Behind the Veil in Persia and Turkish Arabia

357 Pages·2004·0.83 MB·English

BEHIND THE VEIL
IN PERSIA
AND TURKISH ARABIA

AN ACCOUNT OF AN ENGLISHWOMAN’S
EIGHT YEARS’ RESIDENCE AMONGST
THE WOMEN OF THE EAST

BY
M. E. HUME-GRIFFITH

WITH NARRATIVES OF EXPERIENCES IN BOTH COUNTRIES
BY
A. HUME-GRIFFITH, M.D., D.P.H.

With 37 Illustrations and a Map

PHILADELPHIA
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY
LONDON: SEELEY &. CO. LTD.
1909

www.muhammadanism.org
May 14, 2004
No illustration
[Illustration]

THE AUTHOR AND HER HUSBAND IN BAKHTIAN COSTUME

Dr. Hume-Griffith's, dress is that of a chief, and is of blue cloth lined with red flannel: and the
lady's is of richly-brocaded velvet, and her head-coverings are of very pretty muslin, embroidered with silk.
Printed by BALLANTYNE, HANSON & CO.
At the Ballantyne Press, Edinburgh
I DEDICATE

THIS BOOK

To
MY HUSBAND
IN LOVING REMEMBRANCE OF
EIGHT HAPPY YEARS
1900—1908
[Blank page]
PREFACE

I HAVE endeavoured in this book to give some account of that inner life of the
East of which a traveller, however keen-sighted and intelligent, seldom gains more than a
passing glimpse. In a residence of eight years in Persia and Turkish Arabia I have become
intimate with a large circle of friends whose life is passed behind the veil, and as the wife
of a medical missionary I have had unusual opportunities of winning their confidence and
becoming acquainted with their thoughts. Of direct missionary effort I have said very
little, but I hope that the picture I have given may arouse interest in lives spent amongst
surroundings so different from our own.
It is impossible for any one, however unversed in politics, who has lived so long
in Mesopotamia, not to be deeply interested in the future of the country. While all Europe
has been filled with astonishment at the bloodless revolution in Turkey, we who have
become familiar with its inner life are touched with a feeling of admiration and
something akin to awe. Whatever misgivings there may be as to the permanence of this
reformation we hope and trust that it will endure.
Of one imminent change the effect is likely to be far-reaching. The new
government has secured the services of Sir William Wilcox as their adviser

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PREFACE

in great irrigation schemes. Irrigation in Mesopotamia will change the whole face of the
country; vast stretches of desert will be transformed into a garden, ruined villages will be
restored, a new kingdom may be born, and Babylon possibly rebuilt. Mosul, practically
on the site of ancient Nineveh, will become easy of access from Europe by means of the
Baghdad railway and the restored navigation of the Tigris. Its waste places may be filled
with corn, and the city be crowned once more with some of its ancient glory.
I should like to take this opportunity of thanking all those who have kindly
allowed me to use their photographs, amongst them the Rev. C. H. Stileman, Dr. Saati of
Mosul, and the Publishing Department of the Church Missionary Society.
I am indebted to Professor Brown's valuable book entitled "A Year amongst the
Persians" for information on the Babi religion, and to Sir A. H. Layard's classical work
on the excavations of Nineveh, which I have frequently had occasion to consult.

M. E. H.-G.

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CONTENTS

PART I
CHAPTER I
EARLY IMPRESSIONS
PAGE
Start for Persia—Arrival at Isphahan—Departure for Kerman—The Land of the
Lion and the Sun—A rainy day and its effects—Eclipse—Locusts—Sand-
storms—Land of cats—Modes of conveyance—Inhabitants 17
CHAPTER II
KERMAN
Short history of Kerman—Its overthrow—City of beggars—Story of the fort—The
jackal's "tale of woe" 30
CHAPTER III
PERSIAN INDUSTRIES
Carpet-making—How to tell a good carpet—How to make a carpet—The cry of the
children—Shawl manufactures—Calico-printing—Brasswork — Agricultural
industries—Water disputes—Kanats—Poppy crops—Wheat and corn—
Tobacco-growing 40
CHAPTER IV
THE CLIMATE OF PERSIA
Resht, Teheran, Isphahan—Dryness of atmosphere—Cellars—Roof life—Children
attacked by jackals—Chequered history of work in Kerman 50
CHAPTER V
HOLIDAYS IN PERSIA
How to ensure a prosperous journey—Natanz—Astonishment of natives at sight of
hairpins—Pulivagoon—Mahoon—Aliabad—Prince under canvas—Visit from
a Persian princess—A Persian deer hunt 59
CHAPTER VI
SOCIAL LIFE IN PERSIA
Kerman—House-hunting and building—White ants—Housekeeping in Kerman—
Servant question—Truth v. falsehood—Abdul Fateh—Bagi—Recreations—
Some exciting rides— Persian etiquette—Dinner at the governor's 71

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER VII
THE WOMEN OF PERSIA
PAGE
Home Life—Anderoon, women's quarters—Jealousy in the anderoon—Anderoon of
Khan Baba Khan—Two days in an anderoon—H.R.H. Princess Hamadane
Sultane—Visit to the anderoon of H.R.H. the Zil-es-Sultan 84
CHAPTER VIII
MORE ABOUT PERSIAN WOMEN
Costumes—Wedding festivities—Wedding dinner—Kindness of Persian husbands—
Story of brutality—Divorce—Aids to beauty—Degradation and cruelty of women 95
CHAPTER IX
SOME POINTS IN THE MOSLEM FAITH
Fasts and feasts—Seyyids, Dervishes, Mullahs—Legends of the drowning mullah, and
the yard-square hole 106
CHAPTER X
OTHER RELIGIOUS SECTS
The Bab and Babism—Short sketch of life of the Bab—His imprisonment and execution
—Parsees, or Zoroastrians—Persecutions of Parsees in seventh century—Sacred
writings of Parsees, Zendavesta—Fire-worshipping—Fire temples—Holy fire—
Parsee wedding—Costume of women—Death customs—Burial customs 116
CHAPTER XI
DESERT DELIGHTS
Songs of the desert—Sunsets, sunrises, mirages—Illness in the desert—Mehman
khanehs, caravanserais—Chappa khanehs—Lost in the desert—Its cruelties and
sadness 130
CHAPTER XII
PERSIAN MEDICAL MISSIONS
The need of them—Work in Isphahan—The "little devil" transformed into a boy—
Amputation—Brothers in adversity—H.R.H. Zil-es-Sultan as a patient—
Fanaticism overcome 140
CHAPTER XIII
PIONEER MEDICAL MISSION WORK IN KERMAN
Waiting for drugs and instruments—Native assistant proves a broken reed—First
operation in Kerman—An anxious moment—Success —Doctrine of "savab"
convenient to the Moslem—Fanaticism tempered with prudence—Opium slaves—
Persian therapeutics—Persian quacks and their methods—Sure way of curing
cancer—Hysteria 151

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CONTENTS

CHAPTER XIV
MEDICAL MISSION WORK IN YEZD
PAGE
A hospital—A friendly governor—A suspicious case—Superstition—The opium
habit—A case of cataract—We return to England 164
PART II
CHAPTER I
THE CITY OF NINEVEH
The fast of Jonah—The bridge of boats—Traditions as to ancient history of Mosul—
Elkos, birthplace of Nahum the prophet—Shurgat—Climate of Mosul—
Cultivation and industries—Importance of Mosul 173
CHAPTER II
THE PEOPLE OF MOSUL
Population—Moslems—Christians—Chaldeans—Nestorians—Jacobites—Arabs—
Kurds—Jews—Yezidees—Recreations—Warfare of the slingers—Hammam
Ali—The recreation ground of Mosul men and women 186
CHAPTER III
THE RIVER TIGRIS
Ancient historical interest—Garden of Eden—Origin of name unknown—Swiftness
—Sources—Navigation—Keleqs—Bathing, fishing, washing—Crossing rivers 198
CHAPTER IV
THE CHILDREN OF MOSUL
Spoiling process—Despair of the parents—The "god" of the hareem—Death by
burning—Festivities at birth of boy—Cradles and cradle songs—School life—
Feast in honour of a boy having read the Koran through—"Only a girl"—Girl
life—Girl victims of Naseeb—Marriage 208
CHAPTER V
THE MOSLEM WOMEN OF MOSUL
Beauty behind the veil—Types of beauty—My dear old friend of 110 years of age—
Aids to beauty described—Pretty children—Beauty tainted with sin—
Imprisonment of women—Peeps into some hareems—Warm receptions—A visit
from the ladies of a select hareem—Love the magic key to open hearts 219
CHAPTER VI
MOSLEM FAMILY LIFE
No home life—Women equal with the beasts—Evils of divorce—Naseeb —The will
of God—Truth and falsehood—Honesty prevalent—A thief caught—Swearing
and anti-swearing—Fighting—Hair-tearing and biting—Hammam, the ladies'
club 231

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