The total strength of ‘the guard’ is twelve hundred and fifty, of whom two hundred are the elite, called gholam peshkhidmet (personal attendants) and mostly belong to the Kajar, the Shah’s own tribe, with which his Majesty always identified himself in the most public manner, and thus made every man proud of his clanship with the King.  I here allude to the royal signature, ‘Nasr-ed-Din, Shah, Kajar.’  These superior guardsmen have all the rank of gentleman, and may be called the mounted ‘gentlemen at arms’ of the guard.  They have the customary right of appointment to Court and palace posts, such as door-keeper, usher, messenger, etc.  Their service is for life, and is hereditary, a son succeeding his father, and taking his place in the guard when promotion, age, illness, or death creates a vacancy.  They have distinctive horse-trappings with silver neck-straps, breastplates, and headstalls, which pass from father to son, and have become highly prized heirlooms.  The Shah was most partial to the representative tribesmen of his guard, and his happy characteristics as a King of nomadic taste and camp-like ways, in familiar acquaintance with all about him, were well shown at a military review which I witnessed at Tehran some years ago.  The review was a special one, held in honour of the Swedish officers deputed by King Oscar II. of Norway and Sweden to convey the high order of the Seraphin to his Majesty the Shah, and as many troops as possible were called in from the surrounding districts to take part in it.  The royal guard mustered strong, and when they marched past, the Shah stepped forward to the saluting line, so as to be closer to them, and called out to each troop, and named each commander in terms of praise and pleasure.  This display of personal knowledge of the men, and acquaintance with their leaders, drew from them a perfect buzz of delight.

On this occasion the smart appearance of the Bakhtiari horse attracted particular attention.  The Persian bystanders showed their pride in these popular mounted mountaineers by the admiring exclamation, ’Here come the Bakhtiaris!’ They were very noticeable by their white felt, round, brimless hats, and the good line they preserved when passing.  The Bakhtiaris (Lurs) are the most numerous and powerful of all the military tribes, and are noted for their superior martial qualities both as horse and foot.  They are of the most ancient Persian descent, and have held the hills and valleys of Luristan from time immemorial; while all the other military tribes may be said to be of much later date, and of foreign origin—­Arab, Syrian, Turk, and Tartar.  Competent authorities, who have had full opportunity of judging, agree in saying that they are as good material for soldiers as can be found anywhere.  I was greatly interested in hearing the Shah’s Prime Minister speak in glowing terms of the gallantry of the Bakhtiari infantry at the capture of Kandahar under Nadir Shah, who, after subduing them in their own mountains, won them