YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

.,..-.¦.. ii m

FUTTEE ALI SHAH.
Jfom eiTerj-ton- Taml&tg in Zfo Jbssesszoru of tfto ^u&wr.
PobliBlieiTjy- Henry Coltrani, Gteal:lfoi]."bt>rmigh St 1841 .

THREE YEARS

PERSIA;

WITH TRAVELLING ADVENTURES

KOORDISTAN.
BY GEORGE FOWLER, ESQ.
im
IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

LONDON :
HENRY COLBURN, PUBLISHER,
GREAT MARLBOROUGH STREET.
1841.

PRINTED EY W. WILCOCKSCN, ROLLS BUILDINGS, FRTTER LANK.

PREFACE.

In these literary days, when there are nearly as
many writers as readers, some apology might be
deemed necessary for appearing in print ; but, as
Eastern subjects are generally deemed peculiarly
interesting, and nothing having yet appeared of the
land of " Iran" in the shape of the work now sub
mitted to the reader, the author hopes he may
be considered to have had sufficient grounds for
venturing on the field of publication.
It is with extreme diffidence he has glanced at
the political and commercial relations between
Great Britain and Persia, since, in their present
anomalous state, they are so difficult to define : he
believes, however, the information on the subject

iv PREFACE.
he has been enabled to obtain, will make that
portion of his volumes worthy of attention.
The travelling incidents in Koordistan are from
letters penned at the time to the author's friends
in England. This he trusts will not be without
its recommendation ; it being usually admitted that
" one line written on the spot is worth a thousand
recollections." Although the author makes no pretensions to
any thing beyond slight sketches of Persia and its
inhabitants, written during his various wanderings
over that country, he is by no means indifferent
to the public favour : indeed, his seeking it has, in
Persian phraseology, caused " the nightingale of
the pen to flutter around the rose-bud of expec
tation." He will only add, in words from the same
source, " may its bounty increase, and its shadow
never be less ! "

mm

London, 1st April, 1841.

CONTENTS

THE FIRST VOLUME.

CHAPTER I.
THE " KHELAAT U PUSHAN."
Departure to witness the Ceremony — Interesting Appearances
on arrival — The Shah Zadehs, or Princes — Interview with the
Prince — The Kaimacan — Abbas Meerza — Court Ceremonies
—The Poet Laureat— The Royal Band — The Camel Swivels
— Ancient Custom of conferring Dresses of Honour — Persian
Duplicity — The Serbozes — The Azerbijanees — The Prince's
Return, &c  Page 1
CHAPTER II.
THE " TAUJ U DOULUT."
The Courouk, or Royal Proclamation— Sudden Arrival of the
Tauj— The Procession— The Takht Ravan— The Andaroon
 The Tauj's History — Persian Jealousy — Female seclusion
enforced by the Koran— The Eunuchs, &c. . . 15

VI CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
THE " MESHEDEES."
The Kboflan Khu— The Kizzil Ozzan— The Kafelah of Pil
grims — The Moolahs — The Pilgrimage —The Tomb of Imaum
Reza — The Hadjis — Pilgrimage to Mecca — The Syeeds —
Persian Shrines— The Saint's Tomb of Imaum Zadeh — Inter
ment of the Dead— The Grave-grounds — Sabbath-eve Visits—
The devastating Cholera of 1830— The Numaz Jah— Maho-
medan Tradition — Visiting the Burying-grounds, &c. . 23
CHAPTER IV.
THE EVENING SALAAM.
Persian Executions — Barbarous Customs — Ceremony of the
Salaam — The Royal Band — The Mujlis, or Assembly — Persian
Mobility— Futtee Ali Shah— The King's Beard — Persian
Etiquette — The King's Gholaums — The Group of Princes —
His Majesty's Return to the Nagaristan Palace— The King a
respectable Poet — Hafiz — Copy of one of his Poems — Fer-
doosee— Saadi — Epitaphs of Hafiz and Saadi — The King at
Dinner — Persian Cookery — Government of the Harem — His
Majesty's Contempt for other Monarchs — The Chief Execu
tioner, &c.  36
CHAPTER V.
THE PERSIAN " HAKEEMS," ETC. a
Tehran Climate — Departure for Sulimania — Kasvine — HI in a
Persian Caravansery — Meerza Aboo Thaloub — The Hakeem's
Visit— The Hadji — Cured by the Doctor — His extreme Polite
ness—Hippocrates in Persia — Veiled Invalids at Tehran 
Persian Surgery — Cures for Blindness and the Ague  The
Hakeem's Visits to the Harem— Bigotted Persian Customs 
The Astrologer's Prescription — Taken for a Hakeem  The
Royal Draught — Morison's Pills, &c. . . .51

CONTENTS. Vll
CHAPTER VI.
ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA.
Zhorab Khan — His Character and Disgrace — Restored to the
Royal Favour — Another Khan disgraced and restored  His
Majesty's sportive Use of Power— Abul Hassan Khan— His
History— Appointed Ambassador to the Court of St. James's
— His Return to Persia— The Game of Duplicity between the
King and the Khan — Is sent Ambassador to St. Petersburgh —
His Book of Wonders — The Khan's Character  Honoured
with the Order of the Lion and Sun — Royal Firmauns— Copy
of one, conferring the Order— Persian Titles, &c. . . 65
CHAPTER VII.
THE "BAGY SEFFRE."
The Ruins around Tabreez — Earthquakes in Persia — Arrival at
the "Garden of Delight" — Its Fruits and Flowers — The
Palace — Persian Paintings — The " Taukjas'" — Persian Brick
layers — The " Takhts," or Sleeping-places — Persian Gardens
— Sir John Macdonald Kennier — His Arrival in Persia — His
Death at the " Bagy SefFre" — His Burial at Echmiazin — The
Fortress of Rushedia — The Mosque Sultan Kazan, &c. 76
CHAPTER VIII.
A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
Armakaneh — Zenjen — The Plains of Sultaniah — The Tomb of
Ismael, Khouda Benda — The Eleaut Tribes — Koramdereh —
Kerishkeen — Kazvine — The arid Plains — The Kenauts — The
Mirage — Arrival at Kishlock — Dreary Travelling — Falling in
with the Persian Troops — Military Discipline — Sulimania —
The Royal Residence — Gallery of Paintings — Agreeable Rest
from Exhaustion and Fatigue  91

viii CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
TOORKAMANCHAI.
The late Treaty of Peace between Persia and Russia signed at
this Village — The " Rysh Soofeid" — Russian Liberality-
Persian Dogs— Koordish Village— Arrival at Sheik der Abaud
The Khan's Village Parliament— The Ketkodeh's Reports-
Persian Legislation — Plundering the Khan — The Felek — The
Bagy-Zardaloo — Mr. Williamson — Mining Remains — Persian
Deceptions — Persian Servants — The Hak-Reezi, &c. . 106
CHAPTER X.
HENRY MARTIN.
Dining at the General's Table at Erzroume — The Armenian
Bishop, Serrafino — His Acquaintance with Martin, and opi
nion of the English — Complains of Martin's Journal — The
Italian Doctor — His Report of our Missionary's Arrival and
Burial at Tocat — Commemorative Stone to his Memory —
Reminiscences of Martin — His Stable at Marand — His Trans.
lation of the Scriptures — Protected by a Royal Firmaun —
Bigotry of the Moslems, &c.  119
CHAPTER XI.
KARADAGH.
Persian Compliments — Hadji Cossim Khan's Family — Arrival
at Overjon — Surprising the Persian Villagers — Passing the
Hadji River — The Village of Herries — Persian Duplicity —
Koordish Encampment— A moving Village— Mountain Scenery
Climate Changes — The Village of Bahool— Persian Peasantry
—The Locusts — Village Wanderings, &c. 132
CHAPTER XII.
THE " IMARET KORSHEED."
Visit to the "Palace of the Sun"_The Throne Room— Persian
Paintings— The " Takht," or Throne— The Outough Almas

CONTENTS. IX
— The Gulistan, or the " Garden of Roses" — The Outough
Hyenah— The Outough Bulbul— The Kuleh Ferengee— The
Aumeneh Tauj— The Royal Stud— Beds ofRoses— The Ark,
or Citadel of Tehran — The Bazaars — Sleeping-places — Even
ing Groups — Grotesque Scenes, &c  149
CHAPTER XIII.
NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
Arrival at Koramdereh, or "The Happy Valley" — Persian
Robberies — Star-light Lucubrations — The " Subah Kauzib,"
or false Dawn — Sultineah — Kush Kand — Persian Villages
contrasted with Turkish Villages — Riding through the Roof
— Persian abundant Produce — Anecdote of the Court of Pleas
— The Abjectness of the Villagers — Arrival at Nickpy — De
structive Troops — The Kajawahs — Asiatic Travel, &c. 164
CHAPTER XIV.
PERSIAN AVARICE.
The Love of Money inherent in the Persians — Jaffier Kouli
Khan — Burying Money in Persia — The late Shah's Avarice,
and ingenious devices to procure Money — Sir John Malcolm's
Anecdote — Modes of raising the Ways and Means — Persian
Finances — Horrible Outrage at Bushire — The Town pillaged
by organised Plunderers — Lives lost — Immense Booty, &c. 181
CHAPTER XV.
THE "RAMAZAN."
The Mahomedan Fast — The Muzzins calling the Azan — The
Zeal of the Moslems— The Kban of Makoo at Prayers— The
Armenian Fasts — The Koran the reigning Fashion amongst
the Persians— Their Sabbath-eves— The Hadji's Enquiries
of ourRamazan Customs in England— Of the Greek Churches
—Religious FSte at Erzroume— Building Mahomedan Tem
ples, &c  192

X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XVI.
MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
Massacre of the Russian Ambassador and his Suite— Copy of
Letter from Ali Shah— His Report of Mr. Grybydoff's Re-
ceptionat Tehran— The Ill-treatment of two Armenian Women
— A Mob collected— Dreadful Massacre— Copy of the Prince's
Letter to General Paskevitch — His Proposal how to consider
the affair at St. Petersburgh— Letter from the Shah of Persia
to his Son, Abbas Meerza — Of the Ambassador's Recep
tion — The Conduct of Meerza Yhacoub — Of the two
Women of Moosh — The Mob attack the Ambassador's House
— The Elchee is killed — The Zelli Sultaun sent to repress
the Mob — He saves the Secretary and three Cossacks — His
Majesty's Speculations on the Event — His Grief and Anxiety
— Demands Assistance of his Son — Some Additions to the
King's Gazette — The Ambassador's offensive Conduct — His
many Indiscretions — The People incited by the insulted
Women — The Bodies of six Musselmans exposed at the
Mosques — The Frenzy of the Mob — They kill the Ambas
sador and his Suite — Piles of Human Rubbish — The Grief of
the Crown Prince at Tabreez — A General Mourning ordered
— Report of the Affair from the St- Petersburgh Gazette 202
CHAPTER XVII.
THE TATAR GALLOP.
Departure from Trebisonde — Agreement with the Tatar —
Arrival at Gevaslic — At Karakaban — Gumish Khaneh  The
Tatar's Inspiration— Spirit-stirring Travel— Arrival at Bai-
boot— Karagulah— Ash Kaleh — The Mineral Waters of
Elidja— Erzroume— Hassan Kaleh— The impatient Tatar—
Delli Baba— Zadecan— Turkish baking— Torprach Kaleh 
Passing the Euphrates— Diadin— Lodging at a Koordish Vil
lage—Sleeping Arrangements— Khoe— Arrival at Tabreez—
Friendly Greetings, &c  228

CONTENTS. Xi
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE " TAKHT KAJAR."
Country Palace— Persian Blight— Entering the Castle— Per-
sian Paintings— Anecdotes of Agha Mahmoud Shah— His
Cruelties — Contribution of Eyes — Builds Towers of Heads —
Vengeance of the Shah — The Tyrant murdered— The King's
Avarice — District of Shemroun — Climate changes, &c. 245
CHAPTER XIX.
TABREEZ.
Arrival in the City — Its singular Appearance — Persian Delu
sions dissipated— The Mud Walls — The Fortifications — Mar
vellous Impressions — The Bazaars — Their motley Occupants
— The Dervishes, &c. — The Shops — The grotesque passing
World— The Caravanseries — The Workshops — Manufacture
of Fire-arms — Persian Enamelling — The Merchants — Diffi
cult Streets — Persian Simulation — Ancient Splendour of the
City — The Hummums — Description of a Bath — Its sundry
Visitors — The Hummumchee — The Grand Wash-room 
Shampooing — The natural Baths of Elidja and Teflis — Of
the Tabreez Marble — A Mineral Petrifaction — The Process
of Consolidating — The Climate of Tabreez — The Gipsies —
A Cure for the Plague  256
CHAPTER XX.
CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
Commencing the Journey — The Travellers' Rest — Turkish
Troops at Delli Baba — Taken for a Russian Spy — Tried by
the Village Divan — Passed off for an Elchee — The Agba's
Politeness — The Colonel's Visit at another Village — De
parting early with the Caravan — The Muleteers — Bivouacked
under the Mountains of Dehar — The various Groups — The

xii CONTENTS.
Mountains of Teches— The Pass of the Ten Thousand— A
Genoese Castle, the Rendezvous of the Crusaders — Dr.
Schultz —Caravan Breakfast — Turkish Guards— Avajek —
The Khan's Hospitality— Koordish Escort— Rocky District
—Left alone on the Mountains— The Koflan Khu— to Arkand
— Dl-usage of an Ambassador at this Village— Persian Cara-
vanseries contrasted with Turkish Caravanseries . . 277
CHAPTER XXI.
THE "EDE Y NU ROOZ."
The New Year's Day — Persian Report of this Festival — The
Fetes — The " Peishcush," or Presents — Royal Largesses —
Voluntary Taxation— The Royal Squeeze— The Shah's Splen
dour — The Kalaats — Ancient Biblical Customs — Court Eti
quette — Sir John Malcolm's Presentation to the Shah —
Observance of the Nu Rooz at Tehran — Introducing the
Ambassador — The King on his Throne — His immense Riches
— The Triumph of Despotism — Royal Incense — Ceremonies
of the Peishcush — From the Governor of Khorassan — The
Governors of Kerman and of Farestan — From the Beglerbeg
of Ispahan — Persian Games — The Fireworks — Horse-
racing, &c  297
CHAPTER XXII.
ABBAS MEERZA.
Departure to visit the Prince — Persian mode of visiting — Arrival
at the Palace — Introduced to the Prince — Subjects of the
Conference — Description of the Prince  Of the Palace — The
Prince's Invitation to British Emigrants— A liberal Maho
medan— Mr. Missionary Wolfe— The Prince's Gallantry and
Courage— His English Predilections— The Prince's Death,
&c  315

ILLUSTRATIONS TO VOLUME I.

PAGE
FUTTEE ALI SHAH  FRONTISPIECE.
THE AUTHOR SURPRISING THE PERSIAN VILLAGERS AT
OVERTON  4 . 136
THE TATAR GALLOP  228
THE AUTHOR INTRODUCED TO ABBAS MEERZA . . 318

REMINISCENCES

OF A THREE YEARS'

RESIDENCE IN PERSIA.

CHAPTER I.
THE " KHELAAT U PUSHAN."
It is generally about the end of May that the
ceremony takes place of the prince arraying him
self in the royal robe of honour, conferred upon
him by his Majesty of Persia ; and this, according
to court etiquette, must be done publicly. Near
all the different cities, buildings are purposely
erected for this ceremony, called the " Khelaat u
Pushan," or place for putting on the honorary
dress with which the prince is invested by his
sovereign. The public exhibition of it is intended
vol. r. b

2 THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN.
to show that he still basks in the Shah's favour—
the countenance of the " King of Kings" con
tinuing to shine upon him.
In a pretty sheltered spot, looking luxuriant
amid the barren hills surrounding it, richly watered,
and wooded with the' poplar, the chinar, and other
foliage, in the midst of a small lake, stands a tall,
spiral belvidere, in the upper story of which the
prince receives his numerous visitors. This is sur
rounded by about three acres of well shaven lawn,
on which thousands of the " Azerbijanees" were
squatted about in different groups, quietly awaiting
the coming ceremonial. At the further end was
pitched the royal tent, richly carpeted, and around
it (forming a large enclosure) a treble row of the
" Serboz," or infantry, was formed, which, with
their huge white trousers, boots, and black caps,
made not a bad line of about a thousand men.
The city of Tabreez poured its contents into
this delightful valley; the day was propitious, the
occasion inviting ; so " mounting the stirrup of
activity to get into the saddle of accomplishment,"
I soon arrived with my little party amidst the
large assembly whom curiosity or custom had
already convened.

THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN. 3
Numerous " gholaums" were galloping about,
giving directions, and arranging the coming cere
mony, and a happy festivity seemed to pervade all
classes, as 1 mixed amongst them, to see as much
as I could of their character. There is a decent
sobriety in Persian mobility that I have scarcely
seen in any other ; none of your noisy ebullitions
of a village wake, as in my own country ; none of
the antic tricks of the mountebank, nor the low
gambling of the thimble-rig ; but the sober gravity
of smoking, undisturbed by those spirituous pota
tions which give so much animal recklessness to
an English mob.
The troops were put through their evolutions,
which I thought would not have disgraced a Hyde
Park review; it was, in fact, English discipline
engrafted on Persian subjects, through the inde
fatigable industry of their generalissimo, the late
Major Hart.
In another tent, surrounded by numerous ser
vants, was a group of very interesting looking
" shah zadehs," or princes of different ages, from
eighteen down to four years. There were about
twenty of them altogether, richly dressed, and the
sons of Abbas Meerza, — being but a small portion
b2

A THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN.
however of his family. I could not but look upon
them with a great deal of interest, when I reflected
how precarious is the state of royalty in Persia;
as on every accession to the throne, barbarous
custom, or still more barbarous necessity, requires
go many victims of the royal blood to be offered
up, to quiet the fears or to establish the security of
the newly raised sovereign ; or, at any rate, that
the eyes of the ill-fated striplings must be sacri
ficed.* Whilst looking on at this interesting scene with
my friend the " hakeem bashi," the penetrating
eyes of the prince soon discovered him, and the
" Isheagusi," or master of the ceremonies, was im
mediately sent down to summon him to the royal
presence ; and as he was marched up through the
broad-staring ranks of the surrounding visitors,
* An English nobleman relates a curious illustration of this
fact. On visiting one of the princes, then a young lad, he found
him with his eyes shut, and feeling about with both his hands, like
a blind person, for his kalleoon, which his servant was presenting
to him. After a moment the gentleman asked, " What are you
doing, prince ? Is there any thing the matter with your eyes?"
" Oh, no," said the boy, •« nothing ; but I am practising blind
ness. You know that when my father dies we shall all be put to
death, or have our eyes put out, so I am trying how I shall be
able to manage without them."

THE KHELAAT U PTJSHAN. 5
I felt thankful at not being subjected to a similar
ordeal. There is nothing to me more positively dis
tressing than " human ken" — I mean an aggregate
of eyes, steadily fixed on their victim, and drinking
in as it were his confusion. Congratulating myself
on my escape from this publicity, I had retired to
the cool grovy retreat, where, " sitting on my
carpet of patience, I was smoking my pipe of
expectation," when the appalling figure of the
master of the ceremonies was making towards me,
with "Sahib quj-ast"— where is the "Sahib?"
(I really cannot translate this word, 'tis ' Master,'
or ' Sir,' or whatever you please.) Resistance was
impossible; the prince had ordered me into his
presence ; royal invitations amount to commands
in this country, so I was marched through the
wondering crowd, bidding defiance to my tortured
feelings of mauvaise honte, which, however, I at last
completely succeeded in conquering.
Bowing mandarin fashion in the royal presence,
I^as honoured with the usual compliments and
enquiries — " Damaughist chauk ast," " how is your
health?" " your place has long been empty," &c.
I had to endure some ten minutes court etiquette,
during which the prince asked me as to my travels,

6 THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN.
how I liked Persia, and if my own country was to
be compared to it ; to which last question, when
I recollected its mud regions, I assured his royal
highness that it certainly was not. " Barikallah,"
said the prince, who took all my replies as com
plimentary. Near the prince stood his brother, " Ali-nucky
Meerza," looking down on the ground, not daring
seemingly to look up without permission. Some
other young princes were standing about, attired
in splendid shawl dresses ; and the courtiers, the
" Kaimacan," * with numerous Khans, &c. forming
the prince's court, all were waiting in mute obei-
* Of the precariousness of the Persian court favour, the late
" Kaimacan " was an instance, although one of his wives was
of the royal" Kajars." Meerza Abool Cassim may be said to have
ruled his late master, Abbas Meerza ; and I heard him spoken of
as the greatest enemy to Persia, he having betrayed the prince
into the late precipitate war with Russia, by which, as my infor
mant said, " his country had lost honour, territory, and money."
The present Shah adopted him as his prime minister, or rather he
found himself within his toils, and difficult to be extricated from
them. The minister arrogated to himself so much power, as to be
come equally offensive to the Shah and the people. Murmurings,
and at length loud complaints, reached the ears of his Majesty,
who then determined " to finish him :" he gave orders for him
to be strangled. The haughty minister was for a, long time
incredulous of his Majesty's commands ; but he who had before
played the monarch was now the victim of despotism, and he was

THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN. 7
sance, to be perfumed with the liberality of their
master's favour.
Prayers now began, so being dismissed from my
audience, I ran off to see the interior of the belvi-
dere, and had just reached the top of the stairs,
when the gun fired, to announce that " the prince
was coming." Down we bustled in most amusing
confusion, and I hastened to run across the narrow
bridge, which two persons can scarcely pass, when
I met the prince in full majesty. I had just time
to make my "salaam" as he passed me, and to
notice his dress of honour, which was composed
of white satin, richly studded with gold ornaments
It was short, hanging down only to the knee, with
half sleeves; around the neck was a tippet of
glossy fur, and on his head he wore a scarlet turban
of shawl, raised very high, of the shape and twice
the height of the crown of a hat, and without
ornaments. I understand that the use of jewels is
limited to the sovereign. The bagpipe band struck
up as the prince walked out of the belvedere to
wards the royal tent.
strangled at Tehran in 1835. That he deserved his death there
seems to be no doubt, since it was a matter of congratulation with
all the people ; their rejoicings were likened to those of the
" Ede y nu Rooz."

8 THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN.
What a noble looking being was Abbas Meerza-^
his dignified, yet perfectly easy deportment, and his
soul-speaking countenance, beaming with affability
and greatness. Really, I never saw so splendid a
human form, moulded seemingly as a rich speci
men of nature's works.
His royal highness walked right royally to the
tent prepared for him on this beautiful lawn, with
so much majesty and dignity as to impress all
beholders by his imposing appearance, as he
took his place on the carpet in the oriental
style. The novelty and splendour of the scene
I shall never forget, when his many attendants
and officers of the court, all with red turbans
and superb dresses, came forward to offer their
congratulations. There was seated around the prince, at a re
spectful distance, the " shah zadehs," or young
princes, already alluded to. They were placed in
exact position according to their birth; for' there
is perhaps no country in the world where etiquette
is more strictly attended to than in Persia^ The
princes were fine looking youths, and apparently
worthy scions of the illustrious " Kajar" family.
It was an interesting sight to see them sitting in

THE KHELAAT V PUSHAN. 9
the most rigid posture of respect, not seemingly
daring to look up without their father's per
mission. The first ceremony was the advance of the
courtiers, led up by degrees with slow and solemn
step by the master of the ceremonies, two or three
at a time, from the lower part of the green platform
on which the troops were stationed ; resting every
twenty paces, to make their obeisance almost to the
ground to their royal master, whom they dare not
approach nearer than about ten yards. It appeared
to me that the master of the ceremonies instructed
them when to bow appropriately ; at any rate, he
set them the example. It was altogether a regular
oriental scene, and gave me the best possible idea
of court manners in this country.
The poet laureat was then led up, reading- at a
most respectful distance a congratulatory ode on
the prince, and the honours of the day.. It is his
office " to make the nightingale of the pen to flut
ter about the new-blown rose of royalty:" but
the high flown style of the complimentary, which
is so copious in the Persian language, I will
not attempt to convey, since his voice failed him
as he gradually approached nearer, bowing to
B.3

10 THE KHELAAT U PU8HAN.
the prince; for it so happened that the laureat
was a very stout man, and his steaming exer
tion under a mid-day sun, caused his compliments
often to die away on his lips, and become almost
inaudible. The laureat was a man of parts, and, as the
Persians say, would require " rivers of ink to run
through meadows of paper to create an easy navi
gation for his thoughts." What they were on this
occasion I could not find out, for but few of them
reached me. This poetic effusion lasted some
twenty minutes. Then other courtiers approached,
amongst whom I noticed the " Kaimacan," or grand
vizier, himself a very respectable poet. All these
were spouting orations, not one word of which
could I understand.
Some military display then took place ; the
troops fired, and the prince returned to the bel-
videre. The whole ceremony lasted about an
hour and a half. The dresses of the Khans are
very rich: they wear the scarlet turban instead
of the black lambskin cap. The Persian cos
tume is particularly handsome. A Cachemere
robe trimmed with silver was the prince's ordinary
4ress.

THE KHELAAT U PTJSHAN. ] 1
We were now scrambling for a retreat through
the broken ranks of pedestrians and equestrians of
all sorts. Amongst the latter was the " Nokareh
kaneh," or the royal band, on camel-back. The
Persians have no ear whatever for harmony ; — the
greater the noise, the better they are pleased. The
band, with their dulcimers, cornets, and wind in
struments of all sorts, began to discourse most dis
cordant sounds; the camels became frightened,
and off they ran, scattering the throng, and up
setting the musicians, to the infinite amusement of
the bystanders.
I happened to be in the midst of the melee
just as they were about to give some imposing
effect by the flourish of trumpets, &c. The animals
would stand it no longer; they seemed to have
better ears for music than their masters ; and, in
their impatience to be gone, they nearly trod down
some of the wondering crowd. I never witnessed
a scene more irresistibly laughable.
The guns were fired from the backs of camels.
These are termed " zambrooks," or camel swivels ;
and there is one advantage in this sort of moving
battery, that the patient animal kneels to accom
modate the gunner to his aim.

12 THE KHELAAT D PUSH AN.
The custom of conferring dresses of honour
in the East is of very ancient usage ; and at
the present time the richness of the "khelaat"
indicates the favour of the sovereign. The ordi
nary dress consists of a "kaba," or long loose
robe, sometimes with a shawl or girdle. We
read of the magnificent " khelaat" presented by
Cyrus to Syennedis, which, beside the dress, con
sisted of "a horse, with a golden bridle and a
golden chain." It is stated, that on some such
occasions, it was customary for the road to be
strewed with roses, and watered, and glass vases
filled with sugar were broken under the horses'
feet. The treading upon sugar they deem an in
dication of prosperity, and the scattering of flowers
was performed in honour of Alexander on his
entry into Babylon.
Such, however, is Persian duplicity, and for
merly practised by majesty, that a "khelaat" was
sent to adorn a victim intended for spoliation
or death. When clothed in the royal robe as
« the man whom the king delighteth to honour,"
the assassin plunged the dagger of the royal ire
or vengeance into his bosom. This belongs more;
to by-gone history.

THE KHELAAT U PUSH AN. 13
The Serbozs* were formed into line, preparatory
to the prince's return. I fell in with the train,
and to see him on horseback was certainly a mag
nificent sight; so graceful was the simultaneous
movement of both prince and horse, that he
appeared to me to be of a perfectly distinct race
from the general population..
The road was now crowded with the wondering
auditory, and I being the only "Ferengee" amongst
them, came in for my share of the public gaze.
As they waited respectfully the prince's coming
back, there were no noisy ebullitions, as in a British
crowd; they rather crouched from the royal eye
than greeted it. The sight was both pleasing and
novel to me, since I had never seen so much of the
" Azerbijanees" before. I think that at least thirty
thousand of them must have lined the roads ; and
on the walls, the roofs, and every place where
ingenuity could plant a head, there was to be seen
the black cap. The beautiful ruins of the mosque
" Sultan Kazan" had one entire covering of human
beings. Great numbers of women, also, were peep
ing through their " chadres," but not a single nose
* " Serboz," in Persian, means one who stakes or plays away
his head— no bad designation for a soldier.

14 THE KHELAAT U PUSHAN.
was I permitted to see. Our bard's pithy descrip
tion of a staring crowd comprises all that I would
say, and with this I will close my day at the
" Khelaat u Pushan :"—
" Clambering the walls to see him, stalls, and bulks,
Are smothered up, leads filled, and ridges horsed
With variable complexions, all agreeing
In earnestness to see hinv"

CHAPTER II.
THE "TAUJ U DOULUT."
It was in the month of August that I was wend
ing my way through the narrow streets of Tehran,
to obtain a fresher respiration outside the walls
than I could find within them, when my course
was suddenly arrested by a troop of " Faroshs," *
with their long sticks, clearing the road, and their
menacing shouts frightening every poor wight that
stood before them, who ran away into the passages,
and took refuge from the fury of the " courouk,"
or royal proclamation, which ordains, that when
* These " faroshs" are menial servants, pitching tents, sweep
ing carpets, &c. From the latter employ, they derive their name.
They are generally numerous in all great men's establishments,
and are the executors of his will, and of his orders for the basti
nado, &c.

16 THE TAUJ U DOULUT.
any of the Shahs harem leave the palace, no man
shall appear in the streets, on pain of death, and
woe be to him that does not in some way avoid the
hurricane of the eunuchs' * wrath.
" What is it !" I exclaimed to Gul Mahmoud.
"The Tauj! the Tauj!" and with breathless
haste he added, " kebarder," ' take care.' Imme
diately the " faroshs" were amongst us, when one
of them turned me suddenly to the wall, to prevent
my seeing the coming procession ; another handled
Gul Mahmoud severely for daring to keep his
stand near me, whilst all were shouting and clear
ing the way of every living animal, man, and
beast. I could compare it to nothing but the
threatened coming of a wild bull, such was the
general consternation.
Placed in this position, I yet ventured to tun;
around, for a peep at this wonderful " Tauj ;" but
* The eunuchs run in every direction, and fire guns loaded
with ball to drive people from the roads. They would make no
scruple whatever at killing any one that may happen to be in the
way. The peasants fly from their villages when the alarm is
given ; and if any one is surprised by the coming up of the pro-
cession, he throws himself flat on the ground or stands to a wall
during its passage, deeming himself most fortunate if the eunuch
is satisfied by his thus humbling himself.

THE TAUJ U DOULUT. 17
buried in shawls and rich oriental embroidery, I
could form no idea if it was a male or female that
sat on the horse, since they both use the same
saddles. A boy, richly habited, and his steed
sumptuously caparisoned, preceded "The Crown
of the State," for such is the title of the " Tauj u
Doulut," or the king's principal wife. Then fol
lowed some ladies of the household, all in rich
wrappers of crimson or gold colour, sparkling with
Asiatic finery. In the midst of these came the
"Tauj" herself, with many eunuchs surrounding
her, whose vigilant eyes, lest any one should see
even the wrapper which enveloped their fair charge,
bespoke the trusty keepers of the harem.
The scene was so transient, I had only time to
notice that the principal distinction of the " Tauj"
from her followers consisted in the richness of her
shawls, and the splendid housings of the horse
bestridden by her. The train was brought up by
a motley group of attendants, about a hundred
altogether. The "Tauj" was returning from the "Naga-
ristan" Palace, not far from the city, the favouriti
summer resort of his majesty and wives. Except
on these extraordinary occasions, none of the royal

18 THE TAUJ U DOULUT.
haremites are to be seen in the streets of Tehran ;
and such is the jealousy with which they are moved
from place to place, that it would be positively fatal
to any man to look upon the procession. The
ladies are sometimes removed in a " takht revan."
This is a machine on two poles, borne by mules
before and behind. It is long enough to sit at
length, and high enough for the comfort of reclin
ing. The mules ought to be well trained, in order
to step together, or the movement becomes very
rough, as I have experienced.
The "Tauj u Doulut" was said to be the
favourite wife of Futtee Ali Shah, and to ma
nage the affairs of the "Andaroon," which are
by no means unimportant, since large sums are
annually expended for the females who inhabit it
The number of these royal prisoners it was difficult
to ascertain. I have heard them estimated at a
thousand. Not long before my arrival at Tehran,
they had been materially thinned out ; but whether
from his majesty's caprice, or from sudden qualms
of avarice touching the expense, was not known.
Some of them were bestowed as wives on the
khans, being the most gracious mark of royal
favour.

THE TAUJ U DOULUT. 19
I could learn but little of the history of the
present " Tauj ;" nothing whatever as to how she
found her way to the royal favour. She was said
to have been the daughter of an obscure " kiabab"
cook at Sheerauz, who kept a public eating house
for these dainties, and that her brother was then
in the same profession. She was esteemed to be
a woman of talent, and a woman of taste too, so
far as English porter goes, of which she took her
bottle daily— such, at least, was the " on dit" of
Tehran. 'The jealousy of the Persians that their females
be not seen by any but their legitimate lords is
remarkably strong. I have seen numerous in
stances. The harems are guarded by the black
eunuchs, who can alone enter the apartments,
whilst the white eunuchs keep the doors.j The
observance of this custom among the ancients of
the East is first instanced in Rebecca covering
herself with a veil at the approach of her affianced
lord. The females themselves are equally jealous
of being seen, as in the times of " Vashti, the
queen, who refused to come at the king's com
mandment to show the people and the princes her
beauty." The observance of this custom is thus

20 THE TAUJ U DOULUT.
enforced in the 24th chapter of the Koran— "And
speak unto the believing women, that they restrain
their eyes, and preserve their modesty, and dis
cover not their ornaments, except what necessarily
appeareth thereof; and let them throw their veils
over their bosoms, and not show their ornaments-,
unless to their husbands," &c.
They imagine it perfect pollution to the female
for any strange man's eyes to light upon her. Of
their extreme jealousy many instances came before
me, both of the upper and lower orders. I was
coming into Sulimania very early in the morning,
having made a night travel of it from Tehran,
when I met the " takht revan" of one of the royal
wives, in which she was being conveyed to that
city. The machine was so completely covered in,
and enveloped by curtains and wrappers, as to
render it impossible to see the person within,
even were they not cowled and coiled in shawl. A
troop of " faroshs," with numerous other attendants
and eunuchs, were clearing the way with menacing
aspect "Bauleh!" cried out the eunuch. I was*
then so far off as to render it impossible to see
any thing ; but the road must be cleared, and I was
obliged to go to an inconvenient distance, to avoid

THE TAUJ U DOULUT. 21
seeing even the machine which contained the royal
prisoner.* What an absurdity does this appear to us ! but
unless the strictest attention be given by the
" ferengee" stranger to this custom, his Persian
travel might be much endangered. I was once
riding around the walls' of Tabreez, when sud
denly I saw some horsemen galloping towards me.
" Beru ! beru ! " said the " farosh ;" I enquired
why, since this was a public path. I must imme
diately get out of it, he said, as a daughter of the
Shah and the " Kaimacan's" wife had taken a
fancy to promenade a little on this road, which
must be immediately cleared for her presence. '
These eunuchs are most important officers of
the royal establishments ; their influence with the
Shah or the Prince is often pre-eminent to that
of the grand vizier himself; he forms the nucleus
* It were endless to narrate instances of Persian jealousy as
regards female seclusion. A Khan with whom I was well ac
quainted, and who was lately married, had offered a large sum to
her father for permission to see his bride elect. The offer was
scoffed at ; the seeing her would have been deemed a profanation ;
and who can tell but that it might have cancelled the marriage
contract ? The circumstance has sometimes happened in Persia,
of a Laban deceiving a Jacob, who thought he had married
" Rachael, and behold it was Leah ! "

22 THE TAUJ U DOULUT.
of all intrigues within and without the palace.
From the unbounded sway which he exercises
over the ladies of the harem, he becomes the
terror and the courted of the fair prisoners. The
ugliest stamp which nature can imprint forms one
of the requisites for office ; brutality, intrigue, and
all the other dark shades of character, make him
up a very Machiavel.

23

CHAPTER III.
THE "MESHEDEES."
The Meshedees are pilgrims, who having made
a visit to the saint's shrine, " Imaum Reza," at
Meshed, in Khorassan, are from thenceforth always
thus styled — a sort of religious honour, of which
the Persians are very tenacious. I had made a
long march of it one day, when I met large parties
of them on the " Khoflan Khu."
This mountainous district divides ancient Media
from "Irak Adjemi." Some part of it bears the
remains of a pavement, said to have been con
structed by Abbas the Great, and there are further
and more ancient proofs of antiquity on the summit
of a rock — the ruins of a fortress, called " Virgin's

24 THE MESHEDEES.
Fort" The story is, that Artaxerxes built this
fort, where he imprisoned a princess of the blood
royal ; but from its having become the resort of
robbers, it was reduced to its present fragments.
At the foot of the mountain winds a muddy
stream, " the Kizzil Ozzan," which runs into the
Caspian. Its crumbling bridge bespeaks not only
antiquity, but danger, and requires the utmost
care to avoid the pits in it, the wear and tear of
time and rough usage.*
• This " kafilah" of pilgrims was headed by the
Moolahs, and the train was composed of numerous
devotees, including females, and what is more ex
traordinary, bearing with them the corpses of their
deceased friends to be interred in this consecrated
ground, which is by some Mahomedans deemed
indispensable to their admittance into paradise.

* It was near this bridge that the murder of Major Brown
took place some thirty years ago, as was then stated, by banditti.
Persia was at that time in a comparatively barbarous state ;
great jealousy was felt, even by the Shah, at Europeans visiting
the country. Our gallant countryman, well armed, and confiding
in the strength of his attendants, although cautioned of the pro
bable danger, embarked heedlessly on his journey. The attack
was instantaneous ; he fell, his servants dispersed, and some of
the booty was subsequently traced at Tehran. No attempt was
made to discover the murderers, and the poor victim was un-
revenged.

THE MESHEDEES. 25
These corpses were contained in long chests, some
thing like gun cases, there being one slung on
either side of the horse. On passing them the
smell was most offensive.
The moolahs were chaunting their " kelemeh
islam," or profession of the Mussolman faith, " God
is God, there is but one God, Mahomet is the
Prophet of God, and Ali the lieutenant of God."
One of them I thought looked very hard at me,
seeing a " Kaffir," or infidel, coming up the hill,
and sung out more vociferously to the honour of
the Prophet.
On coming into a narrow pass I found myself
wedged in amongst the throng, as though enlisted
in the pilgrimage as one of the followers of the
profligate polygamist, who has done more to bind
a world in his chains of darkness than any other
permitted impostor. I soon, however, made hasty
retreat from the ranks of " the dead burying their
dead." It is difficult to describe this motley assemblage
of pilgrims, dead and living, under the banners of
the prophet ; for they bear his ensign floating over
them, and exhibit a zeal unknown to the followers
of the Messiah. This pilgrimage is much insisted
vol. i. c

26 THE MESHEDEES.
upon by all good Mahomedans, The tomb to
which they resort at Meshed, of Imaum Reza,
is said to have been established by Shah Abbas,
who, alarmed at the wealth carried annually out
of his dominions by the pilgrimage of his subjects
to the " Hadj," or Mecca, sought to divert their
offerings to a shrine in Persia. This shrine is held
in such high respect by the true believers, that the
merchant will sacrifice his wealth and the khan
his rank to be thus deemed a holy devotee of the
prophet. To be a meshedee, or an " hadji," is, in fact,
deemed a great honour. The latter title is to be
obtained at Mecca only, and then the black cap
is exchanged for the turban. They will sometimes
take two years to perform this last pilgrimage,
leaving their worldly pursuits, and sacrificing half
their wealth, thus to propitiate the prophet. The
Koran thus enjoins the pilgrimage : — " Verily, the
first house appointed unto me to worship was that
which is in Mecca, blessed and a direction to all
creatures. Therein are manifest signs, the place
where Abraham stood ; and whoever entereth
therein shall be safe ; and it is a duty towards
God, incumbent on those who are able to go

THE MESHEDEES. 27
thither, to visit this house." At Mecca they show
the stone, and pretend that there is on it a print
of Abraham's foot. So respected is the house
said to be, even by the birds and the beasts of the
field, that the former never light upon it, and
the latter, upon their approach, immediately lose
their fierceness !
There is another class more holy than these,
which are the " Syeeds," or descendants of the
Prophet. They are a numerous class, far beyond
any thing that Mahomet's family could have ex
tended to, and are distinguished by a green turban.
They are considered by good Moslems to be in
vested with inherent sanctity, and entitled to
peculiar respect.
There are other shrines in Persia equally re
spected with that at Meshed. At Koom there is
a mosque, and tomb of Fatima, the daughter of
Imaum Reza, which was held in great sanctity
by his late majesty. There is also the tomb of
Sefi the First, and of Shah Abbas the Second ; he
is said to have expended annually an immense sum
in ornamenting the tomb of Fatima. He covered
the cupola with gold plates. The royal bounty
was followed by that of his court and some of his
c2

28 THE MESHEDEES.
wives, who with jewellery and precious stones ren
dered it immensely rich. Koom was the favourite
resort for the " bust," or sanctuary, and it is said
that Abul Hassan Khan, twice ambassador to
the court of St. James's, found protection here
from the royal ire.
I have not myself visited the tomb, but was told
by those who had, that the body becomes not only
food for worms but for rats, which abound here to
such a degree, that they have scarcely time to
make the deposit ere the man eater seizes the
putrescence, threatening the living as well as the
dead, the moment the body is lowered, uncoffined,
into its last cell.
The use of coffins is almost unknown in Persia.
The body is simply wrapped in a coarse striped
cloth. Thus laid on the bier, without pall or other
covering, it is hastily conveyed to its last home.
The superstitious feeling in favour of interment
on the sacred soil at Meshed is so great, that they
will sometimes disinter bodies from other ground,
where they had lain two or three years. I fre
quently met " kafilahs" of these corpses, which
were generally announced by the most offensive
Smell.

THE MESHEDEES. 29
I passed another of these saints' tombs, not
far from Kishlock, which they called "Imaum
Zadeh," and found here a most luxurious resting
place in a very pretty " baula khaneh," surrounded
by flowers and fruits. It was a large circular
building, surmounted with a dome of exquisite
workmanship, having some rough paintings on the
walls within. The saint's grave was stoned over
with very good masonry. I could learn nothing
of his history ; but they told me that the most
profound veneration was entertained for him by
the Persians. Some say that he was the twelfth
and last Imaum according to the " schiahs," and
was the legitimate successor of the Prophet ; that
he ascended to Heaven without having ceased to
live, and that he is destined to reign at some
future period over the whole world, and to destroy
all Anti-Mahomedans. Others say that Imaum
Rezza had been poisoned with some grapes, the
poison having been mixed with them by order
of Mamoon-al-Rasheed, of Koos in Khorasson ;
but so clouded is the history, that nothing can be
vouched for.
Interment of the dead is very prompt in Persia.
The " murdeshars," or washers of the dead, are

30 THE MESHEDEES.
immediately employed; and sometimes in a few
hours after death the body is consigned to its last
home. I often met them at the gates of the city,
preceded by the moolahs, and the passing stranger
giving his shoulder to the load, so that there is no
lack of bearers to take it to the grave, where the
prayer called the "talchi" is pronounced by the
moolah. The Persians have a superstitious idea
that by performing this service they merit the
approbation of the Prophet, They have been
sometimes known to inter the living amongst the
dead ; or rather, it has been discovered, by soon
after visiting the grave, that life had returned,
the body having been found in a different position
from that in which it was placed.
The grave-grounds are of the most miscel
laneous description, generally in the immediate
vicinity of the city, and exposed to men and
quadrupeds treading over them with the utmost
indecency. Small slabs, of rude workmanship,
and ruder engraving, indicate here and there the
quality or the name of the dust interred below.
But in this particular the Turks are very superior
to the Persians: their cypress-enclosed burying
grounds, and rich gilded tombstones, bespeak

THE MESHEDEES. 31
every respect for the memory of the departed
dead. It is an ordinary custom amongst the Persians
to visit the graves of their departed friends, par
ticularly on the Sabbath eve (Thursday). I often
saw groups of people uttering the most doleful
lamentations, and bedewing with their tears the
dry sod which they surrounded. They imagine
the dead capable of hearing, but not of answering
their plaints.
During the devastating cholera of 1830, in
Persia, it was impossible to inter the numerous
dead. Nearly twenty-five thousand inhabitants of
Tabreez alone fell victims to it. These dreadful
scenes are thus described by an eye-witness: —
" Terror was struck into the minds of the people.
Many were taken ill through fear, and died ; men,
women, and children collected together in large
companies, crying and beseeching God to turn
away his judgments from them. This they did
bare-headed, and without shoes, humbling them^-
selves, they said, because they knew they were
great sinners. The air resounded, day and night,
with their cries ; at length, all classes fled to the
mountains, leaving the city quite deserted ; the

32 THE MESHEDEES.
bazaars were shut up, and not a person to be seen
in the place. In October of this year, the cholera
raged most furiously, and of the villages half the
inhabitants had been swept away : the corn was
left unreaped, the cattle were wandering without
owners, and famine seemed to be the inevitable
consequence of the pestilence. Interments could
not take place ; servants dropped at the thresholds
of their masters. Evident proofs were given,
during this visitation, that the disease was not
infectious." *
Near the city gates is built up the " numaz
jah," or place of prayer: it is merely a raised
platform of brickwork, on which some of the Per
sians perform their daily devotions, and here the
bodies are sometimes brought to be prayed over,
previous to interment.
The Mahomedans are strongly impressed with
the idea of guardian angels being appointed to
record men's actions, both good and bad, that
they may be exhibited at the last day ; and thus
* I had the above from a doctor, who stated to me that,
being visited by some cholera patients, one of them, whilst he
was prescribing, died in his arms. He was similarly exposed
many times without taking the disease.

THE MESHEDEES. 33
speaks the 50th chapter of the Koran : — " When
the two angels deputed to take account of man's
behaviour take an account thereof, one sitting on
the right hand, the other on the left, he uttereth
not a word but there is a watcher with him ready
to quote it, and the agony of death shall come in
truth." They have a tradition that the angel who notes
a good man's actions has the command over him
who notes the bad actions ; that when he does a
good action^ the angel of the right hand records
it ; that when he commits a bad action, the angel
on the right says to him on the left, "Forbear
setting it down for seven hours ; peradventure he
may repent or ask pardon." This reminds me of
Sterne's beautiful allusion to " the accusing spirit
which flew up to Heaven's chancery with the
oath, blushed as he gave it in, and the recording
angel, as he wrote it down, dropped a tear upon
the word, and blotted it out for ever."
At the "numaz jah," already spoken of, many
of the " sheahs" perform their morning and even
ing devotions. This duty is performed five times
a day by all good Mahomedans. The prayer of
the daybreak is particularly insisted upon by
c3

34 THE MESHEDEES.
Mahomet, as at that time he says the night angels
are charged to give place to the angels of the
day. But public devotion is the general practice
amongst these people wherever they may be. Il
matters not what interruptions may occur — the
prostrations, the kneelings, kissing the ground,
the rapid play of the lips — all goes on with a
seeming fervency, peculiar to the followers of
Mahomet. On the Sabbath eve the different
gates have their Koran readers, proclaiming aloud
the doctrines of the Prophet.
What an ostentatious display this seems to be
of religious profession, and so different from his
commands ! " And thou when thou prayest enter
into thy closet." I have always considered that
religion, if it be merely external, is better than
none at all. When shall we see the followers of
the Messiah proclaiming him in the market-places
or on the house-tops ! Although he does not
enjoin pilgrimages to Jerusalem, as the Maho
medans enjoin pilgrimages to Mecca, yet why are
his services so imperfectly observed, or seemingly
the last duty thought of, as in nothing to compete
with Mahomedan zeal.
I was frequently attracted to the burying-

THE MESHEDEES. 35
grounds by the novelty of these " grave lamenta
tions." The women were apparently the principal
mourners, and children have I seen in seeming
'agonies, whilst the young Moslem, occupied with
the Koran, was reading aloud from its inspiring
pages. I like these associations from the living
to the dead, it reminds me of the idea of our
great poet :  " Each soul
That ever animated human clay
Now wakes, is on the wing."

36

CHAPTER IV.
THE EVENING SALAAM.
It is customary for the Persian monarchs to
show themselves twice a-day to their subjects at a
public audience, where they hold what may be
termed a " court of common pleas," for redress of
grievances, pronouncing judgment, &c, such as
" off with his head" — " cut out his tongue," or
some such other summary mandate, which is
always as summarily executed. The sovereign is
supposed to witness these executions, and during
my stay at Tehran, a culprit was suspended by
the legs from two poles, and literally cut in halves
by the henchman in the royal presence.
This mode of punishment is common in Persia,

THE EVENING SALAAM. 37
and it is called the "shekeh," and is performed
by the chief executioner, a most important officer,
and always near his majesty's person.
They sometimes adopt the ancient mode of
executions, said to have been first tried upon
" Bessus," the murderer of Darius — that of having
two young trees brought together by main strength
at their summits, and then fastened with cords.
The culprit being brought out, and his legs tied
with ropes at the top of the trees, the cords which
fasten them together are then cut, and by the
power and elasticity of their spring the body
of the culprit is immediately torn asunder, and
the different parts are left attached to each tree
separately.* The ceremony of the " salaam" was much more
simple than I thought could comport with the
dignity of the " cousin of the sun and moon." Nor
were the people attracted to it very numerous.
The raw-looking troops formed a large circle near
the "Nagaristan,"or palace of his majesty's summer
» Other modes of punishment in Persia savour equally of the
barbarous ages. Scooping out the eyes is a very ancient prac
tice. Mutilating the limbs, and boring the nose and tongue with
an awl, are some of the signs of the royal displeasure ; also blow
ing from the mouth of a mortar, beheading, and the bow-string.

38 THE EVENING SALAAM.
residence, environed with a small park of artillery.
Then the " Nokareh kaneh," or royal band — and
such music ! " enough to split the ears of the
groundlings" — what with the drums, dulcimers,
&c. ; but the leading instruments were ram's
horns, attached to long poles, through which the
men " blew wind and cracked their cheeks," pro
ducing every imaginable discord — which, however,
seemed the music of the spheres to the Persians.
Standing on the tip-toe of impatience, and look
ing round on this prospect of novelty, I had time
to notice the sundry groups which were stationed
within the " mujlis," or assembly, amongst whom
were some of the " shah zadehs," or princes of the
blood royal, the " hakeem bashi," or chief phy
sician, the " ameen u doulut," or finance minister,
Abul Hassan Khan, a regular Falstaff, who has
been twice in England as ambassador from the
court of Tehran, and is admirably sketched by
Mr. Morier in his history of " Hadji Baba," whose
extraordinary adventures, by the bye, are very
i descriptive of the precariousness of royal favour in
Persia. In the centre of the "mujlis" was placed a plain
English chair, destined as the imperial seat of jus-

THE EVENING SALAAM. 39
tice. This was the great centre of attraction, and
as the different groups stood around it, they as
sumed the profoundest gravity, like a corps of
mandarins waiting the imperial nod, " to nod
again." There is a quiet bearing in the Persian
mobility which I have never seen in any other — a
sort of respectful terror, if I may so say, at the
approach of majesty ; they have a religious respect
for their sovereigns, whom they call " Kebleh
Alum," or asylum of the world. They are thus
taught by Saadi, who says of him, " Even if all
should be vice in thy slave, any vice approved of
by the prince becomes a virtue ; he who does not
think with the sovereign washes his hand in his
own blood." " If the king should say, in broad
day it is night, it is necessary to exclaim imme
diately, behold the moon and stars." His subjects
may be said, therefore, to live on the breath, and
are dependent on the will, of " his most despotic
majesty." Some half hour passed subject to this oriental
discipline, when, as by the wand of enchantment,
the scene was changed by the slow and majestic
approach of Futtee Ali Shah, and, by one simul
taneous movement, every head was bowed with

40 THE EVENING SALAAM.
a low and graceful inclination; the rams'-horns
ceased their creaks, and an universal "hush" per
vaded the assembly. Nor could it be otherwise : a
frown over the imperial brows may denote destruc
tion to some one within that assembly ; a certain
movement of the hand is the signal for death.
His Majesty, moreover, was on this occasion
dressed up in smiles. I minutely regarded this
"King of Kings;" and, to say truth, he was
" every inch a king ; " of taper stature, with a
long flowing beard, worthy the Persian's oath ;
for they swear by the king's beard. His gait
was right royally imposing ; he strode the earth
not with affected majesty, but with the innate
dignity of the oriental metaphor — "a god! a
god!" Simply habited, I saw nothing in the
way of distinction, but that the handle of his
Majesty's dagger sparkled with brilliants.
When the imperial clay was seated on the chair,
then did " the canons bruit it to the heavens,"
which is the signal for the Khans, the ministers,
and the beglerbegs " to mount the steed of ac
quiescence at the royal command, and putting
their foot into the stirrup of submission, to pro
ceed on the embassy of humility."

THE EVENING SALAAM. 41
" Bechesm" is the general reply of these slaves
to majesty's commands, — "my eyes are yours,"
which is true enough, for the king can order them
to be brought him on a gold tray, if he sees fit;
and this has formerly been done.
In breathless suspense the royal pleasure was now
waited for, which was announced by "kaleoon-
byor;" this the pipe-bearer presents on his knee,
and the king, taking three whiffs of the odoriferous
weed, returned it with the same ceremony.
The doctor was then summoned, and reveren
tially bowing at stated distances, was admitted to
audience, some ten yards off, introduced by the
" Isheagusi," or master of the ceremonies ; for it
is never permitted to approach nearer the royal
person, not even for the issue of his own loins.
Etiquette is extremely severe in Persia, from the
monarch down to the " Jeloodar," or groom ; the
princes never sit in the king's presence, without
his special commands so to do; nor sons with
their fathers, nor younger brothers before their
elders, until ordered by them.
The king is generally attended by his "gho-
laums," or slaves, a sort of body guard, many of
whom accompanied him to the " salaam." They

42 THE EVENING SALAAM.
always attend the Shah on horseback ; they are
likewise the messengers of the imperial will,
or couriers bearing his firmans to distant pro
vinces. He has about three thousand of them
ready to mount the " stirrup of activity ; " and it
is deemed a great honour to bear the rank of a
" Gholaum u Shah Padi Shah."*
A group of princes was then summoned, and
amongst them I noticed Ah Shah,f the "haukim,"
or governor of Tehran : after being honoured with
* The original institution of these gholaums was somewhat
like that of the Janissaries at Constantinople, and the Mame
lukes of Egypt, being formed from the children of Christian
parents taken in battle. In Persia they have never been so
formidable as in the other countries.
t This Prince, who is called the " Zili Sultaun," is the
brother of the late Abbas Meerza by the same mother. On the
death of his father he proclaimed himself king, and played the
monarch for thirty-five days, having plundered the treasury the
first thing. He was at length seized and imprisoned when his
present majesty advanced on Tehran, and gave in his submission
by assisting at the coronation. This extraordinary clemency of
the king was abused by the " Zili Sultaun," who escaped from
his confinement in the citadel of Erdebil, during my last resi
dence in Persia, with two other princes, to the Russian frontiers,
seeking for aid to assert his rights again to the throne. He
subsequently went to Egypt on the same errand to Mahomet
Ali, whose advice to him seems to have dissipated the fumes of
empire. He then set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca, whether to
implore the Prophet's aid, or to expiate his sins, has not been
stated.

THE EVENING SALAAM. 43
a short conference, they resumed their station.
Successively many others were brought up to
audience, but whether chancellors or exchequer
lords I could not find out. The whole affair lasted
only half an hour, when his majesty re-strode with
equal grace to the Nagaristan palace.
His most despotic majesty has been renowned
for the clemency of his government, although,
such is the abjectness of his subjects, that they
say, " whether you slay, or whether you pardon,
my head and face are on thy threshold."
His majesty was a very respectable poet ; and
the Persians are devoted to poetry. I copy from
one of the poems of Hafiz, to evidence their style
and inspiration, of which they say, " it shows the
sublime and ardent inspiration of a soul impatient
of its earthly prison for reunion with that fountain
of life from which it originally flowed, and into
which it will be finally absorbed."

" This earthly prison is not a cage worthy of a nightingale
such as my soul, which longs for its native soil, the bowers of
Paradise. " I know not whence I am, nor whither I go. Alas ! that my
chief concern should be involved in such obscurity.
" How shall I contemplate that world, which is the abode of
infinite purity, while thus entangled by an intimate union with
matter.

44 THE EVENING SALAAM.
"If my heart betray the fervour of desire, be not surprised—
like musk it betrays its hiding place.
" Since my abode is in the presence of the virgins of Paradise,
how can I frequent the banquet of revellers. . . . The
desire which thus manifests itself by outward tokens was im
planted in my heart by a heavenly houri, and even the power of
wine is not able to remove it.
"I am adorned with gold and embroidery ; but judge not by
external appearances ; I conceal under these splendid ornaments
a fire which consumes me like a torch.
" Come then and remove from before him the existence of
Hafiz, for in thy presence no one can hear from me that I am."

Their grand historian Ferdoosee was a poet ; his
" Shah Nameh," or History of Kings, is a poetic
effusion of extraordinary genius, containing one
hundred thousand lines, which it took him thirty
years to accomplish, and is said to have been writ
ten by inspiration. He is called the Homer of
Persia, for the narration of his battle scenes, for
the purity of his style, and the elegance of his
diction. His long and difficult name was Abul
Cassem Munsuril Ferdoosee Hassan Ben Scharf.
He wrote in the time of the Sultan Mahmoud,
and was dissatisfied with the royal largess, so that
he turned his eulogy into satire.
Saadi is a poet likewise in great estimation ; but
he is more grave and philosophic than the flowery

THE EVENING SALAAM. 45
Hafiz, whose unbounded fancy was the particular
trait of his genius. The rose and the nightingale
are two of the particular subjects of the poet's
inspiration, of which they thus speak: — " The
nightingale if he sees the rose becomes intoxi
cated; he lets go from his hands the reins of
prudence." The violet also comes in for the com
pliment of the muse.
" When the young rose in crimson gay
Expands his beauties to the day,
And foliage fresh her leafless boughs o'erspread,
In homage of his sovereign power,
Bright regent of each subject flower,
Low at her feet the violet bends her head."
" O Hafiz ! thy delightful lay
That on the wild wind floats,
Resembles much, our poets say,
The nightingale's rich notes.
What wonder then thy music flows
In the sweet season of the rose. "
Hafiz may be called the Shakspere of Persia.
This poet lived in the time of Timour, and some
of his odes are translated in our language by John
Nott -They are considered by the Persians to be
a masterpiece of elegance in the original. I copy
the following from his epitaph. His tomb is of

46 THE EVENING SALAAM.
white marble, in a small garden called Hafizeen,
near Shiraz, and on the tablet are two of his odes
very beautifully cut
" It is but just that thou shouldst receive a
tribute from all fair youth, since thou art the sove
reign of all the beauties of the universe. Thy two
piercing eyes have thrown Khata and Khoten into
confusion. India and China pay homage to thy
curled locks — thy graceful mouth gave the streams
of life to Khezi — thy sugared lip renders the sweet
reeds of Egypt contemptible."
The overweening vanity of Saadi was most con
spicuous, which I derive from his epitaph, (said to
have been written by himself) on his tomb, not far
from Shiraz.
" O passenger, who walkest over my grave, think
of the virtuous persons who have gone before me.
What has Saadi to apprehend from being turned
into dust? He was but earth when alive, he
humbled himself to the ground ; and, like the
wind, he encompasseth the whole world; he will
not continue dust long, for the winds will scatter
him over the universe. Yet as long as the -garden
of science has bloomed, not a nightingale has
warbled so sweetly in it. It would be strange if

THE EVENING SALAAM. 47
such a nightingale should die and not a rose grow
upon his grave."
I cannot find that the Persians have any predi
lections for literature beyond their taste for poetry,
for which their rich language is so calculated. Not
a printing press exists in Persia, and the only
effort which I have heard of in this way, is a litho
graphic press established by Meerza Saulik at
Tehran, where some partial impressions of the
Koran had been struck off, and with which he had
established a weekly journal of the ordinary events
of that city.
But let us from the poetry of life to its dull
realities — apologising for this digression.
His majesty was not a gross feeder. His meals
were attended by the " Nauzir," or steward of the
household, who always sees to the preparation of
them, and is answerable for their being unmixed
with any deletereous drugs. The China dishes,
with silver covers, being placed on the tray, are
sealed by the "Nauzir," and he accompanies them
to the royal presence ; being placed on the "sofra,"
which is of shawl, on the ground, he breaks the
seal, and then his majesty dips his fingers in the
dishes. Having ascertained their quality, he buries

48 THE EVENING SALAAM.
his knuckles in the " chillou," or mountain of rice,
of which he is very fond. Nothing must be served
that requires carving, beyond pulling the limbs of
a fowl with the fingers ; for even majesty never
deigns to use a spoon, fork, or plate.
At a respectful distance stands the " Hakeem
bashee," or chief physician, to watch the royal
feeding, and to prescribe an instant remedy should
majesty choke himself, or eat any thing to disagree
with him. The hour of dinner is between eight
and nine. The laws of Mahomet proscribe wines
of all sorts ; but as they say nothing about English
porter, it is said that his majesty sometimes indulged
in this beverage. Sherbet forms their only regular
drink, a not unpleasant mixture of sours and sweets,
which is served up in China bowls, to be drunk
with wooden ladles of excellent carved work.
It is a general custom with the kings of Persia
to eat in solitary grandeur. The late Shah would
sometimes have select portions of his family to
breakfast with him, a dozen or so. As I have
heard described by the bystander, they used to
squat around him in the form of a crescent, of
which he was the centre, and were all placed
scrupulously according to rank.

THE EVENING SALAAM. 49
Persian cookery is very choice, the " naring" or
" pillau" being the royal dish of Persia, composed
principally of rice, with a chicken in the middle,
or some savoury cotelette. Great temperance
generally prevails in Persian feeding ; nature is
merely sustained, not overloaded. The king would
sometimes roll up a ball of rice, called a " lugmeh,"
in his hand, and put it into the mouth of his
favourite, who would swallow it with much defe
rential greediness.
His majesty was said to have been an early riser.
Nothing can be more difficult than to know the
details where the king lives in such utter seclu
sion, but I have heard that his government in the
" harem" partook of the strictest discipline. The
chief eunuch is an officer of the greatest impor
tance in the establishment, who, with his auxiliaries,
exercises the most unbounded sway. The other
officers are of the female sex. To preserve the
peace of such a community, where more than
twelve hundred were congregated together, with
all their conflicting claims of pride and power,
required no little stretch of authority. The ladies'
toilet in Persia is no inconsiderable item in his
majesty's expenditure; for an overweening vanity,
VOL. I. D

50 THE EVENING SALAAM.
and an inordinate estimate of personal beauty, are
characteristic of the Persians.
His majesty, so rich in his female treasures, had
a most contemptuous opinion of other monarchs
not similarly wealthy, particularly of the king of
England, when informed by Sir John Malcolm
that he had only one wife. " What, only one
wife! — wallah!" Then, boasting of his own
female establishment, how his majesty laughed !
this was almost incredible to king and courtiers.
" And he cannot say ' cut off his head,' when he
likes, of any of his subjects ?" To "his most des
potic majesty" the thing seemed quite ridiculous !
I At the morning salaam every individual may
have access to the king, thus personally going to
the fountain of justice, without treading the tor
tuous paths of courts of lawj The king is always
attended by the chief executioner, or "ferusha
ghuzzub," literally " servant of anger and vio
lence ;" for a sudden spark of fiery indignation
igniting the royal wrath, may call this officer
immediately into action, to annihilate some of his
subjects, who are "less than the dust in his
presence."

51

CHAPTER V.
THE PERSIAN "HAKEEMS," ETC.
The lassitude of the Tehran climate in August
(97 Farenheit, in the shade) induces disease,
which sometimes engenders death ; and a six
weeks stretch on my mattress had prostrated my
strength, and almost converted me into "food
for worms;" but nature rallied, and the God of
nature had decreed that I should not find a grave
amongst the Moslems.
The table land on which Tehran is planted,
subjects it to a sort of vertical exposure, from
which one is almost tempted " to call on the rocks
and mountains to cover one." The hot stifling air
d2

52 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
rather diseases than refreshes the lungs, and the
whole animal system falls prostrate before these
noxious vapours. The principal inhabitants flock
to the neighbouring villages at this season ; and at
a distance of three hours only, an extensive range
of these villages, near the mountains of Shemi-
roun, offer delightfully cool retreats to the sicklied
stranger. At one of these villages, Kand, the British
Elchee was encamped, whose courteous hospi
tality was so well known to all travellers. His
Majesty went either to Camp or retired to the
Nagaristan palace, accompanied by some of his
wives and courtiers. The bazaars are then nearly
the only districts occupied, and here the man of
pelf would almost rather sink into the arms of
plague than yield his money-getting occupation.
But death stalked horribly around us in the city;
scarcely a morning but the howl was heard, the
frantic cries of the women bespoke boistrous but
not permanent grief, and the doleful signal of the
" muzzin," who announces from the roof of the
mosque that another of Ali's followers had drunk
of " the sherbet of eternity," the ear was con
stantly dinned with the trophies of the great

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS. 53
destroyer, who " daily eats his millions at a
meal." *
New blood was at length engendered in my
veins, and " anointed with the oil of resuscitation,"
I sprang into my saddle, escaping as it were from
a pest-house. Once more I opened my lungs,
when without the city walls, and breathed new
vitality. As " a bird out of the snare of the fowler,"
so did I make my escape. I was never more
joyous than when emerging from the gates of
Tehran, and was buoyant beyond my strength.
The evening was beautiful, as seated in the ruined
" baula khaneh" of the caravansery at Sulimania,
I enjoyed the surrounding scene of garden ground,
abundant in melons and other fruit, productions
which in this district are so rich and flourishing.
This abundance, arising from irrigation, is almost
peculiar to Persia, the grateful soil the moment it
is watered springs into bloom. Scratch the earth,
drop the seed into it, and fruit soon follows.
Here I imprudently indulged in my favourite
* There are professional mourners to be hired in Persia, who
by wailing and weeping over the dead, are thus supposed to pay
respect to their memory. I identify many of the Persian customs
with those spoken of in the Bible. Thus, " Man goeth to his
long home, and the mourners go about the streets."

54 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
musk melon, and dire were the consequences
which followed. At Kasvine, the third stage, I
was more than thrown back into my former phy
sical debility ; those gaunt-eyed monsters, ague
and fever, soon made their approach; the journey
fatigues, added to my fruit intemperance, pro
duced a second edition of my Tehran sufferings.
What was to be done ? to be laid up in a Persian
caravansery, where the only accommodation was a
brick cell, twelve feet by eight, in a state of com
plete nudity. How my weary bones ached, as
stretched on my mattress I sought every possible
reclinable position amidst the inquietudes of
diarrhoea. This is a disease which, though not peculiar to,
is prevalent in this climate. I have no medical
knowledge on the subject, but it appears to me to
be an intestinal rebellion against even the neces
saries of life.
To proceed was impossible ; so I sent to implore
the aid of the Mahomedan doctor, " Meerza Aboo
Thaloub," the most renowned " hakeem" of the
place. At six o'clock the next morning, a long
bearded respectable looking gentleman walked
into my cell, cautiously keeping its extreme dis-

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS* 55
tance, to avoid contact. As to feeling my pulse,
that was quite out of the question. He was a
Mahomedan of the old school, some of whom
would as soon cure a dog as a Christian.* But
the " meerza" had compassion on me, and although
I much doubted his skill, yet his kind manner and
probing enquiries as to my symptoms, implanted
within me a certain confidence, which goes far
towards a cure. He prohibited me from any and
every provision which he did not himself send me.
" Not even water," said he, " will I allow you, and
I will cure you in three days." " Inshallah," said
I, " and may your shadow never be less."
The good doctor prepared my food and my
drink, and I recollect with what earnestness I
looked forward three times a day to the arrival of
my mess of pottage (which might have been poison
for aught I could tell), and if the Hadji who brought
it was five minutes too late, I became angry and
impatient, and it was most amusing to see the
gravity with which he placed the bowl at my feet,
retiring backwards and waiting until I had swal-
* By the Persian code of religious laws called the " Jumah
Abassi," they are very particular in their intercourse with
" Kaffirs," or infidels. They deem their touch to be pollution,
too deeply so to be eradicated by any external process.

56 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
lowed the contents, looking, as I sometimes ima
gined, as if grudging the feeding of a Christian
dog. I must confess that I never did like Hadji as
well as his master ; but I won upon him by de
grees. Hastily swallowing my flummery, I would
sometimes ask for a second supply. " Marshallah
barikallah," said he ; but I never could bribe him.
My drink appeared to be some decoction of
herbs, and my food was wheaten flummery seem
ingly. What were the secrets of the doctor's art
I know not; suffice it, that he either cured or
starved the disease, and marvellous as it seemed
to myself, in ten days I was restored almost to my
usual strength.
How to pay the Meerza without offending him
was now the difficulty. On his last visit he pro
nounced me convalescent, and allowed me to
resume my journey. I poured out my " zhamets,"
" kali zhamets," and did all I could to express how
much trouble I had given him. " Not at all,"
said he, " I am your slave, and all I have is yours ;"
and he took leave of me with the " Khoda hafiz
shuma," — may God protect you.
Perfectly overwhelmed with both speech and

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS, 57
kindness, I felt quite oppressed with obligation.
But the Persians soon remove this nightmare from
you. He had hinted to my attendant what would
be agreeable to him in the way of " peishcush," or
present. I was more than happy to get out of his
debt ; though I found it cost me more than would
a London physician. Nor did I forget Hadji,
whose eyes glistened as he turned over my coins,
thanking me with his " Alham dulillah ! " praise be
to God I
Such was "Meerza Aboo Thaloub," the " hakeem
bashi," or chief physician to the " rooknah doulut,"
or prop of the state, the prince governor of Kas
vine. Hippocrates has never reigned in Persia,
or if he has, his family have wofully degenerated.
Description fails in speaking of medical ignorance,
and the natives have great respect for any talent
in this way. The Persians attribute all sickness
to two causes; — the excess of heat and cold.
Thus, if the patient suffers from the former, they
bleed him ; and for the latter they give cathartics.
They will have it that every "ferengee" must be
a doctor. Thus 7, who scarcely know a bolus from
a plaster, was often called upon to prescribe for
d3

58 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
the fair sex. Except bleeding a man once by
giving him a knock on the head, when the nose
gave up a copious stream, I do not recollect being
ever called upon by the other sex.
At Tehran numerous veiled invalids came to my
door with " Nakoosh my shavam sahib," I am ill.
I never could decline the necessary enquiries as to
their maladies, &c, which were principally from
fruit repletions,* and always said I never could
prescribe without seeing the face. This was as
tounding to many of them ; they indignantly
rejected my conditions, and walked away. Others
did by degrees open their " chadre," or veil, and
it was amusing with what caution I was permitted
first to see the mouth, then the eyes, they looking
askance at me, laughing at the same time at their
own shamefacedness. I had thus many a peep at
a dark black eye, which otherwise to me would
have remained obscured.
Sangrado like, I invariably ordered bleeding
and hot water, and many a " zhamet" was I
greeted with as the skilful " ferengee " doctor. I
* It is astonishing the quantity of fruit and sweetmeats with
which these people gorge themselves.

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS. 59
would advise every traveller coming to 'Persia, to
bring with him a box of pills and a lancet. These
are the best travel passports.
lAs to surgery in Persia I should say there is no
such thing. Their Mahomedan prejudices will
not admit of dissection. The barbers may be
deemed the only operators in such cases as bleed
ing, tongue cutting, &c. The great principle on
which they act is, that the disease must be cured
by a remedy of an opposite nature : thus for the
heartburn, they will heap a quantity of snow on
the breast of the patient, y
Sir John Malcolm relates a curious instance of
their cure for blindness, which he himself expe
rienced. — " They filled a large vessel full of snow,
I was desired to place my face near it, a red-hot
stone was then thrown into the vessel, and the
sudden dissolution of the snow caused a great per
spiration, which was increased at the same time
by a cloak being pulled over my head. The
.remedy, though very disagreeable, proved effica
cious, and my sight was completely restored. This
was imparted by the lady of a chief, in whose house
I was a guest."
When they fail in their remedies, the " hakeem"

60 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
resorts to their favourite doctrine of fatalism. He
says, " when it is decided by God that a man is
to die, no human aid can be of avail." For the
ague, which is a common complaint in Persia, and
the most inveterate, of which I can bear witness,
they beat the patient most unmercifully, in which
treatment they say they generally succeed. I did
not submit to this process during the many months
of my intermitting visitor. Precisely at noon every
other day the attack came on ; it was preceded by
a numbness of the extremities, and then the shiver
ing, during which I could no longer keep my
saddle. I was rather inconvenienced by this hap
pening on my journey. Immediately my carpet
was laid on the ground, I was wrapped up in horse
cloths and cloaks, any thing that offered to keep
warmth in me, and this under a tropical sun.
Some water was immediately heated, and par
taking of which, and laying thus for about an
hour, was then able to resume my journey. How
often have I kept the people waiting for me.
" Sahib nakoosh ast" was the signal for stopping
during the merciless attack of quartan ague. It
was at length conquered by quinine.
The " hakeem bashi's" visits to the " harem

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS. 61
kaneh" were sometimes of the most amusing de
scription, as described to me by himself. In the
long line of apartments, the ladies laying on their
mats, but well screened over, were waiting the
doctor's approach, with their various rheums and
catarrhs, all depending upon him to get rid of
their grievances. This implicit confidence in the
skill of the doctor helps very much towards the
cure, and is universally entertained in Persia.
Accompanied by the chief eunuch, with numerous
attendants guarding the way, the doctor stalks
cautiously in, and nothing meets his eye but a
series of hands, poked out from under the screen,
and covered each with a gauze glove; for his
touch merely upon the clay beneath would be
deemed pollution but for this precaution. Then
the titterings and laughings, the sobbings and
sighings, many of the ladies feigning illness just
to have a sight of the doctor, equally amused with
himself at the passing scene. Meantime order is
kept by the discipline of the eunuchs, which is
sometimes very severe.
Some cases were bad, others frivolous. The
doctor told me, that in one case he said he must
see the patient before he could prescribe ; but the

62 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
eunuch declared " mimkun nist sahib," it is im
possible ; entreaty and remonstrance was in vain,
he would send her to " Jehannum" first. The
next day on enquiry the reply was, " moord ast,"
she was dead. Thus was human life sacrificed
to this bigottcd national custom.
But what is the loss of a wife to the Prince of
Persia ! there is no chance of his becoming a
widower, the meaning of the term is unknown in
that country.
In former times the astrologers were often the
only physicians, and they sought their remedies
amongst the stars. But it so happened, that in
one instance of a severe wound, the Shah grew
worse under these celestial prescriptions. " Bejan
Shah," " by the soul of the King ! " said he, " un
less you instantly cure me of my disorder, I will
have you cut up into mince meat." The doctor,
alarmed at his peril, suddenly declared that the
hot brains of a man, if immediately applied, would
prove efficacious. At that instant a glolaum came
in with some pressing intelligence, entreating per
mission to rub his forehead at the Shah's threshold.
" Knock him down," said the King, " and apply
the remedy." The poor wretch was prostrated

THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS. 63
and beheaded ; the skull was emptied of its con
tents, and the hot brains applied to the King's
wound — with what success the historian does not
state. I was once wending my way to Tehran from the
" Takht Kajar," a country palace, three furseks off,
when I met a long procession of " faroshs," headed
by the chief eunuch, who was guarding a member
of the royal harem to the palace. As usual they
cried out " bauleh," and I was obliged to diverge
from the path to avoid seeing even the shawl
which enveloped the fair haremite. The sight of
a " ferengee" stranger always excites attention,
where it is only a few years since they have been
tolerated at all. Having passed on at a most
respectful distance, one. of the faroshs was sent
back with the enquiry if I was a " hakeem." Had
I been bold enough to have answered in the affir
mative I might have had the privilege, not only of
seeing the fair invalid, but of counting the throb
bing pulsations through the gauze glove, the lady
halted, but I too modestly passed on, noticing
only her unseemly gait at being mounted on two
stirrups instead of one.
The late Shah was very- particular respecting

64 THE PERSIAN HAKEEMS.
his medicines ; there was one purposely prepared
for the " King of Kings," the principal ingredient
of which was composed of "pearls ;'* these costly
productions were pulverised, and infused. The
" hakeem," my informant, did not tell me further
respecting it, or of its object or result, but that
such was the favourite draft of the King ; nor did
I hear that this medicine was protected by patent,
certainly not likely to come into general use.
But one must be a "hakeem" in this country
whether or no. I was once called on to a patient
who had long been ill. He had been taking a
quantity of medicine, he said, but grew worse. 1
asked what he had taken ? " Davau kali kourdam
sahib," I have eaten a quantity of pills. " Pills ! "
I said, " where do you get pills in this country ?
has Morison made his way into Persia ! " " We
pick them up at the door," said he, "they are
chicken's pills." He had, in fact, been swallowing
a quantity of fowl's dung, which it cost me all my
skill to eject. I did so, and the man was grateful
with his " alhamdulillah," praise be to God.

6a

CHAPTER VI.
ROYAL FAVOUR IN TERSIA.
The precariousness of court favour was strongly
evinced during my stay at Tehran, in the tempo
rary disgrace of " Zhorab Khan," a great favourite
of his Majesty. " Zhorab Khan" was formerly a
Georgian slave, but was raised by degrees to the
high rank of Chief of the Andaroori, or manager
of the harem department — no trifling undertaking
this in the royal establishment
'Much of the duplicity and meanness of the
Persian character may be attributed to that system
of intrigue by which greatness is attained and rank
supported^ The slave imbibes with his mother's
milk cunning, treachery, and all the evil seeds of

66 ROYAL FAVOUR IN PFRSIA.
moral degeneracy; and there can be no nobility
of nature under such circumstances.
This Khan, of whom I have just spoken, had
reached the pinnacle of greatness ; but having
climbed the steep ascent by all those tortuous
means so peculiar to the Persian character, the
rank seeds of his birth sprang up in all sorts of
tyranny, oppression, and cruelty. He was haughty,
overbearing, even to his superiors, and to a degree
that they would no longer submit to. Basking in
the sunshine of royal favour, and decorated with
the highest honours, he one day committed a
gross insult on the Prince "Ali Shah," who called
aloud for revenge. This clamour reached the ear
of majesty, and nothing would pacify the Prince
but the immediate disgrace of the favourite. A
bastinado was accordingly ordered, and eight hun
dred sticks awarded. The once imperious Khan
was prostrated at the feet of those "faroshs," who
yesterday trembled in his presence, and he under
went the pain and indignity of the meanest culprit.
But the Shah's clemency melted towards him,
even during his sufferings ; and on the following
day, as if in compensation for what he had under
gone, the King clothed him in his own royal robe,

ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. 67
girded him with his imperial girdle, and raised him
to a higher pinnacle of greatness than ever, again
proclaiming, " This is the man whom the King
delighteth to honour." The admiring audience
again bowed down before him ; — no stain nor feel
ing of disgrace marked the royal slave ; his breath
of yesterday was rank with dishonour, his breath
of to-day is perfumed with the monarch's favour,
and the hissing of scoffers was converted to the
shouts of sycophants.
This was by no means a solitary instance of
the precariousness of the royal favour. A Khan,
high in rank in the Shah's household, and who
had drunk deeply of the imperial liberality, was
disgraced by some want of punctuality to his duties.
He was stripped almost to the skin, mounted on a
donkey, and, tail in hand, was thus paraded around
the town to the wondering multitude. The next
day he quietly resumed his duties, and was as
unconscious of disgrace as the "faroshs" who
conducted him.
' Many instances may be adduced of his Majesty's
sportive use of power, if I may so say. \ One of
them I will mention in the history of "Abul Hassan
Khan," twice ambassador at the court of St. James's,

68 ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. .
and still remembered in some of the high circles of
London society, whose amusing letter, written on
his return to Persia — a sort of reminiscence of his
visit to London — has I believe been printed. He
was the nephew of " Hadji Ibrahim Khan," the
celebrated minister of "Agha Mahomed Shah," and
of his successor the late " Futtee Ali Shah." The
minister having fallen into disgrace with the King,
the royal displeasure generally follows those of his
household. This is so common to the oriental
court, that the victim is hurled from the pinnacle
of grandeur, with all his family and friends, to the
lowest depths of debasement and adversity.
Amidst the whirlwind of this fury, "Abul Hassan"
was thrown into prison, stripped of all his dignities,
and was subsequently driven to take sanctuary in
the mausoleum at "Koom," always held sacred even
against the despotism of the King. Escaping from
thence, he travelled to Mecca and to Calcutta,
having some introduction to the Governor-general
of India. There he spent three years in visiting
the oriental clime, having acquired the different
languages, Arabic, Turkish, Hindoostanee, and
English in a slight degree. Having learnt that the
King of Persia had pardoned him, he returned to

ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. 69
his native country, where he was most graciously
received by his Majesty. His "face had been
whitened," and he now basked in the sunshine of
the royal favour.
Such are the varied fortunes of the sons of Iran ;
yesterday the "felek" or bastinado, to-day the
"khelaat," or dress of honour; nay, I was told
that the rope was once around his neck, ten thou
sand tomauns was bid for his head, and that it was
bought in at that price. Such was the on dit of
Tehran, but I must confess that I am a little scep
tical on this part of his history.
His Majesty afterwards appointed him ambas
sador extraordinary to the court of St. James's,
and in 1809 he accompanied Mr. Morier in that
capacity to London. Their adventures are ludi
crously sketched in " Hadji Baba in London."
On his return, his first audience with the King,
as described to me, was very amusing. " My eyes
are enlightened at seeing you," said the King,
" your place has long been empty, your face is
whitened, and your consequence increased." "May
your condescension never be less," said the Khan,
seeking to rub his forehead at the gate of almighty
splendour. " The firmament possesses but one

70 ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA.
sun, the world but one king, your slave is less
than the least ; what lamp can shine in the pre
sence of the sun?" but compliments were poor
feeding for the King ; his first thought was" about
the " Pescush," or presents ; what was the weal or
woe of his Majesty's empire compared to this!
" Bechesm my eyes as yours," said the Khan.
^Phe presents were laid at the King's feet. Again
and again the Khan swore he had no more, " be
rysh y Shah," by the King's beard, still there
were others to be found. The Persian game of
duplicity thus kept up between the Shah and the
Khan was at length won by the former, and the
Khan, nearly ruined, was turned adrift to recruit
his finances, by the practice of his tyranny over
those whom fortune had placed in his way. The
King subsequently raised him to the dignity of
Khan, and conferred upon him the first class of
the order of the " Lion and Sun."
The King appointed him a second time on a
similar mission to England ; and it is related, that,
in order to indemnify himself for the royal spolia
tions of the last journey, the ambassador returned
well charged with merchandize, taking advantage
of the King's name to pass them through Turkey

ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. 71
free of duties, and to levy for beasts of burthen in
his own country, under the " sadir," or royal order
for passing on his Majesty's effects free of expense.
The wily Khan was prepared with numerous pre
sents to lay at the feet of " the King of Kings,"
remembering his Majesty's greediness on the last
occasion ; but it so happened he had heard of the
ambassador's loads of merchandise which were
making their way free of "gumrook," or duty,
and travelling as " presents on the behalf of the
King," and had determined to appropriate them
all to himself. He chose to be absent from Tehran
when the ambassador approached that city, and
commanded that he should join him immediately
on his arrival, and secretly gave orders to the
gholaums that the whole of the loads travelling as
presents for the King should be housed in the
royal stores ; so, whilst the ambassador was basking
in the sunshine of royal favour, his merchandise
and presents underwent royal sequestration. Not
a word could be said, as the Khan never dared
claim any of his effects.
Thus fraud upon fraud was practised by the
ambassador and his royal master. Persian dupli
city outreached by Persian finesse. The King was

72 ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA.
too much for the Khan, and this royal ruse was the
standing jest of the Shah and his courtiers.
In 1813 "Abul Hassan Khan" was sent to "Gu-
listan," to conclude a peace with the plenipotentia
ries from Russia, the undefined terms of which led
to the late war between the two countries. The
following year he went as ambassador extraordinary
to the court of St. Petersburgh, where he resided
some time, and returned with the Russian ambas
sador to Tehran. His Majesty was now more
liberal to him, having, it is said, presented him
with an ode to his praise, of his own composing,
and also gave him his portrait set in diamonds.
The Khan wrote a narrative of his travels, to
which the King gave the title of the "Hairet
Nameh," or the "Book of Wonders," and well
deserving his Majesty's title given it.
When I saw the hurly burly Khan at the "Even
ing Salaam" I was much struck with his corpulent
change since I first saw him in England — he had
become a second Falstaff. I learnt that he con
tinues to receive an annuity from the English
government, for which he betrays their interests in
every possible way, and is the avowed enemy of
the country. He was but little respected by the

ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. 73
Shah or the courtiers ; his meanness was notorious,
and he was proverbially false. Of the former, an
instance came before me ; and in proof of the latter,
no one would trust him. Even for a Persian he
was spoken of with contempt and disgust. He
has now attained seventy-five years of age, unloved,
unrespected, and will die unregretted.
The order of the " Lion and Sun," to which I
have alluded as having been conferred on Abul
Hassan Khan, is the only order of knighthood
known in Persia. It was very anciently the royal
insignia of the land of Iran, and is supposed to
have been adopted as a trophy of victory. The
coins more than six hundred years ago bear Sol's
figure in the constellation of Leo, and the lion
couchant. Their banners are embroidered with it,
the standard being surmounted with the hand of
Ali. Of this order there are three classes ; the first
is thought but little of, and is rendered very cheap
by the low grade of the recipients ; the second is
respectable ; the third is most eagerly sought after
by khans, courtiers, and foreign ambassadors. All
the British envoys to the court of Tehran have
been thus honoured.
Gold and silver medals are sometimes given in
VOL. I. E

74 ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA.
Persia to those who have distinguished themselves ;
but generally the royal firmaun consists only of
a large sheet of vellum, bedizened with gold
letters, emblazoned with lions and suns of all
climes, birds and flowers very tastefully arranged,
and most exquisitely written, from one of which I
obtained the following copy. The person to whom
this gracious favour of "the King of Kings" is
addressed, raises it to his forehead, and then it is
read aloud in the most respectful silence, all stand
ing until the contents are finished. I am not
aware that any precise terms of the royal firmaun
apply generally, since so much must depend on the
fertile genius of the Meerza who draws it up, on
the quantity of "chum y chum," or flattery that
he means to throw in, and on the distinguished
character of the recipient.
Royal Firmaun conferring the Order of the "Lion and Sun."
•'In the name of the Holy God! (In the seal there is written
" Power of Providence ;" the seal of the state of this century, in
the reign of Futtee Ali Shah.) — The state resembles the divine
nature; it orders as follows : —
" From the day that the Architect of Providence made visible
the position and the firm ground of the state, and finished with a
profound sketch the plan of the house for the state upon the
chart of his will, and that his firmness had raised into infinity the
first of the straight pillars, while he fixed the rule of our eternal

ROYAL FAVOUR IN PERSIA. 75
happiness, and drew also the immeasurable lines of his consistency,
by sending down the rays of his almighty power, appeared in great
splendour. Now our direct intention and will is, and we have in
the centre of our well-inclined heart determined that he who stays
under the shade of this eternal state, and who with persevering
exertion ascends the steps of zeal in this our state, shall be pro
moted to further honours, and be dignified by the grant of an act
of our gracious benevolence. From the motion of our sovereign
grace, we do convey to him our farther honourable distinction,
that the most high titled, high sounding, the most illustrious from
his station, the most wise, the constant, the all penetrating, the
brave, the confident, arrived at our just court by particular desire,
the high praised, the high standing, the wise, the particularly wise
selection of illustrious Christendom, who, like a circle in the
service of both high states, holds the head of obedience on the
earth of submission — we will to distinguish him with greater
honour, and confer upon him the order of the ' Lion and Sun,'
with diamonds, which insignia distinguish faithful servants in
Persia, in order that he may diligently apply himself to the service
of both states, and manifest still greater zeal in cementing their
friendly agreement.
" It is hereby ordered that the high praised, esteemed, and
happy journalists of my blessed chancery do register and acknow
ledge the grant of this order. Written in the month Hegira."
Undersigned by seven or eight ministers.
The only titles in Persia are Khans and Meerzas.
The former is not hereditary ; the latter, if follow
ing the name, means Prince, as "Abbas Meerza;"
if preceding the name, as "Meerza Abbas," it
means a writer or secretary. The surname is not
used in Persia.

e2

76

CHAPTER VII.
THE "BAGY SEFFRE."
This " Garden of Delight," is situated about one
" fursek," or an hour from Tabreez ; it was the
once favourite residence of Abbas Meerza, and is
certainly the most respectable thing of the kind
I have seen in Persia. The sort of mineral ground
which we go over to reach this country palace,
is denuded of any thing like vegetation; it was
vomited up as it were in hasty confusion during
a tremendous earthquake in 1559, when half of
the city of Tabreez was engulfed. The earth
yawned; mosques, bazaars, and people were hur-i-
ried into one grave; and the ruined monuments

the bagy seffre. 77
remain a memorial of the catastrophe. That of
Sultan Kazan mosque is the finest ruin.
Half-buried columns, and mounds of rubbish,
extend nearly three miles around the modern
city. Only a fragment remains of the mosque
Mesj-Ali, which stands at the corner of the ark or
citadel, bearing a few coloured tiles, and Koran
inscriptions, to witness to its former splendour.
This, which is now the boundary, was once the
centre of the great city, and further remains of
streets and houses are to be traced in many
directions. But the most remarkable remains are immense
blocks of black granite, some of them having rams'
heads and sphynxs, and other hieroglyphics carved
on them ; others, quite flat, bear long inscriptions.
These blocks lay about in the utmost confusion,
and half buried in the ground, as they were left
by the earthquake ; for nothing seems to have been
done to level the surface in the immediate neigh
bourhood of Tabreez since this awful calamity.
I have been assured that these blocks of granite
bear date long previous to the Mahomedan era;
sure I am that their inscriptions would puzzle even
an Oldbuck himself.

78 the bagy seffre.
There is no country perhaps where earthquakes
are more frequent than in Persia. In the hot
seasons the shocks may be said to be almost daily,
and I have been told by Ferengees, long residing
there, that they have often stood at the window
ready to jump out when the house may be tumbling
about them. Hence their buildings are partly
subterranean, and all of mud, the least likely to
crack. On the day of my arrival, and while smoking
my first pipe of repose, I noticed the china basins
knocking against each other. " Oh ! it is only an
earthquake ; nothing when you are used to it," —
was the reply to my enquiry as to the cause.
The way over this denuded ground was varied
by gardens and villages, richly watered, and the
largest streams having generally poplar plantations,
the green foliage of which is a great relief to the
eye amid the sunburnt walls and monotonous mud
regions. At length arriving at a very respectable
pile of building, this was announced to me as the
" Bagy Seffre."
Various terraces at the entrance contained baths
and other subterranean buildings, which were in
tricate and decaying. I traversed many of them,

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 79
and bounding up the steps, it was very refreshing
to look over the walls, if only to take a peep into
the " garden of delight," redolent as it appeared
to be of fruits and flowers of every sort. But peep
ing over the walls will not do for me ; so I moved
ori to the principal entrance, and thundering at
the gateway, sought for admission into this seem
ing Eden of delights. " Sabre Koon,"— " Stop,"
said my attendant, " although the prince is absent,
yet I believe his harem are there ; if so, you
cannot be admitted." Fortunately, they had all
taken flight the previous day, so I ran up the ter
race, snuffing in the flowery sweets, which in great
abundance were " wasting their fragrance on the
desert air." Here was
" Laburnum rich in streaming gold, syringa ivory pure,
The scented and the scentless rose,"
and I know not what besides. The trellised vinery
hung over the paths, rich in offerings of white and
purple fruit, the abundance of which almost im
peded my way.
There is a formality in the style of the Persian
gardens rather inconsistent with our English taste,
and any thing but true to nature ; formal walks,

80 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
straight alleys, and so on. The mud walls were
very respectable, inclosing I should think about
twenty acres of ground.
The gardens were numerous, all on ascending
ground. These I traversed, until I came to what
may be deemed the palace, which is all mud;
though within, it was certainly plastered and orna
mented. The " deewan kaneh," or reception room,
was still carpetted, — this being the only Persian
furniture ; and the " nummed," which the prince
had occupied the day before, was pointed out to
me as of curious workmanship. It appeared to be
a thick felt, stamped with a border pattern. Here
his highness squats by day, and sometimes sleeps
by night ; one cannot call it sitting ; for he puts
his feet as it were into the pockets of his " shal-
wars," or trousers. Here, too, he prays. From
the same spot he invokes the Prophet and plays
the monarch.
On the walls of this apartment were painted some
strange figures — strong in colouring, stronger in
grimace; with straight knees, square arms, and
stiff necks. The countenances of the attendants
were all of the beseeching kind ; by which I mean
humility ultra profound, as much as to say, " the

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 81
very breath we draw is not our own, it is all of
the prince's bounty." The subject of the chase
is a great favourite with the Persian artists. Their
heros are all " Rustams ;" they are always spearing
the wild boar, or engaged in some such gallant
pastime. They have no idea whatever of perspective,
consequently the distant groups are treading down
those on the foreground, and the hind legs of the
horses intended to be miles off are upon the necks
of the rear riders.
As I was obviously struck with those singular
combinations, some of the many "faroshs" who
were about, asked me if there were any such
paintings in my own country. " Certainly
not," said I, and they evidently accepted my
reply as a proof of the superiority of the arts in
Persia. The Persians ornament very beautifully with
coloured tiles and glass, formed in medallions and
fancy figures, sometimes with Koran inscriptions,
so exquisitely done in the Arabic characters, that
no European engraver could excel them.
Their carpets have a richness of colouring and
softness of texture quite unrivalled; and they
e3

82 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
cannot be soiled, as every one leaves his slippers
at the door.
The deficiency of furniture is made up for by
the " taukja," as they call it, in the walls. These
are a sort of blank windows, which form shelves
for the deposit of China basins and other orna
ments. I never saw any building, however in
ferior, without the " taukja :" even the stables
and "kaveh kanehs," or entrances, must be so
ornamented. The windows, though large on the whole, are
divided into small squares or compartments, filled
sometimes with coloured glass, sometimes with
paper only ; glass being but of recent introduction
into Persia. The buildings have invariably the
flat roof, still covered with mud; but the brick
layer will turn arches, with a dexterity which
would astonish an English artisan, and without
any centre whatever. I have seen them building
the dome of a bazaar almost equal in size to that
of St. Paul's. They plant the bricks most rapidly,
and in a cement so strong, that it is immediately
fixed without any chance of disturbance. Here I
first saw what may be termed the skue arch to
great perfection.

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 83
I ran over the different rooms of the princes',
residence, even down to the " zyr y zemeens," or
cellars. The chief features were formality and
mud, at which I laughed inwardly and praised
outwardly. " Had the ' padi shah,' in my own
country any thing to be compared to this?" asked
the " peish khidmet," or head servant. This
was taxing my complimentary powers rather too
far, so I moved " the previous question," which
was to depart; and hastening through another
garden, I found numerous " takhts," or sleeping
places, being large wooden platforms, raised about
three feet from the ground. They were planted
about in different directions, and seemingly in
great confusion, as though the eunuch the day
before had given but short notice for the departure
of the prince's harem. Just above was a large
tank of water, which it is so refreshing to look
upon in this arid country, and from it rippled
down in varied streams the supplies to the different
gardens. I walked through these pleasant places again
and again, my senses of sight and smell revelling
in the scene, amidst the fruits and flowers of the
parterre. To me there is no luxury in Persia

84 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
comparable to these gardens, of which they say,
" Behold these sweet groves, beautiful gardens,
and flowing streams. Is it not a spot for the
abode of heroes ? The ground resembles velvet,
and the air breathes perfume — you would say that
the rose had imparted its sweets to the waters of
the rivulet — the stalk of the lily bends under the
weight of the flower, and the whole grove is
charmed with the fragrance of the rose-bush —
from this moment till time is no more, may the
borders of these banks resemble the bowers of
Paradise." The gardens around Tabreez are very extensive.
My custom was at an early hour to ride on horse
back through these extensive grounds, planted with
the choicest fruits and other produce. They are
left open to the stranger, although belonging to
many proprietors ; their boundaries are merely a
row of trees, or a drain of water.
The Persian mode of irrigation is ingenious
and complete, and the soil most prodigal. Their
peaches, melons, and grapes are of a flavour un
known in Europe. These fruits form much of the
food of the natives, and droves of donkeys laden
with it are constantly on the way to the city.

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 85
Then there are the olive grounds, very ex
tensive ; and the luxury of inhaling, while on
horseback, the fragrance of the blossoms, which
is very evanescent, in a thicket of flowers (if I
may so say) for miles around, must be felt to be
understood. It is customary to form parties, and to spend
days in the gardens, pitching tents, &c, but this
is by no means necessary, since the night air gives
no humidity. Give a " panabadj" or sixpence, to
the proprietor, and you may remain in the garden
all day, and fill yourself with fruit, on which the
Persians feed so abundantly.
The prince had other large gardens near the
city, to which he occasionally resorted ; but more
particularly his household. When I saw them
they had been suffering from " Russian blight ;"
the trees were cut down, and even the buildings
destroyed for fuel by those " Scythian destroyers,"
(as Napoleon called them at Moscow), during their
temporary occupation of Tabreez.
There was an English association with the
" bagy seffre," which interested me much. Here
drew his last breath our late envoy, Sir John
Macdonald Kennier, so much ¦ and deservedly

86 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
respected in Persia. He was the prince's confiden
tial friend, and was frequently referred to by him
irrespective of English affairs. He was the great
agent for bringing about the peace of Tourka-
manchai, with the Russians, and for appeasing
their anger when the Persian populace murdered
their ambassador. Quiet and unobtrusive, yet
firm and discriminating, he performed his official
duties with unmixed satisfaction to both English
and Persians.
The prince's regard for Sir John Kennier was
shown on frequent occasions ; nor could he mani
fest it in a greater degree than by allowing him to
draw his last breath, as it were, on his own mat.
This from a Mahomedan prince to a " kaffir," or
infidel, was an extraordinary proof of esteem.
The Elchee, (then Colonel Macdonald only),
was kept for a long time on the threshold of
Persia ; for, as being merely the Honourable Com
pany's envoy, the King refused to receive the
mission. At length he was invited over the
threshold, and on the 7th September 1826 his
Majesty most graciously received him, he being
then in camp. In the month of June 1830 the
envoy succombed to a long and wasting illness of

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 87
six months, closing his official career with dignity
and honour to himself and his country, and to the
great regret of all who knew him. He had been
distinguished in the literary world by an intelli
gent narrative of travels in Asia Minor, and was
said, some time before his death, to have been
preparing for the press a history of Persia. Highly
respected by the Honourable Company for his
services, they were rewarded by his sovereign with
the honour of knighthood, which was bestowed
just in time to enable him to descend to the tomb
" Sir John Macdonald Kinnier."
I found from the Colonel's passport, that cour
teous reception from the " Count d'Erivansky,"
(General Paskevitch), which facilitated my tra
vels, and converted difficulties into enjoyments.
" For the Colonel's sake," said he, " I will do all
that you may require." The Elchee's remains,
at his particular request, were conveyed to the
Armenian monastry of Echmiazin, at Erivan, and
a monument, prepared in London, was lately
erected over his tomb.
In the valley below ran the river Haji, to be
traced only by a forest of garden ground skirting
its banks. On pursuing my way down a beautiful

88 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
valley, which Spring enriches with her luxuriance,
and Autumn with her abundance, shut in by
barren and arid hills, which form a fanciful
amphitheatre, and on a mound, whether natural
or artificial I cannot tell, stands the once round
towered outwork of a fortress called Rushedia,
in tolerable preservation. Here I found some
little scope for the antiquary, and could trace the
inner and outer walls, with the dry ditch, and the
bases of other towers, with the citadel in the
middle, preserving at least its ancient form,-and
some of its masonry.
To dive into the heights and depths of this
formerly strong bulwark was quite beyond me,
amidst piles of perishing bricks, and masses of
crumbling masonry, mixing with the earth from
which they were formed. The situation is com
manding, the positions well chosen to check any
intruders from the valley below, and behind the
fortress, nature has thrown up such a barrier as
almost to claim cloud acquaintance.
I could speculate, and calculate, and ruminate
as I stood in the centre tower, but all to no pur
pose. I could come to no conclusion, by enquiry
or otherwise, as to the origin of the fortress.

THE BAGY SEFFRE. 89
Some people attribute it to the Turks; but I
think it must have been built before the Turks
were known in this part of the world, almost
before the birth of Ishmael, their great progenitor,
for I never saw such perfect ruins.
Descending to the lower regions of the spot, I
found one or two large mouths of brick-work.
These openings I understood to be subterranean
ways to a large mosque, about five miles distant.
It was with the greatest difficulty I could advance
about five yards ; and the only thing worthy of
notice, was the easy beauty of the arches, and the
extremely fresh appearance of the bricks, which
looked, after the lapse of perhaps two thousand
years, to have been planted there only yesterday.
I have already alluded to the modern brick arches
of this country, which appear to me to be the very
perfection of masonry.
Hastening my return from Rushedia, I had
to pass the ruins of the mosque Sultan Kazan,
which is about a mile from Tabreez. This was,
no doubt, formerly one of the distinguished quar
ters of the city. My former explorings had be
gotten me a taste for time-worn rubbish, and
the crumblings of ages, so I must run over the

90 THE BAGY SEFFRE.
anatomy of this. Its fine ruined arches, rent
and torn asunder by the dreadful earthquake
before alluded to, were yet in perpendicular,
although by a terrible yawn of the ground on
which they stood there was a fissure in the grand
dome sufficient to intimidate me from standing
under it. The front arch was in tolerable preser
vation, well proportioned, and faced with coloured
tiles, fancifully inlaid with the Arabic characters.
The walls were of a prodigious thickness, having
been lined with the Tabreez marble, immense
blocks of which were laying about with the
rubbish. '
The various fragments yet standing, and masses
of brick-work detached, and threatening other
falls, bespoke this mosque to have been a once
lofty and imposing structure ; and from what my
eye could compass, and my imagination fathom,
by linking together the different arches and frag
ments alluded to, I think it would not have dis
graced even Palladio himself.

91

CHAPTER VIII.
A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
On my way to Tehran I had to pass through
this pretty village, having made various stages to
it, some of which I will notice.
Early in the morning I was on a fine road lead
ing to Armakaneh, a very large village, and
nine hours from our last station. Here I found a
splendid " menzil," or post-house for strangers,
and plenty of water gushing out from its soil in all
directions. This is the source of all their riches,
and an abundance of corn and other produce pro
claimed the extent of those riches.
On the following day I left the village, by a
tremendous pass, which is sometimes considered

92 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
dangerous for travellers ; the way, which was after
wards good, was strewed with flourishing villages
and well watered valleys. I need scarcely say that
in Persia, what we denominate roads are totally
unknown. The paths which lead from station to
station are established by custom, convenience, or
the caprice of the traveller, where, in a semi-bar
barous country, " the world is all before him where
to choose." So capricious had they been in this
direction, that I found it quite a series of cross
roads, leading to the important town of Zenjan.
This town was walled, and contained extensive
bazaars and caravanseries. I had to traverse the
former ; as in almost all the cities in Persia the
bazaars are the high roads through them. I was
an object of much curiosity with the rude natives,
and must confess that I felt rather uncomfortable
at their searching gaze, having only servants with
me, and the people so unaccustomed to see a
Ferengee stranger.
Resting that night at the caravansery, I was
impatient to escape, as it were, from the rough
lodging of a Persian khan, and summoning my
followers, I issued from the gate at an early hour.
We were well armed, an indispensable precaution

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 93
when travelling through this wild country; the
being unarmed is an invitation to attack.
I could now again breathe freely on the exten
sive plains of Sultaniah. It was studded with
ruined villages. The first which I arrived at was
without a single inhabitant; and some others had
only small groups of half clad peasantry, look
ing the very personification of misery. The dome
of the tomb of Ismael Khouda Benda is to be
seen from hence at a great distance, so much .so
that. I fancied I should never reach it.
This imposing structure has very little of its
original magnificence remaining. The cupola
rests on an octangular base, and is about a hun
dred feet high. The gates are all down; but
over them were galleries, leading from the inner
to the outer part of the building. The interior is
in good keeping, having here and there some
beautiful Arabic inscriptions in gilded characters.
But the saint's rest is wofully desecrated by all
comers. We breakfasted in one of the niches or
chapels, aud the horses in another.
On this plain stood formerly the capital of Persia,
and the residence of its kings, until the time of
Abbas the Great, who made Ispahan the capital of

94 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
his empire. In the time of Chardin, Sultaniah
was still a city, and surrounded with walls, but
now nothing can be more desolate than this waste ;
the only exception is the modern building of a
summer residence for the late Shah, which I
visited. The Shah generally formed a camp in the sum
mer season. The extensive pasturage would feed
an army of horses. The way to Khoramdereh
was through a flat uninteresting country, poorly
watered, and inhabited by the wild Eleaut tribes,
in their black tents ; they are seemingly per
fectly inoffensive. These nomades desert their
villages in the summer, and follow the pasturage
with their flocks. The soil seems to belong to
the first comers, and the inhabitants are so few
as compared with the extensive territory of Persia,
that all can be fed at small expense of labour.
Koramdereh, or " the happy valley," is a large
village, embowered in its own woods, and watered
by a copious stream. It has a very interesting
effect from the neighbouring hills. Proceeding
on to Kerishkeen, some villages intersect the
spacious plain which leads to it, as the river takes
its course ; and again the road was deemed inse-

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 95
cure, in consequence of the rocky passes, which
are always favourable for the interruption of tra
vellers, and give a wild romantic feature to the
country. This is a Turcoman village, and I had
some difficulty to get accommodated in a wretched
" menzil ;" this being out of the regular way to
Tehran. The approach to Kazvine was varied and in
teresting ; the most so of any on the route. The
way was watry, with pretty villages here and there,
and the busy natives were gathering their crops.
Their custom is to lay a couple of sheaves at the
feet of travellers, as a sign of welcome ; but it is
intended more as a levy on their liberality : trust
the Adjemis for worming the coins out of the
pocket ! there are no people more ingenious at it.
A smiling prospect pervaded the whole scene,
bespeaking health and prosperity. The large city
of Kazvine was visible at a great distance. On
approaching, its extensive vineyards at the out
skirts showed abundant fruit, although very desti
tute of water. I plunged into the wretched bazaars,
through which my way led to the caravansery,
which afforded but miserable accommodations.
' I found the natives more surprised than ever at

96 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
the sight of a Ferengee stranger, and more un
civil in their gaping. Kazvine was formerly a
very large city, and is said to have been the royal
residence. It was founded in the third century,
and was formerly called " Djemal Abad," or the
beautiful city, but now its beauty is turned into
ashes; for I never saw more wretched bazaars.
Its extensive ruins were occasioned by an earth
quake. The roofs in many parts are merely
branches of trees. Thus much for the Persian's
respect for posterity.
The plain is most extensive on which this city
is planted. It is situated at the foot of Mount
Elwend, a branch of the Taurus, which separates
Irak Adjemi from the districts of Hyrcania. Even
in Chardin's days it reckoned nearly a hundred
thousand inhabitants, though now reduced to less
than half that amount Its vineyards are exten
sive and unenclosed. I rode through miles of
this ground, and noticed that the vine grows about
six feet high, without any support, and that the
fruit was excellent.
As I went over the extensive plains the next
morning, nothing could be more desolate than
their arid parched appearance, without any thing

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 97
for the eye to rest upon but the long line of
" kenauts," the Persian means of irrigation. These
are aqueducts, made by a succession of small wells,
at a hundred yards distance from each other, their
depth being determined by the level of the soil.
They are connected by a channel below, suffi
ciently capacious for a man to clear it. These
wells are began at the spring head, and conveyed
from an immense distance to the fields and vil
lages. The earth thrown up from them is all
that the eye has to glance at. It marks the
direction and length of the subterranean aqueducts.
This mode of irrigation is attributed to a very
ancient date in Persia, even to Houshang, the
second king of that country.
After travelling through the sandy desert for
four or five hours, the ground entirely denuded of
tree or bush, I halted at one of these water holes,
by the side of which our wallet being opened,
both man and beast were refreshed. The re
mainder of my way to Kishlock was the most
trying portion of my journey, it being out of the
line of the " kenauts," consequently no water
could be obtained; and what made it the more
trying was, the effect of the mirage, which fre-
VOL. I. F

98 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
quently presented me with what I took to be fine
basins of water, when, on hastening to quench my
thirst, I found nothing but basins of sand.
The deceptions are astonishing in these exten
sive plains; and not merely the watery ones; for
the dazzling lustre of the mid-day sun, its eddying
rays fiercely burning up the thirsty soil, betray
the imagination to all sorts of vagaries.
My weariness of body, as I turned in the sad
dle, seeking some new position for ease, harassed
by the monotony of a scene which seemed to
have no end; the continued disappointments, as
sometimes one of the party would cry out, " Aub
ast," " there is water," and off we galloped, but on
nearing it found nothing but sand : all this made
the present the most trying day I had ever expe
rienced in Persia. On advancing to seeming
objects, such as villages or gardens, the nearer
we came, the faster they receded. I could catch
nothing, and therefore gave up the attempt in
gloomy sulkiness.
These phenomena certainly vary the tameness
of the scene, and I could occasionally laugh as the
" will-o-the-wisp" danced before me. Even after
frequent disappointments, I sometimes felt so sure

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 99
as to be determined to attain my object ; but I got
laughed at by my train, who being more accus
tomed to Persian deceptions than myself, (the
mirage included) would cry out, " Hych ast sahib,"
" It is nothing."
At length the distant view of the village in
duced me to quicken my pace, that I might not
fall off from pure exhaustion. Even here, how
ever, no water was for a long time to be found,
and I was glad to drink from a brook in which
the horses' legs were then being washed.
At Kishlock, a small camp was formed of the
Russian battalion under Samson Sarang, about
twelve hundred troops in all ; these being deserters
from Russia, and long employed' in the Persian
service. The next morning the drum beat at an early
hour for the march of the battalion on the way to
join the Prince's army in Khorassan. I studiously
avoided falling in with them, by delaying my
march for some hours. The misery of encoun
tering a military detachment in Persia may be
likened to a visit of locusts, and many are the
villages devastated by the freebooters, who have
unbridled license to help themselves to supplies.
f2

100 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
I have seen houses destroyed that they may take
the wood for fuel, and falling into their track,
I could scarcely procure here the necessary sup
plies of bread and water ; and as to my resting-
place, it was the brick-floored vault of an old cara
vansery, filled with vermin and filth. Quartering
the troops in Persia means that all are to provide
themselves as best suits them, and when they
determine on occupying a house, they turn out
the possessor; who, with his wives and family,
may go into the streets. They seize or burn his
furniture, and in reply to his appeals against this
hard usage, he is consoled by either hearing that
it is not to last long, or by having his heels turned
up for the bastinado !
At break of day I was in my saddle, and with
my long train led the way to Sulimania. There
is something of a lonely desolation which comes
over the mind when travelling in this wild coun
try, every feature of which is so peculiarly its
own, with its ruined villages, rocky passes, and
boundless plains, giving it all the appearance of
savage life ; the wild native starting up here and
there, eying the Ferengee stranger with the
struggling feeling of curiosity and cupidity, half

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 101
inclined to pounce upon his prey, but checked by
that confiding security which claims his hospitality
and protection.
Suddenly-^I found myself environed by a host
of armed troopers. Besides the Russian batta
lion, there was the Tourkaman, the Koords and
the Eleauts of the different tribes. Their mis
cellaneous costumes and equipments beggar all
description. Although they have nominally the
royal pay, they must mount and equip them
selves; hence that heterogeneous materiel of which
a Persian army is composed. Almost all the
population of Persia is armed ; there is, therefore,
no difficulty of outfit in this department. The
King summons the chiefs of the tribes, who must
appear at camp with their cohort ready to take
the field. The Eleauts, and some others, pay
no other tribute.
Discipline as very severe under the immediate
eye of the commandant, as I had once an oppor
tunity of judging at the camp of Sardaha.
The victim (a deserter) was brought up and
judged, and orders immediately given for punish
ment. He was first beat over the mouth with a
large stick by the faroshs, until his teeth were

102 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
knocked in ; then his beard was cut off, — a great
disgrace in Persia. His hands were then tied
behind, and his heels turned up for the bastinado;
and most unmercifully were the sticks applied,
and many broken. Not only the nails, but almost
the toes were knocked off. The sticks not being
deemed sufficiently strong, thongs were brought,
and the bastinado renewed. On loosing his hands,
his fingers were disabled. A rope was then tied
around his body, and he was dragged over the
rough stones to some distance up a mountain, and
dreadfully lacerated. Here he was to remain for
execution the next day.
Presenting as bold a front as I could, I kept in
the centre of these ruffian-looking troops, thinking
that there was less chance of being robbed in the
midst of them than by keeping in the rear. I
was an object of the greatest interest, many pro
bably never having seen a Ferengee stranger
before. I soon recognised some of the Males-
ghird tribe, with their shields and lances, looking
as fierce as when they threatened to take me a
head shorter in their own country.
After about half an hour's ride in the midst of
them, the heat and dust became intolerable; so

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 103
I suddenly went off into a neighbouring ravine,
and bade adieu to the gallant troops of Abbas
Meerza. Melting under the mid-day sun, and searching
every corner of my saddle for a position of ease,
I entered the lonely spot of Sulimania, watered
and wooded to my heart's content. The outskirts
showed many crumbling walls and tumble-down
buildings, which bespoke much of the spoil of
time ; and as I entered what was once a caravan
sery, I nauseated the wretched accommodation,
and soon made my escape to the " bauleh kaneh"
of the entrance to the palace.
As I lay stretched on my carpet, smoking my
pipe of repose, a profusion of the finest apricots,
grapes, and sundry fruits was laid before me. I
was soon invited into the palace, where a room
had been cleaned out, and a carpet spread for my
reception. The room was open to the garden,
and it gave me a most luxurious rest. Such an
Elysium I fancied even " The Thousand and One
Nights" had never presented. The gardens were
extensive, and the fruits of every sort so abundant,
that the look of it served much to satiate all
appetite. The palace had been built by Futtee

104 A VISIT TO SULIMANIA.
Ali Shah, in honour of the birth of a son, Suli-
maxt, at this place ; hence its name of Sulimania.
In the "deewan kaneh," or grand reception
room, were full-length portraits of his Majesty and
family, including the young prince. I am always
much amused at these displays of the Persian art;
the stately rigidity of the monarch and the " shah
zadehs," or princes, decked in their oriental
jewellery, has a most imposing effect. On the
opposite wall was the eunuch Agha Mahommed
Shah, and his courtiers, forming altogether the
finest gallery of Persian paintings that I had seen,
I have already alluded to the rigidity of posture
and fixedness of muscle which so distinguish-the
arts in this country.
I had never found any repose so agreeable at
the time as that I enjoyed at Sulimania. The.
birds carolled, the breeze murmured, the foun
tains bubbled ; and as I lay upon my nummed,
I seemed to realise the description of Ferdoosi:
" The ground is a perfect silk, and the air is
scented with musk."
This royal residence is on a large scale, and
comprises a high tower of observation, from
whence the prisoners of the Harem were per-

A VISIT TO SULIMANIA. 105
mitted to survey the surrounding country. The
baths were fine, the stabling good, and the Harem
Kaneh so extensive, that I lost myself in its in
tricacies. This was once a favourite resort of the
late Shah, and its proximity to Tehran (only eight
hours) made it more attractive ; but latterly the
royal caprice had veered to some other point.
Whether from extreme fatigue, exhaustion from
thirst, or debility from hunger, I thought that I
had never found a respite from these three angry
feelings so agreeable as at Sulimania. My
bottle had been spent in the desert, (it is cus
tomary to carry one of wood,) and I had been
sensibly touched with the feelings of Hagar, though
not with her despair. Here the ripe fruit dropped,
as it were, into my mouth, as I walked under the
trellised vinery; and the sudden transition from
want to abundance, from weariness to ease, seemed
to me somewhat of the magic of Aladdin. All
enjoyments are comparative; to be keenly relished
they must be earned. The slothful voluptuary,
" who knows no fatigue but that of idleness," is a
stranger to that stimulating pleasure which the
sweat of the brow or the labour of the muscles
gives to the peasant or the mechanic.
f3

106

CHAPTER IX.

TOORKOMANCHAI.

I was much interested by my short stay at this
village. It was here that the treaty of peace
was signed between Persia and Russia, in 1828.
My companion was present at the time, in the
suite of the- late British envoy, who was the
principal means of bringing it about, as deputed
by Abbas Meerza. Our Ketkodeh was very loqua
cious and entertaining on the subject, whose
house the Russians had occupied some ten or
twelve days. My companion took the Colonel's
place, and I took the nummed of the General-in-
chief, Paskevitch (Count d'Erivansky).
It was with considerable difficulty that the

TOORKOMANCHAI. 1 07
affairs were adjusted, which were to restore per
fect amity and everlasting friendship, to be broken
only at the first convenience, between the " Padi
Shah of all the Russias," and the " Cousin of the
Sun and Moon." More than once did the Gene
ral rise from his seat, and declare that he would
go on to Tehran, to which there could have been
no opposition offered ; but by the Colonel's " head
of prudence he was guided to the line of modera
tion;" and after long and tedious negociations,
precisely at twelve o'clock at night did the cannon
"bruit it to the heavens" that peace was re
established between the two ever-enduring empires
of Persia and Russia.
Then came the rejoicings, the embracings, pow
der and shot exchanged for pilau and champagne ;
and the sturdy combatants, ready before to draw
the sword of contention, were now seen together
smoking the pipe of friendship.
Our venerable host, or " rysh soofeid," with
his long white beard, was fast declining into his
native dust; asthma had seized him, and his
bellows were leaking at every pore. The very
temperate habits of the Persian peasantry, to
whom alcohol is unknown, leads them on through

108 TOORKOMANCHAI.
a long vale of time. ¦" There is scarcely one in a
hundred amongst them who knows his own age ;
for there are no registries of births, either public
or private.! I have often asked them the question,
and they will range sometimes from seventy to a
hundred years.
Our host seemed to feel the pride of having
assisted at these negociations. " Mashallah," said
he, with all the importance of having witnessed it.
He was full of anecdotes respecting the Russians,
and spoke as loudly as he could of their liberality,
which I will do them the justice to say I find, to
be their invariable character wherever I go, with
friend or foe, in all countries. They are not only
just in their monetary transactions, but highly
liberal. I have heard this both on the continent
and in the east.
Passing the day in our village, at lazy length,
with the inexhaustible " tchibook ;" quarrelling
with the dogs, or visiting the natives ; it is some
times rather difficult to "feather the wings of
time." What a plague are these said dogs to
Persian travel; their number, their unappeasable
ferocity, their canine jealousy at the sight of a
Ferengee stranger I On moving off one's carpet,

TOORKOMANCHAI. 109
the first question always is, " Where are the dogs ? "
then, whip in hand, you must battle through them
every inch of ground. In the large towns they
herd together in parties, on the walls, at the gates,
and other prominent stations, perhaps forty or
fifty in a herd, headed by a small cur ; when he
begins, the herd take the signal to pursue any
stranger, man or dog — for they never allow the
intrusion of- a member of any other herd. They
are useful as scavengers, but a great annoyance to
travellers. The Mahomedans have a prejudice in
their favour ; I don't know what ; but you dare not
kill a dog. If there be any complaint, it must be
made to the " beglerbeg," or mayor of the town,
and he receives it with as much formality as if it
were against any other inhabitant.
Emerging from our village at break of day, on
the high road to Tehran, I found it mpre interest
ing than some other branches, and dissimilar from
that monotony so generally pervading Persian
travel. The passes were rugged, the rivers deep ;
the latter offer some dangers where bridges are so
scarce and so imperfect. Plunging into one of
them rather hastily, my horse lost his footing, and
was fast carried off by the stream, and being driven

110 TOORKOMANCHAI.
on a sand-bank, had a hard struggle to gain the
opposite side. There being always some difficulty
with the baggage-horses, crossing the rivers be
comes a scene of some interest, as these streams
sometimes contain the most treacherous whirlpools,
swallowing up man and beast; of which Sir John
Malcolm gives a striking anecdote in his history.
We next got into a most difficult ravine, the ups
and downs of which made the horses snort, and
we lost our way in the wilderness. At length we
emerged into a Koordish village, in which we could
scarcely obtain the hospitality of water ; for these
people are but little removed above the flocks and
herds they live amongst, and one feels degraded to
see human beings reduced to any thing so low in
the scale of creation : they merely vegetate on the
soil which feeds them, their dens sometimes dis
turbed by the cattle, and they lie down together
amidst the mutual dung and rubbish. I always
prefer the cattle apartment where there is a dis
tinction, and have often enjoyed the warm shelter
oT a stable, sleeping luxuriously on the hard
ground, my horse snorting over me. There is a
certain luxury in this easy and aboriginal mode, of
which we get plenty in Persian travel.

TOORKOMANCHAI. Ill
We then paid a visit to the Khan's village of
Sheik der Abaud ; the Ketkodeh, with nume
rous villagers, some on horse, some on ass-back,
according to their means, coming out to meet him ;
and the respectful homage with which he was con
ducted to his tent, with their " Kush amadeed," or
welcome ; the impatient haste of the Rayahs, as
they thronged around the Khan's horse; their
noisy vociferations through the village, " the Khan
is come :" made it a most amusing scene. I took
all this for attachment to the Khan's government,
which had been renowned for clemency and libe
rality — so much so, that many new settlers came
to sit under " the protecting shadow of his coun
tenance." Then began the " chum y chum," or compli
ments ; quite a shower of them. The Khan seeing
the flourishing state of the village, " Your face is
whitened," said he to the Ketkodeh; to which
he replied, " May your condescension never be
less. If I have any salt, 'tis the salt of the Khan ;
all I have is his." He is then permitted to sit at
the end of the nummed, and the pipe of conde
scension is offered to him from the Khan's mouth ;
this is the highest proof of favour.

112 TOORKOMANCHAI.
I was exceedingly amused at witnessing these
proceedings. As the natives stood around, whilst
the Khan held his village parliament, their sundry
griefs and wants were enumerated, sometimes with
noisy clamour. One fellow was particularly voci
ferous with his sufferings. I fancy he had been
ill-used, from the many attempts to put him down.
The parliamentary usage of " spoke," not being
sufficient, " Stop his mouth," said the Khan;
with that the " farosh" hit him such a blow with
a stick as silenced him at once, and cut short the
thread of his discourse, and as I imagined, with
some damage to his future eloquence, since he
must have swallowed some of his teeth.
The Ketkodeh then made a report of his
administration ; the levies of corn, of rice, and
other produce for the Khan's use ; that so many
new subjects had been born to him; so many
arrived; and the thousand and one incidents of
a Persian village were most eloquently detailed.
He then recapitulated the wants of the villagers ;
amongst others a " hummum," or bath, was asked
for, and immediately granted. " Barikallah," said
the gapesters, " may your bounty never be less."
Many other demands were summarily acceded to.

TOORKOMANCHAI. 113
The bounteous Khan was now appealed to by
the Moolah who wanted a new mosque to be
built for the followers of Ali. As I sat on my
nummed of novelty, and smoked my pipe of medi
tation, I began to think that here the Khan's
liberality would be stayed (seeing that he was not
a Mahomedan, but an " Isauvi," or Christian). To
my great astonishment, this was also granted.
" What ! " said I to the Khan with indignant sur
prise ; " you going to raise a temple to the worship
of the impostor?" He laughed. " Not a bit of
it," said he ; "I neither intend it, nor do they
expect it." So here was Persian legislation ! no
one deceived but myself! 1 They had been bandy
ing about compliments, promises, and thanks, for
an hour or so, without any meaning beyond that
of " Persian courtesies," which, to use a homely
phrase, are as " plenty as blackberries."]
The debates were no longer interesting to me ;
I immediately rose, and the Khan followed, sur
rounded by his numerous vassals, all lauding him
with their " May the Khan's shadow increase, and
his bounty grow," and finally the " Khoda hafiz
shuma," " may God take you into his holy protec
tion." The Parliament was broken up, and the

114 TOORKOMANCHAI.
House prorogued sine die. The Persians are very
polite, certainly, which it must be admitted is an
agreeable concomitant of character ; but as to trust
ing them ! — But I have done ; though I should not
omit saying that the Khan's obedient subjects were
so captivated with his robes, that the same night
they plundered the tent of almost of every thing it
possessed, whilst we were sleeping in it, Of course
every enquiry was instituted, the bastinado threat
ened, but no delinquent could be found. The
general custom is to begin with the Ketkodeh,
who is soon degraded from his high station to the
" felek," * and so on through the village, until the
culprit is discovered. But the Khan was afraid to
proceed to such extremities, either dreading an
emeute, or that it would be somewhat inconsistent
with his late parliamentary courtesies.
Luckily for me, my things escaped, or they
would have told amongst the Sheik der Abau-
dies, there being a marked difference between
their " shelwars" and my tights. Suffice it that
* This is a mode of punishment peculiar, I believe, to Persia.
A long pole is held up by two men, having a noose in the middle
of it, through which the feet of the culprit are passed, whilst
two others strike upon them according to the sentence of so
many sticks.

TOORKOMANCHAI. 115
the robbers were never found out; they put it
upon the Eleauts, or wandering tribes, who, they
said, had been prowling 'about our tent, though
no one saw them. I imagined that the Khan
having promised so liberally, they doubted his
sincerity, and therefore helped themselves to
what they could find — a genuine specimen this of
Persian character. They do not even believe
themselves — how can they believe each other?
They say " Falsehood mixed with good intentions,
is preferable to truth tending to excite strife."
" Let us be off," said I to the Khan, almost
dreading that they might dispute with us even our
" personals." He laughed at my ignorance of
the Persian customs, boasted of his subjects, and
proceeded to legislate on the affairs of the
village. Whilst he was thus occupied some eight or ten
days, I strolled about on horseback into some of
those pretty nooks and recesses with which the
neighbourhood abounded. Amongst others, was
the " Baugy Zardaloo," or apricot garden, literally
so, since it was planted with these trees exclu
sively, forming a beautiful umbrageous retreat.
The origin of this place was rather interesting.

116 TOORKOMANCHAI.
A house, now in ruins, had been built some twenty
years before by order of the Prince, for the accom
modation of Mr. Williamson, an Englishman, who
had come to Persia to superintend the working of
the extensive copper mines supposed to exist in
this district of Sheik der Abaud.
Here I found the remains of furnaces, with other
fragments of mining operations. These mines
form quite a history in this country. It is singu
lar, and perhaps almost peculiar to the Persian
soil, that the finest promises end in empty nothings.
I speak of natural deceptions, not personal ones.
I had been already taken in by the " subah kauzib,"
or " the false dawn ;" likewise by the "sahrah," or
" mirage," which, to a thirsty traveller, I found to
be the most tantalizing. But now I was to be
taken in by finding native copper on the surface,
whilst the bowels were empty veins of ore, leading
to threads, and then lost, no one could tell where;
there was just enough to keep up the deception
for a time, and then, Persian like, they would
only mock your expectations. Digging and digging,
" now we have it," said M  ; " here is a vein
inexhaustible :" and after much toil it totally dis
appeared.

TOORKOMANCHAI. 117
I had much experience in this village, and began
to like my domicile amongst the villagers; even
the dogs became civil. There is also a sort of charm
about Persian servants, I mean the way in which
they serve you, although you know you cannot
trust them. I was plundered by them several
times, but what of that ? They are always ready
with their prompt attention, waiting on your looks,
almost anticipating your wants; and then their
agreeable " belli sahib," to any thing you may ask,
right or wrong. And how agreeable in the morn
ing, on opening your eyes, to find them waiting
with the "tchibook" ready lit, and the excellent
cup of coffee. How many a cloud have I whiffed
from my pillow, which I deem the " Persian
Elysium." There is another advantage in Persian
servants : if you are in a bad humour, in order to
get out of it you may cuff them about like a
parcel of foot-balls ; they spring up again with
their " belli sahib," not at all offended.
They have a curious custom in this country of
endeavouring to find out a thief. They prepare
the " hak-reezi," which is a heap of earth in a
dark place, through which the servants are to pass

118 TOORKOMANCHAI.
— in at one door, out at the other. It would be
rather uncivil to suspect any one in particular;
so to avoid personalities, you request the thief to
drop the stolen articles in the earth, and nothing
more will be said about it I tried the experiment,
but without success.

119

CHAPTER X.

HENRY MARTIN.

Of this distinguished missionary and champion
of the cross, who fearlessly unfolded. his banner
and proclaimed Christ amongst the bigotted Maho
medans, I have heard much in these countries,
having made acquaintance with some persons who
knew him, and saw (if I may so say) the last of
him. At the General's table at Erzroume (Paskevitch),
I had the honour to meet graffs and princes,
consisting of Russians, Georgians, Circassians,
Germans, Spaniards, and Persians, all glittering
in their stars and orders, such a melange as is

120 HENRY MARTIN.
scarcely to be found again under one banner;
looking more like a monarch's levy than any thing
else. My neighbour was an Armenian bishop, who,
with his long flowing hair and beard, and austere
habits, the cross being suspended to his girdle,
presented a great contrast to the military chiefs.
There were many other priests at the table, of
whom he was the principal. He addressed me in
my native tongue very tolerably, asking if I had
known any thing of the missionary, Martin. The
name was magic to my ear, and immediately our
colloquy became to me of great interest.
The bishop was the Serrafino of whom Martin
speaks in his journal, p. 454, I happening, at the
time, to have it with me. He was very superior to
the general caste of the Armenian clergy, having
been educated at Rome, and had attained many
European languages. He made Martin's acquain
tance at Etchmiazin, the Armenian monastery -at
Erivan, where he had gone to pay a visit to the
Patriarch, or chief of that people, and remained
three days to recruit his exhausted strength. He
described him to me as being of a very delicate
frame, thin, and not quite of the middle, stature,
a beardless youth, with a countenance beaming

HENRY MARTIN. 121
with so much benignity as to bespeak an errand of
Divine love. Of the affairs of the world he seemed
to be so ignorant, that Serrafino was obliged to
manage for him respecting his travelling arrange
ments, money matters, &c. Of the latter he had
a good deal with him when he left the monastery,
and seemed to be careless, and even profuse, in his
expenditure. He was strongly recommended to
postpone his journey, but from his extreme impa
tience to return to England, these remonstrances
were unavailing. A Tartar was employed to con
duct him to Tocat. Serrafino accompanied him
for an hour or two on the way — with considerable
apprehensions, as he told me, of his ever arriving
in his native country.* He was greatly surprised,
he said, not only to find in him all the ornaments
of a refined education, but that he was so eminent
a Christian ; " since (said he) all the English I have
hitherto met with, not only make no profession of
religion, but live seemingly in contempt of it."
I endeavoured to convince him that his impres-
* It is a custom in the East to accompany travellers out of
the city to bid them God speed, with the " khoda hafiz shuma,"
"may God take you into his holy keeping. " If an Armenian,
he is accompanied by the priest, who prays over him and for him
with much fervour.
VOL. I. G

122 HENRY MARTIN.
sion of the English character was in this respect
erroneous ; that although a Martin on the Asiatic
soil might be deemed a phoenix, yet many such
existed in that country which gave him birth ; and
I instanced to him the Christian philanthropy of
my countrymen, which induced them to search
the earth's boundaries to extend their faith. I told
him of our immense voluntary taxation to aid the
missionaries in that object, and of the numerous
Christian associations, — for which the world was
scarcely large enough to expend themselves upon.
He listened with great attention, and then threw
in the compliment, " you English are very difficult
to become acquainted with, but when once we
know you, we can depend on you." He com
plained of some part of Martin's journal referring
to himself, respecting his then idea of retiring to
India, to write and print some works in the Arme
nian language, tending to enlighten that people
with regard to religion. He said, that what fol
lowed of the errors and superstitions of the Arme
nian church, should not have been inserted in the
book, nor did he think it would be found in Mar
tin's journal. His complaint rested much on the
compilers of the work in this respect ; he said,

HENRY MARTIN. 123
" these opinions were not exactly so expressed,
and certainly they were not intended to come
before the public, whereby they might ultimately
be turned against me."
At Erzroume, on my way to Persia, I had met
with an Italian doctor, then in the Pasha's employ,
from whom I heard many interesting particulars
respecting Martin. He was at Tocat at the time of
our countryman's arrival and death, which occurred
on the 16th October, 1812; but whether occasioned
by the plague, or from excessive fatigue by the
brutal treatment of the Tartar, he could not de
termine. His remains were decently interred in
the Armenian burying ground, and for a time the
circumstance was forgotten. Some years after
wards, a gentleman, at the request of the British
ambassador in Constantinople, had a commemo
rative stone erected to his memory, and application
was made to the Armenian bishop to seek the
grave for that purpose. He seemed to have for
gotten altogether such an occurrence, but referring
to some memoranda which he had made of so
remarkable a case as that of interring a Ferengee
stranger, he was enabled to trace the humble tablet
with which he had distinguished it. It is now
g2

124 HENRY MARTIN.
ornamented with a white slab, stating merely the
name, age, and time of death of the deceased.*
I had many reminiscences of Martin, at Ma-
rand particularly. I quitted this place at midnight,
just at the time and under the circumstances which
he describes. " It was a most mild and delightful
night, and the pure air, after the smell of the
stable, was reviving." I was equally solitary with
himself. I had attached great interest to my rest
ing-place, believing it to have been the same on
which Martin had reposed, from his own descrip
tion, as it was the usual reception for travellers,
the " menzil," or post-house. Here I found myself
almost alone, as with Aliverdy, my guide, not
three words of understanding existed between us.
Martin says, " they stared at my European dress,
* Qn my return to Erzroume, two years afterwards, I learnt
the tragical end of the Italian doctor, who was sacrificed to
Mahomedan vengeance. As the Russians were approaching the
town, he happened to be the only European remaining there;
and being in the Pasha's service, he deemed it to be ample pro-
tection ; he became alarmed, however, at the feverish state of the
town, and sent on his wife and family to Tocat, intending to
join them there. Not half an hour elapsed before he was stopped
by the Turks and shot; they then took him to one of the
mosques, and hacked the body into morsels, with merciless bar*
barity. No motive could be assigned beyond that of an ebullition
of savage feeling at Russian invasion.

HENRY MARTIN. 125
but no disrespect was shown." Exactly so with me :
the villagers stood around questioning my atten
dant, who was showing me off, I know not how.
Martin's description of the stable was precisely
what I found it ; thus — " I was shown into the
stable, where there was a little place partitioned off,
but so as to admit a view of the horses." He was
" dispirited and melancholy." I was not a little
touched with this in my solitariness, and sensibly
felt with the poet: —
" Thou dost not know, how sad it is to stray
Amid a foreign land, thyself unknown,
And when o'erwearied with the toilsome day,
To rest at eve and feel thyself alone."
At Khoie, on my return, I witnessed the Persian
ceremony related by Martin in his journal of the
death of Imam Hussein — the anniversary of which
is so religiously observed in that country. At
Tabreez I heard much of him who was
"  Faithful found

Among the faithless — faithful only he,
Unshaken, unseduced, unterrified,
His loyalty he kept — his zeal — his love."
I scarcely remember so bright an ornament to
the Christian profession, on heathen land, as this

126 HENRY MARTIN.
hero of the cross, who was " patient in tribulation,
rejoicing in hope ;" and I heard him thus spoken
of by those who could estimate the man, and per
haps not appreciate the missionary; — " If ever there
was a saint on earth, it was Martin ; and if there be
now an angel in heaven, it is Martin." Amidst the
contumely of the bigotted Musselmans, he had
much to bear, as to the natural man, amongst
whom he was called an " Isauvi," (the term given
to Christians).
Martin's translation of the Scriptures did, at
length, find royal protection in Persia, as by the
following firman : — " In the name of God, whose
glory is over all ! It is our high will, that our dear
friend, the worthy and respectable Sir Gore Ousley,
Envoy Extraordinary from his Majesty the King of
Great Britain, be informed that the book of the
Gospel, translated into the Persian tongue by the
labours of Henry Martin, of blessed memory, which
has been presented to us in the name of the learned,
worthy, and enlightened society of Christians, who
have united for the purpose of spreading the divine
books of the teacher Jesus (to whose name, as to
that of all the prophets, be ascribed honour and
blessing) has been received by us, and merits our

HENRY MARTIN. 127
high acknowledgment. For many years the four
gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, were
known in Persia ; but now the whole of the New
Testament is completely translated, which event
is a new source of satisfaction to our enlightened
mind. With the grace of God, the merciful, we
will dire ct those of our servants who are admitted
into our presence to read the said writings from
beginning to end before us, that we may listen to
their sentiments respecting the same. Inform the
members of the above enlightened society, that
they receive, as they merit, our thanks.
Given in Rebialavil, in the year of the
Hegira 1229.
Futtee Ali Shah Kajar."
Thus much for the royal courtesy; but I will
venture to say, that " the enlightened mind" was
never once illuminated by hearing read the trans
lations alluded to; he and his courtiers would
rather spit upon them, than admit our Scriptures
within the " dur kaneh," or palace gate. I have
had proof of this in a German missionary, who,
with much toil and bribery, smuggled some trans
lations amongst them. On his quitting Persia,

128 HENRY MARTIN.
they contemptuously tore them up in his presence,
and trampled them in the dirt.
I know of no people where, to all human calcu
lation, so little prospect opens of planting the cross.
The moolahs are by no means averse to religious
discussion, and still remember the " enlightened
infidel," as Martin was called ; but so bigotted are
these benighted Moslems, and show so much zeal,
as I noticed at their Ramazan, that they scorn us,
and, I may say, they shame us. It is interesting,
when looking at those dark regions, to enquire-
when shall the cross triumph over the crescent?
when shall the riches and power of the Gospel
spread over their soil, root up the weeds of error,
and produce the fruits of righteousness ?
Since the days of Martin, but little effort has
been made by the Missionary Society to turn the
tide of Christian philanthropy towards this coun
try ; but I would say, 'spite of the discourage
ments, send your missionaries to this stronghold
of Mahomet ; here plant your standard of redeem
ing love to the wretched devotee of the impostor ;
to the sometime worshipper of the sun, hang out
the banner of the Son of Righteousness ; kindle
in his bosom the flame of Divine truth, that the

HENRY MARTIN. 129
Holy Spirit, of which his former God was the
emblem, may enlighten and guide him into the fold
of Christ*
* It is gratifying to find from a paper in the "Asiatic Register,"
the writer of which spent a few weeks at Shiraz, that the love
and work of this distinguished missionary, although he saw
no fruits from them, have in one instance proved that " his
labour has not been in vain in the Lord." He relates that in
that city he met with an interesting character, Mahomed Rahem,
who had been educated for a moolah; a man of considerable
learning, and much attached to the English. He found him
reading a volume of Cowper's Poems, and was astonished at the
precision with which he expressed himself in English ; this led
to the subject of religion, when he acknowledged himself to be
a Christian, and related the following circumstance.
" In the year of the Hegira 1223, there came to this city an
Englishman, who taught the religion of Christ with a boldness
hitherto unparalleled in Persia, in the midst of much scorn and
ill treatment from the moolahs as well as the rabble. He was a
beardless youth, and evidently enfeebled by disease ; he dwelt
amongst us for more than a year. I was then a decided enemy
to infidels, as the Christians are termed by the followers of Ma
homet, and I visited this teacher of the despised sect, for the
purpose of treating him with scorn, and exposing his doctrines to
contempt. Although I persevered in this conduct for some
time, I found that every interview not only increased my respect
for the individual, but diminished my confidence in the faith in
which I was educated. His extreme forbearance towards the
violence of his opponents, the calm and yet convincing manner
in which he exposed the fallacies and sophistries by which he was
assailed (for he spokePersian excellently), gradually inclined me to
listen to his arguments, to enquire dispassionately into the subject
of them, and finally to read a tract which he had written in reply
g3

130 HENRY MARTIN.
to " A Defence of Islamism," by our chief moolahs. The result
of my examination was a conviction that the young disputant was
right. Shame, or rather fear, withheld me from this opinion ;
I even avoided the society of the Christian teacher, though he
remained in the city so long. Just before he quitted Shiraz I
could not refrain from paying him a farewell visit. Our conver
sation, the memory of which will never fade from the tablet of my
mind, sealed my conversion. He gave me a book ; it has been
my constant companion ; the study of it has formed my most
delightful occupation ; its contents have often consoled me. "
Upon this he put into my hand a copy of the New Testament
in Persian, on one of the blank leaves was written, " there is joy
in Heaven over one-sinner that repenteth." Henry Martin.
The only person I remember whose missionary zeal has led
him from England towards Persia since Martin's death, was
Mr. Groves. To labour in Persia was, I believe, his original
design, although he went beyond it into Turkey. This eminently
distinguished layman sacrificed country, fortune, and friends, to his
ardent desire for unfurling the banner of the Cross, and preaching
Christ crucified to the poor Mahomedans. But zeal, indiscreet
zeal, may waste its odours even when it proceeds from the purest
motive, and on this account one grieves to see an individual
spending and being spent where no good results have been, nor
are ever likely to be seen. Instead of grounding himself in the
language, which he ought to have done in England — instead of
associating himself with some particular church, be it either
within or without the -national establishment — he went into the
wilds of Mahomedanism, where the natives esteemed him to be
a wandering dervish, instead of a respectable moolah or sheik,
which title would have commanded for him immediate respect.
With an ignorant people, rank in life goes a great way, and
although we know that to be a Christian priest it is not neces.
sary to be clothed in canonicals, yet to be an effective advocate
of the cause of Christ amongst the Moslems, he should have
been of some order of the priesthood. This interesting cha-

HENRY MARTIN. 131
racter (from an obstinacy of indiscretion, if I may use the term)
has sacrificed a life of wearying and unproductive labour at
Bagdad. His Journal from thence, instead of reporting spi
ritual progress amongst the Mahomedans, presents a tissue of
sufferings and misfortunes to himself and his dear people, quite
harrowing to the feelings, and partaking more of romance than
reality. Where he may be now spending himself I know not,
though I believe him to be labouring on Mahomedan soil.

132

CHAPTER XL

KARADAGH.

This district of Persia has been but little visited
by the Ferengees. I will, therefore, stroll over the
surface more leisurely. Having made another visit
to the Khan's village in our vagabondizing tour,
where we had been complimented and pillaged,
I began to get more acquainted with the Persian
finesse, which, among themselves, means " neither
to believe nor to be believed."
1 Duplicity is so deeply impressed upon the Per
sian character, that the greatest adept in it has the
most honour. The game of conversation is kept
up with an overwhelming politeness. \ Thus the
master of the house tells his guest, that " he looks

KARADAGH. 133
as brilliant as the sun, and as placid as the moon ;"
to which he replies, " his ears are now regaled
with the tones of the nightingale, and may the
roses of happiness ever bloom in the garden of his
destiny;" with other compliments quite untrans
latable ; and the thousand and one nothings come
out of their mouths so glibly, and so unmeaningly,
that they seem glad when it is over, and laugh at
each other. On taking leave there is a great deal
said about " zhamet." I was long ignorant of the
meaning of this word, which implies by the visitor
what a deal of trouble he has given ; the other
doubles it with " kali zhamet" — it is he that has
given the trouble ; — and so they go on bowing out
each other with their "zhamets" innumerable.
It was in the month of June that we traversed
this district. The way began through a fine coun
try (for Persia), well watered, which occasioned
a continuity of villages, seemingly all flourishing.
At Overjon we rested the first evening, having
pitched our tent in a beautiful orchard ; and the
approach to the village was remarkable from the
high mountains which we had to cross, some of
the ravines being filled with snow. I have the
most vivid recollection of this day's ride ; setting

134 KARADAGH.
out in a broiling sun, and then encountering an
atmosphere below zero. Near the river we passed
a small Koordish encampment; then the abrupt
ascent of a very narrow pass led to this magnificent
mountain scenery, reminding me much of the wilds
of Koordistan. I thought I had never seen any
daylight so singular ; there was a sunny landscape
on the extensive plains, looking warm and cheer
ing, with little bright spots of villages here and
there, man and beast from thence scarcely dis
cernible. The mountains over which we were travelling,
were clothed partly with verdure, partly with snow.
The wonder was how we got up ; but it was ex
ceeded by how we were to descend; which was
always on the slide. The magnificence of Persian
scenery consists in its seemingly boundless extent ;
the outline being piled up in every variety of moun
tain, but not rock. Both mind and body seem to
expand at such scenes : you breathe freely ; " the
world is all before you, where to choose" a bound
less estate ; you inhale the air of prodigal freedom,
never to be felt in an enclosed country — 'tis a sort
of aerial feeling.
I had unknowingly preceded my party, and had

KARADAGH. 135
just exclaimed, " Oh let me gaze, of gazing there's
no end!" when I was surprised by a host of vil
lagers on horseback, Hadji Cossim Khan's family
being coming from the district to which I was
tending. The cortege consisted of many fair
haremites and female slaves, preceded by the
faroshs clearing the way, and looking with most
jealous eye lest any one might glance at the ladies
covered with shawls. The Persian vigilance, in
this respect, is never relaxed, and a breach of
good manners by any attempt to invade it might
prove very dangerous to the traveller.
They seemed surprised to see a Ferengee
stranger in these wild passes quite alone. The
Khan, seeing our party in the distance, galloped
off to greet them. His horses were richly capari
soned ; his suite numerous ; and I deemed this one
of the most sumptuous Persian turns-out that I
had yet seen (royalty excepted). These chiefs in
Persia, when very remote from the seat of govern
ment, live in great state; they exercise absolute
sovereignty over their dependents, and will some
times defy the exactions of the Shah himself when
they deem them exorbitant
Seated on the green sward of a pretty orchard,

136 KARADAGH.
at Overjon, the interesting arrangements of car-
petting, camping, haltering, &c. went on. We had
made a toilsome march of it this day ; the beasts
were tired ; and finding ourselves so agreeably
encamped, we tarried the following day at this
village, and promenading about, as was my wont,
whip in hand, dog hunting (or rather dog fearing),
I suddenly came on a party of women, washing
their linen in the running stream. Up they started
with one general " whallah ;" and planting them
selves against the wall face in hand, there they
stood, a most picturesque group of moving rags,
unslippered, but all veiled. I dreaded an emeute,
of the dogs at least.
I have already noticed this strong national cus
tom of female modesty — if it may be so called — in
Persia, amongst the better classes ; that it should
extend to the canaille is remarkable. I never saw
any national prejudice so strong. I had frequent
subsequent confirmations of this when coming sud
denly into a village, and surprising women under
similar circumstances ; their consternation was exr
cessive ; helter-skelter they ran, hiding their faces
in their hands, whilst the nether garments had
some of them escaped, it being windy weather.

KARADAGH. 137
The next morning, at six o'clock, we crossed
the Hadji river, reputed to be salt water. Sitting
down on its banks, we converted some of it into
tea ; nor did it vitiate the souchong at all, that I
remember. It was now no longer the arid land
of Persia; water was gushing from the soil in
various directions; and we had many a fording
difficulty this day, particularly with the baggage-
horses. This is always an affair of some little in
terest. The " charwarder" has to dash into the
stream first, to sound the depths, &c. and if he
succeeds the rest of the party follow. Sometimes
he has to swim for it, and then other soundings
must be made; then the "yaboo" becomes obsti
nate ; he sticks in the mud, or will lay down with
the load on his back. It is always an interesting
affair, and some little anxiety is felt to get it well
over. Pursuing our way, on attaining the summit of
the hill, looking down into the little village of
Herries, I was enchanted with the peaked moun
tains, the extensive plains — all mute and motion
less. " Here will I dwell," said I to the Khan,
" and become Ketkodeh of Herries." Persian

1 38 KARADAGH.
like, permission was immediately granted; and
I had only to take possession. But on the nearer
approach it savoured of ruins, and on entering it I
found nothing else. The Khan laughed, and bid
me joy of my possession. A wild garden springing
up here and there amidst the crumbling mud walls,
bespoke rich vegetation ; and the water was abun
dant. The blight of oppression had sunk this once
flourishing place almost into the very soil from
whence it sprung.
Amidst the remains we breakfasted, there being
a few squalid inhabitants, who furnished us with
" moss," or sour milk, a most excellent beverage,
beside good pancake-bread, butter, fruits, &c.
Even in these village remains lay Persian dupli
city ; I mean in the concealed abundance of every
provision. Had the Mehmandar been coming with
his " sadir," or royal order to feed all his followers,
there would have been plenty of sticks, but no
bread ; but only show them the " siller," which is
more potent with them than even the firman of
the " King of Kings," there is nothing wanting.
] The poor natives, ground down by oppression, are
obliged to be deceptive and treacherous ; it is die-

KARADAGH. 139
tated to them by the law of self-preservation, which
is stronger than any dictum even of " his most
despotic Majesty.''/
We went on in a much wilder country than any
I had yet visited ; the ravines and mountains we
had encountered before were nothing compared to
these cloud-capped eminences. The horses snorted
as they went up, and trembled as they came
down. Even in these wilds there were occasional en
campments of the savage-looking Koords, under
their black tents, wherever a patch of pasture could
be found. These people know nothing about rent
or taxes ; happily disencumbered from the tram
mels of refined life, they despise its impositions.
But the " chadre," or veil, was not forgotten. One
fair shepherdess, when tending her flock, was very
assiduous with her rags, which seemed rather dis
posed to coquet with her charms, by means of
chinks here and there discoverable. But by put
ting my hand to my eyes (as a sort of assurance
that I could see nothing), her modesty was spared.
At such places we always kept together in a sort
of battle array, arms primed, and looking as fierce
as possible to all intruders; any loiterer being

140 KARADAGH.
liable to be cut off. The Khan's vigilant eye asso
ciated the party in close phalanx. Thus we moved
on over hill, over dale, ascending and descending
frighful precipices. Here we met, in a very narrow
pass, troops of Koords, or a moving village ; every
animal put in requisition, from a donkey to a bul
lock, laden with tents and kettles, children and
chickens, slung in baskets ; such a melange as was
never seen in Europe I will venture to say, with
their flocks and herds, horses and camels. The
whole village was in motion, the men looking
grimly wild ; the women, under their tattered
garb, striving to keep up amidst rags and penury
the Mahomedan " shame-facedness" so peculiar to
this people. They are shepherds by hereditary
occupation, and plunderers from cupidity.
The spring of the year is hailed with delight by
this nomadic race, when I have seen them emi
grating from pasture to pasture. They retain their
primitive pastoral habits, which the vicissitudes of
ages have never eradicated. These nomades of
the wilderness seem devoid of all local attach
ments ; their wants are few ; they appear contented
and happy.
The tribe amongst whom we were moving were

KARADAGH. 141
notorious horse-stealers; they would even come
down to Tabreez, rob the stables, and take the
cattle into these mountains, where it is almost im
possible to follow them; in their fastnesses they
are inaccessible.
At length we arrived at a height where all sem
blance of a road ceased, to the great embarrassment
of our guide. Not a trace of animal or village
could be made ; the ground being partially covered
with snow, and otherwise of that barren descrip
tion where " thistles grow instead of wheat, and
cockles instead of barley." What was to be done ?
But there is an inexhaustible resource in Persian
travel — the inviting "tchibook,"— so squatting our
selves on the ground, we puffed many a cloud, and
held council as to proceeding. Every point of the
compass was alike ; no clue whatever tended to the
village which we were seeking; so, leaving it to
the horses, we had not proceeded far when some
shepherds were seen in the distance, and they
pointed to some almost inaccessible ravines which
must be passed before we could reach the village
of Bahool.
All description must fail of the remainder of

142 KARADAGH.
this day's journey ; it was icy cold in the month of
June ; the clouds played at our feet : —
"  Clouds in heaven's loom,

Wrought through varieties of shape and hue,
In ample folds of drapery divine."
And as we passed through these magnificent folds,
I felt the most thrilling sensations of delight.
As we trod our rugged way, the snow was in
some places so thickly embedded, that it was dif
ficult and dangerous for the baggage horses to
proceed. A brilliant sunshine below (for in those
heights we were quite obscured from its influence)
would occasionally light up a bridle-path, where
the goat was browsing. We slid over rocky chasms
at which the horses revolted; and scanned our
way on the brinks of precipices gaping awfully
below, to which one false step might prove the
last As I trod my slippery way, I would occa
sionally pause on some nook, —
" To gaze and gaze, and wonder at the scene. "
I thought our dangers and difficulties amply
repaid by the imposing view of this mountain
scenery. Sublimity sat on its summits— grandeur
and beauty in its vales ; and the variety of shades

KARADAGH. 143
scattered upon the whole made it look more like a
picture than a reality.
But why do I compare art to nature ! I,
" Who have been accustomed to entwine
My thoughts with nature rather in the fields,
Than art in galleries  . "
I was almost drunk with its magnificence, and
staggered down our harassing way, quite unknow
ing to what it Avould lead. There was an imposing
awe in the solitude. If ever I felt out of the
world, it was here. No tenant would inhabit it ;
from the eagle to the goat it was all deserted.
We scrambled on, making towards a sun-lit
valley, which we imagined might be occupied by
the flock and its shepherd ; and it was so. They
were feeding in rich pastures, to which we de
scended, where we got into almost tropical heat.
I have before noticed the extraordinary and rapid
changes of climate in Persia. In a few hours we
had experienced this to as much as thirty degrees.
Here we learnt how much we had deviated
from the proper road; and having taken tempo
rary rest, and obtained information of a Koordish
encampment, we sped our way to it, where we

144 KARADAGH.
were refreshed with " moss," or sour milk, dealt
out to us very liberally, spite of the jealousy
of the dogs, who seemed very angry at our in
trusion. These nomades are always hospitable;
ask for their salt, and they are sure to grant
it you, which includes protection to a certain
extent, beyond which they plunder you if they
can. We were not long in descending to our village
of Bahool, where we found our tents pitched in
a pretty orchard, the servants having preceded
us the day before. This wretched village was
situated near what the natives call a "jangall," or
forest, although it offered a mere brushwood of
stunted oak. Immediately around it were cer
tainly a few trees of the birch kind, but late in
their vegetation ; but even these were to me a
great novelty, having travelled so far without
seeing a tree of any sort, garden wood excepted.
Here we enjoyed our rest —
" All on the margin of a foaming stream,
And spread our careless limbs  "
and smoked our tchibook of repose.
Having rested at this village some sixteen days,

KARADAGH. 145
I had much enjoyment of the nomadic life ; and as
I plunged farther into the forest, its magnificence
expanded, and opened new pages of nature's beau
ties. I explored the gardens, got acquainted with
the natives, propitiated the dogs, and really felt
so happy in this wilderness, that I was loath to
leave it.
\ I deem the Persian peasantry a very happy
people (when under a liberal governor), because
they are a contented people. The more they
are isolated from any large town or government,
the more is there of simplicity of mind, con
sequently less corruption of manners. Amongst
them, any thing like want, much less of starvation,
can never be known. \ I have already spoken of
the abundance of a Persian village breakfast.
They have " moss," or sour milk, which they are
very fond of; an abundance of flat bread, which
is soft and unleavened ; with butter, cheese, honey,
fruits in the season, eggs and fowls, rice and
tobacco. \ They are never degraded by that stimu
lating demon, alcohol ; nor is their soil polluted
by the demoralizing gin-shops^— those sinks of
iniquity, those reservoirs of shame and death,
VOL. i. H

146 KARADAGH.
which so degrade my native country, heating the
mechanic almost into rebellion; rendering him,
instead of a portion of the healthy strength, the
noxious excrescence of his country. * From this
the Persian peasant is exempt.
| But they are not without their grievances. The
occasional oppression of their local governors I
have already alluded to; and another calamity,
with which they are sometimes visited, withers
their substance, desolates their land, and often
drives them from their locality. I allude to the
locusts, showers of which will occasionally visit
the land. \ Whilst at dinner one day on the top of
the house at Tehran, a small quantity of them
dropped on our plates, attracted no doubt by the
lights. I once met with them on the road to
Kirishkeen ; the natives were horrified at their
approach, and took every means to frighten them
* The "temperance," and even " total abstinence" system is
stealthily as it were making its way in this country, conferring a
blessing on the community second only to "the Gospel of Peace."
It is astonishing the progress it has made in Ireland under the
influence of Father Matthew. Let us compete with the Maho
medans in this respect, and banish the demon alcohol from our
soil.

KARADAGH. 147
off by "sounding brass and tinkling cymbal."
They resemble the grasshopper in size and shape;
they are heavy on the wing, and soon fall to the
ground, where they lay in seeming helplessness.
I am not aware whether they are of that species
which at the command of Moses so desolated
Egypt; but they move occasionally in immense
bodies, seemingly led by the king or queen of the
tribe. They travel long journeys, and are gene
rally brought in with a south-east wind. Their
eggs being deposited in the autumn, are warmed
into life by the sun.'
The locusts which I saw were about three
inches long, of a bright yellow colour. It is
said that some of the people gather them for
food ; that they are good eating when boiled, and
that they are even preserved by salting. I was
by no means curious to taste of this spawn of
nature, particularly with such an abundance of
other food.
I had many a solitary meandering in these
wilds. The river jumped down in foamy haste,
in this Alpine scenery ; there was only the
sea wanting to complete Byron's description,
h2

148 KARADAGH.
which I have so often entered into, and so truly
felt:— " There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society where none intrudes,
By the deep sea, and music in its roar :
I love not man the less, but nature more,
From these our interviews, in which I steal
From all I may be or have been before,
To mingle with the universe, and feel
What I can ne'er express, nor yet can all conceal."

149

CHAPTER XII.
THE " IMARET KHORSHEED."
It was deemed a wonderful favour to be allowed
to see this "Palace of the Sun," of which, with
its numerous groves and fountains, flowers and
shrubs, I had heard quite an oriental description,
which had "tickled the imagination and opened
the door of curiosity."
The buildings stood in different detached courts,
and were all of mud, having the usual flat roof.
The first hall, into which I was introduced by
one of the court Khans, was the throne-room,
from which his Majesty occasionally " sheds the
light of his countenance on the dust of the earth."
It was large and lofty, having recesses at each end,

150 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
on the walls of which were some displays of the
Persian arts, in the way of painting. One of them
was a battle-piece, the subject of which I could
not learn. His Majesty was the most conspicuous
figure in it, carrying all before him. In the gal
leries I noticed some figures of Ferengee males
and females ; I was told that they represented the
earliest British envoys to Persia.
The walls were lined with marble and arabesque
ornaments curiously inlaid ; the ceiling partook of
the same taste, all glittering with Asiatic finery,
The front was open, and supported by two columns
of black marble, about thirty feet high, in solid
pieces, with a wreath around them, curiously cut.
These were deemed great curiosities. On looking
around on this oriental magnificence, which the
Persians esteem to be " the wonder of the world,"
the servants (and they were numerous) were
anxiously waiting to hear my exclamations of
astonishment and delight.
Having trod my barefoot way, and expended all
my Persian terms of admiration, I next examined
the " takht," or throne, which was a moveable
square platform, huge and unshapely. It stood
about three feet from the ground, ascended by as

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 151
many steps. It was all of marble, of very fine
grain; the carving was curious, but many of the
figures unmeaning. It was abundantly ornamented
with inscriptions, and beautifully inlaid with the
Arabic character. In the centre was a small tube,
or jet aTeau, which was supplied from a fountain in
a recess of the room, and was deemed a very
curious display of hydraulics by the Persians.
The farther end of it was raised a little above the
ordinary level. This was the imperial seat. The
whole is carpetted and adorned with small ivory
images when his Majesty is seated.
1 was strongly tempted to take temporary pos
session of the Shah's throne, once the seat of Agha
Mahmoud Koja, the terror of Persia. As a mark
of special favour, I was allowed to occupy, for a
short time, the "takht" of the " Shah Padi Shah,"
the " Centre of the Universe," &c. It caused me
no trepidation to mount the steps of empire, since
I had been familiar with other thrones, and I fear
lessly squatted myself on the same spot which
the royal loins had shortly before occupied. No
cannons "bruited it to the heavens;" no slave
hung upon my nod ; but I found it a hard, com
fortless seat, very incompatible with any thing like

152 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
ease. Had I " let loose the flood-gates of imagi
nation, and stood on the tip-toe of power," I could
have decreed " Off with his head!" and thus have
played the monarch to the full tune of oriental
despotism. One thing I was assured of, that I was
the first "ferengee" who had ever occupied the
throne of Persia.
The second room was called " outough almas,"
from the crystal ornaments being formed diamond
fashion, with which it is entirely covered. To
this you ascend by a flight of awkward steps from
another court. It has likewise a large open
front, supported by pillars of wood, curiously
painted ; and similar recesses and galleries to the
throne-room. The walls have some immense
mirrors, and two large chandeliers are suspended,
the whole being English. The glass is empan-
nelled in very curious shapes, with enamelled
borders, and painted ornaments of birds, roses,
&c, in every variety of that oriental imagery in
which the Persian imagination delights to revel;
presenting altogether a blaze of mirror not un
worthy the fervid description of the " Thousand
and One Nights." The carpet was good; the
"nummeds" thick, but moth-eaten; and as ma-

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 153
jesty himself sports nothing beyond this in the
way of furniture, it leaves me but little to remark
upon. The Khan led me to the Gulistan, or " the
Garden of Roses," of which we hear so much in
Persia, with its bubbling fountains, and flowering
shrubs. Here was to be seen every thing that
could enchant — " the sweet-scented rose that had
never looked upon dust ; the spring that had never
been vexed by a cold blast." This is the Paradise
where " the nightingales warbled their enchanting
notes, and rent the thin veils of the rose-bud and
the rose." But I must have done with oriental
imagery, or I shall never get through this enchant
ing spot, whose numerous tanks and streams of
water gave it a most refreshing coolness. The
plantations of roses were in full bloom, yielding
to the air a delicious fragrance. I could almost
realise the poet's feelings, "that it intoxicated
the senses and made the heart drunk." Here I
must do justice to the taste and ingenuity of the
Persians, of which the Gulistan was certainly a
magnificent display.
From the "bauleh kaneh," or window, which
is very large, having openings both ways, did his
h3

154 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
Majesty generally give audience to the envoys and
courtiers below, who were kept some eight or ten
feet from the window. The "bauleh kaneh"
itself had nothing particularly attractive in it, the
ornaments being very similar to those of the last
room ; but the carpets were better.
I now passed on to the " outough hyenah," or
" room of mirrors," which is entirely covered with
glass, including the ceiling. This was principally,
I understood, from Russia, having that lustreless
hue for which Russian glass is so distinguished.
The chandeliers were English, and some of
"Blade's best."
Then we proceeded to room the fourth, or
" outough bulbul," the ornaments of which were
of marble; but from its being filled with the
presents sent from Russia by the late emperor,
I had but little scope for observation. The China
vases, the bronze ornaments, the dingy cut-glass,
the table and tea services ; these formed a part of
the sundries, piled up in unceremonious heaps in
this room. But amongst them was a great curiosity,
of Russian fabric, an elephant of solid gold, about
twelve inches long, having a dial-plate in front;
this, with its tail and tusks, being moved by the

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 155
same machinery. I had heard of it at Peters
burgh as an extraordinary effort of Russian art ;
but it was not thought much of, seemingly, by the
Persian monarch, since all these things were jum
bled together as mere lumber.
In the same court stands a small octagon room,
called the " kuleh ferengee." It is composed prin
cipally of marble, and has two tanks of water in it,
looking more like baths than any thing else. The
windows were curiously carved, and some tablets of
excellent Persian writing were exhibited on the
walls. I next passed on to an old building, where
stands a curious structure, composed of sandal
wood, sent to his Majesty from India, who used
sometimes to occupy it when drawn into the court,
as it was built upon wheels.
Playing the Paul Pry in all directions, I arrived
at a large court, surrounded by buildings not yet
finished, called the " Aumeneh Tauj," a fancy of
the Tauj u Doulut, for a winter residence. It
was in a very unfinished state, and was divided
into a great number of small rooms, in rich variety
of glass, marble, and tesselated pavements. A
large marble " takht," or sleeping-place, stands in

156 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
the centre of the court ; and here, under heaven's
canopy, the monarch of Iran sometimes reposed
himself. This out-door-sleep custom in the East
is agreeably refreshing, and perfectly safe in a
climate which has no night humidity.
A large building in another court attracted my
attention ; and here, as I was bending my way,
"Sabre koon," "Stop," said the Khan, "it is
the royal harem." And here (pausing at the
threshold) lie the bones of several of the invete
rate enemies of Agha Mahomed Shah, whose
savage resentment was no otherwise to be gratified
than by trampling over their bones daily. This
savoured somewhat of that oriental barbarism with
which Persian history so much abounds. *
I then proceeded to the royal stud, which is
adjoining. About three hundred horses were tied
to stakes in the court yard, for the benefit of air,
and, it may be said, of exercise, since they had
some length of rope. The oriental custom is, to
fasten the heels together with large cotton ties, to
* It is stated as a fact, that this tyrant; on coming into Kho-
rasson as conqueror, ordered the bones of Nadir Shah and his
son to be disinterred, and carried to Tehran, and that they were
buried at this doorway. What a singular thirst for revenge is
this, scarcely to be comprehended by the European mind.

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 157
prevent their kicking; and in this way they are
always picketted on a journey. The Turkoman
horses principally prevailed, — a bony, powerful
animal, with more strength than grace of action ;
more of the roadster than the courser. There
were only a few Arabs. I have seen much finer
animals in England ; and I apply this remark to
Persian horses generally. If that barbarous cus
tom were abolished- of cutting the tail, which so
disfigures an English horse, he would find no
competitor in Persia. "What is the extent of
his Majesty's stud?" I enquired. "He has four
thousand mares in one district, and horses suffi
cient to mount an army."
This then is the famous " Imaret Khorsheed,"
or " Palace of the Sun," whose principal features
are monotony, simplicity, and unostentation ; and
here sits on the ground, and sleeps on the ground,
the "Asylum of the Universe," a monarch of
fancied grandeur far superior to the occupant of
Windsor Castle, the Hermitage, or the Tuileries.
If I were to make comparisons, I would say that
the Autocrat of all the Russias would scarcely
here lodge his gentleman usher.
I asked to see the glass bed and the shawl carpet,

158 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
but these were in the " andaroon." The former
was included in the presents of the late Emperor
of Russia ! The idea of " his most despotic ma
jesty" reposing on crystal ! — Beds of roses (literally
so) are not uncommon in Persia, but to me they
would prove beds of thorns ; for I have found the
odour so powerful, as to conduce to any thing but
repose. Taking leave of the Khan with all the " zhamets"
that I was master of, (that is, apologising for the
great trouble which I had given him), I had to
wend my way through the bazaars, to the great
" maidan," or square, into which some of the palace
windows open. In one corner of it was a tower of
observation, from which his Majesty is supposed to
witness the different executions. In this square
was a tolerable show of artillery, the " topanches,"
or gunners, being about, and the " tuffenkchees,"
or infantry, guarding the different gates and ave
nues. The whole of these buildings are within
the " ark," or citadel, which is very extensive,
surrounded by mud walls and a dry ditch, having
sundry drawbridges, &c. I am quite unable to
speak of its extent, though I lodged within it at
my first visit to Tehran, but was always lost in

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 159
its intricacies. The various avenues in it, and
approaches to it, are tortuous; one may spend
days there, and never find one's way about. Every
thing reminds you of contrivances against surprise,
00 though treachery were stalking about, and all
leans taken to prevent it. The entrances have
all three or four door ways, always puzzling one
which to take.
The bazaars were of the most tumble-down de
scription, and very inferior to those at Tabreez ;
and what makes them so crowded and disagreeable
is, that they become the thoroughfare from one
part of the city to another. Any description of
their motley occupants I will not attempt To go
through them on horseback, it is necessary to have
the "faroshes" to clear the way — to put aside a
string of mules, donkeys laden with brushwood,
the chaunting dervish, or the importunate fakeer ;
the way being so narrow that it becomes densely
choked, and the loud " kebardar" " take care,"
being shouted in all directions. It is quite an
indescribable scene.
I The " hummums," or baths, are numerous and
good ; these are the constant resort of the Persians.
The Asiatics are very clean in this respect ; and

160 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
not to go to the bath once a week, would be deemed
almost a dereliction of duty_j_J Here the toe and
finger nails of the fair " shireen " are stained with
the " hennah," or red dye, of which they are very
proud. The Khan has his beard stained with
" rang," or the black dye, which is beautiful in
lustre, and will last some weeks. The luxury of
the bath is very great in these warm climates, and
the shampooing operation grateful when over,
though I was very restive under it, and made the
vault resound at my ticklings.
There are no remarkable buildings in this city
of Tehran to claim attention. Some of the domes
of the mosques are imposing from their size and
bulb shape ; but neither in the bazaars nor in the
mosques, is there any thing to be compared with
such buildings at Constantinople. These mud
regions present a mass of low, flat-roofed dwellings,
of one uniform hue and height. All the luxuries
are within the spacious courts, the running streams,
the blooming flowers, and bubbling fountains, of
which the Persians are very ingenious in the dis
play. The best house which I saw at Tehran was
the .British residence, standing in a large garden,
prettily laid out, and abounding with fruits and

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 161
flowers ; there were also extensive gardens behind,
in which I took my daily walk. Our envoy had
much improved his house by a good front of pil
lars and pediments, giving it quite a West-end
appearance. He quite surprised the Tehranis,
who, comparing it with their own mud hovels,
would exclaim—" Barikallah"— " Mashallah!"—
" Excellent — well done !"
That deeply-rooted and inveterate custom in my
native country, of four-post bedsteads, down pil
lows and well-stuffed mattresses, is unknown in
Persia. I query if there be in Tehran more than
one^ machine of this sort — that belonging to the
British Elchee. On the same spot of ground, the
Persian squats, prays, and sleeps; the nummed
of the day is removed for the nummed of the night,
which is very simple, being somewhat thicker:
this, with a pillow and coverlet, form their place
of repose.
On my arrival in this city, " Where am I to
sleep?" was my first demand, having been awoke
out of my nap as I lay outside the gate, at the
threshold, being fatigued with my night's travel,
and arriving before the said gates were opened.
But the lodging-places I found to be of the most

162 THE IMARET KHORSHEED.
miscellaneous description. " Throw yourself on
the ground wherever you please," was the order
of the day, and in conformity with the general
custom, I found the roof of the house to be the
most agreeable berth ; the roofs, as I have observed,
being flat, and generally on the same level. It is
here that the evening society of Tehran congregate,
and it is amusing to witness what may be seen at
a great distance — the various groups, sometimes of
whole families, making their night arrangements —
spreading carpets, planting bolsters, and laying
themselves in all directions to cultivate sleep.
Nor should I forget their " numaz," or evening
prayers: the prostrations, genuflexions, and salu
tations of so many people, whilst the "muzzins"
are inviting them from the tops of the mosques,
add much to the grotesqueness of the scene.
When it was over, I perambulated my bounda
ries, and took a peep at my neighbours, who were
merely divided off by a low balustrade — in this
way only intrusions being guarded against I,
quite unintending to do so, was going rather be
yond my boundaries, when up sprang a batch of
females, — "Ferengee ame dast" — "the Ferengee
is coming ;" they waited for no apologies on my

THE IMARET KHORSHEED. 163
part, but off they ran, and off ran I too, deter
mined for the future to " open wide the portals of
prudence, and to close the avenues of indiscretion."
Although I like this independent mode of sleep
ing wherever momentary convenience may dictate,
still it has sometimes its inconveniences, which I
have experienced. I was one night awoke by the
pattering of some drops on my coverlet, which was
any thing but water-proof; a smart shower (a most
unusual thing in Persia) was disturbing all the
inhabitants of Tehran. Up they sprang with
bolsters and carpets in hasty confusion, and I
heard a Babel of sounds relative to their new
arrangements, but was too much occupied with
my own to attend to my neighbours. I made
hasty retreat within the threshold, where I made
out the night, the servant laying at my feet.

164

CHAPTER Xm,
NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
There is something very romantic in stealing
through a wild country as it were by night.
Having made five stations from Tehran, as far
as Kirishkeen, it was deemed more prudent to
obscure than to expose ourselves in this imme
diate neighbourhood. The road had been pre
viously marked with rocky passes and tortuous
ravines, which nature seems to have planted in
Persia, as strongholds either of offence or defence
between savage man. A road of this kind is
therefore always deemed dangerous ; and the pru
dent traveller, with his well-armed attendants,
makes his cautious survey, that the pistols and

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 165
guns are in perfect readiness, in case of any sudden
hostility. It is amusing sometimes to witness the mutual
caution of two parties coming towards each other,
both on the defensive ; the glittering of the fire
arms in the distance bespeaks a foe, although a
friend ; and warily approaching each other, instead
of powder and shot they exchange the courteous
" Salome," and " Alikom Salome."
jEvery one must go armed in this country^J I
was much amused in this wild district by our
gholaum crying out that there were horsemen
in the distance ; immediately the priming and load
ing went on, and each person looked to his weapon
of defence. On galloping towards our expected
foes, they turned out to be a party of poor peasants
on ass-back, who having been plundered the night
before, at their village, were seeking either their
cattle or the delinquents.
Some of these districts are occupied by the
Eleauts, the nomades, or wandering tribes, living
in their black tents, which are pitched accord
ing to pasture abundance. From these we kept
aloof, fearing plague, dogs, and robbers. At
one of their villages I had considerable difficulty

166 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
in gaining admittance. They had had sufficient
taste of Russian invasion to loathe every one from
that country, (indeed, I found this to be generally
the case in Persia). They called me " Ruski,"
"Moscovite," "Pedersukteh," " Burn your fathers,"
and I know not what. The dogs were set at me,
and T was not allowed to cross their threshold for
some time. But an all-powerful argument in the
shape of money prevailed — and what will not this
do in Persia ?
I found at the next station, Koramdereh, every
thing to compensate for the incivilities of the last,
— all Persian smiles and courtesies, — with their
" Kush gelden," — welcome — and " Bismillah," in
proof of which they lay a lamb at your feet, and
with a knife at its throat, its blood will be upon
you, unless you avert the sacrifice.
But I must dwell a moment at this place, it
being a large village, called the " happy valley."
Richly wooded and watered, and embowered in its
own groves, it had a very pretty effect from the
neighbouring hills. It was on a Sunday morning,
about ten o'clock, that I found my way into this
village, heartily tired after a nine hours' march
over a dry and thirsty soil, where there was little

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 167
or no water, and no other herbage than that " with
which a mower filleth not his hand, nor he that
bindeth sheaves his bosom." Here I luxuriated in
the little " bauleh kaneh," with an abundance
which was a mockery to all appetite, of the finest
fruits, &c. to my heart's content; my only fear
was repletion.
The occasion of our night's travel was this :
in the immediate neighbourhood, not long before,
the Elchee's servants, who were conveying the
envoy's baggage to Tehran, had been surprised in
their camp by a party of marauders, who had car
ried off even their tents. Sir John Campbell im
mediately sent up a gholaum to Zenjan, to the Khan
of that city, in whose district it occurred, to require
instant redress for the insult offered to the British
mission, and payment for the baggage stolen,
stating the amount. These amounts are generally
exaggerated by the servants, who are sometimes
interested in the robbery, by giving information
to the robbers. The Khan, in great alarm of being
displaced from his government, pays the money ;
and then levys upon his subjects perhaps twice as
much as he had to pay ; and they levy upon whom

168 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. „
they can. Thus they make war upon each other,
all in the way of trade.
To avoid being taxed to pay Sir John's losses,
(alias robbed), it was deemed expedient to adopt
the night travel from Koramdereh. Stealing away
from this station at midnight, we had a difficult
road to pursue, as through the narrow ravines and
swampy way we crept on, afraid even of the bark
of the village dogs. These swampy ways were occa
sioned by irrigating the rice and melon grounds,
which made a night march rather difficult
I had many a starlight lucubration ; the magni
ficent galaxy in the "vast concave" of a Persian
sky, I thought I had never seen exceeded. I
seemed to see palaces and arches in the starry
firmament, and so gorgeous in light as I ap
proached, that frequently I could not persuade
myself that they were visions. This was certainly
to me" one of the " thousand and one nights."
I recollect a similar delusion once in a midnight
march in Russia. Castles and battlements sparkled
before me — I was constantly arriving — never ar
rived. I would always fix on the brightest star to
guide me, as it were, through the night. Keeping

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 169
it in my eye, it seemed to promise protection; nor
did I ever lose it until the broad glare of day
wiped it out of the firmament. Anxiously looking
for the opening of the " eyelids of the morning,"
the disappointments were frequent, occasioned by
the " subah kauzib," or " the false dawn," so pecu
liar to this country.
Thus wending along, like culprits on forbidden
soil, the " hush of night" was sometimes inter
rupted by the wary dogs, or the wakeful chanti
cleer, so easily disturbed, as we came suddenly on
the black tents of the Eleauts, by whom we were
sometimes challenged on the way; then by the
careless muleteer, who on his donkey was leading
his string of mules, and chaunting away the metre
of Saadi, or Ferdoosi, seemingly with great zest.
The Persian poets are so much esteemed by the
natives, that even the lower orders are strongly
imbued with them.
Nothing is more interesting at such time than
to watch for the first gleam of day, and I would
sometimes exclaim —
 " Look, the gentle day
Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about,
Dapples the rosy east with spots of grey. "
But it was the flickering " false dawn" again, which
Vol. i. I

170 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
I could not but imagine as illustrative of the coun
try through which I was travelling. These remarks
apply generally to those midnight movements
when at funereal pace we have to creep over a
soil, every step of which may be treacherous ; but
of treachery found I none.
Arriving the next morning at Sultaniah, we
breakfasted in the tomb of Sultan Mahomed Kho-
dabendeh, — horses and all. The dome of this
tomb was nearly equal to that of St. Paul's, There
it stood in solitary grandeur, amidst a crumbling
village, the walls of which were fast blending with
the soil whence they sprung. When looking at the
seemingly poor decrepid natives, it always excited
my astonishment how such splendid buildings,
occasionally to be seen in Persia, could have been
created there. I could have imagined it quite as
easy to produce them by a rub of Aladdin's lamp.
In this extensive plain of Sultaniah his Majesty
had a country palace for his accommodation, dur
ing the encampment of his troops, which generally
took place every summer. The pasture is so
abundant that an army of horses may fatten on it
" I am your sacrifice," said the Ketkodeh, as we
entered the village ; however, the sacrifice of the

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 171
lamb was sufficient, and we were soon regaled with
some "kiabobs" from its panting sides.
Pursuing our midnight travel from Sultaniah,
the next station was Kush Kand, a very pretty
village, so embowered in wood, and so richly
watered, that it looked like a little oasis in the
desert. There is something to me captivating in
a Persian village, which I have never seen in any
other ; amidst the most barren sandy surface which
this country generally presents, there springs up,
smiling in its abundance, a small green spot on an
arid map, offering its produce of honey and milk
(but no wine) ; then, after a long and dreary ride,
every limb aching on the saddle, suddenly to
recline on the nummed of rest, and smoke the pipe
of contentment, one chews the cud of pleasure
beyond what I can describe.
The Turkish villages are generally so burrowed
under the ground, that but for the stacks of corn
and heaps of dried dung for fuel, which indicate
habitancy, you may pass them unnoticed. The
roofs being flat, and all covered with mud, the
only sign of occupancy is a small raised aperture,
for admission of light and the egress of smoke.
On one occasion, when I had just arrived at
i2

172 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
Diadin, and had sent Gul Mahmoud on the
opposite side to seek some stable for repose, on
his beckoning me across, I mounted as I thought
a mound of earth, to make quick work of it, not
two feet high. The horse began to plunge, his
feet were amongst the rafters, and out ran the
women and the dogs — " the sahib is coming
through the roof." I produced such an emeute
that the village was quite in an uproar, and I had
great difficulty to disengage myself and my beast
sound wind and limb. However, promising to
pay all repairs, I was installed at length in a com
fortable stable, from whence the chickens had
been just ejected.
The Persian villages, on the contrary, have
all the umbrageous character of fertility. The
natives have generally a hungry, squalid appear
ance, which is rather kept up than disguised,
simulation being a leading feature in the Persian
character, the result, I imagine, of a despotic
government, the genius of which is to depress
all energy, to discourage industry, and to stultify
the mental faculties.
Here I saw them treading out corn with the
oxen. Almost every thing in Persia reminds me

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 173
of biblical customs. How very patriarchal is this !
So also is their mode of taxation ; they pay no rent
for the soil, beyond that of a tenth of its produce.
I marked the royal heap once or twice, which I
thought fell very short of the competing heaps.
However, this I left to his Majesty to find out.
The most amicable division seemed to be made
amongst the villagers themselves, where there are
no enclosures nor boundaries to mark private
property. It is brought into one common stock,
which is enough for all. There can be no want
in a country where the soil produces so abun
dantly by irrigation only. It comes the nearest
to "a measure of wheat for a penny, and three
measures of barley for a penny," to any that I
have ever met with.
i The natives, in the midst of so much abun
dance, seem to be negatively happy — a sort of
stultification of faculties. I hear of no crime nor
commotion amongst them, and they seem blessed
with that negative enjoyment, the result of minds
buried in the repose of ignorance^ As I lay on
the heap of corn at lazy length, smoking my pipe
of meditation amongst the natives, Shakspeare's
enquiry occurred to me :

174 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.

-What is man,

If his chief good, and market of his time
Is but to sleep and feed ! a beast ! no more.
Sure He that made us with such large discourse,
Looking before and after, gave us not
That capability and god-like reason
To rust in us unused."
But rust it does in the Persian villages, where
prosperity depends much on the Khan of the
district ; as, if he be rapacious, they suffer much
persecution — if liberal and just, they become flou
rishing and contented. To avoid the former,
they will emigrate to another locality; — "the
world is all before them where to choose;" — the
mud walls are soon raised, and in a very short
time they establish another village, whilst the
crumbling remains of those which they have left
bespeak tyranny and oppression,
The natives, although serfs to the Shah, are
not transferable with the villages, as they are
in Russia; they are in nominal slavery, without
being slaves — I mean as property. It is true the
Shah may swallow them alive, if he likes; but
he never does so. The emigration of the natives
is a cause of strife sometimes amongst the neigh
bouring Khans, since population produces wealth.
Where the people are so few, as compared to the

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 175
extent of territory, they are tenacious of their
subjects being inveigled away, although they have
no power to prevent it. I attended once a court
of pleas on this subject, than which nothing could
be more amusing. The ragged groups — the voci
ferous defendants, when charged with stealing
away — and their rejoinders of 'oppression and
cruelty — it was a scene for an Hogarth. " What
dirt have you been eating ? make your face white
if you can, you Haremzadeh," said the Khan.
" I have eat dirt," says the fellow ; then crouching
before his chief, afraid of the bastinado, " My liver
has become water, and my soul has withered up."
There is, too, that passiveness about them
which is equally amusing, and the order to " give
him the shoe," is as quietly received as it is
promptly obeyed by the faroshes, who, taking off
their iron-heel slipper, give him such a blow on the
mouth as not only to cut short the argument, but
sometimes to smash in the teeth of the argufier.
This order of the court is pretty effective, and
frequently ends the assize ; but " turn up his
heels" is deemed a still sounder argument.
Some of the villages are walled, and flanked
with towers ; and in the " chummun," or meadow

176 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
districts, where the pasture is rich and abundant,
they drive out and bring back their numberless
flocks and herds morning and evening, always
housing them in the stables at night They
appear to have quite a personal attachment for
the brute beasts — a sort of family compact. I
recollect particularly at the village of Dubalabad,
a very large and flourishing district, where we
arrived rather late in the evening, just as the
natives were housing their cattle — the lowing of
the oxen — the bleating of the sheep — the noise
of the dogs, as this army of animals made their
march into it. It was a most pleasing rural scene
— there was something patriarchal in it. I could
fancy Laban and Rebecca, Isaac and Leah amongst
the villagers. This is an invariable custom, in
Persia, — that of housing the cattle every evening.
They durst not leave them exposed at night in
an unenclosed country ; they would be not only
subject to stray, but to be abstracted by their
neighbours. There can be no security where there
are no laws, and no confidence but in caution.
Most of the villages have "menzils," or post-
houses, for the traveller; and if he be of any
importance, the Ketkodeh comes to pay him

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 177
a visit, followed by a motley train of villagers, in
their rough garb of sheep-skin coats, and badly
slippered (their rags are deemed a protection
against spoliation and oppression), who advance
by degrees to the Khan's mat, and welcome him
with the "Kush guelden," but never presuming
to sit without his invitation. Then, when the
pipe is produced, and sometimes the coffee (but
this latter is a most special favour), he seems to
bask in the Khan's countenance, and entreats
permission " to rub his forehead at his threshold."
| The Persians are very abject ; they take hold of
the hem of your garment, and entreat permission
to kiss the dust off your feet. Their civilities are
overwhelming, their language fascinating ; for who
is there that does not like to be told, " My eyes are
enlightened by seeing you ? " But their creed is
that of Saadi : " Truth is an excellent thing when
it suits our purpose, but very inconvenient when
otherwise." Slavery is their atmosphere ; they
despise all other government. /I can easily un
derstand this, since every class exercises the same
despotism to their dependents^ Had the Shah
been in the village, the Khan would have been
prostrating himself, and playing the same part as
i 3

178 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
the Ketkodeh was now performing towards him ;
and when he quits the Khan's presence, he acts
the despot to those below him ; and so the comedy
goes on from one class to another, each content to
become the slave, that he may in his turn play
the monarch.
From Kush Kand to Nickpy is a short stage,
where I arrived early in the morning ; and the only
accommodation I could find was a three-walled
shelter, without any roof, which had been taken
down for fire-wood by the troops passing that way.
These are complete destructives, having full licence
to help themselves wherever they come; which
they do without mercy, having no regular pay.
Being without commissariat or clothing stores,
they may be deemed merely a marching rabble,
kept together by dint of the bastinado ; a host of
locusts, wasting and destroying. The poor villa
gers fly from their approach as from the pestilence.
They had completely sacked this village, and
with difficulty did I find supplies from Nickpy to
Sershem. There is no country so abounds with ruins,
perhaps, as Persia; partly occasioned by plague,
partly by oppression; the mud walls soon melt

NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA. 179
away into their native soil, there being no cement
of any kind, nor straw to bind them. Here I met
another " kafelah " of pilgrims, similar to the one
already alluded to as the Meshedees, bearing
the Mahomedan standard of the Crescent and the
hand of AIL Some of the females were seated in
""kajawahs," a sort of panniers slung over the
horse, just large enough to take a woman. They
must be nicely poised, and the unequal weight is
generally made up by a large stone. I need not
say they are well covered over with a shawl or
wrapper, according to the quality of the occupant
When I first saw these things, and had no idea of
the panniers' contents, I enquired of the muleteer
what he was conveying so carefully? " Zan ast
Sahib." "A woman!" I exclaimed. Up starts
the female, not only to my great astonishment, but
nearly upsetting her companion on the other side.
I do love the vagabondising about in the Persian
villages, which I have done for months at a time ;
and so fascinated was I with this rustic life, that I
had a notion of becoming a Ketkodeh myself.
This wish was somewhat cooled by what I saw at
Sardaha, where his authority went for nothing
in a trifling dispute amongst the natives ; for an

180 NIGHT TRAVEL IN PERSIA.
object of but small value they came to broken
heads and bloody strife. So earnest are the Per
sians in every thing that regards pelf, that the
combatants fought furiously for a coin of small
amount. The incident amused me. For money
they have such an " itching palm," that it is dan
gerous to trust even confidential servants.
\ Still I liked to be amongst the Persians, and
memory loves to dwell on my Asiatic travel. \
Sometimes breakfasting on a grassy knoll by the
brook's side, the wallet is turned out for some cold
rice of yesterday's meal, the village supplying bread
and "moss" or sour milk — a most delicious beve
rage. I like this original mode of feeding ; there is
something so unaffected in partaking of such simple
supplies; nature is sustained, not loaded with
food. \ Sometimes with bridle in hand, the horse
grazes at my feet, or presumes to dispute with me
the grass which I occupy, whilst, at lazy length, I
1
am smoking my pipe of ease. How superior all
this to the artificial misnamed luxuries of fife \—^)
the servants in the distance greedily swallowing
the remains of your meal ; then girding on their
pistols, adjusting the bridles, and giving notice
of being ready to depart.

181

CHAPTER XIV.

PERSIAN AVARICE.

| From the prince to the peasant the vice 01
avarice prevails to an eminent degree in Persia.
Money is not only the great lever, but the very
stamina of existence in this country ; and the love
of it is so engraved in the Persian character, as to
amount to a perfect absorption of thoughts and
ideas. I trace this to the despotic sway exercised
by the sovereign over his subjects. ^ The acqui
sition of riches may be deemed dangerous in
Persia, and the victim is often marked out for
spoliation, sometimes for death. ( The tenacity of
keeping, and ingenuity in concealing money is
remarkable amongst the Persians, f I have seen

182 PERSIAN AVARICE.
them clothed in rags ; I have travelled with seem
ing mendicants, to whom I thought a pipe of
tobacco to be a charity — the lining of his pack-
saddle being at the time stuffed with ducats. I
never saw any people in whom the love of money
was so inherent. To overhear their conversations,
it is all about " pul" — money ; and it is astonishing
to all enquirers from whence they draw their sup
plies, being, as they are, without gold or silver
mines, and the balance of trade being so much
against Persia, as to require horse-loads of ducats
being sent by almost every Tatar to Constanti
nople. On my first arrival in Persia, there was a
very alarming scarcity of gold, owing to the heavy
contributions imposed by Russia as an indemnifi
cation for the late war, amounting to eight crores
of tomauns, or about three millions sterling.
The governor of Maraga, Jaffier Kouli Khan,
died during my stay at Tabreez, and was supposed
to have possessed immense wealth. The custom
of burying money in the ground is not unusual in
Persia, and in this way it was reported that he
had deposited large sums. Whilst on his death-
mat, being informed that his remaining days could
be but few, nothing could prevail upon him to

PERSIAN AVARICE. 183
reveal the plSce of its interment. Some creditors,
therefore, became clamorous, and he obtained a
dispensation from the Ameer y Nizam, that he
should die in peace from their importunities. His
father had been known to have buried large sums
of money twice, and on both occasions to have
murdered the servant that accompanied him, to
prevent disclosures. So decided was the public
opinion that Jaffier Kouli Khan had large treasures
deposited in the ground, that the government
authorities commenced a search after his death,
assisted by the Ameer himself. Long and fruitless
was the search — nothing was found ; his servants
were bribed — were threatened, but with the same
result; and at length were cruelly bastinadoed,
in the hope that they would divulge that of
which they knew nothing. What a system! the
toils and anxieties which one man expends to
acquire the " operant poison," another expends
to consign it again to the bowels from whence
it came.
( Nothing touches the compassion of majesty so
much as the sight of money ; it is irresistible ; it
is money which raised him to the throne ; it is
money which keeps him there, it may be said ; it

184 PERSIAN AVARIOE.
will purchase every thing within his*gift, even life
itself, of which many instances are related in Per
sian historyA His late Majesty, Futtee Ali Shah,
was very ingenious in extracting money from his
subjects. Does the King want to build a palace —
he dips into his subjects' pockets for the ways and
means ; does he mean to marry either of his sons —
all " the pomp and circumstance " must be paid
for by the people. In this way they almost curse
the " sadir," as it is called, or public requisition,
when proclained by the herald of despotism. Has
he received some miraculous cure from the "ha
keem bashi" — immediately he sends out to the
villages to announce the miracle — " inshallah,"
help me to pay the doctor. Presently two or
three thousand tomauns are collected ; but only
one-half goes to the doctor, the remainder finds its
way into the royal treasury.
Ingenuity is tortured to feed the royal avarice,
which will even extend so low that Majesty would
make the rounds of the bazaars occasionally to
see what he could pick up. " Very good cloth
— the King would like a coat ¦ of this ;" with
profound humility at the honour, it is imme
diately delivered to the attendants. In this way

PERSIAN AVARICE. 185
he sometimes levied contributions to a great
extent. Many amusing anecdotes are related by Sir
John Malcolm, the best historian that we have of
Persia, of the late Shah's ingenious contrivances
for getting the money out of his subjects' pockets ;
amongst others, that he would sometimes challenge
some of the Khans of the court to shoot at a mark
for a certain sum, perhaps the amount of four or
five hundred tomauns. Of course the royal honour
can never be declined, and Majesty must have the
first shot. He was reputed to be an excellent
marksman ; yet, lest he should fail, and so large a
sum being at stake, some contrivance was neces
sary to put it beyond risk. The sheep is brought
out at a great distance, its leg is tied with a long
rope, held by one of the attendants in the confi
dence of the King, who is instructed the moment
he fires to pull down the animal, as though it had
dropped dead by the ball. The distance is too
great for the Khans to be supposed to see the
royal ruse, although every one is acquainted
with it before he goes to the field. In this way
Majesty has won many^, wager from his Khans,
delighted at the success of his wonderful stratagems.

186 PERSIAN AVARICE.
But practices of a more disgraceful nature were
sometimes resorted to, to replenish the royal cof
fers, and the contagious example infects not only
the members of government, but extends to almost
all classes of society ; even traps of vice are laid to
catch delinquents, that the vizier may profit by
the penalties ; of which many disgusting instances
occurred during my being at Tehran. Intrigues,
on a larger scale, emanate from the court : it is
scarcely to be imagined what iniquities are planned,
with a view to taxation.
The British residence was robbed during my
sjay in Persia, though not at the time occupied by
the Elchee. An English colonel's lady was plun
dered of property to the value of two hundred
tomauns. Complaints were immediately made to
the Zelli Sultaun, the governor of Tehran, and
to the Vizier, requesting that the thing might be
enquired into, and the money paid ; but nothing
was done; and it was presumed that the Vizier
had profited by the robbery.
I Such is the fallen state of honour and principle
amongst the Persians, that civil robbery is no
crime ; the end always justifies the means ; so
that money is obtained, no matter how.| Inge-

PERSIAN AVARICE. 187
nuity in this way is a merit] M  Khan,
the governor of Resht, being very rich, the King
wanted to extract some money from him; but
having no fair pretence for so doing, he hit upon
the expedient of frightening him, as it were, out
of his government, by saying he had been offered
one hundred thousand tomauns by another Khan
to instal him into it. " Be jan y Shah raust ast."
By the soul of the King 'tis true. " I am your
slave," said the Khan; "I am your sacrifice,"
and so he certainly was to this extent, being
obliged to pay the money.
Another instance was related to me, and well
authenticated. A Khan was dismissed from his
government in Azerbijan by Abbas Meerza. He"
applied to the King, and offered him forty thou
sand tomauns to be reinstated in his government.
" Barikallah," said his Majesty, "Besher Shah,"
by the King's head we will make his face white.
A " rackum," or royal order, was promised for the
Khan's reinstatement; the money was paid, and
the " rackum" given. The Khan was so flattered
with the King's condescension, that, to use his
own metaphor, " he had drunk deep of the bowl
of vanity, and as its contents passed over the

188 PERSIAN AVARICE.
palate of exultation, they filled his heart with
arrogance and his bowels with ambition." Mount
ing the stirrup of impatience, and vaulting into
the saddle of hope, he presented his " rackum" to
the prince. Who shall paint his astonishment
when the prince refused to obey it ! " Laullah a
ilullah," said he, " There is no God but God,"
and then following it up with "foozoel," "gho-
raumsang," fool, scoundrel. "Beru," be off; and
he was threatened with the bastinado. Returning
once more to the King, he complained bitterly of
this treatment, and was only ridiculed as having
any fault to find — the " rackum" had been granted
according to promise, and it was for him to con
tend with the existing authorities. The prince
was so exasperated at the Khan's application to
the King, that he invited him back, with fair
promises of remuneration, and then pillaged him
of every thing he had, took away from him his
villages, and sent him into exile.
. Persian finances are much deranged in this
way; they grant what is called a "huget" on a
particular district. These are generally payable
just after harvest time. If the bill cannot be paid
in money, they pay it in corn or other produce.

PERSIAN AVARICE. 189
This is a matter of arrangement between the
debtor or creditor. Get what you can is the
general order of the day where money is so
scarce. The chancellor of the exchequer's budget
must be of rather a miscelleneous description here,
particularly of income. Instead of post-office,
excise, tea, it is wheat and barley, straw and rice.
I only know that his exchequer bills were at a
terrible discount when I was at Tabreez, amount
ing almost to fifty per cent. The merchants will
have nothing to do with them, since there is con
siderable danger in asking for payment. They
will grant orders sometimes on the customs, and,
perhaps, the farmer of the customs will accept it
at long date. In the meanwhile he is removed,
and the new comer recognises none of the obliga
tions of his predecessors.
It is wonderful the labyrinth these people get
into by their crooked ways, when a tenth part of
the labour would suffice in the straight path.
The remote parts of his Majesty's empire some
times get into a very disorganised state, entirely
respecting " the ways and means ;" and they take
such desperate measures to raise the said " ways
and means" as are quite unknown in other parts

190 PERSIAN AVARICE.
of the world. This occurred during my sojourn
in Persia, at Bushire, where considerable wealth
was accumulated, belonging to merchants and
others, in the transit of goods from India. The
resident merchants were known to be very rich,
and these considerations offered a tempting bait
to those who were stronger than they.
It is not an uncommon thing in this part of the
country to find organised bands of plunderers,
and in this affair they conducted themselves most
systematically. A large party of them went down
to Bushire; indeed, an irresistible force to any
thing which the inhabitants could oppose to them.
Individuals paraded the town, offering, for a cer
tain sum, to certain rich people, protection for
their property from the plunder about to take place.
Some of them yielded to this exaction, and were
actually so protected ; whilst their less fortunate'
neighbours lost their all. A Jew stood out to
make a very hard bargain ; they asked him one
hundred tomauns; he offered them twenty, and
so on to fifty, but would go no farther ; the con
sequence was, that he lost ultimately many thou
sands of tomauns. Bushire was literally sacked.
Forty persons are said to have been killed, and

PERSIAN AVARICE. 191
ninety persons wounded. Property to the amount
of thirty lacs of rupees, or three hundred thousand
pounds sterling, is said to have been carried
off by a desperate and ferocious gang, gloating
over their prey, although stained with so much
blood. It was said at the time that this gang had been
organised by a prince of the blood, the governor
of Shiraz ; although he did not personally head it,
he was its founder, and shared the produce of its
infamy. Such was the on-dit of the day. Sir John
Malcolm, in his Persian Sketches, tells of a certain
Khan, who when he first viewed the wealth and
extent of Calcutta, exclaimed, " What a fine place
for plunder !"

192

CHAPTER XV.

THE "RAMAZAN."

This is the name of the ninth month of the
Hegira, and is the Lent fast of the Persians. It
was instituted thus by Mahomet: — " The month
of Ramazan shall ye fast, in which the Koran
was sent down from heaven, a declaration unto
men, &c. God would make this an ease unto you,
and would not make it a difficulty unto you, that
ye may fulfil the number of days and glorify God,
for that he hath directed you, and ye may give
thanks." Its commencement (in February) was
governed by the appearance of the new moon;
the moment the brilliant crescent shows itself in
the heavens, the gun fires, and the fast commences,

THE RAMAZAN. 193
and lasts for forty days, from sun-rise to sun-set,
which is always announced by the firing of a
gun ; when, even if the hand is in the pilaff, in
a moment feeding is suspended.
The worshippers of Mahomet now flock to their
mosques: — I hear the Muzzins calling the Azan
from the roofs more distinctly than usual — " God
is great, come to prayers, and ask forgiveness of
your sins. I summon you with a clear voice."
Seemingly, at this season, greater ardour prevails
in all their religious services. I see the good Mus-
selmans sitting about in the bazaars, and at the
gates of the city, reading aloud their Koran, and
sometimes the dervishes, with their striped conical
caps, ornamented with passages from their scrip
tures ; they are to be seen chaunting with the most
holy fervour from that book, of which they boast
that its influence has extended beyond the scrip
tures of the Messiah, and that now a hundred and
forty millions of people acknowledge its sway,
and are governed by its doctrines !
Really, it is astonishing to see the zeal which
animates these people, literally " pressing forward"
to their temples, and without any adventitious aid
of Koran Societies, &c, to keep alive the flame of
VOL. I. K

194 THE RAMAZAN.
religious love ; but a sort of soul-absorbing interest,
superseding all other interests. I have seen the
merchant, in the midst of his worldly duties, draw
the book from his pocket, elevate it to his fore
head, then kiss it, and begin to read aloud, or to
chaunt from its inspiring pages — no matter who is
present. No false shame is felt at his being thus seen
engaged with the Prophet ; it is the breath of fife
to him ; a good Musselman will tell you not only
how many words but how many letters it contains.
Then again as to prayer, five times a day, where-
ever they may be, at noon or at sun-set, down they
drop on their knees, and begin their prostrations
and genuflexions, turning towards Mecca, kissing
the carpet, and with the utmost humility proving
themselves devoted to the service of the impostor.
I was rather taken by surprise at this on my
first day in. Persia, which was at Makoo.* We
* A large painting of the wonderful cave of Makoo, by Colonel
Monteith, was exhibited at Somerset House in 1830. This im
mense cavern is said to be in breadth more than a thousand feet,
and in depth about six hundred feet, sufficient, on an emergency,
to harbour all the population of Makoo. The road to it was
most difficult, by a sort of corkscrew ascent, on which I could
scarcely keep my saddle. Most terrific mountains overhung it,
giving it an air of -romantic terror; these contained galleries
accessible only by ropes, and here it was said the Khan's treasures
were contained.

THE HAMAZAN. 195
were invited by the Khan to dine with him, where
I first heard the doleful sound of the Muzzin,
without understanding it, and immediately down
dropped the Khan on his knees, and began pray
ing. He experienced frequent interruptions from
his servants, &c, to which he would reply, and
then pray on again. So he went on for half an
hour, I drinking in the wine of astonishment all
the time, — this being my first initiation to Maho
medan worship.
I have been often amused, when going round
the walls of the city, to witness the groups of
people watching the declining sun, half famished
as it were, and actually suffering from want, at
least of their darling tchibook ; but nothing could
induce them to transgress the commands of the
Prophet. The Armenians also have their fasts at this
season; and I have been assured by those well
conversant with the subject, that they not only
carry it to the threshold of starvation, but over the
threshold, and that they have even died under the
penance ! It were endless to narrate the numerous
instances which came before me of Mahomedan
zeal ; — they taught me this humiliating truth, that
k2

196 THE RAMAZAN.
such is unknown to the followers of the Messiah
in my own country ; and I could not but reflect
that Mahomedan zeal, with Christian faith, would
build up such a religion as would adorn his tem
ples, and trample idolatry in the dust.

I

" Oh, for a Christian faith, with Pagan zeal."

It is not uncommon for the Musselmans to get
their Koran by hearth Where shall we find this
among professing Christians with their Scriptures ?
It is astonishing to notice the difference between
the cold calculating Protestant, who ekes out his
religious duties with Sunday observances, merely
to pacify his conscience, and the religious feeling
intermixed with the customs of the Persians!
'Their Koran seems to be the only reigning fashion
amongst them; it is their spiritual food; they
enjoy it, they feed upon it ; and so far as I can
judge from their external duties, of charity and
prayer, it is the very animus of their existence.
Does the prince wear any ornaments on his person
— they are called " amulets," or charms, principally
of the cornelian stone, beautifully engraved with
Koran inscriptions. Thus the doctrines and pro
mises of the Prophet pervade all their institutions,

THE RAMAZAN. 197
even in the minute details of domestic life. Does
the Mahomedan summon you to dinner — it is with
a " Bismillah," in " the name of God ;" when he
has done, it is with an " Alham, dulillah," " thanks
to God ;" does he contemplate a journey — it is
with " Inshullah," " please God ;" does he take
leave — it is with " Khoda hafiz shuma," " may
God take you to his holy protection ;" and so
on, literally fulfilling the Apostle's commands,
"whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do,
do all to the glory of God."
When shall we see nominal Christians following
this Mahomedan fashion (if I may so term it)?
Prayer and praise a fashion ! the Bible a fashion !
when shall we see our armlets and bracelets adorned
with Bible inscriptions of " rejoicing in hope,"
" patient in tribulation," &c. The Mahomedans
would have more shame to have it known that they
had omitted prayer, than the professed Christian
would that he had daily performed this duty ; and
as to their sabbaths, they begin them on the pre
vious evening ; and so far from any exclamation
with them, " what a weariness it is ; when will the
sabbath be over, that we may set forth corn and
sell wheat;" on the contrary, they are eagerly

198 THE RAMAZAN.
pressing forward to enjoy its privileges. Here the
moolahs are in the market-places, praying amongst
the people, and testifying from their scriptures—
" there is but one God, and' Mahomet is his
prophet" This is particularly the case at this season of
the Ramazan. I have been often stopped in the
bazaars by the crowds of people, flocking towards
the mosques, at the cry of the muzzins. I had
many a difficult question to answer Hadji, who
was curious to know as to our Ramazan customs
in England. " What, eat and drink all day !" said
he ; " no morning prayers, no church going ! and
this is your boasted religion which is to over
flow a world !" and he scorned me with the term
Ghiaour, which is the' reproach in this country,
where To be a Christian and the name of Christ,
Is an abomination."
It may be objected that to introduce religion
into the ordinary concerns of life, would clog their
operations, and that it cannot be associated with this
world's engagements. But in the mirror of travel
I have seen the contrary. It appears to me that reli
gious duties might and should be the primary work

THE RAMAZAN. 199
of all men. This is evidenced before me in the
Mahomedans. Does the sovereign preside over
the destinies of the empire with less zeal and
vigour for having first implored the blessing of the
" King of kings," whose vicegerent he is ? Does
the statesman come to the council board with less
power of intellect for having first enquired of the
Ruler of all things whether they should go up to
Ramoth Gilead or forbear?* Does the captain of
the host go forward with less assurance of victory
for having implored the aid of the God of battles ?
I might extend the enquiry to the lawyer at the
bar, the merchant in the counting-house, or the
mechanic at his bench. I would say with the
Mahomedans, let religion pervade every profession
and pursuit in life ; it will strengthen, invigorate,
and purify the mind.
\ I must confess that I felt " shame burn my cheek
to cinder," at being twitted by a Mahomedan with
our cold, frigid, Protestant worship, as compared
with their animating zeal, which at this season of
the Ramazan was so moving the followers of Ma-
* The only blessing which I remember being invoked on the
national councils (independent of the Liturgy) is on that of the
meetings of parliament.

200 THE RAMAZAN.
hometj I find, too, that in the Greek church
religious observances are mixed up with all their
institutions, civil and political; the armies never
march except headed by the priest. I recollect
once attending the Russian camp at Erzroume, at a
grand fete, on account of some victories of General
Paskevitch : the priest headed the ranks, and pub
licly gave thanks to the God of battles ; the soldiers,
bareheaded, responded with their Hallelujahs, and
the whole army joined in the Te Deum of thanks
giving. I never heard a service more impressive ;
and instead of the noisy ebullitions of a riotous
soldiery, they had converted their camp into a
cathedral — their shouts into praises.
The zeal of the Mahomedans is further evinced
in erecting temples to their God. As I lay on my
mat in the caravansery at Kazvine, I had oppor
tunity to watch my neighbours: a water-melon,
some rice, and " kiabobs," roasted sausages, formed
the daily repasts of some of the wealthiest mer
chants in Persia ; but their ambition was expended
on a large mosque, which they were building to
the glory of their prophet ; I saw it in its incipient
state, with fine promise of a splendid structure.
They contented themselves with the necessaries of

THE RAMAZAN. 201
life, in order to nourish their religion with their
wealth. The bazaars at this season of the Ramazan * are
dressed up with peculiar gaiety, and abound with
fruits, " gezenjibin," or manna, and a variety of
candied mixtures, rather indigestible. The fast is
succeeded by a feast ; many people eat by night
and sleep by day ; the abstinence of the morning
is amply made up by the feed of the evening.
* This is the season of our Ramazan or Lent, which in all
countries is so respected, except in England. I have mixed with
almost every sect, and acquainted myself with their creeds, from
the Ghebre to the Moslem, with all of whom this fast is a pro
minent feature — and what do I find in my own country ? It is
true the churches are opened, but do I see the people flocking to
them, like the Mahomedans to their mosques 1 Where is their
practice of charity, self-denial, coming out from the world, &c. j
and are the commands of the Messiah so rigidly observed as are
those of the Prophet amongst his people ? The legislature once
interfered to close the portals of dissipation during the passion
week j the same power has opened them again to masquings and
revellings, at which the Moslems would revolt at any season.
Furthermore, a member of the same legislature once proposed to
desecrate the Sabbath to the level of other days ! The moolahs
would have proscribed him from the mosques.

K. 3

202

CHAPTER XVI.
MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
During my stay in Persia, that awful event
took place at Tehran, of massacring the Russian
ambassador, M. Grybydoff, and all his suite,
(saving M. Maltzoff, a secretary, and three Cos
sacks,) being thirty-nine in number. The Persian
history scarcely presents so barbarous an outrage
on humanity; nor need I narrate the circum
stances, which were soon after so ably set forth
in "Blackwood's Magazine." It was a storm of
fanatic fury, raised by the moolahs, which swept
away these devoted victims. Islamism was said
to be in danger ; the Ghiaours had insulted their
religion, and never was the fury of the Persian

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 203
populace supposed to have been so excited as by
those provocations offered by the Russians. The
government had no power to check the sanguinary
impetuosity of the mob — they did their utmost.
There can be no doubt that the Russian ambas
sador brought upon himself this heavy judgment,
principally, I believe, occasioned by wicked ser
vants around him. Yet this cannot be offered as
an excuse for one of the most horrid and barbarous
tragedies ever committed in any nation, on those
who claimed its hospitality and protection.
The Shah immediately sent a letter to Abbas
Meerza, detailing the events, and requiring his
assistance. Having procured copies and transla
tions of this, and of other royal letters on the
subject, they may be deemed interesting, since
they have never appeared in print, and are
strictly from the Persian documents now in my
possession. From All Shah, dated 5lh Sharbon (1st March, 1829J.
"The condition of bleeding hearts who can
tell! your feelings will participate with mine.
This courier I send by the express orders of his
Majesty, which if I do communicate to you, how

204 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
can I anticipate your sorrow and grief; if I do
not I am in peril of the King's command. What
I am desired to do I am bound to perform. The
Russian ambassador, when he arrived in this city,
every civility due to him on the part of the King
and government was shown, and all the chief
officers of the court occupied themselves in think
ing how they might please him and send him
back satisfied; likewise as regards his personal
comforts, that he might give a good account of
the impressions he had received. Many unplea
sant circumstances originating with the ambassa
dor, the court passed over in compliment to him ;
amongst others, that of two Armenians who had
murdered a Mahomedan, and took refuge in his
house, and the King forgave them for his sake.
A Georgian, by the name of Roustum, a servant
of the ambassador, who had been brought up from
his infancy as a slave, had done many offensive
things. A few characters, similar to him, were
taken by the ambassador as his servants and
guides; their behaviour was very disgusting to
the public; they imposed on the ambassador by
false accounts, and did every thing to irritate the
two governments by wrong information. The

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 205
following is an instance : — A person of the royal
Kajar tribe (as the literal translation has it, ' hav
ing an illness in his nose,' meaning want of sense),
who speaks random phrases, the ambassador took
him to his house by the advice of Roustum, from
whom he heard every thing abusive of the King
and his government, which he was encouraged to
speak. Meerza Yhacoub, an eunuch and chief
manager of the Andaroon, for many years a Mus-
selman, and in the employ of the King, formerly
an Armenian, who was bought as a slave, was for
a long time a trustworthy servant, but latterly he
had stolen cash and jewels to a large amount, and
took refuge in the ambassador's house. The
King said he would present him to the ambas
sador if he wished it, but the property must be
returned. The ambassador replied, that his Ma
jesty must recover it by law ; the government
made no objection to this, but were disposed to
do so. Meerza Yhacoub, being protected by the
ambassador, having referred to a court of justice,
was convicted of the theft. He then publicly
blasphemed the Prophet, and abused the King to
the whole court; he also began to abuse the
people as well as the government. Every one in

206 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
the city felt indignation at this act, and would not
endure it. In the midst of these affairs the am
bassador's servant came to inform him that there
were two women, formerly brought from a Turk
ish province as slaves, in the house of Allaya
Khan Kajar ; that they were Georgians, and
wished to return to their country. The ambas
sador demanded them instantly, but the Khan
told him they were brought from the Turkish
provinces, and not Georgians ; he would not
admit these reasonings, and insisted on their
being given up. The Shah finding himself cau
tious, not to offend the ambassador, ordered Allaya
Khan to send the women with his servants, that
the ambassador might question them personally,
and find that they were not Georgians. By the
order of the King he did so ; but the ambassador
sent the servants back and kept the women. The
custom of the country is never to permit a woman
to remain in a strange man's house, which attaches
disgrace to them and their family. Besides keep
ing the women, it happened that Meerza Yhacoub
had an evening party amongst the servants of the
ambassador, and that he brought a low woman
to the house ; the Armenian women were then

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 207
brought to join this mixed party of Russians;
they began to sigh and grieve. The people felt
very much the grievances which these two women
suffered till the morning ; many applications were
made by the servants of Allaya Khan to give up
the women, which was refused. The first dispute
took place between the ambassador's guards and
these servants, which guards were Persians. A
quarrel ensued, after which a mob collected, but
the ambassador's friends and his servants began
and killed a few of the mob with their swords and
their guns. The friends of the dead collected and
raised a greater mob ; the news reached the King's
palace. The moment it occurred, my humble self,
with two or three thousand men, proceeded to the
spot. We made all haste. As we proceeded, we
began to beat our way, to quell the people, till we
reached the ambassador's house ; but the business
was finished; all I could do was to save one of
the ambassador's secretaries, and three of the
Cossack guards. I brought them through the
midst of the mob and saved them ; all the rest
were killed; and the guards of the King, who
were posted at the ambassador's house, and
did their utmost to protect it, were all killed.

208 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
From thirty to forty of the men with me were
wounded, but I had rather they had been all
killed than that this business should have taken
place. By my God and the salt of the King,
I had rather myself and children had been all
killed, than thus shamefully to stand before you.
I do not know, when this letter reaches you, and
you know its contents, in what condition you will
find yourself. His Majesty says, ' from the re
volving of the heavens this has taken place.'* I
am here with the ambassador's first secretary, to
whom the King makes his apologies and attempts
at condolence, and you will do so likewise to the
English ambassador and the Russian chiefs that
are there : make all apologies you can, and send
a person off to Teflis, to explain the proper cir
cumstances. Nevertheless, the whole empire of
Persia is bashful and ashamed at this event; but
we wish them to know that our servants were not
knowing of it ; in any way that you think fit to
apologise do not fail to offer them,"
The Prince immediately sent off a letter to
* The Persians have an idea that the heavens revolve, and
that each change produces an event, and according to the doctrine
of the Koran they are fatalists.

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 209
General Paskevitch, at Teflis, of which the fol
lowing is a copy (after enumerating his titles with
many compliments, &c.) " As being much con
fused and surprised by the circumstances of the
times which we have lately received from the un
happy event which has taken place, we do not
know how to open the gate of conversation to you.
Mr. Amburger was here (the Russian consul at
Tabreez), and he has witnessed our present state ;
of course he will explain to you to what degree we
are grieved and confounded ; that we were willing
for all our brothers and all our families to be sacri
ficed than that such a stain should remain on the
country. You, I hope, will judge, this is not a
thing any human being could have thought of, ot\
that means would have been taken to prevent it ;
but it is a business so sudden and accidental, done
by the low and ignorant people of the town, and
their shameful deeds are left to our future days.
But at this moment all the government servants,
and all the chiefs of the town, are in grief and
mourning at the event, and the King has a thousand
grievous thoughts for the same. To-day, on the
1 7th Sharbon (February), his august firmaun has
reached from Kalifat to our graceful selves, and a

210 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
strict command from his Majesty respecting this
event to receive your advice on the subject, and
by the same to judge in what way we are to justify
ourselves in the presence of your Emperor; to
receive it from you, and by this to present the
event to his Imperial Majesty. Agreeably to the
order of the King we have written this to you, and
have sent Meerza Macsood to your presence, that
he may on this matter consult you, and if you think
proper that Meerza Macsood should proceed on
to Petersburgh with the letter to his most high
Excellence, the great and supreme Emperor of
the Russias, &c. The letter from the King of
Kings to the benign Emperor with apologies will
follow by Mr. Maltzoff, in order to reach the im
perial gate of his Majesty ; but the King's orders
are these, that the Persian government has pur
chased the friendship of the Russian government
with heart and soul, from which his Majesty would
not withhold his hand. Tehran and Petersburgh
he considers under one government. If such cir
cumstance had happened at Petersburgh, of course
the chiefs would have taken some course to remedy
it. We expect you to let us know what plan would
be attempted in the case, without considering that

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 211
we are separate governments, that we should exe
cute your advice without any change, that we
should act upon this advice, and after doing so to
apologise for the deed which had been done at
Tehran, that we should not leave the government
under the load of shamefulness. However, the
circumstance of the event which has happened this
year has affected me the most from six sides (the
heavens, the earth, and the four quarters of the
world). I have melancholy grievances, but as you
with your pure heart and kindness of nature
brought to a close every thing last year, I expect
from your.usual frankness, that this affair will be
concluded amicably, so as to convince his Imperial
Majesty that we were not at all aware of it, and it
was without our knowledge or wish. He must be
convinced that the Persian government will do
their utmost to punish with vengeance the indi
viduals committing this offence, and that none of
them will be spared. His Majesty is exerting him
self to do away from himself this shameful transac
tion, and to receive from the Russian government
their assurances of satisfaction for what he has
done. Meerza Macsood will explain to you wholly
on the subject."

212 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
From the Shah of Persia to his son Abbas Meerza.
" My auspicious and blessed son, — I am at a
loss to report to you concerning the changeable-
ness of this revolving sphere. Glory to God ! what
wonderful accidents may sometimes happen. After
that Meerza Grybydoff, the ambassador and the
independent minister of the excellent government
of Russia, arrived at the capital, and we were glad
to find his arrival to be the means of the accom
plishment of the treaty between the two govern
ments, and we treated him with every possible
kindness and hospitality, to please him beyond
every thing, at the different courts held by his
Majesty, by various attentions and enquiries, and
he took his leave exceedingly pleased and con
tented. By some unexpected folly of Meerza
Yhacoub, some delay takes place at his departure ;
at length the affair comes to this sort of wonderful
disgrace, and there happens some circumstances
which nobody has yet seen to happen in this go
vernment, nor has imagined it could ever happen.
It would never come to my mind that the lower
class of the metropolis ever could or would become
the means of such imprudent conduct. After

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 213
Meerza Yhacoub went to the ambassador to seek
his protection, the ambassador sent him, accom
panied by Meerza Yani Khan, to Eich Akase, or
the chief eunuch of the seraglio, with a message
that we are going to take Meerza Yhacoub with us.
Some of the nobles of the court, and those who
dealt with Meerza Yhacoub, then complained to
his Majesty that Meerza Yhacoub is concerned
with the money affairs of the treasure, and the
management of trade with the harem and the trea
sury ; and, so far as we can see, at least forty or
fifty thousand tomauns of the money of the govern
ment is in his hands at present. His Majesty was
pleased to command that they should detain him
till all should be discharged — his accounts settled,
and the different affairs in which he is concerned,
then he might be given up to the ambassador.
From our respect to the ambassador, and being
always willing to comply with his wishes, we com
manded that no one should interfere with Meerza
Yhacoub at present, and let him be sent back to
the ambassador accompanied by an interpreter, that
in the presence of the ambassador he may settle
his accounts ; in short, it was determined that they
should go to the law the next day. When Meerza

214 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
Yhacoub, accompanied by the people of the am
bassador, was at the court of law in the presence
of the judges and moolahs, and some of the inha
bitants of the metropolis, he began to insult both
the religion and the government; his impertinent
speech terrified and afflicted both high and low,
and a great disturbance arose amongst the people,
wherefore, in the capital of Islam this degree of
insult should be offered to religion ; but as the
people had seen the degree of kindness of his
Majesty and the nobles towards him, they bore
his insults for a time, and remained silent. In the
meanwhile, two women from the court of Moosh,
who had formerly become prisoners, and had fallen
into the hands of the general, were demanded by
the ambassador, under the pretence that they were
persons of Kirklesia, notwithstanding the inspectors
had enquired, and knew perfectly well that they
were not so. Yet, as the ambassador desired to
enquire personally, we, in order to comply with
his wishes, commanded that the two women should
be taken to the ambassador, and that he might do
so and send them back again ; they were taken —
he enquired and knew that they were not Russian
subjects, and yet he would not send them back,

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 215
and kept them for a pledge for some uncertain
prisoners which he claimed, however much he was
desired to send back these women, who for many
years were Moslems — and whenever we know of
any prisoners whom you mention, we will send
them to you — this was no use. The complaint and
lamentation of the women, who were highly dis
pleased and dishonoured at being in his house,
reached the hearing of the people, and became
the means of increasing the tumult ; yet from the
fear of the punishment of his Majesty, no one
showed any boldness in it. It happened that on
the night of the same day of the transaction, some
of the people of the ambassador had seized a woman
in the street, and had carried her off violently; and
had insulted, the same day, one of the syeeds at
the public bazaars beyond every thing. On the
following morning, the lower orders, and the rest
of the community, in a mob (washing their hands
with their souls), with the intention of bringing
out the women from the house of the ambassador,
unexpectedly attacked his house ; and on the other
hand, the people of the ambassador and his guards
opposing the people, they killed four or five Mus-»

216 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
selmans with the blows of the musket balls, and
wounded several. The people on seeing the bodies
of the wounded, would not be pacified by any
thing, nor listen to their moolahs, and the very
children of the town, who were the leaders of the
ignorant, with clubs and stones in their hands,
ascended the roof and gate of the ambassador's
house ; the soldiers of the ambassador, and amongst
them were some of your servants, Sulyman, the
nephew of Eich Akasi, and others, who, by com
mand of his Majesty had carried a message to the
ambassador from his uncle, concerning the settle
ment of the affair in question. By some fatal acci
dent, a blow reached the Elchee himself, who was
killed, and this disgrace was brought upon our
government. At first, when the report was brought
to his Majesty, the children of the Prince Zelli
Sultaun, my chief guard, with the cavalry of the
guards, and the rest of my servants then at the
court, were sent for the prevention of this disturb
ance, but the excitement of the mob was to such
a degree, that they could not quell it Moreover,
the lower orders in this revolution insulted and
abused Zelli Sultaun himself; and at last the up-

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 217
roar of the mob extended so far that the gates of
the palace were closed, but the soldiers of the
guards, and the servants of Zelli Sultaun, were
able to do so far as to save, with the greatest diffi
culty, the first secretary and three others of the
ambassador's servants. His Majesty is puzzled
why, and astonished that, notwithstanding the wil
lingness which our mind cultivated between the
treaty of these two governments, these wonderful
things should happen, and particularly such as
has never happened before in this government —
the uproar of the mob and the resolution of the
ignorant people have never had any connexion
with this government. Now and then news would
reach us from other governments, that the people
had set up some revolution, having done so and
so, dismissing some minister, or changing the
government. We are always surprised and asto
nished to hear how the affairs of sovereignty may
be carried on with these difficulties. In those days
when Hadji Khalib Khan, ambassador from this
government, was killed in India by some accident
of this sort, we would not believe at first that it
was not done intentionally — till we experienced the
kindness of the English government, and beheld
VOL. I. L

218 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
the firmness of their promise and contract ; then
we became assured the accident happened provi
dentially, not intentionally. However, the grief
and anxiety which have found their voice to our
royal mind, will not come into any description by
writing, and I need not explain and represent
them. We value the friendship and treaty of that
government more than you, my son, but our sorrow
is beyond expression at this accident, because the
publication of the circumstance will be the cause
of disgrace to this government Although no sen
sible man would expect this sort of outrage, yet
we deem it necessary that we should inform that
son his exellency Meerza Amburger is there — you
must inform him of the truth of this perfectly. We
do not consider any difference between these two
governments in regard to our friendship and unions
Tehran and St. Petersburgh are the same— let
them suppose that this accident has happened in
that metropolis, not in this — and whatever they
would do in such a case, we will do the same,
according to any two religions or laws of either
government. Whatever punishment is to be in
flicted, or recompense given, we are perfectly ready
to do so ; and moreover, certainly the regards of

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 219
the friendship and the cultivation of the contract
are beyond any thing in our consideration ; the ex
pulsion of this disgrace from our government is
our duty, and we shall do it. The bodies of the
Russians are all buried with due respect to them,
and we have treated with the greatest kindness,
and shall continue to do so, the secretary and
others saved. The leaders of the mob we have
punished already in some degree, and shall con
tinue to do so, and are expecting to receive some
intelligence from that son concerning the accom
plishment of some reparation for this accident by
Meerza Amburger ; and we are about to send the
deputy ambassador, accompanied by Razan Alik-
hum, with an answer to the correspondence of the
Emperor, with royal firmans to General Paske-
vitch within three days ; these people, being pre
sent, having witnessed the transactions, they can
state the truth better than any one else. In short,
we demand assistance of that son in reparation of
this disgrace."
His Majesty's Gazette of this horrible outrage
being so very copious, leaves me but little to add
respecting it. The ambassador, from the time of his
arrival in Persia, had made himself very obnoxious
l2

220 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
at the court of Tabreez in various ways — amongst
others, that of coming into the presence of the
Prince with dirty boots,, thereby soiling his carpets,
than which nothing can be more offensive, and
which only the courteous urbanity of an Abbas
Meerza would overlook. At Zenjen, on his way to
Tehran, he took upon himself to interfere amongst
the Armenian and Georgian subjects, to the extent
, of tying up and punishing most severely a Maho
medan, for having, as he said, inveigled away an
Armenian woman ; in which there was no truth.
This gave such offence to the people, that they
began to complain of their Shah, that he had not
power to protect them against the Muscovite
infidels. At Kazvine he did the same, offering
protection to all the renegadoes of the government,
and interfering amongst the Georgians and Arme
nians in such a manner, that the people were quite
indignant at his conduct; and he was seriously
advised to leave the place, or they would not answer
for his personal safety. The remainder of the'
catastrophe is told by the Shah.
The guard spoken of by his Majesty consisted
of a hundred men from the choice troops of the
Shah. The women alluded to, as being detained

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 221
all night, were most barbarously used by the Rus
sians; in the morning they fled from the house
almost naked, running through the streets im
ploring to be revenged on the infidels. This at
tracted a large crowd of the people, who, inflamed
by their cries, went towards the ambassador's house,
full of revenge for the injuries they had received.
The guards (already alluded to) fired, and killed
six of the Musselmans ; this excited the mob to
the greatest fury; the bodies of these true be
lievers were taken up and exposed at six different
mosques ; the moolahs made use of them to excite
the people to a sort of frenzy, and to revenge the
spilling of Mahomedan blood on their murderers
the Muscovites.
A body of thirty thousand people had now con
gregated together, with an inflammable feeling
which nothing could resist, and such a tide poured
towards the ambassador's house as threatened anni
hilation to it and to its inmates. Seeing the mob
advance, it is said Mr. Grybydoff went forward
with his sword drawn, but he was immediately
knocked down by a stone on the temple ; the mob
crying out, " the Elchee is killed." Then being
determined to massacre every one of the Russians,

222 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
they broke in and dispatched about thirty of them,
including Cossacks.
In the mean time the King hearing of the tumult,
sent his troops to the aid of the Russians, with Ali
Shah at their head, as already described. Mr.
Maltzoff, whom he saved, he smuggled through
the mob in a Persian uniform. The three Cossacks
were concealed in a stable. The number of the
mob which were shot by the Russians was about
thirty. Never was the fury of the Persians sup
posed to have been so excited as by those provo
cations offered by the Russians.
Meerza Yhacoub was the first that fell, and they
dragged his body around the city, and flung it into
a ditch. The mob, not content with massacring
the poor victims, made piles of the human rubbish,
dipped their hands in the blood of the Muscovites,
and with horrid shouts mocked and derided the
fallen dead. One man, in particular, was so in
censed as to be seen cutting pieces of flesh from
the slain. The body of the ambassador was found
under the devoted heap, with a finger cut off, sup
posed to have been for plunder. It was deposited
in the Armenian church; the remainder of the
bodies were given over to the Armenians of the

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 223
town, who interred them in their own receptacles
for the dead.
They searched diligently, even with lighted
candles, through the house for more victims, it
being intimated that there were some concealed
(these were no doubt the three Cossacks alluded
to). They then proceeded to the stables of the
British residency, where they murdered seven or
eight Russian servants, and carried off all their
horses. The unfortunate Mr. Grybydoff was only thirty-
two years of age, a man of extraordinary talent as
a linguist, and as an author he had much distin
guished himself. His lady was at that time at
Tabreez ; she was the daughter of Prince Tchef-
tekwadze, of Teflis. I saw her go off with the
Russian consul already spoken of, though she was
kept in ignorance of the tragical death of her
husband. On arrival of the news at Tabreez, the con
sternation of the Prince was excessive. He
immediately sent for Colonel Macdonald, to con
sult with him what was to be done. A general
mourning was ordered for eight days. The news
arrived on the day of some grand fete ; he gave

224 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
immediate orders for all rejoicings to be stopped
on the penalty of twelve tomauns each- person, and
losing their toe nails. Meerza Macsood was sent
off to Teflis to General Paskevitch with the letter
of which a copy has been given, and some time
after the body of the murdered ambassador arrived
on its way to the same destination, for interment ;
it was lodged in an Armenian church outside the
town, the Persians having a superstitious pre
judice against corpses being received within the
city gates.*
It was first stated that the apologies offered to
General Paskevitch were deemed sufficient; and
that to confirm the amicable feeling of the Russian
government, another ambassador would be sent to
Tehran, General Dolgorouky; and it was then
thought the storm had blown over. But by a
second dispatch it was stated that the affair must
be settled at St. Petersburgh, and not at Teflis.
This occasioned great consternation to Abbas
Meerza, who, at length, sent his son, Khousroof
* The gallant and much respected Major Hart died outside
the city of Tabreez, in June 1830. To bring him in for inter
ment in the Armenian church, the body was dressed up in full
uniform, and brought in a " takht ravan," in an upright posture
of seeming vitality.

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 225
Meerza, with the Ameer y Nizam, to the Russian
capital, on a mission of apologies.*
I shall close my report of this tragical event at
Tehran by a copy from the Petersburgh Gazette
respecting it, which I saw at Erzroume, when in
the Russian camp, where the officers were very
curious to hear my version of it from Persia.
Monsieur Rodofinikin, the son of the oriental
dragoman at the court of St. Petersburgh, at
* I heard much of the movements of the Persian Prince, par
ticularly at Tula, having followed soon after, and where I by
chance fell in with the train of the Turkish ambassador, Halil
Pasha, and was much amused at our mutual deceptions at the
Fabrique d' Amies, a very large establishment, of which the Rus
sians are justly proud. What with my cap, pelisse, &c. I was
taken by the authorities as belonging to their suite. Once or
twice they looked at me very hard, as much as to say, " Who are
you ? " still I passed on. The " conductor," (apparently a Rus
sian officer) at length seeing that neither the Prince nor the
Persians addressed me, began to suspect that I was not one of
them, and a lady coming up enquiring how it was that I was not
at the theatre last evening with the Pasha, I was so completely
posed, that the officer could no longer forbear asking me who and
what I was. On my replying, " Un voyageur Aitglois," he burst
into a loud laugh. " Well," said he, " and I too am all the way
from Birmingham.'' It was a Mr. Jones, who wore the Russian
epaulettes, as superintendent of his Imperial Majesty's Fabrique
d'Armes. I spent the evening at his house, and was introduced
to his family; the cause of his emigration was, his talent being
worth more at Tula than at Birmingham.
L 3

226 MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE.
whose tent we were at dinner, read the said
gazette, of which the following is a copy : —
"March 15—27, 1829. Letters received from
Tehran inform us of a horrible catastrophe, which
took place in that city on the 29th January, in
consequence of a quarrel between some of the
servants of our minister, Mr. Grybydoff, and
some of the people. Some idlers being assem
bled in front of the minister's house during the
quarrel, thought they ought to take part in it;
and some amongst them being killed, an immense
crowd flew from the bazaars to revenge their
countrymen, forced the door of the house, scaled
the walls in spite of the resistance of our Cossacks,
and that of the Persian guards, who lost four men
in this attack, and succeeded in penetrating into
the interior apartments, where every one who
ventured before the rage of the infuriated mob
was massacred. In vain the Shah himself, ac
companied by his son, Zelli Sultaun, governor-
general of Tehran, arrived with a considerable
armed force to arrest and disperse the wretches;
it was too late — Mr. Grybydoff and his suite had
been already victims of the assassins. The first

MAHOMEDAN VENGEANCE. 227
secretary of legation, Mr. Maltzoff, and three
other individuals, have alone escaped the carnage.
The Shah, Abbas Meerza, and all the court, are
in the greatest consternation; the latter has
ordered a mourning for eight days, anxious to
give us all the satisfaction which we require.
He proposes to send for that purpose to the
Count Paskevitch d'Erivan, his eldest son, and
the Kaimacan, to bring all the details, and all
the explanations which the commander-in-chief
can require respecting this disastrous event."
Thus ended this dreadful tragedy of the Persian
mob. None of them were punished by the govern
ment, and no compensation was required. Khous
roof Meerza was feted every where in Russia ; his
reception by the Emperor was gracious and flat
tering, and, for the season, the Persian prince was
the lion of St. Petersburgh.

228

CHAPTER XVIL

THE TATAR GALLOP.

On the 23rd November I got into the saddle.
The morning opened in a tempest on the Black
Sea, to which I was turning my back ; it was tossed
to and fro in foamy fury, agitated by one of those
frightful storms, the result of " the elemental strife"
of this part of the world. The ominous cloud,
about the size of a man's hand, soon spread over
the horizon, and seemed to awake the winds, which
threatened destruction to all opposing objects. It
was a magnificent sight, and I waited some time
in hopes that the clouds would exhaust them
selves, and that there would be some chance of a

w"'-"

o b

-^¦j.

¦-:" WS?W>

THE TATAR GALLOP. 229
tranquil atmosphere. But the rain continued to
fall, the horses were ready, the burly Tatar became
impatient, so we started.
On climbing the paved hills (for such they
literally are) which bound the town of Trebisonde,
we found them cut into flights of stairs, over which
the horses climb with wonderful ease. * The
ground was partially covered with snow, and the
wind blew from every point of the compass. I
had agreed with the Tatar to take me about seven
hundred miles to Tabreez, which he was to do in
as many days, with five horses ; one for the
"surrigee," or guide, who takes the post horses
from one station to another, such stations being
from twenty to thirty miles apart, according to the
villages ; the Tatar's horse ; my own ; one bag
gage, and one kitchen horse, to carry pans, kettles,
provisions, &c. The provisions consisted princi
pally of coffee, tea, sugar, rice, &c. ; the Tatar
undertaking for bread, fowls, eggs, " yourt," or
sour milk.
It is, however, precarious to trust too much to
the purveyor, for the Tatars not only pay nothing
to the villagers where they levy, but often tax them
in coin, " for the skin of their teeth," as they call it.

230 THE TATAR GALLOP.
My bargain with him was two thousand five hun
dred Turkish piastres, or. about twenty-five pounds
sterling, with a " bakshish," or present, on arrival,
provided I was satisfied with his conduct. This
bargain I made through my interpreter, the Tatar
not speaking Persian ; so that not a word of under
standing existed between us beyond the indispen
sable tchibook and tobacco.
In such travel dilemmas, and where you commit
yourself to the care of an entire stranger who may
lead you into ambush, or betray you to the Koords,
it is better to employ a government Tatar, his cha
racter and credit being at stake for your safe con
duct ; and if he forfeits these he loses all future
employ. These Tatars are generally bulky men ;
they ride small horses, and with a weight of tack
ling quite oppressive to the little animals, who
shake themselves beneath their load, and run with
an ambling pace more like that of a dog than a
horse, when out of the gallop.
I should observe that the Tatar is furnished
with a "teskeret," or order from the Pasha, to
supply him with the required number of horses
at the post-houses, an establishment much better
* See Appendix.

THE TATAR GALLOP. 231
kept up in Turkey than in Persia. This " teske
ret" is deemed a necessary protection to the
traveller. The first stage to Gevaslic I deem the scenery to
be almost equal to that of Switzerland. The snowy
hill-tops were interspersed here and there with
the black pine, which, yielding to the blast, scat
tered its white clothing about in flaky variety; and
the mountain torrents, with their impetuous roar,
hastened to the sea, impatient seemingly of every
interruption. This was to me an anxious day,
from the solitariness of the scene, though accom
panied by man and beast, and from the difficult
passes, where I was obliged to follow more like a
bale of goods attached to the saddle than as hav
ing any interest in the adventure.
Arrived at our station, the horses fagged, and I
somewhat jaded, I was glad to resume my old
quarters at Gevaslic, where I had formerly lodged ;
and on the benches of the coffee-house I established
myself for the night, and made it out in tolerable
comfort. But the Tatar became jealous of my
rest, and at three in the morning we were again
in the saddle, having girded ourselves for the
warfare of the day. We were soon climbing

232 THE TATAR GALLOP.
the hills again, this being a very mountainous
district. Hence we proceeded to the dreary station of
Karakaban, a solitary hut in the mountains, planted
for the convenience of post horses. It appeared to
me to be misery's head-quarters ; and, independent
of a fine flow of water, I do not remember any
other provision. We were now getting into the
mining districts of " Gumish Khaneh," or the
" Silver House," with its surface as barren as its
bowels were rich, if report spoke true. The town
itself was on the side of a hill, seemingly inacces
sible ; I saw no possibility of approach to it ; but
on turning the corner, a path had been hewed out
through a rock which was strongly fortified. Thus,
in many of the Asiatic towns, instead of planting
them where good approaches may be obtained,
every design indicates mistrust, the fear of
treachery, and the dread of arbitrary power.
Threading our way to this most intricate town
of Gumish Khaneh, the Tatar housed me hra
warm stable, and soon were my senses steeped in
forgetfulness, which my restless companion rudely
interrupted. To dispute his will would have been
to be left alone in the wilderness ; so buckling on

THE TATAR GALLOP. 233
my armour, I had nothing for it but to mount
again the stirrup of activity.
This district is noted for its good garden ground ;
and amongst other produce, the pears are most
celebrated. I should say that the village bore
rather a healthy hue compared to many others ;
there was less of that squalidness and skin-eaten
poverty which in Toorkistan is often so conspicuous.
Once in the saddle the Tatar feels inspired again,
sets up a wild howl of delight, cracks his whip, and
off he sets full speed, the horses seemingly par
taking of his inspiration. If you happen to lag
behind, then he acts as whipper-in ; you have only
to keep the saddle, it is his affair to get you on as
he would any other merchandise. Many a time
was the "surrigee" rolling in the snow. He lays
his whip over both man and horse : up they spring
and on again, nothing daunted. This is a most
spirit-stirring mode of travel, and the animation of
a Tatar gallop is perfectly bewitching ; it excites,
I may almost say creates, faculties unknown before.
In going over the boundless plains — the rocky
ravines — the more difficult the road, the quicker
it must be passed. There were many places where
a few inches, right or left, would be fatal to both

234 THE TATAR GALLOP.
man and horse. " Crack" went the whip— and
they were passed before I had time to think of
danger ; and Ferrajulah, looking back at me
with that air of satisfaction which imposes confi
dence, I must confess that I became at length as
fearless as himself, and enjoyed the bustling scene.
On arrival at Baiboot, I could scarcely get ac
commodation even in a stable. They have an
inveterate enmity to all Ferengees, since the Rus
sians beat the town about their ears. A large
wound in the skull of a mosque, and a leaning
minaret of another, perpetuate these injuries to the
Moslems. The successive stations of Karogulah
and Ash Kaleh were passed with great rapidity.
At the latter, numerous streams were gushing down
from the mountains, all combining to form that
mighty Euphrates, which makes so long a march
on the Asiatic soil.
At Elidja, about ten miles from Erzroume, is a
fountain of mineral water, surrounded by a low
wall ; it was then at boiling heat in the centre of
the basin. Its properties were celebrated for the
cure of rheumatism, though but little used by the
natives. Dashing into the city of Erzroume, almost blinded

THE TATAR GALLOP. 235
with the snow, I was gladdened with the sight of
the "lion rampant and the one-horned unicorn"
over the British consulate, the hospitable inmate
of which gave prompt shelter and food to the weary
traveller. The approach to this place, which is the
capital of Turkish Armenia, is through the burying
grounds, which are uninclosed, and extend a great
way, having numerous cupolas, head-stones with
gilt turbans, and long inscriptions, for which the
Turks are so celebrated in the way of epitaphs.
But the Tatar gallop affords no time to transcribe
epitaphs ; so arranging for fresh horses and renew
ing our teskeret, we were soon again in the saddle,
and arrived after dark at Hassan Kaleh. I had
consoled myself with the expectation of a long
night of it in a warm stable, where, man and beast
mixed up together, one gets animal warmth where
sometimes no other can be obtained. But the im
patient Tatar thought otherwise ; so girding him
self at six o'clock, I had no alternative but to follow
his imperious will, though I would have fain escaped
from any farther progress that night.
It was bitter cold. The roughness of the way
caused many a slip to our steeds, rolling sometimes
the Tatar and sometimes the surigee in the snow.

236 THE TATAR GALLOP.
But these are trifles — nothing is permitted to pre
vent the Tatar's progress — the long whip does every
thing for man and beast ; its spirit-stirring influence
is irresistible. In these midnight gallops the sound
of a dog is most harmonious, as it indicates a village,
and possibly rest. About three o'clock in the morn
ing we dashed into Delli Baba, in spite of canine
interruptions offered to us at every corner.
Housed in a warm stable, I was asleep in an in
stant, standing by my horse. But not long did
I enjoy this privilege. Ferrajulah shook me to
the painful consciousness of being still subject to
his arbitrary government. I resisted all I could
" Yawash," Stop ! He then indicated that we were
in the-Koord country, insinuating danger by passing
his knife before his throat This was exciting, so
off we galloped.
I was well acquainted with the country, and
understood his intention to give me no rest until
we arrived at Torprach Kaleh. I did expect to
rough it certainly, but this was roughing it in the
superlative degree ; so I determined to resist my
Tatar, and taking advantage of his advance, I
bounded off to the first village I could discover, he
after me, shouting and pointing towards this sta-

THE TATAR GALLOP. 237
tion. I got into the stable before him, and having
been sixteen hours on horseback, fell immediately
asleep. This was a wretched place called Zadecan, and
with difliculty did I get the common supplies of
bread and milk, for the former having to wait the
baking. This is quite an event in a Turkish vil
lage. The oven is sunk in the ground of the
common resting place, and heated by dried dung,
the ordinary fuel in Turkish villages. The thin
pancake dough is then planted against its , sides,
and it requires but short time to convert it into
bread. Sitting around the oven's mouth, I had
to wait the operation with hungry impatience, and
making out the night on dirty nummeds, I was
quite ready at break of day to start for Torprach
Kaleh. Here we breakfasted with the Agha, who was a
Koord ; indeed the whole neighbourhood may be
said to be inhabited by these people, who in their
striped " abas," or cloaks, and red woollen caps
hanging down the neck, present a grotesque ap
pearance in these wild countries. The horses were
small but active, and we dashed through the nume
rous swamps with wonderful rapidity. Ferra-

238 THE TATAR GALLOP.
julah had no time for accidents, and as we made
our first dash through the Euphrates, " Frat," he
exclaimed (the Turkish name for this river), and
cracking his whip, I had no time 'to taste of this
most ancient of waters.
Diadin, the next station, presents some ruinous
fortifications, all crumbling into dust. It was here
that I formerly rode over the roof of a house un
knowingly ; * but the Tatar now found me better
quarters. These government couriers are much
respected in these countries — feared, I should say;
a crack of their whip inspires terror.
The wild passes of the mountains, although
there was but little time to admire them, were
fancifully grand this day. The snow on them was
but partial, and the vallies were so rich in pasture
varieties, where they were sheltered from the
northern blasts, it seemed a struggle, as it were,
between summer and winter. I was too much
engrossed with the sight to heed my way, and
down came my horse, head foremost, but as sud
denly started into the gallop by the magic of the
Tatar's whip. We got to our station in fine style,
* See page 172.

THE TATAR GALLOP. 239
though I imagined the jaded animals could never
reach it.
Two of the Turkish luxuries, in the way of feed
ing, are " yourt," or sour milk, and " kymack," or
clouted cream, both excellent of their kind. They
have a minced meat called "dogmah," which is
rolled into balls and covered with vine leaves; this is
also good. Here, abundantly provided with these
provisions, at a good station, messing together with
Ferrajulah, we laughed at and with each other,
our only mode of intercourse.
There is a sort of satisfaction in accomplishing
any object of fatigue or difficulty, and I got so
animated by my Tatar gallop as to feel quite im
patient to get again into the saddle. A most
important comfort to this mode of travelling is the
English bridle and saddle, with which I was pro
vided. The Turkish tackling is so very rude as
to be almost unusable by a Ferengee.
On the side of a ravine, in a rocky defile, lay a
Koordish village of straggling earth pots, as I call
them — habitations they can scarcely be named.
But, malgre moi, here he would take me ; and with
difficulty did we climb to those dens of misery,
amidst the baying of dogs and the vociferations of

240 THE TATAR GALLOP.
a ragged community ; for our arrival had produced
quite an emeute. The " rysh soofeed," or old agha,
led the way to his domicile, from whence issued
beings of all sorts — "shame-faced females" in
cluded — and seeing a Ferengee come in amongst
them, their modest confusion was of the most
i amusing kind. But they were all ejected together
by the government authority, which bears more of
the physical than the argumentative character.
Ferrajulah seemed quite at home here; and
spite of my impatience, I had to make out the
night amidst all sorts of rubbish. The hut was lit
from the top, and there being no chimney, the fire
was kindled in the middle of it, in order to the
smoke's escape ; and as this did not always happen,
we were visited with sundry portions of it, much
to my discomfort.
As to the Koordish cooking, it would puzzle
even a Kitchener to imitate it; and as I lay on
my nummed of patience and smoked my pipe of
novelty, I was much amused at these scenes of
Koordish domesticity. I wondered, too, how the
night arrangements were to be made to accommo
date so large a family; looking out for retiring
rooms, dormitories, &c, but not any were to be

THE TATAR GALLOP. 241
found; and as the night approached, the family
increased. But the sleeping arrangements were
soon made; the dirty bolsters and carpets were
brought in and stretched promiscuously on the
ground, the fire-spot being the most attractive.
Here lay master, mistress, and sundry family
sprouts, male and female, all of a heap, as acci
dent or cold seemed to draw them together, rather
miscellaneously arranged.
Ferrajulah and I kept our distance, for I had
found out rather the aristocratic part of the cabin,
and he lay at my feet. Koordish somnolency ap
peared to me to differ very little from that of
Frangistan. The old man began the concert, the
others followed, about eight in number. This
effectually prevented my taking part in it.
About midnight a young woman came in, ac
companied by a large dog, and stalked cautiously
around to discover seemingly a bare spot to rest
upon. I watched their movements by the light
of the embers, which threw occasional flaming
tints over the scene; but as she approached the
aristocratic part of the cabin, I set up such a noise
(as if in troubled sleep) that she soon decamped ;
and being desirous to do the same, I shook myself
VOL. I. M

242 THE TATAR GALLOP.
at an early hour from my nummed (the Koordish
mode of cleansing), and most gladly escaped from
my resting-place.
Being detained at Khoie a whole day to obtain
horses, I rambled through the bazaars, and saw a
good deal of this large city, the gates of which are
respectable ; but the bridges over the dry ditch ate
of so tumble-down a description as to be highly
dangerous ; they are built on slight poles, so as to
yield in the middle some six or eight inches of
level, and miserably propped with poles from be
low. There is design in this I imagine. Fancy
a contumacious governor within ; he cuts down
the bridges in five minutes, and defies the outside
authority. In Persia every thing indicates stra
tagem ; half the world live by it ; no wonder that
the art so thrives on the soil, or at the ready wits
of the Persians.
The plain of Khoie is most extensive, and richly
dotted with villages ; but we must not tarry amongst
them, being now within two days of Tabreez. There
was no time for musings. Ferrajulah became more
impatient ; the " bakshish," or present, was to de
pend on his promptitude ; and although the ground
was occasionally much flooded, where bridges are

THE TATAR GALLOP. 243
unknown or so imperfect as to render. them dan
gerous, we had many a fording difficulty, but they
were all surmounted by his activity.
When the old ark or arsenal of Tabreez appeared
in view, which may be seen at a great distance, the
Tatar raised himself in the stirrups, quite inspired
as it were with the prospect. " Tabreez ! Tabreez ! "
Crack goes the whip, the jaded horses take fresh
courage, and we very soon attained the goal of our
wishes. I was uncommonly pleased with my recognitions
of even the mud walls, and making rapid way over
the rotten bridge, was much gratified to hear
shouted out, " Sahib ame dast," " the Sahib is
come," from an old acquaintance who was making
his way to me. As I galloped up to the Khan's,
my old abode, and from thence to the doctor's, I
was received on all sides with the kindest greet
ings ; — " Koosh amadeed," " Koosh guelden," and
so on. Really I began to think that this world is
not such a barren spot for human affections as some
represent it to be, and I felt a sort of fraternizing
amongst my Persian friends, a sort of home-ties ;
and the domestics coming in, salaaming, kissing
my hand, with " Your place has long been empty,"
m2

244 THE TATAR GALLOP.
" May your shadow increase," &c. It was alto
gether a most agreeable termination to my journey.
Then the sort of triumph with which Ferrajulah
led me in, having performed his bargain, and
looking for his " bakshish."
I speedily delivered myself, through my inter
preter, of the numerous enquiries which I had
bottled up on the way — why he stopped at one
place, and went on from another ; all of which he
satisfactorily answered; and I made him happy
beyond his expectations.
To give a fillip to nature and a buoyancy to the
faculties, I should say there is nothing like a Tatar
gallop.

245

CHAPTER XVin.

THE " TAKHT KAJAR.*

This palace, which is considered to be one of
the Persian "lions," is situated about one fursek,
or four miles, from Tehran, under the refreshing
mountains of Shemroun, within a large garden en
closed by the usual mud walls. The garden, though
formal, is umbrageous and fruitful, and plentifully
watered — the great source of all Persian luxuries.
The sandy soil which one is obliged to pass from
the city, is desperately fatiguing, in a climate
at 97 Fahrenheit, in the shade ; but the moment
you cross the little brook, from whence spring
m2*

246 THE TAKHT KAJAR.
melons, grapes, and pomegranates, the wilderness
smiles as it were, and the rose triumphs over the
desert. The " bauleh kaneh" at the entrance bespoke
neglect and decay, two prominent agents under a
despotic government, where all private interests
are merged in the sovereign. This palace was
built by the late King of Persia; and he would
occasionally resort to it from the stifling heat of
Tehran, accompanied by some of his wives and
courtiers. A spacious avenue was intersected by a
marble basin, of tolerable workmanship, and some
attempt at hydraulic display ; but the thirsty lions
gaped in drought, seeming to "blow wind and
crack their- cheeks."
Continuing the line of way, I mounted a ter
race so overgrown with intrusive weeds, as to be
no longer a bridle-path. Here a dilapidated build
ing bore strong marks of the Persian blight; —
there were tanks, waterfalls, &c, all in thirsty
decay. The palace, built on a rock at the foot
of the mountains, bore every semblance of a pri
son, evidently fortified against surprise or force, —
strongly indicative of Persian jealousy and sus
picion; and on thundering at the brass, gate, the

THE TAKHT KAJAR. 247
hollow responses of the vaulted passages gave me a
dreamy recollection of Doubting Castle. I must
confess that I had many doubts whether I might
commit myself within its precincts. However, as I
had nothing to apprehend, and being goaded on by
the spur of novelty, I made my way into a large
court which led to the baths, all lined with
marble. Farther on were the harem apartments ;
there were likewise other suites of rooms, too
numerous to particularise, the whole well supplied
with water. At the extremity of the court were
two large halls, painted in fresco, with numerous
portraits of kings and heroes, magnificently attired
in oriental frippery. The ensemble gave me any
idea but that of a royal residence ; there was a
muteness over the whole; the actors were all
gone; and I never saw any thing so completely
desolate, with a sort of chilling blight quite repul
sive to the feelings.
I traversed two long dark galleries, which led
to the baths already alluded to. Not a voice
was heard, not even a " peish kedmet," or head
servant, to welcome me with a " bismillah" to
this summer palace of the late Shah. I made
my way to the Shah's bed-chamber, which is

248 THE TAKHT KAJAR.
ascended by a narrow staircase of fifteen steps,
with windows opening on the court of the harem
and the gardens. Some rude paintings were on
the walls, and amongst them was that of a British
envoy, but without name or date. From hence,
taking my survey of the solitary country, I could
scarcely imagine any spot worse chosen for the
capital of Persia than that of Tehran ; but history
informs me that it had been chosen as the seat of
government by Agha Mahomed Shah Koja, the
uncle of the late King, as being in the immediate
territory of his tribe, the Kajars.
Since this Shah occupies so conspicuous a place
in the Persian annals, I will pause for a moment
to give a few particulars respecting him, as re
corded by Sir John Malcolm, in his History of
Persia. " Agha Mahomed Khan was the founder of the
Kajar dynasty, the uncle of the late Shah. He
waded through seas of blood to reach the throne.;
and the early part of his reign was distinguished
by continual conflicts with the legitimate heir,
Jaffier Khan, and his son, Lootf Aly Khan, who
were at length taken prisoners, and suffered the
.most horrible barbarities from the usurper, and

THE TAKHT KAJAR. 249
with them terminated the Zund family. Of his
two brothers, who materially assisted him to the
possession of the empire, one of them, of whom he
was afraid as a competitor, he ordered his eyes to
be scooped out ; and the other, Jaffier Kouli Khan,
to whom he was more particularly indebted for his
musnud, or throne, he decoyed to the capital, on
the pretence of giving him the government of
Ispahan, where he was barbarously murdered under
the portico of a new palace by hired assassins ; and
some accounts say, in the presence of the late Shah,
then called Baba Khan, to whom he said, loading
him with abuse, ' It is for you that I have done
this ; the gallant spirit which animated that body
would never have permitted my crown to rest on
your head in peace, Persia would have been dis
tracted with internal wars ; to avoid these conse
quences, I have acted with shameful ingratitude,
and have sinned deeply against God and man.' "
The blackest hypocrisy was conspicuous in this
Shah, and his conscience was seared as with a hot
iron. At Kerman, where the inhabitants had re
belled against him, and sheltered one of his oppo
nents, Lootf Aly, he laid a contribution upon them
of so many sacks of eyes. It is said that more than
m3

250 THE TAKHT KAJAR.
seven thousand people were thus mutilated to make
up the quantity ; and they now relate the circum
stance in Persia as an undoubted fact, that as the
eyes were brought in on trays and thrown on the
ground before him, he turned them over with
the end of his whip, gloating in his barbarity.
It were endless to narrate all the circumstances
of his bloody deeds ; nay, they are scarcely known,
and they display such a dark map of human de
pravity, that one shudders at the monster. Build
ing towers of human heads, they say, was nothing
uncommon, and one of them now exists at Ispahan.
The Shah was brave as well as cruel ; he dis
played both these qualities in Georgia, which had
revolted during his reign, from dependence on
Persia to that of Russia. The inhabitants of Teflis
were visited with his fiery vengeance; and in it
was committed the usual barbarities of fire and
sword, driving thousands of the natives into cap
tivity, binding, and throwing their priests into the
river, destroying their churches, wasting their
habitations. The Mahomedan historian of this
monarch, to convey some idea of the sufferings of
the poor inhabitants, says, " that on this glorious
occasion, the valiant warriors of Persia gave to the

THE TAKHT KAJAR. 251
Georgian unbelievers a specimen of what they
were to expect on the day of judgment."
An expedition against Sheshah proved to be the
last of Agha Mahomed Shah's military under
takings. Two of his servants quarrelled; their
noise disturbed him in his tent, and he imme
diately ordered them to be put to death. After
great entreaties on the part of his grand vizier,
Hadji Ibrahim, whom, if any one, he respected,
the execution was postponed unto the following
morning. The men, rendered desperate by their
sentence, which they knew would be carried into
effect, determined on destroying the tyrant. Either
his days or theirs were numbered ; and reckless of
consequences, they entered the tent of the King
whilst he slept. Alarmed at the -noise of destroy
ing the sentinel, which was the work of a moment,
the Shah sprang from his couch, and struggled
hard for life, promising pardon to his assailants ;
it is even said that he cut down one of them, ren
dered desperate by bis position; but the other
plunged a poinard into his heart, and afterwards
cut off his head and displayed it to the troops in
the camp. Thus fell, by a deserved fate, certainly
the greatest tyrant that Persia had ever nourished

252 THE TAKHT KAJAR.
on her soil, and a blot to human nature, such as
history, perhaps, in her varied pages, Roman or
Grecian, will scarcely again present us with ; it was
a lust of blood, a wantonness of cruelty insatiable.*
Some are of opinion, that the latter acts of the
Shah's life indicated insanity, since he was subject
to fits. " Cut out his eyes," was the order of the
day for the most trifling offence, which order was
immediately obeyed, and the poor wretches had to
grope through the remainder of their days in dark
ness. Such facts are stated to show what absolute
power the sovereign possesses in Persia, and what
the mind of the man-monster is capable of when
loosened to his own unbridled passions. I am not
more astonished at the conception of his san
guinary decrees, than I am at the execution of
them; that a nation should be so awed by one
individual as to massacre each other at his dic
tation. The Shah, when uninfluenced by those passions,
kept up in his court a royal sway of kingly dignity,
* The tyrant has been admirably depicted by Mr. Morier in
his " Zhorab," or the Hostage. I have never seen any illustra
tions of Persia so graphic, so correct, and, at the same time, so
ludicrous, as of this talented writer, in his " Haji Baba." The*
Persians say of this Shah that he never retired to rest satisfied
without having murdered one of his subjects.

THE TAKHT KAJAR. 253
of which he was very tenacious ; at such times he
occupied himself in acquiring contributions to his
coffers, when he did not like to exact them by force.
He was strongly tinctured with avarice, that pro
minent blight of the Persian character, and many
facts illustrative of this are related by Sir John Mal
colm, to whom I refer enquirers whom they may
interest ; limiting myself 'to one anecdote.
The King was passionately fond of hunting; and
disappointed one day at not bringing down a stag
which he shot at, he became vexed and irascible.
A peasant soon passed by with a deer on his
shoulders. "Oh!" cried the King, "that man
has killed my game — cut off his ears." The poor
peasant, who came from quite another direction,
and was ignorant of his Majesty's disappointment,
protested against this operation ; but his ears were
bared to the knife by the faroshes. " Softly," said
he; "take but a slice from each ear, and I will
give you all the money in my pocket" — which' was
four rials (six shillings). The offer aroused the
King, who overheard him. "What does he say ?"
It was repeated. " I will make a better bargain
with you," said the King; "give me the money,
and the whole of your ears shall be preserved."
m 7

254 THE TAKHT KAJAR.
I continued my way, frequently questioning my
guide about what I saw, of which he. was quite as
well informed as myself. The walls were adorned
in the oriental style, with stained glass, Koran
inscriptions, and royal poetry, all in fine cha
racters; the ceilings were good, and the doors
of exquisite workmanship, inlaid with ivory,
ebony, mother-of-pearl, and other ornaments. I
need scarcely say, that the building was all of
mud — "nothing like mud" in Persia; and as I
traversed again the lonely halls below, a chilly
feeling came over me, which caused me hastily
to depart. I had taken an extensive view of
the surrounding country; the sandy map below
me bespoke sterility and drought ; but here and
there, where the bubbling fountain sprung in
the vale, it was beautifully dotted with villages.
They are numerous in this district of Shemroun,
and their luxuriant foliage, amidst the wild oases
of the deserts, is a great relief to the monotonous
tedium of Persian scenery.
The Takht Kajar, although deemed to be one
of the best country palaces near Tehran, was but
seldom visited by the late Shah; there was a

THE TAKHT KAJAR. 255
quietude in his general habits of life, which ren
dered him contented with but few changes ; and
when those of climate became necessary, he would
generally go to camp on the plains of Sultiniah ; or
even near Tehran these changes were easily
attainable. It is astonishing at what short dis
tances great variations of the thermometer occur,
of from twenty to thirty degrees.
I arrived at the gate of this garden in the
month of August, at six o'clock in the morning,
oosing at every pore, and I found within it the
freshness of spring. Descending the terrace below,
which was divided by a dry canal, a farther de
scent, by a covered staircase, led to a second and
third terrace, at the bottom of which was a small
building, likewise ornamented with paintings,
frescoes, &c, the view from which was very
pretty. The garden was gained by another de
scent, which I traversed again and again. I
snuffed up its sweets amidst a thicket of flowers.
It was crowded with fruit trees, and at this season
so laden, as to satiate all appetite. The walls
were lofty, having four gates, each of them with
a small room over, all in rapid decay.

256

CHAPTER XIX.

TABREEZ.

\ In describing any one Persian city, the descrip
tion will apply generally to others, allowing for
differences of the scite and dimensions. \ The mode
of building, or rather of burrowing under the
ground, is general in Persia. The soil which they
excavate is moulded into walls — mud upon mud —
with flat roofs, the whole baked into a uniform
substance, so strong as to resist cannon balls.
I had had a long midnight march from Marand,
with one attendant only, Bucktrari Ali, who was
to conduct me for the first time into Persia. No
means of communication existed between us beyond
that of signs. Wearied and sleepy, I was nearly

TABREEZ. 257
dropping from my horse, when Ali sung out " Ta
breez." In vain did I look out for any thing
resembling the busy haunts of men. A large brick
elevation, called the " ark," or arsenal, was the
most prominent object in view. This was sur
rounded by small mounds of mud, as they appeared
to me, about ten or twelve feet above the surface.
On entering the gate, which was ornamented
with coloured tiles, I found myself in a narrow
drain-way, as it appeared to me, a line of irre
gular walls on each side, with occasional small
doors, leading to what I imagined to be dog kennels,
or some such respectable abodes. A khanaut, or
stream of water, was partially opened, partially
covered ; herds of dogs were on the walls, disputing
almost our passage, and remains of others lying in
the way, the putrescence of which was emitting a
most offensive smell. Droves of donkeys laden with
brush wood were disputing the narrow way, driving
me up against the walls, and the ups and downs of
the rubbish, which had been allowed to accumulate
into hillocks, required no little care to surmount
them. Of human dwellings, or what appeared to
be such, I saw none, not a window, nor a sign of
habitancy beyond the straggling passers-by, some

258 TABREEZ.
in sheep-skin coats, badly slippered, but well
armed, through which I had to make my way--
I now became incredulous as to the faithfulness
of my guide ; which Ali seeming to perceive, still
cried out " Tabreez ;" and so it proved indeed to
be. I soon found my friends, enjoying the sight
of a tank of water leading to their dwellings. De
scending some eight or ten feet into an enclosed
court, the said dwelling was very respectable for
an Asiatic soil, having only the ground floor, the
roof being on a level with the street.
I was still for a long time incredulous as to my
being actually in the once renowned city of Tauris,
of which Chardin gives so glowing a description ;
I still thought I had been cheated into a suburb, to
give me the more agreeable surprise at seeing the
original city. But so it really was ; and my oriental
dream about "the land of the sun, the garden of
the East, the air scented like musk," was at once
dissipated, especially as regarded the latter point,
for my olfactory nerves were greeted by nothmg
but the odour of decaying dead dogs !
Subsequent experience and residence gave me
more intimate acquaintance with this oriental city,
the boundaries of which I grew well acquainted

TABREEZ. 259
with, from my almost daily walk around the scol
loped mud walls, which are nearly three miles in
circumference, and have seven gates. These walls
are double, having a wide dry ditch between, and
the inner ones are flanked by towers, at irregular
distances, on which sentinels are planted, and also
at the different gates. The keys are nightly sent
to the governor or beglerbeg of the city, and with
out his special permission they cannot be opened
until the accustomed morning hour ; it is very
difficult to obtain ingress or egress out of the ap
pointed time, as I more than once experienced.
The bridges over the dry ditches of which I have
spoken, are built of and upon long poles, slanting
in the middle, sometimes with large holes here and
there, where the leg of a horse or a mule has
damaged the building, threatening to do the like
by the leg of the horse or mule in return. So frail
are the bridges, and so positively dangerous, that
I scarcely ever passed one without expecting it
would break under me. As to the scarp and
counter-scarp, the bastions, curtains, and the rest
of the fortifications, they appeared to me to be very
respectable — sufficiently so, I fancied, to satisfy
even my uncle Toby himself.

260 TABREEZ^
The ruins of the two mosques, of Mesjid Ali,
and the Sultan Kazan, I have already alluded to ;
they were upset in the great earthquake of 1559.
These are the most prominent features in the way
of ruins. The great Mans House is distinguished
by a respectable looking door-way of brick.
The plain on, or rather in which the city stands is
very extensive and barren; the boundaries, southern
and northern, being high, rugged looking moun
tains, inaccessible seemingly to man and beast,
and quite denuded of vegetation ; and the plains
bear but very partial spots here and there of gar
den ground. As to any thing like " chummum,"
or meadow, I do not recollect a patch of green
herbage. The " hummums," or baths, are numerous, but
not very good. As I lay on my mat the first
morning of my sojourning at Tabreez, a most dis
cordant din greeted my ears ; amongst other
sounds, that of the " hummumchee," proclaiming
with the cow's horn that the bath was ready for all
comers. This was at the break of day. The
muzzins were singing out the Azan, or call to
prayers ; there were the " katergis," or muleteers,
braying after a stray donkey, whilst forming their

TABREEZ. 261
caravans, &c. Such a medley of strange sounds gave
me a marvellous impression of my new residence,
particularly after the smart shock of an earthquake
the preceding evening.
The bazaar is a long line of buildings for shops,
partly roofed in, partly covered with mats and
other frail materials, all of the tumble-down de
caying description. The Persians, by these frail
tenements, seem to imply that there is no to-mor
row for them — every thing is to serve the present
moment. This long line of shops extends through
the heart of the city, and becomes the thorough
fare to its different portions. Men and animals
pressing against each other through a narrow road
of about eight feet wide, and pushed against the
walls by a donkey laden with fruit or brushwood,
it is quite a struggle to get on. The noisy " Ke-
bardar," 'take care,' at the angles where the
thronging generally takes place ; the dervish, sing
ing out in the name of Ali, rattling his kettle, his tall
figure towering over the rest, clothed in sheep or
deers' skin, with his felted conical cap, ornamented
with inscriptions from the Koran ; all these form a
melange, of which it is difficult to give a graphic
description. There is sometimes the moolah on

262 TABREEZ.
horseback, with many followers, on his way to the
Mesjid, and he meets with general respect. The
road is cleared for this " father of the faithful."
The shops are of the most miscellaneous kind,
though in some parts the trades are placed
together. Here is the " kiabobshee," or Cook,
roasting his little sausages on skewers, whilst the
passer by is eating these favourite dainties at the
door, dipping them in " moss," or sour milk.
The " dellok," or barber, is seen shaving the dirty
skull of an Hummual. Close by, it may be, is
seen a funeral, with the hasty tread of the bearers
of the corpse, which is placed on a bier, in a
striped wrapper.
Here are also the shops where they sell " guzan-
gabeen," or manna, described to me as produced
by a small insect, resembling a white thread, on
the leaves of trees. From this honey is made, by
being mixed with flower and water. The product
is the most indigestible of all food, ycleped
" manna." The Persians are very fond of sweet
meats ; at most visits they are brought round
as refreshments.
Nothing can be imagined more grotesque than
this miscellaneous congregating in the bazaars;

TABREEZ. 263
the busy hum of the men of pelf, the various dis
plays of Georgian and European manufactures, the
Damascus blades, the numerous fire-arms, caps *
and slippers, saddles and nummeds ; the various
trampers with their sweetmeats, ices, cakes, and
sherberts, chaunting their invites to the passing
world ; then the bubbling noise of the " kaleeon,"
or water-pipe, and the fragrant emissions of the
long tchibook — for with all their occupations this
is never forgotten — the scene must be witnessed
to be appreciated.
There are openings here and there from the
bazaars, which lead to the caravansaras where the
merchants deposit their goods. Some of them are
very respectable buildings, having subterranean
stabling for the horses, and " bauleh kanehs" or
sleeping rooms over the shops. There was one
lately built, the entire property of a merchant,
which must have cost I imagine one hundred
thousand tomauns; and another was in progress,
• The Astracan black lamb-skin cap is the universal head-dress
in Persia, from the prince to the peasant. It was first introduced
by the Kajar tribe. To obtain them in small shining curls, which
is their great excellence, they kill the ewe before her yeaning, and
the lamb is taken from her prematurely. Thence arise the glossy
black hue which is their great beauty.

264 TABREEZ.
with its magnificent dome built without any centre,
already alluded to.
Beyond these were workshops for the manu
facture of fire-arms, brought to very respectable
perfection by one of the Persian youths sent to
England to acquaint himself with the art. So
ingeniously had he copied a rifle of one of the
London makers, that I was completely taken in
by it. He had engraved the name in steel letters,
and, Persian like, had sold some of them as
" London guns." This he related to me with great
glee, quite unabashed. " Real London," said he,
" although made at Tebreez."
The sabres also were pretty good, though not
equal to those of Ispahan or Damascus, either for
the excellency of the material, or for the delicacy
of the workmanship. A good Ispahan blade, if
well welded, will, it is said, cut through a half-inch
bar of iron, a bale of cotton, or a silk handkerchief
thrown into the air; and this is by no means a
Persian extravaganza. The Persians are great
admirers of these missals, and nothing is so accept
able in the way of " peisheash," or present, as a
double-barrel Joe or a pair of hair triggers.
The other manufactures cannot be said to flourish-

TABREEZ. 265
much. 1 Despotic governments are adverse to all
improvements ; for if profit be derived from them,
they are sure to be taxed, and genius can never
flourish where the invention meets no protection,
and may be even attended with danger.V The
Persian who succeeds in amassing wealth unknown
to the government, seeks posthumous fame by the
building of caravanseries or baths, but quite un
connected with any patriotic feeling, or even for
the good of mankind. The most prominent of the
arts, and the one in which they so much excel, is
that of enamelling ; in which, in point of rich fancy
of pattern and of execution, they exceed the
Europeans. The exquisitely formed flower grows
on the gold and silver "kalleons" and thimbles
with a grace most true to nature. Of jewellery
I do not recollect much display in the bazaars
beyond that of the " feruzas" or tourquoises, of
which the Persians are very proud ; some stones
being valued as high as one hundred tomauns.
The most celebrated mine is at Nishapore, in
Khorassan. There are others, but they yield a
stone of a very inferior quality.
\ The merchants may be deemed the most opu
lent and the most independent class in Persia.
VOL. I. N

266 TABREEZ.
They are lightly taxed by the government, and
less interfered with than others ; and are so alive to
their own interests, that they take care not to ex
cite the cupidity of their rulers by any ostentatious
display of wealth. Sordidness and avarice are
their general characteristics — with a good deal of
low cunning and caution ; and so thirsty are they
after gain, so over-reaching, and so shrewd in their
dealings, that not a son of Israel can live amongst
them. | I believe I may say that Tabreez is the
only city I was ever in without meeting with a Jew.
I heard of a few only at Tehran, though the tribes
abound amongst the Turks, where they thrive
most flourishingly.
The merchants seal their bargains with their
signet instead of with their signature ; and the au
thenticity of these, and the being bound by them,
depends entirely upon the seal. Hence the office of
the seal cutter is one of great importance and trust ;
for if he is known to make duplicates, his life
would answer for the offence. The date must be
cut on the seal. They are all registered, and if a
seal be lost, public notice is given of it by the
merchant to all his dealers. They engrave beauti
fully, indeed with a perfection unknown to Europe.

TABREEZ. 267
They abbreviate the Ferengee names by leaving
out the vowels, whether in contempt or compli
ment, I do not know.
The Aji river, a salt, muddy stream, runs through
the city ; but the general supply of water is good,
and by means of " khanauts" it is brought from the
neighbouring mountains, at considerable distance.
The narrow ways or streets leading to the different
habitations are positively dangerous in time of
frost, or an accumulation of -mud in the wet season.
Occasionally a wall tumbles down, or a " kha-
naut" must be opened, which prevents all possible
thoroughfare; and what with the ups and downs
over rubbish and into water-holes, it is quite a
scientific affair to get through the streets of
Tabreez. The obscure door-ways lead down by steps, or
by an inclined plane, to the courts within ; and it
is an agreeable surprise sometimes to enter the
spacious court, with its tank of water in the centre,
or its well-planted garden, and to find so respect
able a dwelling within. There are always two
distinct courts ; one of them leading to the harem,
or forbidden apartments.
The simulation of the Persians amuses me much.
n2

268 TABREEZ.
It is exactly the reverse of that of Ferengstan;
they assume poverty, squalidness, and every other
guise, as security against oppression and spolia
tion ; whilst the Ferengees often assume wealth
and importance to impose on the credulous, and
to live on their credit for a time, until the trickery
leads them to a gaol, or sometimes to an alms
house. \ You never hear of the Persians failing in
business, or by extravagance falling into decay.
Is not the prudence of the Persian more to be
desired than the extravagance of the European ? "j
Tabreez is situate at the foot of the Mount
Orontes, in an extensive plain ; it is the capital of
Azerbijan, or country of the Ghebres, or fire wor
shippers, and was the ancient Media. It has been
frequently conquered by the Turks, and their lan
guage continues to be the current one of the day.
Abbas the Great, in the beginning of the thirteenth
century, expelled the invaders, and permanently
established the Persian rule in this province.
Chardin visited it in 1672, when, from his report,
it contained two hundred and forty mosques, fifteen
thousand houses, fifteen thousand shops or bazaars,
three hundred caravanseries, and more than half
a million of inhabitants, with splendid squares,

TABREEZ. 269
piazzas, &c, which proclaimed it the second city
in the empire. Its ancient name was Tauris, when
under the Medes; but the Persians gave it the
name of Tabreez in the year of the Hegira 165.
A most destructive earthquake about a century
ago toppled down the greater part of this magni
ficent city, and is said to have entombed a hundred
thousand of its inhabitants, leaving the wreck and
ruins which I have partly described. Of inhabitants
the present city may boast of about sixty thousand.
I found the hummums or baths in Persia very
inferior to those at Smyrna or Constantinople. At
the former place they were my frequent resort, and
a slight description of what I found them, will
apply to oriental baths generally.
Groping my way through the dark and intricate
bazaars, I at length reached the scene of cleansing
operations. It was a large domed building, very
respectable in appearance, with steam issuing from
it enough to drive a railway train. The scene on
entering was most amusing ; all sorts of people
denuding themselves on the well stuffed benches,
provided with carpets and coverings of various
kinds. This was in the outer room, where, being
reduced to my original state, I sat down amongst

270 TABREEZ.
the other naturels, their head gear and slippers
scattered about in all directions — turbans, shawls,
&c. When I speak of turbans, I do not mean as
belonging to Musselmans, since no infidels would
be allowed to pollute their baths with their unclean
presence. This was a Greek bath. The Greeks
wear a sort of rolled kerchief on the head, over the
" fez," or red scull-cap ; but as to discriminating
the caste of company, who could tell of what
nation they were ! since Nature makes no dis
tinction, from the monarch to the peasant, all
kinds being clothed in her buff livery. It is for
fantastic man to assume the purple, and other
habiliments, down to that of the convict
Here I was refreshed with coffee and pipes.
Every thing in these countries is to be preceded
by smoking. After some time, the hummumchee
arrived from the other room, a hideous looking
wretch, walking upon high wooden pattens; and
as he took hold of me, I receded from his rough
touch, as though he was going to scald a pig.
Following him to the next room, which I will call
the preparatory boiler, the steam overpowered me
with a sort of paralysing effect. I had been* hot
enough before, but this was intended to open the

TABREEZ. 271
pores, and make them more facile to the shampoo
ing operation. To retreat was impossible, so after
remaining a short time, he led the way to the
grand washing room, a large octagon building,
very lofty, and lit from above, the echoes of its
occupants playing round the roof with most
amusing continuity. It appeared to me to have
been originally a church, the small adjoining
chapels being converted to reservoirs, steam-
houses, wash-places, &c. If I found the atmos
phere of the last room paralysing, how shall I
describe this ?
Presently my savage looking conductor laid me
down on the marble slab. Resistance was useless,
and I was too powerless to impede his operations,
as he turned me over like a lump of breathless
clay, and began to scrub unmercifully with a sort
of hair-cloth glove. This he lays on to his utmost
strength on the muscles and sinews, causing them
to give up all their impurities. This shampooing
is a curious sensation ; he kneads you about with
his knuckles, cracks your bones, and you feel un
hinged in every part.
I writhed and sung out under the operation,
much to the amusement of the operator, and this

272 TABREEZ.
continued for half an hour, when I was taken to
one of the wash-houses, well lathered with soap,
and drowned in hot water. Never was I so com
pletely purified since the days of my swaddling
clothes ; and the refreshment is most luxurious,
when reposing at lazy length on the benches of
the outer apartment, you are clothed in soft
wrappers, and coffee and pipes are again intro
duced to restore the inner man.
When once the operation is over, the bath is
certainly a great luxury, and conducive to health ;
as regards the digestive powers, I found them
to be wonderfully pacified by these operations.
The noise from the many being shampooed at
the same time was most overwhelming. There
were nearly a dozen nudities running . about, add
ing to the concert ; and as the domed apartment
resounded with their cries, I could neither distin
guish character nor country of those being operated
upon. There was a babel of sounds in this outer
room, of almost all oriental languages, and the
scene was very amusing.
All respectable persons are supposed to get a
good washing once a week at least. They are
very fashionable places of female resort. Parties

TABREEZ. 273
of females will spend a whole day together on this
pastime. The only natural hot bath which I have seen in
Turkey is at Elidja, a small village near Erzroume.*
Here the water was in the boiling state, the -ground
being at the time covered with snow. It was sur
rounded with a low mud wall, about twenty feet
square. I had no opportunity of analysing the
water, and whether or not it possessed mineral
qualities seemed to be quite indifferent to the
natives, men or cattle.
There was a similar natural bath at Teflis, in
Georgia, having good buildings over it, with the
necessary accommodations ; and here I bathed.
This is decidedly of a mineral quality, and is much
resorted to by the natives under sundry maladies.
Frequent ablutions are enjoined by the Maho
medan religion, and you will scarcely find a town
or village without a good supply of the hummums.
In the ruins of the Mesjid Sultan Kazan, which
was built by Shah Shem Ghuzan more than six
hundred years ago, are some magnificent slabs of
the Tabreez marble, with which the remaining
» This bath I have already alluded to, see Chapter XVII.
N 3

274 TABREEZ.
walls are lined. It is of a transparent yellow colour,
formed by the deposition of waters from a spring
which forces its way out from the body of the cliffs ;
and near the village of Shirameen is the spring of
chalybeate water, which, running into ponds, stag
nates. A strong mineral smell proceeds from it.
The process of petrefaction is some two or three
years going on, and its different stages are to be
traced. At first the water appears clear, as it
stagnates it becomes black, and lastly, it has the
appearance of being frosted. On breaking the outer
coat, before the operation is complete, it has the
look of an accumulated layer of papers of different
colours, with which the marble is grained — of red,
green, and copper-colour, most richly streaked.
It is brittle and transparent, so much so, that it is
sometimes used for the windows of baths, or other
buildings requiring light without outward obser
vation. It is found perfectly consolidated some
three or four feet below the surface. It was for
merly exclusively used for the Shah's service, or
only by special firman, to be obtained by any one
else ; but latterly it has been sold to the best bidders.
It is used to decorate mosques and palaces ; some
times also for tablets, on which I have seen the

TABREEZ. 275
exquisite engravings at the tombs, so well done by
the Persians. The slabs may be obtained of almost
any dimensions. Those which I saw in the Mesjid
were some of them twenty feet in length, and about
ten feet in breadth, most beautifully polished.
The climate of Tabreez is the most salubrious I
have met with in Persia. Although the scorching
heat of the sun has even tried old Indians, to whom
it was almost insupportable, yet there is a refresh
ing midday breeze, which tempers its intensity.
The cold is so severe in the winter, that to sit by
a large fire clothed in furs is by no means uncom
mon. I have never felt it so intense, except in
Russia. Care must be taken to avoid the extremes
in both as much as possible ; a coup de soleil is not
uncommon, with most frightful consequences ; and
to dig out frozen corpses from the snow occurred
during my being there.
There is a class of the wandering tribes of Egypt
which come almost every season, and encamp in
the neighbourhood of Tabreez —
" Hard faring race — loud when they beg,
Dumb only when they steal."
They are prowling thieves for the time, and
are detested by the Persians. The native men-

276 TABREEZ.
dicants are but few in Persia. Alms-giving is a
most prominent trait in the Mahomedan character ;
total want, much less starvation, can never occur
amongst them.
Tabreez is sometimes visited with the awful
cholera; it devastated the city in the year 1830,
and is said to have carried off between thirty and
forty thousand people. The plague, too, has some
times made great havoc at Tabreez, though from
all my enquiries I do not find that it has ever
raged so destructively as in Turkey. I have been
assured that a remedy has been found for this
" child of Nemesis." My informant was a mili
tary gentleman, long resident in Siberia, where he
saw the cure effected. A bullock was slain, the
patient stripped, and in complete nudity was wrap
ped in the warm skin of the animal, from whence
he received new life, and gave up disease. How
long he remained so attired I know not, but his
recovery was said to be complete.

277

CHAPTER XX.
CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
The caravan is an assemblage of merchants and
travellers congregating together for mutual pro
tection; for there is always a certain degree of
danger when going over the Turkish and Persian
soil, which arises from that restless and untamable
nomadic population, called Koords, who inhabit
the frontiers of those countries, — despising all
authority, governed by none. During my stay at
Erzroume, they were flying about in all directions,
taking advantage of an unarmed population, and
almost to the gates of the city, committing their
depredations.* Thirty travellers had just pre-
* It was formerly the custom of the Pasha of this city, on
capturing any number of Koords, to send up their heads, salted,
in sacks, to Constantinople, to be laid at the gate of the seraglio.

278 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
sented themselves, plundered and stripped to
the skin.
There being, at length, ready about a hundred
and fifty people, we formed our caravan, of the
most motley group, both of man and beast, that was
perhaps ever assembled. I was the only European
amongst them, and consequently an object of
the vacant stare of the muleteers, who always afford
me much amusement. The leading camel, preceded
by a donkey, was adorned with much frippery of
coloured beads and bits of glass about the head
and ears, the knees, and saddle housings, &c. Of
this the " chaoush," or leader of the caravan, is
very proud ; and as it moves on at funereal pace,
there is plenty of time to smoke the pipe of re
flection, whilst the sound of the camel bells are
sonorously issuing from the ravines. The train
sometimes occupies half a mile in length; the
day's travel being determined either by the pasture
to be found for the cattle, which is free to all comers
if it be summer, or to the village supply of pro
vender, if in the winter. As to the travellers'
accommodation, that is the last thing thought of,
and to sleep with your horse is the general
order of the day. I never slept better than in a

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 279
warm stable, amidst curry-comb music and clouds
of dust. There is generally a small raised platform
at one end of it, with a chimney, and this is " the
traveller's rest." Then for provisions, bread, milk,
and eggs are generally to be found ; and the " muff-
rush," or wallet, ought to contain rice, coffee, sugar,
tobacco, &c, or one must go without them. The
incidents are rather monotonous — the loading and
unloading — mending the packsaddle — bivouacking
— the sundry fires for cooking the pilau — the night
arrangements. The muleteers have a busy time of
it, catching every momentary interval for their
favourite tchibook.
At Delli-Baba we fell in with the Turkish troops,
and such a rank and file I suppose was never
marched to Coventry — bare-legged, badly-slip
pered, armed and unarmed. (I should observe
that at this time, the Russians were invading the
Turkish territory, which made it very difficult for
a Ferengee stranger to pass on). The moment
they saw me, "Ruski"was sounded out, and all
the village was in alarm, dogs included, and I was
immediately surrounded by rank and file. They
thought I was " spying out the nakedness of the
land," and nothing was more probable amongst the

230 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
ignoramuses, who knew not English from " Ruski;"
in fact, they have but one term for all Europeans 
Ferengee. What was to be done ? I sat quietly on
my horse, laughing both with and at them. They
eyed and pulled me about to see if I was of the
same species with themselves, grinning through
their leathern coutenances at having made of me
" lawful prize."
In the mean time the village divan was sum
moned, the Agha, or chief, presided, and the
colonel of the troops was one of the leading mem
bers. I never could find out whether I was tried
judicially or court -martially. My friend, the
Khan, was amongst them, urging and arguing for
my release, and threatening them with his high
displeasure, in case they detained me. How that
displeasure was to have been expressed I never
heard, since we were only five or six of us against
a whole village, and rank and file I do not know
how many.
I was at length called in, and astonished to find
myself of such importance, making quite a noise
in the Turkish world. The divan was assembled
in a hot stable, with air holes here and there to
emit Turkish effluvia, which was of a very varied

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. '281
quality, including tobacco smoke. I had therefore
some difficulty to discover how many were the
gentlemen of the jury ; I think there must have
been fifty squatting down on the straw and dung,
amongst whom I came in with all possible noncha
lance, throwing my whip about, as much as to say,
" who dares to affront me."
I squatted myself near to the Agha, and laughed
to the Khan, and said, " What is going on ? — I'll
not remain here any longer." " Stop," said he, " no
such hurry;" and then explained, what I was
before ignorant of — my being taken for a " Rusky"
spy. Most fertile in expedients, I never saw
him daunted by difficulties, and after adopting
a variety of arguments to endeavour to persuade
them to the contrary, he hit upon it that I was an
Elchee, carrying important dispatches into Persia.
This gave quite a new turn to the affair, for the
name of Elchee is always respected amongst this
people. It was somewhat surprising to me to find myself
travelling in the diplomatic line; and though I
could not quite understand it, yet the Turks cer
tainly did ; and then, as if wanting to confirm this
statement, they asked, " what was the news con-

282 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
tained in my dispatches." This was a poser even
to the fertile Khan ; however, he recovered him
self, and said, "it was as much as his head was
worth to communicate their contents, but that
they were of great importance." I was then im
mediately established in their high consideration ;
the tide of contempt had turned into the tide of
respect. The Agha took his pipe from his mouth
and offered it to me, which is the pledge of friend
ship. I had nothing for it but to put it to my
mouth, which I thought was paying dear enough
for his friendship. Had I declined doing so, it
would have been a declaration of war. The
members of the divan seeing this, immediately
moved off, and I, with all possible official import
ance, made my way through the crowded villagers;
one held my stirrup, another my bridle-rein, and
I galloped off with the Khan to overtake the
caravan, which had preceded us.
At another village we found an assemblage of
similar troops, and we went to pay our respects to
the colonel, whom we found in a stable, smoking,
and giving his orders to a numerous train of bare
legged soldiers surrounding the door. He was
very polite. The Khan put him in good humour

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 283
by saying the " Ruskis were fast going to Jeha-
num," at which he laughed, crying out "Mash
allah." He ordered a stable to be cleaned out for
us, and came to pay us a visit, being anxious, it
appeared, for another gazette. We received him
amidst curry-comb and horse-dust. I established
myself in the manger, which was rather capacious;
the colonel smoked with us one or two pipes,
and then took his leave. The pipe-bearer is
a most important personage, and is first on the
staff, in preference, I imagine, to the adjutant-
general. Leaving the stable odours at three o'clock the
next morning, we went to rejoin the caravan,
which had gathered on its way to about double
the original complement of men and beasts, there
being, I should think, three hundred of each, the
latter comprising camels, mules, donkeys, and
buffaloes. There were muleteers, camelteers, mer
chants, and travellers, and I the only Ferengee
amongst them, issuing out of the dell with most
amusing confusion. One silver star lit up the
scene, and that which of all things surprises an
ignorant people, the "star shoots," were most

284 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
numerous, * as we passed a rocky bed on which the
stream was pouring down in foaming haste ; men
and cattle, almost in the dark, groping about in
various detachments — the muleteers halooing, the
camel bells ringing, and sending their long echoes*
through the valleys.
The scene was so perfectly original, and the in
cidents so amusing, that it requires a much more
graphic pen than mine to bring them to light
When the " eye-lids of the morning" were opened,
and " Nature had put off her night clothes," the
interest of the scene was much increased; there
was the heavy laden ass rolling down the steep, .
load and all, into the stream below; while the
horse, disengaging himself from his burden, was
making off to the delights of freedom.
It was an amusing sight to witness the long train
of the caravan clambering over the hills for more
* The falling stars, or meteors, are considered by the Persians
to be the blows of angels on the heads of devils who would pry
into Paradise. The fall of the angels in heaven they attribute
to their being informed of God's intention to create man after his
own image, and to dignify human nature by Christ's assuming it.
Some of them thinking their glory to be eclipsed, envied man's
happiness, and so revolted.

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 285
than a mile in length, — the muleteers sounding
out their discordant notes, the noise of which was
enough, I thought, to frighten the camels. They
are a patient, joyous sort of people, these mule
teers, though but little removed from the cattle,
in their food or attire ; — they eat barley as well as
the horse, they sleep in the same stable with the
horse, their jacket is of the roughest possible cloth,
their feet tied up in bags with rope sandals ; and
yet withal they are cheerful and happy ; only give
them a pipe of tobacco, and they will kiss the hem
of your garment.
Under the mountains of Dehar we bivouacked.
The cattle were turned adrift to find their own
food. Our hammock was formed by bales of
goods, piled around as a sort of protection from
the wandering donkeys. Here our carpets were
spread, and the various groups, with about twenty
fires burning on the ground, black camelteers,
with their white turbans, swarthy looking Persians,
all occupied in cooking their pilau, tying up their
sandals, or mending the pack-saddles : — it was a
very busy scene, and strictly oriental. I fancied
at first that I should have no sleep, as on laying
down I saw only "the spacious firmament on

286 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
high," splendidly lit up with " Nature's brilliants ;"
but I soon found out that

Weariness

Can snore upon the flint, when restless sloth
Finds the down pillow hard."
The next morning we progressed toward Toprach
Kaleh'; when in view of the fort, a gun was fired
to announce horsemen in the distance.
I have had much experience in caravan travel
ling, having spent countless hours in this pastime.
On looking over my Journal, I find myself on the
mountains of Teches, the celebrated pass of the
" ten thousand." The ascent had been long and
steep; the loaded cattle climbed the hills with
great difficulty, and we had passed through forests
of the rhododendron, with here and there the most
beautiful sloping lawns, lit up by a brilliant sun,
which contrasted with the dark foliage of the fir
and the brown beech skirting the hill-tops. It was
indeed a bright page of wild uncultivated nature.
The rhododendron fed the bees whose honey poi
soned the Greeks; and I understand that the flower
of this plant is equally noxious.
Historic recollections now crowded upon me as
I reached the place where Xenophon and his fol-

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 287
lowers first saw the sea, the object which could
alone pacify a grumbling soldiery after their long
and disastrous retreat. The spot was beautiful. As
I gave a parting glance at the sea, — here, thought
I, stood Xenophon, with his immortal band, in
sight of the goal of his toils and dangers, the rela
tion of which by the historian is so animating !
What must then the reality have been ? I stood
on the very rock from whence the sea first glad
dened his longing eyes. There can be no doubt
of its identity ; geography never changes in this
country ; it is called " the mountain of the ten
thousand." It was a very narrow pass, scarcely to
be deemed a bridle-path — I speak of the very sum
mit — with mountain boundaries of fanciful shapes,
here and there clothed with snow. There was a
sort of gloomy majesty in the solitary grandeur,
disturbed only by the towering eagles, many of
which I saw of an enormous, size.
I love these ups and downs in the world ; they
are pleasanter to me than the smooth path. Nor
does this apply to travelling merely ; there were
many objects of interest in this spot, independent
of nature's grandeur. On a towering peak on our
left stood some remains of a Genoese castle, famed

288 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
as the rendezvous of the crusaders, who were led on
by Peter the Hermit. I was interested in tracing
fragments mixed up with the history of the times
of Cceur de Lion. A German savant, Dr, Schultz,
an employe of the French government, whose ac
quaintance I had made at Constantinople, scaled
many of the walls of these ruins, and copied in
scriptions. Most of the characters, as he told me,
were " arrow headed :" he made many valuable
discoveries.* I had no time to devote to moulder-
* The name of Schultz demands from me a momentary tribute
to his memory. To collect antiquities in the east, and to make
researches in the Oriental languages, he was sent out by the
French government. Travelling difficulties assailed him from the
first, in consequence of the then existing war between Persia and
Russia: from Erzroume he was driven back by the plague; at
Teflis he was detained six months by fever, and at length he
reached Tabreez in June 1829, after three years' journeyings to
and fro, and I was the first to welcome him to that city. In the
following October he set out for Roumia, which is partly inhabited
by the 'Nassurarnees, a sect of the Nestorian Christians of the
most ancient race, and possessing many books and writings very
interesting to an antiquary ; it is partly inhabited by Koords also,
but neither of them owe allegiance to Turks nor Persians. The
chief of the Koords at Djulamenek is the descendant of the ancient
Caliphs of Bagdad, and pretends a claim to the throne of Turkey.
These people live contentedly in their own country, which is
almost inaccessible. They are very jealous of any one coming
amongst them, particularly Franks ; this was at a moment too
when the Russians were extending their conquests near to this

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 289
columns — the caravan never waits for antiquaries ;
by me the dust which buried them was not rubbed
off. There is nothing surprises the Turks so much
as to see the Ferengee climbing old walls, turning
up grave-stones, and ripping open, as it were, the
womb of gone-by time. What does he know about
antiquities ! who has no idea of any age beyond
that of his grandfather, and is as well acquainted
with Alexander the Great as with Alexander the
coppersmith. country. Dr. Schultz, contrary to the advice of all his friends,
would go to the town of Djulamenek ; he was very well received,
and treated with much hospitality by the chief, who appointed
him an escort to return, intimating that the roads were dangerous.
On arriving at the confines of their territory, he was shot in the
back by his own escort, and, with some of his people, died on the
spot ; another made his escape to Tabreez with the melancholy
intelligence, where it created great sensation. The Prince de
clared that he would take vengeance on the barbarians, but I
never heard that he did so. The poor doctor was much esteemed
by all who knew him, possessing as he did such a fund of closet and
worldly knowledge. Ardent in his pursuit of antiquities, neither
mountains nor ravines checked him, and he would climb a time-
shriven pillar with all the energy of a Syntax, to decypher a motto,
or to copy a hieroglyphic. I trust that his papers have been
preserved, and that the public may yet be gratified by the publi
cation of his interesting researches. Amongst them was a speci
men of the Koordish Gospels, in the translation of which Bishop
Schevrir, at Roumia, was also engaged, as well as the Acts and
Epistles in Koordish.
VOL. I. O

290 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
In a little nook of friendly shelter, we sat down
to discuss our breakfast, not amounting even to
" a salad and an egg," as Cowper says, but a few
nuts, some apples, and a morsel of bread — our
thirst slaked from a neighbouring brook. What
matters it, so that the chinks are filled up and
nature satisfied !
At one place we were attended by a guard of
Turks, where the defile was considered dangerous.
Our bare-legged cohort looked very fierce, carrying
short clumsy guns, which occasionally, in those
rocky passes where banditti might possibly lurk,
they would discharge, the reverberating sounds
from which echo took up, and sent from rock to
rock with amusing continuity. We had from fifteen
to twenty of them scattered through the caravan ;
and as I never failed to be an object of interest
amongst them, I cultivated their acquaintance as
well as I could by some little presents in the way
of tobacco, and had always one or two at my side,
chaunting away their wild notes, and looking upon
me, I thought, more as a hostage than a free
traveller. I have some lurking partiality for this
wilderness life; though I know nothing about
crowds and etiquette in what is called " the great

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 291
world." Give me the greater world, whose canopy
is heaven — whose bounds are boundless !
" Are not the mountains, waves and skies
A part of me, and of my soul, as I of them ?
Is not the love of these deep in my heart,
With a pure passion ?  "

I will here add a few miscellaneous recollections
from my journal. I find myself at Avajek, the
frontier station between Persia and Turkey. There
is always danger at this pass from the Koords, who
are hovering about in all directions. Being quite
alone on this occasion, I brought a letter of ac
quaintance to the Khan of the village, who could
neither speak nor write Persian, I should observe
that since the Turkish invasion of Persia, their
language has never been withdrawn from it ; on
the contrary, in the whole of ancient Media it is
the most generally spoken. The Meerza soon
arrived, who was eyes and tongue to the Khan,
and I was taken into favour, a stable cleared out
forme, and such supplies ordered in as the humble
village would afford.
My demand for escort was granted, and amounted
to some fifteen men ; these were fierce looking
mountaineers, being Koords, and as they were
o2

292 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
drilled in before me, for my approval, I was
struck with their grotesque appearance ; they
were well armed, and seemed fully prepared, as I
thought, for any sort of prey that might offer —
even those whom they were appointed to convoy,
in case there was no other. However, it will not
do to mistrust those whose protection you seek;
so marshalling my little band, I took the centre,
assuming all possible importance, and thus we
dashed off for the mountains.
The wild features of this rocky district it is
rather difficult to depict ; they were not exactly
those which I have previously described, but had
a sort of savage hue repulsive to man and beast
Here the bandit finds his hiding-place, here the
wild Koord, "his hand against every man, and
every man's hand against him," wages war against
his fellows ; and slowly surmounting the towering
passes, you expect a surprise every moment, of
that uncourteous kind which the strong make
against the feeble, the armed upon the defence
less. I kept my eye steadily fixed upon my guards ;
one of them I strongly suspected, who had a stubby
beard, — which to me is indicative of a bad soil. On
arriving at a difficult ravine, he fired a gun, which

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 293
was answered by a party below ; helter-skelter off
they ran — and I was left alone, like a partridge on
the mountains.

I am just now at the bottom of the Koflan Khu,
already spoken of as dividing Irak Adjemi from
ancient Media. After a precipitate descent, having
to cross a crumbling bridge over the muddy river
of the Kizzil-ozzan, our way lay through some
rich pasturage, and finally by a fine beaten road
to the village of Arkand. Here was a good menzil
or post-house, the water was abundant, and this
was a promise of every thing else in the way of
provisions. It was at this village formerly that an
ambassador met with so rough a reception, and was
actually beaten out of it with all his party ; the
villagers not only refused them supplies, but kept
them off by force of arms. The Persian custom
has always been for the foreign ambassadors and
distinguished strangers to travel with a " sadir," or
order from the Shah, to furnish him and his suite
with forage, and all other necessaries on the road,
addressed to the different Khans and Ketkodehs
of the villages through which they may pass, such
travellers being attended by a " mehmandar," or

294 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
conductor, bearing this sadir, and whose-duty it is
to procure the supplies, and to pass them on their
journey. These mehmandars are so very arbitary
and oppressive, that they drive the poor villagers
sometimes into rebellion, even against majesty's
order. They not only levy the requisites, but so
much beyond it, that they make a large profit of
their journey ; — such a temptation to plunder is
almost irresistible to the Persians. How far this
mehmandar had been known to the villagers I
cannot say, but they mounted the roofs of their
houses well armed, and absolutely kept him at bay
and all his suite, and the insult thus shown to the
ambassador, the Persian government had not the
power to redress. Fine promises were made of
extirpating these " sons of burnt fathers," but
nothing was done — the usual mode of settlement
in this country.
This village showed dreadful waste, caused by
plague a year or two before ; it appeared to contain
more ruins than tenements; the crumbling walls
were becoming "dust to dust," and gaunt-eyed
Desolation seemed to have driven her ploughshare
through it. The remaining villagers were cheerful,
for there is great elasticity in the Persian character.

CARAVAN TRAVELLING. 295
The caravanseries in Persia are of a very mis
cellaneous description. Some of them have been
built and endowed by private persons, for the Per
sians are very ambitious of posthumous fame ; and
their desire of acquiring this leads them to build
caravanseries, which are consecrated to hospitality
and a refuge for the stranger — some of them heavy,
massive buildings, put together seemingly to defy
time. The most respectable which I have yet seen
is near the Sibley Pass, said to have been built by
Shah Abbas, who was famous for his public works
in Persia, particularly for the great causeway which
runs from Keskar,' at the south-west corner of the
Caspian, to Asterabad, a distance of more than
three hundred English miles. This caravansery
was of brick-work, massive in the extreme, and the
arches of that beautiful symmetry which so cha
racterises Persian masonry, It was of an immense
extent ; I lost myself in its intricacies ; and very
dark, being lit only by air-holes here and there,
which admitted but little light. At the door the
smith was making shoes for all comers, and he
seemed to have plenty to do. The keeper of this
huge-looking prison, who expects a small fee, has
generally a room fitted up for himself, and he waits
upon travellers.

296 CARAVAN TRAVELLING.
Water was abundant here. I do not recollect
finding any thing else at this Traveller's Rest At
Sershem there were some remains only, but of
great original extent and good architecture. I
climbed the walls, hoping to find some nook within
them habitable, if it was only for a breakfast ; but
withering Desolation had so completely made it
her own, that it was strictly inhospitable to man or
beast. Persia offers many other similar remains
by the road-side, intended to shelter the house
less, and as earnests of that hospitality enjoined
by the Koran ; such buildings having, in most
cases, been erected at the expense of some good
Musselman. The caravanseries within the towns
are of a superior description to these. I have de
scribed the one at Kazvine, where I lay for ten
days; there was another at Zenjen, not so good,
but habitable. But the Turkish caravanseries are
still worse. I have met with them on the most
desolate places, at Ordessa, &c. a ruin of mud, not
a human habitation near them, nor a being to wel
come you, not even a cat. I was infected with the
feeling of desolation, and could exclaim with the
Persian poet, " What is the world but a caravan
sery, where each man occupies his chamber for
a season?"

297

CHAPTER XXI.

THE " EDE Y NU ROOZ.'

Who can determine that knotty point as to
what season of the year "the evening and the
morning were the sixth day. Even our immortal
bard admits "for man to tell how human life
began, is hard." The Persians contend for the
2 1st of March, the feast of the vernal equinox, and
the anniversary of the elevation of Ali to the
Caliphat. Their year of twelve months contains
each thirty days ; they add to them five compli
mentary days for the common year, and six for the
bissextile. Hence their great veneration for New
Year's day. This festival was formerly observed by
the fire worshippers, and it is the only one which has
o 3

298 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
survived the days of the Ghebres among the
Mahomedans. The Persian writers say that " God on this day
began the creation, and ordered the different
planets to move in their respective orbits." No
specific season being revealed to us in the Mosaic
account of " the beginning," some writers say that
even Adam himself kept the " Nu Rooz" on the
21st of March; they say also that on this day
Noah descended from the ark, therefore they
call it " the feast of the waters."
I am quite disposed to think that this is the
proper day for the " Nu Rooz." It is the first of
the spring season, the winter being over, and
Nature evidently rejoicing in her regeneration.
It appears to me to be a much more rational
observance of the new year's festival than the
gloomy season chosen by the Europeans. * Adam
describes it with "each tree loaden with fairest
fruit," and when "all things smiled." This is
* The new year was so observed in England, viz., on the 25th
March, then called " the old or Julian mode of computation,"
until the year 17S2, at which period Gregory I. reformed the
calendar, whereby the year was calculated from the 1st January,
when an Act of Parliament was passed to adopt the Gregorian
calendar in England.

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 299
evidently the season when Nature renews her
strength ; the teeming earth bursts with her vege
table produce, the feathered choristers chaunt
their hallelujahs to the God of all creation, and
even animal life quickens.
I have much enjoyed this day in Persia, but in
the drizzly, frigid climate which we inhabit I
question if the sensations of delight can be so
lively as under the animating rays of an oriental
sun. Such is the power of the animal over the
mental system, that the Persian (the Frenchman
of the East) knows nothing of that torpidity and
langour of the brain so peculiar to " the English
man of the West."
The " Ede y nu Rooz" is distinguished by a
series of fetes, which continue nearly a week.
Chardin's description of them applies to the pre
sent day — that it is one of the grandest of the
Persian festivals, when, from the prince to the
peasant, all must be happy, or appear to be so.
The relations of life are renewed (if I may so say)
by family ties, friendly ties, and numerous other
ties, known only at this time. Then the seques
tered haremite comes off her carpet, and bedizened
in the costly trappings conferred by her lord,

300 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
exchanges courtesies with other splendid prison
ers, all happy in that seeming vacuity of existence,
which may be likened more to animal than to
spiritual life, kissing and embracing each other,
with their " Ede y shuma mobarek" — " May the
festival be propitious to you ! " Even the men
express their congratulations in the same manner.
All seem inspired with the sensations of our first
parents — "With fragrance and with joy my heart
o'erflowed." The servants are clothed in their new liveries ;
business is partially suspended; nothing whatever
is done by the government authorities for three
days at least. The bazaars are deserted, and one
general surrender to the dissipation of idle visits
seems to pervade all classes.
These visits are very amusing, until they become
tiresome with the overflowing bowls of flattery
administered from one to the other, the " chum y
chum," or compliments, so liberally dealt out, the
sending and receiving the " peiscush," or presents.
This latter is the most important part of the cere
mony ; for with all their external civilities, each
person expects to receive more than he gives ; and
here is a fine scope for intrigues amongst the ser-

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 301
vants, who profit by these exchanges. I like this
custom of their souvenirs to each other, though not
the motive which actuates them. Such little
courtesies enhance somewhat " the poetry of life,"
taking off the edges of its "dull realities" — the
former so little known, and the latter so predomi
nant, in my native country, whose people are so
noted by foreigners for their frigidity.
The King on this day holds his court, attended
by the numerous " shah zadehs," or princes of his
family-a score or two-as many as can conveniently
leave their respective governments. Then the
Khans, the ministers, the foreign ambassadors (if
any at the time are at the capital) all wait on the
" Shah Padi Shah," " the Centre of the Universe,
the Cousin of the Sun and Moon," for permission
"to rub their foreheads at the gate of almighty
splendour." From a large vase filled with gold
and silver coins the royal bounty is scattered to
his favourite sons and courtiers, but is intended to
produce abundant interest, since they are baits of
invitation merely to the liberality of his subjects.
Voluntary taxation was the only source of reve
nue in Persia until the time of Darius, who first
imposed other tribute. Hence he is called " Darius

302 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
the merchant." It was in his reign that money
was first coined in Persia, called "Darics." It now
forms, perhaps, a third of the ordinary revenues ;
and although Persian politeness both gives and
takes it as voluntary offerings, yet I understand that
no exactions can be more severe. His Majesty
obtains full information of the revenues of his differ
ent Khans and ministers, and expects from them
their due proportions. In order to continue to bask
in the royal favour, or to maintain their govern
ments, an emulation is excited amongst them to
excel each other in their " Nu Rooz" offerings.
The niggard is displaced, and the liberal tramples
him down ; the royal squeeze must be followed by
the governors squeezing the poor "ryots" or pea
santry. Through these different sluices all comes
to the royal coffer at last.
The Shah's splendour on these grand occasions
has been described to me as perhaps the most
gorgeous display in the world. The immense
riches of the crown jewels would buy a kingdom;
on his "musnud" or throne, he seems made up
of diamonds, pearls, and all the sparkling stones of
the world. No subject in Persia is allowed to wear
jewels ; not even the Shah's sons. It may be al-

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 303
most said, therefore, that all the costly treasures of
Persia are heaped upon his Majesty.
Numerous fetes succeed each other during the
seven days that- the festival lasts. The first of
these, however, is the most important.
Beyond the small gold and silver coins with
which his Majesty deigns to honour his subjects,
he presents to the most distinguished, or the most
liberal, " kalaats," or dresses of honour. These
are generally of shawls of different qualities and
value. The bestowing of these dresses is a very
ancient usage in Persia, and is one of the many
biblical customs which may still be traced in this
country. Thus was Mordecai honoured by Haman
at the King's command, and Jonathan to show his
love to David, " stripped himself of the robe that
was upon him and gave it to David." So also in
the days of King Solomon : " And they brought
every man his presents; vessels of silver, "vessels of
gold, and garments, and armour, and spices, horses
and mules, a rate year by year." *
His Majesty's bounty in this respect was said to
amount to nearly a thousand " kalaats" annually,
not one of which cost him any thing, since he
* 1 Kings x. 25.

304 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ,
makes requisitions on the towns of Kerman and
other districts to supply the necessary shawls for
that purpose.
" The object of the world's regard" being seated
on his throne, the observance of ceremonies and
court etiquette is said to be the strictest in the
world ; the least deviation from it would be deemed
almost criminal. The princes, courtiers, &c, who
approach in erect position with their hands crossed,
watch the royal looks ; his glance is a command,
his frown may be death ; and should they be ad
dressed by the Shah, such is the fearful respect
entertained for him, you scarcely hear their reply.
Such forms and ceremonies are deemed essential
not only to the glory but to the power of the sove
reign, and the least deviation from them would be
deemed insubordination to his government, and
visited with immediate punishment. Of these court
ceremonies we have a very interesting report from
Sir John Malcolm, in his own presentation to the
late Shah of Persia.
" The arrival of a foreign embassy is one of
those occasions in which the King of Persia should
appear in all Kis grandeur. The foreign minister
advances with his suite and escort to one of the

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 505
interior gates of the palace ; the moment he reaches
the precincts of the royal abode, all is complete
silence — the horses even, as if trained to the scene,
scarcely move their heads. When announced, he
is conducted into a small apartment, where he is
met by one of the principal officers of govern
ment ; after being seated there some minutes, the
King is announced to be on the throne, and the
ambassador proceeds to the hall of audience.
From the throne to the entrance of the garden,
the princes, ministers, courtiers, and royal guards,
are arranged in their respective ranks ; but the
splendid appearance of the officers is eclipsed in
a moment when the eye glances at the sovereign,
whose throne and dress are covered with the
richest jewels. As the ambassador advances be
tween two officers, whose gold enamelled wands
are the insignia of their high station, he is twice
required to make an obeisance. When near the
throne, the lord of requests pronounces his name,
and that of the ruler by whom he is sent. The
King says in reply, " You are welcome," and the
foreign minister proceeds to take his seat in the
same room, but at some distance from the King.
If the ambassador has any presents to offer, they

306 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
are (however rich) received without any appear
ance of gratification, for the most extraordinary
work of art must not appear to excite surprise,
nor to fix the attention of the monarch when they
are publicly presented : the forms of his condition
require that he should conceal any joy or wonder
till he can indulge in it without restriction."
Not having attended the ceremonies of the
"Ede y nu Rooz" at Tehran, I will briefly borrow
from those who have, on the occasion of a foreign
ambassador being presented. "The ambassador
and his suite entered into the court where the
King gives his solemn audiences, conducted by
the master of the ceremonies. This court, or
rather garden, is called the ' Gulistan,' or rose
bed. It is a parallelogram, of about three hundred
paces long, by one hundred and fifty wide, shaded
with beautiful plane trees, and planted with roses,
jessamine, and all kinds of flowers. An oblong
basin divides it into two equal parts ; several little
fountains rise in the centre, and its borders were
covered with fruits and refreshments, in gold and
silver dishes, and in vases of China porcelain.
The nobles were standing ranged and in silence,
at distances more or less near the throne, according

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 307
to their rank ; the ' shah zadehs,' or princes, were
also standing, and placed according to their ages.
" When we had made three profound bows, we
were requested to take places below those princes,
and the King then invited the ambassador to ap
proach him, when the latter advanced into the hall
near his throne. This hall is at the end of the
garden, and almost on a level with the ground ; it
is lined all over with looking glasses, gildings, and
Persian paintings. The King wore a tiara spark
ling with diamonds, and was surrounded with all
the attributes of royalty. His Majesty was seated
on a pedestal of white marble, enriched with gold,
and supported behind by a cushion, embroidered
with fine pearls; he wore bracelets of precious
stones, in the midst of which shone the ' derai
nowr,' or sea of light, one of the largest diamonds
known ; he smoked from a ' kaleoon,' shining with
emeralds and rubies ; the principal officers of his
household, ranged round the throne, pompously
displayed all the court jewels, in gold and silver
gilt dishes.
" I confess I had never seen a more magnificent
spectacle. It was the first time we could contem
plate one of the most powerful monarchs of Asia

308 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
in his glory, and it was no longer possible to doubt
of those immense riches of which the Persians so
often spoke to us. There is not the least exagge
ration in the account I give you of this imposing
ceremony. Add the brilliancy of a beautiful day,
and that of the sun's rays at noon reflected in a
thousand ways from this prodigious heap of gold,
silver, arid jewels, and you will still have but a faint
idea of what we saw on this occasion.
" The ambassador having pronounced a short ad
dress, which was translated into Persian, the master
of the ceremonies came forward to fill his hands
with new pieces of gold and silver money, according
to an ancient custom practised at this court. Its
object is to remind the receiver that the King is
the sole dispenser of the wealth of his kingdom,
and that he distributes or withdraws it at his
pleasure. This is, in fact, the real triumph of
despotism. " We were next served with ice sherbet. The
ceremony was concluded by a long oration, ad
dressed to the King by his chief moolah ; the most
extravagant praises and hyperboles, which are the
common flowers of the oriental style, were not
spared, so that his Majesty, if fond of incense

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. £09
received a large supply, and might enjoy it at his
leisure. " Six days after, the ambassador and ail the
legation were again invited by the King to the
festival at which the governors of provinces pre
sent their ' peiscush,' or voluntary tributes. This
ceremony takes place in the first court of the royal
palace. The governor of Khorassan was the first
who presented himself; he bowed profoundly before
the King, his father, and presented fifty superb
horses of his province, an equal number of mules
and camels, Cachemere shawls, several bags of
tourquoises, &c. The latter objects were on broad
wooden trays, carried by the officers of his house
hold. After these presents had passed before the
King, they were sent into the interior of the palace.
The governor of Kerman sent his offering by his
vizier; it consisted of Cachemere shawls; arms,
such as lances, muskets, pistols; and a great number
of camels laden with carpets and fine felts. The
vizier of the governor of Mazanderan then pre
sented in the name of his master more Cachemere
shawls, stuffs of gold, silver, and silk, wooden
spoons of delicate workmanship, arms, camels, and
mules, Those of the governor of Farestan were

310 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
also remarkable in their kind ; amongst other
objects we saw a great quantity of sugar and
syrups, mules and camels laden with coffee and
tumbako, or smoking tobacco, from Shirauz.
" But the tribute of the beglerbeg of Ispahan
surpassed all the former in magnificence. Besides
superb Turkoman horses and rich stuffs, it also
included that precious metal so eagerly sought by
all mankind, and for which the King of Persia is
said to have a decided predilection. Fifty mules,
ornamented with Cachemere shawls and streamers,
carried each one thousand tomauns in money, a
sum equal to about £45,000.
" Every year at this season these presents are
received, and by this an idea may be formed of
the immense riches which the private treasures of
the King of Persia must contain. Games of all
kinds succeeded to the presentations of the tributes,
which were sent into the King's palace as they
passed in review before his Majesty. These con
sisted of men running on stilts ; others performing
feats of strength and balancing, turning on the
slack rope, or carrying on their heads a pile of
earthen pots, surmounted with a vase of flowers ;
then dancing, and combats of rams that were ex-

THE EDE Y NU ROOZ. 311
cited against each other. These exercises were
followed by rope dancing, performed by young
children; these dancers are called in Persian,
' djanbaz,' meaning him who plays, or risks his
soul. This expression, contemptuous in itself, inti
mates that games of this kind are discouraged by
religion, and is nearly synonymous with that of
excommunication. " Naked men armed with maces, and wrestlers,
appeared before the King. The first resembled
savages ; they struck their clubs together, but with
out injuring each other. It was not so with the
second: their combats have something so revolting
and hideous that I am loth to mention it. The
conqueror, that is to say, he who succeeded in
throwing his adversary on his back, went to the
foot of the * kiosk' to receive a piece of money,
which the King threw down to him.
" The King retired for half an hour to say his
evening prayer, and then returned for the fire
works ; they extended over all the great court of
the palace, which is three hundred paces long and
five hundred broad, also on some of the terraces
t that surrounded. They commenced with the Ben
gal flames, which had a very fine effect ; then they

312 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
let off in confusion a prodigious quantity of cases
of crackers and rockets. Suns, figures of men and
animals, trees and houses of fire, every instant
presented new scenes, and there was nothing
wanting but more order and symmetry, to render
the spectacle magnificent
" The next day was appropriated to horse-
racing. At six o'clock in the morning we left the
•city to proceed unto the plain of Tehran, where
the King's tent had previously been pitched.
Futtee Ali Shah soon appeared ; he was in a mili
tary dress, and accompanied by several of his sons.
The march was opened with " zambrooks," being
small cannons carried on camels, and by four ele
phants ornamented with red trimmings, and carrying
towers or pavillions, gilded and lined with looking-
glasses. When the King alighted to enter his
tent, a general discharge of the " zambrooks" was
fired, and horsemen, magnificently dressed and
armed in the antique style, started into the midst
of the area, to perform a species of tournament
until the races should begin. The horses admitted
to the competition had departed the day before ;
some of them had to run a space of three furseks
(fifteen miles) in an hour and a half; others one

THE EDE Y NU^ROOZ. 313
fursek in half an hour. Prizes were reserved for
the winners ; the first amounting to one hundred
tomauns, the second to fifty, the third to ten.
The horses were rode by children, dressed merely
in a shirt, pantaloons, and a handkerchief on their
heads. According as they reached the winning-
post, the names of the persons to whom they
belonged were proclaimed. The King's horses
gained, as they ought, the first prize.
" After the race, the Shah was seated on his
throne, covered with gold and silver enamelled;
a vase of flowers ornamented each of ,the arms of
his seat. He wore a tikme of blue velvet em
broidered with fine pearls, and a cap of Astracan
lambskin. The interior of the tent was lined with
stuffs of gold and silver ; there were several mirrors
in it, a rich cushion embroidered with pearls, and
a portrait of a female in embroidery. The princes,
ranged in a line before the King according to age,
were leaning on large bows, and' had leaden quivers
on their shoulders ; the richness of their dresses,
and their bracelets sparkling with precious stones,
produced a very imposing effect, which was height
ened by the brilliancy of a beautiful day. Below
these princes stood two officers of the palace, one
VOL. I. p

314 THE EDE Y NU ROOZ.
of whom carried the mace, and the other the large
shield of the King, both enriched with emeralds
and rubies.
" To show the expertness of one of the young
princes, of seven or eight years' old, the Shah
ordered him to shoot several arrows at an object
he pointed out to him ; the young prince obeyed,
and discharged a score of them at the running
footmen ranged in a file before the elephants.
Though his strength did not allow him to reach
them, the attitude and looks of the servants did
not the less betray fear and inquietude ; at each
arrow they were seen bowing the head, then rais
ing and lowering it again ; but from respect to the
King, none of them attempted to quit his place.
This amusement, though savouring rather too much
of the practical joke, was at length terminated.
We afterwards separated; from, his Majesty, who
soon remounted his horse to return to the palace.
Thus ended this festival."

315

CHAPTER XXII.

ABBAS MEERZA.

I had once the honour to be invited to wait on
his late Royal Highness the Crown Prince of
Persia. " Surely," said I, " my face shall be
whitened, and my consequence increased, now
that I am to bask in the sunshine of royalty ! "
So mounting the stirrup of impatience, and being
goaded with the spur of novelty, I bounded off
with my friend and interpreter the Khan, and made
my way to the " dhur khaneh," or palace gate.
All visits in the East must be made on horse
back, be the distance ever so short ; * and when a
* It is customary to precede it with a present. I was honoured
with a kalaat by the Prince, which was taken from me by the
Koords.
p2

316 ABBAS MEERZA.
Khan goes out, he is attended by his "peesh waz,"
or road clearer; one man bears his pipe, another
his slippers, the third his "baula poosh," and so
on. His dignity much depends on the number of
his servants, to be increased by the running foot
men, as many as you can muster, one at each rein,
and the remaining " ambulants" bringing up the
rear. Pick them up by the way, no matter who,
so that you arrive at the " dhur khaneh" heavily
attended. I have seen the " beglerbeg," or mayor
of the town, arrive with nearly a hundred fol
lowers, of every class and description. He would
set out with some twenty or thirty, increasing as
he went on ; and as to any thing like livery,, bare
legs, sheep-skins, and slippers, came the nearest to
uniformity — I speak of the "accumulated extra-
ordinaries." His own servants, particularly the
"peish kedmets," or body men, are well .dressed,
the Persians being very vain in this respect.
Arrived at the "maidan," or large square in
front of the Prince's palace, I saw nothing exter
nally to indicate the residence of royalty, except
some small display of tile engravings over the
door, and some congregated masses of all sorts of
people,, humbly waiting the fiat of the Naib ul

ABBAS MEERZA. 317
Sultanat, which might possibly affect their tongues,
or even their heads. The plain brick arched
vestibule, without even a coat of mortar, led to
a long passage of the same material, the ups and
downs of which were such as, without due care,
might cost one a bone's dislocation. This con
ducted to an enclosed court, filled with applicants
and implorants, waiting to reach the threshold of
justice. In a small ante-room, well carpeted, we had to
wait for some time, until the ceremonial of our
introduction was ready. There I sat upon " the
carpet of patience, and smoked the pipe of expec
tation," until at length the " yassawal," or master
of the ceremonies, arrived to say that the Prince
was ready to grant us audience. We had then to
cross the garden to the inner apartments, where
the Prince was sitting. It was a plain looking
building, with windows almost to the ground.
The " deewan khaneh," in which he receives peo
ple on state occasions, was richly carpeted, and
nummeds, or long narrow carpets, were laid on
each side, for the visitors lo range themselves
according to their rank, which is indicated by
the stations which they occupy on the nummed.

318 ABBAS MEERZA.
Within this room was his "khelwat," or small
closet, as it appeared to me, in which was the
Prince, sitting in an English chair.
Keeping on my hat, and doffing toy slippers, I
accompanied the Khan, who on entering made his
" serferoo," or obeisance, and I, of course, did the
same ; then we approached a few steps, bowed
again; and having arrived within about six feet
of his Royal Highness, made serferoo the last,
more profound, with all the humility which I
could assume. The Khan was afraid I should
laugh out, for after sundry previous practisings,
he found me a very unapt scholar; however, I
behaved pretty well.
The Prince said, " Kushamadeed," — " you are
welcome-^your place has long been empty. I was
very desirous to see you;" and then with rapid
utterance, not at all waiting for my rejoinders,
with which I was well charged, and wanted to
deliver myself of, he enquired my name, of my
travels, how I liked Persia, talked so rapidly,
and introduced such extraordinary sundries, that
I had great difficulty to find pause for my mai
den speech, which was ready cut and dried —
the practice, I believe, of all maiden speeches.

THE AUTHOB. INTRODUCED TO ABBAS MEERZA.
TubliahedbyHemy C oilmen, Great Marlborough. St. IBM..

Day AHagfuSr-ZittZ' 'Sff 2*» Quasi-

ABBAS MEERZA. 319
At length I said, through my interpreter, that I
had heard much of his Royal Highness's name in
my own country, for the condescension and cour
teous urbanity with which he had been pleased to
receive English visitors at Tabreez, particularly
our missionary Martin, by whom it was noted in
his journal ; — how highly honoured I felt, " who
was less than the least," at this proof of his Royal
Highness's condescension. " Barikallah," said the
Prince, and at intervals, " Laullah e ilulluh ! "
" there is no God but God !" but what this had to
do with my audience, I could never understand.
His Royal Highness went on with a long string of
talk, enquiring if I could speak Persian, &c.
The " chum y chum," or compliments, being
over, the Prince said that he had great respect for
the English nation, having received warm friend
ship from them, which he should never forget.
He added, " the Persians and English are one," —
which is deemed a great compliment in Persia,
and however I might have ventured to differ in
opinion, of course I durst not express it.
Amongst other subjects, his Royal Highness
alluded to the late war with Russia, saying, that

320 ABBAS MEERZA.
the real events of this war were never known
to the English nation, and referred to an article of,
the treaty, No. 15, which had not been observed
by the Russians. Having talked politics for some
time longer, when his Royal Highness signified
his pleasure that we might retire ; so salaaming it
backward three times, with " May his Royal High
ness's condescension never be less," I resumed my
slippers and retreated with the Khan, with every
deferential respect.
Having already spoken of Abbas Meerza, I will
only add of this princely person, that he was
about forty years' old; rather above the ordi
nary stature, of an originally very fine form arid
countenance, with dark penetrating eyes, full of
intelligence, though clouded a little, I thought,
by the cares of state; — but sufficient were the
remains of his former self to say that he must have
been a fine specimen of the Kajars. His manners
were easy, and his whole appearance dignified;
his dress was unostentatious, his robes of cashmere
shawl, trimmed with silver, his " kanjar," or knife,
sparkling with brilliants, but having on his head
simply the black Astracan cap. He had been

ABBAS MEERZA. 321
governor of the province of Azerbijan for twenty
years, and was renowned for his clemency, and
for his attention to the duties of his high office ;
often would he sit in public to hear the complaints
of his people, and nothing grieved him so much as
to exercise by punishment that authority which
was absolutely necessary for the safety of the
community. The people over whom he presided, appeared
to be a very quiet industrious race, and apparently
quite happy in their mud regions, as I saw them
issuing out of the gates morning and evening to
their numerous villages, their donkeys generally
laden, and themselves bearing a load of napkin
bread under their arms. I heard of no crime nor
commotion amongst them; they seemed blessed
with a sort of negative enjoyment ; and of the
Persian peasant it may be truly said, " To be
content's his natural desire."
I subsequently took more time to examine the
grand hall of audience, the walls of which were
ornamented with Persian paintings, some of them
descriptive of the last war with Turkey, of which
his Royal Highness was the leader, and distin
guished himself much by his bravery. There were

322 ABBAS MEERZA.
other pieces, representing the Prince at the chase,
of which he was very fond. In one of them he is
lancing the wild boar. I have already spoken of
the arts in this country, such as I saw at Sulimania,
and at the Bagy Seffre, my remarks tending to show
that they have no notion of perspective. Their
taste for sculpture is no better. A statue of a female
was once introduced to the Prince, an exquisite
specimen of Sievier's chiselling ; but the work had
no charms for Abbas Meerza. On being told the
cost in England, how his Highness laughed ! " I
can buy the most exquisite form in flesh and blood
for half the money," said he, and he would give
her no place in his " harem khaneh."
So desirous was the Prince to cultivate friendship
with the English nation, that he invited British
emigrants to reside in his country, to introduce
their arts and industry amongst his own people. *
This invitation was so scantily promulgated that
it failed to attract emigrants to Persia, where fifty
thousand, in his province alone, might have located
amidst the greatest abundance. The soil was pro
digal of fruits of the finest kinds ; grapes, apricots,
peaches, of more than European qualities. Of the
* See Appendix.

ABBAS MEERZA. 323
former, the " kiss miss," or stoneless grape, is very
delicious. There were also melons in great quan
tities, both the musk and water-melon. Latterly,
some vegetables were introduced by the English,
such as carrots, potatoes, onions, &c, but these
will never come into general use by the Persians,
who eat nothing in this way but rice. I should
observe that their prejudice against the unclean
beast, the hog, is equal to that of the Jews. Scarcely
will a Persian servant cook a ham, much less par
take of it
It was remarkable that the Prince, who had
never been beyond his own country, and was
brought up to the most rigid tenets of his faith,
should have been so liberal a Mahomedan. He
had no idea of converting people to the Prophet's
creed ; on the contrary, he had the most contemp
tuous opinion of those who from interested motives
would embrace Islamism. On a parade day the
moolahs came forward, congratulating the Prince
on their having converted an infidel to the true
faith. He enquired what were the man's motives.
Was he acquainted with the doctrines which
Mahomet taught, and did he adopt them from

324 ABBAS MEERZA.
conviction.? On being answered that he knew
nothing of the Koran, the Prince immediately
said, " Then he must have had some interested
motive in doing so ;" — which he heartily despised,
and ordered his pay to be reduced twenty to
mauns ; he being then in the military service. As
might have been expected, the renegade renegaded
again (to his former position.
When Mr. Missionary Wolfe was in Persia, the
Prince received him very graciously, and promised
him protection and encouragement in building
schools, saying very good-humouredly that some
of his sons should become his first scholars. He
granted Jiim a large plot of ground and the build
ing upon it, to show his sincere desire to serve
the Christian cause. He addressed a letter to
Mr. Wolfe, of which the following is a copy, as
given to me by my good friend, late the Prince's
physician : —
" The Rev. Joseph Wolfe having been presented
to us, has explained the desire and wish he enter
tains of establishing in our city of Tabreez, and
under the patronage of Henry Drummond, Esq.,
a school for the education of all classes, and of

ABBAS MEERZA. 325
sending from England such teachers as may be
necessary to reside here, and to employ themselves
constantly in the instruction of children. As this
benevolent undertaking is in perfect accordance
with our feelings, and as the strictest intimacy now
exists between the governments of England and
Persia, the proposal of Mr. Wolfe has met with our
cordial approbation. We have, therefore, ordered
that a house should be given, in order to inspire
confident assurance that when teachers come from
England, the institution shall always receive from
us all due patronage, protection, and support."
Subsequently, neither Mr. Wolfe nor his patron
did any thing in the way of establishing these
schools; which left rather an unfavourable impres
sion on the Prince's mind, since it had the appear
ance of trifling with him.
The gallantry of the Prince has been conspi
cuous, in the double sense of the word; it was
the cause of his last war with the Turks in 1822.
A large and distinguished party of Persians, in
cluding the royal harem1, were making the pil
grimage to Mecca, and had to pass through
Erzroume, where they were suspected of having
merchandize with them whieh was subject to go-

326 ABBAS MEERZA,
vernment dues.* Remonstrances were of no avail ;
they were told, " This is the royal harem, if you
profane it with a gaze, dire will be the conse
quences." The Turks persevered in visiting it;
and the women were subjected to insults. The
gallantry of the Prince being thus impeached, he
immediately declared war. An army was assembled
of thirty-five thousand men, and his Highness took
the field and made rapid marches towards Erz
roume. He took possession on the way of Torprach
Kaleh, where he defeated four Pashas with nearly
sixty thousand men — so says the Persian Gazette.
He then advanced to Hassan Kaleh, where he
displayed great courage and generalship in con
ducting the war, which lasted only a short time.
The Turks were glad to compromise the affair by
a peace, which the Prince liberally granted them.
The great superiority of the Persian to the Turkish
troops was then Very clearly established.
The Prince's family was very numerous. Some
of the " shah zadehs" were married during my
stay at Tabreez. The marriage fete is generally
* The Persians had frequently imposed on the Turks in this
way, by associating merchants in their diplomatic trains, or under
other cover of government protection, thereby cheating the
" gumrook," or custom dues.

ABBAS MEERZA. 327
announced by fireworks, rockets, and other missiles
being thrown into the air. Of the marriage cere
mony I can say nothing, since I was not present
at one.
The Prince's predilections in favour of every
thing English were particularly fostered by his
great regard both for his " hakeem bashi," Dr.
Cormick, and for the generalissimo of his troops,
Major Hart ; to the latter of whom was committed
the training of the "serbozes," or infantry, who, by
means of English discipline, formed a very respect
able corps.*
Abbas Meerza's military genius was latterly exer
cised against the Khorassanees. He had made
* I would here pause to pay a tribute of respect to the memory
of Major Hart. In June, 1830, he was carried off after only
a few hours' illness (and within ten minutes of the death of
Sir John Macdonald Kennier), of gout in the stomach. His
remains lie interred in the Armenian church. Scarcely any
Englishman has resided in Persia who has obtained so much the
respect and love of the people. His name was quite a passport
to the traveller. In his military duties, although a strict disci
plinarian, he was much beloved by the Persian soldiers. The
Prince's regard for him was unbounded, and he shed tears at his
decease, lamenting the loss of his commander-in-chief as the
greatest misfortune that could have happened to him. Frank,
generous, and brave, he was an ornament to the English charac
ter. Trained to arms from the earliest age, he had seen twenty-
eight years of uninterrupted service, and more than twenty of it

328 ABBAS MEERZA-
one or two campaigns in Khorassan> and had as
sembled a pretty large army at Meshed. During
my stay at Tehran, the Prince had come up to
solicit supplies from the Shah, for the purpose of
marching against Herat, leaving his son, Mah
moud Meerza (the present Shah); commander-in-
chief of the troops. He was then in a very en
feebled state of health. Dr. Cormick did his utmost
to dissuade him from another campaign, alleging
the probable consequences to be totally destructive
to him. Jealous of his honour, having pledged
himself to return, and ambitious of military re
nown, the Naib ul Sultanat departed on his military
expedition. But he never lived to reach Meshed ;
being carried off by the climate fever at a village
on the road. The following is my report from
Tabreez of the melancholy event ; —
in Persia. He was looking forward to retire to his native country
from the toils of military life, but death suddenly interposed, and
both Prince and people were the sincere mourners over bis tomb.
It was gratifying to see an Englishman so highly respected by a
Mahomedan Prince, and by his talent and conduct holding up
the honour and dignity of 'his country. He was equally respected
by the Shah ; in proof of which, during my stay at Tabreez, he
sent him the money to pay the troops in Azerbijan, which he
would not entrust to Abbas Meerza, having more confidence in
the honour of a British major, than in that of his own son !

ABBAS MEERZA. 329
" On the 11th of October, 1833, we received
the distressing intelligence of the death of Abbas
Meerza, made public by the Ameer y Nizam to
the young princes and to the people of the town.
The scene was dreadful ; the whole town flocked
to the Prince's ' maidan' in deep mourning, black
tapers burning in their hands, and in the other
ashes or straw, strewing on their faces and heads,
with true feelings of lament and sorrow.* The
young princes rushed out from the ' deewan
khaneh' with their faces and clothes covered with
mud and ashes, and mourned with the public,
which was really affecting beyond description.
The mourning is to be kept up for seven days,
and the Shah has ordered it to be general through
out Persia."
Thus died prematurely, at the age of forty-three,
Iran's hope, England's friend, and the most ac
complished Mahomedan prince to be found in the
annals of that country. How many of the actors
on the Persian stage have I seen go down to
* How much do the usages of Persia remind me of Biblical
customs. Here we see Eliphat, Bildad, and Zophar, the friends
of Job, lamenting over his calamities : " They rent every man his
mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads towards heaven."

330 ABBAS MEERZA.
the "tomb of all the Capulets!" The Colonel
(Macdonald Kennier), the Major (Hart), the
Prince, the Doctor, * and last of all — " the King
of Kings."
* Dr. John Cormick had been in Persia for more than twenty
years. He held the high appointment of " hakeem bashi," or
chief physician, to the Prince, by whom he was much esteemed.
It may be said that he was one of the connecting links of the
friendship which the Prince entertained for this country. Sum
moned by his Royal Highness to Tehran, to accompany him
to Khorassan, he for a long time resisted the invitation, and
much against his will was he at length prevailed on to follow the
Prince, some days after him, on that journey. Being ill at
the time, he was but little fitted for the undertaking, having
suffered from typhus fever some seven or eight days previous
to his arrival at the village of Maagamy, twelve stages from
Tehran (this wason the28th of October, 1833). Here his atten
dants, observing in his -countenance a sudden change for the
worse, became alarmed, and in a few minutes they found him
speechless, and in the last struggle of death. His body was
the next day interred somewhere near the village, but it was sub
sequently brought up to Tabreez, and buried in a garden, called
" Marian Nanna." On my last visit I went to his tomb j a plain
inscription narrated his name, age, and time of decease. The
flowers were growing around it in profusion, and the birds were
carolling their requiems over the deceased. His memory is much
cherished by all who knew him.
END OF VOL. I.

^PRINTHD BY WILLIAM WILCOCKSON, ROLLS BUILDINGS, -PSTrKH -LANE.