouble 
 and at a fabulous expense, brought them together from 
 the uttermost parts of the earth, for the advancement of 
 knowledge, the increase of observation, and the display to 
 the people of God's power in His wondrous works of 
 creation ; the same unceasing care being bestowed upon 
 their safe-keeping. Truly have they incurred great 
 trouble therein. Were a man actually to sit for five 
 months in the contemplation of these dead animals, bones, 
 and birds, he might then come to understand something 
 fibout them ; but what can I learn in a quarter of an hour? 
 
 We came down ; and although I had no time to spare 
 for the view, I went to the cages of the live animals, 
 looked at them all, and then returned home. 
 
 The Director, whose age was seventy-five or perhaps 
 eighty, went about everywhere with me, and walked a 
 good league. As often as I requested him to turn back, 
 so often did he come again. He said that in his life he 
 had never taken intoxicating liquors, and had always 
 cautioned others against their use. There is in Firan- 
 gistan a special society, with many members, who are 
 
266 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 continually engaged in furthering the cause of a total 
 abandonment of drink ; but this is a very difficult under- 
 taking, and especially in Firangistan. 
 
 The megatherium is (the name of) an animal that 
 lived on the earth before Noah's flood, of the same family 
 as the elephant, but larger, and without a trunk. They 
 have discovered its bones, and have placed them in (the 
 museum of) the zoological gardens. 
 
 Paris has many theatres. One evening we, too, went 
 to a large theatre. The whole of the Diplomatic Body, 
 with then wives, Marshal MacMahon, M. Buffet, the 
 whole of the officials, and others, as well as those of our 
 suite, were present. It was a very large theatre of great 
 estimation, with five tiers of seats, and many chandeliers. 
 The audience was very numerous. Dancers danced, and 
 singers sang, beautifully ; more especially in a scene laid 
 beneath the sea, when the sea-nynrphs danced. 
 
 We one night visited the Elysee for an evening party. 
 All the ladies of celebrity of the capital, the Foreign 
 Representatives and their wives, the officials of France, 
 and the Persians, were invited. They gave a magni- 
 ficent exhibition of fireworks and an illumination hi the 
 grounds of the palace, which are laid out as a very 
 beautiful garden, with basins of water, fountains, lawns, 
 and trees. The middle of the garden was lighted up like 
 moonlight by means of electric lamps worked from the 
 roof of the palace, which threw then light on to the 
 ground. The men and women who walked about in this 
 artificial light, wore an aspect and acquired a charm that 
 were very peculiar. 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 267 
 
 We went up to the first floor and took a turn through 
 the apartments. It is a magnificent place, and has some 
 handsome Gobelins tapestries. It was built by the Comte 
 d'Evreux a hundred and fifty years ago. After his death 
 the mistress of Louis XV., Pompadour, bought it and 
 greatly extended it. "When she died, it reverted to the 
 King. Subsequently it was purchased by Murat, the 
 brother-in-law of Napoleon I. Well ; after a stroll, we 
 returned home. 
 
 On another evening De Broglie — the Foreign Minister, 
 gave an evening-party and buffet at the Ministry of 
 Foreign Affairs, which is near to the Corps Legislatif, our 
 residence. In the evening, although the distance from 
 our quarters to the Ministry was very short, we were 
 conducted with all honours in a carriage escorted by 
 cavalry, &c, and taken round the circuit of the palace to 
 the Minister's reception. Feasts and receptions had 
 always been accustomed to be given at the Ministry ; but, 
 since the Prussian war, and the emigration of the Govern- 
 ment to Versailles, up to this evening, the edifice had 
 been closed. Marshal MacMahon, M. Buffet, the whole 
 of the officials, generals, and Foreign Bepresentatives, 
 besides others of the nobility and magnates, women and 
 men, were present. As the bride of the Minister of 
 Foreign Affairs was the mistress of the house, we gave 
 her our hand, and strolled about the garden and apart- 
 ments. In the garden there were beautiful fireworks and 
 an illumination. All went off pleasantly. After an 
 interval we returned home. 
 
 On one occasion we went for a turn to Vincennes, 
 
J268 Diary of a Toitr in Etcrope. [chap. v. 
 
 which is outside of Paris, to the south. It is a plain 
 with meadows and woods. Napoleon III. caused avenues, 
 lakes, and pleasant places to be arranged there. We 
 passed through the Boulevard Prince Eugene, the Place 
 du Chatelet, and the Place de la Bastille, and then 
 through one of the gates of the city. These city-gates of 
 Paris do not resemble the gates of Persian towns, which 
 really have doors. Here the gates (barrieres) are merely 
 iron railings. 
 
 Well ; we alighted from our carriage and went to view 
 the fortifications and ditch of Paris. The parapet of the 
 fortification, which is really the scarp of the ditch of the 
 city, has an elevation of nine ells (31 feet 6 inches), 
 besides one ell (42 inches) of earthwork upon the wall, 
 making ten ells altogether (35 feet). Nine ells are of 
 hewn stone, of the size of (Roman) tiles ; one ell of 
 earth, and on that a coping of large hewn stones. At 
 the angles of the wall, also, they have used large hewn 
 stones. But the counterscarp of the ditch — the bank 
 next the country, has not so great a height, and is so 
 greatly sloped that one can walk down it into the ditch. 
 The width of the ditch is also ten ells (35 feet). The 
 w T hole city of Paris is surrounded in this fashion, and 
 these works were constructed in the time of Louis- 
 Philippe about thirty years ago. 
 
 Returning, we again mounted, and arrived at a lake on 
 the border of a river (the Marne) with very excellent 
 water. This was a charming spot, with abundance of 
 flowers and verdure. We crossed a bridge and went on 
 to an island in a lake, where they had constructed a 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 269- 
 
 small pavilion with stone columns, &c, upon a pavement 
 of flags ; and beneath this they had dug a cavern, where 
 stones (stalactites) were pendent as though in a cavern of" 
 snow. From above, a hole was opened with a small tube 
 inserted, from which a thread of water trickled on to the 
 stones and fell in drops as though it had been a natural 
 phenomenon. It was a very pleasant sight. We sat 
 there awhile. There were several Franks there and some 
 women, with whom we conversed. We then walked on. 
 
 On this island there was an hotel, where they had built 
 a pretty pavilion from which a band should play. They 
 brought us two boats, into which we got, and, pulling 
 about awhile, we went to a place where our carriages were- 
 waiting. We came up out of the boats, mounted our 
 carriages, and proceeding to another gate (of the city), 
 we drove along the Boulevard Dumesnil towards our 
 quarters. 
 
 In a street near to a public building we observed a 
 large concourse of people standing and waiting for us.. 
 It became evident that General Pajol had given notice to 
 the Sisters of Charity. We alighted and entered their 
 school. One of the priests spoke Persian well. He had 
 been for some time a teacher of the local Eomanist 
 children in the school at Khusraw-abad, near Ururniyya 
 in Azarbayjan. A considerable number of women who 
 have renounced the world and who dress in black, with 
 white bonnets of a curious shape, like the ears of 
 elephants, were there, and give themselves up, hi a meri- 
 torious way, to the instruction of their pupils. Their 
 scholars are in six classes ; the school, too, has six 
 
■2 jo Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. v. 
 
 stories, each being appropriated to one class of the pupils. 
 Beginning with children of three and four years old, up 
 to girls and boys of twenty study there, there being a 
 thousand of them maintained. The most part have been 
 brought there as orphans ; they (the sisters) act as servants 
 and give them instruction in every science, — in mathe- 
 matics, in geography, languages, sewing, flower-making, 
 <&c. The girls make very pretty flowers, and gave us a 
 beautiful bouquet of them as a souvenir. About two 
 hundred children of four years old were ranged very 
 nicely and orderly on the stages of the gallery in the 
 class-room, who had been taught by an aged religious 
 woman, their preceptress, a song or hymn in French 
 verse commemorative of our arrival, which they had 
 learnt by heart, and which they now sang in a strain of 
 perfect melody. Grown up girls, too, on the upper stages 
 sang songs and poetry very sweetly. The manners, the 
 way in which the children and pupils were there attended 
 to, gave me great pleasure. 
 
 We then returned, and hi the evening went to the 
 circus. We there saw such feats of horsemanship and 
 the like, as surpassed imagination. For instance, one 
 horse sat down at table and ate food, while another horse 
 went, took with his mouth a napkin, a basket, some wine, 
 <&c, and brought them, performing the office of a servant. 
 Another horse turned (or spun) a large jar with his 
 fore-foot. The trainer said : " Be lame," and instantly 
 the horse limped ; he said : " Be dead," and the horse 
 lay down (as though) dead. And thus of other feats. 
 
 A sculptor, who makes marble statues, came each day 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 271 
 
 to our quarters to make our statue of clay. He exercised 
 wonderful patience, working from early morn till dusk, 
 and produced an excellent likeness of us in clay, which 
 lie will reproduce in marble. The first is made of a kind 
 of clay special to this artistic work, and with which they 
 prepare the likeness correctly of the subject in hand ; 
 next they prepare it in plaster ; and after that cut it out 
 ■of the marble. According to what he said, he will, God 
 willing, send our statue to Tehran in four months' time. 
 
 In Paris there are numerous coffee-shops ; but, accord- 
 ing to what was told me, there are two coffee-shops more 
 -especially held in very high repute, where there are 
 music, dancing, and singing, and which are called " Cafes 
 Chantants." They are places like theatres, within the 
 city, and near to one another. There are there many 
 trees and beautiful avenues ; every evening they are 
 lighted up with manj r lamps, and they begin, as soon as 
 the sun goes down, to play music. Numerous chairs are 
 placed ; and opposite to where the public sit, is the edifice 
 of the coffee-shop. Mimics, singers, dancers, rope- 
 dancers, acrobats, and others, play and perform or sing 
 within the building in the presence of the public. 
 
 The acrobat's performance is a curious sight. He is a 
 young man, a g}Tnnast ; he wears a dress of the colour of 
 the skin, tight and close-fitting, so that he appears to be 
 naked. He takes a child of four or five years of age, — 
 the ugliest little urchin imaginable, and also a lad of 
 twelve or thirteen, whom he plays upon his hands or feet, 
 or throws up into the air, in a manner similar to what 
 one might do with a little mouse. In whatsoever way he 
 
2.72 Diajy of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap, tv 
 
 may throw them up, they alight on the ground on their 
 feet ; and in an instant, placing the child, or the lad, on 
 the top of his head, or the tip of a finger, he spins him 
 round, tosses him up, catches him again ; and they, too y 
 on their part also, while on his head, or hand, or foot, 
 turn summersaults in a way impossible to describe. "When 
 he tosses the child up, he certainly sends him five or six 
 ells high (17 J to 21 feet), the child turns a summersault 
 in the air, and alights on the ground on his feet. 
 
 True, I did not myself go to these coffee-shops ; but 
 such is what I heard, and such is what I witnessed at the 
 circus. 
 
 This circus is open in the summer-time ; but there is a 
 winter circus also, at a considerable distance from our 
 palace. 
 
 There are many handsome hotels in Paris. The 
 " Grand Hotel," which is the largest and best of all, 
 being like a magnificent royal palace, contains all the 
 articles of splendour one can desire, while every kind of 
 food and drink are always ready. 
 
 A garden exists in Paris, called the " Jar din Mabille," 
 which is a very fine garden and is open every evening. It 
 has a strong iron gate, where, from each individual who 
 enters they take five shillings Persian (4s. English). 
 Every evening about two thousand visitors come there. 
 The garden is lighted up with lamps innumerable ; there 
 are beautiful avenues, basins of water, places like natural 
 hills with cascades or waterfalls ; and hi the middle of 
 the garden a pavilion where an orchestra performs. It 
 also has coffee-shops and handsome apartments well 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 273 
 
 lighted with lamps. Beautiful women of every de- 
 scription frequent this place, which is a curiosity in its 
 way. There is a garden like it in London also ; but 
 neither of them came under our observation. 
 
 It is said that the population of Paris is about four 
 crores (two millions). 
 
 While at Paris, intelligence came from Tehran that 
 the Fakhru-'d-Dawla, our aunt, daughter of the (former) 
 Prince Kegent (the Shah's grandfather, 'Abbas Mirza, 
 son of Fath-'Ali Shah), and a most venerable woman, 
 had passed to another world. It was a source of grief, 
 sorrow, and sadness. 
 
 In Paris, England, and Germany, there are some 
 wonderful horses, of strong frame, with legs, feet, and 
 hoofs like those of elephants, that draw very heavy loads. 
 I saw many of them, harnessed to carts and waggons. 
 
 A custom prevails in Firangistan for each family to be 
 dressed all in clothes of the same colour. For instance, 
 four sisters must be all attired alike. It is a pretty 
 fashion. 
 
 Saturday, 23rd (l^tli July). — Left Paris for the town 
 of Dijon, one of the cities of France. 
 
 We rose early, and found Marshal MacMahon, the 
 Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Austrian Ambassador, 
 the President of the Assembly — M. Buffet, together with 
 other French magnates, generals, and civilians, in attend- 
 ance. We mounted a carriage and drove off, the Marshal, 
 the Minister, and the Grand- Vazir being seated with 
 us. We passed along the Boulevards des Italiens, the 
 Boulevard Montmartre, the Boulevard du Chateau-d'Eau, 
 
2 74 Diary of a Tour in Eicrope. [chap. v. 
 
 the Place de la Bastille, &c, where great crowds were 
 collected, the weather, too, being sultry, and so arrived 
 at the Gare du Midi. 
 
 We alighted and sat awhile in one of the rooms of the 
 station, where great numbers of women and men of im- 
 portance, and others, had assembled. The Marshal pre- 
 sented M. Vitry, who, in the time of the third Napoleon 
 had been in the ministry and President of the Conseil 
 d'Etat, being now the chairman of the southern railroad 
 to Lyons and Dijon. The Prefet of Dijon accom- 
 panies us. 
 
 Well; after a quarter of an hour's stay, we entered 
 the train, — the same, to all appearance, that had brought 
 us from Cherbourg. We started, and Paris faded from 
 our sight, as we travelled towards Dijon. The condition 
 and appearance of the country were like those in other 
 parts, everywhere cultivation, green fields, meadows, 
 trees, population, in uninterrupted succession ; rivers, 
 large and small, with valleys and hills, also, were seen 
 now and then. The following are the names of the 
 towns and stations passed on the road from Paris to 
 Dijon ; viz. : Montereau, Laroche, Tonnerre, Arcy, 
 Dijon. 
 
 Well ; we travelled over the distance in six hours and 
 a half to seven hours, the train going at its utmost 
 speed — ten leagues per hour. We reached Dijon at 
 sunset. The governor of the town, who is the prefect 
 of the Cote-d'Or, is named Leon de Nassau. He and 
 his deputy, with the magnates of the town, and others, 
 were at the station, waiting. This magistrate was ap- 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 275 
 
 pointed to his post about a month ago by Marshal 
 MacMahon. 
 
 The whole of these parts of the country is named 
 Burgundy, and one section of Burgundy is the Cote-d'Or, 
 of which Dijon is the chief town. The crop of grapes 
 is beyond all computation hereabouts, and the wines are 
 celebrated, being carried to all parts of the world. Who- 
 ever beholds the vineyards of these plains and hills 
 becomes puzzled to know how they can all be consumed. 
 
 We reached the town, and passed through some 
 narrow streets. In . the late war this place was twice 
 occupied by the troops of Prussia, and they exercised 
 various kinds of molestation towards its inhabitants. 
 They extracted a large ransom, and took heavy con- 
 tributions in kind. We saw several women whom they 
 wounded, the poor creatures having thence become 
 cripples. 
 
 A large building was observed, erected in days of yore ; 
 i.e., it was reared by the Lords — the Dukes of Burgundy. 
 It has, further, a high tower, like those of the public 
 edifices in Persia. As this country was in ancient days 
 a separate State, with an independent sovereign, they 
 had made the structures of the city of great strength. 
 Afterwards France incorporated it with her own 
 dominions, of which it now forms an integral part. 
 
 We noticed several very ancient churches — imposing 
 old structures. One had become dilapidated, and was in 
 course of repair. There was one theatre, closed at that 
 season. 
 
 We went to the residence of the governor, — a hand- 
 
 t 2 
 
276 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 some house, recently constructed and renovated, with a 
 small garden in front. Well ; we retired to rest early ► 
 They manufacture a good mustard in this city. 
 
 Sunday, 24th (20th July). — This day proceeded from 
 Dijon to Geneva. In the morning the magnates of 
 the town came to an audience, after which we drove to 
 the station, the Grand- Vazir and the Prefect being 
 seated opposite to us in the carriage, and crowds 
 collected everywhere. The population of this town is 
 forty thousand souls. 
 
 To-day's journe}^ to Geneva is of seven hours' dura- 
 tion, the towns along the road being as follows : Chagny, 
 Macon, Bourg, Ambrieux, Culoz, Bellegarde — the last 
 place in France on our road. As far as Ambrieux the 
 whole distance was across plains or small hills and 
 vales ; but from that station onwards we met with high 
 mountains and deep valleys, the river Rhone flowing on 
 our right in a valley, after issuing from the Lake of 
 Geneva. It goes on to Lyons and other places, and 
 flows into the Mediterranean near to Marseilles. Its 
 source is in Mount Saint- Gothard, in the Alps. The 
 same quantity of water that flows into the lake (of 
 Geneva) leaves it again, being then called the Ehone. 
 
 W ell ; we breakfasted in the train, which travelled at a 
 very rapid rate. When we had passed the station at 
 Ambrieux, the whole country became hill and dale, huge 
 mountains on both sides of the road, villages, and many 
 beautifully-pleasant streams of water. By degrees, as 
 we proceeded, we successively passed through several 
 " holes," one being of great length, and occupying five 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 277 
 
 minutes in the transit. When we had traversed these 
 mountains and valleys, a small quantity of level country 
 came in sight, and then again all was mountainous in 
 general. These mountains have snow on them, the 
 Alps, Mont Blanc, and peaks of the mountains of Savoy 
 and Italy coming now into view. 
 
 We arrived at Geneva at sunset. The President of 
 the Canton of Geneva is named M. Ceresol, the Presi- 
 dent of the Council of Geneva is M. Eugene Bopel. 
 These, with the Swiss Envoy who was in Paris, the 
 magnates of the town, and General Dufour — a man 
 ninety years of age, who served in the armies of the 
 first Napoleon, who is greatly esteemed in Switzerland, 
 and is celebrated as a geographical cartographer, were 
 awaiting us. There, the territory of France being at an 
 end, the French officials in attendance upon us took 
 leave and returned. Their names were as follows : 
 General Pajol, General Arture, Colonel Chevron, M. 
 Biberstein. 
 
 We stopped in a room at the station ; the President 
 made a speech, and we gave a reply. We then mounted 
 an open carriage with the Grand- Vazir and the two 
 Presidents, and drove off. Our quarters are in the 
 Hotel de Berg. This hotel was at no great distance ; but 
 there was no possibility to get through the streets, by 
 reason of the dense crowds. Although several policemen 
 were on duty, they could not repress and drive back the 
 people. Women, men, old and young, as also children, 
 were all mixed up together indiscriminately; and the 
 horses exerted themselves in such a manner that it 
 
278 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 wanted but little for an accident to happen to the 
 carriage. The horses and the people were so jammed 
 together, that the latter were near being drawn under 
 the wheels. Children wept ; girls and boys shrieked 
 from the great pressure. 
 
 At length, after a thousand perils, we reached our 
 quarters, a very imposing edifice. Above and below it 
 contains numerous apartments, and resembles a kingly 
 palace. The greater part of the larger buildings seen in 
 Europe, and especially in this city, are hotels. The 
 Ehone flows by the front of the hotel ; its water is very 
 light of digestion and very sweet. Owing to its clearness 
 it assumes an azure colour. In the middle of the river 
 opposite to the hotel there is a small island with trees, 
 and around it a railing. It communicates with the shores 
 by several bridges ; but there are two long wooden 
 bridges on stout piers that are very important, and that 
 lead to the hotel. 
 
 The city is on both sides of the river, and it possesses 
 many very great buildings, excellent colleges, and spa- 
 cious streets beautifully paved with stone. The whole 
 of its buildings are of five and six stories ; but, in spite 
 of this height, the city is handsome and captivating. 
 It has a hospitable population, and the manufactories of 
 watches and musical boxes of this city are well known. 
 All musical instruments in boxes, all singing nightingales 
 and crowing cocks, that act by mechanism, are made here 
 and exported to other countries. 
 
 The whole of our suite is lodged in this same hotel. 
 The method of government in the Swiss Confederation 
 
chap, v.] France^ Geneva. 279 
 
 is a thing unique in its species, and their customs are 
 different. They have no house or place specially ap- 
 pointed for government ; and for this reason our quarters 
 were at an hotel. Other sovereigns and people of import- 
 ance that come to this city can have no other quarters 
 than at an hotel. 
 
 The Alp mountains and Mont Blanc* are seen from 
 the outlook of the hotel. They are much covered with 
 snow; but the Persian mountain of Damawand is con- 
 siderably more lofty than these, and more picturesque. 
 
 Dr. Tholozan, who had gone to the town of St. Etienne, 
 in France, has not yet rejoined us. 
 
 Monday, 25th (21st July). — Kemained at Geneva. To- 
 day we went on board a Swiss steamship, and proceeded 
 on a jaunt round the Lake of Geneva. The whole of 
 our suite, two of the head men of Switzerland, the Swiss 
 and the Italian Envoys to France, M. Dubeski — Austrian 
 Envoy to Tehran, and recently arrived from Austria, 
 with others of the Franks, were present. 
 
 The right-hand shore of the lake was at first, for a 
 short distance, Swiss territory ; after that it belongs to 
 the province of Savoy, dependent on France. After the 
 
 * Black's Atlas of 1856, gives the height of Mont Blanc as 15,781 feet ; 
 that of "Demawand" at 15,000 feet; of Kazbek, 15,345 feet; and of 
 Elburz, 17,796 feet — both these latter being in the Caucasus. Mr. Grove's 
 letter in The Times of 26th August, 1874, gives an altitude of 18,500 feet 
 to Elburz. Mr. Grove, however, places the Caucasus in Europe, and 
 dethrones Mont Blanc from its supremacy as the highest in our quarter of 
 the globe, raising Elburz to its vacated pre-eminence. General Monteith, 
 in the map to his "Ears and Erzeroum," published in 1856, gives the 
 same height to Elburz, 18,514 feet, but assigns to Kazbek an altitude of 
 ]6,518 feet— J. W. E. 
 
280 Diary of a Toitr in Eicrope. [chap. v. 
 
 war that Napoleon III. waged against Austria, in which 
 he defeated her and took from her the province of 
 Lombardy, — a part of Italy that the Austrians had 
 occupied for several years, restoring the same to the 
 Italians, Italy, in acknowledgment of the toil of France, 
 ceded the two provinces of Nice and Savoy to the French 
 Government, the territory of Savoy reaching to the 
 shore of the Lake of Geneva, and actually held by 
 France. Again, on the other hand, the river Rhone, 
 after passing the city of Geneva by a very few feet, 
 enters the territory of France. 
 
 Well ; when we first moved away from the port of 
 Geneva, the width of the lake was inconsiderable, 
 widening out by degrees, so that the greatest breadth of 
 the lake is more than two leagues, while its depth is from 
 fifty to a hundred ells (175 to 350 feet). They said that 
 everywhere in it the largest steamers can navigate, while 
 there is not one large rock or island in the middle or 
 along the shore of the lake. At whatsoever time a 
 storm may arise, great waves are thrown up. The 
 length of the lake is twelve leagues, and we compassed 
 it with our steamer in six hours. The ship ran three 
 leagues an hour. The circuit of the lake by land, how- 
 ever, must be thirty leagues. There are three or four 
 steamboats belonging to a Swiss company, under Swiss 
 colours, that perform voyages every day, carrying pas- 
 sengers and goods; and there are also two or three 
 steamers under French colours. Many sailing vessels 
 also are in use. The population of the shores belonging 
 to France is less than that on the Swiss parts. All 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 28 r 
 
 round the lake are lofty mountains, with the Alps visible 
 in the distance, snowy and picturesque. 
 
 We partook of a frugal breakfast on board the 
 -steamer, and then started. We passed the further end 
 of the French shore, the valley by which the Rhone falls 
 into the lake, and arrived before the town of Vevay. 
 This is a very pretty town on the shore of the lake, 
 with a western aspect. On the shores of the lake and on 
 the skirts of the mountains detached residences were 
 seen. The whole of the produce hereabouts is grapes. 
 In whatever direction we looked, from the foot to the 
 very summit of the peaks of the mountains, wherever it 
 was practicable, and the soil was capable of being 
 worked, there were grapevines. In the middle of the 
 town there were many fountains, the sources of which were 
 in the higher parts of the mountains ; so that, these being 
 at great elevations, the fountains threw their jets to con- 
 siderable heights, and produced a very good effect. 
 There were some very grand hotels. 
 
 M. Ceresol, the President, whose native place was 
 Vevay, had invited us to a breakfast, and had caused the 
 repast to be prepared at an hotel named "Les Trois 
 Couronnes ;" i.e., the Three Crowns. We went ashore 
 from the vessel and mounted a carriage. We noticed 
 some most beautiful women. Great numbers of Ameri- 
 cans, English, and others, come to travel in these parts. 
 Citizens of the town and foreigners crowded the streets 
 in great numbers. We entered the hotel, which is a 
 magnificent edifice. The King of Holland, William or 
 Wilhelm, who has been some time travelling here, was 
 
282 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 standing in a hall of the hotel, waiting for us. On 
 arriving we shook hands with him, and entered into con- 
 versation, after which we went to table and sat down. 
 There was a most elaborate breakfast, at which musicians 
 played. The whole of our suite were at table, and the 
 King of Holland sat opposite to us, so that we conversed 
 at great length. 
 
 Breakfast finished, we rose and went for a stroll in a 
 garden in front of the hotel on the shore of the lake. 
 Great numbers of women and maidens, as also of all 
 classes of men, were there. As we were yet strolling 
 about, the King of Holland came and said : "I wish to 
 take leave." We shook hands. 
 
 Going now to a shop, we purchased some very beautiful 
 panoramic views of the Alps and other places; thence, 
 mounting a carriage, we returned by the way we had 
 come, went on board our ship, and again got under way. 
 We passed several towns and cities of note on the Swiss 
 shore of the lake ; among these were Lausanne, Nyon, 
 Eolle, Morges, and Cully, arriving at Geneva after dark, 
 where they had arranged a beautiful illumination and 
 exhibition of fireworks, both on the shore and on board 
 the vessels. After these we went home. 
 
 From the shores of the lake the}*- have laid down two 
 lines of railway on the Swiss territory to the valley and 
 town of Sion. On the right-hand side of the lake is the 
 mountain chain of the Alps; on the left, that of the 
 Jura. 
 
 Tuesday, 26th {22nd July). — In the morning after 
 breakfasting, we mounted a carriage, crossed the Khone, 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 283 
 
 O' 
 
 and went for a drive in the direction of the mountains of 
 Savoy, which are French territory. On our route the 
 Sani'u-'d-Dawla received his conge to proceed to the city 
 of Turin and make arrangements for quartering our 
 suite. 
 
 This day, also, the 'I'tizadu-'s-Saltana, the 'Lnadu-'d~ 
 Dawla, the 'Ala'u-'d-Dawla, Mirza Malkam Khan, the 
 Hakimu-'l-Mamalik, and M. Eichard also set out for the 
 city of Vienna. 
 
 Well; we drove on and passed beyond the environs- 
 of Geneva. Our carriage-road was all uphill, tortuous, 
 and lop-sided. The weather, too, was excessively sultry. 
 As one passes beyond the city of Geneva, one comes- 
 on to the territory of Savoy and France, the territories 
 of France and Switzerland being intermixed. There 
 were some small and picturesque villages along the road,, 
 perched on eminences and at the foot of hills. We 
 crossed a considerable stream that comes down from the 
 mountains and valleys of Savoy and ultimately flows into 
 the Rhone. We drove up an ascending road which 
 terminates at a handsome hotel ; but before reaching the 
 hotel I mounted the horse of the Yaminu-'d-Dawla, and 
 Ibrahim Khan mounted that of the Husamu-'d-Dawla. 
 Other horses were also procured from the Franks, on 
 which the rest of our suite mounted. The Mu'tamadu-'l- 
 Mulk went on in the carriage to the hotel. 
 
 We now pushed on for the summit of a hill that over- 
 hung the hotel, the others following us. One Frank, 
 proprietor of the horses, who was a man of a certain 
 position and kept good steeds, was also of the party ; but 
 
2&/\. Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 lie could not climb up with us to the mountain-top on 
 •horseback. He followed us everywhere on foot. The 
 road was bad, and lay through a tangled thicket, so as 
 not to be at all distinguishable. We made our way, 
 however, somehow or other, through the bushes and 
 trees, arriving ultimately at the hill-top. Here the Lake 
 of Geneva, the whole of the snow-clad peaks of the Alps 
 of Savoy, with Mont Blanc and others burst into view. 
 After admiring this spectacle for a time, we retreated 
 from the intense heat to the shade of a wood, and there 
 sat down. Again mounting, we descended by a very bad 
 path and went to the hotel. Great numbers of women 
 and men, travellers and others, were seen on our road 
 and in the hotel, where we found no other refreshment 
 than iced water. We sat down a while in the small 
 garden of the hotel, and washed our hands and face. At 
 this juncture, with all our fatigue, and in spite of the 
 heat, the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk came to say that the priest, 
 with the local substitute of the district, a portion of 
 France, desired to have an audience. I gave permission, 
 and they came. The substitute made a speech as though 
 I had arrived in the city of Paris, and to it we gave an 
 answer. After that, we returned home by the same road 
 followed in our ascent. As the carriage had to go gently 
 downhill, we got home late, i.e., it was dark before we 
 reached our quarters. 
 
 Wednesday, 27th (23rd July). — To-day we are invited 
 to breakfast at the Hotel de la Paix by the Swiss Con- 
 federation, of which the Presidents are come. 
 
 We mounted our carriage and went. The distance 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 285, 
 
 was very little. Alighting, we went upstairs. We re- 
 mained a short time in a room, and the Italian Envoy to 
 Switzerland, the Swiss Envoy to Paris, whose name is 
 Dr. Kerk, the Prussian Envoy to Switzerland — a son of 
 Prince Gortchakoff, the Prime Minister of Russia, who- 
 had come here from Berne, were received in audience, 
 together with the others. 
 
 After an interval we went to table and took our seats. 
 The princes, Grand- Vazir, and the rest, were all present. 
 A beautiful gold box, enamelled, including a watch and a 
 singing bird, and also a musket, as used by the troops of 
 Switzerland, with a thousand balls, were presented on 
 the part of the citizens of Geneva. . 
 
 The breakfast was very protracted. There was a band 
 playing. Crowds of women and men were in the streets, 
 on the stairs, and in the rooms. Breakfast over, we 
 returned home. 
 
 Two hours later the President and others came again. 
 We mounted a carriage and went to see some localities. 
 The whole of those who sat down to the breakfast were 
 present, excepting our princes. 
 
 We first went to a building where are collected sets of 
 philosophical apparatus and some other things, such as a. 
 museum, dead animals and the bones of these, just like 
 those seen in Paris ; only that the collection here, in com- 
 parison with those of Paris and elsewhere, were very much 
 less in number, and contemptible. The professor of 
 physics made a room dark and showed us some experi- 
 ments and interesting sights produced by the power of 
 electricity in coloured glass vessels; but as, during this 
 
286 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. v. 
 
 exhibition, the curtains were let down and the windows 
 closed, the room was very dark and hot. We then walked 
 through some other rooms, and from hence proceeded to 
 another building. 
 
 This was an Exhibition of paintings by Swiss and other 
 artists, of which I purchased six or seven very beautiful. 
 In one room there was also a plan of the whole Swiss 
 territory, which General Dufour has prepared with the 
 labour of many years. To say the truth, so beautiful a 
 plan had never been seen before. Village by village, 
 valley by valley, the mountains and the rivers are all laid 
 down in relief. 
 
 After admiring this plan for a time we descended, got 
 into our carriage, and went for a drive. We were also 
 engaged to a party in the afternoon at the gardens and 
 summer-residence of M. Favre, one of the wealthy nobles 
 of Switzerland. 
 
 Those gardens were outside the town on the shore of 
 the Lake of Geneva, in the direction of the territories of 
 Switzerland, and a good distance away. We passed near 
 to the mansion and summer-residence of the famous 
 Rothschild, and so reached the house of M. Favre, which 
 is very handsome. Many beautiful ladies, of the nobility 
 and otherwise, were there present. We sat a little, 
 strolled about a little, and conversed. The lawns and 
 the view over the lake and its surroundings were superb. 
 We returned at sunset ; but the President and the others 
 remained. 
 
 We came home ; but we passed a most uncomfortable 
 night from the noise of the carriages, the roar of thunder? 
 
chap, v.] . France, Geneva. 287 
 
 the plashing of rain, the striking of clocks, and the 
 jangling of bells in the various hotels. 
 
 The State of the Swiss Confederation is a republic, 
 and they have very strange customs of administration. 
 It has altogether a population of five crores (2 J millions), 
 and is subdivided into twenty-two cantons. Each canton 
 has a President, a Government, and an exchequer apart. 
 There is a Supreme Council of seven members, which 
 has its President, and he is superior to the others ; but 
 one by one these can give no orders concerning public 
 affairs of importance or otherwise. The twenty-two 
 (Cantonal Presidents) report to this (Council of) seven, 
 and these, acting in concert, and each appending his 
 signature, issue the necessary decrees. In reality, they 
 have no President- General or Absolute Ruler in any one 
 of the cantons or towns ; but, whenever the whole agree 
 together as to any matter, it is put in force ; otherwise, 
 not. This is a state of affairs the exposition and eluci- 
 dation of which is extremely difficult, and our Diary is 
 not sufficiently voluminous to embrace a commentary on 
 the laws of the government and details of the regulations 
 of the Swiss State. More than we have given is unneces- 
 sary also. They have no standing army at all. When- 
 ever a war breaks out, they arm and drill the peasantry, 
 and lead them to battle. In time of war they can 
 assemble an army of a hundred thousand men. The 
 seven regents of the State reside in the City of Berne. 
 
 There are four rivers which have their fountain head 
 in the mountain of St. Gothard, one of the Alps, and 
 belonging to Switzerland. Two of these are very large ; 
 
2 88 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, v. 
 
 one, the Khine, falls into the Lake of Constance ; the 
 other, the Ehone, flows into the Lake of Geneva. Both 
 issue again from those lakes. 
 
 Thursday, Z8th (Mth July). — We proceeded this day 
 from Geneva to Turin, the ancient capital of the kingdom 
 of Sardinia and Piedmont, which now, after wars with 
 Austria, the. conquest of the provinces of Lombardy and 
 Venetia, the' four strong fortresses of the Quadrilateral, 
 the annexation of Naples with the island of Sicily, and 
 the occupation of the city of Eome, -has become one 
 united kingdom of importance, the kingdom of Italy, the 
 capital of which is the city of Eome, the ancient capital 
 of the Caesars, as afterwards of the Popes, — the chiefs of 
 the (Eoman) Catholic sect, who seized upon sovereign 
 power, which has been totally taken away from them in 
 the days of the present king, and the capital restored to 
 the united kingdom. 
 
 Well ; we rose early in the morning and took Our seat 
 in a carriage together with the President and the Grand- 
 Vazlr. We entered a train and went as far as Bellegarde, 
 the first French station, by the road passed over in 
 coming. Thence we diverged to the road that leads to 
 Turin and Italy. We passed over the valleys and the 
 territories of Savoy, where all around were extensive 
 vales filled with streams and trees, most charming. On 
 both sides of our road were huge lofty mountains covered 
 with snow, from which waterfalls innumerable leaped. 
 In these localities they have constructed the iron way 
 most scientifically, with immense labour, and at enormous 
 cost. Everywhere is rock and mountain, acclivity or 
 
•chap, v.] France, Geneva. 289 
 
 declivity ; and across the rivers enormous bridges of iron 
 have been thrown. 
 
 The country was picturesque and populous until we 
 reached the city of Chambery. Before arriving there, 
 however, we passed the districts of Aix les Bains, which 
 are a part of Savoy, and where there was a clear and 
 beautiful lake, long, deep, and narrow. At Chambery, 
 the chief town of Savoy, the train stopped. The whole 
 of the military officers and generals of the forces in 
 garrison, the magistrates and civil functionaries, with a 
 regiment of infantry, another of cavalry,. and their bands, 
 were in readiness to receive us. We alighted, passed 
 down in front of the troops, rejoined our train, and 
 proceeded. 
 
 All was now stupendous mountains, covered with 
 forests or with snow. Waterfalls gushed from the heights 
 incessantly on both sides; and so we reached Modane, 
 the last station in France. Here the Italian officials 
 -and generals sent to meet us were admitted to an audience. 
 But the frontier between France and Italy is in the middle 
 of the " hole " through Mont Cenis, the half of this 
 oelonging to Italy, and the other half to France. 
 
 Leaving Modane, we reached the " hole," and twenty- 
 eight minutes elapsed ere we again issued therefrom, two 
 leagues and a half, or thereabouts, being the length of 
 this " hole." It is as though a hole were pierced from 
 Manzariyya in the Alburz Mountains, coming out again 
 at Shahristanak. It is a most wonderful work. 
 
 At first I closed all the windows of the carriage, in 
 order to prevent the entry of the smoke. After a few 
 
290 Diary of a Tour in Etcrope. [chap. v. 
 
 minutes we experienced a difficulty of breathing, and I 
 let down several windows, when a slight air came in. At 
 times strange sounds arose as though a dragon were 
 passing swiftly by and roaring; at other times, in the 
 midst of the darkness another train would pass us, making 
 a wonderful noise. On either side of the road now and 
 then a lamp and a roadsman were seen, and we could not 
 imagine how they could live in these places. At length, 
 towards the end of the tunnel, as the height and diameter 
 of the mountain begin gradually to decrease, some windows 
 have been opened and light admitted into the "hole," 
 those on the left hand being larger and those to the right 
 smaller. Before we came to these windows, there was 
 another long hole opened up on the left-hand side from 
 the tunnel to the mountain side, for the purpose of venti- 
 lating the (principal) "hole.;" and through it light and 
 air are both admitted. But the whole of this tunnel, of 
 two and a half leagues in length, is very dark and terrific. 
 For nearly twenty years the ablest engineers of Europe- 
 worked at opening out this tunnel at an enormous 
 expense ; and before the hole was pierced, the road 
 from France to Italy lay over the surface of the moun- 
 tain, and was travelled in carriages, on horseback, or on 
 mules. 
 
 At length we emerged from the " hole " and entered 
 the territory of Piedmont, of which the city of Turin is 
 the capital. Again were lofty mountains, covered with 
 snows and forests, and waterfalls without number, seen 
 on both sides of the road ; and again did the tram pass 
 through two very long " holes," and after a space, through- 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 291 
 
 several others ; so that altogether we must have passed 
 to-day through at least eighty " holes." 
 
 On the Italian territory the railway passes by strange 
 and perilous places, such as mountain-slopes, precipices, 
 deep gullies, large streams, and torrents, over which 
 bridges have been made. In the construction of these 
 roads many a marvellous piece of work has been carried 
 out, that squares not with one's (previous) conceptions ; 
 and so strongly have they built the roads and the bridges, 
 that for a thousand years they will show no defect. 
 
 The river that flows from these mountains in the 
 direction of Italy is the Po ; — a mighty stream, but its 
 water is black and unsavoury. It passes by the side of 
 the city of Turin ; and lower down, by that of Venice,, 
 flowing ultimately into the Adriatic Sea. 
 
 As we went on, the valley became more spacious, open- 
 ing out at length into a broad and level plain, a vast 
 expanse covered with trees. But, before we reached the 
 station at Turin, the sun had set and the atmosphere 
 had darkened. 
 
 On alighting from the train, His Most Exalted 
 Majesty Victor Emmanuel II., — the Sovereign of Italy,, 
 the Nawwab Prince Humbert — the Heir-Apparent, 
 Prince Amadeo — second son of the Sovereign, who for 
 two years exercised sovereignty in Spain, and then abdi- 
 cated, M. Minghetti — the Prime Minister, M. Visconti- 
 Venosta — the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Prince of 
 Carignano — son of the Sovereign's paternal uncle and a 
 man held in great estimation for nobleness of character,. 
 Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Army, and also hold- 
 
 u2 
 
292 Diary of a Tour in Eitrope. [chap. v. 
 
 ing a post in the Navy, who, whenever the Sovereign 
 goes forth on a campaign and the Heir- Apparent is also 
 absent, is always appointed Regent, the Sani'u-'d-Dawla 
 — who had come on beforehand, together with other 
 officials, governors, and notables of the city, were at the 
 station ready to meet us. 
 
 We shook hands with the Sovereign and the princes, 
 with mutual salutations ; after which, we and the Sove- 
 reign took our seats in an open carriage and drove off. 
 It was night, and they had prepared a beautiful illumi- 
 nation. Great crowds of women and men were in the 
 streets and at the windows. The town has spacious 
 streets and lofty buildings of five and six stories. The 
 street through which we passed is called the Street of 
 Borne. 
 
 The first open space we came to was St. Charles's 
 Square, in the middle of which was an equestrian statue in 
 bronze of one of the Sovereign's ancestors. After that we 
 reached the square in which is the royal palace. This is 
 a spacious arena, in the middle of which there is a 
 marble statue of a soldier with a flag, which the people 
 of Lombard}', after their emancipation from the hands of 
 Austria, presented to the city of Turin. 
 
 We arrived at the palace, alighted, and, with the 
 Sovereign, went up stairs. The steps, walls, and cor- 
 ridors were all of marble; the ceilings were lofty and 
 highly ornamented with figures and gildings. On the 
 balustrades were placed vases of marble, out of each of 
 which sprang gas- fittings with several branches of great 
 beauty. We passed through many rooms, all intercom- 
 
chap, v.] France, Geneva. 293 
 
 nmnicating, all ornamented with ancient gildings, some 
 with decorative mirrors, and all full of objects of great 
 splendour, such as magnificent oil-paintings, sofas, tables, 
 chairs, and the like. 
 
 After the Sovereign had thus pointed out the whole of 
 the apartments of our quarters, he took leave and went 
 away. We waited a few minutes, and then went to the 
 apartments of the Sovereign, which were in the same 
 palace, and returned his visit. We remained there a 
 short time, returned, took off our state costume, and 
 made ourselves at home. 
 
 The air of this city is extremely sultry. The Sovereign 
 was out in tents at hunting-grounds high on the moun- 
 tains, and came into town merely on account of our 
 arrival; otherwise, he has no liking ever to remain in 
 town ; winter and summer he is always out in hunting- 
 places. He told me that he held the town and palace in 
 detestation, that he always wished to be in the hunting- 
 grounds on the mountains.* 
 
 The age of the Sovereign is near upon sixty years; but 
 he is very hale and robust, so that he does not appear 
 aged. The Heir-Apparent is thirty years of age ; Prince 
 Amadeo, twenty-eight. Of his two daughters, one, the 
 wife of the Sovereign of Portugal, is named Marie ; the 
 other, the wife of Prince Napoleon, is named the 
 Princess Clotilde. The wife of the Duke of Aosta — 
 that same Prince Amadeo, has been extremely unwell 
 
 * " It is whispered that the King of Italy prefers shooting in Piedmont to 
 all the pleasures of a palace." Leader in "Times," 27th August, 1874, 
 The paragraph in the text was first read by me on that day— a singular 
 coincidence. — J. W. R. 
 
294 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap. v. 
 
 these last few days ; and his apartments also are in the 
 lower story of the palace in which we are quartered. He 
 lias three sons ; one, an infant at the breast, the other 
 two being three or four years old, whom their nurses 
 bring out every day into the garden in front of the palace, 
 and give them a turn about. 
 
 In one of the squares of the city is a very large and 
 lofty fountain, the water of which springs up with great 
 force. 
 
 The river Po comes from the uttermost right-hand 
 outskirts of the city, and on the further side of the river 
 all is mountain and forest, with beautiful isolated houses 
 here and there in the valleys. The river and the moun- 
 tain are contiguous to the city. On the summit of one 
 of the peaks, the highest of the whole, a beautiful church 
 is built, named the Super ga, where are the tombs of the 
 Sovereign's ancestors. To the left of the city, as far as 
 the range of the Alps, is a level plain. 
 
 A synagogue is being constructed by the Jews in this 
 city — a very stately edifice ; that is to say, the wealthy 
 Jews of Italy have united together and are building it in 
 common. It is not as yet completed. 
 
CHAPTEE VI. 
 
 ITALY ; AUSTRIA ; 19 DAYS. 
 
 RID AY, 29th (25th July) .—Remained at home. 
 After breakfast the Sovereign came and we 
 went together to the armoury that is in the 
 palace. There were large numbers of weapons, 
 ancient and modern, such as Persian swords on which 
 were inscribed verses of Persian poetry in letters of gold; 
 of which we saw several, and also Persian coats of mail 
 and helmets. There were also some dead horses, made 
 to stand up as though alive, and men, clothed in ancient 
 Frankish armour, made to ride upon them. There 
 were some arms of the ancestors and forefathers of 
 this very Sovereign, such as swords and the like. 
 A sword that the first Napoleon, on the occasion of 
 his adieu at Fontahiebleau, gave to an Italian general 
 who was in his service, was there and was examined. 
 There was a sword, long and pointed, like a spear. 
 We went up and down for a long time, saw the 
 whole of the arms, and then returned to our own apart- 
 ments. 
 
 In the afternoon there was a dinner-party in this same 
 
296 Diary of a Tottr in Europe. [«hap. vi. 
 
 palace. The Sovereign came. "We went. In a most 
 magnificent hall a large table was spread. There 
 were one hundred persons around it. We sat down* 
 A most splendid dinner was served, and- music also 
 was played. The Sovereign himself partook of no 
 food. I asked the reason. He replied: "My custom 
 is to dine at midnight and immediately to go to sleep.' r 
 In like manner, the Sovereign's cousin paternally, 
 by reason of this same habit, took no food, and 
 also said that he had never drunk wine, preferring iced 
 water. 
 
 The beard of the Sovereign's cousin is long and white ; 
 his face is ruddy and fair, his age appears to be about 
 sixty-five ; but he is very robust. 
 
 The whole of our suite, excepting those who had gone 
 to Vienna, were of the party. 
 
 To-day the Sovereign had sent some most beautiful 
 and costly objects as souvenirs to be presented to us; such 
 as portraits in mosaic, the work of Italy, each one being 
 of fabulous value. This art is special to Italy, and has 
 no connexion with the inlaid work made in Persia. That 
 of Persia is made of bone ; here it is done with mineral 
 stones of various colours, is most beautiful, and is very 
 rare. A very large table in mosaic, very handsome 
 fowling-pieces, a painted oil portrait of the Sovereign 
 himself and strikingly like him, besides being well 
 executed, some models of buildings executed in marble, 
 some figures of bronze, and a casket in mosaic. In 
 short, many beautiful objects. To the Grand- Yazir 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 297 
 
 and to the princes, as well as the others, also, had he 
 given decorations.* 
 
 In the evening, in company with the Sovereign, we 
 went to the theatre which is in this very palace, hut at a 
 great distance. We passed through sundry apartments 
 and that selfsame armoury, arrived at a beautiful and 
 far extending corridor, lighted up as in an illumination,, 
 and so reached the theatre. We sat in the first box*. 
 It was a very pretty theatre, not very large, and not too 
 small, with five tiers of seats, and many gaslamps. The 
 audience was numerous. They sang ; they danced ; the 
 curtain went up. As the weather was very sultry, we 
 did not sit out more than two acts, that is, two scenes. 
 There was a singer, Urbin by name, who was very beau- 
 tiful and young, with a good voice, from the New World.. 
 
 * The following is a list of these presents : — 
 
 1. Koman Mosaics. 
 A large view of the Colosseum. 
 A large view of a Lion Hunt. 
 Four smaller views in Rome. 
 
 2. Florentine Mosaic. 
 One casket of gilt bronze. 
 
 3. Bronze Figures. 
 Antinous. 
 
 Caesar Augustus. 
 
 An Athlete. 
 
 The Faunus of Praxiteles. 
 
 4. Marbles. 
 
 Three giallo antico models of monuments in the Forum of 
 
 Rome. 
 One goblet of rosso antico. 
 
 5. Painting. 
 
 One large portrait of His Majesty the King. 
 
 6. Arms. 
 Five rifles. 
 
2gS Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 They said she had a hushand, and in two days' time was 
 to go to (St.) Peter(sburg) as a vocalist. Eising, we 
 jcame home. 
 
 The city of Turin has a population of two hundred 
 thousand. The uniforms of the officers, and the horses 
 <of the regular cavalry were beautiful. 
 
 Saturday, 30th (26th July). — On rising in the morning 
 the weather was very sultry. We breakfasted, and then 
 went for a tour through the apartments of the palace, 
 viewing the very beautiful pictures, and then the library 
 of the Sovereign, which is in the lower story of the 
 building. There were many books. The arrangement 
 of the library was that of a long corridor. 
 
 We then went upstairs and strolled in the palace 
 garden, passing thence to the animals that belong to the 
 Sovereign, which we viewed in this garden in their 
 cages. There were many lions, one black leopard, 
 wolves, foxes, jackals, hyaenas, a pair of elephants, a pair 
 of giraffes, tigers, leopards, black bears of Tibet — which 
 are strange beasts. In one cage were many monkeys. 
 There were various kinds of antelopes, a zebra, and 
 other things. Two curious animals were seen there, 
 that were not in any other of the zoological gardens. 
 One was the " lion-yuz," (puma, felis concolor). I had 
 seen a "leopard-yuz " (the Youze, Chetah, Hunting-Cat, 
 gueparda jubata) ; but had never even heard of a " lion- 
 yuz." It resembles a lion, though it is like a leopard, 
 and very engaging. The other was a monkey of very 
 perverse disposition and savage, that was kept by itself. 
 Man could not pass in front of it. Its teeth were like 
 
■chap, vl] Italy, Austria. 299 
 
 -those of a tiger, and its head enormously large. It had 
 a yellow beard, a nose all red, blue cheeks marked with 
 streaks. It is called the Mandrill, and was brought 
 from Africa. 
 
 We returned home ; that is to say, that, since it is 
 only with much trouble that a great number of stairs 
 can be mounted, they have arranged a curious ap- 
 paratus, with a chair resembling a carriage, and in 
 this we seated ourselves ; they worked it by winding, 
 .and we were slowly lifted, with the greatest comfort, 
 to the upper story of the palace where our quarters 
 were. 
 
 After a few moments they announced the arrival of the 
 ^Sovereign, who was waiting in one of the chambers. 
 We went together in a carriage for a drive through all 
 parts of the city, which was beautifully illuminated. The 
 women and men were very numerous. It possesses very 
 beautiful women. At length we went to the parade- 
 ground, around which are large oak-trees and beautiful 
 avenues. These we traversed, as well as some streets. 
 There was one long street, exceedingly handsome, which 
 they had illuminated, and which extends to the river 
 Po. On the other side of the river, on the tops of the 
 mountains and hills, they exhibited some fine fireworks, 
 which produced a very pleasing effect. These ended, 
 we returned home. I was in the carriage with the 
 Sovereign, the Grand- Vazir, and M. Bertoleniani (il 
 Cavaliere Ettore Bertole Viale, Major- General), the 
 Sovereign's Grand Huntsman, aide-de-camp, and com- 
 panion ; we thus reached our quarters. 
 
300 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap, vi.. 
 
 It is some time since the death of the Sovereign's royal 
 consort that he once had, and he has not again married 
 a royally contracted state wife, having taken a pri- 
 vately-wedded consort, in like way with myself. His wife 
 was not here, having gone to the coast for the purpose 
 of sea-bathing. I sent her a courteous message of atten- 
 tions, and received a corresponding answer, through the 
 medium of M. Aghemo, private secretary to the Sove- 
 reign, who is the son of the paternal uncle {i.e., a cousin) 
 of this consort. The Sovereign said : " My present 
 wife has been with me in my campaigns, and is with me 
 in my hunting excursions. She has even shot two deer 
 herself." By this wife (the Contessa di Mirafiori) he has 
 a«on, who is an officer of the cavalry; also a daughter, 
 who was married to a colonel in the army (the Marquis 
 Spinola) ; but he having died, she is now a widow. 
 
 Sunday, 1st Jumdda-'l-Ukhrd (Latter Jumdda; 27th 
 Jidy). — We have to go from Turin to the city of Milan- 
 By rail this is a distance of four hours. Kising in the 
 morning and dressing, we received the Sovereign, who 
 came to visit us, sat down, and had some conversation- 
 Prince Amadeo, the Sovereign's second son, also came. 
 His wife was still unwell, as before. The Heir-Apparent 
 set out yesterday for a summer residence (sic ; probably 
 a typographical error for Milan) in order to our recep- 
 tion. The Sovereign told me he had shot a deer, which 
 was in the corridor, as he wished me to see it, and to say 
 whether that species exists in Persia or not. I rose and 
 went. They had placed the dead deer in the hall. I 
 saw it. It was of the same species as those deer which- 
 
•chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 301 
 
 I had seen in the parks in England. It is a kind of 
 stag, but is smaller. 
 
 We descended and mounted a carriage, the Sovereign 
 Toeing also present, and we drove to the station. From 
 this place we made use of an Austrian train of cars, which 
 were very beautiful. They have put the whole party, 
 with the luggage, &c, into this one train ; and the whole 
 of the carriages communicate with one another, like 
 those of the train we used in Russia. 
 
 The Sovereign, with all the magnates and notables of 
 "the State, were standing on the platform at the station 
 until the train was put in motion. Saluting each other, 
 we passed on. ' 
 
 The right hand side of the city is all lulls. They 
 have built here and there on the hills and in the valleys, 
 which are clothed with forest, very pretty summer-resi- 
 dences. After the train had proceeded a certain 
 distance, the hills on the right hand side receded to a 
 distance, and all became a level open plain, teeming with 
 man and his works. A large proportion of the crops 
 was Indian corn, and this was newly ripe. A difference in 
 the Indian corn of these parts from that of Persia is, in 
 the first place, that the stems of it here are very tall, and 
 secondly, that while the (ears of the) middle of the steins 
 are the same as in Persia, being edible, the tops of the 
 stems are of another sort, bearing ears like wheat, and 
 pendulous, which they also make into flour and eat ; * 
 two kinds of Indian corn being thus produced on 
 •one stem. 
 
 * Probably a mistaken idea of corn-flour. — J. W\ R. 
 
302 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vi. 
 
 The wheat and barley were harvested. Many mul- 
 berry trees for silkworms were noticed in the neigh- 
 bourhood of Milan. The silk of Italy is renowned for 
 its good quality ; but for several years past, it has not suc- 
 ceeded well. The whole plain was full of trees and crops. 
 
 We passed several rivers, large and small. The name 
 of one of the large rivers is the Dona (Dora Eipaira, or, 
 Dora Baltea?), another is the Stura, and the Sicia 
 (Sesia), and the Gicino (Ticino). Well; we pursued 
 our journey, and stopped awhile at Santhia, which is a 
 small town. At every town where the train stopped, the 
 inhabitants, such as soldiers, military officers, civilians, 
 the governor, and the like, came to meet us. We then 
 reached Novara, which is on the skirts of a mountain, 
 the greater part of the houses being on the hills and up* 
 in valleys, so that it is very picturesque and striking. 
 From Turin to this place the whole road has been 
 through a plain ; here mountains again make their 
 appearance; that is, on the left, where the town is, 
 there are mountains, but on the right, a plain. On these 
 mountains, again, verdure and forest are scarce; but 
 everywhere they have built for themselves isolated 
 houses and mansions for summer residences and other 
 purposes, in very good taste. 
 
 When we had left Novara a few leagues behind us, we 
 arrived at the village of Magenta, celebrated ever since 
 the battle fought there and on its fields against the 
 Austrians in the time of the third Napoleon, when the 
 Austrian forces were utterly routed and put to flight in 
 these fields by the French and Italians. A tall column 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Atistria. 303, 
 
 was noticed that has been erected by Napoleon in com- 
 memoration, and as a tombstone for those killed in that 
 battle who were French. 
 
 We arrived at Milan while it yet wanted two hours 
 and a half to sunset. It has a magnificent and very 
 large terminus, constructed by the Austrian Government 
 at the time when they possessed this city. We had 
 seen but few stations with such beautiful and extensive 
 accommodations. 
 
 We alighted from the train; the Heir- Apparent of 
 Italy, who had come here yesterday, who is also himself 
 the special Governor of the place, where he always 
 resides, was awaiting us, with the magistrates, military 
 officers, and civilians. After mutual salutations with the 
 Heir- Apparent, we mounted a carriage. Immense crowds 
 were in the streets and at the windows. The atmosphere 
 was intensely hot ; hotter than at Tehran. We passed 
 through beautiful streets. It is a very handsome city, 
 and possesses very lovely women. We drove a long way, 
 and at length reached the square of the Government 
 Palace, and of the famous church (the Duomo), renowned 
 in all the earth, which they have there erected. Such a 
 church and such an edifice is in no other spot in the world. 
 
 Well ; we reached the palace. It is a very imposing 
 structure and full of effects, such as tables, chairs, bed- 
 steads, looking-glasses, and tlie like. The whole of the 
 rooms, halls, and doors, are ornamented with gildings 
 and paintings ; in each of them beautiful stuffs and oil 
 paintings of merit are hung against the walls, numerous 
 chandeliers being suspended from the ceilings. This 
 
304 Diary of a Totcr in Etirope. [chap. vi. 
 
 palace was built in days of old. When the first Napo- 
 leon conquered Italy and this city, he thoroughly 
 restored and redecorated the palace, and it remained 
 long in his possession ; for Prince Eugene for eight 
 years ruled in this city as viceroy of Napoleon. After 
 that, the country and the palace fell into the hands of 
 Austria, and for years she reigned over them. Prince 
 Maximilian, brother of the present Emperor of Austria, 
 who afterwards became Emperor of Mexico in the New 
 World, where they put him to death, was viceroy for the 
 Emperor of Austria over this city and province. Since 
 the defeat of the Austrians, they have formed a part of 
 the kingdom of Italy. 
 
 Well ; after a short rest, we felt an inclination to go 
 to the top of the church that is opposite the palace. We 
 rose, and in the first place went into the church. Being 
 'Sunday, we found there a great concourse of men and 
 women. We walked about a while. From the interior 
 ►of the church there is a way, up steps, that ascends to 
 the top. With the Heir- Apparent we went up. There 
 are five hundred and seventy steps to the very summit, 
 and by degrees we mounted. For the first two hundred 
 steps, the way was narrow, dark, and winding ; after 
 that, there are spacious terraces and roofs, from whence 
 upwards the steps are easy. 
 
 From the summit, the ranges of the Alps and of 
 Mount St. Bernard were visible ; over which the first 
 Napoleon led the French forces into Italy. The railway 
 trains, emitting their smoke, and either entering the city 
 from every quarter, or departing therefrom, were very 
 
•chap, vi.] Italy, Austria, 305 
 
 interesting as seen from that elevation. Two triumphal 
 arches erected outside the city by Napoleon on his first 
 conquest of Italy, and a canal, a very large stream, that 
 he caused to be constructed to convey water to the city 
 of Pavia, were also in sight. From the great height of 
 the building, the people below appeared like pismires. 
 
 The whole of the church is of white marble, and it 
 has four thousand marble statues in various forms, the 
 utmost of the sculptor's art having been expended in 
 their production. The greater part of these statues are 
 outside the building, standing, sitting, and carved back 
 and front. Some spring out from the walls or building 
 (in alto-relievo), and others are attached to the walls (in 
 basso-relievo). Above, below, the outside and the inside 
 of the church is nothing but marble. The edifice has 
 been built by degrees as time has rolled on, and they are 
 even now still at work upon it, executing sculptures. 
 From five hundred years ago, until now, every day have 
 they laboured in edifying, repairing, or adding to it new 
 works, and they say it will not be completed for another 
 hundred years. The interior of the church contains 
 some wondrously large columns of marble ; the roof is 
 also of marble so carved as to make one marvel. And 
 so high is the roof that when one stands up there, he 
 cannot bear to look straight down. It has beautiful 
 altars, pulpits, and figures of all kinds. If a talented 
 sculptor were to work at all hours the whole of his life, 
 exerting the whole of hisjart in the production of one 
 small casket in marble, still he would not equal the feats 
 of sculpture that are in this church. It is so great a 
 
 z 
 
306 Diary of a Totcr in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 production of genius that if a person were to come, say, 
 from the New World, and after specially inspecting this 
 church, were to return, he would be independent of 
 seeing any other work of art. 
 
 Upon the surfaces of the roofs, in the passages, and 
 on the steps, ten thousand persons and more could walk 
 about or sit down without feeling a want of space. The 
 outer surfaces of the roofs are all in large slabs of 
 marble. There are many sculptured spires of marble, 
 each with the marble statue of a man on its summit, and 
 one large central spire, taller than all the others, which 
 has a brass statue upon it, with a flag in its hand. 
 From the top of this statue to the ground or floor of the 
 church is a distance of one hundred and fourteen ells (399 
 feet) ; and there are steps up to the front of this statue. 
 
 We now descended, passed through the interior of the 
 church, and went to a market, resembling an (eastern) 
 bazaar, and covered in with glass, having been newly 
 constructed. It is not very long or broad ; but it is a 
 very pretty bazaar, and we strolled about there a while. 
 Great crowds were there ; so we returned home. 
 
 In the evening dinner was taken in a very sumptuous 
 hall at an enormous table, where we were the guest of 
 the Heir-Apparent. All the Persian and Frankish 
 grandees were of the party. They gave an excellent 
 dinner, that was spread out over a great space of time. 
 The Governor of the city of Milan, a very fat man, was 
 also present. 
 
 Dinner being concluded, we went to a window that 
 faced the church and the square. At least twenty thou- 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Attstria. 307 
 
 sand individuals were congregated in this space. They 
 had illuminated the whole church with Bengal lights, 
 which produce different colours. At one moment the 
 entire building from summit to foot was red ; at another 
 moment, green, yellow, or some other colour. The 
 white pigeons that have their nests in the upper parts of 
 the towers took fright and flew about. In the darkness 
 of the night they flashed like lightnings in the air from the 
 glare of the lights, and produced a very pleasing effect. 
 
 Monday, 2nd (28th July). — We must go to Saltzburg, 
 a place in the dominions of Austria. In the morning 
 we early mounted a carriage, the Heir-Apparent, his 
 officers, and the authorities of the city being present. 
 We drove along the street by which we had arrived the 
 day before, reached the station, took our seat in the 
 train, and started. We passed by numerous cities, in 
 the following order ; first, Treviglio ; secondly, Ber- 
 gamo ; thirdly, Brescia ; fourthly, Desenzano ; fifthly, 
 Verona, which is a fortress of importance. As far as 
 Bergamo the country was flat, and everywhere sown 
 with Indian corn or planted with mulberry-trees for silk. 
 We also crossed several rivers, the largest of them all 
 being the Adige, which passes by Verona. Its waters 
 were turbid. When we had passed Bergamo, mountains 
 again appeared on our left hand, the town itself being 
 on the skirts of a hill. Detached houses are here and 
 there built on the hillside, which are very handsome. 
 The hill was verdant, and had a small show of forest. 
 
 In every city where our train stopped, the inhabitants 
 in crowds, together with troops, infantry and cavalry, 
 
 x 2 
 
308 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vr. 
 
 magistrates, and officers, came to meet us. To our 
 left the mountains continued in the same manner, while 
 to our right, as far as the eye could see, all was plain, 
 full of trees, full of produce. The mountains on our 
 left gradually became loftier ; but in the greater part of 
 them, up to the very peaks, the people had built for 
 .themselves beautiful summer-residences. 
 
 And so we went on till we came to a lake, very large 
 and picturesque, inclosed on three sides by lofty moun- 
 tains, and the water of which was pellucid and extremely 
 pleasant to see. It is smaller than the Lake of Geneva, 
 but still of good size, and had a very charming island in 
 its midst. Many edifices are constructed on that island, 
 which had a bridge-like communication with the main- 
 land. It is called the Lake of Garda. All around it is 
 Italian territory, excepting a small portion of the upper 
 end, which belongs to Austria. The fortress of Pes- 
 ehiera, one of the strongholds of Italy, is on the shore of 
 this lake, and its ditch is always full of water from the 
 lake. There is always a garrison with artillery sta- 
 tioned there by the Government. They fired a salute of 
 •cannon from the fortress. 
 
 Leaving Peschiera, we reached the city and fortress of 
 Verona. This city is in the midst between the plains 
 and the mountains. All round the city is a fortification, 
 with a ditch, and with powerful batteries, in which are 
 many cannon. Around the mountains, also, they have 
 constructed towers and batteries. The great river Adige, 
 which flows in front of the fortress, has added to its 
 strength. They fired many salutes. 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 309* 
 
 We arrived at a station somewhat above the fortress, 
 and there we stopped. The Governor of the town, ancL 
 the Commander of the troops of the fortress, with in- 
 fantry, cavalry, and people of the city, were there waiting.. 
 Afterwards the train, returning by the road over which- 
 we had come, and passing by the fortress and town of 
 Verona, turned into the road to Saltzburg and Innsbruck. 
 We entered a narrow valley, through which a mighty 
 stream flowed. On both sides were high mountains and 
 a few forests. The name of the river was Aisache 
 (German for the Adige). Our road led continuously 
 through the banks of the river, valleys, and high moun- 
 tains. The valley was sometimes spacious, sometimes 
 constricted. The mountains became gradually more 
 lofty, more precipitous, and more clothed with forests.- 
 Sometimes the mother stream was lost, and secondary 
 waters were met with, coming from other valleys. 
 Numerous are the bridges which they have built over 
 these streams. The beginnings of the valley were little 
 inhabited or cultivated; but, the farther we went, the more 
 of these were seen. Numerous vineyards were planted. 
 
 After having traversed this valley for a certain dis- 
 tance, we came to a place named Ala, which is a frontier 
 between the territories of Italy and Austria. At the 
 station of this place the train stopped, and the Austrian 
 officials who were to be in attendance upon us were 
 received in audience. The chiefs of these were a per- 
 sonage of note and Principal Chamberlain of the Em- 
 peror. He was also a military officer, his name being 
 the Count de Grenneville, and M. Barb, an Assistant 
 
310 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 Master of Ceremonies, who spoke Persian fluently. We 
 had some conversation with these ; after which the 
 Italian officials in waiting, the chief of whom was Count 
 Pianelli, received their conge. One half of this station he- 
 longs to Italy, the other half being the property of Austria, 
 and garrisons from both States are quartered there. 
 
 Well ; after a delay of ten minutes we resumed our 
 journey, and travelled at a rapid rate. On all sides were 
 lofty mountains, valleys, and immense rivers. The 
 higher we ascended the valley, the more lofty were the 
 mountains, the denser the forests. In the valley itself 
 all was one vineyard, vines supported by trellises, beneath 
 which was a very grateful shade. Along the skirts of 
 the mountains were pretty picturesque villages and works 
 of man. 
 
 At the entrance, in the jaws of this valle}', the Austrian 
 Government has constructed two strong forts, so that it 
 is impossible for the troops of an enemy to penetrate 
 through this pass. They have placed many a cannon on 
 the summit of the forts and batteries, and always are 
 there officers of trust and garrisons in these two forts. 
 The name of the fortress is Franzansvest. Here it was 
 made known that it is a great distance to Saltzburg, our 
 destination, so that, if we travel continuously, we shall 
 reach there to-morrow afternoon. 
 
 At sunset we arrived at a station where the train was 
 stopped for an hour, and where a dinner was prepared in 
 a room for our attendants. I, too, alighted, and in- 
 spected the troops that were drawn out. The generals 
 and officers in the place were presented. M. Gersich, a 
 
chap, vl] Italy, Atcstrta. 311 
 
 professor of the science of artillery, who was formerly a 
 professor in the College of Science at Tehran, and of 
 whom Muhammad-Hasan Khan, son of the Commander- 
 in-Chief, with Muhammad- Sadiq Khan Qajar, are two of 
 the best pupils, was there received. His beard had 
 become somewhat grizzled, but his frame was in first-rate 
 condition. 
 
 We again took our seat in the train. I had not yet 
 dined ; but our suite returned from dinner, and we con- 
 tinued our journey. Although it was dark, still we were 
 aware that there were many rivers, and that we crossed 
 over bridges. On either side were lofty mountains, 
 covered with forest, and narrow valleys ; the road, too, 
 was all uphill. A violent storm of thunder and lightning 
 occurred, accompanied b}' heavy rain. We dined and lay 
 down. 
 
 Once we were awakened and heard numerous voices 
 and sounds, from which we gathered that the train had 
 arrived and stopped at Innsbruck. The inhabitants of 
 the town, women and men, the governor and officers, 
 were all in attendance, creating a marvellous hubbub. 
 When we were again left alone, we slept, and on awaking 
 in the morning, again was there discussion and con- 
 troversy. The train went on, and anew did sleep obtain 
 the mastery. Two hours later, we arose and dressed. 
 We were now in the German territory of the kingdom of 
 Bavaria. I looked out upon the open country, which 
 was like a paradise — huge mountains full of forests, trees 
 of fir and yews of the forest in great numbers, lands all 
 verdant, meadows, numerous flowers of every colour; 
 
312 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap, vi- 
 
 and although it was the middle of the hot season, the 
 plain and the mountains [were as in opening spring. 
 There were numbers of rivers, branches of the Danube,- 
 flowing into the Danube, and everywhere crops, which here 
 were not yet reaped. The air was cool as in a hill-station. 
 
 And thus we reached the town of Eosenheim, one of 
 the cities of Bavaria. From hence to the Bavarian 
 capital, Munich, or to Saltzburg, our destination, is an 
 equal distance, about one hour and a half's journey. 
 The train stopped here a short time, and then we again 
 set off with our faces towards Saltzburg. 
 
 We everywhere passed through charming sites and 
 forests of larch, and by a pretty little lake, arriving thus 
 at the station of the city of Trauenstein, where there 
 was a great concourse. We held a long chat with one of 
 these inhabitants of Germany who knew French; and 
 one of the people of the town who had made a pipe out 
 of the stem of a tree, in an artistic manner, presented it 
 to us as a souvenir of the place, and we accepted it. 
 The population of this city is about four or five thousand. 
 
 Well; we arrived at the river Saltza, which is the 
 boundary between the states of Austria and Bavaria, and 
 flows past Saltzburg. We crossed a bridge and reached 
 the station, where the inhabitants of the town, and the 
 troops were waiting. 
 
 It is a handsome city, with a pleasant climate, and 
 situated by the side of a wooded mountain, having a 
 population of fourteen thousand souls. This is the place 
 where the third Napoleon had a meeting with the present 
 Emperor of Austria. It has a famous salt-mine. 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 313. 
 
 We mounted a carriage and drove to the palace. It is 
 a handsome palace, very ancient, with a small square in- 
 front, a stone basin of water, with a large fountain, the 
 water pouring from the mouths of two horses and men 
 of stone also. Around the square are a church and a 
 hotel. 
 
 The greater part of our journey to-day and yesterday 
 was through the Tyrol, Austrian territory. The moun- 
 tains thereof are styled the Tyrolean Alps. From Milan 
 to Saltzburg the distance is more than two hundred and 
 fifty leagues, which we traversed in twenty-three hours. 
 
 This city and province were formerly in the hands of 
 the priests, who exercised sovereignty here ; and this 
 very palace in which are our quarters, is one of their 
 buildings. A hill, covered with forest and verdure is in 
 the middle of the town, on the summit of which the 
 priests, in the days of their rule, constructed the palace 
 and a strong castle for the defence of the place. They 
 led a wall along the middle of the hill ; i.e., there is a 
 great vein of rock, upon which they built the walL 
 There are some handsome hotels in the town, especially 
 one called the Hotel d'Europe. 
 
 To-day, on the frontier of Bavaria and Austria, we 
 saw a castle, from whence they fired guns, and named 
 Hofstein, to which they send political prisoners. 
 
 Tuesday, 3rd (29th Jidy). — God willing, we have to go 
 to the city of Vienna, the capital of Austria. 
 
 We rose in the morning. In the neighbourhood of 
 the town there is a place known by the name of Schon- 
 brunn, at the distance of half an hour's drive, con- 
 
314 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 structed in the days of the sovereignty of the priests. 
 The word " Schoribrunn " in the German tongue has the 
 meaning of "clear spring" (read: "beautiful spring "). 
 We mounted a carriage and drove out, the princes and 
 others following us. The weather was a little warm. 
 Leaving the city, there was an avenue that afforded a 
 shade. Everywhere the carriage drove along avenues, 
 until we reached a park and a palace. In this place, and 
 in a few others, I saw many plane-trees, differing some- 
 what, however, from those of Persia, as the trunks and 
 branches of those seen here are darker, blacker than 
 those in Persia ; but the leaves show no difference. 
 
 Well ; we reached the park, which was laid out with 
 flower-beds and grass. There were numbers of women 
 and men, travellers or spectators. This park, together 
 with certain other establishments, and buildings with 
 "basins of water, of old construction, is situated at the 
 foot of a hill covered with forest and verdure. Numerous 
 springs of clear water issue forth from the skirts of the 
 Mils, and over each of these springs thay have erected a 
 pavilion or a place like a basin or like a waterfall, into 
 which the water flows from the spring, and passes thence 
 by broad channels. The water was cool and pleasant to 
 drink ; and there were a great many trout, the " red- 
 spotted trout " of Persia, seen in the water there. Going 
 down along the bank of the stream for a stroll, we came 
 to some very pretty places, where again many springs 
 and basins of water were seen ; also some places where 
 establishments for basins of water, as it were, were con- 
 structed of rock. Others were made to resemble cabinets, 
 
 
€hap. vi.] Italy, Austria. 315 
 
 the summits being upreared, and six or seven cocks, 
 called in French "robinet" (and in Persian "lion"), 
 were visible. Upon turning any one of these cocks, 
 water springs forth from some fountain, or from the 
 earth, or from the roof of a chamber. For instance, 
 there was seen one place with a basin of water, in the 
 middle of which was a small fountain, with a crown of 
 brass over the fountain. Upon gently opening a cock, 
 the water filled the under part of the crown, and gradually 
 lifted the crown until it touched the roof of the chamber, 
 which was then gradually made to descend again. This 
 is at the discretion of a man; should he wish it, the 
 crown could be raised to a height of twenty ells (70 
 feet) and again made to descend. Another thing in 
 which there was much to laugh at, and which was a 
 novelty, was this : As people or spectators were uncon- 
 cernedly amusing themselves by walking about in the 
 gravelled avenues and environs of the corridors, without 
 knowing that the earth beneath their feet among the 
 gravel of the avenues was full of fountains and small 
 holes, so as not to be noticeable, they suddenly opened 
 the cock that shut off the source from these fountains, 
 upon which the water spouted forth from all sides, from 
 the soil, from the avenues, from above, and from below, 
 wetting all the people, who thereupon took to flight. 
 This was rare fun ; and in justice it may be said that 
 herein great cleverness has been displayed, the whole 
 having been so well kept from the days of yore till now. 
 
 The air here was cool and resembling that of a hill- 
 station. 
 
3 1 6 Diary of a Tour in Eicrope. [chap. vi. 
 
 Another sight was this : They have made a town of 
 pasteboard or of wood, replete with all manner of objects, 
 and placed it on the other side of the stream opposite to 
 the spring. Every one of the people of this town is 
 busy at some kind of occupation, one dancing, another 
 making a bear dance, one riding in a carriage, another 
 drinking water beneath a spring and a tree ; and so on, in 
 many other ways. This piece of mechanism is also set in 
 motion by the water power of the springs. It has a screw, or 
 a cock, or a small apparatus, the which, on being handled,. 
 sets the people of the town in motion, who then per- 
 form strange and marvellous things. It was very amusing.. 
 
 Again ; there was a water- channel, and on either side 
 of this a tortoise was set, with their mouths so exactly 
 opposite to one another that the water which spouted 
 with great force from the one, poured into the other, and 
 one could not distinguish whether it was water or a tube 
 of crystal passed from the mouth of the one tortoise into- 
 that of the other ; but on interposing the hand, and so 
 interrupting the communication, one ascertained that it 
 was water ; and when the hand was removed, the crystal 
 rod was re-established. This was a very curious con- 
 trivance. 
 
 Furthermore ; within the channels of water they had 
 arranged, as a specimen, a spectacle, and an amusement,, 
 a manufactory of earthenware, a cotton-carding engine, 
 a knife-grinding wheel, and other similar things, — the 
 workmen being all small, the wheels and machines all 
 toys, but so arranged that there was no dissimilarity 
 from real workshops and real workmen. 
 
-chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 317 
 
 The whole of these things were made and arranged a 
 hundred and twenty years ago, merely for the display of 
 ingenuity. 
 
 Well ; we strolled about a long time ; but, as it was 
 necessary to be in the train by a certain given hour, in 
 order to proceed to Vienna, we could not spend more 
 time in sight- seeing. We therefore returned to the city, 
 driving straight to the station ; we there waited a space 
 in one of the rooms, and then took our seat in the train. 
 
 By railway it is a distance of seven hours from here to 
 Vienna. The Grand- Vazir sent a message to say that 
 the Governor of Saltzburg wished to take leave and 
 return. We arose, stood by the side of the railway car- 
 riages, and exchanged salutes with the Governor ; upon 
 which he took his departure, and we at length started. 
 
 This line has no high mountains ; but on both sides of 
 the way we saw pretty little hills, — green and cheerful, 
 and forests — full of firs and yews. Some cultivated 
 places were newly reaped, showing the yellow colour of 
 the crops in the midst of the green meadows and grand 
 forests. But, on our right hand, at a great distance off, 
 the high mountains were reached ; while on both sides of 
 the line all was gentle hill and dale, populous, teeming 
 with crops, and abounding with woods, most beauteous. 
 It was a charming journey. The weather, too, was 
 moderate; at times, even cloudy, with a cool breeze. At 
 every station where we made a stop, there were people 
 to receive us, with troops of the line and bands. 
 
 At the city of Lintz, where the train stopped, multi- 
 tudes of women and men were collected in front of the 
 
3 1 8 Diary of a Toicr in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 station. We alighted, and inspected the troops. We 
 then retreated to a room assigned to our use, where they 
 had prepared a breakfast. This place possessed some 
 most beautiful women. Austria, in point of beauty and 
 engagingness, is the queen of all lands. 
 
 Well ; when our party had breakfasted, we returned to 
 our train and again proceeded. The appearance of the 
 country was still the same with that above described ; 
 perhaps more beautiful even. We then arrived at a 
 small town called Hammelbach, and shortly after passing 
 it, we saw the mighty river Danube on our left hand. 
 Our road lay for a short distance along its bank, and 
 then swerved to a distance. Next we reached the town 
 of St. Polten, where, on the summit of a hill in the 
 middle of the town, we noticed a palace, a church, and a 
 college, of very imposing structure, and belonging to the 
 priests. That must be a very charming place, with a 
 beautiful view. As we approached more and more towards 
 the city of Vienna, the more did we see beautiful towns, 
 populous places, sumptuous summer-residences in the 
 valleys and at the foot of the hills covered with forests, 
 together with most charming sites. The houses were of 
 a most pleasing aspect, and lovely streams of water 
 occurred on our road. 
 
 At about sunset we arrived at the station of Penzing, 
 where the train stopped, His Most Exalted Majesty 
 the Emperor of Austria being on the platform awaiting 
 us, with the Nawwab the Heir-Apparent and the Princes, 
 who had come out two (probably ten) leagues from town 
 to meet us. Alighting, I gave my hand. The Emperor's 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 319 
 
 name is Francis-Joseph, who is of the House of Habsburg, 
 and his father is still alive, bearing the name of Francis- 
 Charles and being of the age of sixty-five. Of the 
 persons who were with the Emperor were the Count de 
 Bellegarde and Baron Schlechta, the Persian interpreter, 
 who spoke extremely well ; besides many other officers, 
 and officials, high and low, with others also. 
 
 After salutation we entered the railway carriage, where 
 I was with the Emperor, the Grand- Vazir, Mirza Malkam 
 Khan, Baron Schlechta, Count Dubeski — the Austrian 
 Envoy to Tehran, and Count Grenneville — in attendance 
 upon us. We proceeded. 
 
 Our quarters are in the Chateau of Laxenburg, built 
 by Maria- Theresa, a former Queen of Austria, at a 
 distance of five leagues from the city of Vienna. The 
 Emperor's quarters were at Schonbrunn, which is nearer 
 to town. As the air of the city was sultry, we did not 
 make it our residence. 
 
 Well ; we arrived at the Chateau of Laxenburg. There 
 were a few households in the environs, which gave it the 
 appearance of a town. The Chateau itself is a square 
 building of two stories, with a court in the middle, and a 
 small square. All the rooms communicate with one 
 another. The princes, the 'Ala/u-'d-Dawla, and Hasan 
 Ali Khan — Minister of Public Works, are quartered in a 
 mansion at some little distance from here. In front of 
 our palace there is a very extensive park, with beautiful 
 avenues, a lake, and a small river. 
 
 Well ; we reached the palace with the Emperor and 
 others. The Emperor presented his grand functionaries 
 
3 20 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chat, vi. 
 
 of state, his princes, and others. First, the Heir- 
 Apparent of the Empire, who is fourteen years of 
 age, and who is the only son. He is a very polished, 
 courteous, engaging, handsome youth, and his name is 
 Eudolf; also Charles-Louis and Louis-Victor, both of 
 them princes, Count Andrassi — the Prime. Minister of 
 Austria, and the other Ministers, military and civil. 
 After which, we also presented the Grand-Vazir, the 
 princes, and the others. The Emperor then withdrew, 
 and we received the princes and others who had preceded 
 us to Vienna. In the evening we dined and retired to 
 rest. 
 
 Wednesday, 4th (30th July). — This day we went to the 
 palace of Schonbrunn, to return the Emperor's visit. By 
 rail it is at a distance of half an hour. After sitting and 
 conversing for a short time, we returned to our own 
 quarters. 
 
 Thursday j 5th (31st July). — Eose in the morning and 
 'breakfasted. The weather was sultry to such a degree 
 that it was impossible to go out of doors. Dr. Polack, 
 who was formerly Professor of Medicine at Tehran, and 
 for several years was also our own Chief Physician, was 
 received in audience. I was extremely gratified at seeing 
 the Doctor. He is a nice man, has grown somewhat 
 aged, has taken a wife, had been for a time in Egypt, and 
 is now in Vienna. 
 
 In the afternoon we mounted a carriage and went for a 
 drive about the park of the palace. We noticed a large 
 canal, like a river, that passes through the park, and it has 
 some handsome bridges over it. There was a pond with 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 
 
 multitudes of fish in it. They scattered some crumbs of 
 bread, when some good large fishes made their appearance. 
 They informed me that these fishes have been here in the 
 pond these two hundred years. The park and its avenues 
 are of great extent ; and there was a large lake in it, with 
 trees and lawns surrounding it, and with some pretty 
 islands in it. We noticed many wild geese in one of the 
 islands, and there were multitudes of women and men on 
 the shores of the lake, who had come out sightseeing. 
 Here we alighted from the carriage and took our seat in 
 a boat for a promenade on the water. 
 
 There is an old edifice on the shore of this lake, built 
 in times gone by, that has a threatening keep of great 
 strength, and is called the " Knight's Castle." It has 
 some columns, and upon the summits of these are the 
 figures of men, cocks, and the like, in cast metal. Its 
 gates are of iron and very strong. This palace and castle 
 are exactly like the palaces of the demons, magicians, 
 wizards, and genii, of which one has read in story-books 
 and legendary tales. We passed through several doors, 
 and arrived at strange-looking apartments and passages. 
 Each room and each corridor has also its iron door. 
 There was one dark place, very frightful, in winch they 
 have placed a dead wolf upon a platform, arranged with 
 its skin and its hair to look like life. A dreadful-looking 
 man, made of pasteboard, was set up, and chained with 
 chains as prisoners are secured. Beneath this room are 
 secret appliances, the which, being put in motion, cause 
 the hands and feet of that captive to move about. Should 
 any one uninformed and alone happen to enter that dark 
 
322 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [ch.u>. vi. 
 
 place and witness those movements of the imprisoned 
 man, he would doubtless feel alarmed. 
 
 There was also another place seen, circular in form 
 and roofed over, in which they have set up large marble 
 statues of the ancestors of this (present) Emperor, and of 
 the Sovereigns of the province of Austria, which are finely 
 sculptured. 
 
 After that, all that was viewed of the apartments, small 
 or large, above or below, was altogether frightful, harrow- 
 ing, and suffocating ; which is as much as to say that a 
 castle of knights must be in this manner. There was, 
 however, one other room in which were pasteboard figures 
 of olden knights clothed in their iron armour, while other 
 ancient weapons were suspended to the roofs and walls. 
 There were many awe-inspiring apartments communicat- 
 ing with one another. It was like the talisman of 
 Zangula ; and we also saw there the drum and Pandean 
 pipe of the wizards spoken of in tales. 
 
 After this stroll we returned home. The Grand-Vazir 
 and others who had been into town to visit the Exhibition 
 gave a description of the heat and unwholesomeness of 
 the atmosphere. 
 
 We also went to-day to the quarters of the Heir- 
 Apparent, sitting and conversing there a certain time. 
 The Heir-Apparent, although young in years, is well 
 instructed and an attractive youth. In the empire of 
 Austria he is (fitted to become) an excellent souvenir of 
 the Emperor. 
 
 Friday, 6th (1st August). — To-day, after breakfast, 
 some German princes came to visit us. Their names 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Atcstria. 323 
 
 are as follows : the son of the ex-King of Hanover, who 
 now resides with his father in Austria, Prussia having 
 taken possession of his kingdom, is named Ernest- 
 Augustus ; one of the Bavarian princes, named Arnulf ; 
 one of the princes of Wurtemhurg, named Maximilian ; a 
 prince of Saxe-Weimar, named Hermann. 
 
 After these, the Prime Minister of Austria, Count 
 Andrassy, came to an audience, and a long conversation 
 ensued. Then, the Ambassador ofj England, named 
 Buchanan (the Bight Hon. Sir Andrew Buchanan, 
 G.C.B.) ; and next the Ambassador of the Ottoman State, 
 Qabuli Pasha, came also. 
 
 We now left and proceeded by train to the palace of 
 Schonbrunn, where we were to be the guest at the table of 
 the Emperor at dinner. We arrived at the station, 
 mounted a great number of steps, found a carriage wait- 
 ing, took our seats therein, and drove (to the palace). 
 
 Schonbrunn is a town, the houses of which are in con- 
 tinuation with those of the suburbs of the city of Vienna, 
 so that it is not very distant from Vienna itself. The 
 number of the population and of the houses in the town 
 of Schonbrunn is less than those of Versailles and of 
 Potsdam near Berlin. 
 
 In front of the Emperor's palace there is a square. The 
 carriage drove to the foot of a staircase within a corridor 
 of the palace ; and there, at the foot of the staircase the 
 Emperor was awaiting us. Alighting, we gave our hand, 
 went upstairs, and entered a room, where the princes of 
 Austria and Germany, the Emperor's brother, and others, 
 were assembled. We stayed there a certain time. The 
 
 Y 2 
 
324 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 Emperor offered excuses for the second son of the 
 Sovereign of Holland, who happened to be at Vienna, 
 and who had been invited to the dinner, but had not 
 arrived. For this reason we went late to the dinner 
 table. After a little, however, the son of the Sovereign of 
 Holland came, whose name is Alexander, and we went to 
 table. All were there. This saloon is all in white, with 
 a few plaster ornaments and gildings. The ceiling is 
 painted, as though with designs executed on the plaster. 
 All the rooms and halls are plain, and there are not a 
 great many objects of luxury, such as pictures, portraits, 
 and the like; though a few pictures were noticed of 
 events in the life of the present Emperor, of Maria- 
 Theresa, and others. 
 
 In front of this saloon there is a park, with beautiful beds 
 of flowers, lawns, and avenues. The whole of the leaves 
 of the trees on both sides of the avenue have been clipped 
 with shears, and the resemblance of walls of verdure has 
 been thus produced. At the further end of the garden was 
 a lofty green mound, and on the summit of this a small 
 building with many columns overlooking the garden. At 
 the foot of the mound, within the garden, there is a basin 
 of water with fountains that send their water to a great 
 height, but do not always play. When it is wished, their 
 sources are opened (and the fountains play). 
 
 At the conclusion of dinner we went to another room, 
 where the whole of the guests at dinner were assembled 
 and conversed with one another. Prince Hohenlohe, one 
 of the grandees of the Emperor's Court, Minister of the 
 Palace and first person there, a handsome young man, 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Atcstria. 325 
 
 was also present. I gave to the Heir- Apparent the deco- 
 ration of my own Portrait set in diamonds. 
 
 We then went to the station, and by train returned 
 home and retired to rest. During the night a violent 
 wind with rain set in, which cooled the air and watered 
 the ground. 
 
 Saturday, 7th (2nd August). — This day we have to go 
 to the city of Vienna and visit the Exhibition. 
 
 "When we rose in the morning, the air, through the rain 
 of last night and the clouds, which were a real godsend 
 from the secret providence of the Lord Most High, was 
 very cool and pleasant. Had it been otherwise, it -would 
 have been an extremely irksome task to go to town 
 through that excessive heat and with the dust and dirt 
 of the roads. 
 
 We offered our thanks to God, dressed, mounted, and 
 started, the whole of our suite being of the cortege. By 
 rail, the distance to the city was one hour or less. The 
 country was most charming, the air pleasant, the fields 
 green, and flowers of various kinds were noticed. There 
 were many hares among the crops. 
 
 We came near to the city. As the town of Vienna is 
 situated in a hollow, no trace of it is visible until one 
 comes close upon it. On one side of it is a mound and 
 the hills of Schonbrunn, the city being at the foot of these 
 in an extremely low spot. From this cause, its atmo- 
 sphere during the summer season is hot and unhealthy. 
 It has neither a citadel, nor fortifications, nor a ditch. 
 By reason of the lowness of the central parts of the city, 
 the streets are all downhill to one who enters from the 
 
326 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. vi. 
 
 outskirts. The river Danube skirts one side of the town, 
 and a canal therefrom, dug by hand, enters the city ; but 
 this is very much smaller than the river Seine in Paris. 
 Very small steamers ply thereon. The water of this river 
 is not fit to drink. In bygone days the inhabitants of 
 Vienna had no (good) water to drink, and through the 
 filthy state of the Danube that flows by the city, they 
 were much exposed to sicknesses from using it ; but now 
 the Emperor, at the expense of the inhabitants of the 
 city, has dug a large canal for the snowy waters of the 
 mountain streams and springs, which he is leading into 
 the town. Great expense has been incurred, and the 
 work is not yet complete. It was said that it would be 
 finished in another year. The population of the city of 
 Vienna is six hundred thousand souls. 
 
 Well ; the Emperor, with all his officials, and others, 
 were on the platform waiting. We alighted, gave our 
 hand to the Emperor, and together mounted a carriage. 
 We drove through every part of the city and along a 
 boulevard newly constructed, by an ancient building 
 called the Belvedere, where they now have made a collec- 
 tion of paintings, and near to the Arsenal — a place where 
 arms are kept, which has a high wall and towers, crossed 
 a bridge over a branch of the river Danube, and so 
 arrived at a long avenue with large trees on either side, 
 which led straight to the building of the Exhibition. On 
 both sides of this avenue is a spacious park and meadow. 
 They have erected some elegant coffee-shops of wood, 
 with numerous chairs and gas-lamps, the whole way to 
 the vicinity of the Exhibition. From the first place of 
 
~chap. vi.] Italy, Austria. 327 
 
 our entry into the town until we reached this spot, every- 
 where crowds were collected ; but, by reason of the noto- 
 riety of the cholera sickness and of the unwholesomeness 
 of the air of the city, the whole of the notables thereof 
 had gone away to their summer residences in hill- 
 stations. 
 
 We arrived at the Emperor's private pavilion outside 
 the Exhibition building, where a table was prepared for 
 breakfast. We sat down to this and partook of the 
 breakfast ; after which, in company of the Emperor, we 
 went to the Exhibition, a large enclosure like an Eastern 
 bazaar. In the centre of this bazaar a very spacious and 
 lofty dome of a globular form was erected — a very mag- 
 nificent structure and full of interest. There are stairs 
 and a way by which people go to the top thereof to enjoy 
 the sight. The whole of this circular apartment, of the 
 bazaars, and of the rest, are of iron, common glass, and 
 plate -glass. The bazaars branch off from this large 
 dome in every direction, the contour of the whole build- 
 ing being also circular. It has two passages for entry 
 and exit, being closed elsewhere. Beneath the great 
 dome they had arranged a very beautiful basin of water 
 with a fountain from which water flowed. Great multi- 
 tudes were within the Exhibition. They had apportioned 
 special sections and places to each nation and State that 
 had brought its effects and productions there. For 
 instance, the French nation had one long bazaar, and 
 two other bazaars by the two sides of that ; in which the 
 various productions of their own country were arranged, 
 even to the stems of such and such forest trees of such 
 
328 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. vr. 
 
 and such a province of France, with the dried leaves of 
 the same ; and whatever may be the forms of the cattle, 
 wild beasts, or birds of such a town or such a place in 
 France, representations thereof were exhibited there. 
 From these minor particulars an inference may be drawn 
 as to the principal commodities of choice, such as tissues 
 of wool and silk, mirrors, plate-glass, warlike implements, 
 and others, all of which were sent there in the best 
 taste. 
 
 Other nations also in like manner, i.e., some great 
 States like Eussia, England, Germany, and even Austria 
 itself, had much space, and vast exhibits. The Ottoman 
 State, Egypt, Greece, Japan, China, and others, had 
 sent a sufficiency of every kind of commodities. 
 
 In this way did we make the tour of the bazaars with 
 the Emperor, until we reached the part where the com- 
 modities of the Persian State were set forth. Although 
 it was but three months that an edict had been promul- 
 gated that merchants and others should collect commodi- 
 ties and send them — which was much too late, and the 
 greater part had not yet arrived, — still we saw a fair 
 quantity of precious stuffs and productions. We stayed 
 there some little while ; and then the Emperor expressed 
 the wish, as the Empress was indisposed and had gone 
 to a summer-residence, to go there ; we bade adieu, and 
 the Emperor left. We, on our part, went a second time 
 round all the bazaars, and in one of them lighted upon 
 the Grand-Duke Constantine, brother of the Emperor of 
 Russia, and a very charming prince. We stopped and 
 exchanged salutations with him, which resulted in a long 
 
chap, vl] Italy, Austria. 329 
 
 conversation. He was somewhat unwell, and looked 
 pale. On my asking his ailment, he told me that on his. 
 return from Nicholaieff to (St.) Peter(sburg), he had 
 gone to Cronstadt, and there, in passing from one ship to- 
 another he had wished to visit, he had had a fall and 
 severely injured his foot. It was evident that he had 
 been much hurt. 
 
 Well; after leaving the Exhibition, we went to view 
 the specimens that had been put up of the buildings of 
 various countries. There was one very beautiful build- 
 ing, and a grandiose mosque with a tall minaret from 
 Egypt ; also, a mansion and a coffee-shop from the Otto- 
 man State, and one very beautiful house built by the 
 Persian Government. With the exception of these, I did 
 not examine those of any other country. We went to- 
 the Persian mansion, to which were several steps to be 
 mounted. Its builder was a certain architect of the- 
 name of Isma'il, together with one carpenter. Although, 
 it was but three months that they had been commissioned 
 to build this house, they had executed their task with 
 great taste, and had so quickly constructed the edifice 
 as to elicit wonder and applause. The carpenter and 
 the builder were both present, the latter in these three 
 months' space having learnt the German language well, 
 which was a subject of still greater astonishment. We sat 
 down there, the Archduke Eegnier — President of the 
 Exhibition — being in our presence. 
 
 Next we went to the Ottoman and Egyptian buildings, 
 viewed them, and then drove off in our carriage to town, 
 passing through its remaining districts, by its buildings, 
 
33° Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vr. 
 
 and into its markets, until we reached the palace in- 
 habited by the Emperor, and from thence arrived at the 
 station, took our seat in the train, and went home. 
 Thanks be unto God that all has gone well. 
 
 The expense of this Exhibition is at the charge of the 
 Government, which has incurred an outlay of seven 
 crores (1,120,000Z.). Three months hence, when it shall 
 have been removed, there will have been realized, from 
 ihe sale of materials and the money taken at the doors 
 from visitors, a sum of three and a half crores (560,000L), 
 half of the outlay being so much loss to the Government. 
 They say, however, that from the traffic (hereby occa- 
 sioned) there will be large sums gained in other ways by 
 the inhabitants and by the State. 
 
 This Emperor has reigned for more than three-and- 
 twenty years. Ferdinand I., uncle of this Sovereign, 
 was Emperor, but abdicated the Crown and is still living, 
 being eighty years of age, and resides at Prague, one of 
 the great cities of Austria. The Sovereignty then fell 
 to his brother, the father of the present Emperor ; he 
 declined it, and gave it to his son. This father of the 
 Emperor is also living still. He is in Vienna during the 
 winter, but goes to Ischl in the summer as a hill-station, 
 where he now is at the present time. 
 
 Sunday, 8th (3rd August). — This day we had no en- 
 gagement. In the afternoon we drove in the park and 
 had a long row on the lake. The Grand-Vazir and MIrza 
 Malkam Khan also came with us in the boat. At sunset 
 we returned home. 
 
 The Sanl'u-'d-Dawla and the Muhaqqiq have gone to 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 331 
 
 the town of Baden, which is at a distance of one league 
 from this palace. There are hot and cold mineral 
 springs at that place, which have great efficacy in certain 
 maladies, especially in the affection of paralysis and the 
 like. At the present season invalids repair thither to 
 undergo treatment. 
 
 Monday, 9th (4th August), — The Emperor has invited 
 us to a shooting party for this afternoon, and to dinner at 
 Schonbrunn for the evening. Towards the afternoon, 
 therefore, we took our seat in a train, went to the palace 
 and town of Schonbrunn, alighted from the train, and got 
 into a carriage. The Emperor had left for the hunting- 
 ground. We therefore pushed on, drove past the suburbs 
 of the city of Vienna, where are the summer-residences of 
 the citizens, as follows : after Schonbrunn came Stetzen- 
 dorff, next Hitzing, and then Laintz, where are the 
 shooting-grounds of the Emperor. The road was long. 
 There are many mansions and hotels in these villages. 
 
 We drove on until we had left behind us all traces of 
 human habitations, and came to a long avenue with dense 
 forest on either side, leading to a spot where they had 
 surrounded (a part of) the forest with screens of strong 
 canvas, white in colour, and high, but in the folds of 
 which no wood was used, each cloth, instead of rope, 
 having a wooden frame that leant against the screen. 
 This is a very excellent arrangement, as against the 
 wind. 
 
 Well; around the forest for the extent of about two 
 leagues had they set up this fence, and so cut off the 
 passage of animals. We arrived there, and saw the 
 
332 Diary of a Toiir in Etirope. [chap. vi. 
 
 Emperor waiting on foot with the sportsmen, and dressed 
 in the costume of a huntsman, having a feather stuck in 
 his cap. At intervals, lurking-places of planks, resem- 
 bling square boxes, were placed, and around them fir 
 branches with their leaves masked the boxes, which were 
 raised from the ground and ascended by two steps. There 
 were about a hundred of these huts so arranged, and in 
 each were three or four breech-loading rifles for balls, 
 with a supply of ball-cartridges, and also two or three of 
 the magnates seated, who were to fire the shots. 
 
 I wished to descend from the carriage and get on nry 
 feet ; but the Emperor opposed this, and so we proceeded 
 further on in the carriage, the Emperor, with the others, 
 walking on foot, until we reached a hut, higher and further 
 forward than any of the rest, which had been allotted to 
 us. Here we alighted, got up on to the planks, and there 
 took our station, the Emperor going to another hut further 
 down. We now took up the Emperor's rifles placed in 
 our hut, loaded them, and made ready. 
 
 The Emperor's huntsman, a man of Bohemia, and 
 named Count Virbin, a person seventy years old, and hard 
 of hearing through age, besides being nearly blind, was 
 present ; and with him we held a little conversation about 
 the chase in Persia and as carried out by the Emperor, 
 which latter is as follows : 
 
 We have already explained that a large number of 
 screens had been set up. These screens came along in 
 like manner, so that there were screens in front, opposite 
 to us, and screens behind us, at our backs. From the 
 place where we were seated, to the screen in front, was 
 
chap, vl] Italy, Attstria. 333 
 
 about thirty feet. There was a door arranged a little 
 above the spot where I was, for the entry and exit of the 
 game; and there was no other passage by which they 
 could come or go. Forty or fifty men drove the deer 
 from the forest, and caused them to enter by that door in 
 batches of twenty or thirty each. As one of these batches 
 entered and came along, the deer passed before the rifle- 
 men at a distance of about ten feet, and they began to 
 fire, uninterruptedly shooting at the deer with bullets. 
 If they did not hit them from this hut, they did from a 
 second, a third, or so on to the last, which was a long 
 way off. The animals scampered along in quest of a 
 place of escape ; but no means of flight was there, and at 
 length all were slain. When not one of these was left 
 breathing, a fresh batch was driven within the screen, and 
 these were likewise slaughtered as their predecessors. I 
 also fired a few shots. These deer are of the species of 
 the stag, and are not very wild. Two or three batches 
 were thus admitted and killed. In 'short, it was capital 
 sport, and passed off. very pleasantly. 
 
 The Emperor now came, and together we mounted our 
 carriage, driving by the road along which we had arrived 
 there, back to the Chateau of Schonbrunn, in the park of 
 which we had a walk. It has beautiful avenues, lofty 
 trees, with marble statues along the avenues. There is a 
 mound at the end of the park, with a building on its 
 summit, and a winding path to go up. On arriving there, 
 we noticed a zoological garden, which we surveyed in a 
 cursory manner. There was an elephant, a rhinoceros, 
 some beautiful parrots, and some other animals. This 
 
334 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [ohai\ tl 
 
 park and the zoological garden are open to the public, 
 and people are always walking about in them. 
 
 Well ; we returned to the palace, went to the dinner- 
 table, and enjoyed a good repast. After that we returned 
 to our own quarters by train. 
 
 In the forenoon to-day the Corps Diplomatique of 
 Vienna were received in audience, the names of some of 
 the members of which may be here mentioned : Novikoff, 
 Envoy from Eussia; the Viscount de Jonghe, Envoy 
 from Belgium ; Mr. Jay, Envoy from the United States ; 
 Count de Robilant, Envoy from Italy. 
 
 Tuesday, 10th (5th August). — To-day a photographer 
 came and took several negatives of us. We strolled 
 about a while in the park. An individual brought a 
 pump and apparatus which in ten minutes time bored a 
 hole in the earth to the depth of ten ells (35 feet), and 
 brought up water from thence, pouring out of the pump. 
 The apparatus is made of steel and iron, and however 
 hard or stony the ground may be, it pierces it. Each 
 set of apparatus was of the price of fifteen tumans (6Z.). 
 I ordered several sets to be purchased and to be brought 
 to Persia. 
 
 In the afternoon we went by train to the city, all the 
 princes, and the greater portion of our household omcers 
 accompanying us. At sunset we reached the city station 
 and alighted. The Emperor had gone to the theatre, 
 and thither we repaired also. It was the Grand Opera- 
 house of Vienna, and perhaps better than those of all 
 other places. We alighted at the door of the theatre, 
 and the Emperor was awaiting us at the foot of the 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 335 
 
 staircase. Giving our hand, we went up together. The 
 Emperor presented several of the Lady-Princesses, as 
 follows : The Archduchess Elisabeth, wife of Charles 
 Ferdinand ; Marie-Keniere, Princess de Joinville, wife of 
 the son of Louis-Philippe and daughter of the Sovereign 
 of Brasil ; Princess Coburg, daughter of Louis-Philippe 
 and wife of the Prince of Coburg. We went into the box, 
 and took our seat in the middle, these Lady-Princesses 
 being to our right and left, the Grand- Vazir behind us. 
 The princes of Austria and Germany were all present- 
 In justice, it is a very noble theatre. The present Em- 
 peror has displayed in this theatre much architectural 
 talent. It has five tiers of seats, and a lofty, spacious, 
 handsome ceiling, together with most beautiful branches 
 for gaslights, chandeliers, and other adornments. The 
 audience was numerous. 
 
 The curtain rose. So beautiful a play did they per- 
 form, with dancing and music, that the like had been 
 witnessed in no place before. The costumes of the 
 players were at every moment of a different shape and 
 colour, all of rich stuffs and delicate tints. This evening" 
 there was a ballet. Each time the scene changed and 
 the dance varied, they brought out apparatus for con- 
 juring, with demons, genii, and fairies, in a way that set 
 one beside himself. The daughters of the Fairy of the 
 Night were in a green and most charming forest, the 
 moon was declining to its setting, so that its sheen was 
 reflected in the water of a stream, — the moon, the ripples 
 of the water, and the forest, being all exactly like reaL 
 A stout tree had been blown down and had fallen across 
 
336 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vx. 
 
 the stream in guise of a bridge, and on this the fairies 
 danced. Suddenly demons made their appearance, and 
 ihe fairies vanished ; the demons danced, and genii came 
 forth. Then the demons disappeared and the fairies were 
 ;seen again. Now suddenly this green forest and spring 
 view was converted into a north-polar region with moun- 
 tains of ice ; snow fell ; the waters of the sea brought 
 forward pieces of ice like mountains, and again washed 
 them away. White polar bears, crocodiles, walruses — 
 sea-elephants came and went away again upon the ice. 
 A prince was held prisoner in this wintry scene, and was 
 about to die, when suddenly the daughters of the pole 
 and the fairies of the regions of frost came forth with 
 dresses and hair white and covered with snow. They 
 brought forth fire from the earth, warmed the prince, and 
 all danced together in pretty costumes, and keeping time 
 to the music, in every air played, in a manner truly 
 wonderful. The prince, with his Vazir, had been made 
 a captive in the house of a sorcerer. So many magical 
 effects did they represent that it is not possible to describe 
 them. 
 
 Ultimately, there was a scene that represented the 
 bottom of the ocean. Fishes, various shells, coral flowers, 
 seaweeds, marine flowers, the undulation of the water at 
 the bottom of the sea, nymphs of ocean — each a saucy, 
 coquettish child — tying beneath those weeds and flowers, 
 were shown. At one time, from within the shells and 
 flowers, one sea nymph would come forth, most lovely ; 
 at another, the angels of the clouds would come down 
 and dance; sometimes they would sink into the earth, 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 337 
 
 and at other times would mount into the air in a balloon 
 or on the back of a griffin, and again come down. The 
 correct description cannot be written. Although I had 
 not dined, I did not desire it to finish. 
 
 At length all was concluded ; we rose and came down. 
 The Emperor accompanied us to the side of our carriage, 
 thence departing. We came to the station, took our 
 seat (in the train), reached home, dined, and retired to 
 rest late. 
 
 Wednesday, 11th (6th August). — In the morning, the 
 Grand-Duke Constantine, brother of the Emperor of 
 Russia, came, and some conversation ensued. On ac- 
 count of the pain caused by his foot, he had a stick in 
 his hand. To-day we have to go to Schonbrunn in the 
 afternoon to see a review of troops. At that time we 
 went to the station and alighted at Schonbrunn, there 
 mounting a carriage to proceed to the review. We passed 
 through streets and arrived on a grassy plain with short 
 herbage that had become yellow. The Emperor, sur- 
 rounded by his staff, was waiting on horseback. We, 
 too, mounted a horse, the Grand-Vazir, the Husamu-'s- 
 Saltana, and our Generals being also mounted. The 
 rtizadu-'s-Saltana, the Nusratu-'d-Dawla, and the rest 
 were on foot, and stood in front of a small room that had 
 been prepared for us, and furnished with a chair. 
 
 We and the Emperor, with the Austrian and Persian 
 officers, and others, rode forward. The infantry bat- 
 talions, the cavalry, and the artillery, were drawn up in 
 five long lines, one behind the other, like a column. We 
 passed with the Emperor on horseback in front of each 
 
2>3& Diary of a Totcr in Etirope. [chap. yl 
 
 of these five lines, composed of very handsome soldiers 
 in fine uniforms ; especially the regiments of Hungarian 
 hussars and dragoons. The horses of the cavalry and 
 artillery were all strong and handsome ; they are procured 
 in Hungary, the horses of that country being good. The 
 dress of the Austrian infantry has been of white cloth 
 from of old, as it still is ; but according to what people 
 said, the Emperor wishes to exchange that colour for 
 light blue. 
 
 Well; after a long stroll, we came and took up a 
 position in front of that same wooden hut, and the troops, 
 infantry, cavalry, and artillery, marched past in our 
 presence. Altogether they amounted to fifteen thousand 
 men. There were also numerous spectators. Some few 
 individuals of distinction among the Arabs of the province 
 of Algiers, a portion of France, had come to the Exhi- 
 bition, and were all there (at the review) on horseback in 
 those white Arab clothes and turbans. The Emperor 
 went, saluted them, and returned. The names of those 
 Arabs were as follows : 'Aliyyu-'sh-Sharlfu Farhan ; Mu- 
 hamuiadu-'l-Hanafi ; 'Abdu-'d-Dm Mu'askar ; Hasanu- 
 'bnu - Aqdi - 'bni - Ahmada-'l - Jaza'iri ; Muhammadu - 'bnu - 
 Muhammadi-'s-Sayfi. They all spoke French well. 
 
 At sunset, when the review was over, we returned 
 home. The Emperor and all the principal officers wore 
 green feathers in their hats. 
 
 Thursday, 12i/t (1th August). — This afternoon we have 
 to go to Schonbrunn because, the Empress having come 
 in from her summer-residence, there is a party there. 
 
 After breakfast, the Emperor's brother, who has also 
 
chap, tl] Italy, Atistria. 339 
 
 come from his summer-residence, and whose name is 
 Charles Louis, was received. We gave hands and mutually 
 saluted. He was a very pleasant-looking, pleasant-spoken 
 man. It was about fifteen days that he had had a wed- 
 ding, that is, he had married two wives before, and both 
 had died ; he has now taken a fresh wife from among the 
 Lady- Princesses of the realm of Portugal, but born and 
 brought up in the land of Bavaria, in which land also 
 the Emperor's brother held his wedding. After a long 
 conversation he left. 
 
 At sunset we went by train to Schonbrunn, arrived 
 there, and were met by the Emperor at the foot of the 
 staircase. "We took one another's hands. At the top of 
 the stairs the Empress was waiting; we reached her, 
 mutually saluted, and then, giving her my hand, we went 
 into the first room, where there was a congregation of 
 the Lady-Princesses and Princes of Austria and Germany, 
 who had newly come in from their summer-residences. 
 The Emperor presented the men, and the Empress the 
 women. The Empress has a very pleasant face and a 
 very graceful figure ; she is kind and is a superior person. 
 In health, she is rather delicate, and for this reason 
 passes the most part of her time at all four seasons away 
 from the capital. She is thirty-six years of age. 
 
 Well ; taking the hand of the Empress, we went into 
 a large hall, where the members of the Diplomatic Corps, 
 with their wives, the Princes of Austria and Germany, 
 and the brothers of the Emperor, all were collected. In 
 the hall a number of small tables were laid out for 
 supper. The Arabs from Algiers, also, were all here 
 
 z 2 
 
340 Diary of a Tour in Eiirope. [chap. vi. 
 
 this evening. After a good deal of conversation, a 
 certain number of individuals took their seats at each 
 table for supper. Around our table were the Empress, 
 the Grand-Vazir, Qabuli Pasha — the Ottoman Ambas- 
 sador, Count Andrassy — the Austrian Premier, and one 
 other elderly woman of importance. I sat a long while, 
 and had much conversation with the Empress. She 
 expressed great regret at not having come several days 
 earlier and at having come this evening only to say 
 adieu. I, too, moved by her demonstrations of kindness, 
 expressed my friendship at great length. 
 
 When supper was over, all rose, and the Emperor 
 came. I also rose. In this assembly the Emperor had 
 taken a seat with a few other individuals at a separate 
 table, and had there supped. We now went out on to a 
 long and narrow terrace in front of the palace and 
 looking on to the garden, for the purpose of witnessing 
 some fireworks. Many chairs were placed there, and we 
 sat down with the Empress on our right hand and the 
 wife of the Emperor's brother on our left. The other 
 Lady-Princesses and women also took their places to 
 the right and left. The Emperor remained on foot, the 
 rest of the company being some on foot also, and some 
 seated. About five hundred musicians were stationed 
 in the park and performed airs. There was also an 
 immense concourse of spectators. The fountains of the 
 basins played. The building on the hill opposite to the 
 palace where we were sitting was illuminated and fitted 
 with fireworks. The air, too, was clear, and the moon 
 was shining most splendidly. The fireworks were superb. 
 
chap, vr.] Italy, Austria. 341 
 
 They had executed the Order of the Lion and the Sun 
 in fireworks very successfully. This was followed up by 
 another display. A fortress of fire appeared on the 
 border of the sea, and the sea itself was represented by 
 fire to the very .life. Ships of war came and besieged 
 this fortress, cannon being fired from the ships and from 
 the fort ; while an electric light was thrown from the 
 roof of the palace of Schonbrunn on to the mound and 
 the basins of water, which was extremely beautiful, and 
 resembled sunshine or moonlight. 
 
 At the termination to this display of pyrotechny we 
 rose, and arm-in-arm with the Empress, while the 
 Emperor, giving his arm to the elderly woman of im- 
 portance, followed us, we arrived at the staircase of the 
 palace, said adieu to the Empress and Emperor, and 
 returned home. Thanks be to God, all passed off well. 
 
 Friday, 13th (8th August). — To-day we must go to 
 Saltzburg. Rising early in the morning, the Emperor 
 arrived about half an hour afterwards, accompanied by 
 the whole of the Austrian princes, ministers, and officials. 
 In the first instance, the Emperor, with his brothers and 
 the princes, came into the room. We advanced and 
 gave our hand ; we sat down on chairs and had a long 
 conversation, I expressing the great pleasure I had 
 enjoyed during my few days' stay at Laxenburg. Gren- 
 neville, in attendance on us, came to say the time had 
 arrived for us to start. We arose. In another room 
 Count Andrassy — the Premier, with the other ministers, 
 was waiting. We exchanged salutations, but I did not 
 say a last adieu to the princes, Andrassy, and the rest, 
 
342 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. vi. 
 
 being under the impression that they would all come to 
 the platform at the station. We took our seat in a 
 carriage with the Emperor, and drove off. When we 
 reached the station and alighted, the princes and An- 
 drassy had remained behind and did not come. We 
 felt great regret at not having bid them good-bye ;but, 
 exchanging adieux again with the Emperor, we took 
 our seat in the train. The Emperor remained on the 
 platform to the last, so that even as the train glided 
 away, we saluted each other. 
 
 The weather to-day in Vienna and the country was 
 very sultry. Again at the town of Lintz the train 
 stopped for an hour; and in the same place where they 
 prepared breakfast on our arrival, to-day also was break- 
 fast made ready. We alighted and breakfasted. One 
 hour afterwards we again took our places and were on 
 our way. 
 
 At the station of Lambach the train halted. The 
 Sovereign of Hanover, with his wife, daughter, and 
 servants of distinction, was waiting on the platform. 
 We alighted, went, and shook hands with him. We had 
 a lengthened conversation, and I expressed the utmost 
 sympathy for the Sovereign. The wife of the Sovereign 
 is a woman of great good sense, and is of middle age. 
 His daughter is exceedingly pretty, graceful, and modest. 
 The summer-residence of the Sovereign is near to this 
 place, and having heard that we were to pass, he came 
 (to meet us). But we were excessively grieved at sight 
 of the Sovereign. He was a Sovereign, of political 
 importance, possessed of treasures, of an army, f 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 343 
 
 a diadem. The Emperor of Germany, through his wish 
 to weld all Germany into one State, was under a 
 necessity to take the country of this Sovereign out of his 
 hands. Hence, he made war, and quickly routing the 
 forces of this Sovereign, made of his dominions a portion 
 of Prussia. The Sovereign, with his family and certain 
 of his choicest jewels, fled to the land of the Austrian 
 State, and up to this time passes his days in the territory 
 of the Habsburg Emperor. Added to this misfortune, 
 both eyes of the Sovereign are sightless. His wife takes 
 him by the hand and leads him about. The Sovereign is 
 still quite young-looking, very tall and robust ; but alas, 
 his eyes are blind. According to what was told us, he 
 had one weak eye in his childhood; upon that, he was 
 once playing with a purse of money, or some other thing, 
 which struck him in the eye and injured his sound eye. 
 His age is sixty-four (read, fifty-four) ; his name is 
 George the Fifth, that of his wife is Queen Mary, — 
 a Lady-Princess of Saxony, and of his daughter, 
 Princess Frederica. Well; we exchanged adieux with 
 the Sovereign, went to the train, and again proceeded, 
 reaching the city of Saltzburg at sunset. Our quarters 
 here were again in the same palace where we had put up 
 on our arrival, and the same honours were shown to us 
 as then. 
 
 Qabuli Pasha, the Ottoman Envoy (read, Ambassador) 
 to Austria, is instructed by his Government to accompan}^ 
 us to Brindisi. 
 
 Saturday, 14th (9th August). — We have to go to the 
 city of Innsbruck, which is eight hours distant by rail. 
 
344 Diary of a Toitr in Etirope. [chap. vi. 
 
 In the morning we joined the train and started. We 
 traversed the territory of Bavaria, and ascended the Inn, 
 a very large stream that flows into the river Danube, so 
 arriving at the fortress of Kufstein, built on the frontier 
 between Austria and Bavaria. With respect to the river 
 that flows by this fortress, the left bank belongs to 
 Bavaria, while the right bank is in the Tyrol, and part 
 of the Austrian dominions. It is a strong little fort, in 
 a valley, upon an enormous rock. There was a garrison 
 and artillery in the fort. They fired a salute. A wheel 
 of one of our carriages showed a defect, and we had to 
 wait a quarter of an hour until the load of that carriage 
 was removed elsewhere. A battalion of infantry, with a 
 band and numbers of officers were in attendance. The 
 Governor of Saltzburg here received his conge, and left. 
 
 Again we got in motion. On our journey hither wards, 
 we had passed this region by night, so that nothing of it 
 had been seen. To-day when all is visible, it shows 
 itself to be a wonderful place — a very spacious valley, in 
 the middle of which flows a river, and all around high 
 mountains full of forests of pine and yews. The hill-tops, 
 the hill-sides, and the hill- skirts are all under crops 
 without irrigation. The villages are all at the foot of 
 the hills, very charming and pleasant. 
 
 And thus we journeyed to the city of Innsbruck, near 
 to which the air became cloudy, with wind ; and a violent 
 storm, with heavy rain, broke over us, and cooled the 
 temperature. We reached the city three hours before 
 sunset. It is a small city, with a population of about ten 
 thousand souls ; a pretty and delightful hill- station 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Atistria. 345 
 
 for summer, situate in the midst of a valley, while all 
 around are lofty, snow-clad mountains. In spite of the 
 rain, the number of spectators was great, with many 
 troops and bands, infantry and cavalry. A salute was 
 fired. 
 
 We arrived at a palace of the Government, which, 
 though plain, was elegant and very pretty, with nice 
 tables and chairs, a very large and long hall, and the 
 most part of the apartments white, being adorned with 
 gilt woodwork. In some of the apartments rich silk 
 stuffs were on the walls, with oil-paintings — portraits of 
 the family of the Emperor of Austria, ancient and 
 recent, hung in the rooms. Other paintings, too, were 
 on the ceilings of the rooms and other parts. 
 
 To-day the train, near to the city, passed over a bridge 
 that crosses the river, and joins on to another bridge 
 (viaduct) that comes over the meadows and marshes to 
 the station of the town — a very long bridge, certainly 
 two thousand ells (2333J yards) or more in extent. The 
 difficulty and expense of constructing railroads arise 
 from structures of this kind, which must be made of 
 great strength. 
 
 Sunday, 15th (10th August). — We have to go to the 
 city of Bologna in Italy. In the morning we strolled 
 about a while in the great hall and viewed the pictures. 
 The rain had continued to fall all through the night 
 until morning. The weather was cloudy and misty, but 
 little by little it cleared up. Immediately opposite to 
 this palace is a small theatre, closed at the present 
 season, but open during the winter. 
 
346 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 The time to start having come, we mounted carriages, 
 and left for the train. Nazar Aqa received his conge, 
 and proceeded towards Paris. We took our seats in the 
 train, and commenced our journey. As the road was all 
 upon an ascent, we proceeded very leisurely, — about two 
 and a half leagues per hour. Lofty mountains, lovely 
 valleys, springs, rivers, cascades, villages, pretty detached 
 houses, flowers of all colours, meadows, green fields, on 
 both sides of the road were in profusion ; the weather 
 also, from the rain which had fallen, was like paradise. 
 On our first journey through this part of the country it 
 had been night, and nothing had been seen from the 
 station of Franzansvest onwards as far as the city of 
 Innsbruck, — Franzansvest being one of the strong fort- 
 resses of Austria, — we have now, therefore, given the 
 above details. 
 
 Well; the road continued everywhere to ascend, and 
 the train passed through ten " holes in mountains," — 
 not very long ones, — and so we arrived at the princi- 
 pal peak and eminence which is named the Brenner, 
 and is four thousand three hundred and seventy-three 
 feet above the level of the sea. It is a very excel- 
 lent place for a summer hill-station, and is very 
 picturesque, having snow-clad mountains on every 
 side. From Innsbruck to this point the forests were 
 dense, the trees being larches in general. The train 
 stopped. The waters which flow from this peak in 
 the direction of Innsbruck, towards the north, fall 
 into the river Danube, and pass thence on to the Black 
 Sea ; while those which flow southwards towards Italy 
 
chap. vi. ] Italy, Austria. 347 
 
 fall into the Po and the Adige, and thence into the 
 Adriatic. 
 
 On proceeding again, we advanced only a few leagues 
 and reached the spot named Schelleberg, when the train 
 stopped anew, as henceforward our road was to be all 
 downhill. I noticed the Grand- Vazir, with the rest, 
 alighting from their carriages and commencing the 
 descent. On enquiring the reason, I was informed that 
 it was a very interesting sight to watch the downward 
 progress of the train from this place ; and therefore 
 alighted also, following them down the hill. We walked 
 a considerable distance and came to the village of 
 Gossensasse. We passed through the place on foot 
 without seeing a single soul. At length I noticed the 
 'Imadu-'d-Dawla and the I'tizadu-'s-Saltana, who were 
 walking alone, and asked them what they were doing. 
 They answered: "We went to see the village church. 
 As it is Sunday, all the villagers were in the church, 
 and the priest was addressing them from the pulpit. 
 When his eye fell upon us, his speech failed him in the 
 pulpit, and he was thoroughly bewildered in conjecturing 
 who we might be, with these caps and costumes of ours, 
 that had arrived in the church of a village in so remote a 
 corner of Europe." We then walked on a good bit 
 further, but we did not see the train coming ; it had got 
 down before we had, and had stopped for us. Thus 
 those who had expected to see a sight were all dis- 
 appointed, and had fatigued themselves as well. 
 
 We mounted and went on. The further we proceeded, 
 the smaller were the mountains and less covered with 
 
348 Diary of a Tottr in Europe, [chap, vl 
 
 forest; the atmosphere became more sultry; and steep, 
 rocky mountains began to be seen. Continuing our 
 journey, we came to Franzansvest, alighted there, and 
 they breakfasted. This occupied an hour. At all the 
 stations the troops, the bands, the officials, and others, 
 were in waiting to render the usual honours. Breakfast 
 over, we resumed our journey and reached Ala, the 
 frontier between Italy and Austria. It was now night, 
 and the train stopped. Grenneville, the official in wait- 
 ing, together with his subordinates on that duty, were 
 received in audience, took their leave, and departed. "We 
 showered upon them every sort of civilities, and ex- 
 pressed ourselves warmly as to the gratification afforded 
 us by the Emperor's kindnesses. Qastiqar Khan, the 
 engineer, also went away from this place to his own 
 country, and will return thence to Tehran. 
 
 Well ; as far as the fortress of Verona, we had seen 
 the country on our upward journey, since it had been 
 performed by daylight ; but from Verona onwards to the 
 city of Bologna I had not seen. True it was now night, 
 but there was a most beautiful moonlight, the mountains 
 were left behind, and we were upon the plains. I dined 
 in the train ; and after dinner I would not lie down, as I 
 pictured to myself that I would take some rest on 
 arriving at the end of our day's journey. All my com- 
 panions went to sleep, while I continued to explore the 
 plains with my eyes. The train, too, was now going ten 
 leagues an hour. I observed that the whole plain bore 
 crops of Indian corn or rice, with mulberry trees for 
 silk. I noticed a few eminences and small hills ; also 
 
chap, vl] Italy, Austria. 349 
 
 numerous habitations on both sides of our path, — the 
 mansions reflecting back the whiteness of the moon- 
 light, and producing a pleasing effect. We passed 
 through one "hole," — not very long, and across two 
 great rivers with five bridges ; and so, at four hours after 
 midnight, when the dawn had thrown out its first streaks 
 of light, we arrived at the station of Bologna. 
 
 I was extremely worn out from not having slept. The 
 Governor of the town, and the officer in command of the 
 troops of the place, whose name was Mezzacapo, were 
 awaiting us, with the other local magnates. These people 
 of the city were also, the whole of them, worn out and 
 sleepless ; so that neither could they pay proper attention 
 to us, nor could we rightly consider their condition. I 
 mounted a carriage ; when a telegram arrived from the 
 Sovereign of Italy, who was at a hunting-place in the 
 Alpine chain, which expressed his great pleasure at our 
 having again arrived in his dominions. 
 
 We drove a long way to arrive at our quarters, — a 
 hotel that had been designated by Narlman Khan. We 
 went upstairs. My room fronted the public thorough- 
 fare. The noise of carriages, carts, cries and talk, as 
 well as bands, was such that to sleep for one instant was 
 simply impossible. However, in the best way we could, 
 we lay down for four or five hours, and even this I 
 esteemed a great prize. 
 
 In Vienna and in Italy, &c, excellent water-melons 
 are raised. The milky Indian corn is also found in great 
 abundance. Other fruits are no great things. 
 
 This night we crossed two rivers; first, the river 
 
350 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 Adige, which passes by the little town of Bovigo, and is 
 the same stream that accompanied us everywhere from 
 the valleys of the Tyrol in Austria, after the road began 
 to descend at Schelleberg ; secondly, the river Po, which 
 flows by the city of Ferrara, and enters the Adriatic Sea. 
 
 Monday, 16th (11th August). — A halt was made in the 
 city of Bologna. We breakfasted at the hotel. In the 
 afternoon we took a seat in a carriage with Dr. Tholozan 
 and the Governor of Bologna, named Count Bardessone, 
 and set out for a drive. We came to two towers, erected 
 six hundred years ago, very large in diameter, being like 
 square obelisks. They have steps within them, so as to be 
 ascended, though this is attended with great danger ; for 
 it is possible for one to be suffocated inside them from 
 lack of air. The one is a hundred and three ells in 
 height (360 feet), and is somewhat out of the perpen- 
 dicular. The other, not far distant, was expressly con- 
 structed by its builder to lean over in like manner, and 
 had at first a great elevation. But, as its deviation from 
 the plumb-line was very great, fears were entertained as 
 to its safety, and it was partly demolished ; so that now 
 the half only is standing. 
 
 Next we drove through sundry streets and wards, 
 passing by the Bank, which has recently been erected, 
 and is a very handsome building. The streets are all 
 paved with stone, and kept clean. Including the suburbs, 
 the city has a population of one hundred thousand souls. 
 Carriages and carts are numerous. It produces excellent 
 fruits, — especially peaches and water-melons. 
 
 We then went out beyond the city, drove round the 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Atcstria. 351 
 
 walls, which are of brick, of ancient construction, and 
 have several gates, as well as a ditch of no great depth ; 
 also passed by the Armoury — another recent structure. 
 From thence the road began to ascend in a southerly 
 direction to some hills, on which people have built a 
 number of handsome mansions. There was also one on 
 the summit of an eminence, that in olden times had been 
 a place of worship, and where the great Popes used to 
 lodge when they came to this city. At present the 
 Sovereign of Italy has taken possession of it, and it has 
 become his private property. 
 
 As this city was, fifteen years ago, in the possession of 
 the Pope, and its government in the hands of the priests, 
 so now it is entirely the property of the State. We 
 arrived at the door of the edifice, entered, and strolled 
 about awhile. It is a very ancient structure. Coming 
 out again, we walked about all round it, enjoying the 
 delightful view it affords over the city and country. I 
 observed that, as far as the eye could reach, the whole 
 country was green and populous, with abundant crops, 
 and here and there isolated mansions that cast back a 
 white gleam from among the verdure. One hill there 
 was, higher than this eminence ; and on its summit was 
 built a beautiful mansion, the summer-residence of one 
 of the Khans (noblemen) of Italy, whose name is Vicini. 
 
 Well; at sunset we descended from thence, entered 
 the city by a different gate, and passed by a noble old 
 building in which is the library of the place. According 
 to what they said, it contains many volumes of ancient 
 manuscripts and others. We also passed by the house 
 
352 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 of the Governor, around which in the olden time a 
 strong wall has been erected, like that of a fortress. It 
 is a large and ancient structure. The greater part of 
 the buildings of this city are old and venerable, the 
 most of them being of stone. 
 
 The name of the hotel in which we are lodged is the 
 Hotel Brune. We reached our quarters, and in the 
 evening went to the theatre, a handsome edifice and 
 large, with five tiers of seats. As we had expressed a 
 desire to see some performances on horseback, they had 
 arranged the pit of the theatre like a circus ; that is, they 
 had enclosed it with a circular barrier of wood, and had 
 sprinkled it over with earth. The exhibitions of horse- 
 manship were similar to those seen in Paris. There 
 were chandeliers and beautiful sconces on the walls, all 
 lit with gas. The theatre is white, with gildings on 
 wood, the ceiling and other parts being decorated with 
 paintings. The audience was numerous. Two women 
 performed on the horses ; of whom one was very awkward 
 and continually fell from her horse. The other, an 
 American, performed well. There was also a pantomime 
 of vulgar tricks. As we had not dined, we soon rose and 
 returned home, had our dinner, and retired to rest. The 
 city is lighted with gas-lamps. A graceful, prettily- 
 dressed girl took a whip in her hand at the theatre, and 
 exercised the horses, so that they ran, stopped, or stood 
 upright, as she commanded, yielding obedience to her 
 whip, and submission to the beauty and gracefulness of 
 the girl. 
 
 Tuesday, 17 th (12th August). — We have to go to 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 353 
 
 Brindisi, the remotest port in Italy, where some Ottoman 
 government vessels are already awaiting to convey us to 
 Constantinople. In the morning we rose early and 
 breakfasted. Our travelling companions, from eagerness 
 to return towards Persia, all went to the station; but 
 our departure is put off until three hours before sunset. 
 We lingered at the hotel for a short time after breakfast, 
 and then, to pass away the time, mounted a carriage, 
 and went to see the library. There we found a collection 
 of the grandees and officials of Italy. It is a long 
 corridor ; and there we saw some writings in the Egyptian 
 character, written, two thousand years ago, on the surface 
 of wood, which had been rendered clear and delicate, 
 like paper. Also, one of the Pharaohs of Egypt had 
 sent one of his great captains to a certain place on a 
 mission to purchase horses, three thousand years ago ; 
 and he too had written in detail the incidents of his 
 journey on that kind of paper- wood, in Egyptian and in 
 Hebrew. They said they had deciphered it; but the 
 translation was not forthcoming. A considerable part of 
 the wood and writing had fallen to pieces by decay. The 
 writing, as is the case in Persian and Ottoman Turkish, 
 is written from right to left. 
 
 There were also some objects usually found in museums, 
 of the sculptures of Egj^pt and other places ; and further- 
 more, some things which have been recovered from the 
 cemeteries of Bologna itself were also placed there. 
 Anciently it had been a custom that when any one died, 
 they should bury with that person enough provisions for 
 several days, together with certain other articles ; and 
 
 A A 
 
354 Diary of a Tour in Eitrope. [chap. yl. 
 
 these very articles are the things that, after an interval 
 of two thousand years, have heen recovered. So much 
 so, that the shells of the eggs that were so deposited for 
 the dead man to eat, have been collected and placed 
 here. The bones of several dead persons, so cleaving to> 
 the earth, have been brought forth, and set up on foot. 
 In the hand of one of these dead men there was a copper 
 coin of the period, which, as I saw, had remained in his 
 hand. This coin was given into his hand for the purpose 
 that when he came to the bridge of Sirat (that spans the 
 abyss between this world and paradise), he should hand 
 it over to the toll-keeper of the bridge, in order that he 
 might allow him to pass in safety. Another of the dead, 
 that had been a woman, has, as I saw, a necklace on her 
 neck, together with a ring on the bone of her finger. In 
 short, it is a very comprehensive library and museum^ 
 The building, which is very ancient, was formerly a 
 college with many professors, who had come from all 
 parts and gave lessons of philosophy and other things 
 within its precincts. After seeing as much as was 
 possible, we returned to our carriage and drove to the 
 railway station. 
 
 The time for starting, however, had not yet come ; and 
 so we had to wait half an hour in a room at the station. 
 The Governor of the town, the commanders of the troops,, 
 and others, were all there. When the time came, we 
 went and took our seat in the train, which was no longer 
 the same (that brought us), but had been changed. The 
 present one was the property of the Italian Brindisi 
 Hallway Company, the cars of which do not communicate.. 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 355 
 
 In the car that followed behind the one in which we were 
 seated, there was a coffee-maker and the like ; so that 
 whenever we expressed a wish for a galayan (hubble- 
 bubble), or other thing, they stretched forth their hands 
 and reached it (to ns). 
 
 We started. For the first half league there were at 
 all points on onr right hand hills backed up by lofty 
 mountains ; on our left, a green plain, with populations, 
 trees, and crops. Behind those mountains one can go 
 even unto Florence, one of the chief cities of Italy. In 
 Rimini, a small town, the Adriatic Sea was first seen, 
 looking very pretty. But as we advanced a little further, 
 some hills interposed an obstacle, hiding the sea from 
 our sight. The mountains on our right, too, came 
 nearer. There were populations, mansions, villages, and 
 pretty towns, upon the hills and in the plain. We passed 
 by Pesaro, Fano, and other places, where the train 
 stopped for a few minutes, and where great crowds were 
 collected with the hope of seeing us ; so much so, that 
 they even fell under the wheels of our carriages in their 
 eagerness. Extremely pretty women, and very handsome 
 boys, whose features were half-way between those of 
 Persians and Franks, were noticed. 
 
 We then came to Ancona, a seaport of importance ; 
 but it was now dark, and nothing of it was seen. 
 Crowds nocked on to the railway ; a band also was there 
 playing. The Governor, military officers, and magistrates 
 of the town were received in audience. The Sovereign 
 of Italy had specially commissioned the Minister of 
 Commerce and Agriculture to present his congratulations 
 
 A A 2 
 
356 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 on our arrival. His name was Baron Final. After 
 starting thence we dined and lay down to rest. 
 
 Wednesday, 18th (13th August). — In the morning, on 
 awaking, the air was very cool. While sleeping, we had 
 passed by the town of Foggia. We now reached Barletta, 
 Ban, and Monopoli, stopping at each a few minutes ; and 
 so arrived at the town of Brindisi. From Barletta to 
 the neighbourhood of Brindisi, both sides of the road 
 was everywhere a plantation of olive-trees ; and some 
 ancient olive-trees, five hundred } r ears old, were noticed. 
 The greater part of the olive- oil of Firangistan is ex- 
 ported from these localities. Cotton also was culti- 
 vated. 
 
 Brindisi is an ancient, old-looking city ; but since the 
 railway has been established, it has begun by degrees to 
 be repopulated, and is now a seaport. The post and 
 despatches from England for India go by this route; 
 also those from India for England, through the Bed Sea 
 and Egypt. The people of these parts are extremely 
 poor. 
 
 The train stopped. Crowds had collected. Eshref 
 Pasha, who was formerly Envoy in Tehran, had come 
 with the Ottoman ships ; and the Grand- Vazir introduced 
 him to an audience, with Qabuli Pasha, Serkls Efendi — 
 the Minister Besident in Italy, and others who had come 
 from Constantinople ; and with them we conversed. 
 Qabuli Pasha returns hence to Vienna. After that, the 
 Governors, civil and military, with other Italian magnates 
 residing here, and the foreign Consuls, were also received. 
 We then walked to the ship. 
 
chap, vi.] Italy, Austria. 357 
 
 Two ships have come from His Most Exalted Majesty 
 the Sultan ; one named the " Sultaniyya," a yacht of the 
 Sultan himself, which has been brought for our accommo- 
 dation. I had not seen in Firangistan a yacht so beau- 
 tiful and so decorated. She has a spacious hall and 
 rooms full of rich furniture. The other ship was named 
 the " Tali'a," also a beautiful vessel. In our ship, room 
 was wanting. The Grand- Vazir, our household officers, 
 and Dr. Tholozan, remained ; and all the rest went to 
 the " Tali'a." Through the transport of our luggage, 
 and the dispersal of the people, we remained five hours 
 at the anchorage ; but we shall get under way for Con- 
 stantinople at two hours to sunset. 
 
 In Firangistan, thanks be to God, all has passed safely 
 and happily ; God willing, the end of our tour will be 
 equally pleasant and auspicious. 
 
 Our journey to-day from Foggia to this place was not 
 through a part; so much improved by man ; the greater 
 portion being a wilderness, with clumps of heather and 
 such like. It had been arranged that we should start in 
 another five hours ; but in consequence of a high' wind 
 springing up, we remained all night in harbour. 
 
 19^/i {Thursday, 14th August). — In the morning I arose. 
 At one o'clock of the day (eleven before sunset) we 
 started. The princes and others who had gone to the 
 " Tall'a," all came back to our vessel, with the exception 
 of Ibrahim Khan, M. Eichard, Nariman Khan, the 
 brother of Mirza Malkam Khan, and our horses, saying 
 she was a very nasty place, and complaining of the dirt 
 and biting beasts. Several had even been bitten by 
 
358 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 cockroaches, and not one of them had been able to 
 sleep. 
 
 Well; the dinner and breakfast served up by the 
 Sultan's cook were very excellent. Thanks be to God, 
 the weather was fine, though there was a little wind, and 
 the frequent waves kept the ship in motion. We lay 
 down for a space, and on rising we had reached the 
 land's-end of Italy, the parts about Otranto ; that is, in 
 three hours after leaving Brindisi, we had arrived there ; 
 and as we were close in with the shore, the waves were 
 much diminished. We now took our breakfast. 
 
 At half an hour to sundown we were abreast of Corfu, 
 which we passed to our left. The mountains of the 
 island were visible ; but it was at a distance of ten 
 leagues or more from us. It is the largest of the seven 
 Ionian islands, formerly in the possession of England. 
 Ten years ago, however, she voluntarily ceded them to 
 the kingdom of Greece. The weather was very fine and 
 cloudless, free from wind. The stars twinkled, and, as 
 the moon was twenty nights old, she rose late ; but, as 
 she emerged from the sea, she offered a glorious spectacle. 
 Another singular sight, too, I witnessed from the ship's 
 windows. The waters of the sea, cleft by the paddles of 
 the steam-wheel of the ship, were converted into foam, 
 and assumed the appearance of a white stream, in which 
 I remarked a very curious phenomenon. Incessantly, 
 from amid the water, and within the foam, did fire shoot 
 forth, like lightning. As when the shoe of a horse 
 strikes against a stone, or when a flint strikes a light, or 
 when the wheel of a diamond- cutter gives out the electric 
 
'CHAP. VI. 
 
 Italy, Austria. 
 
 359 
 
 light, in like manner did this fire incessantly shine forth. 
 It was more abundant in the midst of the foam, less so 
 in the rest of the water. 
 
 20f/t {Friday, 15th August). — In the morning, at one 
 o'clock of the day, we were opposite to the island of 
 Cephalonia, one of the seven Ionian islands, and passed 
 it on our left. To-day the sea was calm, and there was 
 no wind at all ; so we breakfasted. We passed by the 
 island of Zante, — one of the seven Ionian islands, and 
 also by Navarino, where the ships of the three Powers — 
 Kussia, England, and France, fought with those of 
 Turkey and Egypt for the independence of Greece, and 
 entirety finishing off the Turkish and Egyptian ships, 
 set fire to them ; and at that epoch, the maritime prepa- 
 rations of Turkey being entirely destroyed, the kingdom 
 of Greece was separated from the Turkish dominions, 
 and obtained a separate Sovereign. That battle took 
 place fort} r years ago, in the days of Sultan Mahmud 
 Khan, father of the present Sultan. In those days 
 steamers were not in general use ; all ships were sailing 
 vessels. 
 
 Well ; the shores of Greece are little inhabited. It 
 was evident that in those mountains there was a great 
 lack of water. I examined them through a telescope ; 
 they were generally barren, with only a few shrubs on 
 some of them. The mountains further inland were 
 higher. The land of Greece has offered to notice Aris- 
 totle, Plato, Hippocrates, Socrates, Alexander the Great, 
 and the ancient philosophers and poets. 
 
 At sunset we were abreast of Cape Matapan, on the 
 
360 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vi. 
 
 skirts of the mountains of which a good many habitations 
 were observed, all of which belonged to the population of 
 Matapan itself. The houses and buildings were white. 
 Each family establishment had a kind of tower, of great 
 strength ; as though these parts enjoy no great degree of 
 security, and therefore, by way of simple precaution, the 
 houses are built strong. The mountains hereabouts are 
 extremely barren and waterless, having no verdure, not 
 even a bush. All are rocky. 
 
 In the night we entered the straits of (Cape) Malea, 
 passing between (Cape) Malea (Cape St. Angelo) and the 
 island of Cerigo ; this island being on our right, and the 
 cape on our left. Hence we turned our faces towards 
 the quarter where the sun rises, in the direction of (Con- 
 tinental) Greece and Constantinople. Up to this time 
 there had been no wind; but, on reaching this strait, a 
 light breeze sprang up, and caused the ship to oscillate. 
 
 21s£ (Saturday, 16th August). — When I arose in the 
 morning, the wind was blowing ; but the weather was 
 fine, and the waves not very rough. Half an hour after 
 the morning twelve o'clock, according to the Persian 
 method of computing time (by which sunset is always at 
 twelve in the evening), we arrived off the Gulf of Athens. 
 Athens is the capital of the kingdom of Greece. 
 
 We next passed through the straits of Zea, leaving 
 that island on our right, and the cape of Athens (Cape 
 Colonna; Cape Sunium) on our left; but the city of 
 Athens was far off, behind the Cape, and therefore was 
 not seen. The island of Zea is very famous and cele- 
 brated, through a book written by Fenelon about the 
 
CHAP. VI.] 
 
 Italy, Austria, 
 
 ;6i 
 
 adventures of Ulysses, who was king of the island, and 
 was lost in the war of Troy, his son Telemachus going 
 off in quest of him ; but it is very small, and barren ; — 
 destitute of water, grass, and trees. The coast of the 
 promontory of Athens, too, has many barren mountains. 
 On our left hand, upon the shore of Greece, were the 
 remains of an ancient building, which I surveyed through 
 a telescope. They are upon a rock on the edge of the 
 sea, and have many stone columns, like the ruins of 
 Persepolis ; as was said, they are of marble ; but some 
 are broken, and have fallen down. These remains were 
 in ancient days a temple. In Greece, and especially in 
 the neighbourhood of Athens, there are many such 
 remains. 
 
 After three or four hours we passed through the 
 channel between the islands of Negropont and Anclros. 
 Negropont, on our left, is a very large island, and is 
 attached to Greece ; Andros, on our right, is a small 
 island. 
 
 At one hour and a half to sunset we were opposite the 
 little islet of Psara, which belongs to the Ottoman ; and 
 behind it was Scio, a large island, called Saqiz (Mastic 
 Island) by the Ottomans. On our left again was the 
 island of Skyros, which belongs to Greece ; but it was 
 far off and not visible. 
 
 The distance from Brindisi to Constantinople is seven 
 hundred and eighty miles, which is, in Persian reckoning, 
 two hundred and sixty leagues. The weather, thanks be 
 to God, was beautiful ; but an adverse wind blew unin- 
 terruptedly. The ship stoutly held her own against the 
 
362 Diary of a Tour in Europe. [chap, vi, 
 
 billows, and made good way ; but one league, out of her 
 speed of three leagues per hour, was cut off; so that she 
 only went at a rate of two. 
 
 I went to rest. At half-past six o'clock (from sunset) 
 the ship suddenly stopped ; which alarmed us. I asked, 
 and was told she had been purposely stopped, since the 
 channel of the Dardanelles was near at hand, and they 
 did not wish to enter it by night. In order to be quite 
 sure and to know that the ship had no defect, I said they 
 might go on for another half hour. They then went on 
 again, and I resumed my couch. When the half hour 
 expired, the ship was again stopped. The moon had 
 now newly risen, and the weather was very temperate. 
 Two hours later, we again made way towards the Dar- 
 danelles. 
 
CHAPTER VII. 
 
 TURKEY ; 11 DAYS. 
 
 ^ ^ ND {Sunday, 11 th August). — When I arose in 
 ^mj ^af the morning it was two o'clock of the day, 
 and we passed by a small island on our right hand, 
 named Tenedos, from the fortress of which a salvo of 
 guns was fired. On our left hand, opposite to Tenedos, 
 was the island of Lemnos, rather large. 
 
 After breakfast we arrived at the (entrance to the) 
 channel of the Dardanelles, on both sides of which they 
 have constructed strong forts. The first of these forts is 
 that of Tenedos, on the right hand ; the second, on the 
 left hand, on the European shore, is Seddu-'l-Bahr 
 (Barrier of the Sea) ; and on the right, opposite the 
 Sedd, is Qmn-Qal'asi (Fort of the Sands) ; the third, on 
 the left, in Europe, Shahin Qal'asi (Fort Falcon), which 
 is in ruins, and on the summit of a hill ; it was formerly 
 a stronghold, and still has a garrison, with guns. After 
 this comes the Qal'a-i-Sultaniyya (Fort Sultan), on the 
 left, in Asia ; there being also, to the left, and opposite 
 this fort, several other forts, towers, and batteries. Fort 
 Sultan (at the town of the Dardanelles) has many guns, 
 and its walls are built of stone. It had a garrison of 
 
364 Diary of a Tour in Etirofte. [chap. yh. 
 
 troops, and around it were numbers of buildings and 
 mansions, with beautiful houses. To-day we have noticed 
 many ships, merchantmen, yachts, and others. The 
 ships of the Austrian (Lloyd's) Company frequently 
 passed by. These castles and fortifications have always 
 been in existence from days of old, and the Ottoman 
 Sultans have repaired them ; not that they have newly 
 erected forts. On the left-hand side, opposite the town 
 around Fort Sultan, there was (another) group of build- 
 ings on the shore of the channel, which is named Killdu- 
 '1-Bahr (Key of the Sea). The whole of these erections 
 are portions of the Dardanelles (Chanaq Qal'asi, Fort 
 Crockery; so named from the great manufacture of 
 coarse earthenware carried on in and around the town, 
 which also bears this name, and represents the ancient 
 Ab} T dos, as the village at the Kilid represents the ancient 
 Sestos). 
 
 Well ; at five o'clock of the day we arrived before the 
 town of the Dardanelles, and a salvo was fired from each 
 of the forts. There was also a large Ottoman ship of 
 war at anchor there, which fired a salvo, — a fine ship 
 with three masts and thirty guns. Muhammad Kushdi 
 Pasha, known by the patronymic of Shirwani-Zada (son 
 of the man of Shirwan — in Georgia), and actual Grand- 
 Vazir of the Ottoman State, had come to the Dardanelles 
 to meet us on the part of the Sultan. Our ship also 
 cast anchor, and came to a stop in front of Fort Sultan. 
 As it is but ten hours' steaming from this place to Con- 
 stantinople, if we should go on at once to-day, we should 
 reach there by night; hence we remain here until the 
 
char vii.] Tier key. 365 
 
 afternoon ; and, please God, we shall proceed during the 
 night, so as to arrive at Constantinople in the morning. 
 
 The Ottoman Grand- Vazir, and Hajji Muhsin Khan — 
 the Persian Minister Plenipotentiary, came on board from 
 the shore in a boat. Our Grand- Vazir introduced the 
 Ottoman Grand- Vazir to an audience. Shirwani-Zada 
 is a sagacious man of great intelligence and understand- 
 ing, of a pleasing disposition and well-spoken, and is 
 corpulent, thickset, and short, with a round black beard, 
 and speaks Persian. After a few minutes' conversation 
 he went out, and presently returned again, with our 
 Grand- Vazir, and presented the following personages 
 who were with him : Kan'an Bey — Amedi of the State 
 Council (Secretary for all incoming official communica- 
 tions) ; Nazif Pasha, Governor- General of the islands in 
 the Egsean Sea ; Eyyub Pasha, commanding in chief the 
 forces stationed at the forts in the channel of the Dar- 
 danelles ; Emm Efendi, Custos Eotulorum of the pro- 
 vince ; Esh-Sherif Kushdi Efendi, judge of the province, 
 who wore a turban ; Nesh'et Bey, chief of the office of 
 investigations, who also wore a turban; Mustafa Bey, 
 colonel of artillery; another Mustafa Bey, lieutenant- 
 colonel, aide-de-camp of the Grand- Vazir; Sami Bey, 
 colonel of police of the province ; Hafiz Bey, colonel ; 
 Bushdi Bey. 
 
 At one hour and a half to sunset we weighed anchor 
 and resumed our voyage towards Constantinople. Some 
 very graceful Frankish women had mounted in boats, 
 and came near to our ship. There are many foreign 
 ■Consuls at the Dardanelles, who have built handsome 
 
366 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vil 
 
 houses. Our Grand- Vazir mounted a boat and went 
 ashore to return the visit of the Ottoman Grand- Vazir. 
 The Ottoman Grand- Vazir's steam yacht is a very hand- 
 some vessel, and followed in our wake, the Tali'a bringing 
 up the rear. 
 
 We went on. On both sides of the channel were line 
 forts with many guns. We passed three or four forts 
 and batteries of earthworks, erected after the system of 
 the Franks. Those which are after the new system of 
 Firangistan have been raised within the last ten or fifteen 
 years ; the rest, which have stone walls, are from times 
 of old. On either side of the channel there are hills ; 
 and behind them again, mountains ; all full of forests and 
 trees. Gallipoli and its fortifications are at the (upper) 
 extremity of the channel of the Dardanelles, from whence 
 one enters into the little Sea of Marmara. From the 
 commencement of this channel to its extremity next the 
 Sea of Marmara is (a distance of) forty miles, that is, 
 twelve Persian leagues. We passed Gallipoli in the dark, 
 so that it was not seen. 
 
 23?yZ (Monday, 18th August). — When I arose in the 
 morning, the coasts on either hand were visible at a 
 distance. The ship, too, had proceeded slowly. On 
 nearing Constantinople a speed was kept up that would 
 bring us to the entrance of the Bosphorus at the prefixed 
 hour of five o'clock in the day (about noon at that season). 
 I dressed. By slow degrees we neared the land on our 
 left — the Rum-Eyli or European side ; and some build- 
 ings and habitations became visible, beautiful houses 
 being there built. Some manufactories were also noticed, 
 
chap, vii.] Turkey. 367 
 
 which they said were small- arms works and cloth-mills. 
 The whole of the shore was hilly and rolling ground, with 
 fir and cypress trees, and also forest trees. They gene- 
 rally plant the cypresses in and ahout the cemeteries; 
 but there are also cypresses in the valleys and upon the 
 mountains. 
 
 Passing on from these habitations, Islambul (a word 
 that has been coined, in times gone by, as a substitute 
 for the common Istanbul, vulgarly Stambul, formed from 
 €ts tt\v ttoXlv, to. or at the city — the capital, i.e., to or at 
 Constantinople, as we say : to or in town, i.e., to or in 
 London) came in sight. Again we took a turn about, in 
 order that the time might arrive. Then the ship " Sul- 
 taniyya " stopped, and we went in a boat to a ship of the 
 Sultan's, named the " Pertev-i-Piyala " (Ray of the Goblet) 
 which is the name of the Sultan's mother, — that had 
 been sent with the Grand- VazTr to the Dardanelles in 
 order that we might enter the Bosphorus in her, — and in 
 which the Grand- Vazir was embarked, following in our 
 wake. The Ottoman Grand- Vazir came to our vessel, 
 and again accompanied us to the " Pertev." This ship is 
 smaller than the " Sultaniyya," but is extremely elegant 
 and pretty. Its cabin is fitted up with inlaid-work, and 
 is richly furnished. I went on to the deck of the vessel. 
 About three thousand Persian subjects, of whom there 
 are great numbers in Constantinople, had embarked in 
 five large steamers, and come out to meet us. They 
 brought their ships near to mine ; and just at that 
 moment our Grand- Vazir, with the princes and others in 
 a boat, was coming from that other ship to this one, 
 
368 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. vn. 
 
 when one of the vessels with the Persian subjects on 
 board, turned on her steam and made way, so as to come 
 nearer to our ship ; and little did it lack that she did not 
 strike against the boat of the Grand-Vazir and others, 
 and drown them all. God showed mercy, and by some 
 means they escaped, reached (our ship), and came up (on 
 deck). The greater part of our household officers were 
 even in their State costumes. The other household 
 officers, and others, all remained in the first ship. 
 
 Well; we proceeded. On our right hand were a 
 number of islands (Princes' Islands), with hills and trees ; 
 some even with a spring of water. They told me that 
 mansions are being built for certain Franks and wealthy 
 Ottomans, so that in summer they may go thither for 
 strolls ; but we saw no buildings. It may be that they 
 are in valleys and behind the hills. 
 
 We arrived at the beginning of the habitations of the 
 city of Islambul. On the left hand is the land of Europe ; 
 on the right, the land of Asia. We proceeded in the 
 vicinity of the land of Europe. Certain steam ships, in 
 which the foreign ambassadors were embarked to come 
 and meet us, were observed. The first of the habita- 
 tions were some houses. Next, there commences an 
 ancient stone wall, with towers. This is a fortress 
 dating from the days of the Cassars. As this kind of 
 fortifications are no longer of any use, they do not repair 
 it ; but, since it is all of stone and very strong, the most 
 part of it still remains standing. This wall surrounds the 
 old city of Islambul, the whole of which is on the summits 
 of hills, on their slopes, or in their valleys. The habita- 
 
-chap, vil] Turkey. 369 
 
 iiions of the city extend the whole length of the Bos- 
 phorus ; but these have not much width ; and the great 
 bulk and busy part of the inhabited quarters, the city and 
 stronghold of Islambul, is within this fortress, and from 
 hence to the old palace (at Seraglio Point), to the palace 
 -of Beshik-Tash, to the Sultan's waterside residence of 
 Chiragan, within which are the great mosques, like those 
 of Saint Sophia and other imperial cathedrals, the 
 Government Offices (the Downing Street of Constanti- 
 nople — the " Porte "—the " Sublime Porte," as it is 
 called in Europe), — in which the Ministers and Coun- 
 cillors of State have their places of business, the Ministiy 
 -of War, the Ministry of Mines and Commerce, barracks 
 of great extent, hospitals, bazaars, caravanserais, and the 
 like ; — all are there. Beyond these, too, every part of 
 the Bosphorus, the summits of the hills and of the moun- 
 tains, are all inhabited and covered with fine houses, 
 -unosques, and the like, as far as BTyuk-Dera (Buyouk- 
 dereh) and Tarapiya (Therapia), which are the summer- 
 ■stations of the foreign Representatives. These, however, 
 are detached and isolated from each other. On the right 
 hand, again, which is the Asiatic shore, and is also 
 called Iskyudar (Scutari), there are magnificent build- 
 ings and beautiful mosques; especially, the barracks of 
 Selimiyya — most splendidly built. This side also, like 
 the other, is all hill and vale, with woods of cj^press, 
 pine, and oak. Every one, too, who has a mansion and 
 garden, plants orchards of fruit-trees, kitchen-gardens, 
 and flower-gardens, bringing water to those gardens and 
 trees with the greatest taste. The forest- trees, however, 
 
370 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vil 
 
 require no water, being independent of irrigation. Ac- 
 cording to information received, on the other side of 
 these hills there are extensive and dense forests that can- 
 not be penetrated ; but, as the hills themselves are near 
 to habitations, the greater part of their trees have been 
 cut down ; only a certain number of pines, cypresses,, 
 and others have been preserved to ornament the houses 
 and hills. 
 
 Well; after the wall and towers, there was a place 
 made famous by the name of the Seven Towers, which 
 was, as it were, the ark, the citadel of this city. It has 
 walls of stone and several large towers. It acquired its 
 celebrity from this circumstance, that, formerly, the 
 Ottoman Sultans, with whatsoever State they declared 
 war or took offence, immediately seized upon the person 
 of the Eepresentative of that State resident in Constan- 
 tinople, together with his subjects and attaches, cast 
 them into prison in the Seven Towers, and sometimes 
 even put them to death. 
 
 After that place, we came abreast of the cathedral 
 mosque of Sultan Ahmed, of that of St. Sophia, and of 
 others ; and then reached the old Seraglio, the former 
 residence of the Ottoman Sultans, which is built upon 
 the summit of a lofty eminence, with a strong wall all 
 round it. The Ottoman Sultans no longer inhabit it. 
 The " Sublime Porte," also, and other edifices, were 
 noticed at a distance. The residence of the Persian 
 Minister Plenipotentiary, built by this our present Grand- 
 Yazir, is also within that part of the city, and is a very 
 handsome building. 
 
chap, vii.] Turkey. 371 
 
 Next we reached the offing of Galata and of Bey-Oglii, 
 i.e., Pera, the winter place of residence of the Foreign 
 Bepresentatives, and where the greater portion of the 
 Franks have their quarters. Then we came upon the 
 palace of Dolma-Bagcha, — called also the palace of 
 Beshik-Tash, — where the Sultan dwells, with the Harem, 
 the Sultana-Mother, and others of the imperial family, 
 as also the princes of the blood. This is a very fine 
 and imposing edifice ; and was built by the Sultan 
 'Abdu-'l-Mejid Khan, who was the reigning Sultan's 
 brother. Passing thence we came abreast of the sea- 
 side palace of Chiragan, — an exceedingly beautiful 
 structure. It was originally founded by the Sultan 
 Mahmud Khan, father of the present Sovereign, who has 
 recently renovated and completed it. At last we came 
 in front of the palace known by the name of Beyler- 
 Beyi, our own quarters, situated to the right, on the 
 Anatolian side, and on the brink of the Bosphorus. It 
 is so called from being built in the parish of that name, 
 and is a very stately structure. 
 
 As the current of the waters of the Bosphorus sets 
 from the Black Sea towards the Sea of Marmara, and is 
 very rapid, like that of a river, in certain places, espe- 
 cially in front of this palace, where it attains its utmost 
 velocity, our ship could not cast anchor immediately 
 opposite to the palace ; but, passing about a thousand 
 feet tether up the channel, stopped there. 
 
 A few moments later, His Most Exalted Majesty the 
 Sultan, who was at the palace of Beyler-Beyi, mounting 
 a boat which he had caused to be specially prepared for 
 
 BB 2 
 
372 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap, m 
 
 us, came on board. We took seats, and the two Grand- 
 Vazirs also seated themselves. After a little conver- 
 sation we arose, descended from the ship, got into the 
 boat with the Sultan ; the two Grand- Vazirs, and Husayn 
 'Avni Pasha — the Minister of War, were also with us in 
 the boat. We arrived at the stairs of the palace, and 
 landed. A battalion of infantry, with a band, were in the 
 court and garden of the palace, the band playing. The 
 Sultan led us upstairs, and pointed out to us the apart- 
 ments and rooms of our quarters ; then, after the ex- 
 change of numerous civilities, he returned to his own 
 residence. The Sultan's age is forty-four — the same as 
 our own. 
 
 To-day, as we came up the Bosphorus, numerous 
 salutes were fired from the forts, and from the war-ships 
 of the Ottoman fleet. We noticed four large war steamers 
 in the Bosphorus, — some of which were armour-clad, — and 
 which are always anchored in front of the Sultan's palace. 
 Well; half an hour afterwards I mounted my boat, 
 with the Grand- Vazir, the Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, and the 
 {Ottoman) Grand Master of Ceremonies — 'Ali Bey ; and 
 went to return the visit of the Sultan at the palace of 
 Dolma-Bagcha. This is a very magnificent edifice, the 
 greater part of the staircases, the panels of the walls, the 
 columns, and the like, being of marble. The Sultan 
 met us at the foot of the stairs. In the very warmest 
 manner we gave our hand, went upstairs, sat a while 
 conversing, and then, rising, returned to our quarters 
 and made ourselves at home. 
 
 The palace of Beyler-Beyi is a most beautiful struc- 
 
chap, vil] Ttcrkey. 373 
 
 ture. Its stairs, and the panels of the walls of the 
 staircases are all of marble. It is partly in the Euro- 
 pean, partly in the Persian, and partly in the Ottoman 
 st}des; being by this means extremely pleasing to the 
 eye. The whole of the furniture in the rooms, such as 
 curtains, chairs, sofas, tables, looking-glasses, chande- 
 liers, and candelabras, are very rich and elegant. The 
 rooms are hung with rich European stuffs ; the windows 
 are all in single sheets of plate-glass, very wide, long, 
 and heavy ; but arranged in such a manner that a child 
 can easily raise and lower them ten times in succession, 
 opening them to any desired extent, and leaving them so 
 without support, prop, or assistance of any kind. As 
 left, so they remain ; and one can, without danger, put 
 one's head out of -window under them. We had seen 
 similar windows in London. They are a very excellent 
 contrivance. The whole of the windows in all the 
 Sultan's palaces are of plate-glass and on this plan. 
 
 The width of the Bosphorus is more than a thousand 
 ells (nearly 1200 yards). One can distinguish, without 
 the aid of a glass, every one who passes along on the 
 other side, in whatever coloured dress he may happen to 
 be. A musket-ball could easily traverse the interval 
 between the two shores. The depth of the water is from 
 ten to twenty ells (35 to 70 feet, 6 to 12 fathoms) ; some 
 parts being as much as a hundred and ten ells (385 feet, 
 64 fathoms) deep. The largest ship of war can navigate 
 every part of the Bosphorus. 
 
 The position and site of the city of Constantinople 
 are without rivals in the world. For instance : One 
 
3 74 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vn. 
 
 can purchase in the New World the chandeliers, tables, 
 chairs, and furniture of a whole palace, and, without the 
 deposition of a spot of dust upon them, or their being 
 again moved, can bring them to the foot of the palace on 
 the Bosphorus, and there open them. Marbles, &c, 
 anything one desires for his mansions can be brought 
 from all countries with the greatest facility to this place. 
 In like manner, merchandize of every description can be 
 brought in ships easily from all parts of the world, and 
 exported hence in like manner. 
 
 There is one very . spacious, handsome, and highly 
 decorated hall in this palace of Beyler-Bejd. The 
 greater part of the ceilings are of wood and boards, but 
 exquisitely painted. The mats which cover the floors 
 are of the finest quality ; and over these are extended 
 narrow slips of- European carpeting, upon which people 
 walk. Beneath this hall is a place with a basin of water, 
 of marble, and very handsome. Water flows into the 
 basin from certain figures, the basin being of one block 
 of marble. The temperature here is very agreeable, and 
 exactly suited to the summer weather. It has columns 
 of marble also. 
 
 Our suite are all lodged in this palace. Within it is a 
 handsome hot-and-cold bath of marble, with small basins 
 of marble around it, each provided with taps for hot and 
 cold water. As it was some time since we had taken a 
 bath, we made use of this opportunity, and then went 
 for a stroll in the gardens, where we walked about a con- 
 siderable time. The garden being on the skirts of a 
 hill, is subdivided into terraces, one above the other ; 
 
■chap, vil] Turkey. 3)5 
 
 each terrace having marble steps on either side for going 
 up and down. Around each terrape also are small hand- 
 rails of bronze ; and upon these are single gas-lamps, 
 liere and there. The sustaining wall of each terrace is 
 covered with ivy — the plant that climbs up plane-trees 
 and is always green, — which clings to it and clothes it, 
 as it were, in a most beautiful robe of emerald. There 
 are also pear-trees, peach-trees, plum-trees, apple-trees, 
 and the like ; as also lovely flower-beds of elegant com- 
 position, in the European style. There are handsome 
 statues and sculptures of marble, of maned-lions of 
 Africa, and others, around basins of water ; as well as 
 statues of bronze, of horses and bisons. Five or six 
 terraces are thus laid out in handsome gardens, and are 
 provided with marble steps, balustrades, and the like ; 
 having charming views over the Bosphorus. On the 
 upper terraces there are also some beautiful lodges and 
 pavilions, all forming part of the establishment of this 
 palace of Beyler-Beyi. We went through them all ; 
 they are most elegantly furnished. There was one 
 building with a basin of water and a fountain, of marble, 
 very handsome ; against the walls on two sides of the 
 room were ranged sculptured marbles also, in the form 
 of large vases, carved out in three rows ; on the top of 
 each one of the upper vases was a tap, and when this 
 was opened a small stream of beautifully clear water ran 
 out of it into the first vase. As soon as the top row of 
 vases became brimful and running over, the water flowed 
 into those of the second, and thence again into the third 
 row, the vases of which resembled small basins, and had 
 
3j6 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap, til. 
 
 each a hole through which the water disappeared. This 
 was very chaste and pleasing ; also spreading around in 
 the room a delightful coolness. 
 
 In these upper terraces and gardens the Sultan has 
 dovecotes, with large numbers of pigeons — very spacious- 
 The keepers were at their post, and they preserve the 
 place in the highest degree of neatness. They said the 
 Sultan often comes there to see the birds. Besides 
 these, there were parrots of all colours, sporting dogs, 
 and a stud of hunters, cocks and hens, and other animals. 
 We strolled about there a good long while ; and then 
 descending, returned to our quarters. 
 
 Between the original city of Constantinople proper (on 
 the one hand), and Galata, with Pera and the parish of 
 Qasim-Pasha (on the other), there is another inlet 
 besides the great channel of the Bosphorus ; and the 
 further extremity of this inlet (the Golden Horn) 
 extends as far as the hills and mountains. The width 
 of this inlet is much less than that of the Bosphorus 
 itself. There are two bridges across it, that afford a 
 passage between Galata and Constantinople. 
 
 24f/i {Tuesday, 19th August). — This day we breakfasted 
 at home ; and after breakfast the Diplomatic Body resi- 
 dent at Constantinople, as also the Ottoman Ministers, 
 came to audiences. Before them, however, Ferld Pasha 
 had come on the part of the Sultana-Mother with a 
 message of welcome, congratulations for our safe arrival, 
 and kind enquiries as to our health. The Ottoman 
 Ministry were next received, and then the Diplomatic 
 Corps. 
 
chap, vil] Ttirkey. 377 
 
 First, Ignatief, the Eussian Ambassador, came ; and 
 we had some conversation in a small room. He is; 
 young, good-looking, and pleasant-spoken. He shaves 
 his beard, but has a moustache. 
 
 He left, and Elliot (the Eight Hon. Sir Henry George- 
 Elliot, G.C.B.), the English Ambassador, came in. He 
 shaves his chin, but has a beard on his cheeks. With 
 him, too, we had a long conversation. 
 
 When he went out, we came into the hall where all 
 the other Eepresentatives of Governments, together with 
 their respective suites, were drawn up and standing. In 
 the first place, the Eussian Ambassador presented his 
 suite, to the number of about twenty souls. Next the 
 English Ambassador presented those of his mission. 
 We then approached the other Eepresentatives, and 
 some words were exchanged with each. The following 
 are the names of these Eepresentatives, and of the Otto- 
 man Ministers : 
 
 Ottoman Ministers. 
 
 Muhammed Eushdi Pasha, Shirwani-Zada, Grand- 
 VazTr ; 
 
 Midhat Pasha, President of the 'Aclliyya Council ; 
 Eiza Pasha, ex-Minister of Marine ; 
 Husayn 'Avni Pasha, Minister of War ; 
 Eashid Pasha, Minister of Foreign Affairs ; 
 Ahmed Pasha, Minister of Marine ; 
 Jevdet Pasha, Minister of Public Instruction ; 
 Hamdi Pasha, Minister of Finance ; 
 Kyani Pasha, Minister of Public Works ; 
 
3J& Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vn. 
 
 Mahmud Pasha, Minister of Commerce ; 
 
 Sadiq Pasha, Minister of Taxes ; 
 
 Kemal Pasha, Minister of Estates in Mortmain ; 
 
 Galib Bey, Custos Kotulorum of the Privy Domain. 
 
 Foreign Bepresentatives. 
 
 Ignatief, Ambassador of Kussia ; 
 Elliot, Ambassador of England ; 
 Xiesourd, Charge d' Affaires of France ; 
 Ludolf, Minister of Austria ; 
 Euhmann, Minister of Germany ; 
 Grimberghe, Minister of Belgium ; 
 Covo, Charge d' Affaires of Italy ; 
 Booker, Minister of the New World ; 
 
 &c. 
 
 At five hours to sunset we went in a boat to the ship 
 " Pertev-i-Piyala," took our seat on board, and started 
 for a promenade on the water to the upper parts of 
 the Bosphorus in the direction of Biyuk-Dera (Large 
 Valley). From the palace of Beyler-Beyi to the utter- 
 most limit of the Bosphorus, which is at Bi} r uk-Dera, is 
 half an hour's voyage in a steamer. The following are 
 the most beautiful of the palaces and seaside-residences 
 which we noticed on the Bosphorus. On our right 
 hand, the shore of Asia : 1. The palace of Gyuk-Su 
 (Azure Kivulet), one of the buildings of the Sultan 
 'Abdu-'l-Mejid Khan, is a small pavilion of two stories, 
 the steps and walls of which are all of marble, this 
 marble being carved and sculptured in the most charm- 
 
 
chap, vii.] Ttcrkey. 379 
 
 ing manner. The ornamental furniture thereof is also 
 entirely from the clays of the late Sultan 'Abdu-'l-Mejid 
 Khan, as is attested by his cypher being on them. There 
 is also a small park and garden around this pavilion, 
 which are very pleasant places. A small stream flows 
 into the Bosphorus near to it, the name of which is 
 Gyuk-Sii, i.e., azure rivulet; and from it the pavilion 
 takes its name. 
 
 The greater part of the marbles that are used in the 
 (construction of the) palaces of Constantinople is brought 
 from the quarries of Italy. 
 
 2. The palace of the Lady- Sultana 'Adila, sister of the 
 Sultan, is a very splendid palace and garden. 
 
 3. The house of the Sharif <Abdu-'l-Muttalib, former 
 Sharif (Prince) of Makka the Magnified, who now con- 
 strainedly sojourns at Constantinople. 
 
 4. The house of the late Fu'ad Pasha, Minister of 
 Foreign Affairs. 
 
 5. The house of Rashid Pasha, present Minister of 
 Foreign Affairs. 
 
 6. The house of Res'iif Bey (son of Rif'at Pasha, a 
 former Minister of Foreign Affairs, &c). And others. 
 
 On the European shore, being at our left hand : 
 
 The different mansions of the Foreign Kepresentatives, 
 
 which are generally handsome buildings with beautiful 
 
 gardens. Such are : 
 
 7. That of the Russian Ambassador ; 
 
 8. The sea-side residence of the Khidiv of Egypt, very 
 beautifully built. 
 
 9. The sea-side residence of the Lady-Sultana Fatima, 
 
380 Diary of a Tour in Eitrope. [chap, vil 
 
 daughter of the late 'Abdu-'l-Mejid Khan. These two- 
 edifices are built in the quarter named Emirgyan. 
 
 10. The house of Kushdi Pasha, the Grand- Vazir. 
 
 In short, we went on until we had passed Biyuk-Dera r 
 where the waters of the Bosphorus have produced a 
 valley, that has swerved somewhat to the left, and around 
 which are palaces and mountains. They have named it 
 Bryuk-Dera ; which means : Big Valley. We then re- 
 turned, and the ship was stopped opposite to the palace 
 of Gyuk-Su, where we went in a boat to the palace, and 
 strolled all over it. It was a very sweet place. Again 
 we mounted our ship, returned, and came home. 
 
 25th {Wednesday, 20th August). — To-day we are the 
 guests of the Sultan to breakfast at the sea-side residence- 
 of Chiragan. We went. At the landing-place, the Otto- 
 man Grand- Vazir, Midhat Pasha, the Minister of War,, 
 the Minister of Marine, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, 
 and others, were waiting. To each was addressed an en- 
 quiry as to health. The Sultan was on the stairs ; we 
 gave hands and saluted ; then went up stairs. In the 
 first place we adjourned to a private room, and sat awhile 
 with the Sultan ; our Grand- Vazir being also present, 
 W T e then rose and went into another room, where a table 
 was laid out in European fashion. We took our seats, 
 and breakfast was dispatched. We talked much with the 
 Sultan. The Sovereign of England had addressed a 
 telegram to us from Scotland, with an enquiry after our 
 health, and containing a similar enquiry after the health 
 of the Sultan. This selfsame telegram we this day com- 
 municated to the Sultan, and gave him the salutation of 
 
chap, vn.] Ttirkey. 381 
 
 the Sovereign of England. Breakfast over, we retired to 
 another room, sat down, and took coffee ; after which, 
 rising, we went home. 
 
 In the afternoon we went out of the upper garden-gate 
 {the back or land gate) of this palace, mounted our horse, 
 and went for a ride, as I wished to go to the top of a high 
 hill (Chamlija), 1 more lofty than any of the rest, and 
 from thence enjoy a view of the city, the Bosphorus, and 
 their environs. We pushed on through streets, by in- 
 habited places, and handsome isolated houses ; and 
 observed a beautiful house and garden belonging to the 
 Khidiv of Egypt ; so arriving at the summit, I rode the 
 liorse of the Yaminu-'d-Dawla. I alighted on the sum- 
 mit of the hill, where the air was very cool. The condi- 
 tion of the hill, of the plants, and of the atmosphere, was 
 very similar to that of the hills and atmosphere of Kajur- 
 Kala, a village of Mazandaran. A tomb, with a room 
 for a single keeper, were there, on the top of the hill, 
 'extremely small. The keeper was there himself also. 
 He said that there a Pir (saintly Elder) and Dervish 
 {voluntarily poor man) had been buried. I entered. The 
 tomb was long. The view was most magnificent. Be- 
 hind the hills to the east there is a vast plain that goes 
 through Anatolia as far as Tehran ; perhaps, it may 
 extend as far as China. Mountains were visible ; but of 
 habitations, not many were observed. Towards the west, 
 the Sea of Marmara, five inhabited islands, together with 
 ships that were either stopping, coming, or going, were 
 visible. On the north side, were Biyuk-Dera and the 
 Bosphorus. In short, it was a beautiful place. 
 
382 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chai\ til 
 
 We then descended by a different path, and arrived at 
 a street paved with stones, where the horse had a diffi- 
 culty to keep his feet. We even walked a certain distance, 
 and so returned to the palace. 
 
 26th (Thursday, 21st August). — We breakfasted at 
 home ; after which we went to the city of Islanibul to 
 pay visits to the mosque of Saint Sophia and the resi- 
 dence of the Persian mission. 
 
 Before we started, Yusuf 'Izzu-'d-Dm Efendi, eldest 
 son of the Sultan, who is sixteen years of age, and a 
 handsome prince, came to see us. We took our seats in 
 a room, had a little conversation, and the " Most Sacred 
 Order," with its broad ribbon, which is one of the " most 
 noble Orders " of the Persian State, was conferred upon 
 the prince. A few minutes after he had departed, we 
 mounted our boat and went to the palace of Chiragan to 
 return the visit of Yusuf 'Izzu-'d-Dm Efendi. Eising' 
 from thence, we again mounted our boat and proceeded 
 to the landing-place of the city. Crowds of the people 
 of Constantinople, of Persian subjects, and of Franks,, 
 had assembled in ships and on shore. The Beyler- 
 Beyi (lord of lords) of the city, named Isnia'il Pasha,, 
 called also the Shehr-Emini (Prefect of the City) 
 was present with the members of the administration, 
 some regular cavalry, and numerous policemen, to keep 
 the people in order. We took our seat in an open car- 
 riage. Although the streets go up hill and down dale, 
 still a carriage can go about everywhere. We drove 
 along, and arrived at the mosque of Aya-Sofiya (Saint 
 Sophia, 57 ayta o-o#ta, the holy wisdom), alighted, and 
 
chap, vil] Ttirkey. 
 
 0^v> 
 
 entered. The servants of the mosque were drawn up in 
 rows, and enquiries were made of their health. Kemal 
 Pasha, the Minister of Estates in Mortmain, was also 
 present. This is a very imposing and ancient mosque, 
 the whole of it built of stone. The area of the mosque 
 is very extensive, the central part under the dome exceed- 
 ingly spacious and lofty. The height of the dome from 
 the floor may be about seventy ells (245 feet). Its 
 building dates from one thousand three hundred and ten 
 years ago (having been erected by the Emperor Justinian 
 I. who died in a.d. 565). It had been an idol-temple at 
 first, then became a Christian church, and after the 
 taking of Constantinople by Sultan Muhammad the Con- 
 queror, was converted into a mosque, as it now is. From 
 the reason that it was not originally a mosque, the pray- 
 ing-direction of its altar is slantwise. It has numerous 
 pulpits, and in the days of Eamazan and the like, ser- 
 mons and worship are conducted in several parts of it 
 (simultaneously). There is a place constructed especially 
 for the Sultan in the first gallery, so that whenever he 
 may come (here), he perforins his devotions in that place 
 and no one sees him. There are some sculptures and 
 carvings in the stone capitals of the columns in the upper 
 story ; and in the ceiling there are some mosaics of stone 
 also. But, through the lapse of time and the great dura- 
 tion of this mosque, it has fallen from its original splen- 
 dour. One side of it is even somewhat cracked and sunk. 
 It is like a venerable tree from which the freshness of 
 youth has departed. 
 
 Well ; we here performed our midday and afternoon 
 
384 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vn. 
 
 devotions (together) ; and then proceeded to the library, 
 where there are about two thousand volumes of books, 
 the whole in Arabic, on jurisprudence, theology, rhetoric 
 of sense, rhetoric of expression, history, metaphysics, and 
 the like, open to the use of every one who may come 
 there, sit down, and study. 
 
 We next went up to the gallery, the middle story of 
 ihe mosque, around which are columns, and which looks 
 down over the (floor of the) mosque ; whenever the con- 
 gregation is very numerous, people sit here likewise. 
 The way to it was long ; but there were few stairs to 
 mount, as the path was a wide flagged corridor on an in- 
 cline and in zigzag. We went about here a little, and 
 then descended again. In this story it is plainly visible 
 that one side of the building has given way. 
 
 We now drove off to the residence of the Persian 
 Minister, an edifice erected by our Grand-Vazir himself 
 (when Minister Plenipotentiary). We reached the gate, 
 where a crowd of Persians, Ottomans, and Franks had 
 assembled. We entered and went up stairs by a marble 
 staircase. It is a very grand building, furnished with 
 curtains, chairs, sofas, chandeliers, and the like. We 
 remained there a while, partook of some fruit and tea, 
 returning home afterwards. 
 
 For the evening there was an invitation to a state ban- 
 quet at the palace of Beshik-Tash, to which I went in 
 court costume. The whole of our princes and officers of 
 -state, all the Corps Diplomatique and Ottoman Ministers 
 were present. We entered the palace ; the Sultan came 
 to the foot of the stairs ; we gave hands, went up, and 
 
chap, vi j.] Tier key. 385 
 
 took seats at first in a private room, the Grand Vazir 
 being also present. After a short interval dinner was 
 announced. We then went into a hall where all the 
 members of the Diplomatic Corps were standing in a row. 
 The Sultan, with the interpretership of Eashid Pasha— 
 the Minister of Foreign Affairs, addressed words of com- 
 pliments and recognition first to the Eussian Ambassador, 
 next to the English Ambassador, and so on to each one 
 of the others. After him I too, with the interpretership 
 of the Grand- Yazir, conversed likewise with the Eepre- 
 sentatives ; only that I was not so much in need of an 
 interpreter, as I spoke French myself. This (ceremony 
 of) conversing with the Diplomatic body occupied half an 
 hour ; after which we went down stairs to a large and 
 very magnificent hall, where the dinner-table was spread. 
 I and the Sultan were at the upper end of the table ; I 
 to the right, the Sultan to the left. Considerably lower 
 down, away from us, to the right was the Eussian Am- 
 bassador, then the English, next the 'Izzu-'d-Dawla, the 
 Husamu's-Saltana, Midhat Pasha, the Mu'tamadu-'l- 
 Mulk, &c, to the end ; while on the left, far away from 
 the Sultan, was first the Persian Grand-Vazir, then the 
 Ottoman Grand- Vazir, next the I'tizadu-'s-Saltana, the 
 Nusratu-'d-Dawla, the (Ottoman) Minister of War, &c, 
 to the end. There was a very large and beautiful chan- 
 delier suspended in the middle of the hall, lighted up 
 with gas ; and there were other gas-lights in candelabra 
 and in sconces on the walls. This hall, together with its 
 furniture, is one of the constructions of the late Sultan 
 ('Abdu-'l-) Mejid Khan. Around it is a gallery, in which 
 
 c c 
 
386 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vn. 
 
 was an orchestra playing airs ; but when they struck up 
 their music, one's ears were filled, and nobody could 
 converse. An excellent dinner was served. When this 
 was over, I and the Sultan, with the two Grand-Vazirs, 
 the Minister of War, the Kussian and the English Am- 
 bassadors, again retired to a separate room, where coffee 
 was handed round, and where much conversation took 
 place. Then we rose and returned home. The night 
 being dark, caution had to be used in conducting the 
 boat across the Bosphorus. 
 
 27 th (Friday, 22nd August). — Breakfasted at home 
 to-day; after which the Spanish Charge d'Affaires at 
 Constantinople, and a deputation of Armenians, were 
 received in audience. After them came two individuals, 
 magnates of the Jews, dressed in Frankish costume, who 
 read a prolix address in French. Next we dressed in 
 state costume, and 'Abdu-'l-'lah, the photographer, who 
 takes good likenesses, and is by origin a Christian and 
 a Frenchman, but who has assumed this name, took 
 several negatives of us. After this we mounted our boat, 
 went onboard the (Ottoman) ship of war the " 'Aziziyya," 
 and inspected her above and below. This ship was 
 built in London, and is a very fine vessel. The sailors 
 and marines on board went through their exercise. 
 
 Leaving her, we went by boat to the "Pertev-i-Piyala," 
 and started for the (Princes') Islands. Salutes were 
 fired from all the men-of-war. We reached the islands, 
 which are five in number, two small, and three com- 
 paratively large. They have many forest trees of oak, 
 and verdant hills, with various shrubs and herbaceous 
 
chap, vil] Ttirkey. 387 
 
 plants. European merchants and others have there 
 "built pretty houses, and there is a Naval College — a fine 
 building, where pupils study for the sea service. Oppo- 
 site to the college a ship of war was anchored, in which 
 they are taught afloat certain practical parts of their pro- 
 fession. On each of the islands there are habitations 
 and handsome houses. They have no soft water or 
 fountains; but what they have is drawn from wells. 
 Taking them all together, these islands contain about two 
 thousand houses. 
 
 On our return, we coasted along the shores of Asia 
 and Scutari. The following are the few villages and in- 
 habited sites we observed on the seashore or on the hill- 
 sides : Yaqajiq, Qartal, Mal-Tepa, Fener-Bagchasi, and 
 then Qadi-Kyiiyu, which joins on to Scutari, and is 
 reckoned as one of the parishes thereof. In Yaqajiq 
 and Qartal large quantities of grapes are produced, 
 and these of excellent quality. We reached home by 
 sunset. 
 
 28th (Saturday, 23rd August). — In the morning after 
 rising and dressing, the Sultan came. We went down- 
 stairs, mounted on horseback together, went to the upper 
 gate of the palace garden, and there, taking our seats in 
 an open carriage, drove off, the sun being right in our 
 faces, and scorchingly fierce. Our drive was to the vine- 
 yard of the Sultana-Mother, there to take breakfast: It 
 was a good distance off, at the termination of the in- 
 habited parts and parishes. Alighting there, we ascended 
 the stairs of the pavilion, which is a pretty, though plain 
 building, with richly furnished apartments. After a 
 
 cc 2 
 
388 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, til 
 
 little preliminary waiting, we went to breakfast, then 
 returned to the first room, and had a long desultory 
 conversation on all manner of topics. We then rose, 
 remounted our carriage, and drove back to the lower 
 entrance gate of the palace of Beyler-Beyi, dismounted 
 at the foot of the staircase, the Sultan accompanying us 
 upstairs and taking a seat, when we resumed our conver- 
 sation, the two Grand- Vazirs being also present. The 
 Sultan evinced much kindness, then rose, and returned 
 to his own palace, we escorting him to the foot of the 
 staircase. 
 
 Every day several large steamers, making five or six 
 trips each between the morning and the evening, convey 
 passengers, and ply to and from Biyuk-Dera, and other 
 quarters of the capital. These ships belong for the 
 most part to companies of foreign nationalities ; and by 
 means of this conveyance of passengers to and from the 
 different quarters, each ship earns about ten thousand 
 turnans (4000L) yearly. Each time a ship takes in 
 passengers, she becomes crammed with people. In one 
 place they stretch a partition for the women to have tfreir 
 seats, the rest of the ship being used by the men. 
 These ships are a source of great danger in the Bos- 
 phorus to persons who go about in boats. If a boat 
 should come near a steamer, the force of the paddle 
 wheels, causing the sea to rise in waves, wrecks the boat ; 
 as was the case three days ago, when several women and 
 men of quality were drowned in the Bosphorus, only one 
 child and a few of the boatmen having been saved. It 
 is, however, the custom of the boatmen of the Bosphorus 
 
<chap. vii. ] Turkey. 389 
 
 that, whoever may be drowned, they tell no tales, and 
 no one knows anything of what has happened. The 
 <cause of this is said to be their fear lest people should 
 iake alarm at going in boats, and their craft thus fall 
 into desuetude. Every year numerous persons are 
 drowned of nights or during rough weather on the Bos- 
 phorus. But as the accident mentioned above took place 
 in broad daylight, it was witnessed and reported. 
 
 Last evening, as we were sitting at dinner, there came 
 successively the reports of several guns being fired. I 
 was astonished at this, and on looking out of the 
 windows, saw that at various parts of the environs of the 
 Bosphorus there were numerous flames of fire ; showing 
 that a conflagration had broken out. There is a very high 
 tower and signal in the city, where watchmen are stationed 
 -every night ; and.whenever a fire happens in any quarter, 
 it is an established rule that, in order to warn the public, 
 seven guns shall be fired, so that they may go and help 
 to extinguish it. In the morning we learnt that eight 
 hundred houses had been burnt in the parish of Qasim- 
 Pasha. Since the houses at Constantinople are for the 
 most part of timber, it is very frequent that the wood- 
 work takes fire. 
 
 Well ; in the afternoon I mounted my boat and went 
 to the seaside palace of Chiragan. There is a public 
 street that separates the palace from its gardens; and 
 over this street they have thrown a bridge. Whenever 
 the Sultan, with his harem or others, wishes to go into 
 the gardens, he passes by this bridge. We drove along 
 the avenues in a carriage uphill. The garden is full of 
 
390 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap, vie 
 
 trees like a forest, running up the hill and down along a 
 valley. Here and there, upon knolls and eminence s, 
 there are pretty detached structures, not yet completed, 
 as workmen were busy on them. The Sultan's wild 
 animals are kept in this garden. We saw many peacocks. 
 There were several cages with handsome tigers, and one 
 of these was extremely savage, the like of him not having 
 been seen by us in any of the zoological collections of 
 Firangistan. He roared continuously/and came rushing 
 at those who were looking at him. There was another 
 curious tiger that I had not hitherto seen. He had 
 many white spots upon his back and sides ; i.e., his bod}' 
 was the same as that of any other tiger, and with the 
 very same black stripes ; in which respect there was no 
 difference. These white spots were in addition to them r 
 and resembled the white spots on the young of the red 
 deer. There were also some birds and parrots of beauti- 
 fully-coloured plumage. 
 
 From thence we drove in the carriage to another place, 
 where were the cages of birds (an aviary). It was one 
 long cage divided into compartments, in each of which 
 were trees and a basin of water, most neat. There were 
 many kinds of birds, especially some golden pheasants 
 from the lands of Australia. There were about fifty or 
 sixty of these in all the cages. In (the country of) the 
 Franks I had seen but few of them. There were also 
 various other kinds of pheasants, from India, China, and 
 Africa. 
 
 After a good stroll I came down the hill and went into 
 the palace. Here, too, there were many dovecotes, as 
 
chap, vii.] Turkey. 391 
 
 they have preserved the pigeons near to the garden of 
 the Sultan's palace. Across the garden-bridge I went 
 to the palace itself. The columns of this building, with 
 the greater part of the walls, floors, and stairs are of 
 marble — a kind of marble that is brought from quarries 
 in the Sea of Marmara, whence this sea itself has 
 received its name. The marble has two defects; one, 
 in that it is much marked with dark streaks ; the other, 
 that, however much they work it, it never becomes 
 smooth and glossy. In reality, it is a kind of stone. 
 The columns are monoliths, and the flags of the pave- 
 ment are very large. There is a marble bath-room 
 within the palace. These baths are not like those of 
 Persia, outdoor buildings far away from the houses ; nor 
 are they excavated. On the contrary, they are inside the 
 house, and their floor is level with that of the other 
 apartments ; so that they are quickly heated. It has 
 small and large basins, into which, taps being opened, 
 hot and cold water flows. Beneath the bath-room is a 
 vacant place, and the furnace is lighted and fed from 
 outside. As soon as the flags of the floor become warm, 
 and the hot-water taps are opened, the bath-room gets 
 heated. The sources from whence these taps derive 
 their water are also outside the bath, where they heat 
 the water. 
 
 Although it was now late, and darkness was coming 
 on, we went over the whole of the apartments of the 
 Sultan, those of the Sultana-Mother, of the female 
 establishment and garden special to this. It is a very 
 sumptuous palace, fitted with rich furniture. According 
 
39 2 Diary of a Tour in Ettrope. [chap. yu. 
 
 to what was asserted, much money has gradually been 
 expended upon the edifice. It was originally founded 
 by the Sultan Mahmud Khan ; but the present sovereign 
 pulled that down, and has rebuilt it. Serkis Efendi, the 
 Sultan's architect, a fine young man, who speaks French 
 well, has built the whole of this palace, and was present 
 with us. 
 
 At sunset we remounted our boat and went home. In 
 the evening they brought us a conjurer, who made his 
 preparations in the hall, where we went after dinner and 
 took our seat in a chair. The whole of our suite were 
 present. Four days ago the Muhaqqiq had left for Persia 
 with our photographs and despatches. 
 
 Well ; the conjurer was an ungainly-looking man, who 
 spoke in French, and performed some wonderful tricks. 
 A few of the more surprising of them are the following : 
 
 First of all he drew from his breast-pocket a thin 
 stick without a hole in it, and held it in his hand. Out 
 of this stick he produced a live canary bird, which he let 
 go, and which went and perched at a distance. He then 
 took a ruby ring from the finger of the I'tizadu-'s-Saltana, 
 and placed it on a table. He now produced two large 
 lemons, and laid them also on the table ; asking that one 
 of them might be chosen, and this was done. Upon that, 
 he cut the other lemon in two, to show there was nothing 
 in them. He next took the ring and caused it to dis- 
 appear within his hand ; after which he went and fetched 
 back the canary-bird, a thing of the size of a sparrow ; he 
 caressed it with his hands, and it disappeared also. Now 
 he took the selected lemon, cut it in two with a pocket- 
 
chap. vii. 1 Turkey. 393 
 
 knife, and from within it drew forth the canary with the 
 prince's ring firmly bound to its foot by a delicate red 
 silk ribbon. 
 
 He took the pocket-handkerchief of the Grand- Vazlr 
 and held it for the Sani'u-'d-Dawla to cut through with a 
 pocket-knife. He then made it into a roll, rammed it into 
 a pistol, and fired this off. Next he produced a wine- 
 bottle, free from any defect, and placed it on the table. 
 He took another pocket-handkerchief, and this also the 
 Sanf u-'d-Dawla cut in twain and set fire to. The con- 
 jurer rubbed it up in his hand and caused it to disappear. 
 Next he took four cigar-cases that some of our officials 
 had about them, placed them on the table, and requested 
 that one of them might be chosen. The Grand- Vazir 
 selected one and gave it into the hand of the Husamu-'s- 
 Saltana. He (the conjurer) took an axe in his hand; 
 Struck the bottle with this, and broke it ; out of it came a 
 live dove, with the Grand-Vazir's pocket-handkerchief 
 bound round his leg. It was the very same handkerchief; 
 for the Grand-Vazir had himself marked it with his own 
 name. To conclude he now drew forth safe and sound, 
 from the cigar-case held by the Husamu-'s-Saltana, the 
 other handkerchief that had been cut in two and burnt. 
 
 He took three finger-rings from our people and gave 
 them into the hand of one of our own officials. He 
 brought out a wine-glass, into which he broke an egg, 
 white and yolk together, casting the three rings into this. 
 He now took the hat of Dr. (Sir Joseph) Dickson, and 
 poured into it from the wine-glass the liquid contents of 
 the egg, together with the rings ; after which, turning the 
 
394 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. th. 
 
 hat upside down, the three rings fell out of it, each 
 fastened to a nosegay ; the inside of the hat being in no 
 wise wet or soiled by the egg. 
 
 Again he took the ring of the prince I'tizadu-'s-Saltana 
 and laid it on the table ; produced two water-melons and 
 asked for one of them to be chosen, which was done. 
 He took the ring in his hand and made it vanish ; then 
 cut the melon in two and brought out an egg, sound and 
 uncooked. This he broke and drew from it a walnut 
 without a flaw, which he brought and placed on the floor 
 in front of us. He gave a hammer to the Aminu-'s- 
 Saltana, who with one blow completely cracked the 
 walnut, and from it dropped the ring of the prince. 
 
 Many other curious tricks did he also perform. 
 
 29th (Sunday, 24th August.) — Breakfasted at home to- 
 day. Kyamil Pasha, President of the Privy Council, 
 a most charming and noble man, came to an audience. 
 He had not come during the last several days, having 
 been suffering from illness. He is a son-in-law of the 
 celebrated Muhammad- 'Ali Pasha of Egypt, and is an old 
 man of very great wealth. When he left, Eashid Pasha, 
 the Minister of Foreign Affairs, came to return thanks for 
 an Order we had conferred on him. With him, too we 
 had some conversation. 
 
 At two hours to sunset we went by boat on board the 
 " Pertev-i-Piyala," and proceeded to the waterside resi- 
 dence of the Ottoman Grand-Vazlr, sat there awhile, and 
 partook of coffee. He has a delightful house. It is a 
 considerable distance from Beyler-Beyi to this resi- 
 dence of the Grand-Vazlr, which is on the left hand side 
 
chap, vii.] Tttrkey. 395, 
 
 (of the Bosphorus), on the European shore, in the village 
 of Yeni-Kyuy (New Village,) from whence there is a road 
 to Tarapiya, and from thence to Biyuk-Dera. Returning 
 from thence, we reached home, and landed there at 
 sunset. 
 
 Monday, 1st of Rajah the Respected (25£/t August). — 
 Our departure from Islambul took place, for Poti, by way 
 of the Black Sea. In the morning we arose and break- 
 fasted at home. At four o'clock in the day (eight hours 
 to sunset) we have to go to the Sultan's palace to say 
 adieu, when, exactly as on the day of our arrival, will 
 ceremonial honours be carried out. 
 
 We came down stairs and mounted our boat, our Grand- 
 Vazir, Mirza Malkam Khan, and 'All Bey, being with us- 
 We pushed oif and reached the palace of Dolma-Bagcha. 
 The Ottoman Grand- Vazir, with the whole of the Ministry 
 were at the landing-place, and the Sultan had come to the 
 foot of the staircase. We gave hands and went upstairs, 
 took our seats in a stated room, the two Grand-Vazirs 
 being present, and a long conversation ensued. We rose 
 and returned home, when the English Ambassador came 
 to an audience, and with him, too, somewhat of a conver- 
 sation ensued. 
 
 About an hour afterwards the Sultan came. I went 
 to the foot of the staircase ; we gave hands, came up- 
 stairs to a room, sat down a while, and again conversed ; 
 then we rose, went down to a special boat, in which the 
 seats occupied by us, the Sultan, and others, were canopied 
 over ; here we took our places and pulled off to the "Sul- 
 taniyya," the ship in which we had come from Brindisi, 
 
396 Diary of a Toitr in Europe, [chap. vii. 
 
 and which, in justice, was an extraordinarily fine vessel. 
 Our suite had come on board in the morning or yesterday, 
 with the baggage, and were present. We now again took 
 seats in chairs, with the Sultan and the two Grand- Vazirs, 
 for a few minutes; after which the Sultan rose, and 
 I accompanied him to the ship's ladder. Salutes were 
 fired from the other ships. We had to wait about half- 
 an-hour while the anchor was being got up and other 
 matters seen to. At length, at two hours and a half 
 to sunset, we bid adieu to Islambiil, and commenced our 
 voyage. The ship progressed slowly up the Bosphorus. 
 Opposite to Biyiik-Dera and Tarapiya, where are the 
 summer-residences of the Diplomatic Corps, the ships in 
 attendance on the Embassies, that had come to see us off, 
 made their appearance. The ships of the English and 
 Russian Ambassadors were very large and handsome 
 vessels, each having a numerous crew, who went up on to 
 the yards and shouted hurrahs. The ship of the French 
 Representative and those of the others did the same. Our 
 ship stopped ; the Russian Ambassador came in a boat, 
 mounted on deck, was received in audience, and much con- 
 versation followed ; after which he left. Mirza Malkam 
 Khan, our Minister resident in London, with Hajji 
 Muhsin Khan — our Minister resident in Constantinople, 
 and Nariman Khan — who is^ returning to Paris, left in 
 company with the Russian Ambassador for the city. 
 Tamsun Sahib (Mr. R. Thomson) — the English Charge 
 d' Affaires, who had been with us everywhere throughout 
 this tour, remained behind in Constantinople to go to 
 England, from whence he will return. 
 
chap, vii.] Turkey. 397 
 
 We now steamed on, and quitted the Bospliorus. At 
 the extremity of the channel, both sides of which are 
 mountainous, there are constructed on the brink of the sea 
 some strong forts and batteries, all with guns. These fired 
 salutes. The ship " Tali 'a," that had accompanied us from 
 Brindisi, not having given satisfaction, had been replaced 
 by another named the " 'Asir " (Difficult — Impregnable), 
 which was a ship of war. They said she was a comfort- 
 able vessel, and the greater part of our servants are in her, 
 as follows : the Ilkhani ; General Hasan- 'ALL Khan ; the 
 Minister of Public Works ; the Mukhbiru-'d-Dawla ; the 
 Nasru-T-Mulk ; the Shuja/u-'s-Saltana; the Ihtishamu-'d- 
 Dawla ; M. Eichard ; Satur Khan ; Lt. Ibrahim Khan ; 
 and also our horses. But as she is a ship of war, she is 
 not a speedy vessel, and by degrees lagged behind, so as 
 ultimately to be lost to sight. As they said, she will, God 
 willing, reach Poti the day after us. 
 
 During the night we slept tranquilly. We saw the 
 new moon of the month of Kajab the Eespected (as it were 
 sinking) into the sea, as we contemplated some hand- 
 writing of the Commander of the Faithful, 'All son of 
 Abu-Talib, upon whom be the blessings and benedictions 
 of God. This evening, Eshref Pasha, the Ottoman 
 official in attendance upon us, fell down twenty steps of a 
 ladder in this ship, poor fellow, and broke his head and 
 arm. Dr. Tholozan and others treated him. To-day 
 Tholozan brought Marco Pasha to an audience, who is- 
 the Sultan's Chief Physician ; and with him I had a good 
 deal of conversation. He is a man forty-five years of 
 age, thin, sallow, who shaves his beard and wears 
 
39 8 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap, til 
 
 mustachios. He speaks French well ; they say that, by 
 origin, he is a Greek. For a long time he has been the 
 Sultan's Physician. 
 
 Tuesday, 2nd Eajab (26th August). — When I arose in 
 the morning from sleep, the weather, through the mercy 
 •of the Lord Most High, was like paradise, and the sea 
 as smooth as a looking-glass. To our left all is water as 
 far as Sebastopol, and to our right is the land of the 
 Ottoman Anadoli (Asia Minor, fj avaroXr], the region of 
 sunrise). Everywhere we went close along the shore, 
 and high mountains were visible on all parts, the whole 
 of them clothed in dense forests and larch trees. On 
 the slopes of the hills every here and there cultivation 
 and villages were noticed ; and there are some very beau- 
 tiful mountains with charming valleys. 
 
 In the afternoon we gradually increased our distance 
 from the land, and at night, three hours after sunset, we 
 were abreast of the harbour of Sinope, from whence on- 
 wards, until we reached Poti, the land was no more 
 visible. Sinope has acquired a (terrible) celebrity since 
 the time of the war of Sebastopol, when the Russians 
 >(there) set fire to the Ottoman squadron of ships. When 
 we had reached the offing of Sinope, a breeze sprang up 
 from the direction of the Crimea, striking the ship 
 abeam. It was light and gentle, but caused the ship to 
 roll violently. To-day, from morn until noon, while the 
 sea was calm, large fishes (porpoises), of the size of 
 horses, came up out of the sea, and sported about on the 
 surface of the waters. 
 
 Wednesday, 3rd (27th August). — Last night, praise be 
 
chap, vii.] Turkey. 399 
 
 to God, the weather was very fine and the sea still. No 
 shore in sight. In the morning we arose, performed our 
 devotions, read the Scripture, and again lay down. 
 Three hours later, on getting up, thank God, the sea 
 was calm. 
 
 While at Constantinople a courier came in from 
 Tehran, and brought dispatches from our Ministers, with 
 detailed news from the province of Sistan. Praise be to 
 God, every part of Persia has been in the perfection of 
 security and tranquillity. 
 
 This sea, which has received the name of Black Sea, 
 really merits it ; the name and the named fit each other. 
 In one's eyes it is much blacker than other seas. Yes- 
 terday, from some not distant shore, a few small and 
 pretty birds flew off to the ship, and there perched, 
 remaining hungry and without food. The shore has 
 become distant, and they cannot fly to it. At times they 
 «ssay to do it ; and although no land is visible, still, with 
 the instinct given them by God, they fly off towards our 
 right hand, where are the shores of Anadoli, and which 
 is the nearest to land ; but they come back again. One 
 of them was caught and put in a cage. It drank some 
 water, but died in a minute or two. 
 
 To-day, at an hour to sunset, we again approached the 
 shore, so that the town and seaport of Trebizond became 
 visible. I saw the town and its houses through a tele- 
 scope. It is a pretty town on the skirts of a mountain, 
 and in a valley. Again we left the shore at a distance. 
 At night, about dinner-time, thunder and lightning began 
 to be perceived towards the west, and the sky darkened 
 
400 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, til 
 
 over, though there was no wind. Through this western 
 darkness, thunder, and lightning, which gave a bad pre- 
 sentiment respecting the weather, the sea became con- 
 vulsed. We dined, went on deck, and walked up and 
 down awhile. All around, the sky was cjoudy and dark; 
 and in every direction vivid lightnings played, while the 
 mutters of thunder came rumbling on. The mid-heaven 
 was clear, and only a breath of air was stirring ; so I 
 again lay down. Violent lightning and thunder con- 
 tinued until morning in a terrific manner, while gradually 
 the clouds overspread all, and gave every appearance of 
 rain being at hand. 
 
 1 The hill of Chamlija (p. 381), so called from a few pine-trees (cham) 
 that crown its summit, is erroneously called Mount Boulgourlou on the 
 maps and by European strangers. Bulgurlu (Furmity or Frumenty 
 tillage) is the name of a village in the valley west of Chamlija ; and at its 
 hack, still further west and a little more inland southerly, is the real 
 Bulgurlu-Dagi (Mount Bulgurlu), entirely uninhabited and treeless ; 
 whereas Chamlija teems with vineyards and summer residences almost to 
 its summit, having the city of Iskyudar, with its suburbs, on its skirts and 
 at its foot, along the shore of the Bosphorus.— J. W. K. 
 
 ^fi^fe^^ 
 
CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 GEORGIA, RETURN; 11 DAYS. 
 
 HURSDAY, 4*7* (28th August).— To-day we 
 are to reach the anchorage of the port of 
 Poti. During the night, by reason of the 
 commotion of the sea in all directions, sleep 
 did not overcome me for more than an hour altogether. 
 I rose early in the morning, performed my devotions, 
 and read a portion of Scripture. The weather was very 
 threatening, and heavy rain poured down. A thunder- 
 bolt struck the sea not more than fifty feet from the ship, 
 with a roar equal to that of a thousand cannons, scatter- 
 ing the water on all sides. Had it struck the ship, it 
 would have shivered it to fragments. The sky remained 
 in the same tempestuous state. Again I lay down for an 
 hour or two. From the motion of the ship it became 
 evident that we were near shore ; and I arose. Praise 
 be to God that we had escaped from the high sea, and had 
 reached the coast; the shores of Poti were visible, all 
 forest and mountain. The temperature and nature of the 
 country were very much like those of the Gilans. 
 
 As the ship in which we had travelled was very large, 
 it could approach no nearer to the land, and therefore 
 stopped. We saw a vessel in the distance coining towards 
 
4-02 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vm. 
 
 us on our beam, and she was made out to be the " 'Asir," 
 our consort, of which it had been said that, since she 
 was not a fast ship, she would not arrive until about ten 
 hours after us. It became evident that in consequence 
 of the bad state of the weather they had taken our vessel 
 further out to sea, to avoid the neighbourhood of land, 
 thus steering a different course to that which would have 
 led more directly to our destined anchorage at Poti ; 
 whereas that other vessel, having the wind astern, had 
 made sail and had arrived at Poti considerably before us. 
 Very thankful was I that she too had safely turned up, 
 and not lagged behind. 
 
 A small steamer came out from Poti to convey us 
 ashore. Prince Menschikoff and Colonel Bazak, for- 
 merly in attendance upon us, and who had first come to 
 Enzeli (to meet us), were on board of her. I was ex- 
 ceedingly pleased to see the Prince again. But, as the 
 sea was still very rough, all their efforts to bring his 
 vessel alongside the " Sultaniyya " were fruitless, — they 
 could not effect it. Several times they brought her near; 
 but the two ships were dashed together, aDd the bows 
 and stem of the Prince's steamer were slightly injured. 
 Again they tried to get her alongside, and now she 
 damaged the " Sultaniyya' s " ladder. At length they 
 resolved to exercise a little patience, and the sea calmed 
 down somewhat. Then they fastened the two ships 
 together, and transferred a few of our private effects and 
 some of our princes and officers to the Prince's vessel ; 
 and to her we went also. I then saw Eshref Pasha, the 
 (Ottoman) official in attendance on us, with his head 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 403 
 
 broken and his right arm in a sling bound up to his neck, 
 his face being all black and blue, in a state of suffering. 
 This caused me great sorrow. They had passed a nar- 
 row plank from one ship to the other, which was very 
 dangerous, and over this we passed to the Prince's 
 steamer. The Sani'u-'d-Dawla, remained behind in the 
 " Sultaniyya," to see after the rest of the baggage; and 
 several others remained there also with him. 
 
 In half an hour we arrived at the mouth of the river of 
 Poti, which flows into the sea, and is named the Eion. 
 It is a large river, but vessels cannot go up it more than 
 the distance of half a league. There are some few habi- 
 tations on both banks of the stream — houses like those of 
 the peasantry of Mazandaran and Gilan. The soil is 
 wet, and the climate bad, fever and agues abounding 
 there. But by degrees they are beginning to improve 
 the place. This seaport town of Poti has no good 
 anchorage either. Large ships cannot by any means 
 enter the river, neither can they approach the shore. 
 They are therefore constrained to keep at a distance 
 from the town, and to load and unload goods and passen- 
 gers by means of small shore craft. We noticed one 
 large English steamer, and two Ottoman sailing vessels 
 in the roadstead. The plain is all forest, and extends as 
 far as the mountains, which are also one dense forest. 
 
 Many flags were hoisted on both banks of the river, 
 and a small room had been prepared to receive us when 
 we should land from the vessel. The Grand-Duke 
 Michael, brother of the Emperor, Viceroy and Governor- 
 General of the Caucasian Provinces, was at the landing- 
 
 dd2 
 
404 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vm, 
 
 place with his officials and generals, waiting to receive 
 us. We disembarked and gave our hand to the Prince, 
 We then went and inspected a battalion of infantry that 
 was drawn up between the landing-place and the railway 
 terminus. There was a multitude collected of various 
 tribes and nationalities : Circassians, Lesghians, Ar- 
 menians, Georgians, Dagistani Muslims, Open-Heads 
 (Mingrelians ; who go bare-headed like the Blue-Coat 
 boys of London), Franks, and others. This region is 
 part of the country of the Open-Heads (Mingrelia), i.e., 
 of the Bare-Heads, and in reality they are so. The 
 whole of the inhabitants of the Open-Head country go 
 bare-headed. Never do the women, men, or children 
 adopt the practice of wearing hats or caps on their heads. 
 The chief-town of the Open-Heads is Kutais, situated 
 between Tiflis and Poti. 
 
 Well ; we exchanged many salutations and conversed 
 much with the Prince, who, in justice be it said, is a very 
 agreeable prince. During the time of my visit to (St.) 
 Petersburg, the Prince was not there, and I was therefore 
 very glad to see him. Of all the Emperor's brothers he 
 is the youngest. He wears his beard (whiskers) on either 
 side of his cheeks, but shaves his chin. His eyes are 
 blue, and betoken good-nature. He is tall of stature and 
 strong of frame. 
 
 In half an hour's time we took our seats in the train 
 and started, leaving behind us the Hakimu-'l-Mamalik to 
 bring on the luggage by railway. The interpreter of the 
 Viceroy, Begliaroff, a son of Shah-Mir Khan the Persian, 
 spoke French very well. The cars of the train all com- 
 
chap, viil] Georgia, Return. 405 
 
 ruunicated with one another. This line of railroad has 
 been recently constructed, and consists of a single line of 
 rails all the way to Tiflis, the whole of the traffic having 
 to go over that one line. Much difficulty was experienced 
 in its construction, the whole of the lands being forest, 
 marsh, and inundation. To drain such a country and 
 lay down a railway is a very onerous task. Once past 
 the marshes all is mountain and valley, so that the line 
 is very tortuous and on an assent, passing over a river 
 and bridges, until it begins to descend again towards 
 Tiflis. From these causes the train could not travel with 
 the rapidity usual in Firangistan ; but went at about two 
 and a half leagues per hour, not more. 
 
 Well ; it wanted five hours and a half to sunset when 
 we started, the sky being entirely overcast, and heavy 
 rain falling without an interval ; the road, too, was forest 
 and mountain. By sunset we arrived at a station in the 
 neighbourhood of Kutais, where they had prepared food 
 (for us). The train stopped; we alighted and went into 
 a room where the table was laid. A light dinner was 
 X^artaken of. A company of infantry was also drawn out, 
 of the Open-Head people of Georgia, who were dressed 
 in a peculiar manner, after the fashion of the costume of 
 the ancient troops (of the country), with open-breasted 
 red coats, a red cloth round their heads by way of 
 turban, a pistol and a large knife in their sashes. Their 
 uniform thus resembled those of the Zouaves in France 
 and of the tribes of Hindustan ; but their muskets were 
 needle-guns made in the factory of Tula. 
 
 We again mounted- and went on. I had a restless 
 
406 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vim. 
 
 night of broken sleep. We arrived very early in the 
 morning (of Friday, 29th August) in the neighbourhood 
 of Tiflis, when I arose very much worn out, and dressed. 
 The train stopped, and we alighted. The Yiceroy was 
 waiting with a large staff of officers and a battalion of 
 infantry. We mounted an open carriage with the 
 Viceroy. The air was very cold ; and by reason of the 
 rain which had fallen, a piercingly cold wind was blowing, 
 which raised up the dust and earth. The lamps were 
 still burning in the streets. We arrived at the gate of 
 the Viceroy's palace, where a battalion of infantry and 
 numbers of military officers and civilians were drawn up 
 in attendance. To each of these we addressed a word of 
 inquiry after his health. The Governor of the City of 
 Tiflis, together with the mayor and aldermen, came and 
 brought the usual bread and salt. They had prepared a 
 lengthy address, written out in Persian ; and we stood 
 while an individual, learned in Persian, read it out with 
 perfect propriety of utterance. 
 
 We now went up- stairs, where, in one room, Prince 
 Orbelianoff, a Georgian prince, and Baron Nicholas, the 
 Administrator of Foreign Affairs in the Caucasian Pro- 
 vinces, were waiting ; whom the Viceroy presented. I 
 knew the Prince Orbelianoff seven years ago ; as, on the 
 occasion of our visiting the seaport of Farah-abad in 
 Mazandaran, he had come there on the part of the 
 Emperor with several Russian ships of war. 
 
 Next, the Viceroy showed us our rooms and apart- 
 ments, there leaving us. We breakfasted, and then lay 
 down to rest. 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 407 
 
 The town of Tiflis is in a valley and is surrounded by 
 mountains, with some of its houses on the flanks and 
 summit of a hill. The river Kur (the ancient Cyrus) 
 flows through the town, but its water was not very 
 abundant at that season. A bridge has been built across 
 it. To the north of the stream is the new town and the 
 Frank quarters, wherein also are the palaces of the 
 Viceroy and of the Governor. On the south side is the 
 old town of Tiflis, and, on the summit of a hill, the ruins 
 of the ancient fortress of the Sovereigns of Georgia. 
 Fifty years ago, this town was veiy wretched and filthy ; 
 now, by degrees, private houses and public buildings, 
 schools and colleges, broad streets paved with stone, are 
 being constructed. The peak of Mount Qaf (Caucasus), 
 which the Franks name Kazbek, is visible. This is a 
 very lofty mountain, covered with snow. The Russians 
 have made a road for carriages, so that now they cross 
 the mountains to the other side in coaches, the town of 
 Vladi-Kaukas being there, and the land route to Moscow 
 and Hajji-Tarkhan. Immediately around Tiflis the 
 mountains are bare, but further awa}^ from the town they 
 are wooded. The air of the place is not healthy, being 
 very hot and variable in the summer and autumn. When 
 rain falls in the neighbourhood, or in the town, it becomes 
 exceedingly chill, and then returns to a sultry heat again. 
 Its climate is therefore a source of fevers and agues. 
 The population of the town is fifty thousand ; for the 
 most part foreigners and strangers, a mixture of all 
 nationalities — Persians, Georgians, Russians, Dagis- 
 tanis, Circassians, Germans, Armenians. It has ex- 
 
408 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. tih. 
 
 cellent fruits ; such as water-melons, grapes, pears, 
 cucumbers. 
 
 To-day we went to see the Viceroy, who lives in this 
 same palace, where are our quarters. We passed through 
 several rooms, and reached a hall built by Persian work- 
 men, and adorned with embellishments in plaster and 
 looking-glass work. This part of the palace was very 
 beautiful, and the furniture of the rooms was all of 
 Persian stuffs — large and small carpets, of Farahan 
 (Furrah of the maps), of Qa'in (Ghayn of the maps), and 
 of Kirman ; tables and couches, &c, of inlaid work of 
 Shiraz and Isfahan ; curtains of carpets to the rooms ; 
 while Kasht patchwork in flowers of broadcloth was used 
 for the covers of the seats, backs, and cushions of the 
 couches, chairs, &c, and as covers for the tables. This 
 furniture and these works of Persian art were not placed 
 there for the reason that we had come to the palace ; 
 but were there before. There was a large black bear, 
 formerly killed in the chase by the Viceroy himself, set 
 up like life in a corner of one of the rooms ; so that 
 should one see it suddenly unawares, he might take it for 
 a living bear. 
 
 The Viceroy has also made a very varied collection, 
 hung up on the walls of the rooms, of weapons, such as 
 sabres, swords, muskets, and pistols ; also of ancient 
 arms and armour, such as shirts of mail, helmets, 
 saddles, barbs, stirrups, horse-trappings, jewelled and 
 gilt ; besides many other objects of interest, even to an 
 ancient tallow -burning lamp, — which formerly was in 
 use in Persia, being found in a niche of one room. We 
 
chap, viil] Georgia, Return. 409 
 
 took a survey of all the rooms ; from the windows of one 
 was an excellent outlook over the town of Tinis and its 
 streets. 
 
 We sat there a while, and then proceeded to the apart- 
 ment of the Viceroy's wife, adjacent thereto ; and there 
 also tarried a small space. The Viceroy's wife is a sister 
 of the Grand-Duke of Baden, and with her brother I had 
 breakfasted in the city of Carlsruhe in Germany. She 
 has five sons and one daughter by the Viceroy, her eldest 
 son being fourteen years of age. Her children were away 
 at a summer-residence. The name of the Viceroy's wife 
 is Olga Feodorowna. 
 
 Rising, we returned from thence to our own room, and 
 without any interval the Viceroy's wife, with the Viceroy, 
 came to return the visit. 
 
 In the evening we went in a carriage with the Viceroy 
 to the summer theatre, a very small building, all white, 
 with one brass chandelier lighted with gas. The theatre 
 was filled with Russian officers and others. At the 
 utmost it will hold about two hundred persons. The 
 music was good. The curtain was raised, and a few acts 
 performed ; the dialogue being in Russian. They sang 
 nicely ; they represented with much spirit some interest- 
 ing plots, with dancing, that called forth much laughter. 
 The women and young Russian men were good-looking 
 and graceful. There was one French dancer, very 
 graceful, who danced well, and had been at Tiflis two 
 years. To conclude, they performed a Russian national 
 dance, followed by a Georgian dance which was very 
 pretty. A number of Georgians were drawn up on each 
 
410 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vm 
 
 side, who clapped hands, while one played the Persian 
 tomtom, and two others hlew the Persian horn, very 
 melodiously. One girl and one boy danced, much after 
 the manner of Persian dancing. 
 
 Between the acts, while the curtain was lowered, we 
 went down into a small garden where an illumination had 
 been got up. We sat awhile in a tent pitched on a raised 
 platform, and there the Viceroy presented to us some 
 Georgian women and others. We returned home and 
 dined. 
 
 Meanwhile, our private secretary, the Hakimu-'l- 
 Mamalik, and the Sani'u-'d-Dawla, who had remained 
 behind (at Poti), had come up to Tiflis, bringing the 
 luggage. But they gave a tremendous account of the 
 sea storm. The secretary and the Sani', who had re- 
 mained on board the "Sultaniyya" after we left her r 
 said that immediately after we had got out of that ship 
 and gone to Poti, the sea had become convulsed in such 
 a manner that, however much endeavour had been used 
 to put the little Russian steamer alongside the " Sulta- 
 niyya," it had been impossible, through the violence of 
 the waves. At length, the two ships came into collision, 
 breaking the paddle-wheel of each of them. At length,, 
 after a thousand toils, they had managed to get the two> 
 ships close together ; and, whenever the waves lifted the 
 little one up, they tossed a bale of luggage from the 
 other into her, or else one person threw himself on 
 board of her ; and so, with a thousand perils to life r 
 they had got the luggage and men on shore. The 
 secretary further added that, although the shore was 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 41 r 
 
 near, the waves so tossed them up in the air, and then 
 precipitated them down again, that it was like one's 
 falling down from a mountain peak. Praise be to God 
 that this commotion did not happen a few hours earlier, 
 while we were on the sea. 
 
 It had been at first arranged that we should go by way 
 of the mountain Qaf and (the village of) Kazbek to 
 the seaport of Petrowski, en route for Enzeli; and 
 orders had been sent to this effect along that road, 
 where carts and carriages, &c, had all been got ready. 
 But, as it would be all the more advantageous, by how- 
 muchsoever we should shorten the sea voyage, I formed 
 the desire to embark on board ship at Bad-Kuba (Baku). 
 It was therefore settled that we should go to Bad-Kuba 
 with ten of our people, and all the others to Petrowski, 
 there to embark, come round to Bad-Kuba, take us on 
 board, and then all go on together to Enzeli. We com- 
 missioned the Sani'u-'d-Dawla to remain at Tiflis and 
 bring on to Enzeli all the baggage that could not be 
 sent by courier, and all the rest of our party. We thus 
 spent Friday at Tiflis in the way described. 
 
 Saturday, 6th (30th August). — This day Bahman 
 Mirza (a fugitive uncle of the Shah), who had come over 
 from Qara-Bag, was received in audience. He has six 
 or seven grown-up sons also, who were all admitted to 
 the audience. 
 
 In the afternoon we took a seat in a carriage with the 
 Viceroy, and drove a little about the city. The weather 
 was sultry, and there was much dust. We went to the 
 outskirts of the town, to a park called Bagi-Mujtahid, 
 
4 1 2 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap, vm" 
 
 laid out by Aqa Mir Fattah. The greater part of the 
 inhabitants of Tiflis are in the regular army or in the 
 enrolled Cossacks. 
 
 In the evening we were the guest of the Viceroy to 
 dinner. We first went to a hall where a great number 
 of officials, military and civil, with others, were stand- 
 ing. The Viceroy presented them all. Bahman Mirza 
 was also present. We then proceeded to another hall 
 and sat down to table. The Viceroy sat on our left, his 
 wife on our right ; the others taking each the place 
 assigned to him according to his rank. 
 
 Dinner over, we rose and went to a balcony of the 
 room, like a terrace, and looking on to the palace garden. 
 There was a very nice illumination arranged in the 
 garden, together with a magnificent display of fireworks 
 on the hill fronting the palace. In the garden there was 
 a great multitude assembled of the notables and common 
 people, of women and beautiful girls, Georgians and 
 Franks. After the fireworks and a Cossack dance, which 
 was performed with great spirit, and during which they 
 fired off their pistols, we went down into the garden and 
 walked about, having the Viceroy's wife on our arm. We 
 walked through the whole of the avenues. Everywhere 
 they had made (transparencies of) the device of the Lion 
 and Sun, illuminated from behind. A telegram had 
 come from the Emperor, and the Viceroy handed it to 
 us. We read it. It was an enquiry after our health. 
 We now returned upstairs, sat a while, and then retired 
 to our own apartment. 
 
 This day a priest came from the Great Vice -Patriarch 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 413 
 
 of Uch-Kilisa (Etchmiazin), near Irwan (Erivan), bring- 
 ing a memorial. A telegram also came from Tehran to 
 the effect that Hajji Sayyid Asadu-'l-'lal^of Isfahan, 
 the authoritative legist, who had gone on a pilgrimage 
 to the holy shrines (in Babylonia), had died at Kirind. 
 This caused me great grief. 
 
 Sunday, 1th (31st August). — Having to leave Tiflis for 
 Bad-Kuba, we rose early in the morning and breakfasted. 
 The Mu'tamadu-'l-Mulk, with the princes, also started 
 this day for Petrowski. At six hours to sunset we began 
 our journey, the Viceroy and all the officials of the 
 Caucasus being present. Five carriages had been made 
 ready, each harnessed with many horses. We mounted 
 and drove through the old town of Tiflis, where crowds 
 were assembled. We quitted the town and broke into a 
 courier's pace. All along, the river Kur was on our left; 
 but by degrees we increased our distance from it. The 
 banks of the stream are lined with willows and a few 
 forest trees, creating a little verdure. The weather was 
 very sultry, with dust beyond conception. Once outside 
 of Tiflis, there was not a single trace of the works of 
 man on either side of our road ; as far as the eye could 
 penetrate, all was a melancholy plain or brown moun- 
 tains ; only that at each interval of two leagues a post- 
 house has been erected, where they change horses. For 
 about six leagues from Tiflis they have made a road, and 
 sprinkled gravel, so that the dust was not so bad. But, 
 where this (made) road came to an end, the dust was 
 very great. 
 
 We stopped and changed horses at several of the: 
 
414 Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. vm. 
 
 posthouses. At each of these stations there were 
 some Cossack and Muslim cavalry, who relieved our 
 escort also. At the station of Al-Git, — which, being 
 Turki, means : Take it and depart, — they had prepared 
 breakfast. It wanted then but one hour to sunset. 
 Afterwards, we again mounted our carriages and drove 
 on, as it was moonlight. Before reaching the posthouse 
 of Al-Git we passed a river (Monteith's Algeth), which 
 had a bridge over it, and which joins the Kur. Three 
 hours after sunset we arrived at the river Agistafa 
 (Akistafa, Monteith), which is a large stream, but at this 
 season has not much water. The posthouse, here, too, 
 is named after the river ; and there was on the far side 
 of the stream another station where we were to rest for 
 the night, and which had two or three rooms. We 
 dined. It was sultry. They informed us that Hajji 
 Mirza 'All, the Mishkatu-'l-Mulk (the Lighted Wick of 
 the Kingdom), had arrived. I marvelled exceedingly. 
 The Hajji had come from Tabriz by wa} r of Irwan, 
 and had arrived here two days before. We had 
 a little conversation as to news from Tehran, and 
 the like ; after which he left, and was to start early for 
 Tiflis. 
 
 Monday, Sth {1st September). — We have to reach the 
 town of Ganja (the Eussian Elisabetpol ; the birthplace 
 of the Persian poet Nizami). We rose early and com- 
 menced our journey through a disagreeable, sultry, 
 dusty wilderness. These regions are the abode of the 
 Tatar Cossacks, who are all Muslims, and number about 
 four or five thousand families ; but of their habitations 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 415 
 
 no traces were seen hereabouts. To our right and not 
 far off, there was a chain of hills, on the other side of 
 which is the way to the lake Gokcha of Irwan. To our 
 left was another chain of hills, dust-coloured and bare, 
 visible in the distance. We arrived at the posthouse of 
 Hasan-Sii. On the other side of this place are the terri- 
 tories and lands of the tribe of Shamsuddinlu, also of 
 iive or six thousand families. Hasan- Su (Hasan Kiver) 
 is a stream, but had very little water indeed. A little 
 further we came to the posthouse of Tawus-Chay (Pea- 
 cock River), the stream of which had also but little 
 water. Thence reached the posthouse of Zakam, where 
 we breakfasted. At each of these posthouses there was 
 a large congregation of horsemen and pedestrians, inha- 
 bitants of those parts, who all, even to the little children, 
 carry arms. They are all Muslims. 
 
 After breakfast we pushed on to the posthouse of 
 Shamkur, where the tribe of Shamsuddinlu ends, and 
 the jurisdiction of Ganja commences. On the summit 
 of a little hill we noticed the remains of an old brick 
 fort of great strength. A stream passes at its foot, but 
 it had little water, though there were the ruins of a 
 brick bridge across it, one half alone being still erect. 
 These plains are, in the same manner as before men- 
 tioned, parched and little inhabited. We now reached 
 the post-station of Qara-Baraz ; and pushing on from 
 thence we reached the town of Ganja at two hours to 
 sunset. The Governor of the districts of Ganja had 
 come to Zakam with some horsemen ; and the Governor 
 of the town also, with some other horsemen and 
 
4i 6 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vm. 
 
 notables, came out half a league from the place (to 
 meet us). 
 
 Gardens surround the town of G-anja; but within it the 
 houses are poor and miserable. The old castle of Ganja, 
 which was a strong brick fort, is now in ruins, and only 
 a part remains. It had a good ditch and glacis, and is 
 now used as a prison. A stream runs through the town, 
 but it was nearly dry ; a bridge has recently been built 
 over it. The farther side of the stream is the quarter of 
 the Franks and Armenians, while on this side live the 
 Muslims. The Governor's house is in the Frank 
 quarter, and in it we had our apartments. It is a very 
 wretched tenement on the top of a hill, at the foot of 
 which it had a small garden. According to what we 
 could judge, the population cannot be above seven to 
 eight thousand. 
 
 Tuesday, 9th (2nd September). — We have to go to 
 Turyan-Chay, a place in (the district of) Shaki. In the 
 morning we mounted (our carriage), passed through the 
 town and (surrounding) gardens of Ganja, into the open 
 country. The same line of hills as yesterday was seen 
 again to-day on our right for the first three leagues; 
 after which, it gradually became more distant. At about 
 half a league from the town, or rather more, is the tomb 
 of Shaykh Nizami (the poet) by the side of the road — a 
 very wretched brick building ; and beyond that we 
 reached Kurak-Chay (Shovel-River) ; which is the name 
 of a stream. On our left also runs at a distance that 
 same range of brown bare waterless mountains, which 
 stretches away to Shaki. 
 
chap. viii. Georgia, Return. 41 7 
 
 Well; the weather was excessively sultry, the soil 
 parched and disagreeable ; and so we arrived at the post- 
 house of Qarqali-Chay (Kiver of many crows or rooks, 
 Kooky River), passing on from thence to the station of 
 Mangi-Chawur (Advanced- Outwork) on the bank of the 
 river Kur, where they had erected a felt tent for us, 
 closed on all sides, and hot as a bathroom. For the 
 Grand- Vazir and the others they had built a hut of the 
 branches of trees, nice and airy, but many people were 
 there. 
 
 The princes and others had remained a long way 
 behind with the baggage-cart containing our jewels, 
 which had broken down ; and before they could get 
 another to use in its stead, they were left far in the 
 rear. Previously to their arrival, we took our break- 
 fast off a very large fish caught in the river with a 
 net. The lessee of this river was a young Ar- 
 menian, who was there present. The farm of the 
 fishery at this place is a branch of that of the fisheries of 
 Salyan. 
 
 Here the river Kur is of great width, but with a slug- 
 gish stream, and a depth of not more than an ell (42 
 inches). They had lashed two barges together, had 
 made a platform upon them floored with planks, and had 
 stretched a stout rope across (the stream) from bank to 
 bank. Within the vessels were a few articles of gearing 
 bound upon a large mast. They pulled at the rope, and 
 the craft moved, carrying goods and passengers over to 
 the other side. In the first place they so transported 
 our carriages, then I went across, and lastly the Grand- 
 
41 8 Diary of a Tour in Etiropc. [chap. vm. 
 
 Vazir and others came over with the luggage : after 
 which we again resumed our joumej'. 
 
 As far as this station of Mangi-Chawur the jurisdiction 
 of Ganja extends, while this side the river helongs to the 
 district of Shaki. The range of hills to our left con- 
 tinued still of the same aspect, hut we were now approach- 
 ing nearer to them-. Behind those brown hills are the 
 mountains of Dagistan ; and the town of Shaki (Nukhi of 
 the Monteith map) is at the foot of the hills. On the sum- 
 mit of the mountains of Shaki there was much snow. 
 From where we now were to the town of Shaki, to which 
 the Russians have given the name of Nukha, is a dis- 
 tance of about five or six leagues. In some parts of the 
 plain are woods, in some parts thorny bushes, and in 
 others tamarisk shrubs, while some parts are bare. As 
 we were going along at post speed, I fired my gun from 
 within the carriage, and shot several birds, flying in the 
 ah', of the kind called in Persian Sabza-qaba (Green- 
 Coats). 
 
 We now arrived at the post-station of Chomaqlu 
 (Tchemakly of Monteith — Club- Village), in the district of 
 Shaki, where I performed my devotions and partook of 
 an afternoon meal. Again pushing on, we reached the 
 posthouse of 'Arab, still in the district of Shaki, and, at 
 two hours after sunset, arrived at Turyan-Chay (Turgan- 
 chaisk of Monteith — probably, Turgan-Chay — Stagnant- 
 River), a large and beautiful river that comes down from 
 the mountains of Dagistan and Shaki. In these plains 
 cultivation is carried on. From Tiflls, until reaching 
 this spot, we had seen no other trace of human habi- 
 
chap, yiil] Georgia, Return. 419 
 
 tations than the posthouses ; the names of all other 
 places being merely official, and neither honse nor village 
 is visible. The posthonse here was very hot and full of 
 musquitoes ; so that I was forced to have a felt tent 
 pitched, and to sleep out of doors. Some of the Beg- 
 zaclas (sons of Begs — sons of chieftains, lords, lairds, or 
 gentlemen, of Turk! tribes) and grandees of Shald had 
 come (here to greet us and pay their respects). 
 
 Wednesday, 10th (3rd Sejrtember). — We rose early in 
 the morning. The magnates of Ganja and Shald re- 
 ceived their conge, and departed. We then resumed our 
 journey, having a plain on our right hand, within which are 
 the territories of Aq-Dash (White-Bock), called also Arish, 
 which is under the jurisdiction of Shald. Numerous 
 villages and gardens were in sight, the latter being irri- 
 gated from the Turyan Chay. Before we had proceeded 
 far, the territory of Aq-Dash came to an end, and we 
 reached the posthouse of Gok-Chay ( Azure -Biver). 
 Here the Governor of the whole country of Bad-Kuba 
 and the Shirwans was awaiting us, as this place was the 
 first station within his jurisdiction. He was an extremely 
 courteous young man of pleasing appearance, Stracelski 
 by name. We stopped and changed horses. A large 
 concourse of the people of Shirwan and of the Doctors (of 
 Law and Divinity) of Islam had come to meet us, and 
 with them we had a little conversation. Again we drove 
 on, and again to our right was a vast plain, forming part 
 of the Shirwans, and irrigated from the river Gok-Chay. 
 Many villages were in sight. This is a fertile plain, but 
 is very sultry. To our left the same range of mountains 
 
 E E2 
 
420 Diary of a Tottr in Europe, [chap. vni. 
 
 accompanied us all clay, and so we came to the posthouse 
 of Qura-Yazi (Black-Flat), where we changed horses. 
 We observed the villages of Qara-Muryan, Yaka-Khana, 
 and Gard-Kand, in which the}^ have planted colonies of 
 Eussian peasants also ; but they are not places of any 
 importance. We next came to the posthouse of Gululu 
 (Smiling Village), where we breakfasted, and where we 
 received Wlkhman, who was formerly Governor of 
 Shamakhi, and who, at the epoch of our journey to 
 Rasht, had come there faith Qullbakan the Governor of 
 Bad-Kuba. He was as fat as ever. Some Eussian 
 families are settled there. 
 
 After breakfast we resumed our travel and passed the 
 stream of Kardama {jperliaps the Kurdamir of Monteith), 
 which had but little water. The villages of Paclar and 
 Galagaylu (of him who comes) were noticed, which are 
 portions of the Shir wans. The streams which I have 
 mentioned all come down from the mountains of 
 Dagistan, which are beyond the chain of hills on our 
 left ; and wherever the mountains form valleys and give 
 an exit, these waters, flowing along the valleys, pass 
 forth into the level lands of Shaki and Shirwan. 
 
 We then came to the post house of Aq-Su (White 
 River ; New Shamaka), a village of considerable size 
 and importance, having numerous gardens of pome- 
 granates, figs, and the like. It much resembles the 
 village of Kand near Tehran ; but the gardens of Kand 
 are more numerous and extensive than these. The river 
 of Aq-Su runs through the midst of the gardens, and 
 the larger portion of the village is on the eastern bank of 
 
chap, viil] Georgia, Return. 421 
 
 the stream. To the west of the stream are the quarters 
 of the Hawawiz, and on its east the camping-ground of 
 the troops ; all parts of (the jurisdiction of) Shamakhi. 
 
 The village has numerous fruiterers' shops, and others. 
 We alighted, partook of some fruit, performed our de- 
 votions, and again set out. From hence the road went 
 winding and twisting towards the north, and up into 
 that very chain of hills that had been on our left hand. 
 We therefore ascended the valley of the stream of Aq-Su, 
 and first of all a small, but very lofty hill came in sight. 
 The carriage road here has been beautifully constructed, 
 so that our horses and vehicles travelled along comfort- 
 ably, and by degrees we reached the summit of the 
 ridge. The other side of the hills was a forest of oak, 
 abounding with pheasants. From this summit, proceed- 
 ing towards that other side, the whole country is 
 mountainous as far as Bad-Kuba. We now took a 
 downward course, the sun set, and we arrived at the 
 post house of Sharadll, stopped there a short time, and 
 again pushed on, so that we got to the town of Shamakhi 
 (Monteith's Shamaka).at two hours after sunset. 
 
 Great crowds had assembled, and all parts were illu- 
 minated, the people making demonstrations of the greatest 
 joy. We alighted. Two sons of Wikhman, one five, 
 the other seven } r ears old, and in Circassian costume, 
 were standing before the door with Wikhman's wife. 
 The Doctors of Islam were drawn up in line ; and 
 saluting each one of them, we arrived at the palace, 
 which is the property of Lalayaf, an Armenian of 
 Shirwan, a man of importance, and wealthy. It was 
 
422 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vm. 
 
 formerly the residence of the Governor of Shamakhi, 
 but has now been bought by Lalayaf, and overlooks the 
 whole town. 
 
 The Armenian and Frank quarters of this place are 
 on the upper parts of a hill ; the quarter of the Muslims 
 being in a valley, and lower down. Two years before, a 
 severe earthquake had occurred and devastated the town, 
 which, up to that period, had been very nourishing, and 
 even now has a population of three or four thousand 
 families, or from ten to fifteen thousand souls. Earth- 
 quakes are very frequent. All round the town are hills 
 and peaks ; but these are so dry that not a vestige of 
 vegetation, trees, or water, exists. A small stream flows 
 from the mountains at a lower level than where the town 
 stands, and by its means they manage to cultivate a few 
 gardens. There is a mosque in the town, dating from 
 the clays of Shah- 'Abbas, in which divine service is still 
 performed; and a certain Hajji Muhammad Riza has 
 also built a mosque and a convent of dervishes, of very 
 imposing appearance. The far greater portion of the 
 inhabitants of the town and of the country districts are 
 Muslims, the Armenians being only a small minority. 
 The tombs of Mustafa Khan, of Shirwan, and those of 
 his children, are on the summit of an eminence at the 
 far side of the town. The palace of Lalayaf commands 
 a very beautiful and extensive view. It is built of 
 timber. 
 
 Thursday, 11th (Ath September). — Yv r e have to go to 
 Bad-Kuba. We rose early, dressed, and mounted our 
 carriage. • Great crowds had collected to witness the 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 423 
 
 spectacle. We drove off, and reached the top of an 
 uphill- do wndale road, in the cliy valleys of which we 
 noticed the homes of a few families of nomade tribes. 
 They said they were tribes of Arabs (by descent). The 
 first posthouse reached was that of Aji-Chay, a stream 
 the water of which is bitter ; then that of Marzi (Marusy), 
 a large village occupied by Eussians; then Naqi-Kirpi 
 (Nahi-Kopru) ; and next, Jangi, where we breakfasted ; 
 then Haltama; and Arbat, which has a stream of the 
 same name ; next Sarayi, and then the town of Bad- 
 Kuba (Baku). 
 
 The whole road to Bad-Kuba was dry and bad. In 
 fact, a plain and mountains so dry and so wretched we 
 had neither seen nor heard of. Our journey to-day was 
 over a part of the country called, the Burying- Ground — 
 a fit name for such a region. 
 
 The Governor of Bad-Kuba was waiting for us at 
 Sarayi, with a party of horsemen ; we dined there, and 
 reached the town two hours after sunset. As there are 
 naphtha pits here, they had this night lighted up the 
 whole country and town with lamps of naphtha. Through 
 its being night, we did not see the place well ; but, being 
 moonlight, we made out that pretty houses are being 
 newly built along the seashore in the European st}de. 
 The Governor's house, too, looked on to the sea; and 
 there we arrived amidst the blessings of a concourse of 
 people of various nationalities, and a band playing. I 
 first saw Colonel Bazak, and concluded that the steamers 
 had arrived with my party from Petrowsky. The Go- 
 vernor presented his officers, and after dining we pro- 
 
424 Diary of a Tour in Europe, [chap. vm. 
 
 ceeded on board the " Constantine." It is a wonderful 
 harbour, as large ships can lie alongside the shore. We 
 offered our most sincere thanks for having once more 
 reached our ship in safety. The Governor and others 
 took leave. Our suite were in a vessel named the 
 " Shah-Suwar " (king of horsemen — chevaleresque king) ; 
 and the Grand-Yazir, our personal attendants, Colonel 
 Bazak, Prince Menschikoff, and Bigleroff were with me, 
 as also the same admiral as before. In another half 
 hour we started with a calm sea and fair wind, so that I 
 slept all night. 
 
 The regions of Shaki, Shirwan, and the rest, produce 
 excellent camels. Buffaloes are used to draw the carts 
 and waggons, as well as other animals ; but the wheels 
 of these vehicles are of wood alone, having no iron about 
 them. 
 
 Friday, 12th (5th September). — The anniversary festival 
 of the birthday of the Prince of Believers 'All son of 
 Abu-Talib, on whom be the peace and blessings of God, 
 is close at hand ; we must therefore get to Enzeli. When 
 I arose early in the morning the sea was most pleasant. 
 With the utmost joy we went on until within two or three 
 leagues of Enzeli, when we all dressed in our state uni- 
 forms, and prepared to reach our destined port. But 
 now black clouds were seen to arise from the west and 
 south, while the sea began to be disturbed. Still we 
 despaired not, but continued our course until we reached 
 the roadstead. A Bussian man-of-war named the " Bu- 
 khara " had come over from 'Ashur-Ada to do honour to 
 our arrival. Through a telescope we could see that she 
 
chap. Yin. -j Georgia, Rehirn. 425 
 
 was being sadty rocked by the waves, and this alarmed 
 us ; for when a large war- ship was thus suffering, how 
 could we hope that our vessel would be quiet. A sailing 
 merchantman, anchored further in, was tossing about in 
 the same way. 
 
 Well ; we reached the anchorage, and the man-of-war 
 with great difficulty fired a few guns. The tower of 
 Enzeli and the people on the beach were all visible ; but, 
 as large ships cannot go clo'ser in, and enter into Enzeli 
 itself, it was a matter of necessity for lighters and our 
 own small steam-yacht to come out and carry us in. With 
 this storm, that was not practicable ; and we therefore 
 despondingly left the deck of the steamer, where we could 
 no longer stand upright, went into our cabin, took off 
 our state clothes, and resigning ourselves to God's decree, 
 sat down. The others, who had put on all their orders, 
 in like manner threw off their finery in the midst of 
 heavings and vomitings, casting themselves down in the 
 first corner, from whence they had no power to move. 
 
 It was now two hours to sunset, and heavy rain began 
 to pour. The waves rose so that one could not bear to 
 look at them, and the ship rolled to that degree that 
 the yard-arms touched the water each way. The sea 
 broke over the vessel, and she heeled over so fearfully 
 that we thought she would capsize and shoot us all 
 overboard. At each roll, the chairs, tables, and other 
 furniture of the cabin were upset with frightful clatter ; 
 and the hull of the ship, with straining, groaned again. 
 Little did it want for her to go to pieces. Thus with 
 fierce rain from above, and a raging sea below, the ship 
 
426 ' Diary of a Tour in Etirope. [chap. yiii. 
 
 became full of water; and it was impossible to walk 
 about, by reason of her violent movements, and also 
 because the planks were so wet that one's feet slipped, 
 and could not retain their hold. " Such is the end of 
 our tour in Europe ! To be so near home — for our 
 tower of Enzeli to be within sight, at a distance to be 
 measured by feet, and for one to be in this condition ! 
 Should this go on for three days, we shall surely 
 drag our anchor, and then there is no port except at 
 Langaran ! All these servants and others who have 
 come to Enzeli, what will they do?" Such were our 
 thoughts ; and so much bitterness did they engender 
 that I cannot describe it. I also felt indisposed ; I per- 
 spired from agitation and the heat ; the wind struck to 
 my chest, and I coughed. Neither was there a chance 
 of sleeping, by night or by day, b}^ reason of the storm. 
 The rain was unceasing. 
 
 Saturday, 13th (6th September). — In the morning the 
 storm and motion of the ship were as before, or even 
 worse. The other ship with the princes on board had 
 also come in after us and anchored. So things wei^t on 
 the whole day — clouds, rain, storm. I slept about two 
 hours. Suddenly a cry was raised that a boat had come 
 alongside. I rose and saw her with twelve men who had 
 undertaken to come out and obtain tidings of us. The 
 sea also was a little less agitated, and we were somewhat 
 calmed. The Mu'tamad wrote an answer to the missive 
 that had been addressed to him. In another hour — it 
 being now dawn of the 14th (7th September), a second 
 boat came alongside, into which Mahdi-quli Khan and 
 
chap, viii.] Georgia, Return. 427 
 
 Mirza 'Abdu-'l-'lah cast themselves and went away. 
 Morning broke, and other lighters came. Some more of 
 our people got away in them. The weather was inclining 
 to become fair, and the water of the lagoon had begun to 
 flow into the sea. 
 
 At length our steam -yacht came in sight, paddling out 
 of the lagoon. She came near; but it was still difficult 
 to get from one vessel to the other, as they kept her 
 somewhat at a distance. They then brought our barge 
 alongside, and somehow or other I got into her, pulled 
 to the yacht, and there I was hauled on board by hand. 
 Once on deck, I felt safe ; and immediately offering up my 
 thanks to the Creator, whose name be glorified, arrived 
 at Enzeli. Those who had come from Tehran were 
 admitted to an audience ; after which we went to our 
 tower, mounted to our apartments, and there again 
 poured out our heart in thanks to God. At night there 
 was a general illumination, and we slept in peace. 
 Praise be unto God Most High ! 
 
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