Even this vessel is only permitted to navigate in and about the waters of the Mourdab ("dead water"), a large lake, a kind of encroachment of the sea, eighteen to twenty miles broad, which separates Enzelli from Peri-Bazar, the landing-place for Resht, four miles distant.

The imperial yacht did once get as far as Astara (presumably by mistake), but was immediately escorted back to Enzelli by a Russian cruiser.
There is, however, a so-called Persian fleet--the steamship _Persepolis_, anchored off Bushire, in the Persian Gulf, and the _Susa_, which lies off Mohammerah.

The former is about six hundred tons, and carries four Krupp guns; but the latter is little better than a steam-launch.

Both have been at anchor for about four years, and are practically unseaworthy and useless.
We embarked at nine o'clock, in a boat pulled by eight men.

The crossing of the Mourdab is at times impossible, owing to the heavy sea; but this time luck was with us, and midday saw us at Peri-Bazar, where there is no difficulty in procuring riding-horses to take one into Resht.