The next day we had to reach Sari, the capital of Mazendran. Not far from the wayside lies Sheikh Tabersi, a place long defended by the Babis (religious enthusiasts who denied Mohammed and preached socialism). They made themselves the terror of the neighbourhood. Here also are beautiful gardens, producing in exuberance crops of oranges and lemons. Their fruit, tinted with yellow and red, presented an enchanting contrast with the green of the trees. Sari itself has no beauty to recommend it, but is said to carry on an important trade. As we traversed the bazaar of this last Persian city, we received also the last flood of every possible imprecation and abuse; nor did I leave their insolence without rebuke, although I judged it better not to repeat my threatening movements of stick or sword in the centre of a bazaar and amid hundreds of Shiites. [Karatepe] We only remained in Sari long enough to find horses to hire for a day's journey to the sea-shore. The road passes through many marshes and morasses. It is impossible to perform the journey here on foot. From this point there are many ways by which we can reach the shore of the Caspian, e. g. by Ferahabad (Parabad, as it is called by the Turkomans), Gez, and Karatepe. We preferred, however, the last route, because it would lead us to a Sunnite colony, where we were certain of a hospitable reception, having already had opportunities of becoming acquainted with many of these colonists at Sari, and having found them good people. {29} After a rest of two days in Sari we started for Karatepe. It was not until evening, after a laborious journey of nine hours, that we arrived. Here it is that the Turkomans first become objects of terror. Piratical hordes of them hide their vessels along the coast, whence extending their expeditions to a distance of a few leagues into the interior, they often return to the shore, dragging a Persian or so in bonds. {30} CHAPTER IV. KAEATEPE AUTHOR ENTERTAINED BY AN AFGHAN, NUR-ULLAH SUSPICIONS AS TO HIS DERVISH CHARACTER HADJIS PROVISION THEMSELVES FOR JOURNEY THROUGH DESERT AFGHAN COLONY NADIR SHAH FIRST VIEW OF THE CASPIAN YACOUB THE TURKOMAN BOATMAN LOVE TALISMAN EMBARKATION FOR ASHODRADA VOYAGE ON THE CASPIAN RUSSIAN PART OF ASHOURADA RUSSIAN WAR STEAMERS IN THE CASPIAN TURKOMAN CHIEF, IN THE SERVICE OF RUSSIA APPREHENSION OF DISCOVERY ON THE AUTHOR'S PART ARRIVAL AT GÖMÜSHTEPE AND AT THE MOUTH OF THE GORGHEN. _Ultra Caspium sinum quidnam esset, ambiguum aliquamcliu fuit._--Pomponius Mela, _De Situ Orbis_. [Karatepe; Author entertained by an Afghan, Nur-Ullah]