ABSTRACT
Sir Henry Layard, who passed through Pusht-i Küh disguised as a Persian in 1841 and was in great danger of being recognized-as he tells us in his early adventures in Persia, Susania and Babylonia. But, as I learnt from his book, two other Englishmen, Fotheringham and Grant, had been brutally murdered by the uncle of the chief reigning in his days. The next European was a Swiss merchant, Wortmann, who had ventured a trip to the Lurrs a few years ago to recover some money which was owing him; but he never returned, and nobody heard what became of him. I was warned by everybody, official or non-official, against this expedition; but a letter of recommendation which I obtained from a Turkish General, Kiasim Pasha-a son-in-law of Sultan Abdul Hamid-seemed to promise a certain amount of security. Moreover, I was encouraged by the assurances of a Baghdad horse-dealer, Ajîl ibn Shabïb, who assured me that he was on very friendly terms with the Father of the Scimitar, and would make everything easy for me if I took him along with me. Ajïl was what one would call in German 'Ein Salon-Beduine'—a drawing-room Bedouin. He was a tall, fine-looking Arab of Bedouin ancestry, always beautifully clothed, and a remarkably good rider. As to his honesty, it was certainly no greater than that of horse-dealers in other countries. Besides Ajïl, one of the German merchants I have mentioned asked to join me, as he was planning a trip into Persia and wished to proceed from Amleh, the capital of Pusht-i Küh, to the Persian town of Kirmãnshãh.
