Seeing, about half-way, that he was bleeding at the mouth, I called Gerome's attention to the fact, and found that his horse was in the same plight--as, indeed, was every animal we passed on the road between Koom and Pasingan.

This is on account of the water at and between the two places, which is full of small leeches, invisible except through a microscope.

Horses, mules, and cattle suffer much in consequence, for nothing can be done to remedy the evil.
A pleasant gallop of under an hour brought us to Pasingan.

It was hardly possible to realize, riding through the warm evening air, for all the world like a June evening in England, that but two days before we had well-nigh been frozen to death.

Had I known what was in store for us beyond Kashan, I might have marvelled even more at this sudden and welcome change of climate.
The guest-chamber at Pasingan was already taken by a Persian khan, a rude, blustering fellow, who refused us even a corner; so we had, perforce, to make the best of it downstairs among the rats and vermin.
Devoured by the latter, and unable to sleep, we rose at the first streak of dawn, saddled two of the khan's horses, and rode away to Sin-Sin before any one was astir.