Page:From Constantinople to the home of Omar Khayyam.djvu/282

 160 THROUGH PLACES PASSED ON ALEXANDER'S ROUTE

of blue, yellow, and black, set off by arabesque texts in Kufic script.

This chief mosque, to which reference has just been made, owes its name ' Mosque of the Shah ' to the fact that Fath Ali Shah caused it to be erected about the year 1826.^ The striking effect of the rich fagade, with its panel niches of bright tiles, the two-storied arches that balance it on the right and the left, and the high-vaulted arch which is the main feature of the edifice, and which is crowned by a cupola from whose height the muazzin calls to prayer, are all features familiar to every one who has given attention to Muhammadan architecture. A Moslem collegiate institution, the Madrasah Sardar Khan, is attached to the mosque, and opens on a small square that calls for no further reference.

Our guide among these ecclesiastical buildings on the occa- sion of my second visit was an intelligent Moslem, who was extremely obliging, but who appeared not to have been satis- fied with the gratuity given for his trouble, since he had to distribute much of the bakshish as hush-money to certain clamorers in the crowd. No further attention was paid to the matter, but on returning to the post-station I received word that the chief of police would like to have me call. I joked about the courtesy, thinking it to be a pro forma piece of local attention, and sent Mirza Safar to present my compliments, and to thank him for the notice taken of our visit. Safar came back, saying that the official would call, and a most hearty welcome he received. An informal chat ensued, and when the conversation turned to international affairs, a pleasant oppor- tunity was given to show him some of the governmental rec- ommendations for our journey. I gave the matter no thought then or later, until, after my return to Teheran, a friend said : ' I see you've been figuring in the Persian newspapers, and that

1 The date may be obtained from smid, Eastern Persia, 1. 384. The Major Euan Smith's report of 'The information I received was only ap- Perso-Afghan Mission,' given by Gold- proximate.

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