ly made to
bring the bodies along.

That we have had, and still have, the plague in India is a matter we
cannot very well hide; that the passage across the Beluchistan and
Persian deserts should be a sufficient disinfectant as far as individuals
go is also theoretically probable; but I am not certain that the theory
would apply to the filthy rags and bedding. I would not speak so
feelingly had I not seen these pilgrims myself.

Now, if we choose to allow these creatures to bring infection into other
countries--and it must be remembered that if they do go to the shrine it
is generally because they are infected with some complaint or other, or
actually for the purpose of dying there--we ought not to grumble if the
Russians, who see their thickly populated territories of Transcaspia
threatened, enforce upon the Persian officials the necessity of hampering
the progress of such parties towards Meshed. Nor can we blame them if,
when the Persian authorities are unable to enforce stringent measures,
they take matters into their own hands, whether in a strictly legal way
or otherwise, in order to prevent these sickly hordes from coming
towards their frontier.

I am sure that if the sacred shrine were in British territory, and ailing
Russian pilgrims came over bringing bundles of badly-packed dead
relations with them, the outcry in this country would be general, and we
should soon put a stop to it.

As it is, the provocation to hinder them is very great, while the benefit
that we reap by letting these wretches through is rather difficult to
detect; they are an expense to the Government rather than otherwise, not
to speak of the endless bother and annoyance they give our various
officials on the road, for indeed, religious people, whether Mussulman or
Christian or Buddhist, can make themselves a nuisance for religion's
sake. Moreover, our caravans, following directly after these funereal
parties, have occasionally fared badly at the hands of the alarmed
natives.

In Sistan, Major Benn was telling me an amusing incident: one or two
members of one of these fanatical parties died at the Consulate; the
local Persian doctor pronounced it--or them--cases of plague, and the
natives were scared to death for fear that the infection should spread;
and one day when Major and Mrs. Benn were peacefully riding along the
city wall, a number of people with rifles collected upon the ramparts and
fired a volley with actual bullets over their