ur officials at the Consulates
and on the route.

As I have said, the natives do not know the difference between these men
and Englishmen, and believe that all British subjects are of the same
stamp--by which one cannot quite feel flattered. If these pilgrimages
could be gradually restricted and eventually stopped, I think everybody
all round would benefit,--even the pilgrims themselves, who might
possibly not feel so holy, but whose health would not be impaired by the
fearful sufferings they have to endure to gain--and often obtain very
prematurely--a claim to a seat in heaven.

The opening up of the Nushki route from Quetta to Sistan and Meshed is
responsible for the great influx of pilgrims, who have been attracted by
the glowing reports of how easy it is to travel by this route. And so it
is very easy, for men accustomed to that particular kind of travelling,
like myself or like traders or Government officials, who can travel with
all they want, and just as they please, but not for people who have to
live from hand to mouth and who are destitute of everything. Those
fellows have no idea whatever, when they start, of what they will have to
endure on the road.

There is not much local trade in Birjand, but quite a brisk transit
trade. The industries are practically confined to carpet-weaving, the
carpets being renowned all over Persia for their softness, smooth
texture, and colours, which are said never to fade, but the designs upon
them are not always very graceful nor the colours always artistically
matched. The most curious and durable are the camel-hair ones, but the
design, usually with a very large medallion in the centre, does not seem
to appeal to European eyes. Even the smallest rugs fetch very large sums.
Although called Birjand carpets they are mostly manufactured in some of
the villages north of Birjand, especially at Darakush.

Among the shops there are a few silversmiths', some blacksmiths', and
some sword and gunsmiths'. The latter manufacture fairly good blades and
picturesque matchlocks.

The trade caravanserais in the town are quaint, but to me most
interesting of all was the one approached by a sharp incline--a very old
one--where an Indian British trader had started business, attempting to
further British trade in these regions. This man, by name Umar-al-din
Khan, of the firm of Mahommed Ali of Quetta, was really a remarkable
fellow. If Russian trade has not yet succeeded in getting a fair hol