uncommonly thickly veiled when they go out.  The better-dressed men wear, out of doors, a very long mantle of dark cloth with slashed sleeves, which reach to the ground; a girdle or shawl surrounds their waist, and their head-dress consists of a pointed black fur cap more than a foot high, which is made of the skins of unborn sheep.  The women of the labouring class do not appear to have much to do; during my journey, I saw only a few at work in the fields, and I noticed also in the town that all the hard work is done by the men.

In Tebris, as well as throughout the whole of Persia, the Jews, semi-Mahomedans, and Christians, are intolerably hated.  Three months since, the Jews and Christians in Tebris were in great danger.  Several crowds of people gathered together and marched through the quarter where these people dwelt, when they commenced plundering and destroying the houses, threatening the inhabitants with death, and, in some cases, even putting their threats into execution.  Fortunately, this horrible proceeding was immediately made known to the governor of the town; and he, being a brave and determined man, lost not a moment’s time even to throw his kaftan over his house-dress, but hastened out into the midst of the crowd, and succeeded, by means of a powerful speech, in dispersing the people.

On arriving at Tebris, I expressed my desire to continue my journey from here to Tiflis by way of Natschivan and Erivan.  It appeared at first that there was not much hope of its possibility, as, since the late political disturbances in Europe, the Russian government, like the Chinese, had strictly prohibited the entrance of any foreigners; however, Mr. Stevens promised to make use of all his power with the Russian consul, Mr. Anitschow, in my favour.  I was indebted to this, together with my sex and age, for being made an exception.  I received from the Russian consul not only the permission, but also several kind letters of introduction to people at Natschivan, Erivan, and Tiflis.

I was advised to ride from Tebris to Natschivan with post-horses, and to take a servant with me as far as that place.  I did so, and commenced my journey at 9 o’clock in the morning of the 11th of August.  Several gentlemen, whose acquaintance I had made in Tebris, accompanied me about a mile out of the town, and we encamped on the bank of a beautiful little river, and partook of a cold breakfast.  Then I began my journey alone, indeed, but composedly and with good courage, for now I thought I was entering a Christian country, beneath the sceptre of a civilized, European, law and order-loving monarch.

CHAPTER XXII.  ASIATIC RUSSIA—­ARMENIA, GEORGIA, AND MINGRELIA.

SOPHIA—­MARAND—­THE RUSSIAN FRONTIER—­NATSCHIVAN—­JOURNEY OF THE
CARAVAN—­A NIGHT’S IMPRISONMENT—­CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY—­
ERIVAN—­THE RUSSIAN POST—­THE TARTARS—­ARRIVAL IN TIFLIS—­SOJOURN
THERE—­CONTINUATION OF THE JOURNEY—­KUTAIS—­MARAND—­TRIP ON THE
RIBON—­REDUTKALE.