88 ON THE CASPIAN TO PERSIA
Our hearts were touched when we came to a narrow point near the edge, where a path led by an old tree. There, cower- ing, stood a pitiable wretch, well-nigh unto death from leprosy — an outcast from the folk. The cripple who begged alms at
- the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful,' or the leper
of Leviticus crying ' unclean, unclean,* could not have presented a more pathetic sight. I still can hear the voice that came in raucous gasps from the hoarse throat and wasted chest — ' a bit, a bit, for charity ' — an'dm, an^dm — as he pleaded for food. One of the coins, dropped into the now fingerless palm, was perhaps larger than had been wont, and it fell on the ground ; but the bleared eye saw where it rolled, and light seemed to come into the dull orb. We were glad to be able to bestow this trifle of comfort, but for a while we rode along in revery with heavy hearts, until roused at last by the sight of the old tomb of a king of Lahijan, Sa'id Hasan Kia, who lived in the sixteenth century. I could only hope that he met with a happier end than Karib, who had been chosen king of Lahijan (about 1635) during a revolt of its people against Shah Safi. The Shah cruelly ordered horseshoes to be nailed upon the un- fortunate rebel's feet ; and, after allowing him to suffer in agony for a few days, then shot him to death with arrows, dis- charging the first missile with his own hand.^
Lahijan (Pers. Ldhijdn) was described by the Arab-Persian geographers five or six centuries ago as ' an important town, the chief place of the Province of Gilan, with a warm climate, and territory well watered by streams from the neighboring moun- tains; it manufactures the best silk in the country and produces rice, oranges, and shaddocks.' ^ The mountains indeed looked green with verdure, as we saw them, unlike the bleak treeless heights of most mountains in Persia ; and the bazars seemed flourishing, in contrast to the time when Fraser, in 1833, found
1 See Hanway, Caspian Sea, 1. 524. de Meynard, Diet. geog. p. 503; and cf .
3 See Mustaufi (14th century), Abu 'l-Fida (14th century), cited by
Nuzhat al-Kuluh, quoted by Barbier Le Strange, Eastern Caliphate, p. 174.
�� �
