Around the World on a Bicycle by Fred A. Birchmore

Author:Fred A. Birchmore
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Published: 2020-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 32

The Peacock Throne

AMONG OTHER INTERESTING PERSONALITIES I MET WHILE IN Teheran was Dr. Jordan, a Pennsylvanian, then President of the American College in Persia. This tall, lanky, cowboy-hatted gentleman had the outward appearance of a ranch owner of the Old West, while his “human” and unassuming characteristics betrayed qualities strikingly similar to those of the late Will Rogers.

Dr. Jordan was the only “safe” American in Persia. Having educated most of the high government officials, he was their intimate and influential friend. Little did I dream that this influence could be so powerfully exercised as to secure for me an invitation to visit the king’s royal palace of Gulistan, and inspect its gardens, treasure rooms, and even the world-renowned Peacock Throne, which was brought up from India to Teheran by Nadir Shah in 1739.

I had just finished reading a book describing the experiences of one of the few foreigners ever to view this thirty-million-dollar throne. The author told of the many weeks of unavailing effort to obtain a glimpse of this almost priceless treasure. At that time, the Shah was visiting in Paris. The author was about to journey back to that great French metropolis in one last attempt to prevail upon the Shah, when the Prime Minister of Persia finally consented to let him take a peek into the Throne Room for the supreme thrill of his lifetime.

Naturally, I could scarcely believe my own ears when Dr. Paine, the mediator of foreigners and Persian government officials, told me that he and Dr. Jordan had secured the coveted invitation; and that on the following morning I was to be the guest of the Prime Minister, and accompany him on an inspection tour of Gulistan Palace.

With a whole day of waiting still ahead, Dr. Jordan accompanied me to places of interest about the city. We visited everything from his own school to the strange ice plant where ice freezes naturally within the thick, shaded, mud walls in the high, dry atmosphere of the plateau. On the streets outside the same walls poor natives nearly die of sunstroke.

I was chagrined at having to come to Persia to see the most modern type of college building. The wonderfully constructed American College in Teheran is a living memorial to Dr. Jordan. The building of this magnificent edifice revolutionized Persian architecture, inspiring it to blossom forth anew in the many beautiful, cathedral-like buildings which I saw rising in all parts of this great city, whereas it had hitherto been on the downward grade. The mosaic tiles of most of the old structures are of such poor design and construction that they are anathema to Persian art.

A riot of richly colored, tile designs adorned the outer walls of this castle-like college, while the classrooms inside were equipped with up-to-date conveniences, useful as well as ornamental. Even the seating arrangement, instead of being in parallel rows, was slightly compact beside the windows and extended in divergent V-shaped rows across the room so that light obstructed by one desk would not cast a shadow upon the next.

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