Although the mission travelled only during the early mornings and late afternoons, all its members were suffering from sunburn. Their faces and hands were red and their bodies baking beneath their thick uniforms. Roger suffered least as, having previously travelled for long distances in the East, he had taken the precaution, before leaving Constantinople, of buying a soothing salve to counteract the effects of the blistering sun. But he had lost nearly two stones in weight.
The scenery was magnificent. While crossing each wide plateau, upon every side of them rose jagged yellow mountain ranges, the highest peaks of which were still capped with snow, and stood out against a vivid blue sky. Below each range lay deep valleys, sheltering villages of flat-topped houses and well-cultivated fields, with abundant crops that struck a contrasting note of vivid green against the rocky precipices that protected them.
On the morning of July 25th they were only a dozen miles from Isfahan; so they had accomplished the journey in thirty-two days. It was at this point that they realised that the Governor of Dezful must have sent a courier ahead to announce that they were on their way, for half a dozen horsemen came out to greet them. One of the group was an Armenian interpreter, who said that his name was Mesrop-Li-bec, and he took charge of the party.
Half an hour later they came upon groups of houses at the roadside and, here and there, an open market; so they imagined that they were entering the city. Actually, these were only the suburbs which seemed interminable, as they continued for several miles. It was this that first brought home to them that Isfahan was no ordinary Eastern city, but a great metropolis.
At length they came to a broad river: the Zaindeh. The Khajan bridge across it was like no bridge they had ever seen. Those of most European cities were surmounted on either side by irregular huddles of houses and shops. Those of Constantinople, the Balkans and the Near East consisted only of a number of flat-bottomed barges lashed together. This was a masterpiece of graceful architecture. On both sides of a broad roadway, it was lined by a long row of pointed arches behind each of which was an empty space overlooking the water. Mesrop-Li-bec explained that these alcoves were 'boxes', which were occupied by the Shah and his nobles when boat races and other water sports were held on the river.
On reaching the far end of the bridge, a company of richly-dressed horsemen were waiting. They were headed by the Nazir—the Grand Steward of the Shah's household. In his Imperial Master's name, he bade them welcome. It was then explained that in Isfahan the Shah owned some three hundred houses and it was customary for distinguished visitors to be accommodated in any one of these they might choose as most suitable. Gardane then said that the dozen officers and servants with him were only a small part of the mission and that when the whole of it arrived in Isfahan, including servants, it would consist of some fifty persons.
Beyond the bridge lay a broad boulevard called the Khilban. It had shops on one side only; the other was occupied by the high-domed University and, behind, a screen of tall sycamore trees, the park of Chehel Sotun—one of the Shah's palaces. The long line of shops was broken by several streets in which lay many of the largest private houses in Isfahan. The Nazir led Gardane down one of them, pointing out a commodious building and, through Mesrop, asked if the General thought it would serve to house all his people. Gardane, assuming that it had been chosen as suitable for the numbers of his party, at once agreed. He was then told that provisions to sustain the mission would shortly be brought there.
After the exchange of many bows and flourishes, the Nazir and his cavaliers then took their leave, Mesrop alone remaining to see the French into their quarters. On exploring the house they found it to be well furnished in the Eastern style, and were more than happy to see that the divans were* draped in mosquito nets. Behind the building was ample stabling for the horses and a small garden in which there were orange, apricot and pomegranate trees.
An hour later a gorgeously-robed gentleman who rejoiced in the tide of Mahemander Bachi—which Mesrop translated as the Guest-Keeper General—arrived. With him he brought an order on the Shah's purveyors for Gardane's party to receive at once, or at such times as they wished:
Sixty quintals of rice
Sixty quintals of flour
Sixty quintals of barley
Twelve quintals of butter
Twenty sheep
Two hundred chickens
One thousand eggs
Four hundred sacks of chopped straw for the horses.
Having expressed his gratitude, Gardane asked that a limited supply of each should be delivered as soon as possible, and said that he would ask for more when it became necessary. The Mahemander Bachi smiled his acquiescence, but appeared in no hurry to depart. Mesrop then told the General that it was customary to make this official some present in recognition of his services.
Gardane gave quick thought about what he had with him that might prove suitable; as all the gifts for the Shah and his courtiers were coming on by the caravan, which must be many days behind them. It then occurred to him that he had a musical box which, at times, they had amused themselves by playing while camping in the desert. He sent his A.D.C. for it, and a tune was played on the box before it was duly presented. The Persian was delighted and, with many expressions of gratitude, departed. As Gardane had expected to have to pay both for the rent of a large house and everything his mission consumed while in Persia, he was naturally delighted at the Shah's generosity, and considered that he had got off extremely cheaply by surrendering his musical box: for many thousand francs-worth of stores. But the following morning he became somewhat disillusioned about the generosity of the Persians.
An official termed the Peskis Nuviez arrived. Mesrop came with him, and explained that his companion's function was to enquire upon what business the mission had come to Isfahan and for particulars of the presents brought by the Ambassador for His Imperial Majesty, the King of Kings.
Gardane willingly gave a resume' of the letter from the Emperor that he was charged to present. As was customary between monarchs, he had, of course, numerous presents for the Shah. To Constantinople he had brought for the Sultan a magnificent Sevres dinner service, a miniature of Napoleon framed in diamonds, a beautiful clock and various other items. For the Shah he had similar gifts and a considerable consignment of modern weapons, to which he could now add those it had been intended he should leave in Constantinople. But he explained that all these things were in his heavy baggage and coming on with the next caravan, which could not be expected to arrive for a fortnight or more.
Recalling his own experience with the Customs at Dezful, it then occurred to him that the heavy baggage might be held up there until duty had been paid on it; so he put this question to his visitor.
The Peskis Nuviez replied that certainly would be the case. Gardane protested that in other countries the belongings of diplomatic missions were allowed in free; then he asked if it could not be arranged that at least the presents for His Majesty and the weapons should be exempted from duty.
With a bland smile the Persian said that it could, but would prove a cosdy matter because a special courier would have to be sent to Dezful and some compensation made to the Governor of that city for his loss of revenue.
A second supply of coffee and sweet cakes was then sent for and, in a leisurely manner, the matter was discussed. Finally, to have all the mission's baggage brought through free of duty cost Gardane eighty gold Napoleons and, to his chagrin, he felt certain that the greater pan of this sum would remain in the pocket of the Peskis Nuviez.