Under the present organization, the Persian army consists of 77 battalions of infantry, of an average strength of 800 men ; 79 regiments of cavalry, consisting of eight troops of 50 sabres ; a strong regiment of engineers, and 200 guns. The various grades are—Amir-i-toman, or general of division; Amir-i-pung, or general of brigade ; Surtip, or colonel. The regimental ranks are represented by Sarhang, or lieutenant-colonel ; Yawar, or major ; Sultan, or captain ; Naib-i awwal, or first lieutenant ; Naib-i-doyum, or second lieutenant. A sergeant is called Vakeel, a corporal a Dahbashi, and a private Sarbaz. The bone and sinew of the Persian army is derived from the Turk tribes of Azerbijan, from the Kurds of the mountainous districts of Persian Kurdistan, and from the Lur, Bakhtiyar, and Iliyat tribes who inhabit the mountain chains extending southward and eastward from the great range of Zagros. The standing army of Persia is, with the exception of the Shah's body-guard, made up of regiments nominally raised in the above districts ; the chiefs and khans of the various tribes are nominated to commissions in the regiments furnished by these clans. The men are brave. but need leading. In 1861, 20,000 Persian troops and 82 cannon surrendered, almost without fighting, to 5000 Mery Tekke horsemen, armed only with spears and match locks. That terrible disaster to Persian arms destroyed the Shah's prestige on the Turkoman border. Its population, composed of townspeople 1 millions, nomades and villagers 2i millions, is under 5 millions ; and Teheran and Tabreez have each 120,000, Meshed 70,000, Isfahan 60,000, and Shiraz 40.000. The most powerful of the nomades, the II-Kliani of Kaskai, has 25,000 or 30,000 black tents ; Kelhor of Kermanshah have 11,000 ; Zengeneli, 10,000 ; the Slieqhagi of Azerbijan, 15,000 tents and houses ; and besides these are about 100 minor tribes.
The Persians are all of fair complexion. The Arab, the Persian, the Afghan, and Sikh, when speaking of the people of India, call them black men ; ' even in India, the descendants of the Arab, Persian, Moghul, and Afghan conquerors use the same designation,—' Kala Admi,' literally black man, being ever in their mouths ; and Hindus themselves, in their various tongues, likewise so distinguish themselves from all the fair foreign races.
Persia is a thoroughly aristocratic country, where high birth and polished manners are much considered. In this point it differs much from Turkey. Owing to his politeness towards strangers, and an apparently hospitable disposi tion, the first meeting with a Persian usually makes a favourable impression. He is quick sighted, sociable, witty, and affable, buoyant in spirits, well acquainted with the forms of polite ness, and to a certain extent inquisitive in matters of science and art. The offering from an inferior is called Peshkash. A gift or recompense from a prince or superior is called Inam, or Khelat, also Bakhshish, a Persian word much used in this sense by the Turks. Amon.. themselves, with their equals, the Persians of thehigher classes who are settled in towns are affable and polite, to their superiors servile and obsequious, and towards their inferiors haughty and domineering.
Marriages are of two kinds, one the Aqdi, with a girl of the bridegroom's own rank, the other the Seegha, with a woman of humbler birth. A practice prevails of marrying under a contract for a period. Many of the women read
and write, especially the Kajar women. Persians consider the number thirteen so unlucky, that in general they will not even name it. When they have occasion to allude to this number, instead of mentioning Sezdeh (thirteen), they say Ziyad (much more), or Hech (nothing). Tho Persians shave the crown and hind part of the head, leaving a tuft on the top, and hair on either side, which seine keep closely clipped above the ears, and others wear in long masses of ringlets.
The usual riding costume of a Persian gentle man consists of a black lambskin cap, pinched into a conical shape. An open shawl surcoat, lined with fur, reaches about half-way down the thigh ; the sleeves are cut off a little below the elbow. These surcoats seldom cost less than £25, often much more. Under this a light gown is worn, reaching nearly to the ankle, open on the sides for about a foot from the bottom, and with slits left open under the arms and inside the elbows. A shawl is tied round the waist, and supports a long dagger with a handle of ivory or bone, sometimes ornamented with jewels. In cities, the sureoat is usually laid aside, and in winter a cloak of cloth is substituted. On horseback, a pair of roomy Hessian boots, of black or red leather, are drawn over the voluminous shalnar or Cossack trousers.
The natives of Persia do not recline on cushions in the luxurious manner of the Turks, but sit in an erect posture on a thick felt, called a namad. They have seldom or ever fires in their apart ments, even in the coldest season ; and in order to be warm, wrap themselves in a fur pelisse, or a barouni, which is a handsome robe of crimson cloth, lined with shawls or velvet. Like other oriental nations, they rise with the sun.
The dress of Persian women consists of a pair of immensely wide trousers, like a couple of petticoats tacked together, made of silk or cotton, and fastening round the middle by a running string ; a very short chemise of gauze, reaching only to the waist ; a kurtni or jacket reaching to the hips, having open sleeves, which may be buttoned close if required ; an arackchin or small skull-cap upon the head, and sometimes a charkud or handkerchief thrown over the head and descending on the shoulders and back. In full dress a Muhammadan lady wears the Peshwaz or Persian robe, in which dancing women usually perform. It has long tight sleeves, a tight body crossed in front, and a very voluminous muslin skirt, the most fashionable amplitude being about forty, or even sixty yards in circumference. This garment is often trimmed in a costly manner with gold or silver lace, and is only worn as a bridal dress or at domestic festivals. The Persian ladies regard the bath as the place of their greatest amusement. They make appointments to meet there; often pass seven or eight hours togeter in the carpeted saloon, telling stories, relating anecdotes, sharing their kaliouns, and completing their beautiful forms into all the fancied perfections of the east,—dyeing their hair and eyebrows, and curiously staining their fair bodies with a variety of fantastic devices, not unfrequently with the figures of trees, birds, and beasts, sun, moon, and stars. This sort of pencil-work spreads over the bosom, and continues down as low as the navel, round which some radiated figure is generally painted.