being changed.

Colonel S---- had especially warned us against sleeping here, the
Chapar khaneh being infested with the Meana bug, a species of camel
tick, which inflicts a poisonous and sometimes dangerous wound. It is
only found in certain districts, and rarely met with south of Teherán.
The virus has been known, in some cases, to bring on typhoid fever,
and one European is said to have died from its effects. For the truth
of this I cannot vouch; but there is no doubt that the bite is always
followed by three or four days' more or less serious indisposition.




CHAPTER IV.

PATCHINAR--TEHERÁN.


Our troubles commenced in real earnest at Patchinar, a
desolate-looking place and filthy post-house, which was reached at
sunset. The post from Teherán had just arrived, in charge of a
tall strapping fellow armed to the teeth, in dark blue uniform and
astrachan cap, bearing the Imperial badge, the lion and sun, in brass.
The mail was ten days late, and had met with terrible weather on the
Kharzán. They had passed, only that morning, two men lying by the
roadway, frozen to death. The poor fellows were on their way to
Teherán from Menjil, and had lain where they fell for two or three
days. "You had far better have remained at Résht," added our
informant, unpleasantly recalling to my mind the colonel's prophecy,