When we were unmoved by his forebodings, our Mehmandar endeavoured to sooth us into compliance to his wishes, by sending us a variety of savoury dishes for our dinner, which however only renewed our spirits, and increased our eagerness to proceed. We accordingly mounted our horses. The troop had already advanced with much of our baggage. The Envoy (preceded by two people, who by courtesy were called guides, and followed by the Mehmandar and the gentlemen of the suite) had not travelled half a mile from the caravanserai, when his conductors declared that they had lost the road. After long and fruitless exertion, bewildered more and more by those who had undertaken our direction, we resolved to return to the caravanserai, and to take a fresh departure. Even this became impracticable, for the town was not to be found. The Mehmandar then, seemingly in great trouble, went forward himself to seek the place, and after much delay returned to us, bringing along with him a poor wretch, whose hands he had tied behind his back, and to whom he occasionally administered blows. This was our new conductor, but he was so much frightened, that he could not proceed, until the Envoy pledged himself, that he should meet with no harm; but on the contrary should receive a reward of fifteen tomauns, if he led us in safety to Kinar-a-gird. We again advanced, and were again unsuccessful; our new guide was more perverse or more stupid than his predecessors, and we were once more obliged to return in the hope of regaining the caravanserai. In search of this place we roamed about four long and melancholy hours, hearing the cries of wanderers, as we supposed like ourselves, in all parts of the plain. Unfortunately we had then no compass with us, nor was there a star to be seen that might direct us. At length however we espied a light, which happily proceeded from the walls of our caravanserai, and guided us again to it.

We departed again the next morning, and discovered to our surprise that the road, which to us had been rendered so intricate, led straight to the opening of the mountains through which we were to pass. It was impossible therefore to wander from it except purposely, and the Mehmandar at length acknowledged that he had himself contrived the delay, and the mortification of the preceding night. The Envoy refused to speak to him, threatened a complaint to the King, and terrified him so effectually, that with every oath common to a Persian, he cursed himself as “an old fool, and a stupid senseless wretch.” The Envoy at length relented, and assured him that he had nothing to fear. At the distance of six miles from Pool Dallauk, we entered the swamp of Kaveer, which (to its termination at the caravanserai called Haooz Sultan) we crossed in three hours, a length of ten miles. It is part of the great desert which reaches into Khorassan, the soil of which is composed of a mixture (at least equal) of salt and earth. Though the road therefore, over which we travelled, is as good as those in any other direction across the swamp, it is frequently after rains impassable: as the horses, which in our passage were up to the fetlock, are up to their bellies in less favourable weather.

At Haooz Sultan we were met by an Officer with a letter from the King, expressing his thanks for the information communicated to him by the Envoy, of the defeats which “the common enemy” had received in Spain, and inviting him to arrive at his capital without delay. We proceeded, and came to the Mulluk-al-Moat, a kind of pass leading through an extent of broken country, which, forming a labyrinth of little hills and intricate nooks, has not unfrequently been a real cause of difficulty to travellers, and to a certain degree embarrassed us till we reached Kinar-a-gird. In the dells were a variety of streams which were nearly salt. The land itself bears evident marks of the action of fire. The soap-wort is the most common shrub all over the face of the country, but no use is made of it. About two fursungs from Kinar-a-gird we crossed a large salt stream, running from W. to E. and just before it we were greeted by an istakball. Our march on this day was forty miles. We passed the night in a large caravanserai built by the present King at Kinar-a-gird; where the Mehmandar, regardless of his late disgrace, again behaved ill, for his servants were suffered to intrude on the space which had been reserved for us.

From Kinar-a-gird to Teheran is six fursungs, which we called sixteen miles. We continued along the plain for two miles, crossing numerous channels of water which are carried from the stream by Kinar-a-gird. We then wound among some small hills for four miles, when the plain of Teheran opened upon us, bounded from E. to W. by a lofty range of mountains. Clouds generally rest on their summits, and the snow at this time covered their very roots. On the West and high above them is the peak of Demawend.

Teheran, as we descended gradually into the plain, bore N. 25 E. of us. On the right are the ruins of the ancient city of Rey, scattered in great profusion at the foot of the nearer mountains. The soil of the plain is salt, and of course very soft, intersected by a great number of dikes, which being well replenished with water had rendered the road extremely difficult. As we approached Teheran, we were met by frequent istakballs, in the principal of which was Norooz Khan, one of the King’s relations, and Master of the Ceremonies. The mob increased greatly as we came to the town walls. At the gate, through which we passed, were posted files of soldiers of the new corps, dressed something like Russians and disciplined after the European manner. We passed through small streets of miserable buildings, and saw nothing that indicated royalty. At length we dismounted at the house of Hajee Mahomed Hossein Khan, the second Minister, where we were treated with chairs and tables, which had been provided by our host. Though it had been his own residence, and though he had just removed from it to make room for the Embassy, we found it a mansion far less respectable than any that we had seen either at Shiraz or Ispahan. All the riches are collected on the throne, and all around is poverty, either real or affected.

The reception of His Majesty’s Mission, from our entrance into Persia to our arrival in the capital, was marked with the most ready attention, and the highest honours from all classes; and our journey was now closed at Teheran by particular and gratifying distinctions.

Mountain of Demawend
Tæhran.
Drawn by James Morier Esqr.
Published by Messrs. Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, Paternoster Row, May 1, 1811.