Villagers civil and very obliging. Present on going, three kerans (two shillings and threepence)! They are delighted.
April 18th.—We left at nine A.M. in fine weather for Bagh-i Sheikh (Garden of the Sheikh), five farsakhs; after a long two farsakhs we came to a large and prosperous-looking village on the edge of the salt-plain. Here outside the walls was a large and good disused hammām (or bath); we breakfasted there, in it, as it was cool and quiet; after two hours, at two, started again, entered salt swamp, fortunately dry. After two miles came on good road, and made the large Shah Abbas caravanserai[37] at five P.M.; a mile before reaching it we struck the high-road from Kūm.
A large caravanserai in good repair; no doorkeeper; took four rooms—one for us, one for N⸺ and boys, one for servants, one for mare. Not a soul in the place.
About four or five miles before getting into this place, one of the ponies I had sold to the muleteer dropped as if shot; he didn’t hurt me beyond pinching my ankle a little; he dropped so suddenly, his foot giving way, that I was not quick enough. I am sorry for the charwardar, one leg is evidently gone.
Some hundred mules now in the caravanserai, noise of their bells all night long; country fertile, lots of villages all down the valley; we passed several on our left only.
In lighting the kalian or water-pipe, the way of preparing burning charcoal on the road without a fire, and with speed and economy, is ingenious; a light is put to a bit of charcoal, that is placed in a wire basket the size of one’s fist among other pieces of charcoal; the basket is then swung round at the end of a piece of string, and a handful of glowing charcoal is produced in three to five minutes.
Difficulty in getting our chaff beds filled here: man would only sell chaff, not lend it.
Told me he was ill. Told him I had the exact remedy for his disease. Delight of chaff-man. Told him I never gave away medicines, demanded fifty kerans. Rage of chaff(ed)-man. He gave chaff, and I physic.
April 19th.—Left at half-past eight for Doong; weather fine; road an uphill one. Saw heavy storms going on in the mountains, and one passed us about two miles off; much forked lightning in the mountains; at half-past twelve one was coming straight down on us. The sun was overcast; suddenly, when our man was getting out more rugs, a few drops came, then a shower of hailstones all the size of the largest cherries, some larger. The noise was terrific; the horses got frightened and rushed off the road; one mule threw his load. I got off and got hold of A⸺’s mare, and it was as much as I could do to hold both horses and get her off; the servant’s pony broke loose and kicked at the hail; none of the beasts would face it; fortunately the muleteers held the takhtrowan and kajaweh mules. Down it came, and it hurt; the ground got white, a heap formed to windward of each bush and stone. In five minutes all was quiet, and we started again after reloading the wine boxes which had been kicked off by the mule.
In speaking of the size of the hailstones, I do not exaggerate, and certainly I never saw any like them; they were all quite spherical, and more like balls of hard snow than hail, but very hard.