^lUl^i^f 
 
 ITL. 
 
 L I E) RAR.Y 
 
 OF THE 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 Of ILLINOIS 
 
 623 
 Sa94W 
 
 .1
 
 KARAH KAPLAiN; 
 
 THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 
 
 VOL. L
 
 t o N- D O V : 
 
 PRINT:iD BY -(CHILZE AND CO. lo, POLAND STREET.
 
 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 OR, 
 
 THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 
 
 A TALE OF PERSIA AND KOORDISTAN. 
 
 BY 
 
 THE HON. CHARLES STUART SAVILE. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 VOL. L 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. 
 
 1842.
 
 
 ^ DEDICATION. 
 
 ^ 
 
 TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE THE VISCOUNT 
 POLLINGTON, M.P. 
 
 My Dear Pollington, 
 
 The first time I ever visited Persia^ 
 
 was in your company. In remembrance of 
 
 our journey through that interesting country, 
 
 I dedicate to you this tale of Persia and Koor- 
 
 or3 distan, and with the most sincere regard re- 
 
 < main, 
 
 W Your affectionate brother, 
 
 Charles Stuart Savile. 
 
 cr 
 
 i 
 
 • — London, February, 1842. 
 
 I
 
 Digitized by the Internet Archive 
 
 in 2010 with funding from 
 
 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign 
 
 http://www.archive.org/details/karahkaplanorkoo01savi
 
 PREFACE 
 
 One of the first observations likely to be. 
 made by any one who takes up this work, on 
 perusing the title page, will be, what is the 
 meaning of Karah Kaplan ? In anticipation of 
 this question, I have written a few lines con- 
 cerning the name I have given to my story. 
 It consists of two Turkish words, Karah, 
 black, and Kaplan, a tiger, and is pronounced 
 by laying the accent strongly on the first and 
 last syllables, for instance Karah Kaplan. It 
 is the surname of a Koordish Chief, who plays 
 a most conspicuous part in the narrative. 
 
 This tale is founded on fact, and some cele- 
 brated and well known characters make their
 
 Vlll PREFACE. 
 
 appearance in its pages^ among whom may be 
 noticed the late Shah Fath Ali. 
 
 It was originally my intention to have 
 wTitten a very short story, of a few pages, (the 
 circumstances giving rise to it appearing in the 
 second volume. Chapter XIII., the leading 
 events of which really took place not long 
 before the death of the late King ;) but the 
 work grew so upon my hands, that at length 
 it wove itself into its present shape. 
 
 As no one. can dislike reading long prefaces 
 more than myself, I shall do as I would be 
 done by, and bring these few necessary remarks 
 to a conclusion. Hoping that Karah Kaplan 
 will meet with indulgent readers ; I leave it to 
 its fate ; if it should meet with approbation, 
 the public will perhaps again hear from their 
 sincere well-wisher, 
 
 THE AUTHOR.
 
 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 KOORDISH CHIEF. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 < And now went forth the morn 
 
 Such as in highest heaven, arrayed in gold 
 Empyreal ; from before her vanished night 
 Shot through with orient beams ; 
 
 PARADISE LOST, BOOK vi. 
 
 The morn had broken with all the delicious 
 freshness peculiar to a Persian spring, upon the 
 bazars(l) of Hamadan,(2) which presented the 
 bustUng and crowded appearance usual in an 
 oriental town at that hour. Many and vari- 
 ous were the sounds audible throughout this 
 division of the city : in one part rever- 
 berated the heavy strokes from the hammers 
 of the armourers as they fell with loud 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 2 KARAH KAPLAX ; 
 
 clang upon the anvils ; from another rose the 
 buzzing noise proceeding from the looms of 
 the weavers and the bows of the cottonpickers, 
 while at the same time the overpowering din 
 was increased by the jingling of the bells at- 
 tached to the necks of the camels and mules 
 that were threading the bazars in long strings, 
 and the shrill cries of the muleteers, uttered 
 both as warnings to the crowd, and a spur to 
 the animals to quicken their speed. 
 
 The atmosphere also of the bazars was 
 strongly impregnated with the fumes issuing 
 from the ovens of the shops belonging to the 
 cooks of the city; these booths were surrounded 
 by anxious multitudes, whose countenances 
 betrayed how much the sight of the dehcious 
 baked bread, the forced meat balls, and the 
 hot cabobs(3) had acted on the appetites of the 
 owners, and how eagerly they were waiting 
 for the time to arrive for their turn to be 
 served. A short way on might be seen the 
 cofFee-shops, where many were engaged in
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 6 
 
 smoking and sipping the juice of the pounded (4) 
 berry, before entering on the business of the 
 day. Bubbhng kaliauns(3) were in the hands 
 of these latter persons, some of whom, their 
 means being sufficient to afford the expense, 
 were inhaUng therefrom the delicious (6) Tomba- 
 koo of Shiraz, while others, whose purses were 
 lighter or dispositions more economical, were 
 contenting themselves with the inferior sort of 
 tobacco grown on the plains, which surrounded 
 the city of Hamadan. 
 
 Through the midst of this motley crowd and 
 clamour, a young Eliaut(7) was proceeding as 
 rapidly as the nature of the place would' allow. 
 He had arrived on the previous day in the city, 
 and had passed the night within its walls, 
 and was now, his business being concluded, 
 on the point of returning to the camp of his 
 tribe. There was something most interesting 
 in the appearance of this young man : his coun- 
 tenance possessed such a frank and open ex- 
 
 B 2
 
 4 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 pression as to prepossess all who met him in 
 his favour. His personal advantages also were 
 by no means despicable ; his figure which was 
 slight and supple was above the middle height, 
 and appeared well formed for deeds of activity 
 and strength ; his age might have been about 
 twenty, although probably less, as his face 
 was somewhat embrowned by constant expo- 
 sure to the powerful rays of an oriental sun. 
 By the quality of his garments, it was evident 
 that he belonged to the lower orders, still 
 although the texture demonstrated the poverty 
 and low rank of the wearer, the habiliments 
 themselves were put on with a certain care, 
 that showed the Eliaut was not unconscious 
 of his personal attractions. His eyes were large 
 and bright, his features regular, while his up- 
 per lip was short and curled, being fringed with 
 a very slight moustache, and so small as hardly 
 worthy to be called by such a name. When 
 he smiled, which was often, his parted hps dis-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 5 
 
 played teeth beautifully even, and of the whitest 
 hue ; his chin was round and perfectly free from 
 all appearance of a beard, being smooth as that 
 of a maiden. 
 
 After much bustling and some exertion, 
 Feridoon, for such was the name of the youth, 
 had succeeded in making his way to a part of 
 the bazar, where the crowd somewhat dimi- 
 nished, when his attention was suddenly 
 aroused by a shrill cry of, " Clear the way, 
 clear the way, faces to the wall." On looking 
 towards the spot whence the sounds proceeded, 
 he perceived a large party of Ferashes,(8) with 
 long poles in their hands, driving the mob 
 before them. On observing the approach of 
 these persons and hearing the orders pro- 
 claimed by them, the Eliaut became aware of 
 the proximity of women of rank ;(9) and accord- 
 ingly having retreated behind a buttress which 
 projected from a neighbouring shop, ^awaited 
 the passing of the party, which came on at a
 
 6 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 slow and solemn pace. In front walked six 
 ferashes bearing long white wands in their 
 hands, with which they cleared the path, indis- 
 criminately striking all persons whose want 
 of activity had not permitted them to retreat in 
 sufficient time, to evade the shower of blows. 
 Behind these men and mounted on an Arab 
 horse, the bridle of which was held by a black 
 slave, rode a lady closely veiled, who was evi- 
 dently the chief personage of the cavalcade. 
 Following her at a respectful distance, came 
 several women, their horses led by black 
 eunuchs. Some mounted servants brought up 
 the rear, whose splendid steeds and gaudy 
 dresses evinced that they belonged to the 
 household of some wealthy Khan of high 
 rank. 
 
 As the procession passed by the spot where 
 Feridoon was standing, the veil of the foremost 
 lady was accidentally blown aside by a sudden 
 gust of wind, and displayed a most lovely face
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. ^ 
 
 to the eyes of the youth, who neglectmg to 
 obey in every respect the injunctions of the fe- 
 rashes^had remained gazing upon the harem. ( 1 0) 
 The countenance thus beheld was one of those 
 often described in the high flown poetry of 
 oriental writers, but rarely met with in the 
 reahty of hfe, it was surpassing not only in 
 beaut)', but in angelic expression. 
 
 The view obtained by the Eliaut of the love- 
 ly features, was but transient, for the hateful 
 veil being quickly replaced, hid them from his 
 gaze ; but a single glance had sufl&ced to reveal 
 their perfection, and Feridoon stood entranced, 
 forgetful of all around, his eyes fixed upon the 
 retreating form, when a sudden and violent 
 blow on his head, awakened him from his 
 reverie, and on turning round, he beheld a 
 ferash, \\*ith an uplifted stick, in the attitude of 
 one who had just inflicted a blow, he was about 
 to repeat. 
 
 " Dog with a burnt father,''(l 1) cried the man.
 
 8 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 in a furious voice, " what dirt are you eating, 
 how comes it, that you dare to look up when 
 women are passing ; hasten, you less than man, 
 to turn your defiled face to the wall, or you 
 shall devour(l2) more stick than you can digest 
 in a fortnight/' 
 
 Having thus spoken, the ferash struck the 
 Eliaut youth over the face and shoulders with 
 his long poplar wand, and proceeded on his 
 route. 
 
 " Lachnet ba sare shooma, curses on your 
 head,*' muttered Feridoon, as his tyrant walked 
 off ; "would we could meet alone on the maidan, 
 with a Cummar(13) each for our weapon, and 
 a cloak for our shield, and then Mashallah,(14) 
 you would discover, that I am not to be 
 beaten by a defiled ass, without retaliating ten- 
 fold. By Ali, I would not leave you with a piece 
 of skin hanging to your unclean body." 
 
 The irritation of the moment at length 
 passed away, and the Eliaut having recovered
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 9 
 
 the wonted serenity of his temper, his thoughts 
 reverted to the beautiful vision which had 
 crossed his path. 
 
 " Mashallah/^ he exclaimed, half aloud, 
 " whoever gazed upon such perfection before ? 
 By my father's soul, none less than a princess 
 could possess such charms ; alas ! that I should 
 have been unfortunate enough to behold 
 them." 
 
 Thus musing he turned to the owner of the 
 nearest shop, and inquired in an apparently 
 careless tone of voice of whom the party, that 
 had just gone by, consisted. 
 
 The armourer, for such was the trade of the 
 man addressed, looked up at this question, 
 and surveying Feridoon \\dth an air of con- 
 tempt, answered derisively : 
 
 " Whose dog are you, not to recognise the 
 servants of Mehtee Khan,(15) the Begler Beg of 
 Kamadan ; but I perceive now I look upon 
 your dress, that you are an Eliaut. Your ques- 
 
 B 3
 
 10 KARAH KAPLAN 5 
 
 tion, therefore, appears no longer strange, for 
 how should a dweller in tents know about 
 cities ?" 
 
 " Yonder then is the Begler Beg's ande- 
 roon/^ returned Feridoon, keeping up an ap- 
 pearance of unconcern, and without seeming 
 to notice the contemptuous manner of the 
 armourer. '^ By the head of Ali, his star was 
 in the ascendant, when he got possession of 
 such a lovely wife.'^ 
 
 " Padersookhteh,'^ said the other indignant- 
 ly, '• put a bridle on your tongue ; the world is 
 come to a pretty pass when asses are suffered 
 to talk in such an irreverent manner concern- 
 ing women belonging to the harems of such a 
 man as Mehtee Khan. Know, driveller, the 
 foremost lady of those who just rode by, is the 
 Khanum Zoraya, the maiden daughter of the 
 Begler Beg.'' 
 
 " Then,'' rephed the Eliaut, " allow me to 
 observe, with due reverence, that few, whether
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 11 
 
 viife or \"irgin, can stand in comparison with 
 her ; by Allah, they would appear as the moon 
 eclipsed before the mid-day sun/' 
 
 " With respect to that matter," answered 
 the armourer, ^^ report speaketh highly of her 
 beauty; still I marvel at your thinking so 
 favourably of her charms, as the glimpse you 
 appeared to catch of them, was the cause of 
 your eating a tolerable quantity of stick. 
 Mashallah, yonder ferash must have made a 
 good astronomer of you.'^ 
 
 " How so,'' rephed Feridoon, surprised at 
 the remark. 
 
 " Why V continued the other, " by making 
 you behold in one moment, more stars than 
 have been discovered by the wisest philoso- 
 phers since the world began. But cheer up, 
 young man, you are not the first Mussulman 
 who hath entangled himself in a scrape on 
 account of a woman's face.'' 
 
 With these words the armourer resumed
 
 12 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 his occupation, and Feridoon was left to his 
 own reflections. 
 
 " So then/' thought the young man as he 
 turned his steps slowly from the spot, " yonder 
 angel is not the wife, but the daughter of the 
 Begler Beg ; still how can it avail me in the 
 slightest degree, whether she be wife or maiden; 
 who am 1, that I should dare even to think 
 of one so exalted ; still all efforts to drive that 
 lovely countenance from my imagination, must 
 prove abortive ; but I am a Persian, let that be 
 my excuse. Could the coldest hearted son of 
 Iran (17) behold such beauty unveiled, and not be 
 entirely consumed by the fire, which darts like 
 forked Hghtning from those eyes r^^ 
 
 With his thoughts running on in this strain, 
 Feridoon quitted the city, and directing his 
 steps towards the encampment of his tribe, 
 arrived about sunset at his father's tent. 
 
 This old man was a member of a tribe of 
 Eliauts(l8) who were wont to pitch their tents.
 
 on, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 13 
 
 about the commencement of every spring, at 
 the foot of that mountainous range, which 
 bounds the northern extremity of the plain of 
 Hamadan. 
 
 The lot of Ismael, for by that name he was 
 known, was to all appearance most miserable, 
 his whole portion being poverty and wretched- 
 ness, while his tent which he owed to charity, 
 was one of the meanest in the country ; and 
 notwithstanding his age^ he was com.pelled in 
 order to support himself, to add to his scanty 
 stock by a pittance received from one of the 
 principal Eliauts in return for his taking charge 
 of his flocks ; in short, at the time this story 
 commences, the father of Feridoon was merely 
 a hireling shepherd. 
 
 Still, although poverty stricken, although 
 humble and mean to destitution, it was ru- 
 moured that his lot had not always been cast 
 in so low a sphere of life ; more than one of 
 the veteran wanderers retained some indistinct
 
 14 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 remembrance of one bearing a strong resem- 
 blance to Ismael, having in former days been 
 a favourite at court and possessor of great 
 wealth ; but by degrees such reports dying 
 au'ay, were gradually forgotten, and few^ while 
 gazing on the bent form and miserable appear- 
 ance of the aged shepherd, would have ima- 
 arined that he had ever been an actor in a 
 totally different scene of life. There were 
 times, however, when an acute observer might 
 have perceived his eye brighten and his form 
 dilate, when deeds of prowess or of chivalry 
 were mentioned in his presence, but these 
 changes were like a chance sunbeam in a 
 cloudy sky, and in the succeeding moment 
 Ismael was, to all appearance, once more the 
 lowly Eliaut shepherd. 
 
 All that was known with certainty concern- 
 ing this old man, was, that many years before, 
 he had suddenly appeared among the Eliauts 
 and had taken refuge under the nobleman, who
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 15 
 
 was at that time their chief, by whom he had 
 been much befriended, and that some time 
 afterwards he had espoused the daughter of a 
 Khan of the tribe. Since, however, the death 
 of his patron, the chief, and the sudden dis- 
 grace and execution of his father-in-law, 
 which sad event had taken place shortly after 
 his marriage, Ismael had been totally ruined, 
 and had sunk into his present obscurity. 
 
 His misfortunes preyed deeply on his mind, 
 and were the cause of his shunning in a great 
 degree the society of his fellow creatures ; 
 indeed, on account of his reserved and retired 
 habits, the younger members of the tribe were 
 wont to accuse him of misanthropy ; but they 
 were in error, for the disposition of Ismael was 
 by nature, far too gentle to harbour hatred 
 against any one, and although his spirit was 
 broken, still his temper was by no means 
 soured by the bad fortune that had embittered 
 his life.
 
 lf> KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 In one circumstance, however, histakdeer(19) 
 had not been utterly adverse, for he was the 
 possessor of a son, the oiFspring of the Ehaut 
 wife whom he had espoused from the tribe. 
 Ismael had not married again since her decease, 
 w^hich occurred in giving birth to Feridoon, her 
 first and only child. 
 
 The bereaved husband had reared the boy 
 with the utmost care, and from his own re- 
 sources of knowledge which were great, had 
 privately bestowed upon him an education much 
 superior to what usually falls to the lot of a 
 Persian, even of the highest rank, and well was 
 the fondness of the parent repaid by the affec- 
 tion of the son. Young Feridoon had passed 
 his nineteenth year, and was acknowledged by 
 all to whom he was known, as one of the 
 handsomest youths among the black tents. Of 
 a disposition ardent and affectionate, of a tem- 
 per courageous and enterprising, a more de- 
 voted.ohild never existed ; he seemed to live for
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 17 
 
 the sole purpose of being of service to his 
 parent. Had a sheep from Ismael's flock 
 strayed from its fellows, young Feridoon, swift 
 as an antelope and surefooted as a goorkhur,(20) 
 would traverse the rockiest and most dange- 
 rous cotallsj(21) tracking the animal with the 
 sagacity of a hound, heedless of every difficul- 
 ty and insensible of all feeling of fatigue, and 
 if fortune smiled upon his efforts, the words, 
 " Allah bless thee my child," and the con- 
 sciousness of having preserved his father from 
 the displeasure of his employer, entirely repaid 
 him for all the hardships he had undergone. 
 When at times the spirits of his parent were 
 more than usually depressed, no stor^'-teUer 
 or meerza could have more skillfully raised 
 them by the recital or reading of cheering 
 selections from the works of the oriental 
 poets or the soothing precepts of the Koran ; 
 indeed, such were the talents and goodly dis- 
 position of the youth, that had Ismael been
 
 1» KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 deprived of him, the old Eliaut, notwithstand- 
 ing his powers of endurance, could scarcely 
 have dragged on his otherwise miserable exis- 
 tence ; but as fate had ordained it, although 
 struck with the iron hand of misery, and often 
 looked upon with the eye of contumely, he con- 
 soled himself with the reflection, that although 
 in other matters to him unpropitious. Provi- 
 dence had bestowed upon him a dutiful and 
 affectionate child, the possession of whom was 
 more valuable in the estimation of his father 
 than all the wealth and luxuries belonging to 
 the noblest Khans of the land.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 And here, before thy throne, I swear 
 From my heart's inmost core to tear 
 Love, hope, remembrance, though they be 
 Linked with each quivering Ufe-string there. 
 And give it bleeding all to thee. 
 
 LALLA ROOKH. 
 
 When Feridoon entered his father's tent, 
 on his return from Hamadan, he found the old 
 man awaiting his arrival with a gayer expres- 
 sion of countenance than was usual to him, 
 and which was owing to Ismael's having found 
 favour in the sight of his chief, and receiving, 
 in consequence as an enam,(l) some dishes 
 from the Khan's kitchen, consisting of 
 a pilloulle(2) and various cabobs, the sight of 
 which being considered as a good omen, had 
 diffused a happy appearance over the shep-
 
 20 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 herd's face^ who hailed the gift as a sign of the 
 approach of an unusual visit from Fortune. 
 
 ^* Alhamdellilahj'^ he exclaimed as the youth 
 entered, '^ you are welcome my son, your place 
 has been empty. Behold what Abbas Khan has 
 sent us ; may his shadow never be less ! Come, 
 wash your hands and Bismillah !(3) let us sit 
 down and commence. Barakillah/^ he conti- 
 nued, " this pilloulle is excellent, the cook of 
 whose handiwork it is a specimen, must indeed 
 be a master of his craft ; he is well worthy of 
 ser^-ing his Majesty the Shah.'^ 
 
 While giving utterance to these expressions, 
 Ismael was thrusting his fingers deep into the 
 dish of rice, when directing an accidental 
 glance towards his son, he perceived that Feri- 
 doon, instead of partaking of the repast, was 
 sitting in a melancholy attitude with his eyes 
 fixed upon the ground. 
 
 " Che cheezast, what is it, my child ?" he 
 inquired, astonished at the unusual behaviour 
 of the youth.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 21 
 
 ^^ Keh medanum, what do I know ?^' an- 
 swered his son ; '^ it is nothing, only a dil- 
 dard/'(4) 
 
 " Nay V returned Ismael, '^ that cannot be 
 all; some misfortune has crossed your path, 
 or you would never remain idle, after your 
 tedious walk, while such a repast as the pre- 
 sent was before you. Come, my Feridoon, 
 delay not ; tell me w^hat has damped your 
 spirits.'^ 
 
 " Alas, my father,'^ repUed Feridoon, " if I 
 do inform you of all, you will laugh at me." 
 
 " Do you not know your parent better?^* 
 said the old man, somewhat reproachfully ; " as 
 you love me, relate all, for although I may not 
 be able to aiFord you aid, perhaps my advice 
 may be useful." 
 
 Feridoon thus pressed, proceeded to give his 
 father a description of the raorning^s scene in 
 Hamadan, vdnding up his recital with a vehe- 
 ment declaration of his love for the Begler 
 Beg's daughter.
 
 22 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 For an instant, a flush of pride lightened up 
 the countenance of the aged EHaut, and his 
 thoughts reverted to bygone days; but the 
 feehng was transient, and his features resumed 
 their wonted humihty of cast, as he observed 
 dejectedly, 
 
 " Alas my son, this is indeed a misfortune. 
 Unhappy was the gust that revealed those 
 features to your sight ; I was young once, and 
 know the effect of beauty on a Mussulman's 
 breast ; still, my child, strive to bury in oblivion 
 what you have seen, if you would fain avoid 
 heaping ashes on our heads.'' 
 
 " How can I forget," answered the youth ; 
 " tear my heart from my breast, beat my brains 
 out, and perhaps I may succeed in following 
 your advice, till then — 
 
 " Talk not thus wildly," rephed Ismael, 
 " reflect but an instant, and imagine how dread- 
 ful might be the consequences of the report 
 reaching the Begler Beg's ears, that the son of a 
 poor Ehaut shepherd (for alas who am I now ?)
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 23 
 
 has dared to lift up the eyes of affection to his 
 daughter ; were such the case, what endless dirt 
 might we not be forced to swallow." 
 
 ^^ You are right, my father,'' rephed Feridoon 
 with determination ; ^' it is ridiculous in a 
 peasant humble as myself, even to think on one 
 of such exalted rank; I will follow your injunc- 
 tions, I will strive if possible to master my 
 feelings, and notwithstanding they may eat 
 deep into my heart's core, still I will perse- 
 vere, and try to obliterate the lovely vision 
 from my mind.'' 
 
 " Inshallah !" cried the old man, " Inshal- 
 lah ! may you have strength of mind sufficient 
 to keep to the determination ; let the stick of 
 which you have already tasted, have the effect 
 of driving from your memory the cause of your 
 love. But come taste of this pilloulle, behold 
 the rice is white as the snows of Demawend,(5) 
 and the dish itself is a foretaste of the feasting 
 in Paradise."
 
 24 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 Feridoon obeyed, and the provisions soon 
 disappeared between the united efforts of father 
 and son. 
 
 '^ Well done/' said Ismael, as he washed his 
 hands at the conclusion of the repast, " a good 
 dinner is an admirable solacer of grief ; you will 
 rise ^with to-morrow^s dawn, forgetful of all 
 khanums, save the houris of Paradise.'^ 
 
 Feridoon shook his head doubtingly, but 
 answered not to the observation of his 
 father. 
 
 '^ Yes my son,*^ continued the shepherd, 
 " I speak the truth, on my eyes be it if sleep 
 restore you not to your usual spirits. To your 
 couch therefore, Feridoon, rest in peace, and 
 God be with you." 
 
 With this benediction he rose, and having, 
 like a good Mussulman said his prayers, for 
 Ismael was a strict observer of the ordinances 
 of his religion, he wrapped himself in his 
 sheepskin and throwing himself on a num-
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 25 
 
 mud6 in the corner of his tent soon gave 
 audible tokens of sound sleep. 
 
 Feridoon likewise sought his couch, but 
 in vain, sleep was long absent from his pillow ; 
 the more he sought to compose himself to 
 rest, the further he was from succeeding ; 
 notwithstanding all his endeavours, the un- 
 veiled face of the morning would rush to his 
 recollection and disturb his wished-for repose. 
 
 At length, when overcome with fatigue, the 
 enamoured youth sunk into slumber ; confused 
 visions, having reference to his waking thoughts, 
 came over his excited brain. At one time he 
 fancied himself on the plain driving his 
 father's sheep before him, when an enormous 
 pack of w'olves attacked and carried off the 
 flower of his flock, and while he was attempt- 
 ing to rush to the rescue, the figure of the 
 Hamadan maiden appeared, and having drawn 
 him from the pursuit, vanished at the moment 
 he was clasping her in his embrace. Another 
 
 '-*■ VOL. I. C
 
 26 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 while, he was in the bazars of Hamadan, when 
 the cavalcade again passed him and he beheld 
 once more the face of the lady unveiled, and as 
 the beauteous vision was disappearing from his 
 gaze, he imagined she beckoned to and called 
 him by name. He was flying towards her 
 when he feit himself held back; at length, 
 after various flighty visions, tending to the 
 same issue, his dreams assumed such an ap- 
 pearance of reality that shrieking aloud he 
 awoke, and beheld his father standing over 
 him, with the utmost anxiety depicted upon 
 his features. 
 
 " What is the matter, my child,^^ inquired 
 old Ismael hastily. " I was awakened just 
 now by your cries, and on coming to your 
 bedside perceived you writhing in your sleep 
 as if in tortures, while the sweat drops were 
 running down your face.'^ 
 
 " O, my father,^' replied the youth, " 1 have 
 been visited by such dreams, which must
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 2/ 
 
 portend some coming fate ; when morning 
 dawns it were well to seek old Baba, the for- 
 tune-teller, and question him concerning them/' 
 
 " Bew-are of such folly/' replied Ismael 
 anxiously. " By the head of Ali take heed 
 of informing any one, save myself, of this 
 ill-fated occurrence ; should old Baba discover 
 your love for the Begler Beg's daughter, the 
 foozool would scarcely rest until all his friends 
 were made acquainted with the circumstance, 
 and then, may their ancestors be defiled, you 
 would inevitably become the laughing stock 
 of the tribe." 
 
 " Afakerillah V said Feridoon, '^ O cursed 
 Takdeer, why keep ahve in my brain the re- 
 membrance of the object I would fain forget/' 
 
 " Besides which,'' continued the shepherd, 
 " that would not be the worst consequence of 
 your imprudence : the tale might reach the 
 Begler Beg and then ruin — total ruin would 
 hang over our heads. Alas ! Feridoon, were I 
 
 c 2
 
 28 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 to lose thee, the last tie which binds me to 
 this wretched world would be torn asunder. 
 Let me entreat you to take the advice of 
 one whose beard is white with age, and follow 
 not your own rash ideas ; you, on whose lip 
 the down has scarcely appeared ; throw all 
 into oblivion, excepting that your father is 
 now no more than a common shepherd.'' 
 Having thus spoken the good old man re- 
 turned to his nummud while Feridoon, having 
 pondered over his parent's words, with a firm 
 determination to profit by the advice therein 
 contained, once more sought the repose which 
 had been disturbed by his feverish dreams. 
 
 During the whole of the following day, a 
 great change was observable to all in the 
 behaviour of Feridoon. His joyous songs did 
 not, as usual, echo along the mountains, nor 
 did he bandy the joke as was his wonted 
 manner, with his companions ; his whole de- 
 portment was altered, and in his sad and pining 
 countenance, the once animated and joyous
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 29 
 
 features of the youth could scarcely be recog- 
 nised. 
 
 " What ails you, Feridoon ?" observed a 
 shepherd, surprised at the want of hilarity 
 evinced by the young Eliaut ; " has your path 
 been crossed by a Jin (7) ?" 
 
 " Is your brain out of order,^' cried another ; 
 ^^ or have you forgotten to wind up your spi- 
 rits, that you thus stalk about like an infidel 
 in Jehanum(8) ? Wallah, Billah, one w^ould 
 suppose you were about to be tied up to the 
 felek, with that rueful face of yours." 
 
 Feridoon answered at random to these ques- 
 tions, and made several attempts to rally his 
 spirits, but in vain. As soon as the shades of 
 evening approached, he sought the quiet of his 
 father^s tent, where throwing himself on the 
 ground, he remained in moody silence. 
 
 For more than a week this line of conduct 
 continued, and Feridoon, on whose cheek the 
 rose had been imbued with its most glowing
 
 30 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 colours, whose eyes had been brighter than 
 those of the favourite falcon of the chief, 
 whose form had been erect as a poplar, and 
 whose activity had been the envy of all ; alas, 
 Feridoon became pale and emaciated. The 
 sports of the young men, the wrestling 
 matches, and hunting excursions no longer 
 drew forth his prowess ; the manly game of 
 the jereed(9), or the feats of horsemanship and 
 arms for which he had once been famous, no 
 longer called forth his energies ; on the con- 
 trary, his stooping carriage and saddened gait, 
 plainly evinced that some concealed chagrin 
 preyed upon his mind. 
 
 His father beheld, with aching heart, the 
 alteration in his son's appearance, and know- 
 ing too well the cause, determined at all hazards 
 to alleviate if possible his distress. 
 
 After many inquiries the old man discovered 
 that the early youth of Mehtee Khan, the 
 Begler Beg of Hamadan, had been passed in a
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 31 
 
 much lower sphere than his present high si- 
 tuation seemed to warrant ; in short, that the 
 origin of the khan was most humble, his father 
 having been a simple Rayat(JO), but owing to 
 circumstances not generally known, the son 
 had risen from grade to grade to his present 
 high office. 
 
 Ismael was much encouraged on ascertain- 
 ing the truth of the above circumstance, and 
 in the fullness of his heart thus reasoned with 
 himself : ^' Barakillah ! O the fortunate news ; 
 the case, after all, is not so bad ; surely Mehtee 
 Khan can see no harm in allying himself with 
 my son, if he were but aware, who, and w^hat I 
 once w^as ; he is wealthy himself, and there- 
 fore my present poverty ought not to prove 
 an insurmountable barrier to the consummation 
 of my son's happiness. Five and twenty 
 years ago, when I arrived penniless and op- 
 pressed by fate at the Eliaut encampment, did 
 not Koolee Khan, (may true justice light on
 
 32 
 
 his perjured murderers) give rae his daughter 
 in marriage ; and besides, where is the Per- 
 sian who is equal to Feridoon, in beauty 
 of person and endowments of mind ? By my 
 father's grave, what harm can there be in my 
 making a representation to the khan, that it 
 will be difficult to find a better match for his 
 daughter than my Feridoon ; surely I may let 
 him know what I once was, without danger. 
 Inshallah ! to-morrow's sun shall not set be- 
 fore I have made my salaam at the Begler 
 Beg^s palace ; and may Fortune guide my foot- 
 steps !'' 
 
 Such were the airy castles fought by his 
 ambitious hopes, raised in the imagination of 
 the old man, whose own kindly disposition led 
 him to form an idea of mankind from his own 
 ]ieart, being little aware of the facility with 
 which those who have risen from low to high 
 rank succeed in burying in oblivion the re- 
 membrance of their former condition.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 33 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Away, away, strike other chords ; 
 
 We y/ill not dwell on themes Uke these. 
 
 The mountains that gird the plain on 
 which the city of Hamadan is situated, were 
 already coloured with the lovely rose-tinge of 
 a Persian dawn, when Ismael, arrayed in his 
 best apparel, saUied forth staff in hand from 
 the encampment, and without informing his son 
 of his intentions, further than that in all probabi- 
 lity his absence would not extend beyond the 
 second day, he directed his course towards 
 Hamadan, which was about four fursuks(l) 
 distant. 
 
 c 3
 
 34 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 On arriving at his journey's end he pro- 
 ceeded to the nearest Hummuin5(2) and having 
 gone through the usual routine of an Oriental 
 bath,(3) and his beard and nails being newly 
 dyed, he proceeded towards the palace of the 
 Begler Beg. 
 
 That formidable functionary was seated 
 cross-legged at the ^dndow of his Dewaukha- 
 nah, which overlooked the court-yard^ and 
 was giving audience to various complainants^ 
 and adjudging their causes. 
 
 He had just decided on a case of theft, and 
 had condemned an unhappy criminal to lose 
 his ears ; which sentence was in the act of 
 being carried into execution when Ismael came 
 forward. 
 
 Although the moment seemed by no means 
 favorable for the preferring of his suit, still 
 Ismael, having mustered courage, walked up 
 within speaking distance of the Khan, whose 
 features were gathered together in an ominous
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 35 
 
 frown, and having made a profound inclination 
 of the body, stood in a respectful attitude, 
 with his arms crossed over his breast. 
 
 ^^ Who are you, what do you want r" pre- 
 sently demanded the Begler Beg, on turning 
 his eyes upon the form of the old man. 
 
 '' Your slave," answered Ismael humbly, 
 " begs to represent that he is an Ehaut, come 
 to lay a request at your footstool." 
 
 " Ayb na daurad, there is no harm in that,'^ 
 returned the Khan -, " speak out, what is your 
 complaint ?'' 
 
 " I am your sacrifice," rephed the Ehaut. 
 " May your shadow never be less ; it is no com- 
 plaint, but a representation which your slave 
 requests permission to offer at the threshold of 
 your power.^' 
 
 " Well then," said the Begler Beg, '' do not 
 hesitate ; let us hear at once what you desire to 
 say."^ 
 
 " Your slave is somewhat fearful of speaking
 
 KARAH KAPLAN 
 
 his mind/^ replied Ismael, " lest he offend in 
 your gracious sight/' 
 
 ^' We sit here for the purpose of adminis- 
 tering justice/^ answered the Begler Beg, " and 
 do not take offence, provided the applicant at 
 our footstool utter sense ; speak out, therefore, 
 old man, and fear not/' 
 
 " The condescension of your excellency is 
 great, may it ever be on the increase,'^ re- 
 turned the Eliaut. " O Khan ! be not of- 
 fended at your slave's inquiring whether or 
 not it be true, that, although you at present fill 
 a high situation, you were once in a lower 
 sphere of life, from which your talents have 
 helped to raise you." 
 
 " What does he say ?'' cried the Begler 
 Beg in amazement. 
 
 " Your less than the least," continued Is- 
 mael, " speaks the truth, so please your 
 mightiness ; were you not in former days, 
 nearly as poor as I appear to be, and have you
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. ^J 
 
 not risen from that state by means of your 
 great wisdom V 
 
 " Whose base-born dog are you ? what ass 
 was your father }'* roared out the Khan fu- 
 riously. " I told you to utter sense, not to 
 rave; here, seize him, strike him on the 
 mouth with your slippers/' 
 
 The attendant ferashes needed not a second 
 injunction, but instantly rushed on the old 
 man, who having received several severe 
 blows, cried out in a piteous tone : 
 
 '^ Aman!(4) O Begler Beg, aman, hear me, 
 I beseech you/' 
 
 " Well then, merdike/'(5) said the Begler, 
 making a sign to the ferashes to desist, 
 " speak out like a man, not like a Dewaneh,(6) 
 on your eyes be it, if you bring lies to our 
 presence, proceed : I will listen." 
 
 Ismael had gone too far to recede, so not- 
 withstanding he perceived that matters were 
 not going on as well as he could desire, he
 
 38 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 boldly plunged at once into the middle of 
 his subject, and informed the Khan, that al- 
 though he now appeared before him as an 
 humble Ehaut shepherd, that it was misfor- 
 tune only and the will of Allah, that had re- 
 duced him to his present condition, requesting 
 a private audience to prove the truth of his 
 words. He then related the circumstances of 
 his son's late visit to Hamadan, at the time 
 he had beheld the unveiled face of the lady 
 Zoraya, entreating the Khan to give the ear 
 of attention to his statement, and to allow the 
 young Feridoon to be brought into his pre- 
 sence. 
 
 Ismael would have proceeded further, but 
 he was interrupted by the Begler Beg, who 
 had at first been rendered speechless, by as- 
 tonishment, at the shepherd^s audacity, for 
 he did not give the slightest credit to what 
 the old man had asserted concerning his for- 
 mer rank, but believed him to be either a
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 39 
 
 foozool or a madman. On recovering, how- 
 ever, the use of his tongue, the khan made 
 amends for his silence by bawling out to his 
 ferashes, in a voice scarcely articulate from 
 rage : 
 
 " Here, you dog's sons ! asses ! idiots ! 
 where were your brains when you suffered this 
 son of a grilling father to laugh at my beard ; 
 why the very sight of his unsainted carcase is 
 pollution. Here ! drive the harumzadeh(7) from 
 my presence ; woe betide him, if he venture 
 hither again with such dirt in his mouth." 
 
 These orders were implicitly obeyed, and 
 old Ismael having been ejected from the court 
 in a most violent and unceremonious manner, 
 found himself in the street, his body much 
 bruised, and his clothes torn in the scuffle. 
 
 " Wahi,(8) wahi,'' cried the unfortunate man 
 as he limped away, " what ashes have fallen 
 on my head, that I should be used thus. May
 
 40 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 the Begler Beg's hearth be defiled^ the Pader- 
 sookhteh ! may his liver dry up ! Why should 
 he have treated me with such violence, what harm 
 have I done, why should not a father recite the 
 praises of his son, and such a son too, as Feri- 
 doon ? Surely the Khan might have heard me to 
 the end of my representation, before turning me 
 from his door and treating me like an infidel, 
 as I am a true believer he has eaten uncleanli- 
 ness ; but stay, perhaps it is I that am in 
 error, perhaps I chose an unfortunate hour to 
 cross his threshold. Inshallah ! it was so ; 
 barakillah ! it was so ; on my eyes be it, if I 
 attempt not once more to soften his heart ; 
 to-morrow I will prefer my suit anew. Why 
 should I despair, am I not a father, and father 
 too of such a son ! Afakerillah let despair be 
 far away from me. 
 
 Muttering thus to himself Ismael proceeded 
 to the bazar, and having purchased some bread
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 41 
 
 and cabobs betook himself to a caravan serai (9) 
 where he made a hearty meal, for his bad 
 reception at the Begler Beg^s Dewaukhaneh, 
 had by no means destroyed his appetite. 
 
 His frugal repast being finished, and the sun 
 having set, the old man said his prayers, sought 
 out a snug corner in an empty stable and 
 wrapping himself within the folds of his bala- 
 poosh(lO) was soon sound asleep.
 
 42 KARAH KAPLAN ', 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Though never yet hath daybeam burned 
 Upon a brow more fierce than that — 
 Sullenly fierce — a mixture dire, . 
 Like the thunder-clouds, of gloom and fire ! 
 In which the Peri's eye could read 
 Dark tales of many a ruthless deed. 
 
 PARADISE AND THE PERI. 
 
 The Eliaut had been for some time in a 
 state of repose, when he was suddenly aroused 
 by a noise near at hand, and on opening 
 his eyes perceived two men seated severed 
 paces distant, on a nummud, smoking their 
 chibouques. (1) A lamp, which was burning 
 before them casting a dark shadow over the 
 corner in which Ismael lay, was the cause 
 of his being unperceived by the new comers.
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 43 
 
 who appeared in earnest conversation with 
 each other. Although they did not raise 
 their voices much above a whisper^ Ismael, 
 by lying perfectly still and listening attentively, 
 managed to overhear the words of their dis- 
 course, which had evidently only just com- 
 menced when he aw^oke. 
 
 ^- Well, Moorad Begj^X^) said one of the 
 speakers, a middle aged weather beaten man, 
 with a thick, short grisly beard, and whose 
 dress and manner proclaimed him at once to 
 be a Chervador,(3) " how works our scheme ?" 
 
 " Inshallah," answered his companion, "most 
 successfully, although it is such a dangerous 
 enterprise ; for should we fail and be taken 
 in the attempt, woe betide us, we shall find 
 our shadows less by a head ; for look you, 
 friend Hussein, Mehtee Khan would by no 
 means be inclined to forgive such an offence, 
 as the abduction of his daughter ; we must 
 therefore be cautious, lest these cowbeards
 
 44 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 have any suspicion of our intention ; though 
 I must own that they have evinced a mar- 
 vellous want of sagacity, hitherto. By the 
 head of the Shah, there is scarcely a miscal(4) 
 of sense in a dozen maunds of Hamadanee 
 heads ; how I long to laugh their beards to 
 scorn." 
 
 " But/' observed Hussein, " though there 
 may be a scarcity of brain among them, 
 still they have eyes and ears, and w^ear swords, 
 and what is more, know well how to use 
 the latter. I must confess I half repent of 
 having agreed to join your expedition.^' 
 
 " Nay Hussein, surely you are not going 
 to acknowledge yourself an ass,^' returned the 
 man, vrho was accosted by the name of 
 Moorad Beg ; " by Ali, it were better at once 
 to put on the garments of a woman, if your 
 heart is so craven ; remember, as the service 
 is dangerous, so is the reward great in pro- 
 portion. The Karah Kaplan is rich, and provided
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 45 
 
 you serve him faithfully, your mules will 
 scarcely be able to walk under the heavy 
 weight of gold which will be awarded you." 
 
 The last .speaker was a much younger man 
 than his companion, and although dressed in 
 the same style and in garments of still coarser 
 manufacture than those worn by the mule- 
 teer Hussein, still there was a superiority 
 in his air, and a polish in his manner, that 
 would have created a suspicion in the mind 
 of any one who had closely observed him, 
 that he had moved in a higher station than 
 the one he then appeared to occupy. 
 
 His language also was a much more refined 
 sort than that usually spoken by a common 
 muleteer, besides which, a Koordish accent 
 at times betrayed itself in his speech ; still it 
 was so slight that it might have been occasioned 
 by a lengthened residence in countries in- 
 habited by Koords. 
 
 His face was \mcommonly handsome, but
 
 46 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 its beauty was somewhat marred by a stern, 
 almost ferocious expression that pervaded it ; 
 there could indeed have been little hesitation 
 in asserting that there was no deed, however 
 ruthless or cruel, no scheme however dange- 
 rous, or difficult of performance, that for the 
 gratification of revenge, the owner of such a 
 countenance was not ready to execute : still 
 that countenance was eminently handsome, and 
 possessed a dignity which evidently nothing 
 could have humbled. His height was gigantic, 
 while his limbs were cast in a mould where 
 elegance was united with Herculean strength. 
 His beard was cut close to his chin, but on 
 his upper lip he wore his moustachios very 
 long, and curled with great care. His eyes 
 w^ere dark and keen as an eagle's, so bright 
 indeed that they appeared to read the very 
 thoughts of those whom he addressed. 
 
 On this person's mentioning the name of 
 Mehtee Khan, and coupling it with the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 4? 
 
 intended abduction of his daughter an ex- 
 clamation of surprise rose to the lips of Ismael, 
 and it was with much difficulty that he re- 
 frained from giving utterance to a sound ; 
 summoning, however, his utmost attention, 
 he awaited the remainder of the conversation 
 in breathless suspense. 
 
 ^' You say true,'^ replied Hussein in answer 
 to the last remark of his companion, " the 
 Karah Kaplan is rich, and differs in one 
 respect, most materially from the Khans of 
 my country, for he spends his money freely 
 in rewarding those who serve him well ; had 
 I not already had reason to know as much, 
 you would scarcely have persuaded me to 
 risk my life in this hazardous scheme ; but as 
 you with truth observe, the Khan is no niggard 
 of his purse." 
 
 " Mashallah, Hussein,^' observed Moorad, 
 " keep that uppermost in your mind ; forget 
 the danger, and remember only the gold
 
 48 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 tomans(5) which have and will be poured into 
 your mule-bags ; think only of the gold and 
 the path of peril will become a maidan(6) of 
 velvet; and now^ friend Hussein^ in order 
 that we may not grow dull in each others 
 society, behold I have brought a flask of the 
 best wine produced by the vineyards of 
 Shiraz/^ 
 
 " What ! wine ! Moorad Beg,'^ exclaimed 
 the Chervador. ^^ T thought you too strict 
 a Musulman to 
 
 " Bash !" replied the other; " do you deem 
 me such an idiot as to slight the gifts of Allah ; 
 do you suppose that our prophet, when he 
 forbade the juice of the grape to true believers 
 ever dreamed of such delicious wine as this, 
 which I procured some two months since, 
 when we plundered a caravan on the road 
 between Shiraz and Ispahan ? Why the very 
 mule on which lay the skins which contained 
 his delicious liquor, was the property of.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 49 
 
 and was bound to the Muhstehed(7) of Teheran, 
 and was said to contain some of the salt water 
 from Bender Busheer, so famous for curing 
 fevers.'^ 
 
 *• Nay surely you are calumniating the 
 Mushtehed," said Hussein ; " he is a man of 
 great reputed sanctity/' 
 
 ^^ As I am a true Koord/' rephed Moorad, 
 " I speak the truth. I know the old hypocrite 
 well ; methinks the seizure of the caravan 
 proved a fortunate occurrence for him, for had 
 the waters ever reached their destination, 
 he would have drunk himself into a high 
 fever .^' 
 
 Moorad then proceeded to pour out some 
 of the wine from a leathern bottle into a cup 
 of the same material, which he emptied at a 
 draught. 
 
 " Barakillah," cried the Chervador, " yon 
 juice of the grape smells well. I care not if 
 I have a draught. Mashallah !'^ he continued 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 after having followed the example set by his 
 companion, " you are right, our blessed 
 prophet forbade not liquor such as this ; 
 it raises the courage too. With a flask of it 
 T^vithin me, I could face even a Jin on the 
 mountains, much less would I fear the Prince's 
 ferashes ; what are they ? Bash ! As you love 
 me, Moorad Beg, give me a large flask full, 
 when we are on the point of starting on our 
 expedition, and may I be burned if I enact 
 not the part of a Rustum/'(8) 
 
 " But beware, Hussein,"' returned his com- 
 panion, " of the strength of this wine ; take 
 heed, lest, instead of fortifying yourself with 
 courage, you stupify that head of yours, which 
 sooth to say, was never very intellectual; 
 should you unfit yourself for service on the 
 coming occasion, it is most probable that 
 some inches of steel may bring you to your 
 recollection." 
 
 " Nay, Moorad Beg ;" observed Hussein,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 51 
 
 draining a second cup, " rest assured you shall 
 never have occasion to use your cummar on 
 the person of your most devoted slave. As I 
 am a true Sheah,(9) the very flash of your 
 eyes, when you are excited, would alone be 
 sufficient to keep sober the most confirmed 
 drunkard.'^ 
 
 '^ In that case,^' repUed the Koord, " I 
 care not if I bestow a small flask on you, 
 for the day of our enterprise ; but take heed 
 that you keep my caution in mind." 
 
 " Bachesm !" replied Hussein, '^ on my 
 eyes be it, if I forget your injunctions 5 but, 
 Moorad Beg, since we have at different times 
 talked over portions of our scheme, without 
 detailing it in one connected Hnk, methinks, 
 it would not be amiss, were you to recount 
 the whole story from beginning to end, while 
 we finish this wine, as I confess I am some- 
 what confused concerning what is to be done 5 
 
 D 2 
 
 7 or iLU ue:
 
 52 KARAH KAPLAN ; ^ 
 
 SO commence at once, as if I knew nothing, 
 and had all to learn .'^ 
 
 " Padersookhteh P' answered Moorad knit- 
 ting his brow at the request of the Chervador ; 
 " do you mean to assert, that, after all I have 
 told you, after the money you have already 
 touched, you do not understand your business ? 
 By our blessed prophet, may your father's 
 grave be defiled, should you enact the part of 
 ignorance when you are called upon to act ! 
 I swear, as I hope to possess the future joys 
 of a true believer, that, in such a case you 
 shall be torn limb from limb, and die in such 
 slow torments that the Jehanum of the In- 
 fidels shall be happiness to it." 
 
 *' Aman !" ejaculated the Chervador panic 
 struck. ^^ Aman ! Moorad Beg, your slave 
 merely begged to observe, that it would be 
 none the worse were you sufficiently con- 
 descending to relate your plans at length.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 53 
 
 in order to prevent any confusion from arising. 
 I swear, by the sacred clay, that I will be faith- 
 ful, and impress every word of thine, as deep 
 on my mind, as if I carved them on the solid 
 rock. Do not, therefore, knit your brow and 
 look so fierce, else notwithstanding your 
 Shiraz wine and golden promises, you may 
 cause my heart to leap out of my mouth, 
 and so lose the services of your most humble 
 slave. '^ 
 
 " Well then, Hussein,^' said the Koord, 
 " listen with the ears of a man not of an ass, 
 and I will begin /^ 
 
 " I am all attention,^^ returned the other, 
 lighting a fresh pipe. 
 
 " You are aware,^' said Moorad commencing 
 his recital, ^^ that Allah Verdee Khan, sur- 
 named Karah Kaplan, is chief of one of those 
 Koordish tribes which profess the sheah re- 
 ligion, and pitch their tents on the south wes- 
 tern frontiers of Persia. By the shield of Ali,
 
 54 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 the world holds not such another Rustum as 
 the gallant Karah Kaplan ; give him but a 
 stout horse and a good sword, and open space 
 sufficient to use them, and single handed he 
 would defy a whole regiment of the Shah's 
 Serbaz(lO); Iran holds not one comparable to 
 him in beauty ; his brawny shoulders and taper 
 waist would shame a Yusuflf(ll) and the fire of 
 his eye would eclipse that of a hawk from the 
 Germaseer.(l2) Mashallah ! he can look fierce 
 at times ; even I have almost shuddered at 
 beholding him under the influence of a violent 
 fit of passion." 
 
 " "What, Moorad Beg, you afraid P' said 
 Hussein, " is it possible ?" 
 
 " Fool V retorted the Koord angrily, '^ I 
 talked not of being afraid ; I merely meant to 
 observe that times have occurred when I felt 
 not quite at mine ease in his presence ; but as 
 for fear, actual fear, such a feeling has ne- 
 ver entered the breast of Moorad the lieu-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 55 
 
 tenant and foster-brother of Allah Verdee 
 Khan." 
 
 " Pardon me/^ returned the Chervador, " I 
 meant not to accuse you of such a faihng ; but 
 speak not so loud, lest we be overheard." 
 
 " With all these advantages of person,'^ 
 continued Moorad lowering his voice, " the 
 Khan is a very Locman in wisdom^ and besides 
 possesses wealth enough to buy the father of all 
 the Russians, so that the supposition would be, 
 that the greatest noble of Iran would be happy 
 to have him for a son-in-law. But to the point : 
 my chief not long since chanced to behold the 
 Khanum Zoraya, daughter to Mehtee Khan ; as 
 she was returning to Hamadan from an adja- 
 cent garden, and he was so taken with her 
 beauty that he determined at once to demand 
 her in marriage of her father.^' 
 
 " Why truly. Sahib \" said Hussein, " report 
 saith that a finer specimen of woman-kind 
 exists not ; the man whose anderoon shall be
 
 56 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 brightened by her presence, may boast of 
 possessing the most valuable jewel of Iran." 
 
 " But, alas, Hussein," said Moorad ; " that 
 jewel is kept close in its casket. By Ali, when 
 my master offered to receive the Khanum into 
 his anderoon, the Begler Beg actually gave a 
 contemptuous refusal ; he did so, by the head 
 of the Shah." 
 
 " He must be a dewaneh," cried Hussein. 
 
 " A dewaneh !" returned the Koord ; " why 
 an ass possesses more sense ; Mehtee Khan 
 actually returned for answer, to the application 
 of the Karah Kaplan, that he would never 
 give his daughter to a robber on the high- 
 way." 
 
 " What !" ejaculated the muleteer, " does 
 the Begler Beg forget the time when he drove 
 sheep on the mountains. In those he would 
 have been too happy to have made an addition 
 to his income, by easing the subjects of his 
 majesty, the Shah, of their spare cash and
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 57 
 
 baggage, even on the high-roads, had he dared 
 to risk his life." 
 
 " Alas ! it is too true," said Moorad, " Ka- 
 rah Kaplan, the lion-hearted, the bravest of 
 the Koordish chiefs was actually told to eat 
 dirt by a Hamadanee cow. By Mahomed I 
 Mehtee Khan little suspects that he is about 
 to be forced to swallow filth sufficient to choke 
 a Muscovite.'^ 
 
 " As I hope to drink more of this excellent 
 wine,^^ observed Hussein draining his third 
 cup, " his father's grave is defiled." 
 
 " Well, now comes the pith of the story," 
 continued the Koord : " my chieftain perceiving 
 that fair words would avail nothing, must 
 needs see how violence will aid his cause, for 
 his highness is not a man to be baulked in 
 love." 
 
 " And therefore," said Hussein, " has en- 
 gaged me in assisting him to transplant the 
 
 D 3
 
 58 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 loveliest rose of Hamadan to the black tent 
 which comprises his anderoon/^ 
 
 " Aye/'' rephed Moorad, " as much as the 
 armourer who fashions the sword assists the 
 warrior to slay his enemies. The Khan has 
 certainly whitened your face in hiring you, but 
 another would answer his purpose as well." 
 
 " I beg leave to doubt that/' observed the 
 muleteer, evidently nettled at the cheap rate 
 at which his services were held. 
 
 " Go and be grilled, '^ said the Koord, 
 *^ who cares for your doubts ? Only keep in 
 mind that you are not hired for nothing, and 
 then doubt as much as you please. But to 
 continue, Allah Verdee Khan being bent on 
 possessing the Khanum, after digging deep into 
 the mines of his invention, bethought him of 
 a scheme which, well worked out, must ensure 
 success.'* 
 
 " Inshallah !" said Hussein, on whose brain 
 the wine was beginning to take effect.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 59 
 
 " The spring having commenced," conti- 
 nued Moorad, " His Majesty the Shah has, 
 according to annual custom, summoned all the 
 governors of the towns and districts to meet 
 him at the encampment near Sultaneah(13.) In 
 obedience to this command Mehtee Khan is 
 obhged to depart thither next week, attended 
 by the greater part of his retinue, and as he will 
 remain some time near the presence, he takes 
 his harem with him. Now mark the point : 
 the Khan proceeds a day or two in advance, 
 and the anderoon, with the heavy baggage, 
 follow at slow marches accompanied by a mo- 
 derately sized guard. The first night the lady 
 Zoraya rests at a village half a day^s journey 
 distant from Hamadan and but a few fursuks 
 from the mountain called the Falcon!s Nest. 
 Now the Karah Kaplan, in order to avail him- 
 self of this opportunity of getting possession of 
 the lady, has sent me thither in the disguise of 
 a Chervador, with orders to hire myself to
 
 GO KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 Mehtee Khan's chief-ferash, and also to ma- 
 nage that the head-muleteer be in our pay. 
 On my arrival at this town, I met with you, 
 and thinking you were a likely man for my 
 purpose, I have given you money in order 
 to bribe the chief-ferash to hire your mules 
 and make you head-muleteer, and I, for my 
 part, have procured for myself the high ho- 
 nour of serving under you." 
 
 " And Mashallah !" said the muleteer, '^ when 
 I see you brushing and cleaning the mules, I 
 could have almost sworn that you had been 
 accustomed to the business from your child- 
 hood. I must confess you perform your part 
 well/' 
 
 '' Why,'' said his companion, " they do not 
 seem to suspect me hitherto, and Inshallah ! 
 never will, until it is too late, for all is so 
 arranged that nothing remains but to await 
 with patience the departure of these people. 
 On Saturday next the Khanum remains the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 61 
 
 night at a small ^dllage ; the next morning 
 before dawn you must go round while the 
 attendants are asleep and throw out the prim- 
 ings from their guns and pistols. After which, 
 during the day's march as we turn the corner 
 of the road by the Falcon's Nest, about three 
 fursuks from your resting place, I will ma- 
 nage, unperceived, to lame the lady's horse : 
 during the confusion caused by this occur- 
 rence, you must loosen the baggage of some 
 of your mules, and call out for assistance ; 
 part of the retinue will turn back, and while 
 they are assisting you to reload the animals, 
 I will mount my horse and galopping at full 
 speed to the front will shoot the attendant, 
 who has hold of the lady's rein, with a pistol, 
 which will be concealed during the march un- 
 der my cloak, and then dashing up to the 
 khanum herself, will seize and drag her from 
 her horse and gallop oflf as fast as possible, 
 while a small bodv of Allah Verdee Khan's
 
 62 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 gholams(l4) who will be waiting in the disguise 
 of Persians near the spot, will at this signal 
 attack the party in the confusion, put them to 
 route and plunder the baggage." 
 
 " Bravo !" exclaimed Hussein, " and how 
 will you act then ?" 
 
 " I will proceed at full speed,^' returned 
 Aga Moorad, "with my burden across the hills, 
 to a spot called the Maiden's Spring, where His 
 Highness the Karah Kaplan will be in readi- 
 ness with a hundred horsemen, and once hav- 
 ing arrived there, I would defy the world in 
 arms to regain the girl. Bah ! would we not 
 laugh at their beards?" 
 
 " An excellent plan !'^ observed Hussein, 
 " but it has a defect ; you must be aware that 
 the Maiden's Spring is full three fursuks of 
 mountainous road from the Falcon's Nest, and 
 I question whether that yaboo(15) of yours, 
 which seems but a sorry beast, could carry 
 you and your burden even at a footspace, the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 63 
 
 whole of the distance, were the road— instead 
 of being composed of mountainous and rocky 
 passes — a maidan smooth as ice/^ 
 
 ^^ You were never more mistaken in your 
 Ufe," said the Koord smihng at this dispa- 
 ragement of his steed. " A better and a 
 stouter horse than Murwari(16) exists not. He 
 would carry the weight of two full sized men, 
 at the top of his speed, from Haraadan to the 
 gates of Teheran. Have you not wit enough 
 to perceive that it is so contrived, in order to 
 avoid suspicion, that Murw^ari seems to have 
 that half starved and lank appearance. It 
 would scarcely be fitting for a common mule- 
 teer to possess a horse, which outward 
 look would proclaim a Nejdee(17) origin. 
 
 " You are as clever in stratagem as an Is- 
 pahanee,^^ observed the Chervador in admira- 
 tion of his companion's astuteness. 
 
 " Be it so," replied the Koord ; " but mind, 
 Hussein, " you follow these injunctions to the
 
 64 KARAH KAPLAN, 
 
 letter, else you will repent that you ever saw 
 the light. Your situation of chief muleteer 
 gives you access to the fire-arms of the retinue, 
 and in the rendering those weapons useless, 
 depends much of the success of the expedition, 
 as but a small band of Koords can be in wait- 
 ing at the Falcon's Nest, otherwise suspicion 
 would be excited, and as several Tofinks(19,) 
 will no doubt be aimed at my person, as I 
 gallop off with my prize, it would be desirable 
 that the contents should not be discharged/^ 
 
 " But what am I to do in the mean while," 
 observed Hussein, '' in order that I may re- 
 main scatheless during the chappow ?"(20) 
 
 ^^ You must wear a yellow handkerchief 
 round your cap, '' answered Moorad, " and it 
 being known who you are by that mark, you 
 will remain unharmed, and when the affray is 
 over, you must accompany the Koords, whither 
 you will meet with the remainder of our 
 party, and then you will receive your reward ;
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 65 
 
 but hist ! did you not hear a noise By Allah, 
 something stirs in yonder corner/^ 
 
 This was too true, for Ismael, intent on lis- 
 tening to the conversation, had placed his 
 mouth close to the ground and had unfortu- 
 nately breathed in some particles of loose 
 chaff, which were Ipng scattered about, and 
 which getting into his throat had caused him, 
 notwithstanding the most violent efforts to re- 
 strain himself to give vent to a loud cough. 
 
 Moorad started to his feet, and seizing the 
 lamp, proceeded to the spot where Ismael was 
 lying. The light throwing its full blaze upon 
 the figure of the old man, he became distinctly 
 visible to the Koord and his companion,*^ 
 the former cast a withering glance on the 
 cowering form before him, drew his dagger 
 from its sheath, and grinding his teeth in des- 
 peration, exclaimed : 
 
 " Haste, Hussein, guard the entrance; by Ali, 
 we are betrayed."'
 
 66 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Beauty is their own. 
 The feeling heart, simplicit)'^ of life 
 And elegance, and taste : the faultless form 
 Shaped b}^ the hand of harmony ; the cheek 
 Where the live crimson, through the native white. 
 Soft shooting o'er the face diflFuses bloom 
 And every nameless grace ; the parted lip 
 Like the red-rose bud moist with morning dew. 
 Breathing delight ; and, under flowing jet. 
 Or sunny ringlets, or of circling brown. 
 
 The neck slight- shaded, , 
 
 Thomson's seasons. 
 
 The house in which Mehtee Khan, the 
 Begler Beg of Hamadan resided, was situated 
 in the centre of an extensive garden about 
 three hundred yards distant from the Tehran 
 gate. After the usual manner of mansions 
 belonging to Persians of rank, it was separated 
 into two divisions, namely the beroon, (outer)
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 67 
 
 or men^s apartments^ and the anderoon (inner) 
 or women's apartments. The entrance to the 
 former was through a court thirty yards square, 
 paved with flat stones, in the centre of which 
 was a large tank of water, from whence played 
 a fountain twenty feet in height. The win- 
 dows of the dewaukhaneh(l) or public room, 
 where the owner of the house was accustomed 
 to transact the business of the day, looked 
 upon this court and took up one whole side of 
 the room they lighted, and being always open 
 in the day-time, except during the cold 
 weather, applicants for ju^stice were wont to 
 stand below, while the magistrate sat at the 
 window and decided their causes. At the 
 further end of this court was the door of the 
 house leading into a cafsh(2) khaneh, on the 
 right side of which was the entrance into 
 the dewaukhaneh, while to the left were the 
 other apartments and offices of the beroon. 
 At the further end of the cafsh khaneh, was a 
 door opening into a passage leading to the
 
 68 KARAN KAPLAN; 
 
 women^s apartments and which was the only 
 internal communication between the beroon and 
 anderoon. 
 
 The former of these was furnished in a sim- 
 ple manner; splendour and luxury being re- 
 served for the harem, the outer entrance to 
 which was through a court similar to the one 
 above mentioned, but much larger and but par- 
 tially paved, the remainder being laid out in 
 grass plats, containing rose trees and shrubs of 
 various kinds, and two marble tanks from 
 which played divers fountains forming fantas- 
 tic jets ; this court opened into the garden, 
 which was divided into two partitions by a 
 high mud wall, one portion being reserved for 
 the women, the other for the men, forming the 
 household. The garden belonging to the 
 harem was one of the most delicious spots in 
 the kingdom, every species of fruit tree, every 
 genus of flower pecuhar to the country, abound- 
 ed therein, and the season of the year being 
 that of the Noroz, innumerable bulbuls(3) en-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 69 
 
 livened the scene with their harmonious notes, 
 while the rose trees being covered with flowers, 
 both in bloom and bud, the most fragrant per- 
 fume pervaded the air. 
 
 The interior of the harem was of the most 
 splendid description, and the principal cham- 
 ber might have been cited as a model of Persian 
 luxury, occupying a whole side of the square 
 and furnished in the most costly manner. 
 Turkish ottomans were arranged around, whose 
 coverings were of the richest silks ; European 
 mirrors were suspended against the walls, and 
 the floor was spread with Khorasan(4) carpets 
 and Hamadan nummuds. The ornamental 
 pQrtion of the chamber was composed chiefly 
 of the gilded carving, in the working of which 
 the natives of Persia excel. The frames which 
 contained the windows were trellised in a most 
 curious fashion, each opening in the work 
 being filled with stained glass. At present, 
 however, the shutters were lifted up, in order
 
 70 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 that the inmates of the harem might enjoy the 
 balmy air pecuUar to the season of the year. 
 
 Before we proceed further in the description 
 of this palace and its grounds, we will give a 
 short account of its owner the Begler Beg. 
 Mehtee Khan was a native of a village in the 
 neighbourhood of Shiraz and the son of a 
 Rayat, to whose humble occupation, that of 
 tending sheep, he was brought up, and in which 
 station he might have continued the whole of 
 his life, had it not chanced that the Khan of 
 the district, while returning one day from a 
 hunting excursion passed by the spot where 
 the boy was standing, and struck by his ex- 
 treme beauty, inquired his name and origin, 
 and being informed thereupon, immediately 
 offered to take him into his service. The propo- 
 sal was eagerly accepted by both the son and 
 his parents, and Mehtee exchanged the hum- 
 ble garments of a shepherd for the more cost- 
 ly apparel of a pipe-bearer, in which capacity
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 7l 
 
 he was engaged. From this epoch his good 
 fortune had never deserted him, and he rose by 
 the favour of his master from step to step, 
 until he became nazir(5) of the household. In 
 this situation, he remained until the death of 
 the Khan, who bequeathed him in his will a 
 large sum of money, which Mehtee was fortu- 
 nate enough to secure. His parents being at 
 this time both dead, and having no ties of re- 
 lationship to bind him to the province of 
 Fars5(6) he determined to seek his fortune in 
 the capital, and accordingly proceeded to the 
 court of the Shah, where, by the aid of his 
 money, he procured a high situation among 
 the Gholams ; success continued to attend his 
 exertions, and in the course of several years he 
 was raised to the rank of Khan, and appointed 
 Begler Beg of a town of minor importance. 
 
 He had previously married a most lovely 
 Circassian girl, who had gained entire posses-
 
 72 
 
 sion of his aiFections^ for during her lifetime, 
 she never had a rival in the anderoon. 
 
 By this wife, Mehtee Khan had two chil- 
 dren, a son and a daughter, the former of 
 whom was accidentally killed by a fall from a 
 horse at the early age of thirteen. His mother, 
 who was devotedly attached to him, never 
 recovered the effects of this loss, but died 
 shortly after, leaving Zoraya, (the twin sister 
 of the boy) to the sole care of her remaining 
 parent. Shortly after this melancholy event, 
 Mehtee Khan was elevated to his present post 
 at Hamadan, and being by this time possessor 
 of enormous wealth, had purchased the garden 
 described above, and had erected a magnificent 
 palace upon the ground. Within the last year 
 the Begler Beg had married again, but although 
 his wife resided under the same roof with 
 Zoraya, the latter remained perfect mistress of 
 the establishment ; indeed, so idohzed was she
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. /3 
 
 by her father, that it was presumed, and with 
 truth, that a word spoken by the daughter, 
 expressing such a desire, would have been the 
 signal of her stepmother's instant dismissal. 
 
 In consequence, Zorayawas treated with the 
 utmost respect by all belonging to the house- 
 hold of the Begler Beg, and to her praise be it 
 observed, that such respect was by no means 
 extorted by fear, but originated in a genuine 
 feeling of affection, as she was truly beloved by- 
 all who were in her service. 
 
 In the chief apartment of the magnificent 
 anderoon belonging to the palace of her father, 
 and gracefully reclining on the cushions of an 
 ottoman, sat Zoraya, the daughter of Mehtee 
 Khan, Begler Beg of Hamadan. Her veil and 
 chauder(7) being laid aside, her beauty appear- 
 ed to the fullest advantage, and whoever might 
 have gazed upon her. must at once have con- 
 fessed, that a more perfect specimen of the 
 human form could scarcely have existed. 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 Her countenance, dazzling from the bril- 
 liant fairness of its complexion, which she 
 inherited from her Circassian mother, was 
 lovely in the extreme, not only from the re- 
 gularity of its features, but from the angelic 
 expression pervading it. Her eyes, which 
 were dark and lustrous, would have been per- 
 haps too piercingly bright had they not been 
 fringed with long dark eyelashes, which gave 
 them that feminine softness of appearance, 
 which endears the owner alike to both sexes. 
 Her hair was long and glossy, her eyebrows 
 narrow and arched, her nose straight and 
 small, her upper lip short and curled, while 
 the lower was full and rosy, covering teeth 
 of pearly hue. Her figure was exquisitely 
 formed, being in perfect proportion with her 
 height, which was slightly above the middle 
 stature. She was habited in a tight vest of 
 velvet, looped up with gold, and studded wHth 
 jewels ; a turban of Cashmere shawl covered
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. j5 
 
 her head, the folds of which, interwoven with 
 lier long tresses, hung gracefully over her left 
 shoulder. In the centre of the head-dress was 
 a large diamond brooch, given to her by her 
 mother upon her death-bed, with a charge 
 always to wear it, as a charm against the Evil- 
 eye. 
 
 Such was Zoraya, as she sat in her father's 
 harem ; such was the maiden whose beauty was 
 the theme of many songs, throughout Iran, 
 and the fame of whose beauty had conquered 
 so many hearts. A manuscript with a richly orna- 
 mented binding, lying by her side, together with 
 a Kalemdone,(8) and several scraps of paper 
 with divers sentences written thereon, showed 
 that her occupations were not those generally in 
 fashion with Persian women ; whose education, 
 as far as literary pursuits are concerned, is 
 much neglected, few being able to read, and 
 fewer still to write. Zoraya, however, was far 
 superior in this respect to her countrywomen ; 
 
 E 2
 
 70 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 she had read deeply and much, and many of 
 the wisest Meerzas, would have been com- 
 pelled to hide their diminished heads in 
 shame, had they entered into disputation with 
 her. 
 
 A few paces from the Begler Beg's daughter 
 stood another female, whose respectful de- 
 meanour and attitude demonstrated her situa- 
 tion in life ; this was Nargis, the chief attendant, 
 whose faithful services had much endeared her 
 to Zoraya, who rewarded the attachment of the 
 domestic, by placing the most unlimited con- 
 fidence in her ; and Nargis was well deserving 
 of her mistress's love, as her whole soul was 
 wrapped up in anticipating her commands. 
 The attendant was a fine specimen of Persian 
 beauty ; about eighteen years of age, possess- 
 ing the dark eyes and hair of her country in 
 perfection, and had not her mistress been 
 present, would have been considered beautiful ; 
 but the superior loveliness of Zoraya threw
 
 OR, THE KOORDTSH CHIEF. 77 
 
 into the shade the charms of the less brilliant 
 handmaid. 
 
 " So then ^tis settled ;" said Zoraya, placing 
 her hand upon her book, " and we are to leave 
 Hamadan on Shambeh next ;(9) for my part, 
 I am far from being pleased with the change." 
 
 ^^ If I might be allowed to speak/' returned 
 Nargis, " I should ask permission to differ 
 from you, Khanum ; my heart pants to behold 
 such a wonderful spectacle as the camp at 
 Sultaneah; and then we shall be near the 
 person of his majesty, (may Allah preserve 
 and grant him long life) ; and you know, my 
 Khanum, it is most fortunate to be near the 
 threshold of the Shah ; besides which you will 
 be continually paying visits, and making par- 
 ties to the beautiful gardens in the neighbour- 
 hood : Mashallah 1 it will be deUghtful !" 
 
 " Ah ! my dear Nargis," said her mistress, 
 " that giddy pate of thine runs upon nothing 
 but gaiety ; for my part, I must fain confess
 
 78 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 that the quiet of this anderoon, is far prefera- 
 ble to the prospect of being a cypher at the 
 court; when T join the camp, I shall mix in 
 the society of ladies, whose husbands and 
 fathers are superior to mine in rank and 
 power, and the deference with which I have 
 ever been accustomed to be treated, will be 
 transferred to others ; my father too, though 
 of great consequence here, will be totally 
 eclipsed by the minions of the court/^ 
 
 '^ Afakerillah, Khanum !" observed the at- 
 tendant in an animated tone, '' never can it be 
 possible that you should be disregarded. Look 
 in yonder mirror, — ^who in this world can 
 boast of such beauty as is reflected there ?" 
 
 '^ It surprises me,'^ said the maiden pretend- 
 ing not to observe the remark of her compa- 
 nion, " it surprises me that persons of the 
 highest rank in the country, and who possess 
 wealth sufficient to cause themselves to be 
 accounted almost princes in their own towns,
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 7^ 
 
 should prefer hanging about the court and 
 performing the duties of menials in the royal 
 presence. It is a good thing to possess the 
 Shah's confidence; riches and honours flow 
 in a plenteous stream into the coffers of the 
 courtier as long as the royal eye looks favoura- 
 bly upon him ; but all the gifts of fortune may 
 be rendered useless, by one glance of evil 
 destiny ; a whim of the Shah's ; the caprice 
 of a moment may cause a favourite vizier to 
 lose his head, and the face which was whitest 
 in the morning, may ere noon he defiled with 
 dirt. The shoulders on which thekalaat(lO) lay 
 lately in graceful fold, may suddenly be rub- 
 bing the ground with the feet of the sycophant 
 higher than his head ; ah ! as long as I live, it 
 will be my most earnest prayer, that my 
 father keep aloof from the bustle of courts." 
 
 " Khanum, Khanum '/' exclaimed Nargis, 
 surveying the moralising damsel with surprise,
 
 80 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " what words are these ; it would be no easy 
 matter to conceive, by your discourse, that you 
 were a Persian maiden ; methinks you would 
 better grace a synod of Moolahs, for, in truth 
 you can perform many things of which the 
 Khanums of Iran know not even the existence. 
 You can read the Koran better than the 
 Mooshtehed himself, and Saadi, Hafiz, and 
 Ferdousi are at your fingers' ends." 
 
 " One circumstance I know^,'' interrupted 
 Zoraya, smiling, " that a more giddy, rattle- 
 brained, talkative damsel than thyself, exists 
 not; I believe you would expire, were I to 
 order you to remain silent for an hour." 
 
 " Nay," returned the attendant reproach- 
 fully, '' a command of thine, were it to make 
 me dumb for life, would never extract a mur- 
 mur from my breast. I love you too devotedly 
 for that." 
 
 " I know it, my Nargis ;" said Zoraya, afFec-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 81 
 
 tionately, '^ I have great reliance on your 
 attachment, and believe it to be sincere ; but 
 see, some one approaches/^ 
 
 The curtain that concealed the door was 
 pushed aside, and a young girl entered the 
 apartment, who making a profound inclination 
 of the body, remained in a respectful attitude, 
 waiting to be addressed. 
 
 ^MYhat is the matter, Fatimk?" demanded 
 Zoraya of the Kaneez.(ll) 
 
 " So please you, madam, the Lady Zofea 
 has sent to inquire, whether you can receive 
 her this morning ; as she desires the honour 
 of paying her respects, to you." 
 
 " ^Tis welV answered the maiden ; " inform 
 her that her presence will make me happy ; — 
 her coming is fortunate.'^ 
 
 Fatima repeated the salaam she had made 
 on entering, and departed with the message. 
 
 " I did you wrong, my Nargis,^' said Zoraya, 
 as the curtain fell, " when I asserted that a 
 
 E 3
 
 82 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 more talkative creature than yourself breathes 
 not. I forgot the Khanum Zofea, whose 
 tongue moves faster than the limbs of the 
 swiftest gazel/' 
 
 " But at the same time," answered Nargis, 
 " where will you find one better acquainted with 
 what is going forward in the world; not an 
 incident occurs that she does not attain to the 
 knowledge of — be it scandal, or politics. I 
 confess, it delights me much to listen to her 
 conversation ; she is ever the bearer of so much 
 entertaining news." 
 
 " Her society is amusing enough for a short 
 hour,^' said the maiden ; " but to reside within 
 the same anderoon, would be insupportable. 
 I pity her poor husband, his is no quiet life ; 
 but hark ! she comes.^' 
 
 The curtain again rose, and a little bustling 
 woman entered the apartment, attended by 
 several Kaneezes. 
 
 Zoraya rose to receive the new comer, who,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 83 
 
 throwing herself into the arms of the maiden, 
 kissed her affectionately on each cheek and 
 commenced a volley of the usual Persian salu- 
 tations ; having, at length come to a pause from 
 want of breath, she was requested to be 
 seated. 
 
 "Mashallah! Jaunum,(12) Azezm,'^(13) she 
 continued, on recovering her speech, "hov>- 
 beautiful you appear this morning, what a bloom 
 is on your coutenance 1 If I did not know to the 
 contrary, I should swear that you were indebted 
 to art, for your colour ; but as I am a Persian 
 woman, not an atom of paint has ever ap- 
 proached that lovely cheek. Well, well ! your 
 husband will be a fortunate man." 
 
 The idea of painting might well have been 
 uppermost in the imagination of the speaker, 
 as her cheeks and brow presented one mass 
 of colours, daubed on with httle attention to 
 neatness ; her eyebrows, not chancing to meet 
 naturally, were joined by a thick line of rang,(I4)
 
 84 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 and her lips might certainly have vied with 
 the Orange in the vividness of their glow. 
 In person Zofea was very short, and much 
 inclined to obesity; indeed, she bid fair to 
 become, before a great lapse of time, as broad 
 as she was long. Her years might have been 
 with justice fixed at thirty-five, but it evidently 
 w^as her wish to be thought, at least ten years 
 under that age ; her dress was composed of the 
 richest silks and Cashmere shawls, and the 
 jewels that plentifully bedecked her person, 
 were of such value, as to convince the beholder 
 that her husband must have been a person of 
 great wealth, and had a proper respect for his 
 wife^s authority; indeed, it was rumoured, 
 that Taki Khan, although a man of great con- 
 sequence in the assembly, partook plentifully 
 of his wife's slipper, when within the precincts 
 of the Harem. 
 
 There was one point in which the countenance 
 of Zofea excelled : her eyes, which were large
 
 OR, THE KOORDTSH CHIEF. 85 
 
 and sparkling, possessed such an expression of 
 intelligence, as to atone much for the nume- 
 rous defects of her person, nor did the owner 
 of those eyes belie their evidence ; sagacious in 
 the extreme, and possessing far more penetra- 
 tion and good sense than the generality of her 
 countrywomen, she upheld the glory of her 
 husband^s house, who acting entirely by her 
 counsels, had steered successfully through the 
 difficult mazes of a court life ; indeed, Taki 
 Khan well deserved some recompense to atone 
 for the sufferings which his ears underwent, 
 from the incessant talking of his wife, whose 
 chief fault consisted in her garrulity. Never- 
 theless, unlike most persons whose words flow 
 apace, Zofea was an acute observer of passing 
 occurrences. The extent of her knowledge 
 was prodigious, and on all matters, whether 
 public or private, none were better or more 
 accurately informed. She had by degrees 
 caused her spouse to put away all his other
 
 86 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 wives, and now reigned paramount and rivalless 
 in the anderoon. Such is the description of 
 the lady who addressed the daughter of Begler 
 Beg. 
 
 " Really, Khanum, your compliments are 
 numerous this morning ;'* answered the maid- 
 en, to the observations of her visitor, " but 
 as for my husband being a fortunate man, 
 Inshallah ! it will be long ere I am called a 
 wife." 
 
 " Nay, Dilum,"(15) replied Zofea, "you jest; 
 your mouth utters what your heart refuses to 
 respond to. Is it not so, Nargis ?'^ she con- 
 tinued addressing the attendant. 
 
 " Pardon me Khanum,'^ answered Nargis, 
 " you must give my mistress credit for her 
 assertion ; such is invariably her answer, when 
 the idea of a husband is started ; for she says, 
 that her happiness here is so unalloyed, that it 
 would be folly to banter her present condi- 
 tion, as Banoo(16) of the anderoon, for a situa-
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 87 
 
 tion in which some other wife may^ perchance. 
 usurp the first place in her husband's affec- 
 tions." 
 
 " You say true/^ said the maiden ; " I can 
 never wed with the uncertainty of being the 
 sole object of my spouse's love." 
 
 " And what interferes to prevent your being 
 that object, Jaunum r'^ observ'cd the matron. 
 " Surely one possessing your charms, might be 
 sure of reigning paramount in her Lord's 
 Harem. Why, when I was married I soon 
 caused Taki Khan, to clear his anderoon of 
 all the rubbish I discovered there ; and when 
 one like myself succeed so well, Zoraya, the 
 daughter of the Begler Beg of Hamadan, the 
 most influential Khan of the province; — Zoraya, 
 the handsomest maiden of Persia, need not 
 despond.'^ 
 
 " Nevertheless, my Zofea,'' said the maiden, 
 '• I have made up my mind to remain single, 
 for the present. My father has never thwarted
 
 88 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 my inclinations; but whenever nay hand has 
 been requested in marriage, has given way to 
 my desire of remaining a maiden, in the paternal 
 anderoon/' 
 
 " Mehtee Khan has acted thus," said Zofea; 
 " because he hath considered none of your 
 suitors worthy of the honour. When he re- 
 fused Almas Khan, and the Shigaugee Chief, 
 it was in anticipation of a higher offer ; even 
 Allah Verdee Khan, the Koord did not satisfy 
 him. 
 
 " O name not the monster 1" ejaculated 
 Zoraya, with a look of horror ; " who would 
 desire to bestow a beloved daughter on a 
 cut-throat, a robber, a Lootee like Allah Ver- 
 dee, the Karah Kaplan ! May Mahomed pre- 
 serve me from such a terrible fate/^ 
 
 ^' You are severe, my sweet one ;'^ said her 
 friend ; " for my part I have ever heard Karah 
 Kaplan spoken of in terms of admiration ; and 
 understand his wealth to be enormous."
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 89 
 
 " Zofea/' said the Begler Beg's daughter, 
 " methought, you had too much sense to 
 imagine, that riches alone can cause happiness ; 
 are you not aware, that besides enriching him- 
 self by the plunder of caravans, and murdering 
 the unfortunate merchants, who travel on the 
 roads, infested by his band, he is reported 
 to have laid violent hands on such of his wives 
 as have ceased to please him. Sooner would I 
 be in my grave than in the power of such a 
 monster/' 
 
 " Do not be alarmed Jaunum," replied 
 Zofea, ^^ such a destiny awaits you not ; but 
 come, I deserve a majdahlak(17) in return for 
 the good news I am about to unfold/' 
 
 " What news ?'' asked Zoraya. 
 
 " It will change your intention of remaining 
 single,'^ continued the matron. " Listen atten- 
 tively and rejoice; His Royal Highness, Maho- 
 med Reza Meerza, Prince Governor of the
 
 90 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 province is about to demand your hand in 
 marriage." 
 
 " Nay, surely you jest," said the maiden. 
 
 " I jest not, my blooming friend,'^ returned 
 Zofea, " I had the news from the mouth of 
 the Prince's mother ; and now having heard 
 this, does not your intention of remaining 
 single begin to waver ?" 
 
 " By no means," replied the lovely girl, 
 with animation ; " I view the prospect of such 
 an alliance with abhorrence, were I indeed, 
 the wife of a simple subject, I might hope to 
 have authority in the anderoon, and to reign 
 there without a rival, sole possessor of my 
 husband's heart; but, wedded to a Shah 
 Zadeh(18) such a thing would be impossible, I 
 shall certainly decline the honour intended 
 for me." 
 
 " But," said her friend, " do you suppose 
 that Mehtee Khan will allow you a voice in
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 91 
 
 the affair. It was easy to refuse your former 
 suitors, but it would be dangerous to give a dis- 
 sentient answer to the proposal of a king's son j 
 it were as much as your father's place, if not his 
 life, were worth." 
 
 Zoraya, struck with the palpable truth con- 
 tained in the last remark of her visitor, re- 
 mained silent, and gave signs of great emotion. 
 
 " Ajaib ! wonderful !'' exclaimed Nargis, 
 dazzled by the brilhant prospect of her mistress 
 becoming a prince's bride ; "you surely cannot 
 dislike such an offer ; remember the illustrious 
 rank and power of Mahomed Reza Meerza, 
 who, some future day, may be King of Persia. 
 Oh ! what an envied lot must be that of the 
 favourite wife of the Shah, and such there is no 
 doubt of your becoming ; for who, be she 
 Circassian, Georgian, or Persian, can compare 
 with you, my mistress ? By the head of Ali, 
 you cannot fail to be the Banoo of Mahommed 
 Reza's anderoon."
 
 92 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Never/^ said the maiden, with firmness, 
 " never will I enter an anderoon, where, for a 
 short time, perhaps, I may possess my lord^s 
 affection, and then be laid aside and neglected, 
 like an old garment, in order to make way for 
 a newer and consequently more grateful ob- 
 ject/' 
 
 " Alas^ my life V cried Zofea struck by the 
 decision manifested in the latter words of the 
 maiden, " I hardly thought my tidings would 
 have proved so unwelcome, but still I fear, as 
 I said before, that you will scarcely be allowed 
 a voice in the affair, and T must observe that 
 you are the only Persian girl I know, whose 
 heart would fail to bound with rapture in 
 anticipation of becoming a royal bride /^ 
 
 " You may perhaps laugh at me, Zofea," 
 returned the maiden ; " but I have vowed 
 never to bestow my hand without my heart; 
 in short, unless I love and am beloved in re- 
 turn, deeply and fervently, I will never marry,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 93 
 
 and I cannot foresee how such an occurrence 
 can be brought about in this country.'^ 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! the truth comes out at last ;" 
 laughingly observed the matron. " I see how 
 such notions, so unheard of in Persia, have 
 entered that little head of yours ; you are con- 
 tinually poring over those volumes which tell 
 of Frank customs, and you wish to follow the 
 examples there inculcated. Do you plead 
 guilty or not !'^ 
 
 " Zofea," said the Begler Beg's daughter 
 blushing at the charge. " I own that I have 
 read much concerning the countries of the 
 Frangistan,(19) and truly I cannot be far wrong 
 when I assert, that although the inhabitants 
 thereof are infidels and deny the blessed pro- 
 phet, still in whatever concerns love and mar- 
 riage, they seem to understand the nature of 
 happiness better than the true believers." 
 
 " I also have heard of those countries from
 
 94 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 whence come the smoothed-chinned Farin- 
 gees," said Zofea, " and I o\yn that the law is 
 most sensible, which binds a man to a single 
 wife at a time. I confess also that the liberty 
 which the women are reported to enjoy in 
 those distant lands, would give rise to the 
 supposition of their being happier than we, 
 who are obhged to veil from the gaze of man/' 
 " It is not the latter privilege I desire," 
 replied Zoraya ; " to expose the face to the 
 unhallowed gaze of all, is repugnant to a maid- 
 en's idea of modesty ; but it is in the com- 
 munion between two kindred spirits that they 
 are blessed. The Frank maiden sees her lover 
 before marriage, and is able to form an opinion 
 of his character, and to discover whether he is 
 fitted to make her happy ; but we, the followers 
 of the true religion, are given away in mar- 
 riage, almost unconsulted, and the husband's 
 anderoon is generally the first place, where
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 95 
 
 those joined in wedlock meet together. Alas, 
 the Persian girl goes to the nuptial couch as a 
 sheep to the slaughter/^ 
 
 '^ I must observe, Azezim/' said the ma- 
 tron, '^ that you have filled your head with 
 curious ideas, and I wish for your sake that 
 you had never pored over those musty vo- 
 lumes, which are fit company for none but 
 meerzas and priests. Remember this is not 
 Frangistan, and therefi)re you are not likely 
 to find your wish fulfilled, of meeting your 
 lover before marriage, in order to find out 
 whether you are congenial spirits." 
 
 " Then, as I have before asserted,^' said 
 Zoraya, " I will remain single. But let us 
 change this subject, it is irksome for me to 
 con over the tidings you have brought. Here, 
 Fatima, Khatoon," she continued addressing 
 the kaneezes, " bring kaliauns and tea." 
 
 The attendants busied themselves at this
 
 96 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 order, and presently the richly ornamented 
 waterpipes were presented to the two ladies, 
 who, for a few minutes, remained busied in en- 
 haling the smoke thereof, and making the 
 apartment echo with the bubbling sound of 
 the disturbed water. (20) 
 
 " By the bye,^^ observed Zofea, returning the 
 kaliaun to the pipe-bearer, " are you aware of 
 the honour intended for you. by an Eliaut yes- 
 terday evening. By the head of Ali, it has 
 made me laugh ever since I heard of the cir- 
 cumstance." 
 
 "What honour, Jaunum ?" said Zoraya, 
 " 1 have heard nothing." 
 
 Zofea proceeded to give an account of Is- 
 mael's visit to the Begler Beg, the circum- 
 stances concerning which had come to her 
 knowledge that morning ; of course, the 
 narration was accompanied by all kinds of 
 exaggerations and embellishments consequent
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 97 
 
 on their having travelled from mouth to mouth, 
 and those mouths belonging to Persian women. 
 
 " Mashallah !" observed Nargis on hearing 
 the account, " yon Eliaut must either be a 
 dewaneh, or the most impudent of his tribe. 
 Fancy his even daring to imagine that his son 
 was worthy of sweeping the dust from your 
 carpets. By Ali, methinks your father suffered 
 the padersookhteh to escape too easily. I wish 
 they had allowed me to allot the quantum of 
 punishment due to the boaster ; surely the 
 tongue which uttered such extravagance ought 
 to have been cut out.*^ 
 
 " Nay, Nargis, be not so cruelly disposed,^' 
 said the maiden. " If affection for his son 
 prompted the old man to the conduct he has 
 pursued, so far from feeling anger, I reverence 
 his boldness ; and with respect to the youth, 
 surely it is not a crime of great magnitude to 
 love, although the object of his adoration be 
 of so much higher station than the lover .^^ 
 
 VOL. I. F
 
 98 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Barakillah !^' exclaimed Zofea laughing, 
 ^' I declare you are actually disposed to fall in 
 love with this young fellow. Aye, surely/' 
 she continued in a sarcastic tone, '^ it is fitting 
 that she who scorns the alliance of a prince, 
 should wush to bestow herself upon a Rayat. 
 Here, Nargis, you had better prepare for the 
 nuptials at once, as this offer seems to be so 
 highly valued/^ 
 
 " Zofea,'' cried the maiden, reddening with 
 anger, " you are too pointed in your remarks ; 
 the intimacy which has subsisted between us, 
 gives you no title to insult me ; repeat such 
 words again and our friendship ends for ever.'' 
 
 '^ Pardon, pardon, khanum," replied Zofea 
 who perceived that she had gone too far, '^ I 
 have eaten dirt — I did but jest." 
 
 *" Such jests, madam, are hard to bear," 
 replied the maiden haughtily; " and I request 
 they be not repeated." 
 
 '' My soul—my life," said Zofea, *^ never
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 99 
 
 again shall my speech offend ; but say that I 
 am pardoned for my inadvertency. Surely an- 
 ger will never rankle in a breast like thine, 
 particularly against your tried friend, Zofea.'' 
 
 AVith these words the matron arose, and 
 threw her arms around her lovely companion ; 
 Zoraya, who had been seriously offended, for a 
 moment received her caresses with coldness, 
 but her natural good temper getting the better 
 of her wrath, she returned her companion's 
 embrace, at the same time observing that the 
 cause of offence was forgotten. 
 
 The conversation now turned upon other 
 topics more common among Persian women of 
 rank, and after examining and admiring each 
 others dresses and jewels, the two friends had 
 just made an appointment to meet each other 
 at the bath on the following day, when a most 
 tremendous uproar was heard proceeding from 
 the beroon of the house. 
 
 Although it was no uncommon occurrence 
 
 F 2
 
 100 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 to hear loud noises in that quarter of the 
 building on account of its being a court of 
 justice, where sentences were not only given 
 but executed in the presence of the judge, 
 still the disturbance was of such unusual vio- 
 lence, and the voice of the Begler Beg was 
 distinguished so high above the rest, as to 
 excite great alarm among the inmates of the 
 anderoon, Zoraya therefore directed some 
 of her attendants to proceed to the outer 
 court in order to ascertain the origin of the 
 disturbance. 
 
 The command was obeyed by several of the 
 kaneezes present, whose curiosity being ex- 
 cited, rushed in a body from the apartment.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 101 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 And yet he thinks — ha, ha, ha, ha!— he thinks 
 
 I am the tool and servant of his will ! 
 
 Well, let it be ; through all the maze of trouble 
 
 His plots and base oppression must create, 
 
 I'll shape myself a way to higher things. 
 
 And who will say 'tis wrong ? 
 
 Basil, a Tragedy. 
 
 We left the old Eliaut shepherd, cowering 
 under the menacing eye of the Koord ; who, 
 having directed Hussein to watch the entrance 
 to the stable, proceeded to seize the prostrate 
 Ismael by the throat, and in a suppressed, 
 but exasperated voice, exclaimed, " Vile dog ! 
 oflfspring of a dog still viler ! grandfather of 
 defiled children ! how dare you enact the 
 spy upon my actions ? By the head of Ali,
 
 102 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 you shall repent you of your temerity ; for you 
 survive not to report what you have overheard/' 
 With these words, he raised his cummar, and 
 prepared to strike it into the old man's throat ; 
 who, nearly overcome by terror, gave way to 
 the following disjointed exclamations : — 
 
 ^' Aman ! aman ! what have I done, Sahib ? 
 what dirt have I been eating, that I should be 
 murdered in cold blood ? — Who is your misera- 
 ble slave that he should play the spy upon 
 you ! As I am a true believer, I am ignorant 
 of having committed any crime." 
 
 " Son of a slave !" replied Moorad, still 
 menacing the Eliaut with his dagger, '^ do 
 you deny having listened to our conversa- 
 tion ?" 
 
 " What conversation ?" said Ismael, slightly 
 recovering his presence of mind, and putting 
 on an appearance of simplicity, " what words 
 are these, mine Aga? I have this instant 
 awakened from sleep; for the love of your
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 103 
 
 children, as you are a good mussulman, kill 
 not an aged and innocent man, who has done 
 nothing to deserve such a fate/' 
 
 Mo orad gazed steadfastly on the face of the 
 Eliaut for several seconds, as if undetermined 
 how to act ; but at length muttering to himself, 
 ^' ^Tis well, perhaps the old fool knows nothing ; 
 I will spare his life/' He released Ismael 
 from his gripe, and calling to Hussein to 
 return ; observed, " Look you, old man ; my 
 friend and I have been drinking wine,(l) and 
 we were somewhat fearful, you had come 
 hither and concealed yourself, in order to 
 watch our proceedings, and to give information 
 against us, before the Daroga.(2) This may 
 explain the cause of my late anger ; for which, 
 I am content to confess myself in fault. Here,^' 
 he continued pouring out some of the liquor 
 into his cup, " drink yourself, and see whether 
 we have not some excuse, for breaking the laws 
 of the Koran.^^
 
 104 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 Ismael shrunk from the proffered cup. 
 " Mahomed is the prophet/' he ejaculated, 
 " I drink no wine ; tempt me not/' 
 
 " Nay, friend,^' observed the Koord, " we 
 accept no refusal; on the contrary, whether 
 wiUing or unwilling, you must drink ; for then 
 you will have transgressed the law yourself, 
 and dare not inform against us ; drink, and be 
 thankful for the draught/^ 
 
 Ismael still hesitated, but perceiving that 
 Moorad had laid hold of the handle of his 
 cummar, he drained the cup of its contents ; 
 inwardly requesting pardon, for the crime he 
 was thus forced to commit. 
 
 " Barakillah !" said Moorad, noticing the 
 disgust which pervaded the countenance of the 
 shepherd, after the deed had been committed, 
 " as I am a true believer, the old hypocrite 
 would fain pretend the hquor is bad, and 
 draws up his wrinkles as if he had tasted of 
 the unclean beast. Mine Aga ?' continued he,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 105 
 
 turning to the Eliaut, with mock respect, " I 
 am sorry the wine is not to your liking ; your 
 slave begs to represent, that the best of 
 Shiraz's grapes were used in the vintage ; pray 
 what in reality is your excellency's opinion ?^' 
 
 " Thou scoffing unbeliever,'' returned Ismael 
 in a fury, ^^ cease your taunts ; it is sufficient 
 that you have forced me to eat dirt, without 
 adding to the insult by mockery. Leave me, 
 if you are a man and not a devil, and disturb 
 me no more \vith your impiety.'^ 
 
 " Ha ! ha V' answered the Koord unabashed 
 at the reproof, " methinks old man, you should 
 don the turban of a Moolah, with such sancti- 
 fied notions in your brain. Come, Hussein, 
 let us begone, else we shall be infected by his 
 hypocrisy. Pah ! I spit upon it." 
 
 The Chervador, at this order, proceeded to 
 gather together the remains of the repast, and 
 prepared to accompany his disguised compa- 
 nion from the spot; who whispering as they 
 
 F 3
 
 106 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 approached the door, observed, " Well, Hus- 
 sein, I trust all is safe 5 Inshallah ! yonder 
 ass, with a burnt father, has not overheard our 
 plot ; but notwithstanding, I did well to pre- 
 tend, that my rage was excited by being 
 discovered in the act of drinking wine ; 'tis 
 better I extinguished not, the breath of life 
 which animates that withered lump of clay." 
 
 By this time the Koord and his companion 
 had reached the door, and were on the point 
 of making their exit ; when the former stopping, 
 shook his head, and shutting his teeth close 
 together, exclaimed, " It were safer to make 
 certain of his silence ;" and returning to the 
 spot where Ismael was standing, put on one 
 of the fiercest expressions which his counte- 
 nance was capable of assuming, and pointing 
 to his dagger, said in a stern voice : 
 
 '' Old man, who you are, or whether you 
 have really overheard our conversation, I 
 know not ; but be this as it may, mark me,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 107 
 
 not a word of what has happened this night, 
 or thou diest. Should I hear of your babbhng 
 I will find you out, were you buried a hundred 
 feet below the level of the earth ; or if worlds 
 should separate us, I will not taste of the 
 sweets of repose, until I am revenged on thy 
 polluted carcase; so beware of your tongue, 
 
 or ^^ At this pause he significantly pointed 
 
 to his dagger, and quitting the stable, left 
 Ismael to meditate on the extraordinary oc- 
 currences of the night. 
 
 No sooner had the sound of the retreat- 
 ing footsteps ceased, than the Eliaut, seizing 
 hold of his cloak, hurried in the utmost trepi- 
 dation from the stable, in which his rest had 
 been so terrifically broken upon. On finding 
 himself in the open air, he breathed more 
 freely, and offered up a thanksgiving for his 
 deliverance ; after which he gave vent to his 
 feelings against the Koord. 
 
 " May his hearth be defiled," he said.
 
 108 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " May his family perish, may his body wither ; 
 the infidel, the scoffer, the murderer, to dry up 
 my liver with such abuse; but his audacity 
 shall not go unpunished, for I will be even 
 with him. He may think himself a Locman, 
 but I will let him know that I am the father 
 of Locmans. He fancies he has deceived me, 
 and that I have not overheard his diabolical 
 plot ; but he shall discover, that old as I am, 
 I can outwit even him. I thank thee, my good 
 fortune, for having made me an humble instru- 
 ment for preventing the designs of these 
 defiled Koords from taking effect. To-morrow 
 morning I will go again to the Begler Beg, 
 and see whether he will receive me more gra- 
 ciously now, that I come with a different tale 
 in my mouth. Inshallah ! when I unfold the 
 danger which threatens his daughter, he may 
 reward me, by regarding my son with the eyes 
 of favour. '^ 
 
 Although it was midnight, Ismael took his
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 109 
 
 departure from the caravan serai, inwardly 
 vowing never to set foot again within its walls, 
 and directing his steps to another building of 
 the same description, sought out a spot where 
 he might pass the remainder of the niglit in 
 peace.
 
 110 KARAH KAPLAN 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 '* Why have you come back to plague me." 
 
 SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL. 
 
 About two hours before noon, the piibhc 
 court, in front of the house of Mehtee Khan, 
 presented its usually daily bustle : on one side 
 with large bundles of sticks, and the awful 
 felek(l) lying near, stood a band of ferashes, 
 dread ministers of their master's will, and ever 
 ready to execute the most fearful commands. 
 These men were easily to be distinguished 
 by the ferocity of their looks, and a certain 
 recklessness of manner. Several unhappy
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. HI 
 
 criminals were in their custody, chained 
 hand and foot, awaiting, in dire suspense, 
 the expected judgment of the Begler Beg, 
 when that minister of justice should 
 appear. 
 
 At a short distance from this group was 
 another of very different appearance, consist- 
 ing of several pishkidrauds(2) and pipe-bearers 
 fillino- the kaliauns of their master and his 
 
 o 
 
 visitors with water from a tank in the centre 
 of the court. These attendants were exceed- 
 ingly well dressed, their long kabaus were of 
 the best Glasgow chintz ; around their waists 
 they wore shawls from the looms of Kerman(3) 
 and Tabreez, the hues and workmanship of 
 which, viewed from a short distance, vied 
 with the manufactures of Cashmere ; clean 
 striped woollen socks covered their feet, which 
 were inserted in high-heeled green slippers of 
 shagreen leather; over their shoulders they
 
 112 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 wore cloaks of European cloth, enams bestowed 
 upon them at the Noroz(4) by their masters, 
 according to annual custom. 
 
 These domestics in general wore their beards 
 either cut close to their chin, or but a few 
 inches in length ; and their back curls pro- 
 truding from their lambskin caps, were trimmed 
 with the greatest attention to neatness. Of 
 such persons consisted the group of pishkid- 
 muds, who having finished preparing their 
 Lord's kaliauns entered the house in a long 
 string, headed by the chief kaUaungee of the 
 Begler Beg. 
 
 To the right hand of the court were several 
 persons, who having disputed with each other, 
 had come to the Salaam in order to obtain 
 justice. This last was by far the most uproarious 
 party, as many of them were engaged in violent 
 altercations with each other. 
 
 Besides the above mentioned groups, were
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 113 
 
 many idlers and loiterers near the doors, whom 
 curiosity and the lack of any regular occupa- 
 tion had drawn thither. 
 
 It would have been an entertaining sight for 
 a stranger to have watched the busy scene the 
 Salaam presented ; the gloomy and ferocious 
 countenances of the ferashes, the anxious and 
 dejected looks of the criminals, and the ani- 
 mation and fire visible in the gestures of the 
 disputants, presented a fit subject for a painter's 
 skill. 
 
 Suddenly a commotion was visible near the 
 house door ; it was caused by the departure of 
 several visitors from the palace, prior to their 
 host proceeding to take his seat in the de- 
 waukhaneh ; these visitors were four in number ; 
 hand in hand with another nobleman came 
 Taki Khan, a man of large stature, and great 
 corpulency; as Viziere Nizam(5) of Hamadan, 
 he was a personage of much consequence in 
 the district; but although his authority was
 
 114 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 mighty abroad, it was reported to be much 
 curtailed at home; indeed rumour asserted 
 that he was under severe discipHne, as soon as 
 he entered the precincts of his anderoon ; it 
 could not, however, be denied that he owed his 
 high station and long continuance therein, to 
 his wife's sagacity and forethought, for it was by 
 following her advice in every respect, that Taki 
 Khan had steered clear of the troubles inci- 
 dental to men of his rank. The companion 
 with whom he was walking, was a little sharp- 
 eyed Ispahanee, whose countenance presented 
 a mixture of shrewdness and knavery, nor did 
 his face give false evidence of the character of 
 the man. Sprung from the very lowest grade of 
 society, Meerza Sadek was at present the 
 favorite counsellor of Mahomed Reza Meerza, 
 the Prince Governor of the province, to which 
 high situation he had raised himself by a hu- 
 morous flow of wit, and a tongue which knew 
 how to flatter at the right season. Behind
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 115 
 
 these great men walked two khans of inferior 
 rank, of whom being characters by no means 
 unusual in Persia, we will not make mention ; 
 but merely observe, that they were most de- 
 termined parasites of the little Meerza, and his 
 more bulky companion. Following their 
 masters, came a long train of attendants 
 bearing kaliauns, and making bustle sufficient 
 to uphold the dignity of their lords. 
 
 As this party were passing by the group of 
 ferashes, one of the criminals in custody burst 
 from the crowd, and throwing himself at the feet 
 of Meerza Sadek, exclaimed ^' Aman ! Aman ! 
 Meerza, for the love of Allah intercede for me, 
 else I shall be killed," on hearing these words, 
 the Meerza paused, and looking contemptuously 
 at the applicant for mercy, replied in a cold 
 tone, "Well, Ali Acma what can I do.'^ 
 
 " Why is not your excellency aware that I 
 am accused of theft,'^ said the criminal, " and 
 have been brouc^ht hither, in order to be tor-
 
 116 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 tured into confession ; and by the head of Ali I 
 am not guilty/^ 
 
 " Aye, 1 have no doubt of your readiness to 
 make oath of your innocence, were any but 
 violent means used for inciting you to confess ; 
 look you, Ali Acma, I know you for an arrant 
 rascal, and in my opinion, a slight acquaintance 
 with the felek will do you no harm." 
 
 " O ! my Lord, say not so,'' answered the 
 suppliant, in an agony of fear. ^^ As you are a 
 man, leave me not to my fate-'' 
 
 ^^ I can do nothing for you/' said the Meer- 
 za, beginning to move on, ^' except to advise 
 you to screw up your courage to its highest 
 pitch, for I know Mehtee Khan's ferashes are 
 no bad hands at managing their stick." 
 
 " Sahib ! Sahib !" cried AH Acma, '' will 
 nothing move you to take compassion on me ; 
 remember what excellent service I have often 
 done you ; and suppose I were to let out all 
 I know, O Meerza, it might do you no good."
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. Il7 
 
 This last sentence was spoken in an under 
 tone, so as to be only heard by the person 
 spoken to; on whose countenance it had an 
 immediate effect, and for an instant Meerza 
 Sadek changed colour ; but quickly recovering 
 himself, he fixed a look of calm contempt on 
 the wretched man ; and addressing him in the 
 same tone of voice, muttered, " Ali Acma, you 
 have done for yourself; those words have 
 sealed your fate. Ferashes i'^ he continued 
 aloud, " spare not this fellow, when you are 
 called to perform your duty upon him. A 
 greater Lootee(6) and liar breathes not; I have 
 not the shghtest doubt of his swearing a whole 
 tissue of falsehoods about myself; therefore, 
 spare him not ; let him be choked with the 
 filth that has accumulated about him.'' 
 
 Meerza Sadek, having thus spoken, rejoined 
 his companions, and left the court; the loi- 
 terers at the gate respectfully making way for 
 the party.
 
 118 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 The Begler Beg's friends had not long 
 quitted the house, when that functionary 
 himself^ attended by his Meerza, entered the 
 dewaukhaneh. His coming was followed by 
 a breathless silence ; until looking over a hst 
 which he held in his hand, he called out to a 
 couple of disputants, to state their cause of 
 quarrel. Then broke out, with redoubled vio- 
 lence, the vociferations of the claimants for 
 justice, each party protesting that he was in 
 the right, and accusing each other of eating 
 dirt, and of being defiled, and using many other 
 phrases of abuse peculiar to the language of 
 the East. 
 
 Great as appeared the confusion, Mehtee 
 Khan, being well accustomed to his business, 
 soon put a termination to the wrangling ; and 
 having decided the causes of the disputants, 
 in a summary manner, he turned his attention 
 to the criminal cases, which were awaiting his 
 judgment. Several minor offenders having
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 119 
 
 been more or less punished by fines or stripes, 
 the culprit who had entreated Meerza Sadek 
 to intercede for him, was brought forward, 
 and accused of purloining a bale of silk, from 
 a caravanserai in the city. The prisoner stout- 
 ly denied the act ; but the evidence of several 
 witnesses going much against him, he was 
 sentenced to be tied to the felek, in order 
 that, under the pain of the bastinado, he might 
 be induced to confess and give up his accom- 
 plices ; the command was about to be carried 
 into execution, when a letter was delivered into 
 the hands of Mehtee Khan, who having perused 
 its contents, countermanded the judgment, 
 and directed the accused to be taken back to 
 prison, until further orders. The cases of the 
 day having now come to a determination, the 
 Begler Beg was on the point of quitting the 
 dewaukhaneh, and retiring to his anderoon, 
 when a tumult was heard outside the door of 
 the court, and Ismael bursting through a crowd
 
 120 
 
 of attendants, who vainly attempted to keep 
 him back, presented himself before the as- 
 tonished magistrate, and in a hasty manner, 
 commenced a recital of the occurrences of the 
 preceding night ; but before he could proceed 
 further than the first sentence he was inter- 
 rupted by Mehtee Khan, who supposed that 
 he was come on the same business as the pre- 
 ceding day. 
 
 " Here, Bachahau,'^ he exclaimed in a voice 
 rendered so loud by excess of fury, that it 
 might have been heard from a great distance ; 
 " this old fool has again come hither, despite 
 my warning of yesterday. Ferashes ! seize 
 the dotard, and give him the sticks. By my 
 father's soul, we are somebody here, and will not 
 allow this ass to laugh at our beards with im- 
 punity. Quick ! as you value your skins, tie 
 him to the felek.*' 
 
 The unfortunate Ismael in vain attempted 
 to be heard ; in vain he struggled to free him-
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 121 
 
 self from the executioner's grasp ; lie was 
 instantly thrown on his back, his slippers and 
 stockings torn off, and his naked feet inserted 
 in the dreadful noose. 
 
 . " Aman !'^ he ejaculated as the bundle of sticks 
 were brought out, and untied, preparatory to 
 the punishment. Mercy ! mercy ! O ! Begler 
 Beg, as you are a man, let me speak. By Ali^ 
 by Mahomed, your daughter wahi ! wahi !" 
 
 This last exclamation was caused by the 
 first blows that fell on his bare soles. A 
 couple of ferashes had lifted up the pole, until 
 the feet of the sufferer were high in the air, 
 and two other men standing face to face on 
 either side of the felek, administered the bas- 
 tinado, bestowing the blows alternately. 
 
 " Strike the dog's son,^' roared out the 
 Begler Beg ; " spare him not, strike as long as 
 a stick remains : the defiled ass ! the unclean 
 swine ! Strike, I say," he continued while his 
 
 VOL. I. G
 
 122 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 eyes almost started from their sockets, so vio- 
 lent was his rage ; " as you value your souls, 
 strike hard, though you kill the wretch." 
 
 The ferashes obeyed, to the utmost of their 
 power, the commands of their master; blow 
 upon blow, fell on the miserable Ismael ; nor 
 did the Khan desire the executioners to desist, 
 until the sufferer^s feet presented one mass of 
 swollen flesh. On being loosened from the 
 felek, the half fainting shepherd was born from 
 the court, by the attendants of the Khan, who 
 observed, as the men were lifting him up for 
 that purpose : — 
 
 " Idiot as you are, you will scarcely again pre- 
 sume to insult the Begler Beg, to his very face ; 
 methinks you have had a reception which 
 ought to divert your brain from entertaining 
 such lofty ideas, as imagining yourself greater 
 than you are. May you be defiled, if you play 
 the dewaneh here again. Here, bear him from
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 123 
 
 my presence, carry him beyond the city walls, 
 and give instructions to the gate keepers, never 
 to admit him more. Go \" 
 
 The Eliaut scarcely heeded these words; 
 he was half fainting from the violence of the 
 discipline he had undergone, and groaning 
 with anguish, he was borne away. Some 
 humane persons outside, not heeding the last 
 injunctions of the Mehtee Khan, took him 
 from the ferashes, who willingly resigned 
 their burden, and bore him to a house near 
 at hand, in order to dress his wounds. 
 
 After Ismael's departure, the Begler Beg, 
 fortunately for those around him, became 
 quiet, as some of the attendants feared that 
 they should suffer from the wrath of their 
 master, for not having prevented the en- 
 trance of the EUaut ; however, the violent 
 paroxysm of rage, that had seized upon 
 the Khan, had blown over, and gradually 
 
 G 2
 
 124 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 subsided into a calm : a pufF from his kaleoon 
 completed the soothing of his agitated nerves, 
 and rising, he retired to the interior of the 
 Manzel.(7)
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 125 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Oh qual voce al cor mi piomba, 
 V e un giudizio oltre la tomba 
 V'e tremendo un punitor ! 
 
 LA MAEESCIALLA d'aNCRE. 
 
 The scene must now change to another 
 quarter of the city. In a small, but richly 
 furnished apartment, and perusing some 
 papers with great attention, sat Meerza Sadek. 
 Ever and anon, a sneer curled his upper lip, 
 and a self-satisfied smile played over his fea- 
 tures. Although he was alone, the thoughts 
 excited by his occupation broke out in dis- 
 jointed exclamations, such as " Mashallah !
 
 126 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 it is well done. Barakillah ! my head will be 
 exalted ! I shall soon be the first man in the 
 kingdom ! O admirable ! it certainly has been 
 well planned ! May happiness attend the Shah ; 
 he has a right good friendship for me ! See, 
 what is this ? O ! my list of subscribers, as I 
 call them ; the sycophants, how they strive to 
 earn a good name from me. Still, Almas Khan, 
 you are not going on well, I have received no 
 present from you these three months ; curses 
 on your soul ! I spit upon you ; do you think 
 you will gain by your economy; or do you 
 despise the friendship of Meerza Sadek ; if 
 such is your opinion, you are a fool. Ha ! 
 Nooree Khan, how comes it that your presents 
 to my house have been so small of late ? May 
 your liver be dried up, for a miserly wretch ; 
 keep a watch over your fortunes ; when you 
 cease to court me properly, you ought to look 
 to the foundations of your house. Meerza 
 Ibrahim, Meerza Synd, Salee Khan, there is
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 127 
 
 an evident falling off in your offerings hither- 
 ward; do you imagine my influence on the 
 wane ? O ! little men, how mistaken are you : 
 I could hurl you all from your seats, and defile 
 your wives. Woe to those that neglect me ; 
 it were better to insult me outright, like 7ny 
 worthy and esteemed friend Mehtee Khan. 
 By Ali, the vengeance I am preparing against 
 him, will be a warning to others. By the by, 
 it is the time I appointed, for yon fool Ali 
 Acma to be brought hither. I had once been of 
 a mind to leave him to his destiny, but I 
 doubt not that the fright he has undergone, 
 will deter him from again attempting to pull at 
 his bridle! Here, Bachahau,(l) without there.^' 
 These last words were uttered aloud, and 
 a pishkidmud having entered at the call, the 
 Meerza inquired, whether Ali Acma had 
 arrived ; the attendant having answered in the 
 affirmative, his master observed, " Bring him 
 here."
 
 128 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Bachesm !^' retorted the pishkidmud ; 
 who retired^ and presently returned with the 
 identical criminal^ who had been accused at 
 the Begler Beg's salaam, of purloining a bale of 
 silk. 
 
 " Ha/* observed the Meerza, sarcastically, 
 " you have whitened your face ; not being con- 
 tented with disobeying my injunctions, you 
 have committed a robber}-, and not even satis- 
 fied with that, you threaten me with, I know 
 not what, unless I get you ofF.'^ 
 
 "Wahi Sahib," returned the man, " may I 
 be grilled if I am guilty of the theft ; may my 
 right hand -wither if I stole the silk." 
 
 " Well, I am aware you did not,^' said 
 Meerza Sadek, " I knew it long ago ; but if 
 you will be refractory, after all my kindness to 
 you and refuse to execute my commands, it is 
 necessary you should learn, how I can burn 
 your father; the bale of silk was taken by my 
 commands, and placed in your house/'
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 129 
 
 " And wherefore. Sahib," said Ali Acma, in 
 astonishment, " why should you wish to ruin 
 me." 
 
 *' Fool," returned the other, '' did I not tell 
 you to make an accusation against Mehtee 
 Khan, and did you not refuse, by saying that 
 your conscience would not suffer you to per- 
 jure yourself; conscience indeed ! a bazar 
 Lootee to talk of conscience ; why had it been 
 a deed of stabbing or robber}-, you would have 
 said bachesm ! on the instant, and now when I 
 merely require you to take a false oath, you 
 talk of conscience ; pshaw, man, what hypocrisy 
 is this?" 
 
 '^ Alas, Sahib,^^ replied the Lootee, " by my 
 father's head you do me wrong, when you 
 accuse me of hypocrisy. I am no hypocrite ; 
 I confess when my blood has been roused, I 
 have taken the life of more than one of my 
 fellow creatures ; but. Sahib, there is a diffe- 
 rence between the excitement of hot blood, and 
 
 G 3
 
 130 KARAH KAPLAX ; 
 
 coolly taking a false oath ; \yhen the words of 
 the priests proclaiming damnation ring in the 
 ear, when one is about to swear on the Koran, 
 it makes the most hardened sinner tremble. 
 O Sahib, bid me perform any other act, and I 
 am your slave ; but force me not to swear a 
 false oath on the Koran ; I dare not. (2) 
 
 " Barakillah, most excellent man," said 
 Meerza Sadek calmly ; " you speak like a 
 Locman ; let us see whether you possess the 
 courage of a Rustum ; for, by the head of the 
 Shah, you will have occasion for it.'^ 
 
 "In the name of the blessed Imams, O 
 Sahib," cried Ali Acma, " what mean you ?'^ 
 
 ^^ Do you feel inclined to have your toe-nails 
 knocked off in the felek,'^ replied the Meerza ; 
 " for as I am a true mussulman, I see great 
 likelihood of such being the case." 
 
 '' Wherefore," replied the Lootee, " shall I 
 be bastinadoed for refusing to perjure myself?*^ 
 
 " By no means," returned the Meerza ; " that
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 131 
 
 would be unjust, and we are by no means ad- 
 vocates for injustice ; but it will never do to 
 suffer such a theft, as that of which you are 
 accused, to go unpunished ; there are laws in 
 this country, and the thief cannot escape his 
 deserts/^ 
 
 '• Alas Sahib V ejaculated the other, " surely 
 it is not your intention to allow the accusation 
 against me to be carried on, knowing as you do 
 mine innocence. Afakerillah ?" 
 
 " How am I aware of your innocence, Pa- 
 dersookteh,'' replied Meerza Sadek, " the 
 matter stands thus, a bale of silk is missed 
 from a caravanserai, the identical bale is found 
 concealed in your house ; what further evidence 
 of your guilt is required ?" 
 
 " O, my Lord •" cried the unfortunate man, 
 faUing his knees before his iniquitous tyrant, 
 " as you hope for mercy be not so unjust, so 
 cruel ; by your wife's honour, by your father's
 
 132 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 soulj by the love of your children, have mercy 
 upon me.'^ 
 
 " Well, sirrah," said the Meerza, " and have 
 I not made it manifest, that I am well inclined 
 towards you ; and do you not dry up every 
 particle of pity within my bosom, by your 
 hypocrisy ; once for all, do you intend to per- 
 form what I require ?'' 
 
 ^' Ask any thing else,'' rephed the Lootee, 
 " bid your slave, rob or murder, and he is ready 
 to kiss the dust from your feet ; but he cannot, 
 dare not swear falsely on the Koran/' 
 
 " Then,'' returned the Meerza, emphatically, 
 '•you have eaten dirt, and your doom is 
 fixed." 
 
 " Listen a moment, most gracious Sahib," 
 exclaimed the Lootee, " by Ali, if I wished to 
 perform your commands, it would be vain not ; 
 at the very moment of swearing, my courage 
 would fail, and I could not prevent myself
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. JS3 
 
 from declaring the truth ; and remember, Sire, 
 it would not be well for your excellency, if it 
 were known that you were the instigator of 
 the perjury/"* 
 
 " What, at your threats again, dog P* said 
 Meerza Sadek, exasperated to the highest 
 degree at the obstinacy of his intended victim ; 
 "then, by Mahomed, I cast you from me as 
 a bankrupt Lootee, and you shall suffer the 
 punishment for the theft you have committed." 
 
 " But has not your excellency declared mine 
 innocence," said Ali Acma, " and proclaimed 
 that it was by your own order, that the deed 
 was done. O heaven help me, if you did not 
 say so, and before a witness too." 
 
 ^' Where is he," replied the Meerza, sarcas- 
 tically ; " I see him not.'' 
 
 "There he stands, Sahib,'' returned the 
 Lootee, pointing to the pishkidmud, who during 
 the above conversation had been standing at 
 the further end of the apartment. " Did you 
 not hear what the Meerza said ; tell me, as you
 
 134 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 expect mercy hereafter, did you not heed his 
 words V' 
 
 "What words/^ repUed the pishkidmud, 
 ^* I heard nothing ; I am deaf/' 
 
 ^' Wahi/^ exclaimed the miserable wretch ; 
 " I am lost indeed.'^ 
 
 " Aye, dolt, you speak truly," rejoined 
 Meerza Sadek, your fate is sealed. I doubt 
 much, if justice will be satisfied with a mere 
 corporal punishment ; a crime such as you 
 are accused of, deserves the shekkeh.'^(3) 
 
 At these words the deadly paleness, which 
 was before visible on the countenance of the 
 Lootee, increased, until his face presented the 
 appearance of a corpse ; for a few moments he 
 muttered the words, " The shekkeh — the 
 shekkeh," and then his limbs refusing to 
 support him, he sunk trembling to the 
 ground. 
 
 The Meerza gazed upon the terror-stricken 
 wretch, with the basilisk eye of a snake about 
 to seize upon its fascinated victim. He spoke
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 135 
 
 not for several moments, but sat in silence, 
 chuckling over, and enjoying the scene before 
 him; at length turning to the pishkidmud, he ex- 
 claimed, " Conduct this man back to his prison, 
 and let justice take its course against him. I 
 stand not between the thief and his punish- 
 ment. On your eyes be it.^^ 
 
 " May your shadow never be less,'^ replied 
 the attendant ; " your slave is your sacrifice." 
 
 With these words, he approached Ali Acma, 
 and tapped him on the shoulder, signing to 
 him to leave the spot ; the Lootee on receiving 
 the touch, sprung up like a man awakened 
 from a dream, and from a state of apparent un- 
 consciousness, broke out into a strain of the 
 most vehement entreaties. He might as well 
 have addressed a rock, his tyrant was as im- 
 moveable, till at length, in a fit of desperation, 
 the man exclaimed, "Alas, alas, if fate so 
 ordains, it must be so. I cannot fight against 
 destiny, O Meerza : do as you will with your
 
 136 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 slave, he is ready to perform whatever you 
 require ; but in the name of the prophet, do 
 intervene between him and the shekkeh.'^ 
 
 "Ha! ha!" cried Meerza Sadek, " so you 
 are about to leave oflf eating dirt. O wonder- 
 ful effect of a word of two syllables, it brings 
 reason to a madman's brain. Say, are you 
 wilUng then, Ali Acma, to swear to the truth 
 of what I shall dictate to you concerning Meh- 
 tee Khan." 
 
 " Fate so commands j I cannot do other- 
 wise," rephed the Lootee. ^^ May heaven par- 
 don the enormity of the crime.'' 
 
 " Well then,^' returned the Meerza, " for 
 the present you are safe. I will take care that 
 this accusation against you proceeds no further ; 
 but may my father's grave be defiled, if I do 
 not let it be revived with ten-fold acrimony, 
 should you show any design of retracting from 
 your promise ; as Mahomed is the true pro- 
 phet, I swear, that in that case the shekkeh
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 137 
 
 shall be luxury compared to the torture you 
 will undergo ; do you understand, or is your 
 skull too thick to allow my words to make any 
 impression on your brain ?'^ 
 
 '* Sahib/' replied the Lootee, " I have both 
 heard and understood ; let the consequences be 
 on my head, if I fail." 
 
 " Barakillah!" returned the Meerza. " Loc- 
 man would not have spoken better. I begin to 
 imagine you have some sense remaining ; 
 leave us for the present, and go and sit down 
 among my ferashes, I shall require your atten- 
 dance again shortly; till then here is some- 
 thing to make amends for the fright you have 
 undergone/' 
 
 As he spoke, Meerza Sadek drew forth seve- 
 ral gold pieces and gave them to the Lootee, 
 who seizing the hand which presented him 
 with the enam, pressed it to his lips, and 
 making a low inclination of the body, said: 
 " May fortune smile upon your house 1" 
 then backed out of the apartment.
 
 138 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Follow him/^ cried the Meerza turning to 
 the pishkidmud, " take heed that some one 
 keep him in view ; on you be the consequences 
 if he give us the slip. Bero, begone.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 
 
 139 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 May life's unblessed cup for him 
 
 Be drugged with treacheries to the brim ; 
 
 With hopes that but allure to fly — 
 
 With joys that vanish while he sips. 
 
 Like Dead Sea fruits that tempt the eye 
 
 But turn to ashes on the lips ! 
 
 His country's curse, his children's shame. 
 
 Outcast of virtue, peace, and fame. 
 
 May he, at last, with hps of flame. 
 
 On the parched desert thirsting die. 
 
 The charitable persons who had taken 
 char2;e of Ismael, after the bastinado he had 
 received, having borne the suffering wretch to 
 a house at a short distance from the spot 
 where he had been so cruelly treated, pro- 
 ceeded to dress his wounds, which were of the 
 most severe nature. Having performed this 
 act of humanity, they hired a muleteer, who
 
 140 KARAH KAPLAN J 
 
 was about to quit Hamadan and whose route 
 lay near the EUaut encampment, to convey 
 the old man to his tent. Accordingly, on the 
 following morning, Ismael was placed on the 
 back of a mule whose paces were reckoned the 
 easiest of the lot belonging to the chervador, 
 and after a journey of several hours, rendered 
 almost intolerable from the excruciating state 
 of his body, arrived at the encampment, being 
 reduced to a state of the most abject help- 
 lessness. 
 
 The grief of Feridoon may easily be imagined 
 on his beholding the situation of his parent; 
 rushing up to him, he exclaimed in an agonized 
 voice : " Father, what is this ; what dogs 
 have served you thus ? May their bodies wi- 
 ther, who have dared to lay hands on you. 
 O father, tell me where they are, in order 
 that I may make them feel the effects of my 
 vengeance.^^ 
 
 " Alas, my son,'^ cried Ismael in a faint 
 voice, " at present I cannot answer you ; bear
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 141 
 
 me to my bed at once, I am too weak to 
 speak/^ 
 
 Feridoon upon this, with the assistance of 
 some of his tribe, whom curiosity had drawn 
 to the spot, Hfted the old man from the mule, 
 and bore him beneath the shelter of his tent, 
 having reached which, the unhappy youth 
 proceeded to pile together the softest num- 
 mudsj cushions and lahofFs,(l) which he could 
 borrow for the occasion ; and having laid his 
 parent thereon, and smoothed the coverings 
 with that attentive care which becomes a du- 
 tiful child so well, he had soon the satisfaction 
 of beholding the sufferer sink into slumber. 
 
 As soon as Ismael was asleep, Feridoon left 
 the tent with noiseless steps, and proceeded 
 to interrogate the muleteer who had conducted 
 the old man to the encampment, concerning 
 what had occurred. Although the chervador 
 was not entirely conversant with the facts of 
 the case, still the young Eliaut soon learned
 
 142 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 sufficient to enable him to divine the truth, 
 and he was horror-struck at discovering himself 
 to be the involuntary cause of his father's mis- 
 chance, which had evidentlybeen brought about 
 by the excess of Ismael's parental affection. 
 Over and over again did the miserable youth curse 
 the hour of his birth, and the day on which he 
 had beheld the daughter of the Begler Beg, 
 and bitterly did he reproach himself for having 
 given way so rashly to the insane passion which 
 had brought about so great a catastrophe. 
 
 Having passed some time in vain regrets, 
 Feridoon returned to the spot where his pa- 
 rent was lying. The old shepherd was still 
 asleep, but on his pale and care-worn counte- 
 nance, were visible the traces of intense suffer- 
 ing; the sweat-drops fell in abundance from 
 his temples, and ever and anon a stifled groan 
 issued from his lips. 
 
 " O miserable Takdeer!'* exclaimed the youth, 
 as he gazed upon the suffering form before
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 143 
 
 him. " Why have you persecuted my father 
 thus ; what has he done to merit such cruel 
 treatment ? Alas ! if yonder muleteer speaks 
 truth, this is the work of that tyrant Mehtee 
 Khan ; may his liver dry up, may his star be 
 overclouded, may his hearth be defiled, may his 
 family perish : but stay,^' he observed halting in 
 the midst of the sentence, " may I be forgiven 
 for that last wish ; s?ie is one of his family. 
 O may she be happy, though ten thousand 
 curses light on the impious author of her 
 being ; may she never know a moment^s un- 
 easiness.^' 
 
 Here the sobs of the ardent lover stopped 
 further utterance, while the remembrance of 
 Zoraya, served for a moment to soften the 
 anger he felt against her parent. 
 
 After several hours, Ismael awoke, feverish 
 and unrefreshed and racked with a raging 
 thirst ; turning his eyes languidly upwards he 
 feebly ejaculated the word, " Water .'^
 
 144' 
 
 Feridoon flew to him, and suppoiting him in 
 his arms, lifted to his hps a bowl of sherbet 
 cooled with snow, which he had prepared in 
 anticipation of Ismael's requiring it. The old 
 shepherd having drained with avidity the de- 
 licious contents, sank with a momentary sigh 
 of pleasure on his pillow. 
 
 O ye who have never felt the tortures of 
 real thirst, who have only drunk to satisfy 
 the slight wants of every day's occurrence, you 
 can never imagine the delicious sensation 
 caused by a cool refreshing beverage to one 
 whose throat is parched from the effect of 
 severe bodily anguish in a dry and hot climate 
 such as Persia; think therefore what must 
 be the pangs endured by those who have, 
 during the heat of summer, been wounded 
 in the desert, and who are unable to pro- 
 cure even a drop of water to assuage the 
 burning thirst which is the consequence ; 
 but enough, the very idea is painful, par-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 145 
 
 ticularly to one to whom it brings remem- 
 brance. 
 
 After Ismael had partaken of the sherbet, 
 Feridoon proceeded to renew the dressings of 
 his feet; grieved as he had been before, he 
 was cut to the very soul on beholding the 
 swollen and livid lumps of flesh that repre- 
 sented those members. Tears of agony fell 
 upon them, and big drops from the eyes of the 
 son mingled with the blood of the parent. 
 
 " My father !" exclaimed the wretched Feri- 
 doon, after he had finished dressing the wounds; 
 " tell me, if you have strength enough, the full 
 facts of what has happened. I know so far, 
 that I am a defiled wretch, and unworthy of 
 being your son. I have been the cause of your 
 stripes, and no power on earth can again 
 whiten my face.^' 
 
 " My child," answered Ismael, " talk not 
 thus; you have eaten no dirt ; I have only to 
 blame mine own folly for what has occurred. 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 The Begler Beg certainly gave me fair warning, 
 of what would be the consequence of my re- 
 appearance, and indeed he has kept his word ; 
 but the fool little knew that it was for his own 
 good, that I approached his presence a second 
 time ; unhappy man ! he would not let me 
 speak. '^ 
 
 Ismael now slowly recounted the events that 
 had occurred during his absence ; commencing 
 with his intention to attempt the cure of his 
 son^s despondency, and then proceeding through 
 the train of incidents that had happened. On 
 his arriving at that part of the tale which intro- 
 duced the conversation between Moorad and 
 Hussein, the attention of Feridoon became 
 intense, and his agitation excessive, as his 
 father related the diabolical plot that had been 
 planned for the abduction of Zoraya. 
 
 " O ! Allah be merciful !'' he exclaimed, as 
 Ismael finished that part of his recital, '^ grant 
 me but power to overthrow the scheme planned
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 14/ 
 
 by this son of Shaitaii(2) and to rescue her 
 from the grasp of these ruffians, and I ask no 
 more. O ! my father you did well to outwit 
 that Moorad ; (may the hand he lifted against 
 you wither). Thanks be to Providence, the 
 head of an Eliaut, is better than that of a 
 Koord. Alhamdillillah ! father, you did well." 
 On IsmaePs mentioning his second meet- 
 ing with Mehtee Khan, and how he had re- 
 ceived the bastinado, the features of Feridoon 
 became convulsed, with the mingled passions 
 of grief and anger ; — grief at his parent's suf- 
 ferings, and anger at the Begler Beg^s cruelty. 
 Had Mehtee Khan been present, during the 
 recital, it would have been impossible to 
 imagine to what lengths the enraged Eliaut, 
 regardless of the consequences, might have 
 carried his rage, maddened as he was by the 
 spectacle before him. As it was, a momentary 
 impulse prompted him to seek the Khan, and 
 wreak his vengeance on him, although at 
 
 H 2
 
 148 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 the hazard of his Hfe ; but a glance at his 
 father seemed to convince the young man, 
 that such an act, if practicable, would render 
 Ismael's situation still more deplorable, as 
 deprived of him, his only support, the aged 
 shepherd had no other quarter to look to. 
 This idea flashing across him, served in a 
 great degree to calm the fury which raged in 
 his bosom. 
 
 Fatigued by the exertion required to relate 
 w^hat had happened, old Ismael soon fell again 
 into a sound sleep, which lasted throughout the 
 night ; nor did he awake until the sun was high 
 in the heavens; by that time Feridoon had 
 chalked out a path of action which he fondly 
 hoped would frustrate the intentions of the 
 follower of Karah Kaplan; whom he deter- 
 mined to attack, while in the act of bearing off 
 his victim. 
 
 On his mentioning this to his father, the old 
 man^s eye gleamed with a momentary fire ;
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 149 
 
 he knew that it would be most probable that 
 if his son succeeded in his attempt, that the 
 highway of glory would be opened to him, by 
 the gratitude of Mehtee Khan; but, on the 
 other hand, Ismael remembered, that the 
 service on which his son, — his only hope — 
 was about to start, was one of the most extreme 
 danger, and that instead of meeting with suc- 
 cess, he might be baffled and slain. Ismael 
 well knew, that although his son was expert 
 in the use of arms, still it was rumoured that 
 the Koords surpassed the remainder of man- 
 kind in such exercises, and to ensure success 
 in the enterprise, his beloved child would be 
 obliged to contend, hand to hand, with one to 
 vanquish whom, would be the deed of a Rus- 
 tum ; for it was unlikely, if not impossible, that 
 such a man as the Karah Kaplan would have 
 selected any one to be his second in command, 
 save he were renowned for his courage, 
 strength, skill in arms and horsemanship. The
 
 150 
 
 old shepherd had looked upon the strong 
 stalwart form of Moorad; he had felt his 
 sturdy gripe upon his throat, and he sighed 
 when he thought that Feridoon might be the 
 inferior, and he almost felt a wish to restrain 
 his son from attempting the undertaking. Still, 
 as he gazed on the undaunted bearing and the 
 goodly proportions of the youth — as he 
 remembered how excellent was his horseman- 
 ship, and his superiority among the Eliauts 
 in the use of the sword and shield, besides the 
 unerring aim with which he was wont to hurl 
 the jereed, his fears vanished, and he could not 
 bring himself to imagine that his son might not 
 be the victor in the intended combat.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 151 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Ill fared it then with Roderick Dhu, 
 That on the field his targe he threw ; 
 
 Whose brazen studs and tough bull hide, 
 Had death so often dashed aside. 
 
 LADY OF THE LAKE. 
 
 About seven fursuks from Hamadan, on the 
 road leading to Sultaneah, the traveller may 
 have remarked a mountain of curious shape ; 
 its steepness such, that the path by which ca- 
 ravans usually proceed, winds almost entirely 
 around it. The consequence is, that two par- 
 ties coming from different directions, would 
 not be aware of each other's approach, until 
 the foremost mules actually met in the narrow
 
 152 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 way. The summit of this mountain commands 
 a magnificent view of the country for many 
 miles around, and no party, however small, 
 coming from any direction, could escape the 
 notice of a vigilant sentinel, placed there for 
 the purpose of reconnoitring. As soon as this 
 mountain is passed, commences that extensive 
 plain, which continues, with but slight interrup- 
 tions as far as Sultaneah. 
 
 On account of the narrowness of the path 
 which winds around the above mentioned 
 mountain, (which is called the Falcons' hill), 
 a very small body of men well armed, might 
 easily plunder a numerous caravan, were the 
 time and situation well chosen, and the natural 
 defences of the place taken advantage of; for 
 while a lightly caparisoned, and active horse 
 finds tolerable footing on the sides of the 
 mountain ofi* the pathway, a heavily laden 
 mule could not possibly keep its legs for a 
 moment, much less bear its burden onwards.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 153 
 
 This was the spot chosen for the bringing into 
 practice the scheme planned by Moorad, which 
 was the subject of conversation between him- 
 self and the Chervador Hussein, in the cara- 
 vanserai of Hamadan ; and a situation more 
 suited for the purpose intended could not have 
 been easily found. 
 
 The dawn of day was beginning to light up 
 the surrounding scenery, when a solitary figure 
 was seen perched upon the highest peak of the 
 mountain, apparently scanning the horizon 
 with great attention ; at some distance below, 
 close to a spot where the pathway widened in 
 a slight degree, a small band of armed men 
 were collected together, whose dress and ac- 
 coutrements appeared to be Persian. Each 
 man was seated on the ground, holding a horse 
 by the bridle, in readiness to mount at a 
 moment's notice ; the figure at the summit 
 of the peak was ^^sible to them, and seemed 
 the object of the narrowest obser^-ation. 
 
 H 3
 
 J 54 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 Suddenly a sign was made by the sentinel, 
 and as suddenly every man of the band sprung 
 to his feet, and mounting his horse, drew his 
 sword and prepared himself for an immediate 
 encounter. From the few words that passed 
 among them, it was e'\adent that although their 
 garb was Persian, their language was that of 
 a different nation. 
 
 Their horses were magnificent, and they 
 themselves men of superior sinews and 
 strength. Their bold countenances evinced 
 the dauntless spirit which pervaded their hearts, 
 while the fierce expression visible upon them, 
 shewed that they were accustomed to deeds of 
 violence and rapine. Although the band did 
 not consist of more than twenty men, they 
 were a match for double that number of op- 
 ponents, perfectly armed and mounted, provided 
 that they were not attacked at a disadvantage, 
 and they were evidently too well inured to the 
 stratagems of war, ever to allow themselves 
 to be taken by surprise.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 155 
 
 The cause of the httle troop having put 
 itself into motion was, that a moving mass in 
 the distance had attracted the attention of 
 the sentinel at the summit of the mountain, 
 who had in consequence, according to his orders, 
 made a preconcerted signal to his compa- 
 nions. 
 
 The approaching party consisted of the 
 daughter of Mehtee Khan, her attendants and 
 baggage, on their journey towards Sultaneah. 
 They had passed the preceding night at a small 
 village, and were now proceeding to their next 
 station. 
 
 As long as her route lay through the plain, 
 the Hamadanee damsel performed the journey 
 in a takteravan; a species of litter borne by 
 mules, in which she reclined at full lengthy 
 the jolting movement of the conveyance being 
 much lessened by soft cushions, which were 
 placed within. A takteravan, however, being 
 only suited for level roads, whenever the path
 
 156 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 becomes mountainous or uneven, the occupier 
 is obliged to mount on horseback. 
 
 The journey having hitherto been over the 
 plain, Zoraya had not yet quitted her con- 
 veyance ; but as the party approached the 
 mountainous road, a beautiful steed, magnifi- 
 cently caparisoned, was led towards the front, 
 in order for her to mount. 
 
 One of the men who held the rein of the ani- 
 mal was Moorad, the Koord, still in the dis- 
 guise of a muleteer; a self-satisfied smile played 
 over his handsome features, as he saw his well 
 laid plans drawing nigh to a successful close ; 
 he knew that hitherto nothing had been 
 neglected ; the Chervador Hussein had reported 
 to him that he had performed the part re- 
 quired of him without suspicion, in rendering 
 the fire-arms of the guard temporarily useless, 
 and that he was perfectly prepared to fulfil 
 the other arrangements necessary to wind up 
 the plot. Moorad had also made him-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 157 
 
 self exceedingly popular among the attendants 
 by his clever conversation and amusing jests, 
 and although his present ostensible situation 
 was one of such inferior rank, as properly to 
 have kept him at a distance from the chief 
 persons of the party, he notwithstanding had 
 been allowed to ride among the attendants 
 nearest to the takteravan ; he had also been 
 entrusted with the care of Zoraya's horse, 
 which he now led forward as they entered the 
 mountainous path. 
 
 Zoraya having descended from her litter 
 proceeded to mount, when the Koord managed, 
 unseen, to give the animal a slight wound wdth 
 his knife on the fetlock, and then retreated to 
 the rear. In consequence of the stab it had 
 received, the animal for a moment, plunged 
 and reared ; but the first smart of the wound 
 passing over, it proceeded onwards quietly, for 
 about a couple of hundred yards, when it 
 began to walk lame and then stopped alto-
 
 158 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 g ether. The attendants having crowded up, 
 in order to find out the cause of this misfor- 
 tune, Hussein, true to his instructions, 
 loosened the cords which bound the baggage 
 of several mules, and the loads falling to the 
 ground, called out for assistance. Several of 
 the retinue turned back for the purpose of 
 affording him aid, when Moorad, who had 
 watched his opportunity, mounted and stole 
 to the front, and on arriving within a few yards 
 of Zoraya, dashed up to her, and shooting the 
 man who held her rein, seized the maiden 
 round the waist, and dragging her from her 
 seat, placed her before him and galloped off. 
 
 The utility of the precaution, taken the 
 night before, now demonstrated itself; for in 
 an instant several guns were aimed at the 
 person of the daring Koord, which, on the 
 triggers being draAvn, discharged not their con- 
 tents, while Moorad held his course scatheless 
 across the hills. At this moment the band
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 159 
 
 that had lain in concealment, darted upon the 
 panic struck Hamadanees, who, taken by sur- 
 prise, made but a slight resistance ; most of 
 them turning their horses and taking to an 
 ignominious flight along the road over which 
 they had journeyed in the morning; in conse- 
 quence the marauders without much blood- 
 shed proceeded to plunder the baggage ; leaving 
 the cowardly retinue to effect their escape as 
 they best might. 
 
 At this moment, Hussein, who in obedience 
 to the instructions of his late companion, had 
 worn a yellow handkerchief round his cap ; came 
 fearlessly up to the Koords ; when one of them, 
 without the smallest hesitation, struck him 
 a blow with his scimitar, that split the head 
 of the unfortunate man in twain. Thus fell, 
 justly punished, one who had been a principal 
 actor in the plot ; nor was it by accident that 
 he fell a victim to his treachery ; for he had 
 been particularly marked out for destruction,
 
 160 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 in order that no one should remain alive, who 
 could give information whence the scheme had 
 originated, and how it had been executed ; so 
 that in case the maiden might be demanded 
 by the Persian government, from Karah Ka- 
 plan, that chief might deny any knowledge of 
 the circumstance, and thus avoid an open 
 rupture ; although it might be well surmised, 
 that he was the originator of the whole affair. 
 As for the old shepherd, whom he had dis- 
 covered in the act of listening to his conver- 
 sation, Moorad gave little heed to him, as he 
 judged that he would be much too frightened 
 to give information of what he had heard ; even 
 if he knew all, which was exceedingly doubtful ; 
 and had Ismael really been nothing more than 
 a common Eliaut shepherd, this surmise would 
 have been correct, as a poor, miserable and 
 cowardly wretch, such as he appeared to be, would 
 not have dared to court revenge, by relating a 
 story which would be unauthenticated by any
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 161 
 
 other evidence, and might indeed, cause him 
 to be suspected of having joined in the con- 
 spiracy. 
 
 While his companions were engaged in 
 plundering, Moorad was directing his rapid 
 course towards the Maidens' Spring, exulting 
 in the success that had attended his exertions, 
 and bearing the unconscious maiden before 
 him, for she had fainted. Murwari, the Arab 
 steed, who before had seemed a half-starved, 
 and lank yaboo, being put to his paces, showed 
 how just had been the praises bestowed upon 
 him by his master. Bounding over the rocky 
 ground with footing as sure as on the plain, 
 he bid fair to perform the required distance in 
 a brief interval. 
 
 Moorad had already proceeded above a 
 fursuk, when just as he arrived at a spot where 
 the road became more level, a single horseman 
 darted from behind a rocky fragment, and 
 placing himself in the midst of the path.
 
 162 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 attempted to oppose further progress. It was 
 Feridoon, who, conscious that the Koord 
 would be obliged to pass that way, had lain 
 in waiting, and with throbbing heart saw the 
 time for action arrive. But the excellent 
 horsemanship of Moorad here showed itself; 
 although, encumbered with his burden, he 
 managed as he came up to make a sudden 
 though slight deviation from the path, and 
 passing by the Eliaut, unharmed by a blow 
 aimed at him, held on at a pace which seemed 
 to set pursuit at defiance. Enraged at his 
 failure, Feridoon put his own steed to his 
 speed, and followed : but to his horror and 
 disappointment, he perceived that every bound 
 placed a greater distance between him and the 
 Koord. Notwithstanding the disparity of 
 weight, the superior swiftness of Murwari was 
 such, that in a short time he was several 
 hundred yards in advance. 
 
 An event, however, occurred which material-
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 163 
 
 ly altered the aspect of affairs ; Zoraya who 
 had lain in a state of insensibility, began to 
 revive, and on perceiving her situation, shrieked 
 out, and struggled so violently, as greatly to 
 impede the pace of Murwari. Moorad, also, 
 his attention being turned to his burden, found 
 excessive difficulty in managing his reins; in 
 the meanwhile, Feridoon was fast gaining on 
 him ; perceiving, therefore, that it would be 
 impossible to avoid a contest, the Koord 
 reined in his steed, and placing Zoraya on the 
 ground, sternly forbade her attempting to 
 escape, under pain of instant death, and facing 
 round prepared to encounter the approaching 
 foe. Had the combatants been equally armed, 
 no doubt could have existed as to the issue of 
 the rencontre ; the superiority of the Koord 
 both in strength and horsemanship, being 
 enormous. He at present, however, pos- 
 sessed merely a sword and a steel javelin, 
 which hung at his saddle bow, his pistol being
 
 164 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 discharged, he was also without his shield, 
 or any defensive armour whatever ; while Feri- 
 doon was armed with both shield and-sword.(l) 
 Notwithstanding his labouring under all these 
 disadvantages, Moorad undauntedly prepared 
 to encounter his adversary, and as soon as 
 Feridoon was within distance, he hurled forth 
 his jereed at the youth, the missile flew swiftly 
 through the air, straight towards the EHaut's 
 breast, when just as its barbed head was on 
 the very point of reaching its intended gaol, 
 Feridoon dexterously interposed his shield, so 
 that the spear glanced off in a slanting direc- 
 tion ; having thus escaped unharmed, he dashed 
 his heel to his courser's flank, and attacked 
 his enemy with his sabre ; Moorad, however, 
 parried the blows well, and returned them with 
 such good interest, that had not the young 
 Eliaut possessed a tough shield, and been well 
 practised in its use, his fate would have soon 
 been decided. The combat now became hot ;
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 165 
 
 the admirable horsemanship of both parties 
 showed itself to the utmost, particularly that of 
 the Koord, who aware of the disadvantage 
 under which he was fighting, exerted his ut- 
 most skill, wheeling round and round, in order 
 to avoid the other's blows, and waiting for an 
 opportunity when Feridoon should leave his 
 head exposed. 
 
 Zoraya gazed upon the combatants with a 
 throbbing heart ; who Feridoon was, she could 
 not conjecture ; but she easily descried that 
 he was come to rescue her from the clutches 
 of her abductor. 
 
 At length, breathless from the violence of 
 their exertions, the two foes paused for a 
 moment, as if by mutual consent ; still, how- 
 ever, eying each other with fury in their 
 looks. 
 
 " Dog !'^ cried Feridoon, " how dare you 
 thus ^^olate the laws. Get ye hence, and be 
 happy that you have escaped with life."
 
 166 liARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Whose unclean offspring are you/' re- 
 turned the other, "to interfere; thwart me 
 nriore, and you will repent of your folly. Have 
 you not already sufficiently tested the strength 
 of my arm." 
 
 " Your strength, hound of Shaitan/' cried 
 the youth ; " a famished cur possesseth more. 
 Are you a Rustum that you can contend 
 against odds? Look well, fool, and observe how 
 much superior my weapons are to yours ; 
 where too is your shirt of mail, where your 
 shield ? Come, be prudent, and deliver up the 
 maiden, as you hope to live." 
 
 " Ha ! braggart say you so," roared out 
 the Koord ; " then thus do I send your soul 
 to Jehanum." 
 
 With these words, he suddenly spurred his 
 steed, and with a bound came up to his adver- 
 sary dealing him at the same time so formid- 
 able a blow, that the cap which Feridoon wore, 
 was cut almost through ; fortunately the lining
 
 167 
 
 was so thick that the youth was unharmed, 
 thou2:h he was hurled from his horse and came 
 to the orround losinsr both his shield and sword 
 in the faU. 
 
 In an instant, however, he had regained his 
 feet, and nimbly avoiding a second blow, ran 
 towards a huge fragment of rock in order to 
 ensconce himself behind it, calling out to 
 Zoraya to follow his example; but Moorad, 
 who had been carried by the violence of his 
 last effort some paces in a different direction, 
 turned again and was fast gaining upon his 
 unarmed adversary ; indeed the fate of Feridoon 
 seemed inevitable, when he by chance per- 
 ceived the javelin, that had been cast at the 
 beginning of the combat, sticking in the 
 ground. To seize upon it, and hurl it was the 
 work of an instant ; the weapon being truly 
 aimed and skillfully thrown, struck the Koord 
 in the sword arm, piercing it to the very bone. 
 The Hmb fell povrerless at Moorad's side, while
 
 168 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 the sabre, which it held, dropped to the ground. 
 Feridoon perceiving the success which had at- 
 tended his last attempt, regained his own arms 
 and mounted his horse, when the baffled 
 Koord, seeing all hope of continuing the 
 combat vanish, uttered a dreadful curse and 
 wheeling round, rode off at full speed, leaving 
 the young Eliaut master of the field.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 169 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 And is the hostile troop arrived. 
 
 And have they won the day ? 
 It must have been a bloody field, 
 
 'Ere Darwent fied away. 
 
 THE ETTEICK SHEPHERD. 
 
 WiTHOijT pausing to take breath, after the 
 long and violent combat that had taken place, 
 Feridoon proceeded to direct his attention to- 
 wards the maiden, whom he had rescued, 
 when he perceived her extended on the ground, 
 in a fainting condition : the cause of which had 
 been, the beholding of her champion hurled from 
 his saddle ; when imagining herself to be again 
 in the power of the Koord, the blood had left 
 
 VOL. I. I
 
 170 KARAH KAPLANj 
 
 her heart and she had fallen lifeless to the 
 earth. 
 
 Distracted at seeing the situation of his 
 beloved, Feridoon lept from his horse, and 
 taking the unconscious maiden in his arms, 
 used every endeavour to recal her to life ; car- 
 rying her to a stream of water, he bathed her 
 temples and hands profusely, at the same time 
 calling upon her, by every endearing epithet, to 
 look up. 
 
 Her veil had fallen off, and her features, 
 beautiful, even in the semblance of death, were 
 fully exposed to view; her chauder having 
 been disordered during her forced and rapid 
 course across the hills, no longer enveloped 
 her form, so that the young Eliaut beheld, 
 unrestrained, charms upon which no man, ex- 
 cept a father, had freely gazed before. Had 
 Feridoon now beheld that face for the first 
 time, closed as were its eyes and pale its 
 cheeks, he would have become (or he had not
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 171 
 
 been a Persian) irrevocably enamoured of the 
 possessor ; but having already, although but 
 for an instant, seen it lighted up with the 
 glow of health and radiant with expression, he 
 felt that to die, even in torments, in such a 
 maiden^s service w^ould be happiness compared 
 to the agony of being forced to quit her. 
 
 After some time, Zoraya began to revive ; the 
 colour again mantled her cheeks, and opening 
 her large and lustrous eyes, she became re- 
 stored to consciousness. 
 
 On beholding Feridoon, her first movement 
 was one of alarm, at perceiving herself to be 
 in the arms of a man, and that man a stranger ; 
 hastily extricating herself from his grasp, she 
 felt for her veil and on observing its loss, she 
 covered her face with her hands, and imagin- 
 ing herself still in the power of Moorad, ex- 
 claimed. 
 
 " Monster ! Fiend ! Why have you thus 
 torn me from my companions ? In the name 
 
 I 2
 
 172 KARAIl KAPLAN; 
 
 of your mother, have mercy upon me and re- 
 store me to them.'^ 
 
 Feridoon hastened to undeceive her, in- 
 forming her of her safety, and the defeat of 
 the Koord ; upon which, directing her eyes to- 
 wards him, and observing her mistake, Zoraya 
 expressed her thanks in the warmest terms, 
 caUing down blessings upon her gallant de- 
 liverer. 
 
 Whether or not the handsome form of the 
 EUaut produced any sudden impression upon 
 the maiden's feehngs, cannot of course be 
 absolutely asserted ; but having well observed 
 him, she no longer evinced any intention of 
 concealing her features. It might have been 
 that no veil was at hand ; however, merely 
 drawing her chauder over her form, she lis- 
 tened to the recital of Feridoon, who informed 
 her of the reason of his opportune appearance. 
 By degrees such full particulars were given, 
 that Zoraya discovered that she owed her safe-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 1/3 
 
 ly to the son of the old man who had been so 
 maltreated by her father. 
 
 On her expressing her sori'ow for ^yhat had 
 happened on that occasion, and lamenting that 
 one, to whom she owed so much, should have 
 hitherto received nought but injury and insult 
 from her family ; at the same time promising 
 that his courage and devotion should meet 
 their deserved reward, Feridoon interrupted 
 her and exclaimed, 
 
 " Lady, I am already sufficiently recom- 
 pensed, if I have rendered any service to one 
 for whom I am ready to shed the last drop 
 of my blood. O, be not offended, when I con- 
 fess that ever since that memorable day on 
 which I beheld your countenance in the bazar 
 of Hamadan, your image has never ceased to 
 cross my imagination.'^ 
 
 " Offended ! my gallant friend !" repUed 
 Zoraya, " how can I be offended with one who 
 has saved me from worse than death V'
 
 174 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 " Still, lady," said the Eliaut, " it is pre- 
 sumption in me, humble and poor as I am, 
 even to think of one so far exalted above me/' 
 
 *^ Nay 1" said the maiden, '^ you wrong 
 yourself; from what I have understood, your 
 father is of noble(l) blood, and although reduced 
 to poverty, that does not lower either him or 
 you in my opinion ; however, poverty shall no 
 longer be your portion ; I know my father 
 well, he is not one to pass over, with slight 
 notice, the rescuer of a beloved daughter." 
 
 It was evident that the Hamadanee maiden 
 and Feridoon had fallen deeply into mutual 
 admiration, and their conversation might have 
 proceeded without either desiring to draw it to 
 a close, when the horse of the latter beginning 
 to paw the ground with impatience, the noise 
 recalled the pair to a sense of their situation, 
 and made them remember that it was time to 
 think of removing from the spot, lest Moorad, 
 having obtained assistance, might return for
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 175 
 
 the purpose of recapturing the maiden. Feri- 
 doon also recollected that it was the intention 
 of the Koordish band, which had attacked the 
 attendants of the Begler Beg, to proceed to the 
 Maiden^s Spring, after the mules had been 
 plundered, consequently, that they would pass 
 by the path near which the late combat had 
 taken place. 
 
 The youth, therefore, proposed that Zo- 
 raya should mount his horse and proceed 
 under his guidance to the Eliaut encamp- 
 ment ; Zoraya was about to comply with this 
 advice, when a noise, as if of horses galloping, 
 was heard, and looking towards the spot 
 whence the sounds proceeded, Feridoon be- 
 held a mounted party approaching at full 
 speed, and devining that they were the 
 Koords returning from their foray, he hastily 
 retired with his charge behind a rock, which 
 concealed them from view, and awaited the 
 passing of the banditti ; when, to his dismay.
 
 176 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 on their arriving at the spot where the late 
 combat had taken place, they reined in their 
 steeds and dismounting, seemed prepared to 
 make a halt, for taking out their chibouques 
 they filled and lighted them, and seating them- 
 selves on the ground entered into conversation 
 with each other. 
 
 " Barakillah !" said one, " we have done 
 well ; we have not only carried off a wife for 
 our chief, but also collected plunder enough 
 to keep us merry for a twelvemonth.** 
 
 " How the cowards ran," observed another; 
 " they hardly gave us time to burn their fa- 
 thers. A precious set of rascals are those 
 Hamadanee pishkidmuds, to take to flight at 
 the first appearance of danger. Alhamdellillah ; 
 I was born a Koord, no ass of an Iranee had 
 any hand in my birth .'^ 
 
 " Mashallah ;'^ said the first speaker turning 
 to a rough looking Koord of gigantic dimensions, 
 " yon was a good blow of thine, which split
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 177 
 
 in twain the head of the fellow who wore a 
 yellow cap." 
 
 ^^ At any rate, Abdallah/^ replied the man 
 addressed, " it did not require much force to 
 reach the man's brain; had I cut through a 
 hindowanee(2) it could not have yielded more 
 easily than his skull to my sabre's edge/' 
 
 " WeU, well," returned Abdallah, " he de- 
 served his fate, doubly deserved it, both on 
 account of his treachery to his master and his 
 being such an idiot as to imagine, for a mo- 
 ment, that he would be suffered to stand in 
 our way on his ceasing to be of use. Where 
 was he born, that he forgot the proverb, 
 * dead men tell no tales.' " 
 
 "He was indeed a dewaneh," exclaimed se- 
 veral of the band ; " what an ass his father 
 must have been." 
 
 " What a Rustum is our Moorad,'^ observed 
 Abdallah ; "did you not see how quickly he 
 managed his business. Bah, before any one 
 
 I 3
 
 178 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 could cry mashallah ! he had seized the girl, 
 and was off. I warrant, that before this he has 
 reached our chief, or Murwari is not the horse 
 I take him for; — but what is that gUttering 
 yonder?^* 
 
 The object that had excited the attention of 
 Abdallah was the sword which had fallen from 
 Moorad^s hand on his receiving his wound, and 
 which Feridoon, being too much engaged, had 
 neglected to secure before he sought his pre- 
 sent shelter. Several of the band having pro- 
 ceeded to the spot where the weapon was 
 lying, instantly recognized it ; a single excla- 
 mation sufficed to cause the remainder of the 
 party to rise and hasten towards their com- 
 rades. 
 
 " By the head of Ali," cried Abdallah after 
 a moment's pause, " it is his sword, I could 
 swear to it among a thousand(3), Khorasan ne- 
 ver sent forth a better blade." 
 
 ^^ And by the holy camel,^^ exclaimed the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. IJ^ 
 
 man who had slain Hussein, " there is blood 
 upon it, and freshly spilt ; how is this, and on 
 the hilt too." 
 
 "Wahi, wahi!" said Abdallah, "what can 
 have happened ? Look here, the earth is torn 
 up by horses' feet ; there has been a combat ; 
 surely Moorad cannot have fallen." 
 
 " Afakerillah !" ejaculated the other, " still 
 why has his sword been dropt and been 
 left here ? Allah forefend his having been 
 forced to surrender up his prize by superior 
 numbers, they could not be few to overcome 
 our comrade, who is a match for a dozen 
 Persians.^^ 
 
 " Let us make instant search around,^^ re- 
 plied Abdallah, " perchance we may discover 
 something that may throw light upon this 
 affair.'^ 
 
 This advice was immediately followed ; the 
 Koords mounted, and proceeded slowly in
 
 180 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 different directions, casting penetrating glances 
 around. 
 
 To the dismay and apprehension of the con- 
 cealed pair one of the men approached the 
 rock behind which they had sought shelter. 
 Although they had been too far distant to 
 overhear the conversation detailed above, they 
 had seen the discovery of the sword and ob- 
 served the gestures and actions of the hand ; 
 consequently, it may easily be imagined with 
 what feelings Feridoon and Zoraya beheld the 
 search that was being made. 
 
 The Koord came close to them ; he cast a 
 hasty glance around, and was proceeding in a 
 different direction when Feridoon's horse, hear- 
 ing the trample of one of his species, raised 
 his head, expanded his nostrils and was on 
 the very point of neighing, when his master, 
 quick as thought, plunged his sword up to the 
 very hilt into the animaFs heart, stifling by its
 
 OR^ THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 181 
 
 death, the sound which would have betrayed 
 them. It was a hard, but necessary sacrifice, 
 for had the neigh been made and heard, all 
 would have been lost ; as it was, the attention 
 of the Koord who had just passed, seemed to 
 have been attracted by the noise made by the 
 animal's fall, for he stopped and inclined his 
 head as if listening ; at this moment, however, 
 a shout from another quarter caused him to 
 gallop off. No sooner had he gone, than Fe- 
 ridoon supporting Zoraya in his arms, began 
 to retreat from the spot, keeping under cover 
 of the rocks, lest he might be observed from 
 below. 
 
 Notwithstanding the danger of his position, 
 and the certain destruction that awaited his 
 being discovered, it may be questioned whe- 
 ther it was one at all objected to by the youth : 
 his arm was encircling the waist of her whom 
 he adored and to whom he had rendered and 
 was rendering an inestimable service, one at
 
 182 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 least deserving of her gratitude ; and to be the 
 occupier of the thoughts of the Hamadanee 
 maiden, even for a moment, was to Feridoon 
 happiness unknown to any but Orientals, whose 
 blood runs through their veins like so much 
 fire, causing their love to be devotion, their 
 hatred detestation, their wish to revenge an 
 insult almost demoniacal fury ; all their pas- 
 sions are in extremes. 
 
 The love felt by Feridoon for Zoraya 
 was indeed a feeling of devotion — the feeling 
 of a Romanist towards his tutelar saint — the 
 feeling of a Mussulman towards his pro- 
 phet. 
 
 Having ascended for sometime as fast as 
 the rugged nature of the ground would permit, 
 and being arrived at an elevated situation 
 from whence the surrounding country was vi- 
 sible to a great distance, the Eliaut gladly 
 discovered that the Koords had proceeded on 
 their way ; his fair burden and himself were
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 183 
 
 therefore in safety^, and it only remained to 
 determine what was next to be done. 
 
 They were some distance from the Eliaut 
 encampment and still further from the village 
 where Zoraya had rested the previous night, 
 and no means of journeying remained to them, 
 except by proceeding on foot, the Eliaut's horse 
 having been slain. The day, however, was not 
 far advanced, Feridoon therefore bid the 
 maiden lean upon his arm and thus support- 
 ing her, proceeded towards the encampment 
 of his tribe, that being the point to which 
 they decided on directing their steps.
 
 184 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 How I have loved, heaveo knows ; but there's a fate 
 Which hinders me from being fortunate. 
 
 DRYDEN. 
 
 It was about an hour before sunset, when 
 Feridoon and Zoraya arrived within sight of 
 the black tents, being at the distance of about 
 a fursuk. For the last four hours, the maiden 
 had performed the journey upon the back of 
 a Yaboo, which they had fortunately met with 
 and borrowed. Consequently, the lovely girl 
 not being so fatigued, as she otherwise would 
 have been, had entered into free conversation 
 with her conductor, and from hira had learned 
 a full and concise account of his origin, and the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 185 
 
 former rank and station of his father Ismael, 
 the greatness of which was beyond all she had 
 conceived. The frank bearing and manly car- 
 riage of Feridoon, added to his handsome per- 
 sonal appearance, had quite won the maideh^s 
 heart, who had never to her idea gazed on his 
 equal, besides which, she had never spoken to, 
 or been spoken to by man before, excepting 
 her father and a few favoured domestics ; being 
 therefore now thrown for a whole day into the 
 society of one, who besides possessing great 
 personal advantages, had preserved her from 
 a miserable destiny at the hazard of his life, it 
 cannot be wondered that her feelings towards 
 him were stronger than those of gratitude, 
 particularly on considering her character so 
 imbued with romance, and on her discovering 
 that her preserver had long and ardently loved 
 her. His present lowly station obtruded not 
 itself on her mind, she thought of him only as
 
 186 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 her defender, her lover, one equal to, if not 
 superior to herself. 
 
 They had, as observed above, arrived within 
 a fursuk of the Eliaut encampment, when a 
 party of horsemen w^ere observed approaching 
 at a rapid pace ; on coming up to Feridoon and 
 Zoraya, the foremost rider stopped his horse 
 by a sudden pull of his arm, and knitting his 
 brow began to stare fixedly upon them. The 
 EHaut scarcely knew whether to be glad or 
 sorry at the rencontre, as he recognised Ma- 
 homed Reza Meerza(l) Prince Governor of 
 the province ; his heart however whispered to 
 him, that all was not right. 
 
 The Prince's attention was attracted by 
 finding a woman, evidently of rank, in such 
 a place, attended only by a single man, and 
 he a youth of handsome appearance, but 
 whose dress did not betoken him of suf- 
 ficient rank, to be either her husband or
 
 on, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 187 
 
 brother. Zoraya was^ also, without a veil, and 
 her chauder was scarcely sufficient to disguise 
 her features, revealing also portions of dress, 
 which were evidently of the most splendid 
 kind. 
 
 " Who are you ?^^ said the Prince addressing 
 Feridoon, " what are you doing here, and who 
 is that woman ?" 
 
 Feridoon, making a low and respectful sa- 
 laam, answered, that she was the daughter of 
 the Begler Beg of Hamadan. 
 
 " Dog !" replied the Prince, his eyes flashing 
 fire, " what then are you doing here together ? 
 How happens it that a baseborn wretch, should 
 thus be discovered alone with a damsel of rank. 
 Speak, burnt father, before I order your tongue 
 to be cut out : how has it happened ?" 
 
 Feridoon thus enjoined, hastened to inform 
 the Shah zadeh of the occurrences of the day, 
 and how he had rescued Zoraya from the 
 clutches of the Koord. The jealousy of Ma-
 
 188 
 
 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 homed Reza Meerza was excited at hearing 
 this account, as it had been for some time his 
 intention, to take the Hamadanee damsel into 
 his own harem. Turning therefore to her he 
 observed, 
 
 '^ Khanum, I am your father's friend, and 
 will take charge of you myself, and see you in 
 safety to your home ; I will also take good care 
 that you meet not again with such an accident, 
 as will cause to need you the assistance of a 
 peasant ; therefore Khanum, I will thank you 
 to proceed with me. Bachahau, attend to her/^ 
 
 " But, my lord !^' exclaimed Zoraya, " leave 
 not yonder youth thus ; he deserves not to go 
 unrewarded for the services which he has 
 rendered me. Consider, my gracious lord, that 
 had it not been for him " 
 
 " Peace, malapert V' interrupted the Prince, 
 " do as you are bidden ; my orders brook no 
 questioning. Bachahau to your duty.'^ 
 
 Two attendants, upon this, seized the rein of
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 189 
 
 Zoraya's horse, unheeding her entreaties, and 
 led her from the spot ; the Prince delayed but 
 a minute to order some of his attendants to 
 drive Feridoon away, and prevent his following 
 them ; he then galloped off. 
 
 The commands of Mahomed Reza Meerza 
 were implicitly obeyed, even to a greater ex- 
 tent than was intended, and the youth who, at 
 the peril of his life, had that morning saved the 
 maiden, was driven from the spot with blows 
 and abuse ; nor did the numerous attendants 
 cease their ill usage, until the Eliaut was 
 scarcely able to move from the spot; upon 
 which, bursting into a roar of laughter, they 
 mockingly wished him a pleasant journey, and 
 rode away. 
 
 Feridoon stood gazing upon the departing 
 cavalcade in silence. He felt no pain, no out- 
 ward hurt from his blows, but in his throat 
 there was a sensation of suffocation. His heart 
 was full, as if about to burst ; he saw his golden
 
 190 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 dreams vanish ; he saw the object of his adora- 
 tion, his soul's idol disappear, he well knew 
 for ever, as to hope that an opportunity 
 would occur of beholding Zoraya again, even 
 for a moment was absurd, as charms such as 
 hers, which had produced such a warm effect 
 upon his breast, would inevitably do the same 
 with the hearts of others, particularly with 
 respect to Mahomed Reza, whose violent 
 passions and strong susceptibility for beauty 
 were well known ; and alas, Feridoon was too 
 well aware of the power of such a man, who 
 would never brook the slightest hindrance to 
 his desires. Zoraya, therefore, was lost to him 
 for ever, for whatever might be her wishes, her 
 father dare not refuse a Prince's alliance. 
 
 He also well knew the effect of rank on a 
 woman's heart; how much it would prevail 
 against the effect of love. He knew that, in 
 o-eneral, women would sacrifice their best 
 affections for wealth and station; and forget.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 191 
 
 or, at least stifle the remembrance of a love 
 once felt for an object, inferior in worldly, 
 though superior in other qualifications. 
 
 Revolving such thoughts in his mind, 
 the unhappy youth dragged himself slowly 
 towards his home, and arriving there about 
 dusk, proceeded at once to his father^s tent ; 
 and seating himself on the ground, gave vent 
 to his unhappiness ; tears, actual tears flowed 
 in streams down his cheeks ; he was as a 
 child — he was quite unmanned. 
 
 His old father, who was lying down, still 
 suffering from his wounds, observed with 
 astonishment, the behaviour of his son, and 
 addressing him in his kindest manner, bid him 
 relate his adventures, at the same time telling 
 him to be of good courage, and not to give 
 way to despair. 
 
 ^' I see, my child V he said, ^' that you have 
 met with a rebuff; but still you have escaped 
 with life ; your skin is left, and surely a skin
 
 192 
 
 is no such bad thing, after all. Be thankful, my 
 boy, that you are still spared to bless the days 
 of your parent.'^ 
 
 Feridoon hastened to give Ismael an account 
 of his adventures ; the eye of the old man 
 glistened at the recital of the combat; his 
 imagination flew back to days long past, and 
 revelled over many a field of glory, in which 
 he had been an actor ; when, however, the 
 story arrived at the description of the ap- 
 proach of Moorad's companions, and the death 
 of Feridoon's horse, Ismael could contain him- 
 self no longer, but raising himself in his couch, 
 he threw up his hands and exclaimed, 
 
 " Barakillah, my own brave boy, you indeed 
 deserve a glorious destiny. When did mortal 
 ever hear of such conduct before. Whose dog 
 was Rustum compared to you. Oh ! my 
 gallant child, yon was a good blow of thine, 
 which subdued the Koord, and forced him to 
 seek safety in flight ; it must have been a sick-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 193 
 
 f ■ 
 
 ening thing for him to show his back to an 
 enemy. Oh ! my son, you have brought heal- 
 ing ointment to my wounds, in telUng me that 
 the proud spirit of Moorad has received a rebuff, 
 and from the hand of one whom he would pre- 
 viously have contemned. But that action is 
 not the only one which has whitened your 
 face : it was well thought of that blow which 
 prevented your horse from giving an alarm. 
 Poor Karagoosh5(2) he was a goodly steed; it 
 was an unhappy though necessitous fate to 
 deprive him of life, he had performed his duty 
 well, and had he returned alive, he should have 
 experienced the effects of my gratitude. We 
 would have starved ourselves in order to have 
 seen his bag(3) well filled. But go on, my 
 child, I am all attention.^^ 
 
 Feridoon proceeded ; he talked of the beauty 
 of Zoraya with enthusiasm, he dwelt upon 
 every word that had come from her lips, with 
 the avidity of a miser counting over his hoarded 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 gold, fearful of losing the smallest portion of 
 his wealth. At length he brought his tale to 
 a conclusion, and then giving way to despair, 
 began to lament his adverse fate. 
 
 Ismael long endeavoured to assuage the 
 youth's grief; his arguments, indeed, could not 
 possess much consolation, as he well knew how 
 improbable if not impossible it was, that Zoraya 
 and Feridoon could meet again. All he could 
 do therefore, was to bid the youth act with 
 firmness, and to drive away if possible, the 
 remembrance of the beautiful and transient 
 vision. 
 
 Few things are harder to be borne by man, 
 than his being rejected on his confessing his 
 love ; far harder, however, is it to know that he is 
 beloved in return, but that an insurmountable 
 barrier is raised between him, and the object 
 of his aflfections ; in the first instance, many 
 feelings are outraged, a dreadful pang inflicted, 
 the vanity also of a man is stricken, his hopes
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 195 
 
 suddenly nipped ; still, if he be a man his pride 
 may assist him in overcoming his feelings ; but 
 in the other case, the very knowledge that 
 he is beloved in vain, is torture ; no pride can 
 come to his assistance, but he Hngers on in 
 hopeless, endless misery. 
 
 Long was it before the young EUaut could 
 bring himself to think calmly ; his expectations 
 had received too severe a shock. Finding also, 
 that his former occupations were too tame, and 
 without sufi&cient diversity, for a mind like his, 
 he determined to change his manner and 
 action of life, and an opportunity for so 
 doing occurring, he gladly availed himself of 
 it. His good horsemanship, and skill in mar- 
 tial exercises, had long since attracted the 
 favourable attention of his chief, and this 
 nobleman was on the point of proceeding to 
 the ShaVs camp at Sultaneah, and being 
 desirous of making as much show as possible, 
 was collecting together the finest youths of the 
 
 K 2
 
 196 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 tribe^ to form his body guard. Feridoon's 
 determination was soon taken ; having obtained 
 his father's sanction, he proceeded to offer 
 his services to Abbas Khan, who enrolled him 
 among his Gholams, with a promise of promo- 
 tion on the first vacancy. 
 
 It must be confessed that it was not the 
 desire of stirring occupation alone, which in- 
 duced the youth to act thus ; there was also 
 a secret hope, not even avowed to himself, of 
 beholding Zoraya ; at least he would be near 
 her, and even that slender consolation serv^ed 
 to raise his spirits. 
 
 The day for the departure of Abbas Khan 
 had arrived ;(4) a fortunate hour was proclaimed 
 for his setting out, and all was bustle and ani- 
 mation throughout the camp. 
 
 A few minutes before quitting his father's 
 tent, Feridoon, kneeling before the old man, 
 requested his blessing. 
 
 " May Allah preserve thee, my son," ex-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 197 
 
 claimed Ismael, placing his hands upon the 
 shoulders of the youth ; '^ may he take you 
 under his especial care, — may he watch over, 
 and direct your steps. Forget not, Feridoon, 
 to offer up your prayers to him ; let not the 
 amusements of the camp, and the society you 
 will meet there, cause you to neglect your 
 religion ; whatever occupation you may enter 
 into, whatever labours you may undergo, there 
 is always time for prayer. You are now going 
 where you will find many, who, thinking 
 only of gaiety, and the enjoyment of the 
 passing hour, throw into oblivion their God 
 and their prophet, unheeding the precepts of 
 the Koran, and the doctrines instilled from 
 infancy into their bosoms. I know, my son, 
 that there is little chance of your becoming one 
 of these ; but still you are young, I should feel 
 I had not done my duty as a parent, in neglect- 
 ing to warn you.'^ 
 
 " Allah forefend, O my father !" cried Feri-
 
 198 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 doon, " my neglecting my religion. Thanks 
 be to your care, the precepts of the prophet 
 are too deeply engrafted in my heart, that I 
 should forget them ; never shall the holy name 
 of Allah, and of our blessed Mahomed be for a 
 moment absent from my thoughts/' 
 
 " Alhamdellillah V' answered Ismael ; " bless- 
 ed be the hour when you first beheld the light, 
 — blessed be the voice which told me on your 
 birth, that I still possessed a son. My Feri- 
 doon, I can easily foresee that a life of glory 
 awaits you ; go to your duty, forget not my 
 words, —may you be happy.'' 
 
 The father and son embraced, and the latter 
 having quitted the tent, mounted the horse 
 which he had received from the chief, and 
 proceeded to take his station among the Gho- 
 lams, who were on the point of setting forth 
 on their journey. 
 
 Abbas Khan, the chief of the tribe, was a 
 fine portly man, of about forty years of age ;
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF, 199 
 
 endowed with moderate genius, but possessed 
 of a kind and generous heart, and greatly free 
 from the prevaihng vices of his countrymen; 
 he was adored by his tribe, who looked upon 
 him in the hght of a father, and he, indeed, 
 well deserved their love. 
 
 As the cavalcade were passing the spot 
 where Feridoon had met the Prince Mahomed 
 Reza, the young EUaut, who happened to be 
 the last of the party, perceived a glittering 
 object on the roadside ; he dismounted, and 
 discovered it be a ring, which to his joyful 
 surprise, he recognised as one he had seen 
 on the linger of Zoraya. To seize upon, and 
 to conceal it within the folds(5) of his cap was 
 the work of a moment A change immediately 
 came over his spirit: just before he had been 
 oppressed with the most gloomy sadness ; now, 
 an expression of joyous hope spread itself over 
 his countenance. He hailed the discovery of 
 the gem as a fortunate omen, portending hap-
 
 200 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 piness, and bidding him cease to despair ; a 
 calm gradually dispersed itself over his frame, 
 he offered up a silent prayer to heaven, and 
 rejoining his companions, proceeded on his 
 way with a lightened heart.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 201 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 The Assyrian came down like a wolf on the fold. 
 And his cohorts were gleaming, with purple and gold. 
 And the sheen of their spears was like stars on the sea. 
 When the blue waves roll mighty on deep Galilee. 
 
 The sun was about to set, after a magnifi- 
 cent day, behind the lofty Alwend mountains, 
 when a large party of horsemen were winding 
 their way along a rocky defile, leading from 
 the valley of Sennar. They were evidently not 
 Persians, as their manner of riding, and gene- 
 ral deportment, differed extremely from that 
 of the men of Iran. On a nearer approach, 
 also, their large turbans, (1) together with their 
 
 K 3
 
 202 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 accoutrements, betokened them to belong to 
 some Koordish tribe. In front of the troop, 
 mounted on a spirited Arab horse, rode a 
 young man whose proud carriage, and dignified 
 air, added to the respect evinced towards him, 
 by his companions, showed that he was the 
 chieftain. The appearance of Allah Verdee 
 Khan, surnamed the Karah Kaplan, for it was 
 he, well warranted the high eulogium passed 
 upon it by Moorad, in the caravanserai of 
 Hamadan. Although below the middle height, 
 his frame was so athletic and well knit, and 
 his shoulders so broad and muscular, that it 
 was formed for deeds of prowess and of 
 strength ; indeed, it might have been doubted, 
 whether he would not have almost proved a 
 match for his gigantic follower, Moorad. His 
 face, which was of a light complexion, was 
 handsome and prepossessing, and the spectator, 
 while gazing upon his countenance, which was 
 calm and mild, could scarcely have credited the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 203 
 
 strange tales current, concerning his cruel and 
 revengeful disposition. 
 
 His eye, which was grey, was keen and 
 penetrating, but possessed neither a fierce, or 
 a malignant expression ; on the contrary, judg- 
 ing by that organ, the supposition would have 
 been, that the owner was of a gentle, and intelli- 
 gent character. Karah Kaplan, however, belied 
 the expression both of his eye, and countenance ; 
 although brave in the extreme, his courage was 
 untempered with humanity, his passions fierce 
 and unmanageable, and his disposition cruel, 
 scornful, and tyrannical ; still, unlike the gene- 
 rality of his countrymen, he was not avaricious, 
 for although he was constantly enriching him- 
 self with plunder, he profusely lavished the 
 wealth thus procured, among his adherents, 
 to whom this trait of generosity, so unusual in 
 Persia, had much endeared him. 
 
 Ruling over one of the largest, and most 
 powerful tribes of Koordistan, his name was 
 feared both far and near, and although several
 
 204 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 expeditions had been sent out against him, by 
 the Persian government, on account of the 
 dreadful depredations at times committed by 
 him and his followers, his power still remained 
 unabated, while his enemies had ever returned 
 discomfited and unsuccessful. It was also 
 currently reported, that he was in secret cor- 
 respondance with several great personages at 
 the court of the Shah, (Fath AU), who for 
 certain large bribes which annually found their 
 way to Teheran, secretly managed the forces 
 that went against the tribe of Karah Kaplan 
 should never be of any material strength, or 
 number. This was, however, only surmised, 
 for there were many who were wont to observe 
 that the Koordish Chieftain, would prove a 
 match for the largest army that could be 
 collected for the purpose of attacking his 
 valleys ; as besides the natural strength of his 
 own tribe, he was in strict defensive and of- 
 fensive alliance with several others. 
 
 The band, at the head of which Allah Verdee
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 205 
 
 Khan was riding, consisted of about a hundred 
 warriors, well mounted, and completely armed 
 with sword, shield, gun, pistols and lance. 
 By the anxious expression visible on their 
 visages, it was evident that they were engaged 
 upon some important affair, and were expect- 
 ing momentarily to enter into action. On 
 different ridges of the surrounding hills, the 
 figures of horsemen cut the sky, who appeared 
 to be on the look out. 
 
 " By Ali 1" cried Allah Verdee, turning to 
 the Koord, who rode nearest to him, after some 
 time passed in silence, " they tarry on their 
 way; I fear that darkness will cover these 
 mountains before they pass this spot. How 
 much longer shall we have the sun ?'^ 
 
 '^ So please your Highness,^^ returned the 
 Koord addressed, " for an hour and a half 
 more, we shall not want the light of day, and 
 after that we have a good moon, so that our 
 prey cannot possibly escape us.''
 
 206 KARAH KAPLAN J 
 
 " I would, however, prefer to attack them 
 by day,'^ said Karah Kaplan ; '^ for otherwise 
 we may lose much of our booty, for want of 
 light sufficient to guide us ; besides which, our 
 marksmen cannot take such true aim by moon- 
 light, and I place great reliance on their 
 prowess, in these attacks, as the caravans on 
 this road are strong in numbers. May their 
 fathers be burned \" 
 
 " But, Sahib,'* answered the other, " the 
 more in numbers, the greater the booty ; we 
 are a match for half a thousand caravan travel- 
 lers, who are seldom all of them fighting cha- 
 racters ; the Persian merchant, though he loves 
 his money-bags, does not often like to defend 
 them with cold steel." 
 
 " Ay, truly," observed Karah Kaplan, " the 
 Persian who buys and sells, is in general as 
 cowardly as he is rascally ; he is out of his ele- 
 ment when not seated in his booth in the bazaar. 
 But you mistook me just now, when I talked
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 207 
 
 of the numbers of this caravan being great : I 
 meant that without the aid of daylight, many 
 might escape in the darkness; however, In- 
 shallah 1 that will not be the case, as I perceive 
 one of the videttes approaching -, he must bring 
 tidings of our intended victims/' 
 
 This last remark was called forth by the 
 rapid advance of a Koord, who was proceeding 
 at full speed, unheeding the rugged nature of 
 the ground. On the arrival of this man within 
 
 speaking distance, Allah Verdee addressed him 
 with : 
 
 " How now, Goorban Ali, what news ?'' 
 
 " So please your highness," returned the 
 
 retainer, " the foremost mules are not half a 
 
 fursuk from this spot, and are moving rapidly 
 
 hitherward.^' 
 
 '* Good 1^' said the chieftain, ^^ we must lie 
 
 in ambush till they are within our clutches. 
 
 Here Saadi, make the signal for the videttes to 
 
 join us. Alhamdellillah ! there will be light
 
 208 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 sufficient to ensure the complete success of our 
 undertaking. Comrades ! prepare instantly for 
 action/^ 
 
 The signal was made, and the stragglers 
 having been collected, Karah Kaplan pro- 
 ceeded to give the necessary direction for at- 
 tack, the spot chosen for which, was one most 
 admirably adapted for the lawless purpose. 
 About three hundred yards distant, the pass 
 widened, and formed a small valley, completely 
 engulphed in the bosom of the mountains, and 
 flanked by high rocks from the summit of 
 which a tofinkchee(2) might himself, in perfect 
 safety, take aim at any object below. The sole 
 entrances to this valley were by two very nar- 
 row passes at either end, where high project- 
 ing rocks formed natural hiding places for a 
 band of the size of that of the Koords. The 
 best marksmen of the troop were despatched 
 to the heights, with orders to fire upon the 
 caravan as soon as the attack should com-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 209 
 
 mence, while Allah Verdee despatched half 
 of his remaining followers towards the further 
 extremity of the defile, where the caravan 
 would be obliged to make its exit ; while with 
 the other half, he proceeded to conceal himself 
 behind the rocks commanding the entrance, 
 for it was his intention to allow the whole 
 caravan to pass into the valley before the 
 attack should be made, in order that it might 
 be between tw^o foes, and exposed to the fire 
 from the tofinkchis above. 
 
 About half an hour after the Koords had 
 taken their position, the tinkling of bells gave 
 evidence of the approach of the foremost mules. 
 Onward came the unsuspecting travellers, 
 happy in fancied security, and totally unaware 
 of the trap set for them. The caravan was of 
 large size, being composed of above six hun- 
 dred heavily laden mules, conducted by a 
 numerous band of muleteers ; in front rode a 
 number of merchants, owners of the goods
 
 210 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 that were thus being conveyed to Bagdad. 
 They appeared in high spirits, and were en- 
 livening the tedium of the journey with songs 
 and merriment. 
 
 The Koords, as they lay in ambush, beheld 
 with inexpressible satisfaction their valuable 
 prize enter, without suspicion, into the guarded 
 valley; they observed, that although the tra- 
 vellers far exceeded their own party in num- 
 bers, still they were by no means so well 
 prepared to meet a foe. 
 
 No sooner had the hindermost mule passed 
 the band, than Karah Kaplan gave the ap- 
 pointed signal ; it was responded to by a loud 
 hurrah, as his followers, dashing their spurs 
 into their horses' flanks, flew joyfully to the 
 attack. Like the leopard pouncing on the 
 unsuspecting antelope, or the hawk upon the 
 heedless partridge, was the rush of the assail- 
 ants, and the unhappy Persians, attacked on 
 all sides, were surrounded in an instant. The
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 211 
 
 object of the marauders did not at first appear 
 so much for violence, as for the capture of 
 booty ; the cords that bound the loads to the 
 backs of the mules, were immediately cut, 
 and the bales falling to the ground were ripped 
 open, and rifled of their contents. All heavy 
 and lumbering articles were thrown aside, 
 while goods of a lighter material, such as 
 shawls from the looms of Cashmere, silks from 
 Yezd,(3) and brocades from Mazanderan(4) 
 were seized with avidity, and made up into 
 small bundles with such dexterity as evidently 
 proclaimed how practised were the Koords in 
 their profession of plundering. 
 
 It must not, however, be imagined that the 
 owners of the merchandise remained passive 
 during the above proceedings ; on the contrary, 
 although many merely tore their beards, and 
 rent their clothes in anguish, without attempt- 
 ing any resistance, still the majority of the 
 merchants, and Chervadors who were mounted.
 
 212 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 collected together and essayed most valiantly 
 to repel the robbers ; the fight was, however, 
 not of long continuance, for as before men- 
 tioned the travellers, although numerous, were 
 inferior to their adversaries in arms and horses ; 
 besides which, the marksmen from the heights 
 above, dealt deadly destruction among them, 
 and after a desperate, though short conflict, 
 victory declared itself in favour of the Koords ; 
 while the Persians that survived were compelled 
 to throw down their arms and surrender in 
 order, flight being impossible to save their 
 lives. 
 
 Each Koordish horseman having collected as 
 much booty as he could conveniently carry, 
 the Tofinkchis were called down from their 
 posts, and Karah Kaplan gave the order to 
 secure some prisoners, and to retire ; several 
 merchants who seemed, as far as the dusky 
 shades of evening would permit, to be of a 
 superior order to their companions, together
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 213 
 
 with some women, were on this command 
 seized, and being bound to their horses, the 
 reins of the animals were held by some 
 robbers, and the daring band galloped off as 
 fast as the ruggedness of the road would allow, 
 leaving the remainder of the caravan to bewail 
 the heavy bereavement they had sustained, 
 and to look to their killed and wounded. The 
 loss of the Koords had been small; three only 
 having been slain, while double the number 
 had received wounds of consequence. The 
 former having been stripped of every mark 
 by which they could be recognised were left 
 on the field, while the latter, their wounds 
 being bound in a hasty manner, were mounted 
 on the easiest going steeds belonging to the 
 party, and supported by their friends, accom- 
 panied them in their rapid progress across the 
 hills. 
 
 The spirits of the Koordish chief were elated 
 to intoxication, with the success of the expe-
 
 214 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 dition ; as he spurred his gallant courser to its 
 utmost speed, he cast around him glances of 
 such exultation, that the earth over which he 
 was moving, seemed in his opinion scarcely 
 worthy to support him. Ever and anon, he 
 would beckon some favourite follower to his 
 side, and give a hasty command ; at other 
 times he would call to his band to quicken 
 their pace, and rate them for their inactivity. 
 In this manner he proceeded for above an hour ; 
 the moon had risen, and was lighting up with 
 her beams the wild and rugged scenery through 
 which the Koords were passing, showing the 
 dangerous nature of the path ; notwithstanding, 
 they still held on their rapid course, nor did 
 they slacken their pace until they had arrived 
 at a deep gorge, where several black tents were 
 pitched, from which issued various wild looking 
 men, who greeted the Karah Kaplan with the 
 most enthusiastic cheers. 
 
 Crowding round their beloved chief, the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 215 
 
 band assisted him to dismount, and conducted 
 him to one of the larger tents ; where, after 
 he had washed his face and hands, a repast 
 was placed before him, which in comparison to 
 the place it was served in, was splendid. The 
 Khan did not remain long at his meal ; indeed, 
 he appeared to set but slight value on the 
 luxuries before him, although the dishes were 
 of solid gold, as well as the tray which held 
 them. The sherbets also, which were of ex- 
 cellent quality, were contained in china bowls, 
 of the most exquisite workmanship. Had how- 
 ever, the materials been of copper, or common 
 clay, they could not have excited less at- 
 tention, in the mind of the Koordish chief- 
 tain, who having hastily satisfied his appetite, 
 directed the dishes to be removed, and com- 
 manded the plunder to be brought before him. 
 This was accordingly done, vrhea having taken 
 an inventory of every thing, he proceeded to 
 divide the spoil among his adherents, in such
 
 216 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 an impartial manner, that strange to say, not one 
 person was dissatisfied with his share, but all 
 retired praising the wisdom and justice of their 
 chief, and extolUng his courage and generosity 
 to the skies. Thus it was that, by being un- 
 swayed by avarice, the Karah Kaplan possessed 
 such power over his adherents, that there 
 was scarcely a single man of the tribe, who 
 would not willingly have laid down his life for 
 him. 
 
 At dawn of day, the cavalcade was again in 
 motion, and while a division of the Koords, 
 with the heavy baggage and prisoners, pro- 
 ceeded in a southerly direction, the remainder, 
 under the conduct of their leader, directed 
 their course towards the north-west. Having 
 continued their route for an hour, they arrived 
 at a spot, covered with the most delicious ver- 
 dure, where a beautiful spring took its rise. 
 This place is named the Maiden^s spring, some 
 suppose from the clearness, and purity of its
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 21? 
 
 waters, while others assert, that it owes its 
 appellation to an old forgotten legend. 
 
 Here the band halted, and dismounting, 
 loosened their saddle girths, and each taking 
 some provisions from his wallet, prepared to 
 eat his morning's repast. A small carpet 
 was spread for Karah Kaplan, who reclining 
 upon a cushion, proceeded to inhale the smoke 
 of a kaliaun which was brought bubbling and 
 sparkhng to him. Having finished smoking, and 
 partaken of some coffee, he remained some 
 time, intently gazing upon the defile which led 
 through the mountains ; at length he began to 
 show signs of impatience, and turning to his 
 kaleaunjee, bid him inquire whether any signs 
 of Moorad's approach v/ere visible. 
 
 " So please your highness V answered the 
 attendant, on his return from obeying the in- 
 junction of his lord, " there is as yet no 
 appearance of the Beg's approach .'' 
 
 " What can have delayed him V said Allah 
 
 VOL. I. l»
 
 218 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 Verdee, ^^ it is now a full hour, after the time 
 he should have been here ; surely he cannot 
 have failed/^ 
 
 "Afakerillah !" replied the pishkidmud, " your 
 slave begs to represent, that Aga Moorad, is 
 not a man to be foiled in any scheme he under- 
 takes ; so please your gracious highness except- 
 ing your highness's self, his equal is not. 
 
 "True!'' observed Karah Kaplan. "Two 
 or three are little odds to him ; should he have 
 failed, it is because he has been overpowered 
 by numbers. I would sooner believe that a 
 Hamadanee, or an Azerbijanee was superior to 
 a Koord, than that Moorad had been van- 
 quished in single combat; but still my mind 
 misgives me. Time flies, and he comes not.'' 
 
 " I will hie me to yonder peak," said the 
 attendant, " which overlooks the road by 
 which he ought to come, and myself keep 
 watch for him." 
 
 " What use is there in that !" observed the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 219 
 
 Khan pee^dshly. '^ Will your looking out 
 quicken his approach ; keep to your own duty, 
 and bring me another kaliaun/' 
 
 More time elapsed, and stiU no signs of the 
 expected Koord were forthcoming ; at length, 
 Karah Kaplan, his patience being quite worn 
 out, was in the act of ordering his followers to 
 mount, when the cry of " ^loorad ! Moorad V 
 rang upon his ear. Springing to his feet and 
 rushing to the spot whence the cry proceeded, 
 he eagerly exclaimed, 
 
 " Where ? where ? and by whom accom- 
 panied ?" 
 
 '•We cannnot perceive him distinctly yet,'' 
 answered the man who had given the alarm ; 
 " but were I to state my opinion, I should say 
 that he was alone." 
 
 " Slave, thou liest !'' cried Karah Kaplan in 
 a fury ; " but no," he continued, gazing ear- 
 nestly on the approaching figure ; " would to 
 Allah you had lied.'' 
 
 L 2
 
 220 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 Tliis last observation was caused by Karah 
 Kaplan's observing that Moorad was alone ; in 
 breathless suspense, he waited until the latter 
 was wdthin a short distance, when to his asto- 
 nishment, he observed his trusty adherent was 
 stooping to his saddle-bow, and was riding in 
 a manner that showed he was severely wounded. 
 An application of his heel to his horse's flank, 
 having brought the Khan to his follower's side, 
 one instant served to show, that all his well 
 laid schemes were nipped in the bud ; for in 
 that moment, he beheld that the sword arm of 
 Moorad hung useless by his side; that his 
 scabbard was empty, and his face pale, while 
 his clothes were daubed with blood. On per- 
 ceiving his chief, the wounded man with a last 
 effort reined in his steed, and attempted to 
 speak ; but exhausted by the exertion, ere he 
 could give utterance to the words which trem- 
 bled on his tongue, he fell fainting to the 
 ground.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 221 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Far stretched on either side, a shapely file 
 Of fluted columns lift th* incumbent pile ; 
 Where once, rich blazoned on the bossy stone 
 In sculptured pomp the spoils of battle shone. 
 
 RICKARDS. 
 
 In a former chapter it has been mentioned, 
 that the Shah of Persia had, according to annual 
 custom, summoned the different governors of 
 the provinces, as well as the Begler Begs of 
 the greater cities to join his encampment upon 
 the plain of Sultaneah. It will be necessary 
 to give a short description of this spot, which 
 will play a conspicuous part in the succeeding 
 narrative.
 
 222 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 The city of Sultaneah was built by Sultan 
 Khodabundeli5(l) and made by him the capital 
 of his dominions ; which dignity it continued 
 to sustain, during the reigns of that mo- 
 narch's immediate successors. It was orna- 
 mented by many fine edifices ; but the most 
 splendid of which any vestige remains, is 
 the sepulchre of its founder. 
 
 This city is now completely deserted ; and 
 as it was entirely built of bricks, baked by the 
 heat of the sun, there are but few remnants of 
 its former grandeur. Part of the mausoleum 
 of Mahomed Khodabundah, as observed above, 
 still remains : and there is enough to show, 
 that it has once been a magnificent building. 
 The diameter is one hundred and twent y three 
 feet, and the elevation of the chief dome one 
 hundred and nineteen. The tomb is in the 
 centre, and some of the marble, of which it was 
 constructed, is still preserved ; the whole how- 
 ever is dilapidated^ and the late Shah Fath Al ^
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 223 
 
 used some of the materials to build a summer 
 house, where it was his custom to reside, when 
 his army was encamped during the spring and 
 summer months, upon the fine plain of Sulta- 
 neah. 
 
 The modern Kings of Persia have palaces in 
 many parts of their dominions ; whither they 
 resort for the chmate, or for the chace, or for 
 the purpose of reviewing their troops ; to these 
 palaces are attached villages, in which pro- 
 visions are collected for the use of the court, as 
 soon as the motions of the king are decided. 
 Besides his summer-house at Sultaneah, he 
 has others at Ajaun near Tabreez, at the 
 Bagh-i-Feen, at Jairood near Tehran, at 
 Chesmeh Ali in Khorassan, at the Bagh 
 Zemrood near Demawend, at Zavieh on the 
 road to Ham ad an ; and many others of which 
 it would be too tedious to make any enumera- 
 tion. 
 
 The summer-house of the Shah at Sultaneah
 
 224 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 is situated to the west of the village, and Hke 
 that of Ajaun, is built on an artificial hillock. — ■ 
 At the time of our narrative it consisted of a 
 large dewankhaneh, which formed the principal 
 front of the building, and of an anderoon. 
 The hall was supported by two wooden gilded 
 pillars, and looked upon a garden laid out in 
 walks, shaded by poplar and willow trees. The 
 whole was surmounted by a Baba Khaneh(2) 
 screened by curtains, whither it was the custom 
 of Fath Ali to retire and enjoy the breeze, and 
 the view of his camp. 
 
 Around this building, to a very great extent, 
 at various intervals, w^as spread the camp, con- 
 sisting of tents, and pavilions of various 
 colours and denominations. An order had 
 been issued, that every tent^ in the camp 
 should be pitched with its entrance imme- 
 diately facing the Shah^s temporary habitation, 
 by which it was intended that every one who 
 came forth, should bow the head to the royal
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 225 
 
 abode — an invention in dignities scarcely to be 
 exceeded by those of any monarch who has 
 swayed the sceptre of Persia, or of any other 
 kingdom in the world. The king thus became 
 the centre of a great wheel, and he was so 
 completely hemmed in by his troops, that if 
 an enemy had appeared, it would have been 
 impossible to get at him, without first cutting 
 a road through the labyrinths of ropes, which 
 sustained the tents which surrounded him. 
 
 The Shah zadehs, who had arrived in the 
 suite of the Persian monarch, or who had come 
 to pay their respect to their royal father, were 
 lodged in large pavilions, surrounded by the dis- 
 tinguishing Serperdeh ;(3) the Viziers and other 
 chief officers of the court were in similar tents, 
 but without the outward screen, excepting 
 those who were in such favour as to be per- 
 mitted that honour, usually only allowed to 
 royal persons, or to chiefs of tribes in their 
 own encampments. The troops were disposed 
 
 L 3
 
 226 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 of in small tents of every description, from 
 the two poled pavilion of the commander of a 
 regiment^ to the miserable routee of the private 
 serbaz. As the Shah's army was mostly com- 
 posed of men drawn from the different tribes, 
 each tribe was encamped in separate divisions ; 
 the Baktiarees, the Afshars, the Irakees, the 
 Shah-i-fesuds ; also some Koordish tribes, 
 who acknowledged the supremacy of the 
 Persian king, and others, were all stationed by 
 lot or compartments ; but notwithstanding this 
 attempt at regidarity, such was the intermix- 
 ture of men and cattle, tents and shops, and 
 hot baths, of the instruments of war, and 
 of the luxuries of private ease, that all ap- 
 pearance of order was lost. The tents of the 
 horsemen were known by the long spears 
 being stuck upright at their entrance, those 
 of the infantry by their muskets and match- 
 locks. The artillery was situated in the midst 
 of this confusion 3 and although they were ar-
 
 OR, THE EOORDISH CHIEF. 22? 
 
 ranged in a line, yet nothing could possibly 
 have got them clear of the camp, if they had 
 been required to act at a moment's warning. 
 The king, like the Persian monarchs of old, 
 takes his women with him upon his marches ; 
 but not in such great numbers, and also allows 
 his nobles to do the same. The Persians 
 enjoy as many luxuries in their tents, as they 
 do in their houses ; and their habits of migra- 
 tion have taught them great facilities in the 
 manner of transporting their baggage. Many 
 of the great personages have tents with boilers 
 attached to them, which they convert into hot 
 baths, as soon as they become stationary at 
 one place for any length of time. 
 
 In the Persian camp was a small stream of 
 excellent water, running from north to south, 
 and which held its course through the Ordoo 
 Bazar, or the camp market ; which, as in the 
 days of Cyrus, always accompanies the camp, 
 and is regulated in nearly the same manner as
 
 228 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 it was of old, and where provisions were 
 brought to, from all the country round. 
 
 The number of Persians collected together 
 at this camp, consisted of nearly fifty thousand 
 persons, of which nearly one half was military, 
 and the other camp followers. This addition 
 to the population of the province began soon 
 to be felt, for provisions became scarce, and 
 consequently dear ; from this circumstance, 
 trivial as it may appear, an idea may be formed 
 of the difficulties, which an European army 
 would have to encounter, even in the most 
 fertile and flourishing parts of the country, 
 aided to the utmost extent by its govern- 
 ment ; how much greater, therefore, must those 
 difficulties be, how insurmountable must they 
 prove, should the government, instead of 
 aiding, throw every possible obstacle in the 
 path of the passing army. 
 
 It was to this camp that Mehtee Khan, the 
 Begler Beg of Hamadan, had with other noble-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 229 
 
 men proceeded in order to pay homage to his 
 sovereign, in whose good opinion he considered 
 himself to have a high situation, as among 
 other many favours and privileges which he 
 enjoyed, was that of having his pavilion sur- 
 rounded by a serperdeh. Little, however, did 
 the Begler Beg imagine that such a privilege 
 had gained him many bitter, though secret 
 enemies, among whom was numbered, the 
 wily Meerza Sadek, the favourite counsellor 
 of Mahomed Reza Meerza, prince governor 
 of the province of Hamadan. Little, also, was 
 the unsuspecting nobleman aware, that he had 
 undesignedly, though deeply offended that 
 intriguing courtier, by neglecting to rise one 
 morning on receiving a visit from him at Ha- 
 madan. (4) Meerza Sadek, indeed, had taken 
 this neglect as an intended insult, and had 
 sworn to make amends to himself, by devising 
 the most signal revenge upon Mehtee Khan, 
 and irretrievably working his ruin.
 
 230 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 My Lord, it were to no purpose — my mind is made 
 up to decline this alliance, though far above my deserts. 
 
 QUENTIN DUKWARD. 
 
 It was not yet noon, (although that time 
 was evidently near at hand, from the ap- 
 pearance of numerous MoUahs who were 
 hastening to their various posts, in order to 
 proclaim the hour and call the faithful to 
 prayers,) when a young and beautiful girl 
 was reclining in a pensive attitude, beneath the 
 folds of a large tent, which, forming one of a 
 set surrounded by a serperdeh, showed that 
 it belonged to the female estabhshment of 
 some Khan of great wealth and high rank,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 231 
 
 and who must have been in high favour 
 with the Shah, to have been allowed such 
 a privilege. 
 
 Zoraya, for it was her, was no longer the 
 happy maiden, whose portrait has already 
 been given in a former chapter ; on the con- 
 trary, care seemed to have taken up its abode 
 in her bosom, and marked its vicinity in her 
 forehead. Various attempts made by her to 
 rally her spirits proved unavailing, for did she 
 call for her kalemdone and her tablets, in 
 order to wile away the time by composing, it 
 was but to throw them aside the next moment ; 
 did she take up her Koran, her Hafiz, or any 
 other of her books, it was with the same effect; 
 did she try to enter into conversation with her 
 kaneezes, it was but to let it flag after a few 
 observations : indeed, her usual occupations 
 failed in exciting any interest in the mind of 
 the love- sick maiden, for such she was; the 
 image of her heroic deliverer had made too
 
 232 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 permanent an impression on her heart to be 
 lightly driven therefrom ; although such a 
 feeling was scarcely acknowledged by herself, 
 she loved, devotedly, fondly loved ; she loved 
 as woman ought to love, she loved as some do 
 love, for she loved her preserver for himself, 
 for his noble qualities, for his open hearted, 
 generous disposition. 
 
 Zoraya was sitting in this pensive state, 
 when the curtain that covered the entrance 
 into the tent was drawn aside, and the portly 
 form of Mehtee Khan appeared. Casting a 
 penetrating glance upon his daughter; Avho 
 had risen on his entrance, he approached, and 
 taking her hand in his, inquired after her 
 health in a kind and affectionate tone ; Zoraya 
 answered at random, when the Begler Beg 
 signing to the kaneezes to retire, observed, 
 
 " My child, you can conceive the reason of 
 my coming ; our heads are about to touch the 
 skies, for his Royal Highness Mahomed Reza
 
 233 
 
 Meerza^ has done our house the exalted honour 
 of demanding your hand in marriage." 
 
 " Well, my father/^ answered Zoraya, sup- 
 pressing her emotion ; " and what would you 
 have me do ? ' 
 
 "Do," cried the Khan; "why rejoice at 
 the very prospect of such an alliance. Say, my 
 child, could your heart ever hope for a prouder 
 offer }" 
 
 " Father/' returned the maiden; "when you 
 say a prouder offer, perhaps you are right ; but 
 were you to talk of such a marriage producing 
 happiness, there may be more opinions than 
 one with regard to it." 
 
 " How, Zoraya,'^ said the Begler Beg, " can 
 the interior of a prince's harem lack happi- 
 ness ?" 
 
 " It can,'' said the daughter ; " indeed the 
 humble cottage of the Rayat often possesses 
 more true happiness than the palace of a king ; 
 in the one, true affection may exist and help
 
 234 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 to smooth away the difficulties of Hfe ; but in 
 the other never, or grant its existence, its dura- 
 tion is short and fleeting. The lord of a nume- 
 rous harem may, for a while, conceive what 
 he misnames love, for one of its inmates ; but 
 much time will not pass away, ere his tem- 
 porary passion be forgotten. I know this to 
 be the case | I have visited many anderoons of 
 such a description. '^ 
 
 " What mean these words,'^ cried her father, 
 in astonishment ; " are you mad, Zoraya, to 
 give utterance to such unheard of notions ?" 
 
 " I am not mad,^' replied the maiden. " O 
 no, Alhamdellillah, my brain is well ', I merely 
 spoke from conviction." 
 
 ^' Conviction of what r" said the Begler Beg ; 
 " conviction, that being chosen in marriage by 
 a prince is likely to produce unhappiness ; nay, 
 surely you jest.'^ 
 
 " I am not given to jesting," said Zoraya, 
 " I speak what I feel, and furthermore add,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 235 
 
 Inshallah ! may I never enter his highness's 
 anderoon, save as a guest to one of his 
 wives/' 
 
 « Wallah, Billah," cried Mehtee Khan, 
 " what mean you, Zoraya, surely you have been 
 struck by the evil eye/' 
 
 " No evil eye has cast its baneful influence 
 over me," replied the maiden; "my speech 
 comes from my heart, which bids me shun the 
 prince's offer." 
 
 " Child," said the Begler Beg, knitting his 
 brow ; '^ once more I ask you, do you speak in 
 earnest." 
 
 "I do,'' replied Zoraya. 
 
 " Unhappy girl," observed her father, with 
 vehemence ; " you know not what you say ; to 
 give such an answer to the prince would be 
 the bringing down of certain ruin on our 
 house; say what reasons can you have for 
 this unwonted conduct?" 
 
 ^' I cannot love the prince," said the maiden.
 
 236 
 
 " Love V' cried Mehtee Khan^ lengthening 
 out the word ; " who ever heard of such an 
 idea entering the head of a Persian girl. Love 
 the prince ? Whoever expected, whoever 
 dreamed of such a thing being necessary.*' 
 
 " Father/' returned the daughter, with 
 firmness ; " I bestow not my hand on any 
 one, save that I love him devotedly, unalter- 
 ably. 
 
 "And how is such ardent love to arise,'' 
 said the Begler Beg, scornfully ; " are you not 
 a mussulman girl ?" 
 
 " Alhamdelhllah, I am,'' cried Zoraya ; "but 
 that does not prevent my having the feelings 
 of a woman." 
 
 " Say rather of a mad woman," cried the 
 Khan, in anger ; " come, come, child, no more 
 of this mummery, prepare to obey me ; the 
 prince demands your hand, and you must give 
 it." 
 
 " I cannot," replied the daughter. " In all
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 23? 
 
 else I would obey you : but on this occasion 
 it is impossible.'^ 
 
 "Zoraya/' ejaculated Mehtee Khan, furi- 
 ously; " rouse me not to madness. I have 
 calmly listened to all your nonsense hitherto ; 
 but more of it will wear out my patience. Lis- 
 ten : once for all, I command you to accept the 
 prince, without hesitation ; disobey me at your 
 peril." 
 
 " Allah V exclaimed the maiden, in an agony 
 of grief, '^ have mercy upon me. O my beloved 
 father, did you know all the motives which 
 impel me, you would not thus rend your 
 daughter's heart." 
 
 '^ In the name of our blessed prophet,'^ said 
 the Begler Beg, " what motive possessing a 
 miscal of sense, can you bring forth in ex- 
 tenuation of your folly.'' 
 
 '' I love another," answered Zoraya, with 
 hesitation ; then as if ashamed of her con- 
 fession, she hid her face in her hands.
 
 238 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 " Nay^ by the blessed Imams !" roared 
 out the Khan, ^Hhis is too much; Zoraya! 
 I doat on you; but notwithstanding aU my 
 affection, this conduct will drive me into 
 a frenzy. I know what you mean : your 
 thoughts are running on the baseborn, accursed 
 peasant with whom the prince discovered 
 you alone on the plain; may his ancestors' 
 grave be defiled, may they grill in the lowest 
 hell V' 
 
 '' Father, yon peasant saved your daughter's 
 honour," replied Zoraya, drawing herself up 
 to her full height, " had it not been for him, 
 I should now have been in the power of Karah 
 Kaplan." 
 
 " He did but his duty," said the Begler 
 Beg, who seemed rather confused at his daugh- 
 ter's words, and evidently speaking at variance 
 to his feelings ; " had he not acted as he did, 
 being accidentally on the spot, he would have 
 deserved to have been torn asunder by wild
 
 ORj THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 239 
 
 horses ; speak not child of such a low born, 
 vile outcast." 
 
 "Low born, he is not/' said Zoraya. "Vile 
 he cannot be. Shame ! shame, on you, father, 
 to return with abuse the obligation you owe to 
 him. AYhat ! stigmatise with such opprobrious 
 terms the preserver of your daughter. Alas, 
 my Lord ! I can scarcely recognise the 
 noble nature of my father in such ungrateful 
 conduct." 
 
 As she spoke, the form of the Persian 
 maiden dilated, her eye flashed with indigna- 
 tion, and her frame trembled with emotion. 
 Her father was moved at the sight ; but dis- 
 sembling his feelings, he again urged her, 
 though in a milder manner to offer no oppo- 
 sition to his wishes ; at the same time giving 
 her to understand, that it was out of his power 
 to send a refusal to such a person as Mahomed 
 Reza Meerza. 
 
 " Therefore, my Zoraya,'^ he observed, " not-
 
 240 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 withstanding all your inclination to the con- 
 trary, you must be his bride — fate so ordains ; 
 had any one less powerful asked you in mar- 
 riage, if the alliance had not met with your 
 approbation, your wishes should have been 
 acceded to ; but, my child, it is equally dange- 
 rous to cross a hungry lion's path, as to thwart 
 the will of Shah zadeh. Allah above knov*^s 
 what endless dirt the anger of the prince might 
 shower upon our house ; therefore you see that 
 you must obey me.'^ 
 
 " O Allah !'^ cried the unhappy girl, throw- 
 ing herself upon her knees ; " have mercy upon 
 me, since my parent deserts me/^ 
 
 " Alas \" said the Begler Beg, softened at 
 the expression of agony that pervaded his 
 daughter's features, "you wrong me; what I 
 am doing is for your good, you will confess as 
 much ere long ; nay, fret not, it is vain to con- 
 tend against fate, you must, you shall be the 
 bride of the Prince Mahomed Reza.'"
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 241 
 
 " Father, dearest father!" exclaimed the 
 maiden, in a beseeching and agonised voice ; 
 " it is said you loved my mother with an affec- 
 tion unusual in this country ; and that when 
 she lay at the point of death, you promised to 
 love me, for her sake. In remembrance there- 
 fore of her, have mercy on your daughter — the 
 sole surviving offspring of the wife of your 
 heart. I fervently vow, that the very idea of 
 this union is hateful to me, and I cannot even 
 contemplate its possibility without trembling. 
 O force me not to bestow my hand w^here I 
 cannot give my heart. In my departed 
 mother's name, I implore you to tell the prince, 
 that my entreaties are the cause of your declin- 
 ing the honour of his alliance ; in my mother's 
 name I speak. Thanks be to Allah, I see you 
 relent, I see the tear starting to your eye ; my 
 father 1 my father ! now you are truly my 
 father.'' 
 
 The agitated girl, at these words, threw her 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 arms around her parentis neck, and hung there 
 in a close embrace; her beautiful face was 
 bedewed with tears, and her bosom panted 
 with emotion. The Khan gazed upon her in 
 silence, the devotion he had felt for her mother 
 burned fresh, unforgotten in his breast, and 
 all other feelings gave way to that of the 
 parent. Gently releasing himself from her em- 
 brace, he laid the maiden on an ottoman, and 
 having affectionately kissed her pallid brow, 
 rushed hastily from the tent.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 243 
 
 CHAPTER XVII. 
 
 His brow was marked with wrinkles, while his cheek 
 
 was wan and pale. 
 And his long dark dishevelled hair waved wildly in the 
 
 gale. 
 
 '^ Not seen him, Ali? why man! where 
 have your eyes been. At least, you must have 
 heard of him ; for your ears are long enough, 
 to shame a jackass.^^ 
 
 " Hold your raillery, foozool ; if my ears are 
 long, so is my arm, as you wall find to your 
 cost, if you let your tongue run on at that rate. 
 Do you wish me to burn your father, that you 
 provoke me thus ?" 
 
 " Nay, friend Ali, be not such a dewaneh 
 as to seek a quarrel on such light grounds. 
 
 M 2
 
 244 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 I never meant to provoke you, but having 
 understood, that you have neither seen or 
 heard of the famous wandering soothsayer, 
 who has arrived in our camp, I could not 
 help giving vent to some feeling of sur- 
 prise/^ 
 
 " Why, so ?' 
 
 " Because, I believed his coming was 
 already bruited north, south, east and west. 
 Why, since the last Imaum, his equal has 
 never appeared/' 
 
 " By the head of the Shah, you have sharp- 
 ened my curiosity ; come now, tell me who, and 
 what he is, to what he is like, and whom, and 
 why, he has come ; in the meanwhile, I will 
 prepare a kaliaun. Proceed, I am all ears and 
 attention/^ 
 
 '^ I know you are all ears, at least two thirds 
 of you; nay frown not, I cannot help joking, 
 were you to kiU me for it." 
 
 " At any rate, I wish you would make your
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 245 
 
 jokes scarce, when you speak to me, for I tell 
 you, I will not hear them ; to your story there- 
 fore at once, and see whether you cannot pro- 
 ceed in a straight forward manner, without 
 blackening my face, with your deviPs tongue." 
 
 " WeU then, Ali, listen and I will speak 
 like a Locman : you are aware that I kept 
 watch last night, near the royal tent, while 
 you, and a dozen other Loo tees, were drinking 
 your very brains out, with arrack, which, by 
 the bye, may account for your natural ass-boni 
 stupidity being increased tenfold this morn- 
 ing." 
 
 " By Mahomed, this is too bad. Padersookh- 
 teh ! may your ancestors' graves be defiled, 
 may your liver turn white, and may you, and 
 all your dogs of relations grill, and rot in 
 Jehanum, and may I share their fate, if I stop 
 another instant, listening to your fool's jabber- 
 
 ing." 
 
 " Nay, Ali, hear me, one word. Ha ! ha !
 
 246 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 he is ofFj and without staying to hear my 
 tale about this fortune-teller ; wonderful dog's 
 son he must be, to possess such little curi- 
 osity !'^ 
 
 The subject that had given rise to the above 
 conversation, between two Serbaz of the army 
 of the Shah, was that on the preceding day, a 
 fortune-teller, of striking appearance, had en- 
 tered the camp, and by his extraordinary 
 manner, had excited universal attention. His 
 height was unusually lofty, and his whole 
 frame formed in an herculean mould. He 
 bore in his countenance, marks of suffering 
 and rigid fasting, while his brow was wrinkled 
 far beyond his years ; his face was pale, and 
 emaciated, and nearly covered by the locks, 
 that fell in long ringlets from his head, over 
 his shoulders. The fire of his eye, however, 
 which was most brilliant, shone even fiercer 
 from the wreck it lighted up. His dress was 
 of the coarsest possible manufacture; while,
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 24/ 
 
 his loins were girded with a rough camel's hair 
 cloth. 
 
 On entering the camp, he had taken his 
 station nearly in the centre, and having pitched 
 a small dirty tent, had installed himself 
 therein, and commenced reciting, in a rapid 
 manner, passages from the Koran, and verses 
 from the different poets, at the same time 
 giving out, that all who needed talismans 
 would receive them from him. His tent was 
 soon besieged by applicants for charms against 
 the evil eye and disease, and numberless were 
 the scraps of paper distributed, on which, 
 sentences of the Koran were written. The 
 fortune-teller gave them away, with a calm 
 gravity, now and then broken by a vehement 
 recital of verses, containing exhortations to 
 Mussulmen. There were many, also, who 
 anxious to learn their fate, hastened to have 
 their fortunes told, and all by the answers 
 returned, seemed to be impressed with the 
 utmost respect for the soothsayer.
 
 248 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 ^^ Among others, who approached the abode 
 of the fortune-teller, was Feridoon, neatly 
 equipped in the garb of a Gholam ; on his 
 approaching the tent of the wise man, the 
 latter on observing his features, gave a sudden 
 start, and bending his brow, exclaimed in a 
 satirical tone, 
 
 ^' Well, young man, what do you require; 
 if perchance you wish to search into the 
 hidden mysteries of futurity, let me advise 
 you to pause ; it is easy to read your fate on 
 your brow/^ 
 
 " I had merely sauntered hither from 
 curiosity," observed Feridoon, meekly ; '^ but 
 since your words appear to imply a want of 
 courage on ray part, speak, I am ready to 
 listen, without flinching, to your prophetic 
 words." 
 
 " Boast not too soon :^^ returned the other ; 
 " in the lines of your face, I can read of 
 coming toil, and suffering.'* 
 
 " Every mortal has troubles to bear,^^ said
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. #249 
 
 the Eliaut ; " if it be fated, that I am to 
 undergo misfortune, I cannot repine ; the will 
 of Allah must be fulfiUed." 
 
 " But, young man,'^ answered the fortune- 
 teller, " yours will be no common fate. Use- 
 less pining after an object far too exalted for 
 a base peasant, is your present lot ; hereafter, 
 a terrible and violent death at the hands of 
 one you have grievously ^vronged.'' 
 
 " Man ! thou speakest falsely 1'^ retorted 
 Feridoon, " I never wronged mortal. Spare 
 thy prophecies, until thou canst foretell the 
 truth ; for at least in this instance, thou art 
 eating dirt, and thy words are mingled with 
 error.^^ 
 
 " Eliaut, thou liest thyself," rephed the 
 fakeer(l) sternly; "mark my words: — I see 
 blood upon thy hand, and freshly spilt ; but 
 the hour of retribution is nigh.^^ 
 
 Feridoon started at these words, but fixed 
 his gaze firmly upon the wild man's visage ; 
 
 M 3
 
 250 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 he, for a moment, imagined that the features 
 ■were not unfamiliar to him, still he could not 
 call to mind, when or where he had before 
 beheld them. At all events, it was evident 
 that the fortune-teller nourished some secret 
 hatred against him ; why, and wherefore was 
 inexplicable ; wishing, however, to know more, 
 he addressed the man in a respectful manner 
 avoiding, as much as possible, exciting his 
 anger, 
 
 " O sir '/^ he exclaimed, " you may be a 
 wise, and a great man, and one favoured by 
 Allah, if so, can you not afford me some clue 
 to avoid the fate you have predicted.'^ 
 
 " Forget the insane project which you have 
 hitherto nourished, like poison in your imagi- 
 nation,'' was the answer. '' Forget her !" 
 
 " Whom !" ejaculated the trembling youth, 
 " as you are a true believer, tell me whom I 
 must forget." 
 
 '* I must not name her," answered the
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 251 
 
 soothsayer ; " all I am suifered to proclaim to 
 you is — this. Forget the bright vision which 
 hath crossed your path ; drive away from your 
 brain the airy castles w^hich romance hath 
 built therein. Go ! I can say no more." 
 
 " But tell me," cried Feridoon, " where you 
 have learned my history, for it appears, you 
 know some circumstances concerning it ; 
 surely we have met before.'' 
 
 " Never ?' cried the fortuue-telier ; " never, 
 until this moment have we met. Know, young 
 scoflfer, that my knowledge has been attained 
 by long fasting, and devoting myself to the 
 reading of the planets, which appear to my 
 practised eye, plain as a well written volume. 
 But go 1 once for all T proclaim that, unless 
 you take heed, your's w^ill be no enable 
 fate." 
 
 '' Come, master Gholam," cried a Serbaz, 
 who had been listening near the spot, " me- 
 thinks you have heard enough to content any
 
 ^52 
 
 reasonable person. Make way, therefore, and 
 suifer others to question this venerable man." 
 
 Feridoon, although anxious to hear more, 
 was now obliged to retire ; before, however, 
 finally quitting the spot, he observed in a low 
 tone, " Sahib, we must meet again." 
 
 " When and where you please,^' returned 
 the other contemptuously; " at present, how- 
 ever, I must attend to the wants of others.^' 
 
 Many persons of both sexes succeeded the 
 Eliaut, and from the sapient answers they 
 received to their numerous questions retired, 
 convinced of the great wisdom of the fortune- 
 teller. It was not only before his little tent, 
 that he divulged the secrets of futurity, for 
 he was sent for, in order to be consulted by 
 the inmates of several anderoons, and num- 
 berless were the scraps of paper, upon which 
 he was obliged to write charms. Among other 
 tents, favoured by a visit from the holy man, 
 was that of Zoraya, the giddy Nargis having.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 253 
 
 unbidden, sought him out, and told him to 
 follow her. On receiving the summons, his eye, 
 before bright in the extreme, was lighted up 
 with such unusual brilliancy, that the girl was 
 unable to repress a feeling of uneasiness ; but 
 this soon vanished, as the astrologer resumed 
 his wonted appearance, and rising, answered 
 calmly : " Daughter, proceed, I am ready.'' 
 
 The kaneez required not a second injunction, 
 but turned her steps towards the canvas wall 
 which surrounded the anderoon tents of Meh- 
 tee Khan, and having entered therein in com- 
 pany with the fakeer, the girl proceeded to 
 the chief tent, and bade her companion remain 
 outside, but near enough to answer any ques- 
 tion that might be put to him from wdthin. 
 
 Had any one narrowly watched the fortune- 
 teller, as he obeyed this mandate, he would 
 have observed an unintelligible expression on 
 his features ; it would have seemed a mixture 
 of scorn, triumph and animosity ; it could also 
 have been seen that he was closely remarking
 
 254 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 every thing around with the utmost attention ; 
 not a single object appeared to have escaped the 
 notice of his vigilant eye and in truth nothing 
 had escaped it, for the position of every thing 
 around, to the very cords and tent ropes, had 
 been studiously imprinted on his brain. He 
 had not long been in this situation, when 
 his attention was excited by overhearing voices 
 in subdued conversation from within ; but low- 
 toned as they were, the ear of the listener was 
 sufficiently acute to enable him to catch some 
 of the words. 
 
 " You do not mean to say, Nargis,'' said a 
 soft musical voice, " that you have been so 
 foolish as to bring him here. You have 
 acted wrong; what have I to do with fortune- 
 tellers?'* 
 
 ^' Alas, khanum,^' said Nargis, " be not an- 
 gry, I meant all for the best ; let me intreat 
 you, therefore, to put one or two questions to 
 the man about — you know what I mean; I 
 can read your thoughts.^'
 
 " Peace ! foolish girl/' answered Zoraya for 
 it was her that had been addressed by Nargis ; 
 '•' peace ; have I not told you frequently that T 
 disbelieve the power of man to foretell future 
 events; — such power is vested in Allah 
 alone/' 
 
 The answer to this observation was uttered 
 in too low a voice to be heard by the listener : 
 but it was evident that the girl was attempting 
 to persuade her mistress to question him. 
 However, it was not long before some one 
 approached the entrance of the tent and bid 
 him prepare to exert his power, as he was 
 about to be interrogated. 
 
 " Sahib/' demanded the voice of Nargis, 
 " are vou able to foresee comingr events ?'' 
 
 " By the help of the planets, lady, and 
 the permission of Allah," answered the as 
 trologer, " there are men wdio are so gifted and 
 who are able, from their superior wisdom, to 
 warn poor mortals of their future fate.''
 
 256 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 "Are you one of those so endowed?'^ in- 
 quired the girl. 
 
 " In a sHght degree, I am/^ was the answer. 
 
 " Then, Sahib," said Nargis, " can you in^ 
 form me what is to be my future lot ?" 
 
 " I must either behold your face," replied 
 the astrologer, " or, should you desire to 
 avoid the unhallowed gaze of man, you must 
 inform me of your age, your name and the 
 place of your birth /^ 
 
 "My name is Nargis," answered the ka- 
 neez ; '^ I was seventeen on the eighth day of 
 thfi last month of Mohurrum(2) and I was 
 bom at Ispahan." 
 
 " Daughter, I must see your palm ; stretch 
 it forth from the door. The lines," he mutter- 
 ed, as he took hold of a delicately formed 
 hand which was protruded ; " the lines are 
 strongly marked; past fidehty — deserving of 
 reward — slight coming unhappiness, on ac- 
 count of a beloved object— soon, however, to
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 257 
 
 cease, and all to end well — a prosperous mar- 
 riage and a fruitful bed." 
 
 The hand was here hastily withdrawn and a 
 titter from within showed that the owner was 
 undergoing the laughs of her companions. 
 
 This state of affairs did not continue long, 
 for several words were spoken to the following 
 purpose : 
 
 •' Khanum, do not throw this opportunity 
 away.^' — " I cannot.^' — " Only for this once.^^ 
 — " Nonsense." — " May there be a fortunate 
 issue." — ^' Well, well, I will, but only to get 
 rid of your importunity.*' 
 
 The canvass was now again agitated and the 
 voice of Nargis was heard. '^ Sir," she cried, 
 " another wishes to know her destiny." 
 
 " I am ready to unfold it to her,^^ returned 
 the fakeer 3 " what is the name and age of her 
 who would inquire ?" 
 
 "Is her name so very necessary to be 
 known ?" demanded Nargis. 
 
 " It would render the task less difficult, did
 
 258 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 I know the name of her who seeks to know her 
 fate; but if there is a wish to conceal the 
 same, the age and place of her birth will 
 suffice." 
 
 ^' On the fourteenth day of the last Rama- 
 zan, sixteen years ago, she first beheld the 
 light/' said Nargis, " at Demawend, near the 
 mountain so called/' 
 
 " It is enough," answered the wanderer ; 
 " let her stretch forth her palm/^ 
 
 There was evidently a strong reluctance to 
 perform this act, but after a short time the 
 required member appeared ; a hand so lovely, 
 fingers so taper, the colour so transparently 
 white, that even the features of the ascetic 
 showed signs of feeling on beholding it ; but 
 these were transient, and were succeeded by a 
 sarcastic curl of the upper lip ; so fiendish was 
 the glance of his eye, that had the owner of 
 the hand beheld it, she must have experienced 
 the greatest alarm. 
 
 In a few moments the astrologer exclaimed,
 
 OR, THE KOORDTSH CHIEF. 259 
 
 in a solemn and measured tone : " Daughter, 
 this upper line proclaims that you are not 
 happy/' 
 
 No answer was returned, but the fingers 
 were slightly drawn together at the ques- 
 tion. 
 
 " You are young to have known unhappi- 
 ness, lady," continued the fakeer ; " grief 
 usually accompanies grey hairs, not the dark 
 locks of sixteen ; but stay, what do I behold ? 
 Violence — attempts against your freedom — 
 rescue — blood — love ! Lady, yours is no com- 
 mon destiny/^ 
 
 The hand was instantly drawn back at these 
 words and a convulsive sob was heard, suc- 
 ceeded by a great bustle within, and some mi- 
 nutes afterwards, the curtain being withdrawn, 
 Nargis appeared, veiled as before. 
 
 " O, sir,'^ she exclaimed in great agitation, 
 " you may be a man of God ; you may be 
 wise ; but, alas your coming has proved a ca-
 
 260 
 
 lamity; you have grievously alarmed my mis- 
 tress/' 
 
 " Ha ! then it was the Khanum^s fate I just 
 now read/^ observed the fakeer. 
 
 " Yes — no — what have I said ?" returned 
 Nargis in confusion. 
 
 " Fear not, damsel," said the wanderer, " I 
 knew it before. I should be but little conver- 
 sant with mine art else.^' 
 
 ^' Wahi !" answered Nargis. " Ashes have 
 fallen on our heads, she fainted at your words. 
 O, why did I conduct you hither ; my face will 
 never be white again. Here, take this, and 
 begone.^' 
 
 She presented a heavy purse, the astrologer, 
 however, shook his head and refused to accept 
 it. 
 
 " Daughter,'^ he said, " I want not your 
 sordid treasure -, think you I sell my knowledge 
 for gold ; take back your trash, and know that 
 the wandering fakeer feels happy in his po-
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 261 
 
 verty and makes no trade of the wisdom he 
 has received from above/' 
 
 The maiden, surprised at these unexpected 
 words, conveying as they did a rebuke, remained 
 speechless, when her companion observed : 
 
 " Damsel, you say your mistress is ill, it is 
 in my power to relieve her ; follow me to my 
 tent, where I will write out a talisman, the 
 salutary effects of which will be great, if my 
 instructions are obeyed." 
 
 Thus saying, he left the spot with rapid 
 strides. Nargis having hastily addressed the 
 inmates of the tent followed him to his tempo- 
 rary abode, which the wanderer entered, ha\^ng 
 commanded the kaneez to remain without ; 
 at the end of a quarter of an hour, he returned 
 with a roll of paper and a large bottle of water. 
 
 '• Daughter," he said, " the sun is sinking 
 fast below the horizon ; when three hours more 
 shall have run their course, wash off the writ- 
 ing contained in this parchment into this vial
 
 262 KARAH KAPLAN; 
 
 of water, and let your mistress and all her 
 kaneezes drink equal shares thereof; let not one 
 of you fail, as you desire your own and her hap- 
 piness. Depart in peace, I would be alone/' 
 Nargis would have again addressed him, but 
 he sternly motioned her to withdraw, and the 
 girl being imbued with the greatest reverence 
 towards him, having kissed the hem of his 
 garment, quitted the spot, directing her steps 
 towards her mistress's abode. 
 
 No sooner was the wanderer alone than a 
 smile of triumph illuminated his features, he 
 snapped his fingers in ecstacy, and entering into 
 his tent, burst out into a fiendish laugh. 
 
 " Ha ! ha ! ha !" he cried, " Allah be praised, 
 to-night beholds the successful termination of 
 our as yet bafiled enterprise ; by the head of 
 Ali, this day has been fortunate. I hardly 
 hoped for such an opportunity, although I had 
 provided against it ; yon writing, and the con- 
 tents of the vial possess such narcotic powers.
 
 OR, THE KOORDISH CHIEF. 263 
 
 that but a little while after they have drunk of 
 them, it were strange if yonder proud girl and 
 her kaneezes be not wrapped in sleep so sound 
 that a peal of artillery roaring at their ears 
 would not awake them as long as the effects 
 of the potion remain in force — which will be for 
 many hours. The time of action, Alhamdel- 
 lillah ! has arrived, and if fortune favours, and it 
 seems well inclined, the daughter of the haugh- 
 ty Mehtee Khan, Begler Beg of Hamadan, will 
 grace the anderoon of my beloved master. O, 
 Allah Verdee, what is there that I am not 
 ready to perform in your service ? I am pre- 
 pared to tread the very paths of Jehanum for 
 you, although you but so lately taunted me 
 with cowardice, and laughed me to scorn ; the 
 oath I then took, either to bring this girl to 
 your camp or perish in the attempt, shall be 
 kept; 1 will be successful or die. And you, 
 fooUsh boy, on whom ten thousand curses 
 alight; you owe your present safety to the
 
 264 KARAH KAPLAN ; 
 
 love I bear my chieftain 5 nothing less could 
 have prevented my striking you to the heart 
 this day, when you dared to taunt me with 
 falsehood. However, the time will come, when 
 1 will doubly, trebly, a hundred fold revenge 
 the ill I received from your hands on the Al- 
 wend hills. Prudence, and the service I owe 
 another, now restrains my hands ; but never 
 will I rest in peace till I have you by the 
 throat, and pluck your dog's heart from your 
 craven breast.'^ 
 
 Thus soliloquizing the fortune-teller threw 
 himself upon a nummud which lay in the cor- 
 ner of his humble tent. A calm gradually 
 spread itself through his veins, and an expres- 
 sion of tranquilhty by degrees usurped the 
 place of ferocity upon his countenance. Open- 
 ing a wallet which he carried with him, he 
 partook heartily of some refreshment which it 
 contained, after which he drained a bottle of 
 wine, which hung at his side, in the shape of a
 
 OR, THE KOORDTSH CHIEF. 265 
 
 leathern powder-flask ; then, hghting a chibou- 
 que, he proceeded to enhale the fumes of the 
 tobacco it contained, at the same time conning 
 over all the mazy windings of his intended 
 scheme, and laying down his plans of action. 
 What was his present enterprize will be the 
 subject of another chapter. 
 
 VOL. I. X
 
 NOTES. 
 
 The reader, who may find himself at a loss to make out 
 the meaning of the oriental words, and expressions con- 
 tained in this work, will, on consulting the notes of this, 
 and the two next volumes, receive the required explana 
 tion. 
 
 N 2
 
 :notes. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 (1) Bazars. 
 To a stranger, the bazars are the most amusing places 
 of resort ; for here is a continual concourse of people, 
 in which characters of all descriptions, each busied in 
 their different avocations, are seen to pass in rotation. 
 Many of the scenes, so familiar to us in the Arabian 
 Nights, are here realised. The young christian mer- 
 chant, the lady of quaUty riding on a mule, attended 
 by her eunuch, and her she-slave, the Jewish physician, 
 the dalal or crier, showing goods about; the barber, 
 Alnascar sitting with his back against the wall, in a 
 very little shop ; and thus almost every character may 
 be met with. The moUahs, or the men of the law, are 
 generally to be seen riding about on mules, and they
 
 270 
 
 also account it a dignity, and suited to their character, 
 to ride on White Asses, which is a striking illustration 
 of what we read in Judges, v. 10, " Speak ye that ride 
 on white asses, ye that sit in judgment.'* — Morier's 
 Second Journey through Persia. 
 
 (2) Hamadan. 
 
 A city of Persia, situated at the foot of the mountain 
 of Alwend. It was once an immense city. It is one 
 of the best watered places in Persia. A building called 
 the sepulcre of Esther and Mordecai, stands here, in a 
 court full of tombs. — See Morier's Second Journey through 
 Persia. 
 
 (3) Cahohs. 
 
 Cabobs are small pieces of meat, which are fixed upon 
 a long iron skewer, and roasted over a charcoal fire. 
 When cooked by a skilful hand, they are most delicious. 
 
 (4) Sipping the juice of the pounded berry. 
 Cofi*ee is always pounded, never ground in the East. 
 
 (5) Bubbling kaliauns were in the hands of these 
 latter persons. 
 
 The kaliaun is the Persian waterpipe. 
 
 (6) Tombakee. 
 
 Tombakee is a species of tobacco, grown near Shiraz, 
 used solely for kaliauns.
 
 NOTES. "271 
 
 (7) Eliaut. 
 See note 22. 
 
 (8) Ferashes. 
 
 Ferashes are servants, whose duty it is to sweep 
 carpets, walk before their masters in the streets, and 
 also to administer the bastinado. 
 
 (9) The Eliaut became aware of the proximity of 
 women of rank. 
 
 Women of high rank are always preceded by attend- 
 ants, whose duty it is to clear the road from the crowd, 
 and also to take care that no one looks up at the pass- 
 ing females. In consequence, when a Mussulman sees 
 the approach of women thus accompanied, he is ex- 
 pected to turn his countenance to the wall, or to shade 
 his eyes, under pain of immediate chastisement. 
 
 (10) Harem 
 
 Harem is a general term for the female establishment 
 of a Mahometan ; it is also used to denominate that 
 portion of the house, which is set apart for the women. 
 
 (11) Dog with a burnt father. 
 
 A Persian figure of speech, employed in abuse. 
 
 (12) Or you shall devour more stick. 
 
 A Persian sentence, signifying, ' you shall be well 
 beaten.'
 
 272 NOTES. 
 
 (13) Cummar. 
 
 A large, broad, and very heavy dagger. 
 
 (14) Mashallah. 
 
 An Arabic word, used to express approbation. 
 
 (15) Khan. 
 
 A Persian title, placed after the name. It is both 
 hereditary and creative, the former is considered the 
 highest ; but is very seldom to be met with. 
 
 (16) Begler Beg. 
 
 Town governor, or chief magistrate. 
 
 (17) Anderoon. 
 The same as a harem. 
 
 (18) Padersookhteh. 
 
 Burnt father ; a most contemptuous epithet. 
 
 (19) Khanum. 
 
 A Persian female title, signifying, " Lady," the wife 
 or daughter of a Khan ; used often in courtesy towards 
 women of lower rank in common parlance, as Europeans 
 use the term Madam. 
 
 (20) Wallah, Billah. 
 
 Two Persian words, used to express energetic feelings. 
 
 (21) Iran. 
 
 The oriental name for Persia. 
 
 (22) This old man was a member of a tribe of Eliauts.
 
 NOTES. 273 
 
 The Eliauts are wandering tribes, who dwell almost 
 entirely in tents, and whose wealth consists in flocks and 
 herds. 
 
 The nature of the soil and climate of Persia is singu- 
 larly favourable to such a life, and the character of the 
 government of that country must always have given it 
 additional charms. The Eliauts, or wanjiering tribes can 
 enjoy by moving their tents from elevated to low plains, 
 a continual spring ; but their favourite residence has 
 always been amid high and inaccessible mountains. 
 They are reconciled by habit to privations, which the 
 hand of power can hardly increase, and their manner 
 of Ufe inspires them with a savage freedom, that only 
 admits of a very lenient authority. That of their chiefs 
 is patriarchal : they repay his kindness Avith inviolable 
 attachment. The character of such a race can never 
 change : and there is probably no diflference between the 
 ancient and modern Eliaut, and man of a wandering tribe, 
 except that the former ascended a mountain to adore the 
 sun, or pronounced in a temple of fire the name of 
 Zoroaster, while the latter repeats that of JMahomed, and 
 murmurs a short and hurried prayer in a language 
 (arable) of which he is ignorant. — Malcolm's History of 
 Persia . 
 
 N 3
 
 274 NOTES. 
 
 (23) Takdecr. 
 Fate. Destiny. 
 
 (24) Goorkhur. 
 
 The wild ass, one of the swiftest and most sure footed 
 of quadrupeds, it is thus mentioned by Mr. Morier in 
 his second journey through Persia. 
 
 On the desert before we reached Casvin, in the grey 
 of the morning, we gave chase to two wild asses, which 
 the Persians call Goor Khur ; but which had so much 
 the speed of our horses, that when they had got at some 
 distance, they stood still and looked behind at us snort- 
 ing with their noses in the air, as if in contempt of our 
 endeavours to catch them. The Persians sometimes 
 succeed in killing them ; but not without great dexterity 
 and knowledge of their haunts. To effect this, they 
 place relays of horsemen and dogs upon the track, which 
 they are known to pursue, and then hunt them towards 
 the relays, when the fresh dogs and horses are started 
 upon the half exhausted animal. The whole of this 
 account agrees with Xenophon, who says that their 
 horsemen had no other means of catching them, than by 
 dividing themselves into relays and succeeding one ano- 
 ther in the chase. 
 
 Kat 01 fxey ovol iirei t\s ciwkoi^ TrpocpafAoyTSQ atei-
 
 NOTES . 275 
 
 (Tri]KE(Tav {-o\v yap ra 'Ittttov Bdrroy 'irpex^^') '^^^'■ 
 tclXip stteI TrX-qatfA^oL o 'irrrros rcivra k-n-oiovv uxrre hK 
 y']v XajjELV e~i firiciaarayres ol i--el.s Qr\pu)cv ciace^c- 
 jXEvoL tTTTTOis. — x\nab. lib. i. c. 5. 
 
 This animal is common to the whole of Persia, although 
 its proper soil is Arabia. The modem Persians eat its 
 flesh, and say it is better than that of the antelope : the 
 ancients did the same, and it must be supposeil that 
 when Herodotus classes the ass among the animals 
 which the rich Persians roasted whole, and eat when 
 they indulged themselves in better fare than usual, he 
 means the wild ass. Herodotus, Clio 133. 
 
 The wild ass is of a light mouse colour, with a dark 
 streak over its shoulders, and down its back. The head 
 is large, but it is much more light and lively, than the 
 common ass in its gait. It is of a most obstinate nature, 
 and seems to be refractory, under any restraint. Buffon 
 says it does not diflfer from the domestic ass, except 
 in its attributes of liberty and independence; he is 
 decided in his opinion, that it is the animal called the 
 Onagre, and not the Zebra, whose native soil and climate 
 is South Africa, in the countries borderinz upon the Cape 
 of Good Hope. 
 
 The wildness and love of liberty, which characteris
 
 276 . NOTES. 
 
 this animal, are beautifully described by the prophet 
 Jeremiah ; ** A wild ass used to the icilderness, that stmf- 
 feth up the wind at her pleasure." Chap. 2. v. 24. and 
 again when their image is allied to all the horrors of a 
 parched desert : — " And the icild asses did stand in the high 
 places ; they snuffed vp the wind like dragons ; their eyes 
 didfaili because there was no grass." Chap. 14. v. 6. 
 (25) Cofull. 
 ^. precipitous mountain pass. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 (1) Enam. 
 
 An Enam is a present from a superior, to an in- 
 ferior. 
 
 (2) Pilloulle. 
 
 A pilloulle is a Persian dish, composed of boiled rice, 
 and melted butter, with the addition sometimes of 
 chickens, raisins and saflFron. 
 
 (3) Bismillah. 
 
 The Mussulman grace before meals. 
 
 (4) Barakillah. 
 
 Barakillah is an Arabic expression, meaning, Bravo ! 
 well done !
 
 NOTES. 277 
 
 (5") A Dildard. 
 A dildard means literally a heart-acbe, and is used 
 to signify that a person is slightly unwell. 
 
 (6) Demaiiend. 
 
 A very high mountain near Teheran, the capital of 
 Persia, the peak of which is covered with snow all the 
 year round. 
 
 (7) Nummud. 
 A small carpet. 
 
 (8) Gin. 
 
 A gin is said to be a species of spirit, most hostile 
 to the human race ; it is accounted particularly unlucky 
 to behold one. 
 
 (9) Jehanum. 
 
 The Infernal regions. In Hebrew, Gehenna. 
 
 (10) The manly game of the Jereed. 
 
 The Jereed is a short lance, having a blunted head, 
 when used in sport, but sharpened for warhke purposes ; 
 it is one of the most favourite amusements, both in 
 Persia and Turkey. A good description of this exercise 
 will be found in Mr. Morier's " Ayesha." 
 
 (11) Raijaf. 
 A peasant.
 
 278 NOTES. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 (1) Which was about four fursuks distant. 
 
 A fursuk is a Persian measurement consisting of nearly 
 four English miles. 
 
 (2) Hiimmum. 
 
 The building which contains the baths is so called in 
 oriental countries. 
 
 (3) And his beard and nails being newly dyed. 
 
 The Persians shave all the head except a tuft of hair 
 just on the crown, and two locks behind the ears ; but 
 they suffer their beards to grow, and to a much larger 
 size than the Turks, and to spread more about the ears 
 and temples. They almost universally dye them black 
 by an operation not very pleasant, and necessary to be 
 repeated generally once a fortnight; it is always per- 
 formed in the hot bath, where the hair being well satu- 
 rated takes the colour better. A thick paste of Khenna 
 is first made, which is largely plastered over the beard, 
 and which after remaining an hour is all completely 
 washed oflF, and leaves the hair of a very strong orange 
 colour, bordering upon that of brick dust. After this, as 
 thick a paste is made of the leaf of the Indigo, (which 
 previously has been pounded to a fine powder,) and of
 
 NOTES. 279 
 
 this also a deep layer is put upon the beard ; but this 
 second process to be taken well, requires two full hours. 
 During all this operation the patient lies quietly flat upon 
 his back whilst the dye (more particularfy the indigo 
 which is a great astringent,) contracts the features of his 
 face in a mournful manner, and causes all the lower part 
 of the visage to smart and burn. When the indigo is at 
 last washed off, the beard is of a very dark bottle green ; 
 but becomes a jet black, after being exposed to the air a 
 short time. Another singular custom is that of dying 
 the hands and feet : this is done by the above mentioned 
 Khenna, which is generally put over every part of the 
 hands and nails, as far as the wrist. — Mr. Morier's First 
 Journey through Persia, 
 
 (4) Aman. 
 
 An exclamation meaning, mercy ! pity ! 
 
 (5) Merdiki. 
 Accursed one. 
 
 (6) Dewaneh, 
 A madman. 
 
 (7) Harumzadeh. 
 
 Baseborn ! a term of the greatest reproach, 
 
 (8) Wahif 
 
 Alas, Y/oe is me! literally translated.
 
 280 NOTES. 
 
 (9) Caravanserai. 
 In every town of Persia, there are one, or more public 
 caravanserais, for the accommodation of travellers. Tliese 
 edifices, which are also found at every stage on the 
 principal roads of the kingdom, are in general built of 
 stone or brick ; their form is square, and the whole of 
 the interior is divided into separate apartments ; their 
 walls, which are very high, are usually defended 
 by towers, that they be secure against the attack of 
 robbers. — Malcolnis History of Persia, vol. ii. 
 
 CIO) Balapoosh. 
 A large cloak. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 (I) Chihoiique. 
 
 A chibouque is a pipe, the tube of which is very long, 
 and made of cherry-wood. 
 
 (2) Beg. 
 
 Beg in Persia, is a title given to a person somewhat 
 above the common rank ; it is made use of in the same 
 manner as the European term of Mr. 
 
 (3) Chervador. 
 A head muleteer.
 
 NOTES. 281 
 
 (4) Tkere is hardly a miscal of sense, in a dozen 
 maunds of Hamadanae heads. 
 
 A miscal is a very small Persian weight ; while a 
 maund on the contrary, is about ten pounds English. 
 
 (5) Toman. 
 
 A gold Toman is about ten shillings. 
 
 (6) Maidan. 
 Open space — plain. 
 
 (7) Mushtehed. 
 
 Chief priest, or head of the Sheah religion. 
 
 (8) Riistum. 
 
 The oriental Hercules. 
 
 (9) Sheah. 
 
 The Sheahs are a Mussulman sect, the principles of 
 which are professed by the Persians. The following is a 
 short description of their origin : " From the hour of the 
 death of Mahomed, the adherents of Ali had maintained 
 his right of succession to the caliphate, and had deemed 
 those, by whom that right had been set aside as the 
 greatest of sinners. The talents, the piety, and the re- 
 putation of the three first caliphs, preserved the empire 
 from the effects of this spirit of discontent, and the ulti- 
 mate elevation of Ali satisfied for a time, the clamour of
 
 282 NOTES. 
 
 his friends ; but his death, and that of his sons, and the 
 misfortunes of his descendants, who though admitted 
 to the rank of Imams, or chief priests were excluded from 
 all temporal power, led numbers to cherish, in secret, the 
 principles of the sect of Sheah, and to mourn over the 
 hard lot of the direct descendants of their holy prophet. 
 The kingdom of Persia was the first whose inhabitants 
 united in proclaiming themselves of this sect, and who 
 vowed eternal hatred and war against those who professed 
 the Soonee doctrine. — Malcolm's History of Persia, vol. ii. 
 For further particulars concerning this sect, and of 
 their rivals the Soonees, consult the same history. 
 
 (10) Serbaz. 
 
 The Persian term for soldiers. 
 
 (11) Yusvff. 
 
 The oriental name for Joseph, who is accounted as a 
 model of beauty. 
 
 (12) Germaseer, 
 Hot countries. 
 
 (13) Sultaneah. ' 
 
 The modern kings of Persia, have palaces in many 
 parts of their dominions, whither they resort for the 
 climate or the chace ; to these palaces are attached
 
 NOTES. 283 
 
 villages, in which provisions are collected for the use 
 of the court, as soon as the motions of the King are 
 decided. 
 
 (14) Gholam. 
 
 Literally slave. Gholams are horsemen, who always 
 attend on the king when he makes an excursion. They 
 are paid, fed, clothed and armed at the king's expense. 
 The word Gholam, is used figuratively to express their 
 devotion to the king's service ; for they are not in 
 reality in a state of servitude ; on the contrary, they are 
 particularly honoured by the king. 
 
 (15) Yaboo. 
 
 A Yaboo is used to signify any horse not of the first 
 blood. — Anglice, Cocktail. 
 
 (16) Murwari. 
 Murwari means, a pearl. 
 
 (17) Would proclaim a Nejdee origin. 
 
 Nejd is a place in Arabia, very famous for the supe 
 riority of its breed of horses. 
 
 (18) You are as clever in stratagertiy as an Ispahanee, 
 The natives of Ispahan, have a reputation for cun- 
 ning. 
 
 (19) Tojinks. 
 Guns.
 
 2S4 
 
 (20) Chappoiv. 
 A predatory excursion. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 (1) Deivankhaneh. 
 
 The room of public audience. 
 
 (2) Kafsh Khaneh. 
 
 Literally " shoe room." It is a small entrance hall, 
 where visitors and servants leave their shoes, before 
 passing into the apartment where the master of the 
 house receives his guests. — N.B. It is of course sup- 
 posed that the reader is aware that orientals never un- 
 cover the head, and that their customs on entering a 
 room or a mosque is exactly contrary to those of Eu- 
 ropeans, for where a Frank doffs his hat, an oriental 
 takes off his shoes. 
 
 (3) Bnlbul 
 A nightingale. 
 
 (4) Khorassan. 
 
 A province of Persia situated to the north east. 
 
 (5) Nazir. 
 
 Overlooker.— Steward. — Chief servant.
 
 NOTES. 285 
 
 (6) Fars. 
 
 A southern province of Persia. 
 
 (7) Chauder. 
 
 A chauder is a large sheet, with which a Persian 
 woman covers herself when she goes abroad ; it envelopes 
 the whole form, and is made of either white or blue 
 checked linen. The veil is made of white linen, with 
 some net work in front to enable the person, whose face 
 it conceals, to see, without being seen. A woman 
 covered with both veil and chauder, would not be recog- 
 nised even by her husband or relations ; should they meet 
 her in the streets. 
 
 (8) Kalemdone. 
 
 The Kalemdone or Inkhorn, is made in Persia to hold 
 both ink and pens ; it is in length about ten or twelve 
 inches, and three or four round. It is generally beau- 
 tifully painted, and is still worn by ministers in Persia, 
 as an insignia of their ofBce. It is stuck in the girdle, 
 in the same part in which military men wear their 
 daggers. — Malcolm's History of Persia, vol i. 
 
 (9) Shamheh. 
 Saturday. 
 
 (10) KaJaat. 
 
 A dress of honour.
 
 286 NOTES. 
 
 (11) Moolah. 
 
 Moolah or MoUah, is a priest, or man of the law. 
 See note 1. chap. 1. 
 
 (12) Kaneez. 
 
 A female servant, or slave. 
 
 (13) J annum. 
 
 My soul ! an expression of endearment. 
 
 (14) Azezim. 
 My dear. 
 
 (15) Rang. 
 
 A Persian dye, composed of indigo. 
 
 (16) Dilum. 
 
 My h eart, an expression of endearment. 
 
 (17) Banoo. 
 
 The chief wife, or female in a harem is called the 
 Banoo. 
 
 (18) MajdahluJc, 
 
 A Majdahluk is a present given to the bearer of 
 good news. 
 
 (19) Shah zadeh. 
 
 A king's son is called Shah zadeh ; it is composed of two 
 Persian words, zadehy born, and Shah, King. 
 
 (20) Frangistan. 
 
 The oriental name for Europe.
 
 NOTES. 287 
 
 (21) And presently the richly ornamented waterpipes 
 were presented to the two ladies. 
 
 Persian ladies use the kaliaun, which is the mildest 
 pipe that can be smoked, as the tobacco is firstly steeped, 
 and even then the smoke drawn from it must pass through 
 water, before it enters the mouth of the smoker. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 ( 1 ) My friend and I have been drinking wine, etc. 
 The act of drinking wine by a Mahometan being con- 
 trary to the precepts of the Koran is punishable by law. 
 
 (2) Baraga. 
 
 The lieutenant of police. 
 
 CHAPTER Vn. 
 
 (1) Felek. 
 The Felek is a long pole with a noose in the middle, 
 into which the feet of those about to be bastinadoed are 
 inserted and made fast ; the pole is then lifted up by two 
 ferashes, standing at either ends, while two others ad- 
 minister the punishment, striking the blow alternately..
 
 288 NOTES. 
 
 (2) Pishkidmud, 
 
 A servant, whose duty it is to wait on the person of 
 his master ; derived from two Persian words, pish, before, 
 and kidmud, service. 
 
 (3) Kabau. 
 
 A kind of long garment, much resembling a petticoat, 
 reaching to the ancles ; the upper part, together with the 
 sleeves, being made very tight. 
 
 (4) Noroz. 
 
 The first day of the Mussulman year ; it takes place on 
 the twenty-first of INIarch Among other customs it is 
 usual for masters to bestow cloaks of cloth on their 
 servants. 
 
 (5) Viziere Nizam. 
 
 The Viziere Nizam is the minister at the head of every 
 thing that pertains to war. 
 
 (6) Lootee. 
 
 Among others came the Lootees or buffoons, headed 
 by a chief : these may in some manner be assimilated to 
 our bands of marrow bones and cleavers. They attend 
 at merry makings and public festivals, and in the 
 style and manner of their wit, disregard all delicacy. 
 They are composed of the most profligate of men, and
 
 NOTES. 289 
 
 can only advance in their profession by superior ri- 
 baldry. — Morier's Second Journey through Persia. 
 [7) Manzel. 
 A largie house. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 (1) Bachahau. ♦ 
 
 Literally children. The word is used to call servants. 
 
 (2) "0 Sahib, bid rae perform any other act, and I am 
 your slave j but force me not to swear a false oath on the 
 Koran, I dare not." 
 
 The Mahometans, particularly the Persians, have a 
 great dread of perjuring themselves on the Koran ; the 
 oath is administered with the utmost solemnity. 
 
 (3) The SheUeh. 
 
 A capital punishment of Persia inflicted on thieves. 
 The culprit is tied by either foot to two posts with his 
 head down, and in that situation is cut in two by the 
 sword of the executioner. 
 
 (4) Bero. 
 Begone. 
 
 VOL.
 
 290 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 (Ij Lahoff. 
 A Lalioff is a coverlet stuflfed with cotton, and lined 
 with chintz. 
 
 (2) Shaitan. 
 The devil. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 (1) While Feridoon was armed ivktli both shield and 
 sword. 
 
 The shield is still much used, by both the Koords and 
 the wandering tribes. It is in general circular in its 
 form . 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 (1) Your father is of noble blood. 
 
 Ancient family, and noble descent, are much more 
 prized in Persia, than in Turkey. 
 
 (2) Hindowanee. 
 A water melon. 
 
 (3) Khorasan never sent forth a better blade. 
 
 The blades of Khorasan are particularly prized, and
 
 NOTES. 291 
 
 are considered by the Persians as superior to those of 
 Damascus ; they are watered in the same manner. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 (1) Mahomed Reza Meerza, ^c. 
 The Prince Governor of a province, is possessed of 
 absolute authority, within the dominions over which his 
 rule extends. The larger governments within the 
 kingdom of Persia, were almost invariably bestowed upon 
 Shah zadehs, during the life of Fath Ali. The word 
 meerza, is derived from meer, or ameer * lord,' and za 
 a contraction of zada, * soft.' When it follows the name, 
 instead of being prefixed, meerza always denotes a prince 
 of the blood royal ; when prefixed it signifies secretary 
 only. 
 
 (2) Karagoosh. 
 
 Literally translated, signifies an eagle. 
 
 (3) To have seen his bag well filled. 
 
 Horses in Persia when tethered, feed from a bag, 
 which is fastened to their heads. 
 
 (4) A fortunate hour was proclaimed. 
 
 No journey of consequence is undertaken in the East, 
 without an astrologer being consulted about the hour, 
 
 o 2
 
 292 NOTES. 
 
 most promising of a successful issue following the un- 
 dertaking oa account of which the voyage is made, 
 
 (5) And conceal it within the folds of Ids cap was the 
 work of a moment. 
 
 The Persians make use of the folds of their cap, as a 
 kind of pocket, and place letters, papers, and even money 
 there. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 (1) Their large turbans. 
 
 The Koords wear very large turbans, while the Persian 
 head-dress is composed of a black lambskin cap. 
 
 (2) A TofncMee. 
 
 A musketeer or marksman. 
 
 (3) Yezd. 
 
 A town of one of the south eastern provinces of Persia, 
 famous for its manufacture of a species of silk brocade. 
 
 (4) Mazanderan. 
 
 One of the most northern provinces of Persia; its 
 capital is Asterabad. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 (I) Sultan Khoda Bundah.
 
 ^OTES. 293 
 
 Khoda Bundah means the slave of God, from Khoda, 
 God, and Bundah, a slave or bondsman. 
 
 (2) Bala Khoneh. 
 
 Literally an upper room. It is in general a small 
 apartment, having windows at three of its sides, and 
 situated at the verj^ top of the house. It is derived from 
 two Persian words, Baba, above, and Khoneh, a house. 
 
 (3) Serperdeh. 
 
 The Serperdeh is composed of canvas walls, that sur- 
 round a tent, and except by express permission, none but 
 the king and his sons, are allowed to make use of it. 
 (i) A visit from him at Hamadan. 
 
 The inhabitants of no nation are more particular than 
 those of Persia, concerning the etiquette to be observed 
 during the paying, or receiving a visit. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 (1) Fakeer. 
 
 A poor man.— A wandering beggar. — A fortune-teller. 
 
 (2) On the eighth day of the last month of Mohurrum. 
 Mauz-u-doulah, who was a bigoted adherent to the 
 
 sect of Ali, when his power was fully established, com- 
 manded that the first ten days of the month of Mohurrum, 
 should be set aside for a general mourning over the fate
 
 294 NOTES. 
 
 of Hussein ; the son of Ali, who was slain on the plains 
 of Kerbelleh, in the sixtieth year of the Hejirah. The 
 commemoration of this event has been ever since reli- 
 giously observed by the Sheahs, and the annual ceremony 
 has tended, in no slight degree, to keep alive their hatred 
 against the Soonees. 
 (3) Ramazan. 
 The Mahometans are enjoined fasting as a sacred 
 duty. They are taught to believe, that in the month of 
 Ramazan, God sent the Koran from heaven ; and during 
 that month, every Mahometan must refrain, from dawn 
 till sunset, from eating, drinking, smoking, and all sensual 
 gratifications. None are exempt from this obligation but 
 travellers, sick persons, women with child, or those who 
 are nursing; and even these are required to make 
 amends for their involuntary neglect of this ordination, 
 by fasting at some other period or by giving extraordinary 
 alms to the poor. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
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